Despite remarkable advances in cancer immunotherapy, identifying effective immunogenic tumor antigens that can be effectively processed and presented by dendritic cells (DCs) remains a major challenge for achieving clinically successful responses. Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs), membranous nanovesicles (30-150 nm) released by cancer cells, act as key mediators contributing to tumor progression, metastasis, and immune evasion. However, TDEs' natural cargo, particularly tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), MHC-peptide complexes, and immunostimulatory molecules, also makes them potent immunogen carriers for antitumor immunity. TDEs can directly deliver antigens to immune cells and prime effective cytotoxic responses, offering a promising antigen source for developing both DC-based and cell-free vaccine strategies.
Recent evidence suggests that TDEs, due to their biocompatibility, stability, and enrichment in tumor antigens, can be used as a novel platform in immunotherapy. Moreover, modification of TDEs with immunostimulatory molecules such as CpG DNA and Hsp70 to magnify their immunogenicity has shown enhanced immunogenicity, leading to robust cytotoxicity and reduced immune escape.
This research topic will explore how TDXs can be implicated as immunogens to induce effective immune response and to prime the immune system. The objective is to further elaborate and deepen our understanding of the capacity of the potential mechanisms and pathways by which exosomes stimulate adaptive immunity, with the ultimate goal of optimizing cancer immunotherapy and refining personalized therapeutic strategies. Overall, our aim is to compile emerging evidence on the immunogenicity of TDEs, recent technological advances in TDEs’ modification, and strategies to enhance their delivery for cancer vaccine development and immunomodulation.
We welcome Original Research, Review and Mini-Reviews, Systematic Review, Perspectives, Methods, Hypothesis & Theory, Clinical Trial, Technology and Code, Study Protocol, Brief Research Report, Data Report, General Commentary and Opinion papers that explore the role of tumor-derived exosomes in cancer immunotherapy and welcome different article types that address the immunological properties and translational potential of TDXs as sources of tumor antigens and immune modulators. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):
• Mechanisms of antigen presentation and immune activation by TDXs • Interaction of TDXs with dendritic cells and other immune cells • TDXs as cancer vaccines: preclinical and clinical studies • Engineering TEXs for enhanced immunogenicity and targeted delivery • TDXs vs. DC-derived exosomes in immunotherapy: pros and cons • Advances in isolation and characterization of TDXs • Combining TDX-based approaches with other therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors
Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this Research Topic.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Classification
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Classification
Clinical Trial
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Original Research
Perspective
Review
Study Protocol
Systematic Review
Technology and Code
Keywords: Tumor-derived exosomes, Cancer immunotherapy, Dendritic cell activation, Exosome-based vaccines, Tumor antigens, Extracellular vesicles, Personalized cancer therapy
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
