Mesenchymal stem cells: A promising targeted-delivery vehicle in cancer gene therapy

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 147; no. 2; pp. 154 - 162
• Main Authors: Hu, Yu-Lan, Fu, Ying-Hua, Tabata, Yasuhiko, Gao, Jian-Qing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Gene delivery; Gene Targeting - methods; Gene Transfer Techniques; General pharmacology; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Medical sciences; Mesenchymal stem cells; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - metabolism; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - therapy; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Targeting; Transfection; Vehicle; Vehicle; Gene delivery; Targeting; Mesenchymal stem cells; Cancer; Target; Pharmaceutical technology; Targeted therapy; Stem cell; Malignant tumor; Gene therapy; Genetic transfer
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2010.05.015

The targeting drug delivery systems (TDDS) have attracted extensive attention of researchers in recent years. More and more drug/gene targeted delivery carriers, such as liposome, magnetic nanoparticles, ligand-conjugated nanoparticles, microbubbles, etc., have been developed and under investigation for their application. However, the currently investigated drug/gene carriers have several disadvantages, which limit their future use in clinical practice. Therefore, design and development of novel drug/gene delivery vehicles has been a hot area of research. Recent studies have shown the ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to migrate towards and engraft into the tumor sites, which make them a great hope for efficient targeted-delivery vehicles in cancer gene therapy. In this review article, we examine the promising of using mesenchymal stem cells as a targeted-delivery vehicle for cancer gene therapy, and summarize various challenges and concerns regarding these therapies. The review describes the potential of using of mesenchymal stem cells as a targeted-delivery vehicle in cancer gene therapy and they mat serve as an effective platform for delivering biological agents into tumors. Schematic of nanocarrier systems and MSCs for site-targeted drug/gene delivery (modified from [5,92]). Folate receptor; EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor. [Display omitted]