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Targeting Collagen-Related Therapy
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Targeting Collagen-Related Therapy

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 5851

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Fernando Revert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Group in Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine, Catholic University of Valencia 'San Vicente Mártir', 46001 Valencia, Spain
Interests: collagen; GPBP; EMT; PNPT1; mitochondria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Collagens are the most abundant components of the extracellular matrix. There are 29 types of collagens and 44 collagen genes. Collagens are secreted and interact with both epithelial and mesenchymal cells/tissues.

Their use in pharmacology has started before understanding the profound complexity of their biochemical functions. Despite this limited knowledge, the global market of collagen can be measured in USD billions, since collagens are a versatile biomaterial with various pharmacological applications. Collagens are a key component of therapeutic interventions. They play a central role in tissue repair or engineering. Drugs are often employed in combination with collagen scaffolds to enhance tissue regeneration. The use of collagen-based dressings and wound care products are widely used in the management of wounds. A controversial branch of this field is the relevance of collagens as a common ingredient in cosmeceutical products, both locally and orally administered.

However, collagens are already playing other roles in pharmacology, particularly in the development of drug delivery systems as drugs and even as potential targets. Synthetic peptides designed to mimic specific collagen sequences or structural motifs have shown potential in applications as drug delivery systems. Additionally, some peptides of collagen display anti-tumorigenic or anti-angiogenic properties, while others induce tumor progression.

Thus, this Special Issue will discuss recent advances in the use of collagens in therapy and their different applications, including as scaffolds for tissue repair, drug delivery systems, drugs and therapeutic targets.

Dr. Fernando Revert
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 short 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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • collagen
  • extracellular matrix
  • molecular target
  • tissue engineering
  • drug deliver

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 7466 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Expression and Activity of Cyclooxygenases COX-1 and COX-2 in THP-1 Monocytes and Macrophages Cultured with Xenogenic Collagen Matrices Biofunctionalized with the Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin
by Agnieszka Droździk, Katarzyna Barczak, Mateusz Bosiacki, Patrycja Kupnicka, Diana Cenariu, Willi Andrei Uriciuc, Dariusz Chlubek, Mariusz Lipski, Marek Droździk and Irena Baranowska-Bosiacka
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(9), 4386; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094386 - 5 May 2025
Viewed by 27
Abstract
Xenogenic collagen matrices are used in clinical practice for soft tissue augmentation around teeth and implants, either alone or biofunctionalized with injectable platelet-rich fibrin (iPRF). Their direct interaction with inflammatory cells may influence both healing and destructive inflammation processes. Therefore, expression of cyclooxygenases [...] Read more.
Xenogenic collagen matrices are used in clinical practice for soft tissue augmentation around teeth and implants, either alone or biofunctionalized with injectable platelet-rich fibrin (iPRF). Their direct interaction with inflammatory cells may influence both healing and destructive inflammation processes. Therefore, expression of cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) and prostanoids (PGE2 and TXB2) was studied in THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cultures exposed to porcine collagen matrices (a non-cross-linked monolayer scaffold composed of collagen type I, collagen type III, and elastin (MLCM), a bilayer scaffold made of collagen types I and III (BLCM), and a volume-stable cross-linked monolayer scaffold (VSCM)). The study showed that VSCM and MLCM significantly reduced PGE2 concentrations in THP-1 monocyte cultures. iPRF further reduced PGE2 concentrations when exposed to MLCM. In contrast, incubation of THP-1 monocytes with VSCM and BLCM resulted in a significant increase in TXB2 concentrations compared with control conditions. Incubation of macrophages with MLCM, VSCM, and BLCM increased PGE2 concentrations, with VSCM and BLCM additionally increasing TXB2 concentrations. iPRF in macrophage cultures with VSCM and BLCM also resulted in increased PGE2 and TXB2 concentrations compared with control conditions. Confocal microscopy revealed no visible differences in COX-1 immunoexpression in monocytes and macrophages cultured with collagen matrices, either with or without iPFR. Weak positive COX-2 immunofluorescence was observed in monocytes, while moderate positive immunofluorescence was detected in macrophages. In conclusion, it can be suggested that the studied collagen matrices interact with monocytes/macrophages, with MLCM exhibiting the highest compatibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Collagen-Related Therapy)
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25 pages, 3537 KiB  
Article
Polymerized Type I Collagen Downregulates STAT-1 Phosphorylation Through Engagement with LAIR-1 in Circulating Monocytes, Avoiding Long COVID
by Elizabeth Olivares-Martínez, Diego Francisco Hernández-Ramírez, Carlos Alberto Núñez-Álvarez, David Eduardo Meza-Sánchez, Mónica Chapa, Silvia Méndez-Flores, Ángel Priego-Ranero, Daniel Azamar-Llamas, Héctor Olvera-Prado, Kenia Ilian Rivas-Redonda, Eric Ochoa-Hein, Luis Gerardo López-Mosqueda, Estefano Rojas-Castañeda, Said Urbina-Terán, Luis Septién-Stute, Thierry Hernández-Gilsoul, Diana Aguilar-León, Gonzalo Torres-Villalobos and Janette Furuzawa-Carballeda
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031018 - 25 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1207
Abstract
The intramuscular administration of polymerized type I collagen (PTIC) for adult symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients downregulated hyperinflammation and improved symptoms. We inferred that LAIR1 is a potential receptor for PTIC. Thus, a binding assay and surface plasmon resonance binding assay were performed to estimate [...] Read more.
The intramuscular administration of polymerized type I collagen (PTIC) for adult symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients downregulated hyperinflammation and improved symptoms. We inferred that LAIR1 is a potential receptor for PTIC. Thus, a binding assay and surface plasmon resonance binding assay were performed to estimate the affinity of the interaction between LAIR1 and PTIC. M1 macrophages derived from THP-1 cells were cultured with 2–10% PTIC for 24 h. Lysates from PTIC-treated THP-1 cells, macrophage-like cells (MLCs), M1, M1 + IFN-γ, and M1 + LPS were analyzed by Western blot for NF-κB (p65), p38, STAT1, and pSTAT1 (tyrosine701). Serum cytokine levels and monocyte LAIR1 expressions (Mo1 and Mo2) were analyzed by luminometry and flow cytometry in symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients on PTIC treatment. PTIC-bound LAIR1 had a similar affinity to collagen in M1 macrophages. It downregulated pSTAT1 in IFN-γ-induced M1. COVID-19 patients under PTIC treatment showed a significant decrease in Mo1 percentages and cytokines (IP-10/MIF/eotaxin/IL-8/IL-1RA/M-CSF) associated with STAT1 and an increase in the Mo2 subset. The inflammatory mediators and Mo1 downregulation were related to better oxygen saturation and decreased dyspnea, chest pain, cough, and chronic fatigue syndrome in the acute and long-term phase of infection. PTIC is an agonist of LAIR1 and downregulates STAT-1 phosphorylation. PTIC could be relevant for treating STAT1-mediated inflammatory diseases, including COVID-19 and long COVID. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Collagen-Related Therapy)
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Review

