Roles of Urokinase Receptors in Cell Biology: Modulating Tumor Cell Migration and Invasion
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Cancer Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 March 2026 | Viewed by 47
Special Issue Editor
Interests: cell biology; apoptosis; cell cycle; in vitro cancer research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue will provide a comprehensive overview of the role of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in tumor cell biology, with a particular focus on its function in cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. As a critical regulator of extracellular matrix remodeling and signaling pathways, uPARs have been implicated in various aspects of tumor progression, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, drug resistance, and immune evasion. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing uPAR activity may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting invasive cancers.
We welcome contributions from molecular biologists, oncologists, pharmacologists, computational biologists, and clinicians working on innovative therapeutic strategies and in silico modeling approaches targeting uPAR-driven tumor progression.
We are pleased to invite you to submit original research articles, reviews, and short communications on the role of uPARs in tumor cell biology, including, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating uPAR expression and activation;
- Interactions of uPARs with integrins, extracellular matrix components, and proteolytic systems in cancer progression;
- uPAR-mediated signaling pathways involved in tumor cell adhesion, migration, and invasion;
- The role of uPARs in metastasis formation and organ-specific dissemination;
- Targeting uPARs in cancer therapy: novel inhibitors, antibody-based therapies, and gene silencing approaches;
- The uPAR as a prognostic biomarker in various cancer types;
- The impact of uPARs on the tumor microenvironment and immune cell interactions;
- Innovative imaging and diagnostic techniques for assessing uPAR expression and activity in tumors;
- Digital twin and in silico modeling approaches to simulating uPAR-driven tumor progression, invasion, and response to therapies;
- The computational modeling of uPAR-related pathways to predict cancer cell behavior and identify novel drug targets.
This Special Issue will provide an interdisciplinary platform to discuss the latest advances in uPAR biology and their implications for cancer progression and therapy. We welcome contributions from molecular biologists, oncologists, pharmacologists, computational biologists, and clinicians working on innovative therapeutic strategies and in silico modeling approaches targeting uPAR-driven tumor progression.
Prof. Dr. Agata Kabala-Dzik
Guest Editor
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 communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
- urokinase-type plasminogen receptor
- uPAR
- inflammation
- cancer
- migration
- invasion
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