Extracellular vesicle-derived miRNA-182-5p educates macrophages towards an immunosuppressive phenotype in pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT: Reprogramming the immunosuppressive milieu in pancreatic cancer (PaCa) remains an important yet unmet therapeutic goal. Although tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are known to promote tumor growth and metastasis, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving macrophage plasticity in PaCa. Herein, we show that extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by PaCa cells as well as circulating EVs in patient plasma, facilitate cellular crosstalk thereby promoting preferential skewing of recipient macrophages towards an M2-like TAM phenotype. PaCa-EV educated macrophages predominantly secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines, adapt an M2-like metabolic phenotype, have a higher expression of PD-L1, and suppress the proliferation of CD8⁺ T cells. An increased payload of miR-182-5p in P

SUBMITTER: Singh B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811262 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature