Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Roles in Tumor Growth, Progression, and Drug Resistance

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are ubiquitously present in many tissues. Due to their unique advantages, MSCs have been widely employed in clinical studies. Emerging evidences indicate that MSCs can also migrate to the tumor surrounding stroma and exert complex effects on tumor growth and progression. However, the effect of MSCs on tumor growth is still a matter of debate. Several studies have shown that MSCs could favor tumor growth. On the contrary, other groups have demonstrated that MSCs suppressed tumor progression. Extracellular vesicles have emerged as a new mechanism of cell-to-cell communication in the development of tumor diseases. MSCs-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) could mimic the effects of the mesenchymal stem cells from which they originate. Different studies have reported that MSC-EVs may exert various effects on the growth, metastasis, and drug response of different tumor cells by transferring proteins, messenger RNA, and microRNA to recipient cells. In the present review, we summarize the components of MSC-EVs and discuss the roles of MSC-EVs in different malignant diseases, including the related mechanisms that may account for their therapeutic potential. MSC-EVs open up a promising opportunity in the treatment of cancer with increased efficacy.

Figure 1

Composition of MSC-EVs. MSC-EVs carry a variety of molecules including proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, and lipids. Transfer of these biological materials into adjacent or distant cells may influence the behavior of the recipient cells.

Figure 2

The different effects of MSC-EVs on the growth, metastasis, and drug response of different tumor cells.