Immune cell-derived exosomes as promising tools for cancer therapy

Junge Chen; Gang Zhang; Yichen Wan; Bozhang Xia; Qiankun Ni; Shaobo Shan; Zhongbo Hu; Xing-Jie Liang

doi:10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.11.003

Immune cell-derived exosomes as promising tools for cancer therapy

J Control Release. 2023 Dec:364:508-528. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.11.003. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Authors

Junge Chen¹, Gang Zhang², Yichen Wan³, Bozhang Xia², Qiankun Ni², Shaobo Shan⁴, Zhongbo Hu⁵, Xing-Jie Liang⁶

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China.
² CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China.
³ Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
⁵ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China.
⁶ CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China. Electronic address: liangxj@nanoctr.cn.

PMID: 37939852
DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.11.003

Abstract

Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles with a size of 30-150 nm secreted by living cells. They are vital players in cellular communication as they can transport proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and etc. Immune cell-derived exosomes (imEXOs) have great potential for tumor therapy because they have many of the same functions as their parent cells. Especially, imEXOs display unique constitutive characteristics that are directly involved in tumor therapy. Herein, we begin by the biogenesis, preparation, characterization and cargo loading strategies of imEXOs. Next, we focus on therapeutic potentials of imEXOs from different kinds of immune cells against cancer from preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, we discuss advantages of engineered imEXOs and potential risks of imEXOs in cancer treatment. The advantages of engineered imEXOs are highlighted, including selective killing effect, effective tumor targeting, effective lymph node targeting, immune activation and regulation, and good biosafety.

Keywords: Cancer therapy; Immune activation and regulation; Immune cell-derived exosomes (imEXOs); Nanomedicine; Therapeutic potential.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Communication
Exosomes* / metabolism
Humans
Neoplasms* / drug therapy