Endothelial Progenitor Cells as Drug Delivery Trojan Horses for Theranostic Use in Multiple Myeloma

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a subtype of stem cells capable of differentiating into mature endothelial cells. Tumor-derived paracrine signals activate the bone marrow residing EPCs to home to the tumor, including multiple myeloma (MM), and to promote angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to utilize the EPCs and their specific patho-physiological homing to tumors as a biologically-targeted drug delivery system as a "Trojan horse"-cellular immunotherapy and imaging in MM.