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Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023
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Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Genomics and Genetic Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 9152

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Keiko Kawauchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, Kobe 658-8501, Japan
Interests: tumor suppressor; oncogene; signal transduction; actin cytoskeleton; mechanosignal transduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Miwako Kato Homma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
Interests: signaling and enzymatic regulation of protein kinases; cell proliferation and malignancy; cancer prognosis; functional proteomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A growing body of basic research in the field of molecular oncology has allowed for prolonged prognosis through the development of molecular-targeted drugs, therapies, and diagnostic technologies. However, the development of drugs and therapies using other strategies is needed to improve patient survival because the complete cure of various cancers is difficult using current therapies. We currently have an incomplete understanding of the true nature of cancer. To unmask it, multiple conditions must be considered and controlled. Not only gene mutations in cancer cells but also the chemical and mechanical environments surrounding cancer cells can influence their behaviors such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and response to treatments.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish original research papers and review articles describing the molecular mechanisms of cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutics. A particular focus will be given to papers discussing the molecular mechanisms of when, where, or how gene expression and subcellular structure changes in cancer cells or their surrounding cells, such as cancer-associated immune cells and the fibroblasts, modulate cancer cell behaviors. Furthermore, papers reporting cancer cell responses to drugs or the development of therapeutic methods to cure cancer will also be considered.

Dr. Keiko Kawauchi
Dr. Miwako Kato Homma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Genes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer
  • cancer stem cells
  • immune system
  • gene mutation
  • oncogene
  • tumor suppressor
  • metabolism
  • organelle
  • cytoskeleton
  • microenvironment
  • epigenetic regulation
  • gene expression
  • signal transduction
  • mechanosignal transduction

