Umberto Galderisi, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States.
World J Stem Cells. 2010 Feb 26;2(1):5-12. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v2.i1.5.
In cancer biology, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) display aspects that can appear contradictory. On one hand, these cells possess several features which give them the ability to specifically target and then sustain cancer cells in their ability to survive the multifaceted host response against cancer. On the other hand, due to this excellent aptitude to home-in on tumor tissues, regardless their location in the host's body, MSCs are considered to be extremely selective vehicles to reach cancer cells specifically. Recently, MSC sustainment of cancer cell growth is a hot research topic. Indeed, these cells are known to sustain tumor angiogenesis and metastasis formation, to create a microenvironment favorable for cancer cell growth and to down-modulate the immune system capabilities in the host organism. On the other hand, since scientists became able to take advantage of their extremely selective capability to target cancer cells, MSCs are now also thought of in a different light. Indeed, MSCs are now considered a promising vehicle for local expression or delivery of even particularly toxic anticancer agents, ranging from Herpes Simplex Virus to locally-acting antineoplastic drugs. On this basis, investigation is now focused on how to impair the pro-neoplastic features of MSCs on one hand whilst taking advantage of their specific tropism toward cancer cells, on the other. As with the two faces of Janus, this review will concisely explore the research activity in these two apparently conflicting fields.
在癌症生物学中，间充质干细胞 (MSCs) 表现出一些看似矛盾的特征。一方面，这些细胞具有多种特性，使它们能够专门针对并维持癌细胞的生存能力，使其能够抵御宿主对癌症的多方面反应。另一方面，由于这种出色的靶向肿瘤组织的能力，无论其在宿主体内的位置如何，MSCs 被认为是专门到达癌细胞的极其特异的载体。最近，MSC 维持癌细胞生长是一个热门的研究课题。事实上，这些细胞已知能够维持肿瘤血管生成和转移形成，创造有利于癌细胞生长的微环境，并下调宿主组织中的免疫系统功能。另一方面，由于科学家们能够利用其对癌细胞的极高选择性靶向能力，MSCs 现在也被赋予了不同的看法。事实上，MSCs 现在被认为是局部表达或递送甚至特别毒性抗癌药物的有前途的载体，范围从单纯疱疹病毒到局部作用的抗肿瘤药物。在此基础上，研究重点现在集中在如何一方面削弱 MSCs 的促瘤特征，另一方面又利用其对癌细胞的特异性趋向性。就像两面神雅努斯一样，这篇综述将简要探讨这两个看似矛盾的领域的研究活动。
