AUTHOR=Song Yilin , Song Quanlin , Hu Daosheng , Sun Binwen , Gao Mingwei , Liang Xiangnan , Qu Boxin , Suo Lida , Yin Zeli , Wang Liming TITLE=The potential applications of artificially modified exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells in tumor therapy JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1299384 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1299384 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have tumor-homing ability and play critical roles in tumor treatment, but their dual influences on tumor progression limit their therapeutic applications. Exosomes derived from MSCs (MSC-exosomes) exhibit great potential in targeted tumor treatment due to their advantages of high stability, low immunogenicity, good biocompatibility, long circulation time and homing characteristics. Furthermore, the artificial modification of MSC-exosomes could amplify their advantages and their inhibitory effect on tumors and could overcome the limit of tumor-promoting effect. In this review, we summarize the latest therapeutic strategies involving artificially modified MSC-exosomes in tumor treatment, including employing these exosomes as nanomaterials to carry noncoding RNAs or their inhibitors and anticancer drugs, and genetic engineering modification of MSC-exosomes. We also discuss the feasibility of utilizing artificially modified MSC-exosomes as an emerging cell-free method for tumor treatment and related challenges.