how they might use your own fat(stem cells) to target drugs to your tumor

[Lani]

Stem Cells Derived From Adipose Tissue Can Deliver Targeted Cancer Gene Therapy
By Will Boggs, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 17 - Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSC) can be used to deliver gene therapy to the site of tumor formation, according to a report in the July 1st issue of Cancer Research.

"We have in our body cells for repair of damaged tissue and organs," Dr. Cestmir Altaner from the Cancer Research Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia told Reuters Health. "The mesenchymal stem cells 'see' a tumor as a damaged organ and migrate to it."

Dr. Altaner and associates investigated the ability of human AT-MSC to serve as vehicles for a cell-based gene-directed enzyme prodrug conversion approach to targeted chemotherapy using the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC).

In vitro, human colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) and their cell-free medium stimulated directional migration of AT-MSC, the authors report.

AT-MSC transfected with the gene for cytosine deaminase (CD) showed selective cytotoxicity toward HT-29 cells in culture in the presence of 5-FC, the report indicates, but the AT-MSC were not affected by the 5-FC.

In a mouse model of colon adenocarcinoma, injections of a mixture of tumor cells and only 10% AT-MSC cells expressing CD inhibited tumor growth by about 79%.

CD-expressing AT-MSC administered systemically were able to localize into established HT-29 tumors in other experiments, and to inhibit tumor growth by as much as 91%, the researchers note.

"All studies published thus far and our experiments showed no accumulation (of MSC) in other organs and no other side effects were observed thus far," the investigators report.

"I consider human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to be a promising source of autologous stem cells in personalized cell-based therapies," Dr. Altaner said. "They are obtainable with less risk and discomfort to the donor (and are) expandable to desired amounts, even repeatedly if needed."

"Before we can think about clinical studies in humans we have to answer the question regarding the fate of the retroviral engineered MSC in the organisms, their safety, etc.," Dr. Altaner added. "It depends on results obtained, but it will take some time."

Cancer Res 2007;67:6304-6313.

Can't come soon enough!

[MJo]

They can have as much of my fat as they want. I need as many ways to get rid of it as possible. Seriously, I am amazed at the creativity in cancer research.