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Advances and Perspectives in Molecular Tumor Therapy

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2025) | Viewed by 3042

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Research Laboratory of Surgery-Oncology, Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
2. Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, S1121, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
Interests: cancer research; melanoma research; cancer stem-like cells; tumor progression; metastasis and recurrence; molecular tumor therapy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Current tumor therapy research is increasingly focusing on the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis, proliferation, and targeted therapy. The role of the tumor microenvironment in tumor growth and therapy has also recently attracted more attention in research and drug development. The ability of the microenvironment to trigger tumor maintenance, progression, and resistance is the main cause for treatment failure and tumor relapse.  

Molecular targeted therapies are characterized by their specificity to interfere with key molecules of aberrant signaling pathways, particularly those for tumor growth and survival. To deepen the understanding of the molecular basis of tumor development and explore precisive therapeutic strategies, this Special Issue, “Advances and Perspectives in Molecular Tumor Therapy”, aims to collect the latest original articles and reviews describing the molecular aspects of tumor therapy, including, but not limited to, the following areas:

  • tumorigenesis;
  • immunotherapy;
  • targeted therapy;
  • tumor microenvironment;
  • anti-cancer drugs.

Dr. Mohamed Hassan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • tumorigenesis
  • immunotherapy
  • targeted therapy
  • tumor microenvironment
  • anti-cancer drugs

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

21 pages, 1699 KiB  
Review
In Vivo Engineered CAR-T Cell Therapy: Lessons Built from COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
by Sikun Meng, Tomoaki Hara, Yutaka Miura, Yasuko Arao, Yoshiko Saito, Kana Inoue, Takaaki Hirotsu, Andrea Vecchione, Taroh Satoh and Hideshi Ishii
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(7), 3119; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26073119 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1262
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy but continues to face significant challenges that limit its broader application, such as antigen targeting, the tumor microenvironment, and cell persistence, especially in solid tumors. Meanwhile, the global implementation of mRNA vaccines [...] Read more.
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized cancer immunotherapy but continues to face significant challenges that limit its broader application, such as antigen targeting, the tumor microenvironment, and cell persistence, especially in solid tumors. Meanwhile, the global implementation of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the transformative potential of mRNA and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technologies. These innovations, characterized by their swift development timelines, precise antigen design, and efficient delivery mechanisms, provide a promising framework to address some limitations of CAR-T therapy. Recent advancements, including mRNA-based CAR engineering and optimized LNP delivery, have demonstrated the capacity to enhance CAR-T efficacy, particularly in the context of solid tumors. This review explores how mRNA-LNP technology can drive the development of in vivo engineered CAR-T therapies to address current limitations and discusses future directions, including advancements in mRNA design, LNP optimization, and strategies for improving in vivo CAR-T functionality and safety. By bridging these technological insights, CAR-T therapy may evolve into a versatile and accessible treatment paradigm across diverse oncological landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Perspectives in Molecular Tumor Therapy)
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21 pages, 2568 KiB  
Review
Tumor Cell Communications as Promising Supramolecular Targets for Cancer Chemotherapy: A Possible Strategy
by Irina Alekseenko, Lyudmila Zhukova, Liya Kondratyeva, Anton Buzdin, Igor Chernov and Eugene Sverdlov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910454 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Fifty-two years have passed since President Nixon launched the “War on Cancer”. Despite unparalleled efforts and funds allocated worldwide, the outlined goals were not achieved because cancer treatment approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal and targeted therapies have not fully met the [...] Read more.
Fifty-two years have passed since President Nixon launched the “War on Cancer”. Despite unparalleled efforts and funds allocated worldwide, the outlined goals were not achieved because cancer treatment approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal and targeted therapies have not fully met the expectations. Based on the recent literature, a new direction in cancer therapy can be proposed which targets connections between cancer cells and their microenvironment by chemical means. Cancer–stromal synapses such as immunological synapses between cancer and immune cells provide an attractive target for this approach. Such synapses form ligand–receptor clusters on the interface of the interacting cells. They share a common property of involving intercellular clusters of spatially proximate and cooperatively acting proteins. Synapses provide the space for the focused intercellular signaling molecules exchange. Thus, the disassembly of cancer–stromal synapses may potentially cause the collapse of various tumors. Additionally, the clustered arrangement of synapse components offers opportunities to enhance treatment safety and precision by using targeted crosslinking chemical agents which may inactivate cancer synapses even in reduced concentrations. Furthermore, attaching a cleavable cell-permeable toxic agent(s) to a crosslinker may further enhance the anti-cancer effect of such therapeutics. The highlighted approach promises to be universal, relatively simple and cost-efficient. We also hope that, unlike chemotherapeutic and immune drugs that interact with a single target, by using supramolecular large clusters that include many different components as a target, the emergence of a resistance characteristic of chemo- and immunotherapy is extremely unlikely. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Perspectives in Molecular Tumor Therapy)
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