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Advances in Biological Breast Cancer Research (2nd Edition)
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Advances in Biological Breast Cancer Research (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2058

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anna-Mart Engelbrecht

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
Interests: breast cancer; cancer treatment; cancer cells; cell death; animal models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Joji Mercier

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
Interests: cancer; cell signaling; cytoskeleton; apoptosis; autophagy; radiation biology; drug discovery; reactive oxygen species
Dr. Iman Van Den Bout

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
Interests: cellular regulation of cancer cell migration and adhesion; the role of GPCRs in cancer biology and metastasis; development of breast cancer organoid models; breast cancer diagnostics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Breast cancer occurs when carcinogens cause breast epithelial cells to grow uncontrollably. It is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world and the most common type of malignant tumor in women. Fortunately, significant advancements have been made in breast cancer research, improving the success rate of treatment. Using the commonality between breast cancer experimental animal models and human breast cancer in terms of tumor molecular characteristics and biological behavior to study the pathogenesis of various breast cancers and the development of new therapeutic drugs has been particularly helpful. In addition, molecular and cell biology research also contributes to increasing our understanding of breast cancer, leading to more effective diagnosis and treatment options.

In this Special Issue, we aim to collect the latest advances in the study of breast cancer biology, covering mechanisms, diagnosis, regulations, treatment, and other related aspects.

Prof. Dr. Anna-Mart Engelbrecht
Prof. Dr. Joji Mercier
Dr. Iman Van Den Bout
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Biology 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 2700 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

  • breast cancer
  • breast tumor
  • breast cancer cells
  • animal models
  • cell death
  • cancer diagnosis
  • cancer treatment
  • biomarkers
  • cancer microenvironment
  • carcinogens
  • estrogen receptor
  • molecular biology
  • cell biology

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4601 KB  
Article
Carvacrol as a Therapeutic Candidate in Breast Cancer: Insights into Subtype-Specific Cellular Modulation
by Asmaa Abuaisha, Emir Nekay, Ozgur Yilmaz, Baris Yildiz, Tarik Mecit, Cuneyd Yavas, Berrin Papila, Halil Ibrahim Arslan, Aybuke Hilal Gumus, Esra Nazligul, Sadiye Akbas and Selman Emiroglu
Biology 2025, 14(10), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14101443 - 19 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Background: Carvacrol, a natural phenolic monoterpenoid, has been suggested to exert anticancer effects; however, its underlying mechanisms in breast cancer (BC) remain incompletely defined. Methods: MCF-7 (HR+) and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) BC cell lines were treated with carvacrol at various concentrations. Cell [...] Read more.
Background: Carvacrol, a natural phenolic monoterpenoid, has been suggested to exert anticancer effects; however, its underlying mechanisms in breast cancer (BC) remain incompletely defined. Methods: MCF-7 (HR+) and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) BC cell lines were treated with carvacrol at various concentrations. Cell viability was assessed using CVDK8 kit, while migration was evaluated by wound healing assays. Apoptosis was determined using Annexin V-FITC Kit, and ROS levels were measured by DCFH-DA assay. Flow cytometry was used for CD44/CD133 cancer stem cells markers analysis, and genes expression were quantified using qPCR. Results: Carvacrol significantly inhibited cell proliferation, and migration in both HR+ and TNBC cells. Additionally, carvacrol increased the BAX/BCL2 ratio, induced apoptosis, and decreased ROS levels, with greater antioxidant activity observed in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, carvacrol suppressed CD44+ levels, whereas CD133+ levels were not affected. Gene expression analysis revealed subtype-specific effects where ABCG2 was upregulated in MCF-7 cells but downregulated in MDA-MB-231 cells, while NFKB1 expression increased in both lines. Conclusions: Carvacrol exerts multitargeted anticancer effects in BC by promoting apoptosis, reducing ROS, and suppressing CD44+, with distinct subtype-specific responses. These findings highlight carvacrol as a promising natural therapeutic compound for BC treatment; however, further in vivo studies and clinical investigations are required to validate its translational potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biological Breast Cancer Research (2nd Edition))
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26 pages, 10956 KB  
Article
Investigation of Anticancer Properties of Newly Synthesized Pyridazine-Based Inhibitors in Mouse and Human Breast Cancer Cell Line
by Kübra Acikalin Coskun, Elif Cansu Abay, Mehmet Gumus, Ayşe Büşranur Çelik, Levent Gulum, Irfan Koca and Yusuf Tutar
Biology 2025, 14(9), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14091193 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 847
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Although doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used in its treatment, its dose-dependent toxicity and the development of drug resistance reduce its therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this study aims to identify a novel anticancer agent that [...] Read more.
Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Although doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used in its treatment, its dose-dependent toxicity and the development of drug resistance reduce its therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this study aims to identify a novel anticancer agent that is more effective than DOX, inhibits cancer cell growth, and is less toxic to healthy cells. Methods: The cytotoxic effects of DOX and 2S-series molecules were evaluated on human (MDA-MB-231) and mouse (4T1) TNBC breast cancer cell lines and healthy breast epithelial (hTERT) cells using MTT assays at 48 and 72 h to screen functional similarities and possible differences upon drug/inhibitor treatment. Apoptosis and cell cycle analysis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Gene expression profiles were assessed by qPCR, and binding interactions with Hsp90 were examined via molecular docking. Results: 2S-5 exhibited IC50 values of 6.21 µM (MDA-MB-231) and 7.04 µM (4T1), while 2S-13 showed IC50 values of 7.73 µM and 8.21 µM, respectively. Both compounds demonstrated selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Gene expression and pathway analysis revealed that 2S-13 modulated the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, apoptosis, and HIF-1 pathways, showing broader modulation than DOX. Conclusions: 2S-13 appears to be a promising drug candidate, particularly in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. However, the current findings are limited to in vitro models. Further in vivo studies and pharmacokinetic analyses are required to validate its therapeutic potential, assess long-term efficacy and safety, and explore its resistance profile and molecular mechanisms in more detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biological Breast Cancer Research (2nd Edition))
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