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State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 7540

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo

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Guest Editor

Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City CP 11000, Mexico
Interests: sex hormones; steroid receptors; glioblastomas; brain; reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jorge Melendez-Zajgla

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Guest Editor

Functional Genomics Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genomica, Periferico Sur 4809, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14610, Mexico
Interests: cancer stem cells; precision oncology; cancer functional genomics; pediatric cancer; pancreatic cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mauricio Rodriguez-Dorantes

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Guest Editor

Laboratorio de Oncogenomica, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico
Interests: hormones; prostate; cancer; genomics; epigenetics; metastasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mahara A. Valverde Ramírez

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Guest Editor

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, México
Interests: carcinogenesis; molecular oncology; transformation biomarkers; cancer stem cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue follows the publication of the first edition on “State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/Mol_Oncol_MX)”.

Cancer is a group of diseases of public health concern worldwide. In recent years, malignant neoplasms have persisted as the third leading cause of death in Mexico, and increases in morbidity and mortality are expected in upcoming years. Due to their high incidence rates, several groups in Mexico have focused their efforts on investigating breast, prostate, lung, colon, and cervical cancer at the molecular level, with many groups interested in other types of cancers such as glioblastomas, leukemia, and pancreatic cancer. Several inherent population and environmental conditions increase the complexity of cancer in Mexico, but the use of molecular biology and high-throughput technologies has revolutionized traditional oncology, improving cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Molecular oncology continues to be a novel area of cancer research in Mexico with promising advances, with more Mexican researchers contributing to this area and their findings potentially being helpful in translational medicine with different applications.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of “State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico”, welcoming editors to submit basic and clinical original research articles and reviews that consolidate our understanding in this area. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Biomarker cancer discovery;
The molecular aspects of cancer origin and metastasis;
The molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance;
The molecular basis of cancer treatment;
Cancer genomics;
Haematopoietic cancers;
Diagnostic biomarkers;
Prognostic biomarkers;
Molecular epidemiology.

Dr. Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
Dr. Jorge Melendez-Zajgla
Dr. Mauricio Rodriguez-Dorantes
Dr. Mahara A. Valverde Ramírez
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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
metastasis
molecular oncology
chemoresistance
Mexico
epidemiology

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibition of Multifunctional Protein p32/C1QBP Promotes Cytostatic Effects in Colon Cancer Cells by Altering Mitogenic Signaling Pathways and Promoting Mitochondrial Damage

by Carlos Alejandro Egusquiza-Alvarez, Angela Patricia Moreno-Londoño, Eduardo Alvarado-Ortiz, María del Pilar Ramos-Godínez, Miguel Angel Sarabia-Sánchez, María Cristina Castañeda-Patlán and Martha Robles-Flores

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2712; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052712 - 27 Feb 2024

Viewed by 591

Abstract

The protein p32 (C1QBP) is a multifunctional and multicompartmental homotrimer that is overexpressed in many cancer types, including colon cancer. High expression levels of C1QBP are negatively correlated with the survival of patients. Previously, we demonstrated that C1QBP is an essential promoter of migration, chemoresistance, clonogenic, and tumorigenic capacity in colon cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying these functions and the effects of specific C1QBP protein inhibitors remain unexplored. Here, we show that the specific pharmacological inhibition of C1QBP with the small molecule M36 significantly decreased the viability rate, clonogenic capacity, and proliferation rate of different colon cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of the inhibitor of C1QBP were cytostatic and non-cytotoxic, inducing a decreased activation rate of critical pro-malignant and mitogenic cellular pathways such as Akt-mTOR and MAPK in RKO colon cancer cells. Additionally, treatment with M36 significantly affected the mitochondrial integrity and dynamics of malignant cells, indicating that p32/C1QBP plays an essential role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. Altogether, our results reinforce that C1QBP is an important oncogene target and that M36 may be a promising therapeutic drug for the treatment of colon cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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21 pages, 2050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circulating miRNAs as Noninvasive Biomarkers for PDAC Diagnosis and Prognosis in Mexico

by Lissuly Guadalupe Álvarez-Hilario, Eric Genaro Salmerón-Bárcenas, Pedro Antonio Ávila-López, Georgina Hernández-Montes, Elena Aréchaga-Ocampo, Roberto Herrera-Goepfert, Jorge Albores-Saavedra, María del Carmen Manzano-Robleda, Héctor Iván Saldívar-Cerón, Sandra Paola Martínez-Frías, María Del Rocío Thompson-Bonilla, Miguel Vargas and Rosaura Hernández-Rivas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(20), 15193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242015193 - 14 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1283

