Exosomes: A potential tool for immunotherapy of ovarian cancer

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is a malignant tumor of the female reproductive system, with a very poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the most common treatments for ovarian cancer, with unsatisfactory results. Exosomes are a subpopulation of extracellular vesicles, which have a diameter of approximately 30–100 nm and are secreted by many different types of cells in various body fluids. Exosomes are highly stable and are effective carriers of immunotherapeutic drugs. Recent studies have shown that exosomes are involved in various cellular responses in the tumor microenvironment, influencing the development and therapeutic efficacy of ovarian cancer, and exhibiting dual roles in inhibiting and promoting tumor development. Exosomes also contain a variety of genes related to ovarian cancer immunotherapy that could be potential biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Undoubtedly, exosomes have great therapeutic potential in the field of ovarian cancer immunotherapy. However, translation of this idea to the clinic has not occurred. Therefore, it is important to understand how exosomes could be used in ovarian cancer immunotherapy to regulate tumor progression. In this review, we summarize the biomarkers of exosomes in different body fluids related to immunotherapy in ovarian cancer and the potential mechanisms by which exosomes influence immunotherapeutic response. We also discuss the prospects for clinical application of exosome-based immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.