Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Primed with Paclitaxel Inhibit Ovarian Cancer Spheroid Growth and Overcome Paclitaxel Resistance

Thermosensitive injectable fibrillar gels based on cellulose nanocrystals grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) as biocompatible brain implants

Drug treatment of glioblastoma, the most aggressive and widespread form of brain cancer, is complicated due to the difficulty of penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Moreover, with surgical removal of tumors, in 90 % of cases they reappear near the original focus. To solve this problem, we propose to use hydrogel based on cellulose nanocrystals grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CNC-g-PNIPAM) as a promising material for filling postoperative cavities in the brain with the release of antitumor drugs. The CNC-g-PNIPAM is formed by "grafting to" method for precise control of molecular weight and grafting density. This colloidal system is liquid under injection conditions (at r. t.) and turns into a gel at human body temperature (when filling the postoperative area). It was shown for the first time that due to the rod-shaped of CNC, the gel has a fibrillar structure and, thus, mechanical properties similar to those of brain tissue, including nonlinear mechanics (strain-stiffening and compression softening). The biocompatibility of the hydrogel with primary brain cells is demonstrated. In addition, the release of the antitumor drug paclitaxel from the hydrogel and its antitumor activity is shown. The resulting nanocolloid system provides an innovative alternative approach to filling postoperative cavities and can be used for postoperative treatment due to the programmable release of drugs, as well as for in vitro modeling of tumor interaction with the BBB affecting drug transport in the brain.

Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Treatment

Cancer, as a complicated disease, is considered to be one of the major leading causes of death globally. Although various cancer therapeutic strategies have been established, however, some issues confine the efficacies of the treatments. In recent decades researchers for finding efficient therapeutic solutions have extensively focused on the abilities of stem cells in cancer inhibition. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells that can the most widely extracted from various sources such as the bone marrow (BM), placenta, umbilical cord (UC), menses blood, Wharton's jelly (WJ), adipose tissue and dental pulp (DP). These cells are capable of differentiating into the osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. Due to the unique characteristics of MSCs such as paracrine effects, immunomodulation, tumor-tropism, and migration, they are considered promising candidates for cancer therapeutics. Currently, MSCs are an excellent living carrier for delivery of therapeutic genes and chemical agents to target tumor sites. Also, exosomes, the most important extracellular vesicle released from MSCs, act as a strong cell-free tool for cancer therapeutics. MSCs can prevent cancer progression by inhibiting several signaling pathways, such as wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. However, there are several challenges associated with the use of MSCs and their exosomes in the field of therapy that need to be considered. This review explores the significance of MSCs in cell-based therapy, focusing on their homing properties and immunomodulatory characteristics. It also examines the potential of using MSCs as carriers for delivery of anticancer agents and their role in modulating the signal transduction pathways of cancer cells.

Beyond 2D cell cultures: how 3D models are changing the in vitro study of ovarian cancer and how to make the most of them

3D cell cultures are a fundamental tool in ovarian cancer research that can enable more effective study of the main features of this lethal disease, including the high rates of recurrence and chemoresistance. A clearer, more comprehensive understanding of the biological underpinnings of these phenomena could aid the development of more effective treatments thus improving patient outcomes. Selecting the most appropriate model to investigate the different aspects of cell biology that are relevant to cancer is challenging, especially since the assays available for the study of 3D cultures are not fully established yet. To maximise the usefulness of 3D cell cultures of ovarian cancer, we undertook an in-depth review of the currently available models, taking into consideration the strengths and limitations of each approach and of the assay techniques used to evaluate the results. This integrated analysis provides insight into which model-assay pair is best suited to study different parameters of ovarian cancer biology such as cell proliferation, gene expression or treatment response. We also describe how the combined use of multiple models is likely to be the most effective strategy for the in vitro characterisation of complex behaviours.

Potential Consequences of the Use of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the most prevalent of primary liver cancers and stands as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Early-stage HCC can be effectively managed with available treatment modalities ranging from invasive techniques, such as liver resection and thermoablation, to systemic therapies primarily employing tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Unfortunately, these interventions take a significant toll on the body, either through physical trauma or the adverse effects of pharmacotherapy. Consequently, there is an understandable drive to develop novel HCC therapies. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are a promising therapeutic tool. Their facile extraction process, coupled with the distinctive immunomodulatory capabilities of their secretome, make them an intriguing subject for investigation in both oncology and regenerative medicine. The factors they produce are both enzymes affecting the extracellular matrix (specifically, metalloproteinases and their inhibitors) as well as cytokines and growth factors affecting cell proliferation and invasiveness. So far, the interactions observed with various cancer cell types have not led to clear conclusions. The evidence shows both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on tumor growth. Notably, these effects appear to be dependent on the tumor type, prompting speculation regarding their potential inhibitory impact on HCC. This review briefly synthesizes findings from preclinical and clinical studies examining the effects of ADSCs on cancers, with a specific focus on HCC, and emphasizes the need for further research.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells, in vivo and in vitro models for metabolic diseases

