oa Editorial: Metal ions in cause, progression, treatment and diagnosis of genetic disorders, metabolic diseases and cancer

Metal ions play many key, crucial and even life-sustaining roles in organisms [1-6]. Despite the fact that experimental research is carried out in this area intensively for decades, it is clear that many biological properties of metal ions and compounds containing metal ions have not been fully clarified. Moreover, the interaction of ions of heavy metals with biologically active molecules can be used to monitor changes in organisms. One of the aims of this special issue is to give an overview of news from the field of metal ions and their functions and roles in cause, progression, treatment and diagnosis of some grave diseases and disorders. Moreover, the authors aim their attention to nanotechnologies and methods how to determine metal-based drugs in an organism. The special issue includes six papers from well known researchers in their fields. Hiroko Kodama and colleagues review inherited copper transport disorders [1]. Disruptions to normal copper homeostasis are hallmarks of three genetic disorders: Menkes disease, occipital horn syndrome, and Wilson’s disease. These disorders are discussed and some treatment strategies are suggested. Soisungwan Satarug aims attention to cadmium and the risk of cadmium-polluted-food and cigarette smoke as a reason of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and chronic liver disease origin [3]. The review highlights cadmium levels detectable in various foods, livers, kidneys and urine samples of humans together with global health threat of ingested cadmium, pointing to measures for reducing exposure and a need for revision of guidelines for safe intake levels. Potential roles of cadmium in chronic liver diseases and HCC risk in a call for human case-control studies and animal experiments to elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms are also discussed. There is another metal ion, hexavalent chromium, which plays crucial role in inducing of lung cancer, as Maria Carmen Alpoim and colleagues review [5]. This review provides a concise, integrated and critical perspective of the current state of knowledge concerning multiple aspects of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis with emphasis on the possible involvement of the energy metabolism in this process. A brief discussion on the models that have been used in the studies of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenicity is included, due to the impact of this parameter on the relevance of the results obtained. It is clear that metal ions have great effects on numerous metabolic pathways. Therefore, it is not surprising that many drugs are based on metal. Over the last decade, a range of analytical techniques have been developed in order to improve administration strategies for clinically approved compounds and understand pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and metabolism of new drugs so as ultimately to make their clinical development more effective. Andrei Timerbaev and Stefan Stürup paper gives an overview of various separation and detection methods, as well as common sample preparation strategies, currently in use to achieve the intended goals [4]. It is clear that targets for metal ions and metal-based drugs are some biologically active compounds. From the huge family of these compounds, amino acids, peptides and proteins belong to the most crucial targets for these elements and substances. Rene Kizek and Vojtech Adam and their colleagues attempt to give an overview on interactions of metal ions with the mentioned biomolecules and their impacts on the important biochemical pathways with some outlooks to use these effects in medicine [6]. The attention is also paid to nanotechnologies, which are represented by Martin Pumera review [2]. He gives the introduction to the materials science of graphene, carbon nanotubes and metallic nanoparticles and discusses different mechanisms of participation of these materials on the cell metabolism. We wish to thank to all co-authors of this special issue for their helpfulness, patience and, most of all, great collaboration, and to the editorial stuff of Bentham Science for their help and support.