Cancer stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles preferentially target MHC-II-macrophages and PD1+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment.

ABSTRACT: Immunotherapy is an approved treatment option for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the response rate to immune checkpoint blockade is only 13% for recurrent HNSCC, highlighting the urgent need to better understand tumor-immune interplay, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. HNSCC present high local recurrence rates and therapy resistance that can be attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC) within tumors. CSC exhibit singular properties that enable them to avoid immune detection and eradication. How CSC communicate with immune cells and which immune cell types are preferentially found within the CSC niche are still open questions. Here, we used genetic approaches to specifically label CSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and to perfor

SUBMITTER: Gonzalez-Callejo P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9897575 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature