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Small extracellular vesicle TGF-β in cancer progression and immune evasion

Cancer Gene Therapy volume 30, pages 1309–1322 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a well-known cytokine that controls various processes in normal physiology and disease context. Strong preclinical and clinical literature supports the crucial roles of the TGF-β in several aspects of cancer biology. Recently emerging evidence reveals that the release of TGF-β from tumor/immune/stromal cells in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) plays an important part in tumor development and immune evasion. Hence, this review aims to address the packaging, release, and signaling pathways of TGF-β carried in sEVs (sEV-TGF-β) in cancer, and to explore its underpinning roles in tumor development, growth, progression, metastasis, etc. We also highlight key progresses in deciphering the roles of sEV-TGF-β in subverting anti-tumor immune responses. The paper ends with a focus on the clinical significance of TGF-β carried in sEVs and draws attention to its diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic importance.

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Fig. 1: Small EV-TGF-β signaling in the tumor microenvironment.
Fig. 2: Small EV-TGF-β in cancer biology.
Fig. 3: Small EV-TGF-β in tumor immunity.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The figures were created with BioRender.com.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Hosseini, Nashmin Hosseinzadeh, Leila Asef-Kabiri, Atieh Akbari & Mohammad Esmaeil Akbari

  2. Laboratory Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Behrooz Ghezelbash

  3. Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hamzeh Sarvnaz

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  1. Reza Hosseini
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Contributions

R.H. conceptualized the work and wrote and extensively revised the paper, N.H., A.A., L.A, and H.S. searched databases and wrote the first draft, B.G., and ME.A. contributed to the scientific content and revision of this paper.

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Hosseini, R., Hosseinzadeh, N., Asef-Kabiri, L. et al. Small extracellular vesicle TGF-β in cancer progression and immune evasion. Cancer Gene Ther 30, 1309–1322 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41417-023-00638-7

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