Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells in gastrointestinal cancers – current evidence

Abstract

Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells in gastrointestinal cancers – current evidence Jiwei Qin,1 Yue Zhao,2 Yan Wang,1 Christopher Betzler,2 Felix C Popp,2 Arvid Sen Gupta,2 Daniela Augsburger,2 Peter Camaj,2 Peter J Nelson,3 Christiane J Bruns2 1Department of Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany; 2Department of Surgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; 3Clinical Biochemistry Group, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, University of Munich, Munich, Germany Abstract: Mesenchymal stem (or stromal) cells (MSCs) are nonhematopoietic progenitor cells that can be obtained from bone marrow and adipose tissue. Due to the ability of MSCs to migrate to damaged and cancerous tissue, this behavior of MSCs has been exploited as a tumor-targeting strategy for cell-based cancer therapy to improve the efficacy and minimize the toxicity of current gene therapy approaches in the treatment of cancers. In this review, we focus on the current developments of MSC-based gene therapy in gastrointestinal cancer studies, in particular, the role of MSCs as tumor-targeted therapy vehicles and the prospects in their clinical application. Keywords: mesenchymal stem cells, gastrointestinal cancers, cancer therapy