oa Editorial (Another Year of Prosperity for Current Molecular Medicine)

As a bimonthly journal publishing peer-reviewed articles in the field of biomedicine, Current Molecular Medicine continues to move up with the most recent impact factor reported to be 5.212. This is derived from the hard work and collaborative efforts of the Editorial Board. In marching into 2012, we will keep this high spirit and continue to publish high qualities of review and research articles in the biomedical sciences. In the issue 1 of Volume 12, 8 articles addressing different aspects of disease-related pathogenesis, mechanisms or therapeutic strategies have been selected. The skeletal muscle atrophy is a complication of a large number of disease states or muscle inactivity/disuse. Identification of novel targets for its therapy is an endless effort. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), one of the inflammatory cytokines was recently identified as a potent inducer of skeletal muscle wasting. TWEAK activates various proteolytic pathways, stimulates the degradation of myofibril protein both in vitro and in vivo and mediates the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function in response to denervation, a model of disuse atrophy. Adult skeletal muscle expresses a very low level of TWEAK receptor, Fn14, which is rapidly induced in response to atrophy conditions. In the 1st article, Bhatnagar and Kumar summarized the emerging role of TWEAK-Fn14 system, discussed its action mechanism in different models of muscle atrophy and injury and highlighted its potential as a therapeutic target for prevention of muscle loss. In the 2nd article, Costin et al. reviewed the modern cellular and molecular mechanistic concepts regarding the involvement of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) in the complex process of tissue repair, with particular focus on chronic wounds. The authors summarized three main effects of electromagnetic fields on the wound healing pathways including the anti-inflammatory activity, the neo-angiogenic effect, and the reepithelialization effect. Finally, the authors suggest that utilization of ELF-EMF in larger clinical trials with optimal parameters would facilitate an improved therapeutic outcome for the disabling condition which is often resistant to treatment. There is a large body of evidence that dysregulation of miRNAs is a hallmark of cancer. miR-221 and miR-222 are two homologous microRNAs, whose upregulation has been described in several types of human tumors. They act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors depending on tumor sources. In the 3rd article, Condorelli’s group reviewed the role of miR-221/222 in cancer progression and their potential uses as prognostic and therapeutic tools in cancer. Maintenance of ex vivo hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) pool and its differentiated progeny are regulated by complex network of transcriptional factors, cell cycle proteins, extracellular matrix, and their microenvironment through an orchestrated fashion. Ex vivo expansion of HSCs is important to procure sufficient number of stem cells and provide easily available source for HSC transplant patients suffering from hematological disorders and malignancies. In the 4th article, Das's group reviewed the transcriptional factors that regulate development of HSCs and their commitment, the relevant genes that regulate cell cycle progression of HSCs, and the early studies that attempt to develop an effective and efficient protocol for ex vivo expansion of HSCs and their applications in various non-malignant and malignant disorders.....