Molecular Mechanisms of Bone Metastasis in Cancer
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue, titled "Molecular Mechanisms of Bone Metastasis in Cancer", aims to explore the intricate biological and immunological processes that govern cancer cell dissemination and colonization in the bone microenvironment.
Bone metastasis is a devastating and frequent complication in advanced cancers, particularly in breast, prostate, and lung malignancies. It arises from complex bidirectional interactions between tumor cells and components of the bone niche, including osteoclasts, osteoblasts, immune cells, stromal cells, and the extracellular matrix. These interactions result in dynamic remodeling of the bone, immune evasion, and the establishment of a permissive pre-metastatic niche.
We invite original research articles and reviews that provide mechanistic insights into the following:
- Tumor cell homing, dormancy, and colonization in bone;
- RANKL/OPG, TGF-β, and Wnt signaling pathways in tumor–bone crosstalk;
- Cytokine and chemokine signaling networks;
- The role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and immune checkpoints in metastasis;
- Epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of the bone niche;
- The contribution of extracellular vesicles and exosomes to bone tropism;
- Preclinical models investigating tumor–bone–immune cell interactions.
By highlighting key molecular pathways and cellular dynamics, this Special Issue seeks to advance our understanding of the immune biology underlying bone metastasis and to support the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.
We look forward to your contributions to this important topic.
Dr. Ana Carolina Dos Santos Monteiro
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- bone metastasis
- osteoimmunology
- tumor–immunity interactions
- myeloid-derived suppressor cells
- RANKL/OPG signaling
- TGF-β
- Wnt
- immune evasion
- extracellular vesicles
- metastatic niche
- cancer cell dormancy
- preclinical models
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