Title:Mesenchymal Stem Cells Target Gastric Cancer and Deliver Epirubicin via Tunneling Nanotubes for Enhanced Chemotherapy
Volume: 19
Issue: 10
Author(s): Yali Zhou, Yumin Li, Haibin Wang, Haolin Sun, Jing Su, Yaqiong Fan, Wei Xing and Jie Fu*
Affiliation:
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital & Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University,
Lanzhou, 730030, China
Keywords:
Mesenchymal stem cell, tunneling nanotubes, targeted deliver, epirubicin, gastric cancer, chemotherapy effect.
Abstract:
Background: A reduced effective local concentration significantly contributes to the
unsatisfactory therapeutic results of epirubicin in gastric cancer. Mesenchymal stem cells exhibit
targeted chemotaxis towards solid tumors and form tunneling nanotubes with tumor cells, facilitating
the delivery of various substances. This study demonstrates the novelty of mesenchymal stem
cells in releasing epirubicin into gastric cancer cells through tunneling nanotubes.
Objective: Epirubicin delivery to gastric cancer cells using mesenchymal stem cells.
Methods: In vitro transwell migration assays, live cell tracking, and in vivo targeting assays were
used to demonstrate the chemotaxis of mesenchymal stem cells towards gastric cancer. We verified
the targeted chemotaxis of mesenchymal stem cells towards gastric cancer cells and the epirubicin
loading ability using a high-content imaging system (Equipment type:Operetta CLS). Additionally,
tunneling nanotube formation and the targeted release of epirubicin-loaded mesenchymal
stem cells co-cultured with gastric cancer cells through mesenchymal stem cell-tunneling nanotubes
into gastric cancer cells was observed using Operetta CLS.
Results: Mesenchymal stem cells demonstrated targeted chemotaxis towards gastric cancer, with
effective epirubicin loading and tolerance. Co-culturing induced tunneling nanotube formation between
these cells. Epirubicin-loaded mesenchymal stem cells were released into gastric cancer
cells through tunneling nanotubes, significantly increasing their non-viability compared to the negative
control group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: We identified a novel approach for precisely targeting epirubicin release in gastric
cancer cells. Therefore, mesenchymal stem cell-tunneling nanotubes could serve as a potential
tool for targeted delivery of drugs, enhancing their chemotherapeutic effects in cancer cells.