Mesenchymal/stromal stem cells: necessary factors in tumour progression
Xinyu Li, Qing Fan, Xueqiang Peng, Shuo Yang, Shibo Wei, Jingang Liu, Liang Yang, Hangyu Li
Abstract
Mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs) are a crucial component of the tumour microenvironment (TME). They can be recruited from normal tissues into the TME and educated by tumour cells to transform into tumour-associated MSCs, which are oncogenic cells that promote tumour development and progression by impacting or transforming into various kinds of cells, such as immune cells and endothelial cells. Targeting MSCs in the TME is a novel strategy to prevent malignant processes. Exosomes, as communicators, carry various RNAs and proteins and thus link MSCs and the TME, which provides options for improving outcomes and developing targeted treatment.
Topics & Concepts
Mesenchymal stem cellStromal cellCell biologyStem cellCancer researchChemistryBiologyMesenchymal stem cell researchExtracellular vesicles in diseaseCancer Cells and Metastasis