Dendritic cells-derived extracellular vesicles in tumourigenesis: From biological roles to clinical implications

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells (APCs) within the tumour microenvironment (TME), where they orchestrate T cell-mediated anti-tumour immunity and can also be reprogrammed to promote the progression of tumours in the TME. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are very small and they are secreted by cells and wrapped in lipid bilayers that shuttle bioactive cargoes, including proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites, to recipient cells, thereby influencing the progression of diseases, including cancer. DC-derived EVs (DC-EVs) play pivotal roles in the TME by mediating crosstalk with other immune and stromal cells to modulate inflammatory responses, angiogenesis, cell death, and immune evasion, thereby regulating the development and progression of tumours. In recent years, engineered DC-EVs have been widely used for cancer therapies, including cancer immunotherapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and gene therapy. This review summarises the comprehensive roles of DC-EVs in tumourigenesis and the application of engineered DC-EVs in cancer therapy, potentially providing readers with a new theoretical basis for tumour-targeted therapy.