Emerging Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Immune Regulation and Cancer Progression

Abstract

The development of effective therapies for cancer treatment requires a better understanding of the tumor extracellular environment and a dynamic interaction between tumor cells, the cells of the immune system, and the tumor stroma. Increasing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles play an important role in this interaction. Extracellular vesicles are nanometer-sized membrane-bound vesicles secreted by various types of cells that facilitate intracellular communication by transferring proteins, various lipids, and nucleic acids, especially miRNAs, between cells. Extracellular vesicles play discrete roles in the immune regulatory functions, such as antigen presentation, and activation or suppression of immune cells. Achieving therapeutic intervention through targeting of extracellular vesicles is a crucial area of research now. Thus, a deeper knowledge of exosome biology and the molecular mechanism of immune regulation is likely to provide significant insight into therapeutic intervention utilizing extracellular vesicles to combat this dreadful disease. This review describes the recent updates on immune regulation by extracellular vesicles in cancer progression and possible use in cancer therapy.

Detection and Investigation of Extracellular Vesicles in Serum and Urine Supernatant of Prostate Cancer Patients

“…EVs transport several different kinds of molecules to deliver messages to target cells, mainly bioactive molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, in paracrine and/or endocrine ways. EVs can guide local and systemic intercellular communications, remodeling the normal and tumor microenvironment, potentially regulating cancer metabolism, with the capability to induce drug resistance, angiogenesis, and metastasis [ 25 , 26 , 27 ]. They have been shown to be potentially diagnostic and prognostic markers suggesting their role in precision medicine and disease management [ 11 , 28 ].…”

Role of exosomes in the immune microenvironment of ovarian cancer (Review)

“…Exosomal miRs (miR-15, -16, 151 and -375) can promote angiogenesis and tumor progression in the TME (11). The bioactive cargo carried by exosomes can participate in the modification of immune response of an ovarian cancer microenvironment (19).…”

Glycosylation of Cancer Extracellular Vesicles: Capture Strategies, Functional Roles and Potential Clinical Applications

“…EVs are also capable of modulating the immune response. Through the delivery of specific cargo, such as immune-stimulatory or immune-suppressive molecules, EVs can regulate the activity of immune cells (as reviewed in [ 206 , 207 ]). As previously addressed in this review, glycosylation is an important modulator of the immune response, and cancer cells use specific glycan profiles to escape immunosurveillance.…”