International Journal of Nanomedicine (Apr 2019)

Mesenchymal stem cell exosomes: a two-edged sword in cancer therapy

  • Vakhshiteh F,
  • Atyabi F,
  • Ostad SN

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 2847 – 2859

Abstract

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Faezeh Vakhshiteh,1 Fatemeh Atyabi,1,2 Seyed Nasser Ostad3 1Nanotechnology Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Department of Toxicology & Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells present in various adult tissues. Several studies suggest that MSCs secrete exosomes that perform as mediators in the tumor niche and play several roles in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. In contrast, there are other studies supporting the tumor-suppressing effects of MSC-derived exosomes. Therefore, the exact association of MSC exosomes and tumor cells remains open to debate. This review aimed to demonstrate the present knowledge of MSC-derived exosomes in cancer research and to illustrate current approaches to make use of modified exosomes as a platform in therapeutic strategies in cancer. Keywords: mesenchymal stem cells, exosome, drug delivery, exosome engineering, cancer therapy

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