ABSTRACT
Infections by pathogenic viruses constitute one of the most severe threats to human health. Accordingly, prophylactic vaccines have played critical roles in the prevention of diseases caused by viruses. But for viruses that have already infected the human body, like the human papilomavirus (HPV), no effective method is currently available to clear the infected virus except via our immune system, which may not always be successful. Fighting against the infected virus has remained a huge challenge, especially since the virus is able to evade the human immune system. Conventional antibiotics for pathogenic bacteria, fungi, or parasites have no effects on any virus, and no antiviral drug is available that can wipe out a virus without causing serious side effects. Therapeutic strategies designed to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with combinations of antiviral drugs (“cocktail therapy”) have proven to be the best approach for slowing the
CONTENTS
23.1 RNA Aptamers and Their Selection Method, SELEX ..................................................449 23.2 RNA Aptamers for Viral Detection and Disease Diagnosis........................................ 452
23.2.1 Biosensor of RNA Aptamer Nanotechnology ................................................... 452 23.2.2 Aptamers Developed as Disease-Specific Biomarkers .....................................453
23.3 Utilization of Aptamer in Treatment of Viral Infection ...............................................453 23.3.1 Inhibition of Viral Entry .......................................................................................454 23.3.2 Inhibition of Reverse Transcription ....................................................................454 23.3.3 Inhibition of Replication and Translation ..........................................................454 23.3.4 Inhibition of Viral Packaging ...............................................................................455 23.3.5 Inhibition of Virus Production.............................................................................455 23.3.6 Inhibition of Cell Transformation........................................................................455 23.3.7 Treatment of Cancers Caused by Viruses ..........................................................455 23.3.8 RNA Aptamers for Targeted Delivery ................................................................456
