Plant-derived exosomes: an emerging delivery platform for cancer therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Plant Biotechnology

Background:

• Cancer remains a leading global cause of death, with treatment challenges including drug resistance and tumor microenvironment (TME) complexity.
• Current therapies face limitations in overcoming dynamic TME alterations and developing resistance.
• Plant-derived exosomes (PDEs) are emerging as a promising alternative for cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review interdisciplinary advancements in using PDEs as delivery systems for cancer therapy.
• To highlight the advantages of PDEs, including their sources, bioactive compounds, anti-tumor mechanisms, and applications.
• To propose future research directions for optimizing PDE-based cancer treatments.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of interdisciplinary research on plant-derived exosomes (PDEs) in cancer therapy.
• Analysis of PDE properties, including extraction methods, bioactive compound preservation, and immunogenicity.
• Evaluation of PDE anti-tumor mechanisms and therapeutic applications.

Main Results:

• PDEs offer abundant sources and retain bioactive compounds, leading to low immunogenicity and preserved pharmacological activity.
• PDEs exhibit multiple anti-tumor mechanisms, including direct tumor cell killing, TME modulation, and metabolic reprogramming, potentially overcoming drug resistance.
• PDEs demonstrate strong anti-tumor efficacy and excellent biocompatibility, showing broad applicability in diverse therapeutic contexts.

Conclusions:

• Plant-derived exosomes represent a promising next-generation platform for cancer therapy.
• The unique properties of PDEs, including their multi-targeted mechanisms and biocompatibility, address key challenges in current cancer treatment.
• Further research into optimizing PDE delivery systems is crucial for successful clinical translation.