ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Feature Annual Reviews in Molecular Sciences

Editors

Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Theodor Stern Kai 7, Bd. 74, 4th Fl, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Interests: nerve injury and neuropathic pain; pain and aging; central adaptations to chronic pain; multiple sclerosis; neuroinflammation; neuro-immunologic communication; redox signaling; nitric oxide; endocannabinoids and other lipid signaling molecules; progranulin; autophagy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
Interests: peripheral vascular disease; aortic aneurysm; biomarkers; proteomics; systems biology; mouse models; translational research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topical Collection aims to collect high quality review papers in the molecular sciences’ research fields. We encourage researchers from various fields within the journal’s scope to contribute review papers highlighting the latest developments in their research field, or to invite relevant experts and colleagues to do so. This Topical Collection primarily publishes review papers by invitation, but will also publish reviews on topics of particular interest that do not overlap with current or recent Special Issues (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues).

In this Topical Collection, reviews and topical reviews will be considered. Reviews provide comprehensive in depth overviews with no length restrictions, whereas topical reviews focus on a concise and precise ‘at-a-glance’ summary of novel developments in the field. Topical reviews should be no more than 3500 words in length, with 1–2 “at-a-glance” figure(s) or a comprehensive table.

This Topical Collection also welcomes the submission of systematic reviews and meta-analyses which seek to investigate areas of controversy within the literature. Systematic reviews should conform to the guidelines in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), or Meta-analyses Of Observational StudiEs (MOOSE) as appropriate [1,2]. Registration of review protocols with an external database (e.g., PROSPERO) is strongly encouraged. In the interests of transparency, authors are strongly encouraged to submit sample data extraction and quality assessment forms where appropriate. The sources of any quality assessment tools, and any modifications made must be clearly detailed. Detailed discussion of how the meta-analyses were conducted, including any formulae for data conversion must also be provided. Authors are welcome to contact the corresponding editor to discuss any queries.

References
[1] Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, Ghersi D, Liberati A, Petticrew M, et al. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Systematic reviews. 2015;4:1.
[2] Stroup DF, Berlin JA, Morton SC, Olkin I, Williamson GD, Rennie D, et al. Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) group. Jama. 2000;283(15):2008-12


Prof. Dr. Irmgard Tegeder
Dr. Joseph V. Moxon
Dr. William Chi-shing Cho
Collection Editors

Submission

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. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as 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 refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript.

Keywords

  • molecular pathology
  • material sciences and nanotechnology
  • molecular toxicology
  • bioactives and nutraceuticals
  • green chemistry
  • molecular recognition
  • molecular diagnostics
  • physical chemistry, theoretical and computational chemistry
  • biochemistry
  • molecular biology
  • biophysics

Published Papers (9 papers)

2016

Jump to: 2015, 2014

517 KiB  
Review
Nutraceutical Supplements in the Management and Prevention of Osteoarthritis
by Paola Castrogiovanni, Francesca Maria Trovato, Carla Loreto, Houda Nsir, Marta Anna Szychlinska and Giuseppe Musumeci
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(12), 2042; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17122042 - 06 Dec 2016
Cited by 73 | Viewed by 13046
Abstract
Nutraceuticals are dietary compounds which have a role in the balance of anabolic and catabolic signals in joints. Their regulatory function on homeostasis of cartilage metabolism nutraceuticals is increasingly considered for the management and, above all, the prevention of osteoarthritis (OA). OA is [...] Read more.
Nutraceuticals are dietary compounds which have a role in the balance of anabolic and catabolic signals in joints. Their regulatory function on homeostasis of cartilage metabolism nutraceuticals is increasingly considered for the management and, above all, the prevention of osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a degenerative disease characterized by cartilage and synovium inflammation that can cause joint stiffness, swelling, pain, and loss of mobility. It is a multifactorial disease and, due to the great percentage of people suffering from it and the general increase in life expectancy, OA is considered as one of the most significant causes of disability in the world. OA impairs the structural integrity of articular cartilage that greatly depends on a balance between the anabolic and catabolic processes which occur in chondrocytes and synovial fluid of the joints, therefore the integration with nutraceutical compounds in diet increases the treatment options for patients with established OA beyond traditional rehabilitation, medications, and surgical strategies. In our review, with respect to the current literature, we highlight some of many existing nutraceutical compounds that could be used as integrators in a daily diet thanks to their easy availability, such as in olive oil, fish oil, and botanical extracts used as non-pharmacologic treatment. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

