Modifying cellular properties using artificial aptamer-lipid receptors

We demonstrate that artificial aptamer-lipid receptors (AR), which anchor on the surface of cells, can modify important cellular functions, including protein binding, enzymatic activity and intercellular interactions. Streptavidin (SA)-AR-modified CEM cells captured the tetravalent SA with one biotin binding site. The remaining biotin sites captured biotinylated TDO5 aptamers, which target IgM on Ramos cells, to form CEM-Ramos cell assemblies. In another design, thrombin, an enzyme involved in blood clotting, was captured by thrombin-AR-modified cells and clot formation was visualized. Lastly, hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mimics were modified with a tenascin-C-AR to improve the homing of HSC after an autologous bone marrow transplant. Tenascin-C-AR modified cells aggregated to cells in a tenascin-C expressing stem cell niche model better than library-AR modified cells. Modification of cellular properties using ARs is a one-step, dosable, nontoxic and reversible method, which can be applied to any cell-type with any protein that has a known aptamer.