MicroRNA in Cancer and Neurodegenerative Disorders
A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Genetics and Genomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2023) | Viewed by 3367
Special Issue Editors
Interests: general and molecular pathology; cancer molecular pathogenesis; microRNA; cell cycle; apoptosis; inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: cancer molecular pathogenesis; inflammation; NF-kB signaling; apoptosis; preclinical models; new therapeutic targets identification; epatocarcinogenesis; neurodegenerative eye and ear diseases; microRNA
Interests: cancer molecular pathogenesis and diagnostics; personalized medicine; epatocarcinogenesis; neurodegenerative eye and ear diseases; microRNA; profiling analysis; bioinformatics
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
MicroRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs able to fine-tune gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, and are involved in the control of fundamental cell processes such as growth, proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis. Dysregulated expression levels of microRNAs have been described in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, known to be major public health issues. Tumor initiation, progression and metastasis dissemination are correlated to significant changes in gene expression, and an increasing number of studies has focused on examining, in depth, the role of microRNAs in tumorigenesis. Depending on the functions of target genes, microRNAs can show tumor-promoting or suppressive properties by regulating the expression of entire groups of genes implicated in oncogenesis and metastasis. Biogenesis disruption and altered levels of miRNAs have been widely described in neurodegenerative disorders as well, evidencing the relevant involvement of these molecules in the pathogenesis of such diseases. Furthermore, microRNAs are considered as potentially suitable tissue or circulating non-invasive diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, as they are released from tissues by active (exosomes and vesicles) or passive (apoptosis and necrosis) mechanisms into the bloodstream, where they are stable and resistant to endogenous RNase. Moreover, these short molecules are thought to have a potential therapeutic value, and the development of innovative strategies aimed at restoring levels of dysregulated/aberrantly expressed miRNAs constitutes a great challenge for the improvement of cancer and neurodegenerative disorder treatments.
In this Special Issue, we are interested in recent advances and opinions regarding the role of microRNAs in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, research papers and reviews focused on, but not limited to, the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of the above-mentioned diseases, microRNAs as biomarkers, limitations and challenges of the possible therapeutic use of microRNAs and strategies to restore microRNA expression levels, microRNA preclinical models and bioinformatics approaches for miRNAs/target gene analysis.
Prof. Dr. Edoardo Alesse
Dr. Francesca Zazzeroni
Dr. Alessandra Tessitore
Dr. Veronica Zelli
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- non-coding RNAs
- cancer
- neurodegenerative diseases
- biomarkers
- preclinical models
- targetome
- microRNA-based therapy
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