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Extracellular vesicles in immunomodulation and tumor progression

Nature Immunology volume 22, pages 560–570 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Extracellular vesicles have emerged as prominent regulators of the immune response during tumor progression. EVs contain a diverse repertoire of molecular cargo that plays a critical role in immunomodulation. Here, we identify the role of EVs as mediators of communication between cancer and immune cells. This expanded role of EVs may shed light on the mechanisms behind tumor progression and provide translational diagnostic and prognostic tools for immunologists.

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Fig. 1: Heterogeneous cargo of EVs.
Fig. 2: Mechanisms of EV immune regulation.
Fig. 3: Cancer EVs directly regulate tumor progression.
Fig. 4: Potential clinical translations for EVs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported through grants from the National Institutes of Health (T32GM008764) to C.M. and the National Cancer Institute (U54CA143868) and the National Institute on Aging (U01AG060903) to D.W. Figures designed with BioRender.com.

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Author notes

  1. Carolyn Marar

    Present address: Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

  2. These authors contributed equally: Carolyn Marar, Bartholomew Starich.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for NanoBiotechnology (INBT), The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Carolyn Marar, Bartholomew Starich & Denis Wirtz

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Carolyn Marar

  3. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Bartholomew Starich & Denis Wirtz

  4. Departments of Oncology and Pathology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Denis Wirtz

  5. Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Denis Wirtz

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Marar, C., Starich, B. & Wirtz, D. Extracellular vesicles in immunomodulation and tumor progression. Nat Immunol 22, 560–570 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-021-00899-0

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