Abstract

Among malignant neoplasms, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the highest fatality rates due to its late detection. Therefore, it is essential to discover a noninvasive, early, specific, and sensitive diagnostic method. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive biomarkers because they are accessible, highly specific, and sensitive. It is crucial to find miRNAs that could be used as possible biomarkers because PDAC is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in Mexico. With the help of microRNA microarrays, differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were found in PDAC tissues. The presence of these DEmiRNAs in the plasma of Mexican patients with PDAC was determined using RT-qPCR. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic capacity of these DEmiRNAs. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GEO) were employed to verify our results. The Prisma V8 statistical analysis program was used. Four DEmiRNAs in plasma from PDAC patients and microarray tissues were found. Serum samples from patients with PDAC were used to validate their overexpression in GEO databases. We discovered a new panel of the two miRNAs miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p that could be used to diagnose PDAC, and when miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p were overexpressed, survival rates decreased. Therefore, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p might be employed as noninvasive indicators for the diagnosis and survival of PDAC in Mexican patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 3395 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome-Wide Analysis of Low-Concentration Exposure to Bisphenol A, S, and F in Prostate Cancer Cells

by Sergio A. Cortés-Ramírez, Ana M. Salazar, Monserrat Sordo, Patricia Ostrosky-Wegman, Miguel Morales-Pacheco, Marian Cruz-Burgos, Alberto Losada-García, Griselda Rodríguez-Martínez, Imelda González-Ramírez, Karla Vazquez-Santillan, Vanessa González-Covarrubias, Vilma Maldonado-Lagunas and Mauricio Rodríguez-Dorantes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(11), 9462; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119462 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1743

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous synthetic compound used as a monomer in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Even at low doses, BPA has been associated with the molecular progression of diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and hormone-regulated cancers due to its activity as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). Consequently, the use of BPA has been regulated worldwide by different health agencies. BPA structural analogs such as bisphenol S and bisphenol F (BPS and BPF) have emerged as industrial alternatives, but their biological activity in the molecular progression of cancer remains unclear. Prostate cancer (PCa) is a hormone-dependent cancer, and the role of BPA structural analogs in PCa progression is still undescribed. In this work, we use an in vitro model to characterize the transcriptomic effect of low-concentration exposure to bisphenol A, S, or F in the two main stages of the disease: androgen dependency (LNCaP) and resistance (PC-3). Our findings demonstrated that the low concentration exposure to each bisphenol induced a differential effect over PCa cell lines, which marks the relevance of studying the effect of EDC compounds through all the stages of the disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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Review

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33 pages, 2458 KiB

Open AccessReview

Multi-Omics Mining of lncRNAs with Biological and Clinical Relevance in Cancer

by Ivan Salido-Guadarrama, Sandra L. Romero-Cordoba and Bertha Rueda-Zarazua

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 16600; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242316600 - 22 Nov 2023

Viewed by 934

Abstract

In this review, we provide a general overview of the current panorama of mining strategies for multi-omics data to investigate lncRNAs with an actual or potential role as biological markers in cancer. Several multi-omics studies focusing on lncRNAs have been performed in the past with varying scopes. Nevertheless, many questions remain regarding the pragmatic application of different molecular technologies and bioinformatics algorithms for mining multi-omics data. Here, we attempt to address some of the less discussed aspects of the practical applications using different study designs for incorporating bioinformatics and statistical analyses of multi-omics data. Finally, we discuss the potential improvements and new paradigms aimed at unraveling the role and utility of lncRNAs in cancer and their potential use as molecular markers for cancer diagnosis and outcome prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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14 pages, 1333 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cancer Stem Cells and Androgen Receptor Signaling: Partners in Disease Progression

by Juan Carlos Quintero, Néstor Fabián Díaz, Mauricio Rodríguez-Dorantes and Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(20), 15085; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242015085 - 11 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1172

Abstract

Cancer stem cells exhibit self-renewal, tumorigenesis, and a high differentiation potential. These cells have been detected in every type of cancer, and different signaling pathways can regulate their maintenance and proliferation. Androgen receptor signaling plays a relevant role in the pathophysiology of prostate cancer, promoting cell growth and differentiation processes. However, in the case of prostate cancer stem cells, the androgen receptor negatively regulates their maintenance and self-renewal. On the other hand, there is evidence that androgen receptor activity positively regulates the generation of cancer stem cells in other types of neoplasia, such as breast cancer or glioblastoma. Thus, the androgen receptor role in cancer stem cells depends on the cellular context. We aimed to analyze androgen receptor signaling in the maintenance and self-renewal of different types of cancer stem cells and its action on the expression of transcription factors and surface markers associated with stemness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 920 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of SIRT1 in Chemoresistant Leukemia

by Guadalupe Rosario Fajardo-Orduña, Edgar Ledesma-Martínez, Itzen Aguiñiga-Sanchez, Benny Weiss-Steider and Edelmiro Santiago-Osorio

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(19), 14470; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914470 - 23 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1218

Abstract

Leukemias of the AML, CML, and CLL types are the most common blood cancers worldwide, making them a major global public health problem. Furthermore, less than 24% of patients treated with conventional chemotherapy (low-risk patients) and 10–15% of patients ineligible for conventional chemotherapy (high-risk patients) survive five years. The low levels of survival are mainly due to toxicity and resistance to chemotherapy or other medication, the latter leading to relapse of the disease, which is the main obstacle to the treatment of leukemia. Drug resistance may include different molecular mechanisms, among which epigenetic regulators are involved. Silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) is an epigenetic factor belonging to the sirtuin (SIRT) family known to regulate aspects of chromatin biology, genome stability, and metabolism, both in homeostasis processes and in different diseases, including cancer. The regulatory functions of SIRT1 in different biological processes and molecular pathways are dependent on the type and stage of the neoplasia; thus, it may act as both an oncogenic and tumor suppressor factor and may also participate in drug resistance. In this review, we explore the role of SIRT1 in drug-resistant leukemia and its potential as a therapeutic target. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Oncology in Mexico, 2nd Edition)

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