UCB-MSCs comprising a tumor suppressor gene reduce the size of an IL-8 or GRO-αexpressing tumor

A method for delivering a therapeutic gene to a site of a subject, the site comprising cells expressing at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding IL-8 and a gene encoding GRO-α, and inducing tropism of mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB-MSC) toward the cells expressing the at least one gene, comprising administering to the subject an effective dose of the UCB-MSC, wherein:

• the cells expressing the at least one gene are selected from the group consisting of a brain tumor, a hepatoma, a breast cancer, and a colon cancer,
• the size of the tumor is diminished,
• the therapeutic gene is introduced into the UCB-MSC, and
• the therapeutic gene is selected from the group consisting of a tumor suppressor gene and an apoptosis-inducing factor gene.

A method of delivering an anti-tumor agent to a site of a tumor in a subject, comprising administering mesenchymal stem cells together with the anti-tumor agent to the site, wherein:

• the mesenchymal stem cells are umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSC),
• the tumor is a brain tumor,
• the size of the brain tumor is diminished,
• the anti-tumor agent is introduced into UCB-MSC, and
• the anti-tumor agent is selected from the group consisting of a tumor suppressor gene and an apoptosis-inducing factor gene.