Epigenetic Regulatory Mechanisms and Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Chemoresistance and Metabolic Disorders
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Biopharmaceuticals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 95
Special Issue Editors
Interests: epigenetics; oxidative stress; drug-induced toxicities
Interests: epigenetics; oxidative stress; drug-induced toxicities
Interests: biomarkers; epigenetics; microRNAs; lncRNAs; environmental pollution; tumour suppressor gene; biological networks; precision medicine; exosomes; oxidative stress
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs)—including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and other emerging regulatory RNA species—have gained increasing recognition as pivotal modulators of epigenetic landscapes that govern cellular responses to chemotherapy, metabolic dysfunction, and drug-induced toxicities. These ncRNAs orchestrate complex epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling, thereby finely tuning gene expression networks critical for cellular homeostasis and disease progression. In cancer, ncRNAs contribute to chemoresistance by regulating pathways involved in drug efflux, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cancer stem cell maintenance. Their dysregulation often leads to altered epigenetic states that enable tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents.
Beyond oncology, ncRNAs also play essential roles in metabolic disorders by epigenetically modulating key metabolic gene networks, influencing processes such as glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial function.
This Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals welcomes high-quality original research and comprehensive reviews that elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which ncRNAs regulate epigenetic modifications in the context of chemoresistance, metabolic diseases, and drug-induced toxicities. Submissions may focus on the interactions between ncRNAs and key epigenetic modifiers such as DNA methyltransferases, histone-modifying enzymes, and chromatin remodelers; explore the role of ncRNAs in mediating drug-induced toxicities and their potential as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers; present innovative experimental models and bioinformatics approaches to unravel ncRNA–epigenetic crosstalk; or propose therapeutic strategies targeting ncRNAs to overcome chemoresistance and reduce adverse drug effects.
By integrating advances from epigenetics, RNA biology, pharmacology, and clinical research, this Special Issue aims to deepen our understanding of ncRNA-driven epigenetic regulation and foster the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools that enhance treatment efficacy and patient quality of life.
Dr. Pía Loren Reyes
Dr. Francisca Villagran-Silva
Dr. Pablo J. Letelier
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- non-coding RNAs
- epigenetic regulation
- chemoresistance
- metabolic disorders
- chemotherapy-related toxicities
- DNA methylation
- histone modification
- chromatin remodeling
- RNA-based therapeutics
- biomarkers
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