Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain

Tumors can invade, compress, and damage nerves, leading to persistent pain and seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. However, their treatment is challenging. Sensitization of peripheral receptors, abnormal activity of primary sensory neurons, activation of glial cells, enhanced inflam...

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Main Authors: Wen-Jun Zhang, Dingyi Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1483716/full
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author Wen-Jun Zhang
Dingyi Chen
author_facet Wen-Jun Zhang
Dingyi Chen
author_sort Wen-Jun Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Tumors can invade, compress, and damage nerves, leading to persistent pain and seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. However, their treatment is challenging. Sensitization of peripheral receptors, abnormal activity of primary sensory neurons, activation of glial cells, enhanced inflammatory responses, and sensory information transmission contribute towards cancer pain. Therefore, considerable attention has been paid to exploring prospective methods to inhibit the occurrence of these factors and relieve cancer pain. Studies on different types of pains have revealed that the transplantation of functionally active cells into the host has the pharmacological effect of producing analgesia. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can act as small active pumps to reduce the expression of pain-related molecules and produce analgesic effects. Moreover, MSCs can establish complex communication networks with non-tumor and cancer cells in the microenvironment, interact with each other, and can be used as destinations for inflammation and tumor sites, affecting their potential for invasion and metastasis. This emphasizes the key role of MSCs in cancer and pain management. The pain relief mechanisms of MSCs include neuronutrition, neural protection, neural network reconstruction, immune regulation, and improvement of the inflammatory microenvironment around the nerve injury. All of these are beneficial for the recovery of injured or stimulated nerves and the reconstruction of neural function, and play a role in relieving pain. The pain treatment strategy of cell transplantation is to repair injured nerves and produce analgesic pharmacological properties that are different from those of painkillers and other physiotherapies. Although the therapeutic role of MSCs in cancer and pain is in its early stages, the therapeutic value of MSCs for cancer pain has great prospects. Therefore, in this study, we explored the possible mechanism between MSCs and cancer pain, the potential therapeutic role of therapeutic cells in cancer pain, and some problems and challenges.
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spelling doaj-art-b1e0a7909b2e4e17a1cdbf0b68e8991d2025-08-20T02:48:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122024-11-011510.3389/fphar.2024.14837161483716Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer painWen-Jun Zhang0Dingyi Chen1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Medical college, Nanchang, ChinaEmergency department, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Medical college, Nanchang, ChinaTumors can invade, compress, and damage nerves, leading to persistent pain and seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. However, their treatment is challenging. Sensitization of peripheral receptors, abnormal activity of primary sensory neurons, activation of glial cells, enhanced inflammatory responses, and sensory information transmission contribute towards cancer pain. Therefore, considerable attention has been paid to exploring prospective methods to inhibit the occurrence of these factors and relieve cancer pain. Studies on different types of pains have revealed that the transplantation of functionally active cells into the host has the pharmacological effect of producing analgesia. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can act as small active pumps to reduce the expression of pain-related molecules and produce analgesic effects. Moreover, MSCs can establish complex communication networks with non-tumor and cancer cells in the microenvironment, interact with each other, and can be used as destinations for inflammation and tumor sites, affecting their potential for invasion and metastasis. This emphasizes the key role of MSCs in cancer and pain management. The pain relief mechanisms of MSCs include neuronutrition, neural protection, neural network reconstruction, immune regulation, and improvement of the inflammatory microenvironment around the nerve injury. All of these are beneficial for the recovery of injured or stimulated nerves and the reconstruction of neural function, and play a role in relieving pain. The pain treatment strategy of cell transplantation is to repair injured nerves and produce analgesic pharmacological properties that are different from those of painkillers and other physiotherapies. Although the therapeutic role of MSCs in cancer and pain is in its early stages, the therapeutic value of MSCs for cancer pain has great prospects. Therefore, in this study, we explored the possible mechanism between MSCs and cancer pain, the potential therapeutic role of therapeutic cells in cancer pain, and some problems and challenges.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1483716/fullcancer painmesenchymal stem cellsnerve injurytumortreatment
spellingShingle Wen-Jun Zhang
Dingyi Chen
Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
Frontiers in Pharmacology
cancer pain
mesenchymal stem cells
nerve injury
tumor
treatment
title Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
title_full Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
title_fullStr Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
title_full_unstemmed Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
title_short Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
title_sort mesenchymal stem cell transplantation plays a role in relieving cancer pain
topic cancer pain
mesenchymal stem cells
nerve injury
tumor
treatment
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1483716/full
work_keys_str_mv AT wenjunzhang mesenchymalstemcelltransplantationplaysaroleinrelievingcancerpain
AT dingyichen mesenchymalstemcelltransplantationplaysaroleinrelievingcancerpain