Epidermal growth factor receptor-containing exosomes induce tumor-specific regulatory T cells.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has a close relation to lung cancer; its role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer is to be further elucidated. The results of this study indicate that about 80% exosomes purified from the LC biopsies contained EGFR; only about 2% exosomes contained EGFR in the samples from chronic lung inflammation. The purified exosomes induced tolerogenic DCs. Coculture of the tolerogenic DCs and Th0 cells generated the tumor antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Treg). The Tregs could suppress the tumor antigen specific CD8+ T cells.