Immune cell-derived extracellular vesicles in immune regulation and immunotherapy

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized as crucial mediators of intercellular communication within the immune system. Immune cells, including dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, release EVs that carry diverse bioactive cargos such as proteins, lipids, metabolites, and nucleic acids. Through the transfer of these molecular components, immune cell-derived EVs can influence immune cell activation, differentiation, cytokine signaling, and immune tolerance. Accumulating evidence suggests that these vesicles play essential roles in orchestrating immune responses and shaping the immune microenvironment in a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions, including cancer, infection, and inflammatory diseases.In addition to their regulatory functions, immune cell-derived EVs are emerging as promising tools for immunotherapy. EVs from immune cells can modulate antitumor immunity, facilitate antigen presentation, and mediate immune cell crosstalk. Moreover, advances in EV engineering and immune cell manipulation are enabling the development of EV-based therapeutic platforms, including vesicles derived from engineered immune cells such as CAR-T cells and CAR-NK cells. These approaches offer new opportunities for cell-free immunotherapeutic strategies with potential advantages in safety, stability, and delivery.This Research Topic aims to provide a platform to highlight recent advances in the biology and therapeutic applications of immune cell-derived extracellular vesicles. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing EV biogenesis, molecular cargo, functional heterogeneity, immune regulatory mechanisms, and the development of EV-based immunotherapies. To gather further insights in this dynamic area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Immune cell-derived EV preparation and characterization• Mechanisms of biogenesis and cargo selection in immune cell-derived EVs• Functional heterogeneity among immune cell-derived EV subpopulations• Roles of immune cell-derived EVs in immune signaling and crosstalk within the immune microenvironment• Immune cell derived EV-mediated modulation of antitumor immunity and infection defense• Engineering and application of immune cell EV-based immunotherapies Topic editors: Xiaogang Zhang, Weiyang Tao Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80173/immune-cell-derived-extracellular-vesicles-in-immune-regulation-and-immunotherapy