Sunday, January 18, 2026

Structural Requirements for the Procoagulant Activity of Nucleic Acids

Authors: Julia Gansler, Miriam Jaax, Silke Leiting, Bettina Appel, Andreas Greinacher, Silvia Fischer, Klaus T. Preissner

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050399

Abstract Summary

Hairpin-structured RNA and DNA molecules powerfully activate blood clotting by binding to kininogen, unlike linear nucleic acids. These stable hairpin structures resist plasma degradation and trigger prekallikrein activation. Therapeutic DNA aptamers and natural RNAs showed similar procoagulant effects, raising concerns about potential prothrombotic side effects in clinical applications.

Why Brain? 🧠

Hairpin-structured nucleic acids strongly activate blood clotting by binding to kininogen, suggesting therapeutic RNA/DNA aptamers may cause dangerous clotting side effects in patients.

License: CC BY.


The image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of Midjourney.

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