Polymer Self‐Assembled BMSCs with Cancer Tropism and Programmed Homing

After self‐assembly, living bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with amphiphilic hyperbranched polymers (AHP) conjugated with oleic acid (OA) and tumor‐targeted ligand folic acid (FA) show a significant increased ability in homing to gastric cancer cells and cause no damage to major organs. Membrane surface engineering by AHP‐OA‐FA makes living BMSCs present a promising vehicle for targeted delivery to cancer cells.

Abstract

Targeted therapy can improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment in the field of cancer management. Cellular surface engineering can enhance cell functions via mounting functional molecules onto cellular membranes. A novel amphiphilic hyperbranched polymer (AHP) conjugated with oleic acid (OA) and tumor‐targeted ligand folic acid (FA) is employed. The lipophilic chain can self‐assemble and infuse with the cytomembrane of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with the end of FA left on the outside for targeting. The polymer tailored BMSCs can enhance tumor tropism in gastric cancer. BMSCs are characterized by the low immunogenicity and tumor tropism, which makes them promising targeting carriers. Regarding the integrated advantages of these two vectors, it is demonstrated that the functional amphiphilic AHP‐OA‐FA enhances the tumor tropism of BMSCs. Flow cytometry, standard MTT assay, and wound‐healing assay show that AHP‐OA‐FA has no influence on CD expression, proliferative capacity, and cell motility of BMSCs, respectively. Furthermore, in vitro transwell assay and ex vivo fluorescence image verify that AHP‐OA‐FA enhances tumor tropism of BMSCs compared to BMSCs and AHP‐OA‐Rhodamine B‐BMSCs. Finally, histological analysis demonstrates that AHP‐OA‐FA causes no damage to major organs. The results of this study suggest that living BMSCs self‐assembled with a polymer might be a promising vehicle for targeted delivery to cancer cells.

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