PhD Scientific Days 2024

Pathological and Oncological Sciences I.

Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Cell Survivor and Drug Resistance

Előadó neve

Vajda, Flóra

Neptun code

U5UOHT

Előadó munkahelye

HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences

Előadó telefonszáma

06303617870

Előadó e-mail címe

vajdaflo@gmail.com

Az előadás címe

Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Cell Survivor and Drug Resistance

Szerző(k) neve és munkahelye

Flóra Vajda¹

1: HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences

Bemutatás módja

Szóbeli

Szekció

Pathological and Oncological Sciences I.

Language of the presentation

Hungarian

Preferred session

Pathological and Oncological Sciences

Összefoglaló szövege

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play crucial roles in the complex milieu of the tumor microenvironment (TME), influencing tumorigenesis, invasion, and responses to therapy. While MSCs are known to exhibit both anti-and pro-tumorigenic effects, their sensitivity to chemotherapeutics remains underexplored. The prevailing notion of MSCs possessing greater drug tolerance due to their slower proliferation rate is challenged by our investigation into their responses to nine diverse chemotherapy agents. Despite their slower cell cycle, MSCs show sensitivity to various drugs, albeit with distinct outcomes compared to cancer cells.
Our study reveals that, although MSCs exhibit a similar sensitivity profile to a range of compounds as cancer cells, they suffer less DNA double-stranded breaks and resist apoptosis following treatment. This contradiction in cellular fates after chemotherapy suggests a divergence in response mechanisms between MSCs and cancer cells, impacting treatment efficacy. These findings suggest the importance of considering the differential drug responses of MSCs and cancer cells when designing therapeutic strategies targeting both cell populations.
Furthermore, the dynamic interplay between MSCs and cancer cells adds another level of complexity to their roles in tumor progression and therapy. While the exact impact of MSCs on drug resistance and tumor behavior remains debated, our investigation using 2D co-cultures and 3D co-culture spheroids provides insights into the intricate relationships between these cell types. By creating co-cultures of GFP-expressing MSCs and mCherry-tagged A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells, we elucidated the effects of MSCs on cancer cell growth, survival, and drug sensitivity.
In our experiments, 2D co-cultures did not significantly alter proliferation or drug sensitivity, and slightly changed cytokine secretion in co-culture. However, the 3D co-culture spheroids showed a specific architecture, A431 cells covered MSCs, enhancing cancer cell survival and resistance. This structural arrangement highlights the critical role of physical proximity and cell-cell interactions in mediating the impact of MSCs on cancer cells. These findings pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches that consider the intricate interplay between MSCs and cancer cells in the TME, offering new insights into personalized cancer treatment strategies.

University

Semmelweis University

Supervisor

Dr. Szakács Gergely, Dr. Füredi András

Publication of my abstract

I do not give consent to the publication of my abstract on the website of the congress.

Kind

Szabad

Status

elfogadva

Accepted presentation method

szóbeli

Előadás fájl jóváhagyás

nem rendelkezett róla

Előadó

8250

Start

12:15

End

12:25