The primary role of adipose tissue stem cells (ADSCs) is to support the function and homeostasis of adipose tissue in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. However, when ADSCs become dysfunctional in diseases such as obesity and cancer, they become impaired, undergo signalling changes, and their epigenome is altered, which can have a dramatic effect on human health. In more recent years, the therapeutic potential of ADSCs in regenerative medicine, wound healing, and for treating conditions such as cancer and metabolic diseases has been extensively investigated with very promising results. ADSCs have also been used to generate two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cellular and in vivo models to study adipose tissue biology and function as well as intracellular communication. Characterising the biology and function of ADSCs, how it is altered in health and disease, and its therapeutic potential and uses in cellular models is key for designing intervention strategies for complex metabolic diseases and cancer.

Emerging role of mesenchymal stromal cells in gynecologic cancer therapy

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) show considerable promise in regenerative medicine with superior anti-fibrotic, immunomodulatory, and angiogenic functions. More recently, discovered with the tumor tropism, MSCs have been exploited as the basis of targeted cancer therapy. In this scenario, MSCs can directly home to tumor tissues and play anti-tumor properties. In addition, MSCs, MSC-derived exosomes and MSC-derived membranes are often developed as carriers for precisely delivering cytotoxic agents to cancer sites, including chemotherapeutic drugs, therapeutic genes, or oncolytic viruses. However, it has revealed the tumorigenic risk of MSCs as an important component within the tumor microenvironment, hampering the translation of MSC-based cancer therapies into clinical settings. Therefore, in this review, we introduce the specific tumor-tropic ability of MSCs and underlying mechanisms. We also summarize the current application of MSC-based therapeutic approaches in treating gynecologic cancers, mainly including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Moreover, we discuss the main challenges that the current MSC-based cancer therapies are facing.

Mesenchymal stem cells and ovarian cancer: Is there promising news?

Ovarian cancer (OC) is described as a heterogeneous complex condition with high mortality, weak prognosis, and late-stage presentation. OC has several subgroups based on different indices, like the origin and histopathology. The current treatments against OC include surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy; however, these methods have represented diverse side effects without enough effectiveness on OC. Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has acquired particular attention for treating diverse problems, such as cancer. These multipotent stem cells can be obtained from different sources, such as the umbilical cord, adipose tissues, bone marrow, and placenta, and their efficacy has been investigated against OC. Hence, in this narrative review, we aimed to review and discuss the present studies about the effects of various sources of MSCs on OC with a special focus on involved mechanisms.

A comparative analysis of 2D and 3D experimental data for the identification of the parameters of computational models

Computational models are becoming an increasingly valuable tool in biomedical research. Their accuracy and effectiveness, however, rely on the identification of suitable parameters and on appropriate validation of the in-silico framework. Both these steps are highly dependent on the experimental model used as a reference to acquire the data. Selecting the most appropriate experimental framework thus becomes key, together with the analysis of the effect of combining results from different experimental models, a common practice often necessary due to limited data availability. In this work, the same in-silico model of ovarian cancer cell growth and metastasis, was calibrated with datasets acquired from traditional 2D monolayers, 3D cell culture models or a combination of the two. The comparison between the parameters sets obtained in the different conditions, together with the corresponding simulated behaviours, is presented. It provides a framework for the study of the effect of the different experimental models on the development of computational systems. This work also provides a set of general guidelines for the comparative testing and selection of experimental models and protocols to be used for parameter optimization in computational models.

Zwitterionic Targeting Doxorubicin -Loaded Micelles Assembled by Amphiphilic Dendrimers with Enhanced Antitumor Performance

