Selective Targeting of Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Tumor Stroma Microenvironments Using Tissue-Specific Suicide Gene Expression Suppresses Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Exogenously added MSCs are recruited to growing HCC xenografts with concomitant activation of the CCL5 or Tie2 promoters within the MSCs. Stem cell-mediated introduction of suicide genes into the tumor followed by prodrug administration was effective for treatment of experimental HCC and thus may help fill the existing gap in bridging therapies for patients suffering from advanced HCCs.