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Novel Strategies in the Development of New Therapies, Drug Substances and Drug Carriers 3.0

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024 | Viewed by 1566

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Guest Editor
Department of Drug Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Stefana Banacha, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: medicinal chemistry; drug discovery; structure-activity relationships; design and synthesis of biologically active compounds; anticancer agents; crystal structure of biomolecules and ligand-receptor interactions, vitamin D analogs, pharmaceutical syntheses
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School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Interests: the use of synthetic retinoids and vitamins D as drug substances; cancer and normal stem cells; anticancer therapies; blood cell development; abnormalities in cancer stem cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology & Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: to understand and unveil biochemical and molecular mechanisms of the anti-tumourigenic effects of vitamin D and dietary calcium for colon cancer prevention; to examine the role of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and of its natural and pharmacologic modulators in colon carcinogenesis and inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last viral pandemic is now over. There is now a pressing need for the rapid development of effective and safe therapies for widespread diseases and, in particular for aggressive cancers whereby delays to diagnosis and treatment will lead to deaths that were otherwise manageable. In developing new therapies, areas of current interest are the efficacy of drug development-related strategies, entirely new therapeutic molecules, new drug delivery systems, and personalized and digital medicine. There is also the need to integrate various scientific disciplines and industrial activities that focus on these different aspects of drug research.

Volume 1.0 of the Special Issue “Novel Strategies in the Development of New Therapies, Drug Substances, and Drug Carriers” was very successful, with 21 papers. Volume 2.0, dedicated to the Interdisciplinary Conference on Drug Sciences, ACCORD 2022 was equally successful, with 25 papers. Both, Volumes 1.0 and 2.0 were also published as MDPI printed books (https://www.mdpi.com/books/book/5818-novel-strategies-in-the-development-of-new-therapies-drug-substances-and-drug-carriers and https://www.mdpi.com/books/book/7854-novel-strategies-in-the-development-of-new-therapies-drug-substances-and-drug-carriers-2-0).

Due to the continuing interest of authors, we are therefore reopening this topic as volume 3.0 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067, IF 5.6, JCR Category Q1). This third Special Issue aims to promote research in the fields that contribute to conceiving and developing a new drug substance and drug formulation. As with the previous Special Issues, this volume is not limited to any specific aspect of drug development. It aims to cover the entire process of drug development at the molecular level, to conform with the aims and scope of the Journal. Topics include the identification of the molecular target of a new drug, evaluating drug-protein interactions, the modeling, and optimization of functional activity, pre-formulation studies, pharmaceutical carrier development, and preclinical studies.

We would also like to draw your attention to the Interdisciplinary Conference on Drug Sciences, ACCORD 2024, to be held in Warsaw, Poland, 23–25 May 2024 (https://accord.wum.edu.pl/). All the participants of the ACCORD 2024 Conference will have the opportunity to publish a conference paper in this Special Issue. The manuscripts will undergo the regular peer-review process of the Journal.

All interested researchers are invited to submit original papers or review articles related to the topic of this Special Issue, guided by the “Aims and Scope”, “Instructions for Authors”, and the below keywords.

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Kutner
Prof. Dr. Geoffrey Brown
Dr. Enikö Kallay
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 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

  • drug design and discovery
  • antimicrobial drugs, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, cancer prevention and treatment
  • molecular modeling, molecular mechanisms, crystallography
  • preclinical studies, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacognosy
  • drug-protein interactions nuclear receptors, receptor agonists and antagonists, stem cells, activity profiling, vaccines, markers, and diagnostics
  • drug carriers, dosage form, anti-crystal engineering, nanoparticles, dissolution testing

Published Papers (2 papers)

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21 pages, 4223 KiB  
Review
Molecular Interactions of Selective Agonists and Antagonists with the Retinoic Acid Receptor γ
by Katarzyna Powała, Teresa Żołek, Geoffrey Brown and Andrzej Kutner
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6568; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126568 - 14 Jun 2024
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Abstract
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), the major active metabolite of all-trans retinol (vitamin A), is a key hormonal signaling molecule. In the adult organism, ATRA has a widespread influence on processes that are crucial to the growth and differentiation of cells and, [...] Read more.
All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), the major active metabolite of all-trans retinol (vitamin A), is a key hormonal signaling molecule. In the adult organism, ATRA has a widespread influence on processes that are crucial to the growth and differentiation of cells and, in turn, the acquisition of mature cell functions. Therefore, there is considerable potential in the use of retinoids to treat diseases. ATRA binds to the retinoic acid receptors (RAR) which, as activated by ATRA, selectively regulate gene expression. There are three main RAR isoforms, RARα, RARβ, and RARγ. They each have a distinct role, for example, RARα and RARγ regulate myeloid progenitor cell differentiation and hematopoietic stem cell maintenance, respectively. Hence, targeting an isoform is crucial to developing retinoid-based therapeutics. In principle, this is exemplified when ATRA is used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (PML) and target RARα within PML-RARα oncogenic fusion protein. ATRA with arsenic trioxide has provided a cure for the once highly fatal leukemia. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies of RARγ have revealed the potential use of agonists and antagonists to treat diseases as diverse as cancer, heterotopic ossification, psoriasis, and acne. During the final drug development there may be a need to design newer compounds with added modifications to improve solubility, pharmacokinetics, or potency. At the same time, it is important to retain isotype specificity and activity. Examination of the molecular interactions between RARγ agonists and the ligand binding domain of RARγ has revealed aspects to ligand binding that are crucial to RARγ selectivity and compound activity and key to designing newer compounds. Full article
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8 pages, 581 KiB  
Case Report
Pseudohyperaldosteronism Due to Licorice: A Practice-Based Learning from a Case Series
by Chiara Sabbadin, Andrea Graziani, Alessandro Bavaresco, Pierluigi Mazzeo, Irene Tizianel, Filippo Ceccato, Decio Armanini and Mattia Barbot
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137454 - 7 Jul 2024
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Abstract
Pseudohyperaldosteronism (PHA) is characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, and a decrease in plasma renin and aldosterone levels. It can be caused by several causes, but the most frequent is due to excess intake of licorice. The effect is mediated by the active metabolite of [...] Read more.
Pseudohyperaldosteronism (PHA) is characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, and a decrease in plasma renin and aldosterone levels. It can be caused by several causes, but the most frequent is due to excess intake of licorice. The effect is mediated by the active metabolite of licorice, glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), which acts by blocking the 11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 and binding to the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) as an agonist. The management of licorice-induced PHA depends on several individual factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, duration and amount of licorice intake, and metabolism. The clinical picture usually reverts upon licorice withdrawal, but sometimes mineralocorticoid-like effects can be critical and persist for several weeks, requiring treatment with MR blockers and potassium supplements. Through this case series of licorice-induced PHA, we aim to increase awareness about exogenous PHA, and the possible risk associated with excess intake of licorice. An accurate history is mandatory in patients with hypertension and hypokalemia to avoid unnecessary testing. GA is a component of several products, such as candies, breath fresheners, beverages, tobacco, cosmetics, and laxatives. In recent years, the mechanisms of action of licorice and its active compounds have been better elucidated, suggesting its benefits in several clinical settings. Nevertheless, licorice should still be consumed with caution, considering that licorice-induced PHA is still an underestimated condition, and its intake should be avoided in patients with increased risk of licorice toxicity due to concomitant comorbidities or interfering drugs. Full article
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