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Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0
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Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 23462

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Barbara Mroczko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-269 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: neurodegeneration; neuroinflammation; neurodegenerative diseases; neurodevelopmental disorders; tumor markers; specific proteins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Diseases of civilization, also known as “lifestyle diseases” or “social diseases”, are spreading globally in an epidemic way. These non-infectious diseases, which are associated with the development of civilization, lead to disability and premature death. According to the World Health Organization, civilization diseases include Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as cancer. Neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, represent a major socioeconomic problem. There are different theories surrounding the pathogenesis of these diseases; however, their precise etiology remains unclear. Moreover, the availability of biomarkers with appropriate sensitivity and specificity that can predict treatment success is very limited. Another group of civilization diseases is malignant neoplasms, complex diseases with dysregulation of the cellular signaling that controls proliferation and apoptosis. These may be caused by various genetic, genomic, and epigenetic alterations at the cellular or tissue levels. There has been remarkable progress in the diagnosis and imaging of cancer patients. Furthermore, a worldwide decline in the incidence of certain malignancies has been observed. The survival of the majority of patients with solid tumors has also increased due to advances in surgery and therapy. However, some neoplasms, such as gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer or malignant tumors of the central nervous system, remain characterized by uncontrolled growth and high mortality, mostly due to delays in diagnosis. Therefore, there is still a need to find biomarkers that can help in the early diagnosis of cancer patients. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide new findings regarding molecular pathways and biomarkers that could improve the diagnosis and/or prognostic classification of neurodegeneration and cancer and to explore their potential clinical application in the detection and classification of these disorders.

This Special Issue will bring together original research and review articles on the molecular diagnostics of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

The topics of this Special Issue will include (but are not limited to):

  • The influence of lifestyle and dietary factors in the development of neurodegeneration;
  • Biological mechanisms related to neurodegeneration;
  • Neurodegenerative diseases as proteinopathies;
  • Neurodegeneration and inflammation;
  • New potential biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington disease, and prion diseases;
  • Biomarkers of neurodegeneration: prognostic value in conversion from mild cognitive impairment to fully symptomatic dementia;
  • The role of vitamin deficiency and supplementation in cancer;
  • Cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases as prognostic factors in carcinogenesis;
  • Chemokines and their receptors as novel tumor markers in malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract; lung, breast, head, and neck cancer; and other solid tumors;
  • Mediators of inflammation in various types of cancer and their relation to histological types of tumors.

Prof. Dr. Barbara Mroczko
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • neurodegeneration
  • cancer progression
  • tumor markers
  • prognostic biomarkers

