The application of polyoxometalates (POMs), being pure, hybrids, and/or POMs-based hybrids in various biological systems has been a rapidly growing branch of science. In fact, the number of papers on POMs published in the context of biological applications has tripled in the last decade. The majority of the biomedical studies have addressed how POMs affect cancer and bacterial cell growth, not to mention their antiviral activity; however, much remains to be understood concerning the mechanism of action of these compounds. The vast majority of antibacterial POM studies have focused on Gram positive bacteria, and antiviral studies on the activity of POMs against respiratory tract viruses, mainly influenza viruses. Yet, the effects of POMs on several aspects of the virulence and community life of bacteria have not yet been explored.
POMs seem to dispatch their cellular effects by targeting respiratory chain, DNA structure and function, cytoskeleton, and/or by interfering with the ionic transport systems, among others, leading cells to death. For example, it was suggested that decavanadate (V10) and other POMs act as potent P-type ATPase inhibitors - affecting cellular ion homeostasis and inducing cell death; whereas V10 binding to G-actin inhibits its polymerization to F-actin, thus affecting cytoskeleton dynamics and inducing cell morphology changes.
This Research Topic will highlight recent advances into in vitro and in vivo POMs, be they pure, hybrids, and/or POMs-based hybrids with anticancer, antiviral, and antimicrobial activities as well as others biological and/or biomedical applications, such as in diabetes and neurological diseases. Studies on POMs as biosensors, namely the redox activity of POMs as sensors for biological factors or markers of specific illnesses are also welcome. Papers addressing biomolecular POMs targets; POMs as ion channels in lipid/cell membranes and transportation of POMs across cell membranes will also be included in this Research Topic.
We welcome Original Research articles, Reviews, and Mini-reviews on topics including, but not limited to:
• Design, synthesis, and characterization of novel POMs
• Studies on the antiviral, antibacterial, or anticancer activity of novel POMs
• Biomolecular/subcellular targets of POMs (mechanism of action, inhibition studies and structure–activity relationship studies, including elucidation of target enzyme/protein-POMs interaction studies)
• Rational design of POMs as ion channels in lipid/cell membranes
• Novel POMs as sensors for biomarkers
• POMs in anti-neurological disease drug discovery
• POMs speciation in biological systems / biological culture media