Extracellular Vesicles and Their Roles in the Tumor Immune Microenvironment

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Tumor cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing proteins, lipids, and RNA.
• EVs facilitate intercellular communication and modulate recipient cell functions.
• EVs contribute to the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune suppression in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on the roles of EVs in tumor immune evasion and immunosuppression.
• To highlight the clinical utility of EV-mediated immunosuppression targeting and EV engineering.
• To discuss the controversial roles, limitations, and future perspectives of EVs in cancer biology.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of recent research on EVs in cancer.
• Analysis of studies investigating EV roles in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
• Examination of EV-mediated immunosuppression and EV engineering for clinical applications.

Main Results:

• EVs promote TME changes and immunosuppressive functions of various immune cells.
• EVs play a significant role in tumor immune escape and propagation.
• EVs offer potential targets for cancer therapy through immunosuppression modulation.

Conclusions:

• EVs are crucial mediators of tumor immune evasion and immunosuppression.
• Translational research in EVs is essential for clinical application.
• Further investigation into EV biology and engineering is needed for effective cancer therapies.