Interplay Between Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Cell Signaling in Cancer
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: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 68
Special Issue Editor
Interests: cancer cells invasion; cancer molecular markers; cancer molecular signaling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cancer progression relies on intricate coordination between cytoskeletal dynamics and diverse cellular signaling networks. This Special Issue highlights mechanistic insights into the interplay between cytoskeletal remodeling and multiple signaling pathways that drive tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. While many critical pathways are involved, key examples include Rho GTPases, PI3K/AKT, and Hippo/YAP signaling, along with organelle-mediated modulation involving the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria, as well as the effects of glycosylation changes on signaling and protein trafficking. These organelle-centered modifications influence cytoskeletal organization, adhesion dynamics, and intracellular signaling, thereby shaping tumor cell plasticity and metastatic potential.
Advances in live-cell imaging, super-resolution microscopy, and single-cell transcriptomics have revealed dynamic feedback loops in which cytoskeletal architecture, signaling molecules, and organelle function mutually regulate one another, forming self-reinforcing circuits that drive cancer aggressiveness. Contributions to this Special Issue provide integrated perspectives on how cytoskeletal remodeling and signaling networks intersect with organelle function and post-translational modifications, highlighting potential therapeutic vulnerabilities and opportunities to disrupt the mechanistic drivers of tumor invasion and metastasis. Collectively, these studies underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to uncovering the complex molecular interplay governing cancer progression and offer a roadmap for the development of innovative, mechanism-based therapies.
The Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing the molecular and cellular mechanisms linking cytoskeletal remodeling with signaling networks in cancer. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Key signaling pathways regulating cytoskeletal dynamics.
- Organelle-mediated modulation of signaling and cytoskeletal architecture, including roles of the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria.
- Post-translational modifications, particularly glycosylation, that affect protein trafficking, signaling, and cytoskeletal organization.
- Mechanisms underlying tumor cell plasticity, invasion, metastatic potential, apoptosis, and chemoresistance.
- Advanced imaging, live-cell analyses, and single-cell transcriptomics to study dynamic feedback between cytoskeleton, signaling, and organelles.
- Therapeutic strategies targeting the mechanistic drivers of cytoskeletal remodeling and signaling in cancer.
Dr. Aleksandra Glogowska
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- cytoskeleton
- cancer
- organelle function
- golgi apparatus
- endoplasmic reticulum
- mitochondria
- post-translational modification
- tumor invasion
- metastasis
- chemoresistance
- therapeutic targets
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