Signal Transduction Pathways in Gynecologic Malignancies

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2015) | Viewed by 28572

Special Issue Editor

Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Interests: ovarian carcinoma; organ-specific metastasis; signal transduction; targets for treatment; chemoresistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gynecologic cancers are malignancies originating in the female reproductive organs, including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, and vulva.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 98,280 new cases of gynecologic cancers will be diagnosed in the US in 2015. Furthermore, 30,440 women with gynecologic cancers will die of their disease. Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies and will account for 14,180 deaths in 2015.

In recent years, extensive progress has been made  in developing both treatments of early stage gynecologic cancers and preventive measures. However, in many cases, the lack of reliable criteria for early diagnosis hampers tumor detection at early stages, when these cancers can be treated with  existing approaches. In most cases, the cause of death from gynecologic cancers is metastatic disease that cannot be cured by the standard of care approaches.This Special Issue focuses on “signal transduction pathways in gynecologic malignancies”. We aim to provide an overview of the present state of knowledge concerning key molecular pathways that drive metastatic progression in these diseases.

We would like to invite submissions of research and review manuscripts that cover any aspects of the signal transduction pathways underlying the progression of gynecologic malignancies. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: signal transduction pathways in ovarian, cervical, endometrial, and other gynecologic malignancies, oncogenes and metastasis suppressors, mechanisms of chemoresistance, and novel therapies for treating gynecologic malignancies.

We look forward to reading your contributions,

Dr. Maria Barbolina
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • gynecologic malignancies
  • ovarian carcinoma
  • fallopian carcinoma
  • cervical carcinoma
  • endometrial carcinoma
  • vulvar carcinoma
  • vaginal carcinoma
  • signal transduction
  • oncogenes
  • metastasis suppressors
  • chemoresistance
  • novel therapies

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Article
Examination of the Fractalkine and Fractalkine Receptor Expression in Fallopian Adenocarcinoma Reveals Differences When Compared to Ovarian Carcinoma
by Hilal Gurler, Virgilia Macias, Andre A. Kajdacsy-Balla and Maria V. Barbolina
Biomolecules 2015, 5(4), 3438-3447; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom5043438 - 03 Dec 2015
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4333
Abstract
Fallopian adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy arising in the epithelium of the fallopian tube. Fallopian tube epithelium has been proposed as a tissue origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Given the commonalities in dissemination and treatment of these malignancies, [...] Read more.
Fallopian adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy arising in the epithelium of the fallopian tube. Fallopian tube epithelium has been proposed as a tissue origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Given the commonalities in dissemination and treatment of these malignancies, we contemplated the possibility of similar patterns of gene expression underlying their progression. To reveal potential similarities or differences in the gene expression of fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, we tested expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) and its ligand, fractalkine (CX3CL1), in the specimens of normal and pathologic fallopian tube using immunohistochemistry. Our data show that CX3CR1 is expressed in the normal, cancer adjacent normal, inflammatory, and malignant fallopian epithelium. CX3CL1 was expressed only by the normal and cancer adjacent normal fallopian tube epithelium; its expression was largely lost in the inflammatory and malignant fallopian epithelium. In opposite, both CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 are expressed in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. These findings are consistent with an idea that fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, although currently thought to arise from the same organ, may not share similar molecular characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signal Transduction Pathways in Gynecologic Malignancies)
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Review

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Review
Targeting Stromal-Cancer Cell Crosstalk Networks in Ovarian Cancer Treatment
by Tsz-Lun Yeung, Cecilia S. Leung, Fuhai Li, Stephen T. C. Wong and Samuel C. Mok
Biomolecules 2016, 6(1), 3; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom6010003 - 06 Jan 2016
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 10076
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a histologically, clinically, and molecularly diverse disease with a five-year survival rate of less than 30%. It has been estimated that approximately 21,980 new cases of epithelial ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,270 deaths will occur in the United [...] Read more.
Ovarian cancer is a histologically, clinically, and molecularly diverse disease with a five-year survival rate of less than 30%. It has been estimated that approximately 21,980 new cases of epithelial ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,270 deaths will occur in the United States in 2015, making it the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Ovarian tumor tissue is composed of cancer cells and a collection of different stromal cells. There is increasing evidence that demonstrates that stromal involvement is important in ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Therefore, stroma-specific signaling pathways, stroma-derived factors, and genetic changes in the tumor stroma present unique opportunities for improving the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major components of the tumor stroma that have demonstrated supportive roles in tumor progression. In this review, we highlight various types of signaling crosstalk between ovarian cancer cells and stromal cells, particularly with CAFs. In addition to evaluating the importance of signaling crosstalk in ovarian cancer progression, we discuss approaches that can be used to target tumor-promoting signaling crosstalk and how these approaches can be translated into potential ovarian cancer treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signal Transduction Pathways in Gynecologic Malignancies)
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359 KiB  
Review
The Potential Role of the Proteases Cathepsin D and Cathepsin L in the Progression and Metastasis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
by Md Zahidul Islam Pranjol, Nicholas Gutowski, Michael Hannemann and Jacqueline Whatmore
Biomolecules 2015, 5(4), 3260-3279; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom5043260 - 20 Nov 2015
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 8103
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis due to relatively unspecific early symptoms, and thus often advanced stage, metastasized cancer at presentation. Metastasis of EOC occurs primarily through the transcoelomic route whereby [...] Read more.
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis due to relatively unspecific early symptoms, and thus often advanced stage, metastasized cancer at presentation. Metastasis of EOC occurs primarily through the transcoelomic route whereby exfoliated tumor cells disseminate within the abdominal cavity, particularly to the omentum. Primary and metastatic tumor growth requires a pool of proangiogenic factors in the microenvironment which propagate new vasculature in the growing cancer. Recent evidence suggests that proangiogenic factors other than the widely known, potent angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor may mediate growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. In this review we examine the role of some of these alternative factors, specifically cathepsin D and cathepsin L. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signal Transduction Pathways in Gynecologic Malignancies)
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265 KiB  
Review
Expression and Function of CD44 in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma
by Joelle D. Sacks and Maria V. Barbolina
Biomolecules 2015, 5(4), 3051-3066; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biom5043051 - 11 Nov 2015
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 5634
Abstract
CD44, a cell surface glycoprotein, has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy in women. Here, we review recent reports on the expression and function of CD44 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Further functional data [...] Read more.
CD44, a cell surface glycoprotein, has been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy in women. Here, we review recent reports on the expression and function of CD44 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Further functional data for CD44 in peritoneal adhesion and metastatic progression and its association with stem cells is highlighted. Recent studies utilizing CD44 for therapeutic targeting are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signal Transduction Pathways in Gynecologic Malignancies)
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