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IJMS
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Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer, 3rd Edition
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Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer, 3rd Edition

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: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 1850

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Julita Kulbacka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: drug delivery; drug resistance; electroporation; photodynamic therapy; oxidative stress and free radicals; natural chemotherapeutics; nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of IJMS continues on from “Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer” and “Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer, 2nd Edition”, examining targeted strategies for dealing with cancer. We welcome articles on new targeted anticancer methods, novel drug delivering routes, and innovative approaches including, but not limited to, the following: immunotherapy; new aspects of radiotherapy; methods to facilitate drug delivery, such as pulsed electric fields (PEFs), sonoporation, magnetic fields (MFs), nanotechnology, and nanocarriers; and gene electrotransfer using PEFs. Targeted anticancer methods can focus on membrane proteins and ion channel alterations. Additionally, targets can be specific surface receptors (ERs, estrogen receptors; FARs, folic acid receptors; and HARs, hyaluronic acid receptors) or cancer biomarkers. Research targeting drug resistance (MDR), aimed at bypassing or modifying the activity of drug transporters, i.e., MDR1/P-gp, MRP1, BCRP, and LRP, will be of interest. We also welcome new and more effective protocols which could be developed and find potential applications in pharmacy and medical sciences. This Special Issue will cover the latest research concerning targeted therapies and molecular methods against cancer.

Dr. Julita Kulbacka
Guest Editor

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

  • immunotherapy
  • radiotherapy
  • methods using facilitated drug delivery such as electroporation, sonoporation, and magnetic fields
  • nanotechnology and nanocarriers
  • gene electrotherapy
  • intelligent predicting methods with AI

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 5503 KiB  
Article
In Silico Approach to Design of New Multi-Targeted Inhibitors Based on Quinoline Ring with Potential Anticancer Properties
by Żaneta Czyżnikowska, Martyna Mysłek, Aleksandra Marciniak, Remigiusz Płaczek, Aleksandra Kotynia and Edward Krzyżak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104620 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 236
Abstract
Searching for new anticancer drugs is a significant challenge for the medical community due to the current limitations of existing treatments. The primary objective of this study was to design and optimize multi-targeted drug candidates based on a quinoline scaffold. In this paper, [...] Read more.
Searching for new anticancer drugs is a significant challenge for the medical community due to the current limitations of existing treatments. The primary objective of this study was to design and optimize multi-targeted drug candidates based on a quinoline scaffold. In this paper, we adopt various in silico techniques, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and ADMET property modeling, to predict the binding affinity and interactions of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin derivatives with multiple biological targets. The interactions of these compounds with three potential molecular targets, topoisomerase I, bromodomain-containing protein 4, and ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 proteins, were analyzed. It has been previously proved that the inhibition of these molecular targets may have beneficial effects on cancer treatment. The designed chemical compounds can effectively interact with selected proteins, thereby establishing their potential as drug candidates. Molecular docking revealed promising binding affinities, with topoisomerase I docking scores ranging from −9.0 to −10.3 kcal/mol, BRD4 scores from −6.6 to −8.0 kcal/mol, and ABCG2 scores from −8.0 to −10.0 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the ADMET property analysis indicates promising pharmacological profiles, protein binding affinity, selectivity, and bioavailability while minimizing toxicity. For example, satisfactory logP values have been demonstrated in the favorable range for bioavailability after oral administration. Additionally, several compounds exhibited predicted aqueous solubility values greater than −3, suggesting moderate-to-good solubility, which is crucial for oral drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer, 3rd Edition)
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17 pages, 4554 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxic Activity of Curcumin- and Resveratrol-Loaded Core–Shell Systems in Resistant and Sensitive Human Ovarian Cancer Cells
by Joanna Weżgowiec, Zofia Łapińska, Łukasz Lamch, Anna Szewczyk, Jolanta Saczko, Julita Kulbacka, Mieszko Więckiewicz and Kazimiera A. Wilk
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010041 - 24 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1040
Abstract
Due to the high mortality rate of ovarian cancer, there is a need to find novel strategies to improve current treatment modalities. Natural compounds offer great potential in this field but also require the careful design of systems for their delivery to cancer [...] Read more.
Due to the high mortality rate of ovarian cancer, there is a need to find novel strategies to improve current treatment modalities. Natural compounds offer great potential in this field but also require the careful design of systems for their delivery to cancer cells. Our study explored the anticancer effects of novel resveratrol (RSV)- and curcumin (CUR)-loaded core–shell nanoparticles in human ovarian cancer cells. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity of various nanocarriers (CUR 1-3, RSV I-III) delivered to MDAH-2774 and SKOV-3 cells in comparison to free RVS and CUR after 24 h and 72 h treatment. A two-way ANOVA was applied to compare the results of the MTT assay. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to visualize cellular uptake and mitochondrial localization. Our findings revealed that the cytotoxicity of the core–shell nanoparticles with RSV was not significant, but the systems loaded with CUR effectively decreased the viability of cells. The MDAH-2774 cell line was more sensitive to the treatment than SKOV-3. The enhanced cellular uptake of CUR delivered by core–shell systems and its colocalization with mitochondria were demonstrated. Further research focused on the detailed biological effects of the most effective systems (CUR 2 and CUR 3) should be conducted to provide detailed insights. These findings highlight the promising role of CUR-loaded nanoparticles in ovarian cancer treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeted Therapies and Molecular Methods in Cancer, 3rd Edition)
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