Progress of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in targeted delivery of antitumor drugs

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are currently being used in clinical trials for the treatment of a wide range of diseases and have a wide range of applications in the fields of tissue engineering and regeneration. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles containing a variety of components such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids, which are widely present in biological fluids and have the functions of participating in intercellular information transfer, immune response and tissue repair, and can also be used as carriers to target and deliver tumors to improve therapeutic effects. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived Exosomes (MSC-Exos), which have the advantages of low immunogenicity and high tumor homing ability, have attracted much attention in targeted drug delivery. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of MSC-Exos in tumor progression and their potential as drug delivery systems in targeted therapies. It also discusses the advantages and prospects of MSC-Exos as a drug carrier and the challenges that still need to be overcome.