Chemotherapy is the main method of treating malignant tumors in clinical treatment. However, the commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs have the disadvantages of high biological toxicity, poor water solubility, low targeting ability, and high side effects. Zwitterionic micelles assembled by amphiphilic dendrimers modified with zwitterionic groups and targeting ligand should largely overcome these shortcomings. Herein, the zwitterionic group and targeting peptide c(RGDfC) were modified on the surface of generation 2 poly(propylene imine) dendrimers (G2 PPI), which was conjugated with hydrophobic N-(2-mercaptoethyl) oleamide to form amphiphilic dendrimers (PPIMYRC). PPIMYRC self-assembled into micelles with doxorubicin (DOX) loaded in the interior of micelles to prepare DOX-loaded micelles (PPIMYRC-DOX micelles). The PPIMYRC-DOX micelles had great stability in fibrinogen and pH-responsive drug release. Furthermore, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles had higher cellular uptake rates than free DOX, resulting in higher cytotoxicity of PPIMYRC-DOX micelles than that of free DOX. More importantly, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles inhibited tumors much better than free DOX. The tumor inhibition rate of PPIMYRC-DOX micelles was as high as 93%. Taken together, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles were assembled by amphiphilic dendrimers with the zwitterionic and targeting groups, which enhanced the therapeutic effect of DOX and reduced its side effects. The prepared targeting nanodrug has great potential for further application in antitumor therapy.

Conditioned Medium of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Loaded with Paclitaxel Is Effective in Preclinical Models of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very aggressive disease even in its early stages and is characterized by a severe prognosis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is one of the milestones of treatment, and paclitaxel (PTX) is among the most active drugs used in this setting. However, despite its efficacy, peripheral neuropathy occurs in approximately 20-25% of cases and represents the dose-limiting toxicity of this drug. New deliverable strategies to ameliorate drug delivery and reduce side effects are keenly awaited to improve patients' outcomes. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have recently been demonstrated as promising drug delivery vectors for cancer treatment. The aim of the present preclinical study is to explore the possibility of a cell therapy approach based on the use of MSCs loaded with PTX to treat TNBC-affected patients. For this purpose, we in vitro evaluated the viability, migration and colony formation of two TNBC cell lines, namely, MDA-MB-231 and BT549, treated with MSC-PTX conditioned medium (MSC-CM PTX) in comparison with both CM of MSCs not loaded with PTX (CTRL) and free PTX. We observed stronger inhibitory effects on survival, migration and tumorigenicity for MSC-CM PTX than for CTRL and free PTX in TNBC cell lines. Further studies will provide more information about activity and potentially open the possibility of using this new drug delivery vector in the context of a clinical study.

The Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Exosomes in Tumor Development and Targeted Antitumor Therapies

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from various tissues in adults and differentiated into cells of the osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and myocytes. Recruitments of MSCs towards tumors have a crucial contribution to tumor development. However, the role of MSCs in the tumor microenvironment is uncertain. In addition, due to its tropism to the tumor and low immunogenic properties, more and more pieces of evidence indicate that MSCs may be an ideal carrier for antitumor biologics such as cytokines, chemotherapeutic agents, and oncolytic viruses. Here, we review the existing knowledge on the anti- and protumorigenic effect of MSCs and their extracellular vesicles and exosomes, the role of MSCs, and their extracellular vesicles and exosomes as antitumor vectors.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Adipose Tissue and Extracellular Vesicles in Ovarian Cancer Patients: A Bridge toward Metastatic Diffusion or a New Therapeutic Opportunity?

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest malignancies among women. Approximately 75% of the patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease that already has metastasis, particularly to the omentum. The omentum constitutes the ideal soil for ovarian cancer metastasis due to a complex intraperitoneal milieu that favors and supports the whole metastatic process. Adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ADSCs) are part of this microenvironment and foster tumor progression via sustained paracrine secretion, including extracellular vesicles (EVs). Nonetheless, the preferential relationship between ADSCs, ADSC-derived EVs, and ovarian cancer cells could be exploited to use ADSCs and EVs as a vehicle for anti-cancer therapies. This review will analyze the strict relations between tumor progression, metastatic disease, and adipose tissue with its staminal components. In addition, we will describe the crosstalk and biologic relationship between ADSCs and tumor cells, the role of EVs in intercellular communication, the establishment of drug resistance, metastatic capacity, and ovarian cancer progression. We will analyze the new therapeutic opportunities in treating ovarian cancer offered by ADSCs and EVs as a vehicle for therapeutic molecules to target precisely tumor cells and limit the systemic adverse effects. Finally, we will discuss the limitations of these therapeutic approaches.

