Background: Extracellular vesicles are pivotal mediators in intercellular communication, facilitating the exchange of biological information among healthy, pathological and tumor cells. Between the diverse subtypes of extracellular vesicles, exosomes have unique properties and clinical and therapeutical applications. Breast cancer ranks as one of the most prevalent malignancies across the globe. Both the tumor core and its surrounding microenvironment engage in a complex, orchestrated interaction that facilitates cancer's growth and spread.
Methods: The most significant PubMed literature about extracellular vesicles and Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Exosomes and breast cancer was selected in order to report their biological properties and potential applications, in particular in treating triple-negative breast cancer.
Results: Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Exosomes represent a potential tool in targeting triple-negative breast cancer cells at three main levels: the tumor core, the tumor microenvironment and surrounding tissues, including metastases.
Conclusions: The possibility of impacting triple-negative breast cancer cells with engineered Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Exosomes is real. The opportunity to translate our current in vitro analyses into a future in vivo scenario is even more challenging.
Keywords: T.A.E. technology; adipose-derived stem cells; exosomes; extracellular vesicles; triple-negative breast cancer; tumor microenvironment.