Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells in mice with murine mammary adenocarcinoma

• Grant number: 13/00337-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Tatiana Jazedje da Costa Silva
• Grantee: Aline Lopes Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/51648-5 - Migration and effect of human mesenchymal stem cells transfected with murine IL-12 gene in the tumoral microenvironment of murine melanoma and breast cancer, AP.JP

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of microenvironment in the tumor progression has been more fully understood and new ways to manipulate it have been searched in order to prevent or reduce the development of cancer. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as an interesting strategy to reach cancer cells due to the ability of these multipotent cells have to migrate to sites of inflammation. These and other properties demonstrate that these cells may be useful for therapeutic purposes. The effect caused by MSCs on tumor cells is not yet a consensus among studies already done. It has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro an intrinsic antitumor activity of these cells. On the other hand, others reveal that this interaction leads to an increased in the tumor growth. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the role of MSCs in cancer development. For this purpose, we intend to observe changes in the tumor microenvironment through the identification of cytokines released during contact of murine MSCs with tumor cells of murine adenocarcinoma (4T1), performing tests in vitro and in vivo. It is believed that the results of this study will help to elucidate the influence of MSCs on tumor cells, confirming or not the possibility of its use in anticancer therapies. (AU)