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Adult Stem Cell Functioning in the Tumor Micro-Environment

Yuhan Jiang1,2, Alan Wells3,4,5,6,7, Kyle Sylakowski8,9

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. yuhan@pitt.edu.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|May 28, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) significantly influence tumor progression by interacting with the tumor microenvironment (TME). Understanding these interactions offers potential strategies to modulate cancer growth and improve treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Tumor progression involves dissemination from primary sites, often driven by signals from the tumor microenvironment (TME).
  • Mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) are key cellular components within the TME with the potential to modulate cancer cells and the TME globally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review emerging evidence on how adult mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) impact solid tumor progression.
  • To explore the role of MSCs, originating from bone marrow or local tissues, in cancer development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current research on MSCs and their role in tumor progression.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways and cellular interactions involving MSCs within the TME.

Main Results:

  • MSCs, from various sources, can significantly influence solid tumor progression.
  • Evidence suggests MSCs orchestrate a complex web of signals and interactions within the TME.

Conclusions:

  • MSCs play a critical role in driving tumor progression through extrinsic signaling.
  • Modulating MSC-TME interactions presents a potential therapeutic avenue for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
cancer-associated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitionmatricellular proteinssecretome

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