Enolase: Molecular Functions and Pathological Roles in Health and Disease

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 316

Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Askerveca 7, SI-100 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: research in enolase biology in neurodegeneration and regeneration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue entitled “Enolase: Molecular Functions and Pathological Roles in Health and Disease”, which aims to explore the diverse and evolving roles of enolase in human biology and pathology. 

Enolase, known as a key glycolytic enzyme, has emerged as a multifunctional protein with far-reaching implications in both physiology and disease. Its involvement in various physiological and pathological processes, including neurodegeneration, cancer, autoimmunity, and inflammation, has attracted growing scientific interest. Enolase isoforms, particularly α-, β-, and γ-enolase, are differentially expressed in tissues and have been implicated as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Despite growing evidence of its multifunctionality, many aspects of enolase biology remain underexplored. 

This Special Issue aims to explore the functional diversity of enolase in physiological processes and its dysregulation in a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from neurological disorders and cancer to infectious and autoimmune diseases. Our goal is to present novel research findings to consolidate recent advances and insights into the diverse roles of enolase in health and disease. By bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives, this Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of enolase-related biology and its translational potential in diagnostics and therapy. 

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Structural diversity and regulatory mechanisms of enolase isoforms;
  • Enolase as a multifunctional protein: roles beyond glycolysis;
  • Enolase in cancer metabolism and tumor progression;
  • Enolase in neurodegenerative diseases;
  • Enolase in inflammation and autoimmune diseases;
  • Enolase as a disease biomarker: diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive value;
  • Targeting enolase in therapy: from molecular insights to clinical applications. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions and working with you to promote this emerging and exciting research area.

Dr. Anja Pišlar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • enolase
  • enzyme regulation
  • cancer metabolism
  • neurodegeneration
  • autoimmune disease
  • biomarkers
  • inflammation
  • therapeutic targets

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

29 pages, 2758 KB  
Review
ENO1 as an Immunoregulatory Hub in Cancer: Mechanisms and Translational Implications
by Giovanni Perconti, Angela Bonura, Patrizia Rubino and Agata Giallongo
Biomolecules 2026, 16(7), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom16071050 (registering DOI) - 18 Jul 2026
Abstract
Alpha-enolase (ENO1) is a multifunctional protein frequently overexpressed in solid tumors, where elevated levels are associated with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. Beyond its canonical glycolytic role, ENO1 participates in immunoregulatory processes through distinct subcellular pools. Intracellular ENO1 shapes tumor-associated metabolic programs, while [...] Read more.
Alpha-enolase (ENO1) is a multifunctional protein frequently overexpressed in solid tumors, where elevated levels are associated with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. Beyond its canonical glycolytic role, ENO1 participates in immunoregulatory processes through distinct subcellular pools. Intracellular ENO1 shapes tumor-associated metabolic programs, while surface-exposed ENO1 functions as a plasminogen receptor and can engage innate immune signaling pathways. Post-translational modifications—particularly citrullination and phosphorylation—generate structurally altered epitopes that expand ENO1 antigenicity and enable adaptive immune recognition, including coordinated humoral and T-cell responses in cancer patients. These determinants of ENO1 immunogenicity have downstream consequences within the tumor microenvironment: immune-accessible ENO1 modulates myeloid cell recruitment, dendritic cell maturation, and macrophage polarization, while ENO1-dependent metabolic and signaling programs contribute to immune suppression and escape through multiple interconnected axes. Together, these mechanisms position ENO1 at the interface between tumor metabolism and immune regulation. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that ENO1-directed strategies—including antibody-based targeting, DNA vaccination, and vaccines incorporating post-translationally modified ENO1 peptides—can generate productive antitumor immunity and synergize with checkpoint blockade, supporting the rationale for ENO1 as an immunotherapeutic target. This review synthesizes current evidence within an integrated framework linking ENO1 dysregulation to its immunological consequences in cancer and discusses translational implications for ENO1-centered immunotherapy and immunoprevention. Full article
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