Minor Assignment

           My research question is the following; what are the impacts of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on tumor proliferation and tumor angiogenesis in cervical cancer cells-transplanted into nude mice. Nowadays, a number of clinical trials on MSCs therapy have been rising since 2004, especially tissue repair because MSCs can possess self-renewal and can be differentiated into ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm and also can home to inflammatory sites such as wound. Tumor environment is characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells as well as wound. However, the impact of MSCs on tumor environment remains controversial.

           Researchers who have looked at this subject are Huang and co-worker, and Kéramidas and co-worker. Both of studies focused on the impact of MSCs on tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis, although they did experiments in the different cancer models. These results were interesting evidences for research in this filed as well.

         Huang and co-worker (2013) argue that MSCs increased the tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis through interleukin-6/endothelin-1/alternatively protein B (IL-6/ET-1/Akt) pathway by activating MSCs-secreted IL-6 in human colorectal cancer cells-transplanted nude mice.

     In contrast, Kéramidas and co-worker (2013) investigate the impact of MSCs in adenocarcinoma cells-transplanted nude mice model. They found MSCs decreased tumor growth. Although they could not decrease tumor angiogenesis, they could normalize tumor vasculature.

         The results of both studies were controversial. Therefore, my study aims to clarify this issue in cervical cancer cell-transplanted nude mice model.

        My work will be closer to Huang’s and Kéramidas’ because both studies demonstrated the impact of MSCs on colorectal cancer and adenocarcinoma cancer, respectively. My study will investigate the impact of MSCs on tumor growth, tumor angiogenesis, and involved mechanisms in cervical cancer-transplanted nude mice model.

       The findings of my study may be a new knowledge for further experiments or cancer therapies.

References:

1. Huang, W.H., Chang, M.C., Tsa, K.S., Hung, M.C., Chen, H.L., & Hung, S.C. (2013). Mesenchymal stem cells promote growth and angiogenesis of tumors in mice. Oncogene, 12;32(37):4343-54.

2. Kéramidas, M., Fraipont, F., Karageorgis, A., Moisan, A., Persoons, V., Richard, M., & et al. (2013). The dual effect of mesenchymal stem cells on tumour growth and tumour angiogenesis. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 4:41.