Therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells on hepatocellular carcinma: tracking of cells using iron oxide nanoparticles (87.3)

Abstract

Recently, a significant increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been reported. However, early detection of the disease can help in selecting from various available therapies. Unfortunately, in advanced liver cancer cases, treatment options are very limited. In the present study, we point to the need to identify a new effective, less aggressive treatment approach. Advances in stem cell research, led us to consider cell‐based therapy for treating liver cancer.It was previously reported that bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the tumor suppressive effects in an experimental HCC model in rats. In this work, we investigated the possible role of Wnt signaling in hepatic carcinogenesis and how it is influenced by by MSCs labeled with iron oxide nanoparticles.Forty rats were used and were divided equally into four groups: a normal control group and 3 groups that received diethylnitroseamine and CCl4 to induce HCC. Then after induction, one group was treated with MSCs only, the second group with PBS (vehicle) only, and the third group with labeled MSCs with iron‐oxide nanoparticles. Gene expression of Wnt signaling target genes by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), in rat liver tissue, was measured. In addition, serum levels of liver function parameters and alpha fetoprotein were performed in all groups. Histopathological examination of the liver and organ samples from all groups was performed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to visualize MSCs loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles in the affected liver. We detected a significant tumor‐mass reduction in the group which received MSCs compared to the control groups.The results of this work confirm the previous finding of a possible therapeutic effect of MSCs on HCC. In addition, the use of iron oxide nanoparticles may prove to be successful in tracking and localizing MSCs to the site of the lesion, which may provide a documentation of their therapeutic effect.Grant Funding Source: Supported by grant from the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, KSA