Therapeutic cell carriers: a potential road to cure glioma.
Many different experimental molecular therapeutic approaches have been evaluated in an attempt to treat brain cancer. However, despite the success of these experimental molecular therapies, research has shown that the specific and efficient delivery of therapeutic agents to tumor cells is a limitation. In this regard, cell carrier systems have garnered significant attraction due to their capacity to be loaded with therapeutic agents and carry them specifically to tumor sites. Furthermore, cell carriers can be genetically modified to express therapeutic agents that can directly eradicate cancerous cells or can modulate tumor microenvironments. This review describes the current state of cell carriers, their use as vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic agents to brain tumors, and future directions that will help overcome the present obstacles to cell carrier mediated therapy for brain cancer.
The Brain Tumor Center, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jacob S
JS
Young
Julius W
JW
Kim
Atique U
AU
Ahmed
Maciej S
MS
Lesniak
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005910:Glioma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans
brain cancer; cell carriers; gene therapy; glioblastoma multiforme; glioma; induced progenitor cells; mesenchymal stem cells; neural stem cells; oncolytic virotherapy; tumor-tropism