Review Identifies Significant Research Concentration in Aptasensor Development for Inflammaging Biomarkers

A systematic review of 221 studies published between 2020 and 2026 shows that 73% of inflammaging aptasensor research targets just five common biomarkers, exposing a significant gap in diagnostic tools for monitoring broader age-associated inflammatory states.

A systematic review published in Biochemistry (Moscow) analyzed 221 original studies published between 2020 and 2026 to evaluate the development of aptamer-based biosensors (aptasensors) for detecting biomarkers of inflammaging—the chronic, low-grade systemic inflammatory state that develops with advancing age.

The review, conducted by researchers at the Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, assessed 47 distinct biomarkers and seven classes of analytical platforms developed for age-associated inflammation.

The analysis revealed a pronounced research bias, with 73% of the published studies focusing on only five well-established biomarkers: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

As a result, a wide range of biomarkers with recognized relevance to aging and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) currently lack any aptasensor-based detection strategies.

Inflammaging is a primary driver of age-associated pathologies and promotes the emergence of the SASP, making highly sensitive, reliable, and real-time monitoring of these markers crucial for longevity research and therapeutic validation.

Aptamers—short single-stranded oligonucleotides offering high affinity and specificity—represent a highly promising and stable alternative to traditional antibody-based assays in complex biological matrices.

The current research concentration on just five standard biomarkers limits the clinical and diagnostic utility of aptasensors, as it prevents the comprehensive profiling of the heterogeneous SASP.

The review highlights key methodologies to overcome these limitations, including chemical modifications (such as 2'-F nucleotides, locked nucleic acids, SOMAmers, and spiegelmers) that enhance aptamer stability and affinity for clinical translation.

The lack of diverse aptasensor diagnostics presents a bottleneck for longevity drug developers, particularly those targeting cellular senescence, who require sensitive companion diagnostics to measure real-time therapeutic responses.

The development of multiplexed, ratiometric aptasensors for SASP cytokine profiling could significantly lower clinical trial costs and improve patient stratification by providing precise inflammatory signatures rather than single-analyte measurements.

Commercial opportunities exist for molecular diagnostics firms that leverage novel SELEX technologies and computational molecular modeling to generate aptamers against previously inaccessible or unexplored aging targets.

The development and clinical translation of multiplex ratiometric aptasensors designed specifically for comprehensive SASP cytokine profiling.

The emergence of aptamer-based extracellular vesicle capture methods to access intracellular aging biomarkers.

Increased integration of machine learning and structural modeling to accelerate the design of aptamers for previously unaddressed inflammaging targets.