MSCs can be a double-edged sword in tumorigenesis

Lu Zhang; Junyu Xiang; Fang Zhang; Limei Liu; Chongling Hu

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.1047907

MSCs can be a double-edged sword in tumorigenesis

Front Oncol. 2022 Nov 10:12:1047907. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1047907. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Lu Zhang¹, Junyu Xiang², Fang Zhang¹, Limei Liu¹, Chongling Hu³

Affiliations

¹ Oncology Laboratory, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China.
² Department of Biomedical Materials Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
³ Hematological Oncology Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to treat various diseases including Alzheimer's disease and cancer. In particular, the immunomodulatory function of MSCs plays a major role in cancer therapy using stem cells. However, MSCs exert promotive and inhibitory effects on cancer. The immunomodulatory effects of MSCs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are ambiguous, which is the primary reason for the different outcomes of MSCs therapies for tumors. This review discusses the use of MSCs in cancer immunotherapy and their immunomodulatory mechanisms in cancers.

Keywords: adaptive immune cells; cancer immunotherapy; extracellular vesicles; innate immune cells; mesenchymal stem cells.

Publication types

Review