在一项新的研究中，研究人员发现注射人干细胞到小鼠体内能够延缓肿瘤生长。相关研究结果近日发表在英国权威学术期刊《Stem Cell Research & Therapy 干细胞研究与治疗》上，论文标题为“The dual effect of MSCs on tumour growth andtumour angiogenesis”。从骨髓中分离出的人间充质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells，MSCs)使得给肿瘤提供血液的血管发生了改变，而且正是这种改变抑制了肿瘤生长。
利用干细胞治疗癌症的机制一直充满争议。早前的一些研究亦发现干细胞可诱导肿瘤进行程序性细胞死亡。为了解决这种谜团，法国格勒诺布尔第一大学研究人员在小鼠体内研究了间充质干细胞对皮下或肺部肿瘤转移的影响。
对皮下和肺部肿瘤而言，注射间充质干细胞会降低细胞分裂，随后延缓肿瘤生长率。干细胞似乎与血管生长相关联，但是这背后的机制仍然是不确定的。论文通信作者Claire Rome解释道，“我们发现在接受治疗的肿瘤中，尽管新的血管产生了，但是间充质干细胞改变了肿瘤内的血管系统，使得这些新血管变得更长，而且数量更少。这就限制了氧气和营养物质对肿瘤的供给，从而限制了肿瘤细胞的分裂次数。”
这项最新的研究证实了干细胞，特别是间充质干细胞，将会成为未来治疗肿瘤最有效的手段之一。
推荐原文阅读：
Stem Cell Res Ther. 2013 Apr 29;4(2):41. [Epub ahead of print]
The dual effect of mscs on tumour growth and tumour angiogenesis.
Kéramidas M, de Fraipont F, Karageorgis A, Moisan A, Persoons V, Richard MJ, Coll JL, Rome C.
SourceInserm U823, Institut Albert Bonniot, Université Joseph Fourier, Rond-Point de la Chantourne, Grenoble, 38706, France. Claire.rome@ujf-grenoble.fr.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:Understanding the multiple biological functions played by human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) as well as their development as therapeutics in regenerative medicine or in cancer treatment are major fields of research. Indeed, it has been established that hMSCs play a central role in the pathogenesis and progression of tumours, but their impact on tumour growth remains controversial.
METHODS:In this study, we investigated the influence of hMSCs on the growth of pre-established tumours. We engrafted nude mice with luciferase-positive mouse adenocarcinoma cells (TSA-Luc+) to obtain subcutaneous or lung tumours. When tumour presence was confirmed by non-invasive bioluminescence imaging, hMSCs were injected into the periphery of the SC tumours or delivered by systemic intravenous injection in mice bearing either SC tumours or lung metastasis.
RESULTS:Regardless of the tumour model and mode of hMSC injection, hMSC administration was always associated with decreased tumour growthdue to an inhibition of tumour cell proliferation, likely resulting from deep modifications of the tumour angiogenesis. Indeed, we established that although hMSCs can induce the formation of new blood vessels in a non-tumoural cellulose sponge model in mice, they do not modify the overall amount of haemoglobin delivered into the SC tumours or lung metastasis. We observed that these tumour vessels were reduced in number but were longer.
CONCLUSIONS:Our results suggest that hMSCs injection decreased solid tumour growth in mice and modified tumour vasculature, which confirms hMSCs could be interesting to use for the treatment of pre-established tumours.
