Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that reside in various parts of the body like adipose tissue, bone marrow and umbilical cord with an ability to differentiate into chondrocytes, adipocytes and osteocytes. Rigorous research has helped us understand that MSCs home to wound sites and this homing mechanism has been used in the treatment of many inflammatory diseases. It is now emerging that MSCs are an important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and contribute to tumor plasticity Tumor plasticity: Plasticity in tumor cells refers to the ability to undergo molecular and phenotypic changes due to environmental cues or genetic alterations. . MSCs are one of the key players within the TME and can either inhibit or promote tumor cell growth by distinct types of cellular interaction. These multifunctional cells can reorganize the tumor stroma Stroma : It refers to the supportive tissue consisting of connective tissue or blood vessels around an organ or tumor. which, in turn, can trigger changes in metastatic behavior and promote dedifferentiation to develop cancer stem-like cells. On the contrary, MSCs have been proposed as ideal candidates as drug delivery agents in treatment of various cancers. The double-edged role of MSCs in tumor has made it difficult to pinpoint whether MSCs promote or inhibit tumor growth and progression. During cancer progression, tumor cells undergo molecular and phenotypic changes as a result of microenvironmental cues, genetic and epigenetic alterations and treatment-imposed selective pressures which contribute to tumor heterogeneity and therapy resistance. So, understanding the mechanisms underlying the tumor plasticity may deliver new strategies for targeting cancer metastasis and resistance to therapy. Accordingly, this review focuses on diverse mechanisms of interaction between MSCs and cancer cells with emphasis on different types of intercellular communication affecting tumor progression and metastasis.

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癌细胞与间充质干细胞的相互作用：对转移进展的影响

间充质干细胞 (MSC) 是多能干细胞，存在于身体的各个部位，如脂肪组织、骨髓和脐带，具有分化成软骨细胞、脂肪细胞和骨细胞的能力。严谨的研究帮助我们了解了 MSC 位于伤口部位，这种归巢机制已用于治疗许多炎症性疾病。现在发现 MSC 是肿瘤微环境 (TME) 的重要组成部分，并有助于肿瘤可塑性 肿瘤可塑性：肿瘤细胞的可塑性是指由于环境因素或遗传改变而发生分子和表型变化的能力。. MSCs 是 TME 中的关键参与者之一，可以通过不同类型的细胞相互作用抑制或促进肿瘤细胞生长。这些多功能细胞可以重组肿瘤基质 基质：它是指由结缔组织或器官或肿瘤周围的血管组成的支持组织。反过来，这可以触发转移行为的变化并促进去分化以发展癌症干细胞样细胞。相反，MSCs 已被提议作为治疗各种癌症的药物递送剂的理想候选者。MSCs 在肿瘤中的双重作用使得很难确定 MSCs 是促进还是抑制肿瘤的生长和进展。在癌症进展过程中，由于微环境线索、遗传和表观遗传改变以及治疗施加的选择压力，肿瘤细胞发生分子和表型变化，这些变化有助于肿瘤异质性和治疗抵抗。所以，了解肿瘤可塑性的潜在机制可能为靶向癌症转移和治疗耐药性提供新的策略。因此，本综述重点关注间充质干细胞与癌细胞之间相互作用的不同机制，重点是影响肿瘤进展和转移的不同类型的细胞间通讯。