Intercellular Connections Related to Cell–Cell Crosstalk Specifically Recognized by an Aptamer |
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| Authors: | Nan Zhang Prof Tao Bing Luyao Shen Rusheng Song Linlin Wang Prof Xiangjun Liu Meirong Liu Dr Juan Li Prof Weihong Tan Prof Dihua Shangguan |
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| Institution: | 1. Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China;2. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China;3. Department of Chemistry, Center for Research at the Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA;4. Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, P.R. China |
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| Abstract: | Intercellular connections are an important pathway for cell–cell crosstalk. However, their formation mechanism and functions are far from being understood. The lack of molecular probes hampers the research in this area. Herein, we report a kind of intercellular connection that is specifically recognized by aptamer M17A2 generated by cell‐SELEX against MCF‐7R cells. These connections have different morphologies, but have the same skeleton composed of F‐actin. The long filamentous connections were identified to be tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), a recently discovered cell–cell communication route. These connections could be built not only between MCF‐7R cells, but also from MCF‐7R to other cells after co‐culture. Proteins could be transported between cells through these connections, suggesting their cell communication function. Aptamer M17A2 shows the potential to act as a new probe for investigating this kind of intercellular connection, as well as for studying cell–cell communication. |
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| Keywords: | aptamers cell communication fluorescent probes intercellular connections tunneling nanotubes |
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