Analogs of a Natural Peptaibol Exert Anticancer Activity in Both Cisplatin- and Doxorubicin-Resistant Cells and in Multicellular Tumor Spheroids

Peptaibols, by disturbing the permeability of phospholipid membranes, can overcome anticancer drug resistance, but their natural hydrophobicity hampers their administration. By a green peptide synthesis protocol, we produced two water-soluble analogs of the peptaibol trichogin GA IV, termed K6-Lol and K6-NH2. To reduce production costs, we successfully explored the possibility of changing the naturally occurring 1,2-aminoalcohol leucinol to a C-terminal amide. Peptaibol activity was evaluated in ovarian cancer (OvCa) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cell lines. Peptaibols exerted comparable cytotoxic effects in cancer cell lines that were sensitive—and had acquired resistance—to cisplatin and doxorubicin, as well as in the extrinsic-drug-resistant OvCa 3-dimensional spheroids. Peptaibols, rapidly taken up by tumor cells, deeply penetrated and killed OvCa-spheroids. They led to cell membrane permeabilization and phosphatidylserine exposure and were taken up faster by cancer cells than normal cells. They were resistant to proteolysis and maintained a stable helical structure in the presence of cancer cells. In conclusion, these promising results strongly point out the need for further preclinical evaluation of our peptaibols as new anticancer agents.

Adipose-derived stromal/stem cells and extracellular vesicles for cancer therapy

INTRODUCTION

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) hold great perspective for the therapy of a host of diseases due to regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties by differentiation into diverse cell populations, homing to damaged tissue regions, paracrine effects, and release of extracellular vesicles.

AREAS COVERED

This review describes the isolation, characterization, and potential use of MSCs and ADSCs for benign and malignant diseases. The MSCs may be administered as whole cells or in form of their secretome that is held responsible for most of their beneficial effects. A special constituent of the paracrine components are the extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry a biologically potent cargo of proteins, cytokines, and RNA.

EXPERT OPINION

The applications of MSCs and ADSCs are amply documented and have been investigated in preclinical models and many unregulated and a few controlled trials. Larger numbers of MSCs and ADSCs can be obtained for allogeneic transfer but imply difficulties including perseverance of the cells in vivo and possible differentiation into harmful cell types. MSC-derived cell-free preparations are easier to handle and manufacture for various applications. Especially, with the help of bioreactors, EVs can be obtained in excessive numbers and preloaded or charged with proteins, cytokines, and regulatory RNA specimen to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell-Based Delivery: A Rapidly Evolving Strategy for Cancer Therapy

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-based therapy has become an attractive and advanced scientific research area in the context of cancer therapy. This interest is closely linked to the MSC-marked tropism for tumors, suggesting them as a rational and effective vehicle for drug delivery for both hematological and solid malignancies. Nonetheless, the therapeutic application of the MSCs in human tumors is still controversial because of the induction of several signaling pathways largely contributing to tumor progression and metastasis. In spite of some evidence supporting that MSCs may sustain cancer pathogenesis, increasing proofs have indicated the suppressive influences of MSCs on tumor cells. During the last years, a myriad of preclinical and some clinical studies have been carried out or are ongoing to address the safety and efficacy of the MSC-based delivery of therapeutic agents in diverse types of malignancies. A large number of studies have focused on the MSC application as delivery vehicles for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), chemotherapeutic drug such as gemcitabine (GCB), paclitaxel (PTX), and doxorubicin (DOX), prodrugs such as 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) and ganciclovir (GCV), and immune cell-activating cytokines along with oncolytic virus. In the current review, we evaluate the latest findings rendering the potential of MSCs to be employed as potent gene/drug delivery vehicle for inducing tumor regression with a special focus on the in vivo reports performed during the last two decades.

In Ovarian Cancer Multicellular Spheroids, Platelet Releasate Promotes Growth, Expansion of ALDH+ and CD133+ Cancer Stem Cells, and Protection against the Cytotoxic Effects of Cisplatin, Carboplatin and Paclitaxel

A high platelet count is associated with a poor prognosis in ovarian cancer (OvCa). Despite good clinical responses with platinating agents in combination with taxanes, numerous OvCa patients relapse due to chemotherapy resistance. Here, we report that treatment of OvCa cells A2780, OVCAR5 and MDAH with releasate from activated platelets (PR) promoted multicellular tumor spheroid (MCTS) formation. These OvCa-MCTSs had increased percentages of CD133+ and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)+ cells, bona fide markers of OvCa cancer stem cells (CSCs). PR increased OVCAR5- and MDAH-MCTS viability and decreased the cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of paclitaxel, cisplatin and carboplatin. PR increased the volume of spontaneously formed OVCAR8-MCTSs and counteracted their size reduction due to cisplatin, carboplatin and paclitaxel treatment. PR promoted the survival of ALDH+ and CD133+ OvCa cells during cisplatin, carboplatin and paclitaxel treatment. In conclusion, molecules and growth factors released by activated platelets (EGF, PDGF, TGF-β, IGF and CCL5) may protect tumor cells from chemotherapy by promoting the expansion of ALDH+ and CD133+ OvCa-CSCs, favoring drug resistance and tumor relapse.