Secretory exosomes from modified immune cells against cancer.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play significant roles in cancer progression through mediating inter/intra cellular communications within tumor microenvironment (TME). EVs are used as non-invasive diagnostic tools, drug delivery systems, and cancer vaccines, considering the anti-tumor potential, safety, biocompatibility and physiochemical stability of endogenous EVs. Modification of immune cells, either genetically or epigenetically, is a growing field of cancer research with the goal of enhancing efficacy of immunotherapy. This review focuses on the possibility of manipulating immune cells including dendritic cells (DCs), natural killer (NK) cells and T cells to secrete EVs that exert immune function either by activating immune responses or altering immune cell behavior to enhance anti-tumor efficacy, and discusses potential obstacles and recommendations for improved functionality of this therapeutic method.