Serotonin Signaling in Cancer Development and Progression
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules: Proteins, Nucleic Acids and Carbohydrates".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 20
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is both a neurohormone and neurotransmitter, modulating mood, memory, circadian cycle and behavior, as well as respiratory and thermoregulatory networks. As monoaminergic mediators have emerged as critical factors in diverse signaling events across all organs and tissues, it has become clear that serotonin too has a far broader scope of functions outside the nervous system. While serotonin-related physiological functions include platelet activation, gastrointestinal homeostasis, microbial-host crosstalk, lactation and mammary gland involution, the role of autocrine and paracrine effects of serotonin on carcinogenesis, tumor maintenance and progression remain largely unresolved. The complexity of its biological action is partially explained by the fact that serotonin can interact with 14 dedicated receptors. Moreover, serotonin signaling is further complicated by differential receptor expression across all tissues, and recent notions of non-cell surface localizations that are linked to distinct biological consequences. Furthermore, the potential of serotonin to modulate the activity of select target proteins through posttranslational modification leaves many unanswered questions. The successful targeting of the production, breakdown or uptake of serotonin through dedicated transporters by novel or commonly used pharmacological agents could therefore have a large medicinal impact.
The focus of this Special Issue is on the contribution of serotonin signaling at any level to the pathogenesis of cancers. We invite both original research and review articles relevant to this topic. We particularly encourage the submission of basic research that advances knowledge of serotonin’s contribution to cancer-related metabolic changes. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the epigenetic modulation of gene expression, mechanosensory processes through receptor-dependent or independent intracellular mechanisms, as well as functional changes caused by the selective serotonylation of target proteins.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Iván P. Uray
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- serotonin
- 5-HT
- cancer
- carcinogenesis
- invasion
- tumor microenvironment
- serotonylation
- mechanotransduction
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