Design of DNA nanostructures based on G-quadruplex forming oligonucleotides for biomedical applications

Until the beginning of the new century, healthcare was conceived almost exclusively according to the reactive disease care model. From that point on, we have assisted at the transition towards the so-called P4-medicine, a medical care approach that is predictive, preventive, personalised and participatory. In the beginning, the P4 medicine approach was regarded as highly speculative, but today, thanks to the considerable improvements in the big-data gathering and analysis and the accumulated knowledge in the field of Systems biology, it is considered the most promising and strategic approach in the biomedical area. The European Commission considers the development of the «Personalised medicine», as a key policy to achieve its long-term goals in the field of public health and wellness. Several approaches are being investigated to complete the transition from conventional medicine to personalised medicine. Among these is the theranostics one, which combines in a single platform the selectivity and sensitivity of a single molecule binding events (Diagnostics) with the therapeutic efficacy of a single molecule targeting drug (Therapy), thus resulting in the obtainment of the right drug, for the right patient at the right time. By exploiting our expertise acquired in the use of G-quadruplex structures of DNA as diagnostics or therapeutic agents, our current efforts are focused on the production of new theranostics systems which combine in a single platform the diagnostics and therapeutic potential of G-quadruplexes. In this communication, I will present the preliminary results concerning the obtainment of new theranostics drugs based on anti-HIV G-quadruplex aptamers.