About this Research Topic
The cytoskeletal network composed of microtubules, intermediate filaments, and actin microfilaments is a highly dynamic structure regulating cell behavior, and is involved in many cellular functions such as intracellular transport, cell division and cell migration. Alterations of the cytoskeleton in cancer and tumor-related cells include expression of different isoforms of the major cytoskeletal proteins (actin, myosin, tubulin and others) and aberrations of the major signaling cascades regulating cytoskeleton functions.
Cancer cells lose many of the regulatory pathways, continue to proliferate without control and evolve under the selective pressure. The major reason of cancer-induced mortality is the development of metastases. Metastasis is a multistep process that involves cytoskeleton remodeling, augmented cell motility, alteration of stroma and induction of angiogenesis. Both cell proliferation and ability to metastasize depend on the cytoskeleton making it an attractive target for chemotherapy. Great progress in anti-cancer chemotherapy was achieved in last decades. It involves introduction of a wide variety of novel natural and synthetic drugs interfering with cytoskeletal proteins as well as development of complex therapy programs based on synergistic effects of different drugs.
The purpose of this Research Topic is to collect recent research and methodological advances on the anti-cancer therapy targeting cytoskeleton and cytoskeleton-related pathways; role of the specific cytoskeletal biomarkers and cytoskeleton plasticity in cancer progression. We will particularly focus on the potential of emerging single cell and high-throughput imaging technologies to fully characterize the consequences of mitotic arrest and inhibition of cell motility in anti-cancer therapy.
This collection welcomes Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspectives Articles. Areas of interest could include, but are not limited to:
- Cytoskeletal components as biomarkers of cancer
- A search for new cytoskeletal targets for anti-cancer therapy
- Advances in using microtubule-targeted agents for chemotherapy
- Cytoskeleton-based plasticity in cancer cell behavior
- Therapeutic potential of actin-targeted agents
- Novel cytoskeleton-targeted anti-angiogenic treatments in cancer therapy
- Novel cytoskeleton inhibitors in cancer cell research
- Targeting cytoskeleton in complex chemotherapy programs using synergistic drug combinations
Cancer cells lose many of the regulatory pathways, continue to proliferate without control and evolve under the selective pressure. The major reason of cancer-induced mortality is the development of metastases. Metastasis is a multistep process that involves cytoskeleton remodeling, augmented cell motility, alteration of stroma and induction of angiogenesis. Both cell proliferation and ability to metastasize depend on the cytoskeleton making it an attractive target for chemotherapy. Great progress in anti-cancer chemotherapy was achieved in last decades. It involves introduction of a wide variety of novel natural and synthetic drugs interfering with cytoskeletal proteins as well as development of complex therapy programs based on synergistic effects of different drugs.
The purpose of this Research Topic is to collect recent research and methodological advances on the anti-cancer therapy targeting cytoskeleton and cytoskeleton-related pathways; role of the specific cytoskeletal biomarkers and cytoskeleton plasticity in cancer progression. We will particularly focus on the potential of emerging single cell and high-throughput imaging technologies to fully characterize the consequences of mitotic arrest and inhibition of cell motility in anti-cancer therapy.
This collection welcomes Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspectives Articles. Areas of interest could include, but are not limited to:
- Cytoskeletal components as biomarkers of cancer
- A search for new cytoskeletal targets for anti-cancer therapy
- Advances in using microtubule-targeted agents for chemotherapy
- Cytoskeleton-based plasticity in cancer cell behavior
- Therapeutic potential of actin-targeted agents
- Novel cytoskeleton-targeted anti-angiogenic treatments in cancer therapy
- Novel cytoskeleton inhibitors in cancer cell research
- Targeting cytoskeleton in complex chemotherapy programs using synergistic drug combinations
Keywords: biomarkers, cytoskeleton, microtubule inhibitors, chemotherapy, cytoskeletal inhibitors, cancer drugs
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
