title: Advances in stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and engineered cells: delivery vehicles for anti-glioma therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A limitation of small molecule inhibitors, nanoparticles (NPs) and therapeutic adenoviruses is their incomplete distribution within the entirety of solid tumors such as malignant gliomas. Currently, cell-based carriers are making their way into the clinical setting as they offer the potential to selectively deliver many types of therapies to cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we review the properties of stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and engineered cells that possess the tumor-tropic behavior necessary to serve as cell carriers. We also report on the different types of therapeutic agents that have been delivered to tumors by these cell carriers, including: i) therapeutic genes; ii) oncolytic viruses; iii) NPs; and iv) antibodies. The current challenges and future promises of cell-based drug delivery are also discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the emergence of stem cell-mediated therapy has resulted in promising preclinical results and a human clinical trial utilizing this approach is currently underway, there is still a need to optimize these delivery platforms. By improving the loading of therapeutic agents into stem cells and enhancing their migratory ability and persistence, significant improvements in targeted cancer therapy may be achieved.
authors.affiliation: The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine , 5841 South Maryland Ave., M/C 3026, Chicago, IL 60637 , USA.
authors.forename: Jacob S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Ramin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Morshed
authors.forename: Julius W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Irina V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Balyasnikova
authors.forename: Atique U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Maciej S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lesniak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D060846:Cell Engineering; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; D013234:Stem Cells
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers
keywords: cell carriers; cell-delivered cancer therapy; engineered cells; gene therapy; glioma; immunotherapy; induced pluripotent stem cells; nanoparticles; oncolytic virotherapy; stem cells; targeted drug delivery