Epigenetic Factors Involved in the Development of Tumors of the Digestive Tract
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Genetics and Genomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 7893
Special Issue Editors
Interests: microRNAs; bioinformatics; epigenetics; biomarker discovery; cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
2 Research Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: oncology; melanoma; bioinformatics; immunotherapy; ferroptosis; DNA methylation; tumor microenvironment; cancer biomarkers; cancer treatment response
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The digestive tract is constantly exposed to environmental factors, including air pollutants, microorganisms, and harmful agents (e.g., smoke and alcohol), able to induce both genetic and epigenetic changes that may alter its cellular biology and homeostasis. A growing body of evidence demonstrated that these stimuli induce molecular alterations involved in the development of inflammatory and chronic diseases, including cancer. In this context, among the epigenetic modifications induced by environmental factors, DNA methylation and the alteration of the expression levels of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), circRNA, and lncRNA, have been recognized as key mechanisms underlying tumor development in the digestive tract. Therefore, the early identification of such epigenetic alterations may give further information for the understanding of tumor biology and may predict the risk of cancer development.
On these basis, the aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the main findings regarding the identification of epigenetic factors involved in neoplastic transformation and their potential role as useful biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of tumors affecting the digestive tract, from the oral cavity to the rectum. In addition, this Special Issue aims to collect the latest discoveries about the use of epigenetic factors as novel and promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of tumors.
Potential topics will include but are not limited to:
Epigenetic modifications as early events of neoplastic transformation;
Epigenetic regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes;
ncRNA (miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs) as tumor biomarkers;
DNA methylation hotspots in tumor biology;
ncRNAs in tumor biology;
ncRNAs and DNA methylation hotspots as therapeutic targets;
Epigenetic factors as indicators of therapeutic efficacy;
Liquid biopsies and epigenetic circulating biomarkers for the management of cancer patients;
Epigenetic biomarkers for the prediction of the therapeutic response and drug resistance.
Dr. Luca Falzone
Dr. Saverio Candido
Dr. Caterina Maria Grillo
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- microRNA
- DNA methylation
- ncRNAs
- epigenetics
- digestive tract
- oral cancer
- gastrointestinal cancer
- biomarkers
- diagnosis
- prognosis
- therapy
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