Cellular Communication, Carcinogenesis and Targeted Interventions

Dear Colleagues,

Human and animal organs are composed of different tissues and various cell types. In order to achieve the harmonization of organ and tissue functions, and keep the body healthy, cell communication is of utmost importance. Cells in tissues communicate closely with each other either directly, by contact, or indirectly, by secretion of soluble factors or extracellular vesicles. Intercellular communication by contact is carried out mainly via three types of interactions:  intercellular recognition or adhesion molecules, gap junctions and the very thin cytoplasmic projections called nanotubes. On the other hand, indirect cellular communication is carried out through secreted molecules that are transported from one cell to another by diffusion over short distances (paracrine communication) or long distances by blood flow (endocrine communication). Indirect intercellular communication can also be achieved by transmitting extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes and microvesicles, which act as transport shuttles, allowing cells to exchange proteins, RNAs (miRNAs, mRNAs) likely to modify the phenotype of the recipient cell. Gap junction intercellular communication capacity (GJICc) and connexin expression were found to be altered in cancer cells in 1966 (Loewenstein and Kanno, 1966) when the studies on the gap junction involvement in carcinogenesis started. The role of different forms of cell communication, such as the extracellular vesicles, in the neoplastic microenvironment is currently being discussed. Cancer is a devastating disease, and new forms of treatment are usually required for many different cancer types. This Special Issue of Cancers aims to present how the different forms of cellular communication may modify carcinogenesis and cancer treatment outcomes. 

Prof. Dr. Jean Jiang
Prof. Dr. Maria Lucia Zaidan Dagli
Prof. Dr. Marc Mesnil
Guest Editors

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