Aptamer-based methods for biosensing of estrogen receptors and human
epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in breast cancer
Abstract
Breast cancer is a common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer
related mortality among women. Early diagnosis and better prognosis are
vital to improve breast cancer outcomes and survival rates. Clinical
assessment of the expression levels of biomarkers including estrogen
receptors (ERs) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) had
been beneficial in assisting the prognosis and deriving treatment
regimes. Conventionally, these biomarkers were detected mostly using
antibody-based methods. However, recent advances in identifying aptamers
as antibody substitutes have favoured development of aptamer-based
sensing platforms for rapid, cost-effective, and point-of-care testing
applications. The last decade witnessed substantial use of aptamers in
cancer diagnosis. This review provides a thorough update of recent
developments in aptamer-based detection of human estrogen receptors
(ERs) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in breast cancer.
The widely used tissue and serum-based biomarkers of breast cancer are
introduced, and the conventional methods of ERs and HER2 detection are
discussed. Electrochemical and optical methods of aptasensing strategies
based on “on/off”, “target sandwich”, “nanomaterial beacons” and
AuNP-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) approaches are
then elaborated. Finally, a perspective for futuristic remote health
care monitoring of breast cancer patients using smart wireless
nano-aptasensor is provided.