Advances in 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Applications in Medical and Healthcare
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 July 2025 | Viewed by 430
Special Issue Editors
2. NX Development Corporation, Lexington, KY 40503, USA
3. School of Medicine, Yamagata University, Yamagata-shi 990-9585, Yamagata, Japan
4. Graduate School of Health Management, Keio University, Fujisawa-shi 252-0883, Kanagawa, Japan
Interests: drug discovery; mitochondrial deficiency; cancer diagnosis and therapy; cancer metastasis; metabolic diseases; aging; neurodegenerative diseases; cardiovascular diseases; medical and healthcare applications of 5-aminolaevulinic acid
Interests: neurosurgical oncology; fluoresence-guided resections; skull base surgery; endoscopic surgery
Interests: drug discovery; cancer diagnosis; cancer therapy; biomarkers; cell physiological engineering; medical applications of 5-aminolaevulinic acid
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is the sole source of heme biosynthesis. It is produced from glycine and succinyl CoA by aminolaevulinic acid synthetase (ALA synthetase) in mammalian mitochondria. Heme is an essential component of the electron transport chain. Heme is crucial in the proper functioning of cytochrome c and other enzymes within the mitochondrial respiratory complexes, which are involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and ATP production; furthermore, enhancing mitochondrial function can reduce oxidative stress and lower the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during respiration. Mitochondria are cellular power plants that produce ATPs as energy carriers by metabolizing carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins and producing water from oxygen and protons. Mitochondrial functions and activities have recently been highlighted from medical and healthcare points of view, and mitochondrial deficiency is a key focus as a primary cause of various diseases related to aging.
As exogenously administered 5-ALA molecules are also introduced into the heme biosynthesis pathway, 5-ALA can energize the mitochondria, enhance various metabolisms, and produce water in cells. These mechanisms, among others, are utilized in the treatment of diseases such as type II diabetes, depression, and Parkinson’s disease, as well as in skin care. In addition, synthesized heme molecules can activate heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and induce anti-oxide-radical, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral activities, as well as enhancing the immune system. Consequently, these mechanisms are utilized in treatments for inflammatory diseases and infectious diseases.
Regarding cancer cells, it is known that they do not use oxygen in mitochondria, even under aerobic conditions, causing deficiency in ferrochelatase activity. Ferrochelatase is the final-step enzyme in heme biosynthesis and is coupled with complex I of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain. As a result, cancer cells accumulate protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) instead of heme. PPIX can be activated by energy sourced from light, X-rays, and ultrasound. Using these mechanisms, 5-ALA has been applied to photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and therapy (PDT), as well as radiodynamic therapy (RDT) and sonodynamic therapy (SDT).
In this Special Issue, we would like to present a range of potential activities for 5-ALA and discuss its potential applications in healthcare and life sciences.
Prof. Dr. Motowo Nakajima
Prof. Dr. Walter Stummer
Dr. Shun-ichiro Ogura
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. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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
- 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)
- heme
- protoporphyrin IX
- photodynamic diagnosis
- fluorescence guided surgery
- photodynamic therapy
- cancer metastasis
- reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- oxide radical
- heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)
- NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)
- anti-inflammation
- mitochondrial disease
- diabetes
- infectious disease
- malaria
- COVID-19
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.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
