Inflammasome and Cancer: Triggers, Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches

Dear Colleagues,

Inflammation is one of the risk factors of tumorigenesis. Inflammation can be triggered by many factors, in which inflammasomes, a multiprotein complex, play an essential role. These inflammasomes can initiate the host cell reaction via the releasing of pro-inflammatory cytokines, blood vessel permeability, and leukocyte migration. Growth factors released by activated cells can trigger and support angiogenesis, which is essential for supplying nutrients to cancer cells. Additionally, inflammasome-induced inflammation can make cells more likely to experience DNA damage and mutations, which can lead to the development of cancer. Inflammation can inhibit immune surveillance, which is essential for the early detection and killing of cancer cells. This immune suppression can allow cancer cells to evade detection and continue to proliferate. In addition to the role of inflammasomes in the development of tumors, chronic inflammation can also contribute to tumor metastasis. Increased permeability of blood vessels, together with dysregulation of leukocyte traffic, can promote the invasion of cancer cells into surrounding tissues.

There is still limited knowledge on many aspects of inflammasomes’ role in tumorigenesis. Inflammasomes can be activated by DAMPs and PAMPs, establishing local inflammation. However, the mechanisms of inflammasomes’ role in chronic inflammation, essential for tumorigenic cell transformation, is still under  investigation.

We invite you to submit original research papers, case reports, clinical trials, and review articles with the following potential list of topics:

1. Role of inflammasomes in cancer pathogenesis (inflammation, cytokines, angiogenesis, leukocytes, etc.);
2. Molecular regulation of inflammasomes in cancer cells and tumors;
3. Targeting PAMPs, DAMPs, and PRRs to modulate inflammasome function;
4. Bioinformatics approaches to identify novel therapeutic targets on inflammasomes or PAMPs and DAMPs;
5. Genetic markers of inflammasome dysfunction;
6. Molecular modeling approaches to study the role of inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of cancer;
7. Molecular mechanisms of therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment targeting inflammasomes;
8. Inflammasome role of hormones in the pathogenesis of cancer promoting inflammation.

We want to thank Dr Tezcan, PhD, Bursa Udulan University, Turkey, for her support in preparing this Special Issue.

Dr. Svetlana F. Khaiboullina
Dr. Ekaterina Martynova
Guest Editors

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• cancer
• malignancy
• inflammasome
• inflammation
• treatment
• bioinformatics
• pathogenesis
• hormones
• cytokines
• signaling pathways
• epigenetics proteomics