Table 1.

Classes and examples of MSC‐based anti‐cancer agent drug delivery strategies

Anti‐cancer strategy	Common agents	Mechanism of action	Advantages	References
Oncolytic viruses	Adenovirus; Measles virus; Herpes simplex virus	Viruses infect, replicate in, and lyse tumor cells	Amplification of anti‐tumor effect with multiple rounds of infection; Selective replication in tumor cells	75, 76, 77, 78, 98
Tumor‐ or tissue‐specific prodrugs	CD + 5‐5‐FU; Hsv‐tk + Ganciclovir; PSA‐activated thapsigargin peptide	Cytotoxic drug metabolites induce cell death by inhibiting DNA synthesis (5‐FU, ganciclovir) or by inducing ER stress (thapsigargin)	Selective drug activation in tumor microenvironment	79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84
Immunomodulatory agents	IL‐2; IL‐12; Interferon‐β; CX3CL1	Lymphocyte activation and induction of tumor‐specific T‐cell responses; Direct induction of tumor cell differentiation and growth arrest	Endogenous signaling molecules; Potential direct and indirect effects on tumor growth; Synergy with other immunotherapies	73, 89, 90, 91, 92
Apoptosis‐inducing agents	TRAIL	Direct induction of apoptosis via death receptors	Currently in clinical trials; Endogenous signaling molecule	93, 94, 95, 96, 97
Cytotoxic chemotherapy	Paclitaxel; Doxorubicin	Induction of cell death via inhibition of microtubule depolymerization (paclitaxel) or topoisomerase II function (doxorubicin)	FDA‐approved chemotherapeutic drugs	68

Abbreviations: CD, cytosine deaminase; 5‐FU, 5‐fluoruracil; Hsv‐tk, herpes simplex virus‐thymidine kinase; PSA, prostate specific antigen; TRAIL, TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand.