Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Pharmacology: Mechanisms, Drug Response and Therapeutic Targets
A Special Issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067) belonging to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 May 2027 | Viewed by 59
Editors
Interests: oncology; pharmcology; biomarkers; drug resistance; drug response; pharmacogenomics
Interests: genetics; molecular biology; proteomics; microbiome; cancer; inflammation; nanomedicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Non-coding RNAs are key regulators of cancer biology, influencing gene expression and signaling pathways involved in tumor progression, metastasis and response to anticancer therapies. By modulating several biological processes, their dysregulation may contribute to disease progression and variability in treatment response.
Increasing evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs are important determinants of cancer pharmacology. They can influence tumor sensitivity and resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapies, endocrine therapies and immunotherapy. These effects may involve the regulation of drug targets, signaling pathways, DNA repair, cell death and drug transport.
Pharmacological treatments may also modify non-coding RNA expression and function, creating opportunities for therapeutic intervention. At the same time, advances in RNA-based technologies and delivery systems are supporting the development of non-coding RNAs as therapeutic targets or agents. However, several challenges remain. These include mechanistic validation, tumor-specific effects, efficient delivery, pharmacokinetic limitations, off-target effects and treatment resistance. Addressing these issues will be essential for translating experimental findings into clinically useful anticancer strategies.
This Special Issue aims to present recent advances in the molecular and pharmacological roles of non-coding RNAs in cancer, with particular emphasis on mechanisms influencing anticancer drug response, drug resistance and emerging treatment opportunities. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews covering basic, bioinformatic, preclinical and translational research, with particular interest in studies that investigate the mechanisms linking non-coding RNAs with treatment response and therapeutic outcomes.
Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:
- Molecular mechanisms linking non-coding RNAs to anticancer drug response
- Non-coding RNAs in mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy endocrine therapy and immunotherapy
- Non-coding RNAs as therapeutic targets in cancer
- Pharmacological modulation of non-coding RNA expression and function
- Non-coding RNA interactions with drug targets, transporters, DNA repair and cell-death pathways
- Non-coding RNAs in tumor microenvironment-mediated therapeutic response and resistance
- Non-coding RNA signatures as predictive biomarkers of treatment response
- Delivery systems and nanomedicine approaches for non-coding RNA-based cancer therapeutics
- Preclinical and translational development of non-coding RNA-directed anticancer therapies
Dr. Dimitra Ioanna Lampropoulou
Dr. Maria Gazouli
Guest Editors
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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-anonymized 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
- non-coding RNAs
- microRNAs
- long non-coding RNAs
- circular RNAs
- cancer
- anticancer therapy
- drug response
- therapeutic resistance
- therapeutic targets
- precision oncology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
