Recent advancements to engineer mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles for targeting and destroying tumors

• Published in: PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Vol. 178; pp. 1 - 16
• Main Authors: Karami Fath, Mohsen, Moayedi Banan, Zahra, Barati, Reza, Mohammadrezakhani, Omid, Ghaderi, Aliasghar, Hatami, Ali, Ghiabi, Shamim, Zeidi, Nazanin, Asgari, Katayoon, Payandeh, Zahra, Barati, Ghasem
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents; Extracellular vesicles; Extracellular Vesicles - metabolism; Genetically engineered MSCs; Humans; Mesenchymal stem cells; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - metabolism; Neoplasms - metabolism; Oncolytic virotherapy; Targeted tumor therapy; Tumor Microenvironment; Extracellular vesicles; Oncolytic virotherapy; Genetically engineered MSCs; Targeted tumor therapy; Mesenchymal stem cells
• ISSN: 0079-6107; 1873-1732; 1873-1732
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.02.001

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the ability to migrate into tumor sites and release growth factors to modulate the tumor microenvironment. MSC therapy have shown a dual role in cancers, promoting or inhibiting. However, MSCs could be used as a carrier of anticancer agents for targeted tumor therapy. Recent technical improvements also allow engineering MSCs to improve tumor-targeting properties, protect anticancer agents, and decrease the cytotoxicity of drugs. While some of MSC functions are mediated through their secretome, MSCs-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are also proposed as a possible viechle for cancer therapy. EVs allow efficient loading of anticancer agents and have an intrinsic ability to target tumor cells, making them suitable for targeted therapy of tumors. In addition, the specificity and selectivity of EVs to the tumor sites could be enhanced by surface modification. In this review, we addressed the current approaches used for engineering MSCs and EVs to effectively target tumor sites and deliver anticancer agents. Graphical abstract. Engineering MSCs and their EVs to target and destroy tumors. MSC: mesenchymal stem cell, EVs: Extracellular vesicles, miRNA: microRNA. [Display omitted]