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29 pages, 1440 KiB  
Review
The Versatility of Collagen in Pharmacology: Targeting Collagen, Targeting with Collagen
by Francisco Revert-Ros, Ignacio Ventura, Jesús A. Prieto-Ruiz, José Miguel Hernández-Andreu and Fernando Revert
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6523; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126523 - 13 Jun 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3704
Abstract
Collagen, a versatile family of proteins with 28 members and 44 genes, is pivotal in maintaining tissue integrity and function. It plays a crucial role in physiological processes like wound healing, hemostasis, and pathological conditions such as fibrosis and cancer. Collagen is a [...] Read more.
Collagen, a versatile family of proteins with 28 members and 44 genes, is pivotal in maintaining tissue integrity and function. It plays a crucial role in physiological processes like wound healing, hemostasis, and pathological conditions such as fibrosis and cancer. Collagen is a target in these processes. Direct methods for collagen modulation include enzymatic breakdown and molecular binding approaches. For instance, Clostridium histolyticum collagenase is effective in treating localized fibrosis. Polypeptides like collagen-binding domains offer promising avenues for tumor-specific immunotherapy and drug delivery. Indirect targeting of collagen involves regulating cellular processes essential for its synthesis and maturation, such as translation regulation and microRNA activity. Enzymes involved in collagen modification, such as prolyl-hydroxylases or lysyl-oxidases, are also indirect therapeutic targets. From another perspective, collagen is also a natural source of drugs. Enzymatic degradation of collagen generates bioactive fragments known as matrikines and matricryptins, which exhibit diverse pharmacological activities. Overall, collagen-derived peptides present significant therapeutic potential beyond tissue repair, offering various strategies for treating fibrosis, cancer, and genetic disorders. Continued research into specific collagen targeting and the application of collagen and its derivatives may lead to the development of novel treatments for a range of pathological conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Collagen-Related Therapy)
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