Nucleic acid compounds for binding growth differentiation factor 11

1. An aptamer that binds human GDF11, wherein the aptamer comprises the sequence 5′-RW n MC n CPPGM m MPPPA n AC n MC m RW n PPG n PAS n GS-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 151), wherein:

each P is independently, and for each occurrence, a C-5 modified pyrimidine;

R is A or G;

each W is independently, and for each occurrence, A, T, or U;

each M is independently, and for each occurrence, A or C;

each S is independently, and for each occurrence, G or C;

each n is independently, and for each occurrence, 0 or 1; and

each m is independently, and for each occurrence, 0 or 1.

2. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer binds human GDF11 with an affinity of less than 10 nM, wherein, under the same conditions, the aptamer binds human GDF8 with an affinity that is at least 10-fold weaker than the affinity for human GDF11 or does not bind human GDF8.

3. The aptamer of claim 2 , wherein the aptamer binds GDF8 with an affinity that is at least 20-fold weaker, or at least 30-fold weaker, or at least 50-fold weaker than the affinity for GDF11.

4. The aptamer of claim 2 , wherein the aptamer binds GDF8 with an affinity greater than 100 nM and binds GDF11 with an affinity of less than 8 nM.

5. The aptamer of claim 2 , wherein the aptamer does not bind GDF8.

6. The aptamer of claim 4 , wherein affinity is determined using a binding assay comprising a polyanionic inhibitor selected from dextran sulfate, heparin, Z-block, poly-dI/dC, sonicated or sheared salmon sperm DNA, calf thymus DNA, and dNTPs.

7. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer comprises a sequence selected from:

a) 5′-RW n AC n CPPGM m MPPPA n AC n MC m RW n PPG n PAS n GS-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 152);

b) 5′-RW n MC n CPPGM m MPPPA n AC n MC m GW n PPG n PAS n GS-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 153);

c) 5′-RMCPPGM m MPPPA n AC n MC m RW n PPPAS n GC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 113); and

d) 5′-RMCPPGM m MPPPA n AC n MC m RW n PPPAS n GS-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 154).

8. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein if R is G, the first W is A, and wherein if R is A, the first W is C.

9. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein each n is 0.

10. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein at least one m is 0.

11. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer comprises the sequence 5′-CPPGMPPP-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 114), wherein each P is independently, and for each occurrence, a C-5 modified pyrimidine, and wherein M is C or A; or wherein the aptamer comprises the sequence 5′-PPPAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 115) or 5′-PPPAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 155), wherein each P is independently, and for each occurrence, a C-modified pyrimidine.

12. An aptamer that binds human GDF11, wherein the aptamer comprises the sequence 5′-CPPGMPPPN x PPPAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 160) or 5′-CPPGMPPPN x PPPAGG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 116), wherein each P is independently, and for each occurrence, a C-5 modified pyrimidine, wherein x is 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein M is C or A, and wherein each N is independently, and for each occurrence, selected from A, C, G, T, and U.

13. The aptamer of claim 12 , wherein x is 3 or 4, or wherein N x comprises the sequence 5′-AAG-3′ or 5′-ACG-3′ or 5′-AGG-3′.

14. An aptamer that binds human GDF11, wherein the aptamer comprises the sequence 5′-NNCPPGRPPPAMGPPPAGS-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 141), wherein each P is independently, and for each occurrence, a C-5 modified pyrimidine, R is A or G; each N is independently, and for each occurrence, A, G, or C; M is A or C; and S is G or C.

15. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein each P is independently, and for each occurrence, selected from:

5-(N-benzylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BndU),

5-(N-benzylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-benzylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-phenethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (PEdU),

5-(N-thiophenylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (ThdU),

5-(N-isobutylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (iBudU),

5-(N-tyrosylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (TyrdU),

5-(N-3,4-methylenedioxybenzylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (MBndU),

5-(N-4-fluorobenzylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (FBndU),

5-(N-3-phenylpropylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (PPdU),

5-(N-imidizolylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (ImdU),

5-(N-isobutylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-isobutylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-tryptaminocarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (TrpdU),

5-(N—R-threoninylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (ThrdU),

5-(N-tryptaminocarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-tryptaminocarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-[1-(3-trimethylamonium) propyl]carboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine chloride,

5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU),

5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-[1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)]carboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine),

5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NapdU),

5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NEdU),

5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NEdU),

5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BFdU),

5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine,

5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine,

5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BTdU),

5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and

5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

16. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

17. An aptamer that binds GDF11, wherein the aptamer comprises a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 12, 13, 15 to 109, 117 to 140, and 142 to 150.

18. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer consists of 20 to 100 nucleotides.

19. A composition comprising an aptamer of claim 1 and GDF11 protein from a human sample.

20. The aptamer of claim 1 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NEdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NEdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BFdU), 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BTdU), 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

21. The aptamer of claim 7 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NEdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NEdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BFdU), 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BTdU), 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

22. The aptamer of claim 11 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NEdU), 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-1-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (2NEdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-2-naphthylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BFdU), 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, 5-(N-3-benzofuranylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine, 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (BTdU), 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-3-benzothiophenylethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

23. The aptamer of claim 7 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.

24. The aptamer of claim 11 , wherein each P is independently selected from 5-(N-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-deoxyuridine (NapdU), 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-O-methyluridine, and 5-(N-2-naphthylmethylcarboxyamide)-2′-fluorouridine.