Stemness Potency of Human Gingival Cells—Application in Anticancer Therapies and Clinical Trials
Katarzyna Stefańska,
Katarzyna Mehr,
Maria Wieczorkiewicz,
Magdalena Kulus,
Ana Angelova Volponi,
Jamil A. Shibli,
Paul Mozdziak,
Mariusz T. Skowroński,
Paweł Antosik,
Jędrzej M. Jaśkowski,
Hanna Piotrowska-Kempisty,
Bartosz Kempisty,
Marta Dyszkiewicz-Konwińska
Affiliations
Katarzyna Stefańska
Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 6 Święcickiego St., 60-781 Poznan, Poland
Katarzyna Mehr
Department of Gerostomatology and Pathology of Oral Cavity, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 70 Bukowska St., 60-812 Poznan, Poland
Maria Wieczorkiewicz
Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Magdalena Kulus
Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Ana Angelova Volponi
Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Dental Institute, King’s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
Jamil A. Shibli
Department of Periodontology and Oral Implantology, Dental Research Division, Guarulhos University, Guarulhos, R. Eng. Prestes Maia, 88-Centro, São Paulo 07023-070, Brazil
Paul Mozdziak
Physiology Graduate Program, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7608, Raleigh, NC 27695-7608, USA
Mariusz T. Skowroński
Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Paweł Antosik
Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Jędrzej M. Jaśkowski
Department of Diagnostics and Clinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Hanna Piotrowska-Kempisty
Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 30 Dojazd St., 60-631 Poznan, Poland
Bartosz Kempisty
Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland
Marta Dyszkiewicz-Konwińska
Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 6 Święcickiego St., 60-781 Poznan, Poland
Gingivae, as the part of periodontium, are involved in tooth support and possess the ability to heal rapidly, without scar formation. Recently, dental tissues have been identified as a potential source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and several populations of MSCs were isolated from the orofacial region, including gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs). GMSCs exhibit robust immunomodulatory and differentiation potential and are easily obtainable, which make them promising candidates for cellular therapies. Apart from being tested for application in immunologic- and inflammatory-related disorders and various tissue regeneration, GMSCs promise to be a valuable tool in cancer treatment, especially in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) with the use of targeted therapy, since GMSCs are able to selectively migrate towards the cancerous cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition to their ability to uptake and release anti-neoplastic drugs, GMSCs may be transduced with apoptosis-inducing factors and used for cancer growth inhibition. Moreover, GMSCs, as most mammalian cells, secrete exosomes, which are a subset of extracellular vesicles with a diameter of 40–160 nm, containing DNA, RNA, lipids, metabolites, and proteins. Such GMSCs-derived exosomes may be useful therapeutic tool in cell-free therapy, as well as their culture medium. GMSCs exhibit molecular and stem-cell properties that make them well suited in preclinical and clinical studies.
