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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Co-Culture In Vitro Systems to Reproduce the Cancer-Immunity Cycle
Published on: June 7, 2024
Immune surveillance interrupted: how cancer exploits trogocytosis
Zahra Mahmoudi1, Hosein Hakimi1, Gholamreza Daryabor2
1Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. BOX, Shiraz, 71348-14336, Iran.
Abstract:
Trogocytosis is a contact-dependent process in which cells extract and internalize membrane fragments and associated molecules from neighboring cells. Although initially observed in immune cells, this phenomenon is now acknowledged as a deliberately orchestrated, meticulously regulated form of intercellular communication. Within the tumor microenvironment (TME), trogocytosis influences tumor recognition, modulates intracellular signaling pathways, and shapes the balance between immune activation and suppression. This review summarizes current insights into trogocytosis in the TME, focusing on its role across different adaptive and innate immune cells and how tumor cells exploit this process. This paper discusses how trogocytosis impacts antigen capture, regulates immune checkpoint expression, and modifies the function of effector cells, thereby reshaping antitumor immunity. By integrating mechanistic findings and emerging therapeutic concepts, this review highlights trogocytosis as both a driver of immune dysfunction in cancer and a potential target for strategies aimed at improving immunotherapy outcomes.
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