Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Cancer: from Initiation to Metastasis

Zhiyuan Zheng; Peng Li; Fangrong Shen; Yufang Shi; Changshun Shao

doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2022.11.001

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Cancer: from Initiation to Metastasis

Arch Med Res. 2022 Dec;53(8):785-793. doi: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2022.11.001. Epub 2022 Dec 1.

Authors

Zhiyuan Zheng¹, Peng Li², Fangrong Shen³, Yufang Shi⁴, Changshun Shao⁵

Affiliations

¹ The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Institutes for Translational Medicine of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China; Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center, Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
² Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center, Department of Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
⁴ The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Institutes for Translational Medicine of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: yufshi@suda.edu.cn.
⁵ The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Institutes for Translational Medicine of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: shaoc@suda.edu.cn.

PMID: 36462949
DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2022.11.001

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) exist in many tissues and have pleiotropic potential to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. Recent research in tumor biology has focused on their low immunogenicity and tumorhoming properties. MSCs promote cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis through several different mechanisms, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and through their interaction with immune cells. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenic role of MSCs in regulating tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, thus providing a strong rationale for targeting MSCs in cancer therapy.

Keywords: Cancer development; Cancer initiation; Mesenchymal stromal cells; Metastasis; Tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Humans
Mesenchymal Stem Cells*
Neoplasm Metastasis
Neoplasms* / metabolism
Tumor Microenvironment