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

12 pages, 997 KiB  
Review
Prediction of Tumor Development and Urine-Based Liquid Biopsy for Molecule-Targeted Therapy of Gliomas
by Michihiro Kurimoto, Yumi Rockenbach, Akira Kato and Atsushi Natsume
Genes 2023, 14(6), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061201 - 30 May 2023
Viewed by 1168
Abstract
The timing of the acquisition of tumor-specific gene mutations and the systems by which these gene mutations are acquired during tumorigenesis were clarified. Advances in our understanding of tumorigenesis are being made every day, and therapies targeting fundamental genetic alterations have great potential [...] Read more.
The timing of the acquisition of tumor-specific gene mutations and the systems by which these gene mutations are acquired during tumorigenesis were clarified. Advances in our understanding of tumorigenesis are being made every day, and therapies targeting fundamental genetic alterations have great potential for cancer treatment. Moreover, our research team successfully estimated tumor progression using mathematical modeling and attempted early diagnosis of brain tumors. We developed a nanodevice that enables urinary genetic diagnosis in a simple and noninvasive manner. Mainly on the basis of our research and experience, this review article presents novel therapies being developed for central nervous system cancers and six molecules, which upon mutation cause tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Further understanding of the genetic characteristics of brain tumors will lead to the development of precise drugs and improve individual treatment outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023)
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18 pages, 1088 KiB  
Review
Deregulated E2F Activity as a Cancer-Cell Specific Therapeutic Tool
by Rinka Nakajima, Lin Zhao, Yaxuan Zhou, Mashiro Shirasawa, Ayato Uchida, Hikaru Murakawa, Mariana Fikriyanti, Ritsuko Iwanaga, Andrew P. Bradford, Keigo Araki, Tomoko Warita and Kiyoshi Ohtani
Genes 2023, 14(2), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14020393 - 02 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2299
Abstract
The transcription factor E2F, the principal target of the tumor suppressor pRB, plays crucial roles in cell proliferation and tumor suppression. In almost all cancers, pRB function is disabled, and E2F activity is enhanced. To specifically target cancer cells, trials have been undertaken [...] Read more.
The transcription factor E2F, the principal target of the tumor suppressor pRB, plays crucial roles in cell proliferation and tumor suppression. In almost all cancers, pRB function is disabled, and E2F activity is enhanced. To specifically target cancer cells, trials have been undertaken to suppress enhanced E2F activity to restrain cell proliferation or selectively kill cancer cells, utilizing enhanced E2F activity. However, these approaches may also impact normal growing cells, since growth stimulation also inactivates pRB and enhances E2F activity. E2F activated upon the loss of pRB control (deregulated E2F) activates tumor suppressor genes, which are not activated by E2F induced by growth stimulation, inducing cellular senescence or apoptosis to protect cells from tumorigenesis. Deregulated E2F activity is tolerated in cancer cells due to inactivation of the ARF-p53 pathway, thus representing a feature unique to cancer cells. Deregulated E2F activity, which activates tumor suppressor genes, is distinct from enhanced E2F activity, which activates growth-related genes, in that deregulated E2F activity does not depend on the heterodimeric partner DP. Indeed, the ARF promoter, which is specifically activated by deregulated E2F, showed higher cancer-cell specific activity, compared to the E2F1 promoter, which is also activated by E2F induced by growth stimulation. Thus, deregulated E2F activity is an attractive potential therapeutic tool to specifically target cancer cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023)
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17 pages, 826 KiB  
Review
Progress of Endogenous and Exogenous Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy and Diagnostics
by Hideaki Fujita, Seiichi Ohta, Noriko Nakamura, Masaharu Somiya and Masanobu Horie
Genes 2023, 14(2), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14020259 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3004
Abstract
The focus of this brief review is to describe the application of nanoparticles, including endogenous nanoparticles (e.g., extracellular vesicles, EVs, and virus capsids) and exogenous nanoparticles (e.g., organic and inorganic materials) in cancer therapy and diagnostics. In this review, we mainly focused on [...] Read more.
The focus of this brief review is to describe the application of nanoparticles, including endogenous nanoparticles (e.g., extracellular vesicles, EVs, and virus capsids) and exogenous nanoparticles (e.g., organic and inorganic materials) in cancer therapy and diagnostics. In this review, we mainly focused on EVs, where a recent study demonstrated that EVs secreted from cancer cells are associated with malignant alterations in cancer. EVs are expected to be used for cancer diagnostics by analyzing their informative cargo. Exogenous nanoparticles are also used in cancer diagnostics as imaging probes because they can be easily functionalized. Nanoparticles are promising targets for drug delivery system (DDS) development and have recently been actively studied. In this review, we introduce nanoparticles as a powerful tool in the field of cancer therapy and diagnostics and discuss issues and future prospects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023)
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12 pages, 1855 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Raman Spectral Imaging in Cell Diagnosis and Gene Expression Prediction
by Tomonobu M. Watanabe, Kensuke Sasaki and Hideaki Fujita
Genes 2022, 13(11), 2127; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13112127 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1980
Abstract
Normal and tumor regions within cancer tissue can be distinguished using various methods, such as histological analysis, tumor marker testing, X-ray imaging, or magnetic resonance imaging. Recently, new discrimination methods utilizing the Raman spectra of tissues have been developed and put into practical [...] Read more.
Normal and tumor regions within cancer tissue can be distinguished using various methods, such as histological analysis, tumor marker testing, X-ray imaging, or magnetic resonance imaging. Recently, new discrimination methods utilizing the Raman spectra of tissues have been developed and put into practical use. Because Raman spectral microscopy is a non-destructive and non-labeling method, it is potentially compatible for use in the operating room. In this review, we focus on the basics of Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging in live cells and cell type discrimination, as these form the bases for current Raman scattering-based cancer diagnosis. We also review recent attempts to estimate the gene expression profile from the Raman spectrum of living cells using simple machine learning. Considering recent advances in machine learning techniques, we speculate that cancer type discrimination using Raman spectroscopy will be possible in the near future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Oncology—Unmasking the True Nature of Cancer 2023)
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