815 KiB  
Review
Peripheral Inflammatory Parameters in Late-Life Depression: A Systematic Review
by Mónica Martínez-Cengotitabengoa, Lucía Carrascón, John T. O’Brien, María-José Díaz-Gutiérrez, Cristina Bermúdez-Ampudia, Kenji Sanada, Marta Arrasate and Ana González-Pinto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(12), 2022; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17122022 - 02 Dec 2016
Cited by 59 | Viewed by 7227
Abstract
Depressive disorders appear relatively frequently in older patients, and therefore represent an important disease burden worldwide. Given the high levels of inflammatory parameters found in depressed elderly patients, the “inflammaging” hypothesis is gaining strength. In this systematic review, we summarize current evidence regarding [...] Read more.
Depressive disorders appear relatively frequently in older patients, and therefore represent an important disease burden worldwide. Given the high levels of inflammatory parameters found in depressed elderly patients, the “inflammaging” hypothesis is gaining strength. In this systematic review, we summarize current evidence regarding the relationship between inflammatory parameters and late-life depression, with a unique focus on longitudinal studies to guarantee temporality. According to the data summarized in this review, the levels of some proinflammatory parameters—especially interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α—could serve as biomarkers for the future development of depressive symptoms in elderly patients. Proinflammatory cytokines seem to be associated with the future development of clinically significant depression, irrespective of baseline scores, thus indicating that inflammation temporally precedes and increases depression risk. As insufficient research has been conducted in this field, further prospective studies are clearly warranted. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

1067 KiB  
Review
A Comparative Analysis of Genetic and Epigenetic Events of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Related to Tumorigenesis
by Mckenna Longacre, Nicole A. Snyder, Genevieve Housman, Meghan Leary, Karolina Lapinska, Sarah Heerboth, Amber Willbanks and Sibaji Sarkar
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(5), 759; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17050759 - 18 May 2016
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 9367
Abstract
Breast cancer persists as the most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Ovarian cancer is also a significant source of morbidity and mortality, as the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women. This reflects the continued need for further understanding [...] Read more.
Breast cancer persists as the most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Ovarian cancer is also a significant source of morbidity and mortality, as the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women. This reflects the continued need for further understanding and innovation in cancer treatment. Though breast and ovarian cancer usually present as distinct clinical entities, the recent explosion of large-scale -omics research has uncovered many overlaps, particularly with respect to genetic and epigenetic alterations. We compared genetic, microenvironmental, stromal, and epigenetic changes common between breast and ovarian cancer cells, as well as the clinical relevance of these changes. Some of the most striking commonalities include genetic alterations of BRCA1 and 2, TP53, RB1, NF1, FAT3, MYC, PTEN, and PIK3CA; down regulation of miRNAs 9, 100, 125a, 125b, and 214; and epigenetic alterations such as H3K27me3, H3K9me2, H3K9me3, H4K20me3, and H3K4me. These parallels suggest shared features of pathogenesis. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests a shared epigenetic mechanism of oncogenesis. These similarities, warrant further investigation in order to ultimately inform development of more effective chemotherapeutics, as well as strategies to circumvent drug resistance. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