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Review

13 pages, 830 KiB  
Review
Granzymes—Their Role in Colorectal Cancer
by Sara Pączek, Marta Łukaszewicz-Zając and Barbara Mroczko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5277; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23095277 - 09 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3086
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common malignancies worldwide. CRC is considered a heterogeneous disease due to various clinical symptoms, biological behaviours, and a variety of mutations. A number of studies demonstrate that as many as 50% of CRC patients have distant [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common malignancies worldwide. CRC is considered a heterogeneous disease due to various clinical symptoms, biological behaviours, and a variety of mutations. A number of studies demonstrate that as many as 50% of CRC patients have distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. However, despite the fact that social and medical awareness of CRC has increased in recent years and screening programmes have expanded, there is still an urgent need to find new diagnostic tools for early detection of CRC. The effectiveness of the currently used classical tumour markers in CRC diagnostics is very limited. Therefore, new proteins that play an important role in the formation and progression of CRC are being sought. A number of recent studies show the potential significance of granzymes (GZMs) in carcinogenesis. These proteins are released by cytotoxic lymphocytes, which protect the body against viral infection as well specific signalling pathways that ultimately lead to cell death. Some studies suggest a link between GZMs, particularly the expression of Granzyme A, and inflammation. This paper summarises the role of GZMs in CRC pathogenesis through their involvement in the inflammatory process. Therefore, it seems that GZMs could become the focus of research into new CRC biomarkers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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23 pages, 2404 KiB  
Review
Insight into microRNAs-Mediated Communication between Liver and Brain: A Possible Approach for Understanding Acute Liver Failure?
by Karolina Orzeł-Gajowik, Krzysztof Milewski and Magdalena Zielińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 224; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23010224 - 25 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2935
Abstract
Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening consequence of hepatic function rapid loss without preexisting liver disease. ALF may result in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms that encompasses cognitive impairment, coma, and often death, collectively defined as acute hepatic encephalopathy. Micro RNAs are [...] Read more.
Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening consequence of hepatic function rapid loss without preexisting liver disease. ALF may result in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms that encompasses cognitive impairment, coma, and often death, collectively defined as acute hepatic encephalopathy. Micro RNAs are small non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression and are extensively verified as biomarker candidates in various diseases. Our systematic literature review based on the last decade’s reports involving a total of 852 ALF patients, determined 205 altered circulating miRNAs, of which 25 miRNAs were altered in the blood, regardless of study design and methodology. Selected 25 miRNAs, emerging predominantly from the analyses of samples obtained from acetaminophen overdosed patients, represent the most promising biomarker candidates for a diagnostic panel for symptomatic ALF. We discussed the role of selected miRNAs in the context of tissue-specific origin and its possible regulatory role for molecular pathways involved in blood–brain barrier function. The defined several common pathways for 15 differently altered miRNAs were relevant to cellular community processes, indicating loss of intercellular, structural, and functional components, which may result in blood-brain barrier impairment and brain dysfunction. However, a causational relationship between circulating miRNAs differential expression, and particular clinical features of ALF, has to be demonstrated in a further study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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13 pages, 749 KiB  
Review
A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase (ADAM) Family: Their Significance in Malignant Tumors of the Central Nervous System (CNS)
by Marta Łukaszewicz-Zając, Maciej Dulewicz and Barbara Mroczko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10378; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms221910378 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2427
Abstract
Despite the considerable advances in diagnostic methods in medicine, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, particularly the most common ones—gliomas—remain incurable, with similar incidence rates and mortality. A growing body of literature has revealed that degradation of the extracellular matrix by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) [...] Read more.
Despite the considerable advances in diagnostic methods in medicine, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, particularly the most common ones—gliomas—remain incurable, with similar incidence rates and mortality. A growing body of literature has revealed that degradation of the extracellular matrix by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might be involved in the pathogenesis of CNS tumors. However, the subfamily of MMPs, known as disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) proteins are unique due to both adhesive and proteolytic activities. The objective of our review is to present the role of ADAMs in CNS tumors, particularly their involvement in the development of malignant gliomas. Moreover, we focus on the diagnostic and prognostic significance of selected ADAMs in patients with these neoplasms. It has been proven that ADAM12, ADAMTS4 and 5 are implicated in the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells. In addition, ADAM8 and ADAM19 are correlated with the invasive activity of glioma cells and unfavorable survival, while ADAM9, -10 and -17 are associated with tumor grade and histological type of gliomas and can be used as prognostic factors. In conclusion, several ADAMs might serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets for malignant CNS tumors. However, future research on ADAMs biology should be performed to elucidate new strategies for tumor diagnosis and treatment of patients with these malignancies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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19 pages, 1224 KiB  
Review
The Role of Gut Microbiota and Gut–Brain Interplay in Selected Diseases of the Central Nervous System
by Julia Doroszkiewicz, Magdalena Groblewska and Barbara Mroczko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(18), 10028; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms221810028 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7733
Abstract
The gut microbiome has attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. The microbiota can have a specific and complex cross-talk with the host, particularly with the central nervous system (CNS), creating the so-called “gut–brain axis”. Communication between the gut, intestinal microbiota, and [...] Read more.
The gut microbiome has attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. The microbiota can have a specific and complex cross-talk with the host, particularly with the central nervous system (CNS), creating the so-called “gut–brain axis”. Communication between the gut, intestinal microbiota, and the brain involves the secretion of various metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), structural components of bacteria, and signaling molecules. Moreover, an imbalance in the gut microbiota composition modulates the immune system and function of tissue barriers such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to describe how the gut–brain interplay may contribute to the development of various neurological disorders, combining the fields of gastroenterology and neuroscience. We present recent findings concerning the effect of the altered microbiota on neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as multiple sclerosis. Moreover, the impact of the pathological shift in the microbiome on selected neuropsychological disorders, i.e., major depressive disorders (MDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is also discussed. Future research on the effect of balanced gut microbiota composition on the gut–brain axis would help to identify new potential opportunities for therapeutic interventions in the presented diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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17 pages, 5200 KiB  
Review
Chemotherapy-Induced Intestinal Microbiota Dysbiosis Impairs Mucosal Homeostasis by Modulating Toll-like Receptor Signaling Pathways
by Ling Wei, Xue-Sen Wen and Cory J. Xian
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9474; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22179474 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 3806
Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis, a painful debilitating condition affecting up to 40–100% of patients undergoing chemotherapy, can reduce the patients’ quality of life, add health care costs and even postpone cancer treatment. In recent years, the relationships between intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and mucositis have [...] Read more.
Chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis, a painful debilitating condition affecting up to 40–100% of patients undergoing chemotherapy, can reduce the patients’ quality of life, add health care costs and even postpone cancer treatment. In recent years, the relationships between intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and mucositis have drawn much attention in mucositis research. Chemotherapy can shape intestinal microbiota, which, in turn, can aggravate the mucositis through toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways, leading to an increased expression of inflammatory mediators and elevated epithelial cell apoptosis but decreased epithelial cell differentiation and mucosal regeneration. This review summarizes relevant studies related to the relationships of mucositis with chemotherapy regimens, microbiota, TLRs, inflammatory mediators, and intestinal homeostasis, aiming to explore how gut microbiota affects the pathogenesis of mucositis and provides potential new strategies for mucositis alleviation and treatment and development of new therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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13 pages, 14588 KiB  
Review
Angiopoietin-like Proteins in Colorectal Cancer—A Literature Review
by Monika Zajkowska and Barbara Mroczko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8439; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22168439 - 05 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2240
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignancy, with an annual incidence of about 10% of the total number of new cases. Despite well-developed screening tests, mortality from this type of cancer remains unchanged. Therefore, it is important to [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of malignancy, with an annual incidence of about 10% of the total number of new cases. Despite well-developed screening tests, mortality from this type of cancer remains unchanged. Therefore, it is important to search for more accurate markers that are useful in the detection of colorectal cancer (especially in its early stages), and treatment. Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) are a family of eight proteins with a diversity of applications, including pro- and anti-angiogenic properties. Consequently, we performed an extensive search of the literature, pertaining to our investigation, via the MEDLINE/PubMed database. Based on the available literature, we summarize that some of those proteins are characterized by increased or decreased concentrations during the course of CRC. We can also assume that some ANGPTLs can inhibit the development of CRC, while others induce its progress. Moreover, some factors are dependent on the stage or histological type of the tumor, the presence of hypoxia, or metastases. Most importantly, some ANGPTLs can be useful in anti-cancer therapy. Therefore, further studies on ANGPTLs as potential markers of CRC should be continued. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Biomarkers of Selected Diseases of Civilization 2.0)
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