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Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Cancer: from Initiation to Metastasis
Zhiyuan Zheng1, Peng Li2, Fangrong Shen3
1The 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.
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.
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