2376 KiB  
Review
The Relationship between NALP3 and Autoinflammatory Syndromes
by Lorna Campbell, Irfan Raheem, Charles J. Malemud and Ali D. Askari
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(5), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17050725 - 13 May 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 9017
Abstract
The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat/pyrin domain-containing-3 (NALP3) inflammasome, which is required for synthesis of interleukin-1β, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoinflammatory syndromes. This review of the literature summarizes the interconnectedness of NALP3 inflammasome with some of these disorders. Familial Mediterranean [...] Read more.
The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat/pyrin domain-containing-3 (NALP3) inflammasome, which is required for synthesis of interleukin-1β, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoinflammatory syndromes. This review of the literature summarizes the interconnectedness of NALP3 inflammasome with some of these disorders. Familial Mediterranean fever results from a mutation in the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene, which encodes the pyrin protein. Previous study results suggest that pyrin suppresses caspase-1 activation, perhaps by competing for the adaptor protein, termed, pyrin domain of apoptosis/speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ACS) which therefore interferes with NALP3 inflammasome activation. The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat/pyrin domain-containing-3 (NALP3) inflammasome is constitutively activated in cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes due to gain-of-function mutations resulting from point mutations within the neuronal apoptosis inhibitor protein/class 2 transcription factor/heterokaryon incompatibility/telomerase-associated protein-1 (NACHT) domain of the NALP3 protein. Pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne (PAPA) syndrome is caused by mutations in the genes encoding proline-serine-threonine phosphatase interacting protein 1 (PSTPIP1). These PSTPIP1 mutants are thought to bind to pyrin causing an increase in the pyrin domain of apoptosis/speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC) pyroptosome assembly leading to procaspase-1 recruitment and therefore its activation. Hyperimmunoglublinemia D syndrome is caused by mevalonate kinase (MVK) deficiency, which may be affected by protein accumulation that leads to NALP3 inflammasome activation. Tumor necrosis factor receptor–associated periodic syndrome is associated with mutations in the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 1A (TNFRSF1A) gene which decreases the level of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1) leading to neutralization of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. In general, these autoinflammatory disorders have shown a clinical response to interleukin-1 (IL-1) antagonists, suggesting that the NALP3 inflammasome serves a critical role in their pathogenesis. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

232 KiB  
Review
Fidelity in Animal Modeling: Prerequisite for a Mechanistic Research Front Relevant to the Inflammatory Incompetence of Acute Pediatric Malnutrition
by Bill Woodward
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(4), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17040541 - 11 Apr 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6483
Abstract
Inflammatory incompetence is characteristic of acute pediatric protein-energy malnutrition, but its underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Perhaps substantially because the research front lacks the driving force of a scholarly unifying hypothesis, it is adrift and research activity is declining. A body of animal-based research [...] Read more.
Inflammatory incompetence is characteristic of acute pediatric protein-energy malnutrition, but its underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Perhaps substantially because the research front lacks the driving force of a scholarly unifying hypothesis, it is adrift and research activity is declining. A body of animal-based research points to a unifying paradigm, the Tolerance Model, with some potential to offer coherence and a mechanistic impetus to the field. However, reasonable skepticism prevails regarding the relevance of animal models of acute pediatric malnutrition; consequently, the fundamental contributions of the animal-based component of this research front are largely overlooked. Design-related modifications to improve the relevance of animal modeling in this research front include, most notably, prioritizing essential features of pediatric malnutrition pathology rather than dietary minutiae specific to infants and children, selecting windows of experimental animal development that correspond to targeted stages of pediatric immunological ontogeny, and controlling for ontogeny-related confounders. In addition, important opportunities are presented by newer tools including the immunologically humanized mouse and outbred stocks exhibiting a magnitude of genetic heterogeneity comparable to that of human populations. Sound animal modeling is within our grasp to stimulate and support a mechanistic research front relevant to the immunological problems that accompany acute pediatric malnutrition. Full article
1337 KiB  
Review
Arginine Metabolism in Bacterial Pathogenesis and Cancer Therapy
by Lifeng Xiong, Jade L. L. Teng, Michael G. Botelho, Regina C. Lo, Susanna K. P. Lau and Patrick C. Y. Woo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(3), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17030363 - 11 Mar 2016
Cited by 89 | Viewed by 15084
Abstract
Antibacterial resistance to infectious diseases is a significant global concern for health care organizations; along with aging populations and increasing cancer rates, it represents a great burden for government healthcare systems. Therefore, the development of therapies against bacterial infection and cancer is an [...] Read more.
Antibacterial resistance to infectious diseases is a significant global concern for health care organizations; along with aging populations and increasing cancer rates, it represents a great burden for government healthcare systems. Therefore, the development of therapies against bacterial infection and cancer is an important strategy for healthcare research. Pathogenic bacteria and cancer have developed a broad range of sophisticated strategies to survive or propagate inside a host and cause infection or spread disease. Bacteria can employ their own metabolism pathways to obtain nutrients from the host cells in order to survive. Similarly, cancer cells can dysregulate normal human cell metabolic pathways so that they can grow and spread. One common feature of the adaption and disruption of metabolic pathways observed in bacterial and cancer cell growth is amino acid pathways; these have recently been targeted as a novel approach to manage bacterial infections and cancer therapy. In particular, arginine metabolism has been illustrated to be important not only for bacterial pathogenesis but also for cancer therapy. Therefore, greater insights into arginine metabolism of pathogenic bacteria and cancer cells would provide possible targets for controlling of bacterial infection and cancer treatment. This review will summarize the recent progress on the relationship of arginine metabolism with bacterial pathogenesis and cancer therapy, with a particular focus on arginase and arginine deiminase pathways of arginine catabolism. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

