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Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
Published on: June 12, 2021
Trogocytosis at crossroads: Navigating the duality in tumor-immune cell interactions
Xin Yang1, Xiaolu Huang2, Zhuonan Chen3
1Xiangya Stomatological Hospital & Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Academician Workstation for Oral-maxillofacial and Regenerative Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
None:
Trogocytosis, derived from the Greek "trogo-," meaning "nibble," is a cellular process in which one cell extracts membrane fragments and surface molecules from another, modulating the functions of both donor and recipient cells. In tumor immunology, trogocytosis between immune cells and tumor cells exhibits paradoxical effects. Conflicting reports suggest it can enhance antitumor effects through processes like trogoptosis, antigen presentation, and beneficial antigen shaving, while facilitating protumor effects by antigen masking, immune cell exhaustion, immune cell fratricide, and detrimental antigen shaving. In this review, we discuss recent insights in trogocytosis between immune cells (T cells, natural killer cells, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, chimeric antigen receptor cells, and antigen-presenting cells) and tumor cells, summarize the distinct interaction patterns and characteristics, and highlight its dual role in enhancing anti-tumor immunity and facilitating tumor immune evasion. Additionally, we explore the strategies to exploit trogocytosis in immunotherapy, aiming to deepen insights into immune-tumor interactions and to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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