Journal: Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Guest editor(s):Dr. Muhammad Farrukh Nisar

Introduction

Telomeres are distinctive but short stretches present at the corners of chromosomes and aid in stabilizing chromosomal makeup. Resynthesis of telomeres supported by the activity of reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase. There is no any telomerase activity in human somatic cells, but the stem cells and germ cells undergone telomerase activity where every division of cells shortens the length of telomeres at chromosomal ends. In somatic cells, when a critical length of telomeres reaches they cause replicative senescence that may lead to induce apoptosis in cells. Majority of human cancer cells show an upregulation in the expression level of telomerase that endow tumor cells with higher proliferation rates. Keeping in view the crucial role of telomerase in cancer and aging, the development of small molecule drugs and non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs, micro-RNAs etc.) that targets telomerase in cancer and individual aging has been a recent focus in research. While inhibiting the growth of tumor cells using small molecule drugs and non-coding RNAs, along with delayed aging by modulating telomerase activity in telomere syndromes or similar diseases remained an ever increasing priority. Moreover, recent literature has reported the involvement of non-coding RNA molecules (such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), micro RNAs, small-interfering RNAs etc.) and their potential role as emerging therapeutics. Current Special issue is aimed to introduce telomeres and telomerase, regulation of telomerase functions in tumors and in human aging and tumor treatments using small molecule drugs and non-coding RNAs. Finally, small-molecule drugs and non-coding RNAs targeting telomerase activity in cancer and aging shall be highlighted herein.

Keywords

Ferroptosis, Small molecule drug, non-coding RNAs, Telomerase, Cancers, Aging