602 KiB  
Review
Endocannabinoids as Guardians of Metastasis
by Irmgard Tegeder
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17020230 - 10 Feb 2016
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8451
Abstract
Endocannabinoids including anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are involved in cancer pathophysiology in several ways, including tumor growth and progression, peritumoral inflammation, nausea and cancer pain. Recently we showed that the endocannabinoid profiles are deranged during cancer to an extent that this manifests in alterations [...] Read more.
Endocannabinoids including anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are involved in cancer pathophysiology in several ways, including tumor growth and progression, peritumoral inflammation, nausea and cancer pain. Recently we showed that the endocannabinoid profiles are deranged during cancer to an extent that this manifests in alterations of plasma endocannabinoids in cancer patients, which was mimicked by similar changes in rodent models of local and metastatic cancer. The present topical review summarizes the complexity of endocannabinoid signaling in the context of tumor growth and metastasis. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

2015

Jump to: 2016, 2014

2280 KiB  
Review
Sequencing Overview of Ewing Sarcoma: A Journey across Genomic, Epigenomic and Transcriptomic Landscapes
by Laurens G. L. Sand, Karoly Szuhai and Pancras C. W. Hogendoorn
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2015, 16(7), 16176-16215; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms160716176 - 16 Jul 2015
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 10226
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive neoplasm occurring predominantly in adolescent Caucasians. At the genome level, a pathognomonic EWSR1-ETS translocation is present. The resulting fusion protein acts as a molecular driver in the tumor development and interferes, amongst others, with endogenous transcription and splicing. [...] Read more.
Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive neoplasm occurring predominantly in adolescent Caucasians. At the genome level, a pathognomonic EWSR1-ETS translocation is present. The resulting fusion protein acts as a molecular driver in the tumor development and interferes, amongst others, with endogenous transcription and splicing. The Ewing sarcoma cell shows a poorly differentiated, stem-cell like phenotype. Consequently, the cellular origin of Ewing sarcoma is still a hot discussed topic. To further characterize Ewing sarcoma and to further elucidate the role of EWSR1-ETS fusion protein multiple genome, epigenome and transcriptome level studies were performed. In this review, the data from these studies were combined into a comprehensive overview. Presently, classical morphological predictive markers are used in the clinic and the therapy is dominantly based on systemic chemotherapy in combination with surgical interventions. Using sequencing, novel predictive markers and candidates for immuno- and targeted therapy were identified which were summarized in this review. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

2014

Jump to: 2016, 2015

1216 KiB  
Review
What Macromolecular Crowding Can Do to a Protein
by Irina M. Kuznetsova, Konstantin K. Turoverov and Vladimir N. Uversky
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2014, 15(12), 23090-23140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms151223090 - 12 Dec 2014
Cited by 383 | Viewed by 17785
Abstract
The intracellular environment represents an extremely crowded milieu, with a limited amount of free water and an almost complete lack of unoccupied space. Obviously, slightly salted aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of a biomolecule of interest are too simplistic to mimic the “real [...] Read more.
The intracellular environment represents an extremely crowded milieu, with a limited amount of free water and an almost complete lack of unoccupied space. Obviously, slightly salted aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of a biomolecule of interest are too simplistic to mimic the “real life” situation, where the biomolecule of interest scrambles and wades through the tightly packed crowd. In laboratory practice, such macromolecular crowding is typically mimicked by concentrated solutions of various polymers that serve as model “crowding agents”. Studies under these conditions revealed that macromolecular crowding might affect protein structure, folding, shape, conformational stability, binding of small molecules, enzymatic activity, protein-protein interactions, protein-nucleic acid interactions, and pathological aggregation. The goal of this review is to systematically analyze currently available experimental data on the variety of effects of macromolecular crowding on a protein molecule. The review covers more than 320 papers and therefore represents one of the most comprehensive compendia of the current knowledge in this exciting area. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop