Nutritional Intervention and Molecular Mechanism of Liver Cancer
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025
Special Issue Editors
Interests: inflammation; microenvironment; omics; hepatology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: gastroenterological disease; retinoid; cancer prevention; hepatology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Liver cancer, predominantly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Chronic liver conditions—such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis—establish a "cancerization field," priming the entire liver for malignant transformation. Within this altered microenvironment, a distinct subpopulation of highly tumorigenic cells, known as cancer stem cells, arises through the oncogenic transformation of mature hepatocytes and plays a pivotal role in HCC initiation, progression, and recurrence. Therefore, the cellular response and adaptation of these cells to persistent inflammatory stress are central drivers of liver tumorigenesis. Among the environmental contributors, nutrients—including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids—are increasingly recognized not only for their metabolic functions but also as key modulators of signaling pathways that regulate cell fate, proliferation, and immune response. Altered nutrient metabolism can drive oncogenic processes, positioning nutrients as promising adjuncts in cancer prevention and therapy. However, their clinical application remains limited by variable efficacy and the lack of mechanism-based predictive biomarkers. The advent of single-cell transcriptomics and machine learning offers powerful tools to dissect the heterogeneity of nutrient responses at unprecedented resolution. This Special Issue invites submissions spanning mechanistic, clinical, and computational studies to define the role of nutrients in liver cancer biology and promote their integration into personalized prevention and treatment strategies.
Prof. Xian-Yang Qin
Dr. Yohei Shirakami
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- liver cancer
- nutrient signaling
- inflammation and metabolism
- cancer stem cells
- precision nutrition
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