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Pharmacological Approaches and Models of Physical Activity in the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 June 2024) | Viewed by 3177

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Guest Editor
Keizo Asami Institute (iLIKA), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego s/n, Recife 50670-901, PE, Brazil
Interests: cancer immunology; cell migration; neutrophil; sepsis; neglected infectious diseases; exercise and immunity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer encompasses a complex array of molecular and cellular changes that trigger abnormal cell growth and uncontrolled proliferation. Its development involves a combination of genetic, immunological, and metabolic alterations, all of which contribute to oncogenesis and tumor progression. While conventional treatments like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and drug therapies remain essential, there is growing recognition of the value of lifestyle interventions for improving clinical outcomes.

Various activity models designed to alleviate stressors have been advocated for as part of cancer management. Research suggests that sedentary behavior and exposure to unfavorable environmental conditions can lead to physiological imbalances such as chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting in the development of chronic diseases and premature mortality. Conversely, regular engagement in both aerobic and anaerobic physical activities offers numerous health benefits, including weight control, increased fat-free mass, enhanced bone mineral density, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness.

Furthermore, disruptions to these components have been linked to the onset of chronic degenerative conditions, including inflammatory diseases and different types of cancer. At the molecular and cellular levels, evidence suggests that physical activity can modulate signaling pathways involved in key processes implicated in cancer pathophysiology, such as the inflammatory response, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic and oxidative reticulum stress, and autophagy.

Thus, it becomes evident that understanding the impacts of diverse pharmacological strategies and various models of physical activity is crucial in the comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation of inflammatory diseases and cancer. By integrating both pharmacological interventions and tailored exercise regimens, healthcare professionals can optimize patient outcomes and enhance the overall effectiveness of therapeutic approaches.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) focuses on the “Pharmacological Approaches and Models of Physical Activity in the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer”, and welcomes both original research articles and review papers.

Dr. Fabricio Oliveira Souto
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • physical exercise
  • drugs
  • cytokines
  • inflammation
  • oncology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

19 pages, 400 KiB  
Review
Immunology of Physical Exercise: Is Equus caballus an Appropriate Animal Model for Human Athletes?
by Olga Witkowska-Piłaszewicz, Katarzyna Malin, Izabela Dąbrowska, Jowita Grzędzicka, Piotr Ostaszewski and Craig Carter
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(10), 5210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25105210 - 10 May 2024
Viewed by 1158
Abstract
Domestic horses routinely participate in vigorous and various athletic activities. This enables the horse to serve as a model for studying athletic physiology and immunology in other species, including humans. For instance, as a model of physical efforts, such as endurance rides (long-distance [...] Read more.
Domestic horses routinely participate in vigorous and various athletic activities. This enables the horse to serve as a model for studying athletic physiology and immunology in other species, including humans. For instance, as a model of physical efforts, such as endurance rides (long-distance running/aerobic exercise) and races (anaerobic exercise), the horse can be useful in evaluating post-exercise response. Currently, there has been significant interest in finding biomarkers, which characterize the advancement of training and adaptation to physical exercise in the horse. The parallels in cellular responses to physical exercises, such as changes in receptor expression and blood cell activity, improve our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the body’s response to intense physical activity. This study focuses on the changes in levels of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and cellular response in the context of post-exercise immune response. Both the direction of changes in cytokine levels and cellular responses of the body, such as proliferation and expression of surface markers on lymphocytes, monocytes and neutrophils, show cross-functional similarities. This review reveals that horses are robust research models for studying the immune response to physical exercise in human athletes. Full article
12 pages, 2793 KiB  
Review
Environmental Enrichment in Cancer as a Possible Tool to Combat Tumor Development: A Systematic Review
by Matheus Santos de Sousa Fernandes, Tiago Ramos Lacerda, Débora Eduarda da Silva Fidélis, Gabriela Carvalho Jurema Santos, Tayrine Ordonio Filgueira, Raphael Fabrício de Souza, Claúdia Jacques Lagranha, Fábio S. Lira, Angela Castoldi and Fabrício Oliveira Souto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16516; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216516 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1113
Abstract
This systematic review aims to evaluate the influence of environmental enrichment (EE) on oncological factors in experimental studies involving various types of cancer models. A comprehensive search was conducted in three databases: PubMed (161 articles), Embase (335 articles), and Scopus (274 articles). Eligibility [...] Read more.
This systematic review aims to evaluate the influence of environmental enrichment (EE) on oncological factors in experimental studies involving various types of cancer models. A comprehensive search was conducted in three databases: PubMed (161 articles), Embase (335 articles), and Scopus (274 articles). Eligibility criteria were applied based on the PICOS strategy to minimize bias. Two independent researchers performed the searches, with a third participant resolving any discrepancies. The selected articles were analyzed, and data regarding sample characteristics and EE protocols were extracted. The outcomes focused solely on cancer and tumor-related parameters, including cancer type, description of the cancer model, angiogenesis, tumor occurrence, volume, weight, mice with tumors, and tumor inhibition rate. A total of 770 articles were identified across the three databases, with 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The findings demonstrated that different EE protocols were effective in significantly reducing various aspects of tumor growth and development, such as angiogenesis, volume, weight, and the number of mice with tumors. Furthermore, EE enhanced the rate of tumor inhibition in mouse cancer models. This systematic review qualitatively demonstrates the impacts of EE protocols on multiple parameters associated with tumor growth and development, including angiogenesis, occurrence, volume, weight, and tumor incidence. Moreover, EE demonstrated the potential to increase the rate of tumor inhibition. These findings underscore the importance of EE as a valuable tool in the management of cancer. Full article
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