The Importance of Exosomal PD-L1 in Cancer Progression and Its Potential as a Therapeutic Target
Lingxiao Ye,
Zhengxin Zhu,
Xiaochuan Chen,
Haoran Zhang,
Jiaqi Huang,
Shengxian Gu,
Xiaoyin Zhao
Affiliations
Lingxiao Ye
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Zhengxin Zhu
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Xiaochuan Chen
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Haoran Zhang
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Jiaqi Huang
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Shengxian Gu
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Xiaoyin Zhao
Lab of Chemical Biology and Molecular Drug Design, Institute of Drug Development & Chemical Biology, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, 18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China
Binding of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) to its receptor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) can lead to the inactivation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which is one of the mechanisms for immune escape of tumors. Immunotherapy based on this mechanism has been applied in clinic with some remaining issues such as drug resistance. Exosomal PD-L1 derived from tumor cells is considered to play a key role in mediating drug resistance. Here, the effects of various tumor-derived exosomes and tumor-derived exosomal PD-L1 on tumor progression are summarized and discussed. Researchers have found that high expression of exosomal PD-L1 can inhibit T cell activation in in vitro experiments, but the function of exosomal PD-L1 in vivo remains controversial. In addition, the circulating exosomal PD-L1 has high potential to act as an indicator to evaluate the clinical effect. Moreover, therapeutic strategy targeting exosomal PD-L1 is discussed, such as inhibiting the biogenesis or secretion of exosomes. Besides, some specific methods based on the strategy of inhibiting exosomes are concluded. Further study of exosomal PD-L1 may provide an effective and safe approach for tumor treatment, and targeting exosomal PD-L1 by inhibiting exosomes may be a potential method for tumor treatment.
