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Novel Insights into Molecular Biology of Urological Cancers

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: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 11856

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Andrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation—Urology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: kidney cancer; prostate cancer; kidney transplantation; metabolomics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Kidney, prostate, and bladder cancers are among the ten leading tumor types for the new estimated cancer cases in males, according to the American Cancer Society.

In recent years, many studies have provided novel insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in urological tumor pathogenesis, leading to the identification of potential biomarkers for early diagnosis, risk assessment, and outcome prediction. Moreover, the introduction of high-throughput technologies has led to a greater understanding of the pathways underlying the development and progression of these tumors and the identification of novel potential therapeutic targets. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences will be dedicated to the application of different omics approaches for understanding the perturbations of biological systems occurring in the pathogenesis of the genitourinary system.

Prof. Giuseppe Lucarelli
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • renal cell carcinoma
  • prostate cancer
  • bladder carcinoma
  • testicular tumors
  • omics
  • pathology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

15 pages, 316 KiB  
Review
Metabolomic Approaches for Detection and Identification of Biomarkers and Altered Pathways in Bladder Cancer
by Nicola Antonio di Meo, Davide Loizzo, Savio Domenico Pandolfo, Riccardo Autorino, Matteo Ferro, Camillo Porta, Alessandro Stella, Cinzia Bizzoca, Leonardo Vincenti, Felice Crocetto, Octavian Sabin Tataru, Monica Rutigliano, Michele Battaglia, Pasquale Ditonno and Giuseppe Lucarelli
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(8), 4173; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23084173 - 10 Apr 2022
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 3583
Abstract
Metabolomic analysis has proven to be a useful tool in biomarker discovery and the molecular classification of cancers. In order to find new biomarkers, and to better understand its pathological behavior, bladder cancer also has been studied using a metabolomics approach. In this [...] Read more.
Metabolomic analysis has proven to be a useful tool in biomarker discovery and the molecular classification of cancers. In order to find new biomarkers, and to better understand its pathological behavior, bladder cancer also has been studied using a metabolomics approach. In this article, we review the literature on metabolomic studies of bladder cancer, focusing on the different available samples (urine, blood, tissue samples) used to perform the studies and their relative findings. Moreover, the multi-omic approach in bladder cancer research has found novel insights into its metabolic behavior, providing excellent start-points for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Metabolomics data analysis can lead to the discovery of a “signature pathway” associated with the progression of bladder cancer; this aspect could be potentially valuable in predictions of clinical outcomes and the introduction of new treatments. However, further studies are needed to give stronger evidence and to make these tools feasible for use in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Insights into Molecular Biology of Urological Cancers)
14 pages, 296 KiB  
Review
Novel Therapeutic Opportunities in Neoadjuvant Setting in Urothelial Cancers: A New Horizon Opened by Molecular Classification and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
by Maria Lucia Iacovino, Chiara Carmen Miceli, Marco De Felice, Biagio Barone, Luca Pompella, Francesco Chiancone, Erika Di Zazzo, Giuseppe Tirino, Carminia Maria Della Corte, Ciro Imbimbo, Ferdinando De Vita and Felice Crocetto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031133 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 3460
Abstract
Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a widespread malignancy with a worse prognosis often related to a late diagnosis. For early-stage MIBC pts, a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to evaluate the timing of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and surgery. The current standard therapy is [...] Read more.
Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a widespread malignancy with a worse prognosis often related to a late diagnosis. For early-stage MIBC pts, a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to evaluate the timing of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and surgery. The current standard therapy is platinum-based NAC (MVAC-methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin or Platinum–Gemcitabine regimens) followed by radical cystectomy (RC) with lymphadenectomy. However, preliminary data from Vesper trial highlighted that dose-dense NAC MVAC is endowed with a good pathological response but shows low tolerability. In the last few years, translational-based research approaches have identified several candidate biomarkers of NAC esponsiveness, such as ERCC2, ERBB2, or DNA damage response (DDR) gene alterations. Moreover, the recent consensus MIBC molecular classification identified six molecular subtypes, characterized by different sensitivity to chemo- or targeted or immunotherapy, that could open a novel procedure for patient selection and also for neoadjuvant therapies. The Italian PURE-01 phase II Trial extended data on efficacy and resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) in this setting. In this review, we summarize the most relevant literature data supporting NAC use in MIBC, focusing on novel therapeutic strategies such as immunotherapy, considering the better patient stratification and selection emerging from novel molecular classification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Insights into Molecular Biology of Urological Cancers)
25 pages, 1445 KiB  
Review
LncRNAs in the Regulation of Genes and Signaling Pathways through miRNA-Mediated and Other Mechanisms in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
by Eleonora A. Braga, Marina V. Fridman, Elena A. Filippova, Vitaly I. Loginov, Irina V. Pronina, Alexey M. Burdennyy, Alexander V. Karpukhin, Alexey A. Dmitriev and Sergey G. Morozov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(20), 11193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222011193 - 17 Oct 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3453
Abstract
The fundamental novelty in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was discovered as a result of the recent identification of the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we discuss several mechanisms for the dysregulation of the expression of protein-coding genes initiated [...] Read more.
The fundamental novelty in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was discovered as a result of the recent identification of the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we discuss several mechanisms for the dysregulation of the expression of protein-coding genes initiated by lncRNAs in the most common and aggressive type of kidney cancer—clear cell RCC (ccRCC). A model of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) is considered, in which lncRNA acts on genes through the lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA axis. For the most studied oncogenic lncRNAs, such as HOTAIR, MALAT1, and TUG1, several regulatory axes were identified in ccRCC, demonstrating a number of sites for various miRNAs. Interestingly, the LINC00973/miR-7109/Siglec-15 axis represents a novel agent that can suppress the immune response in patients with ccRCC, serving as a valuable target in addition to the PD1/PD-L1 pathway. Other mechanisms of action of lncRNAs in ccRCC, involving direct binding with proteins, mRNAs, and genes/DNA, are also considered. Our review briefly highlights methods by which various mechanisms of action of lncRNAs were verified. We pay special attention to protein targets and signaling pathways with which lncRNAs are associated in ccRCC. Thus, these new data on the different mechanisms of lncRNA functioning provide a novel basis for understanding the pathogenesis of ccRCC and the identification of new prognostic markers and targets for therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Insights into Molecular Biology of Urological Cancers)
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