Many of the same inflammatory mediators that are secreted by wounds are found in the tumor microenvironment and are thought to be involved in attracting mesenchymal stem cells to these sites. MSCs are likely to have chemotactic properties similar to other immune cells that respond to injury and sites of inflammation.
Thus, this article argues for further understanding of the factors involved in regulating MSC migration to tumors, ultimately to develop novel clinical strategies aimed at using MSC as vehicles to deliver antitumor proteins or suppress MSC migration to reduce tumor growth. They also discuss the role of inflammatory signaling in attracting MSCs to tumors.
