Tumor exosomes expressing Fas ligand mediate CD8+ T-cell apoptosis

Tumor-derived immune suppression is considered to be a major mechanism of tumor evasion from the immune system destruction, however, little is known regarding the induction of T-cell functional suppression by tumor-derived exosomes. Herein, we investigate tumor-derived exosomes involved in normal immunological communications as means of inhibiting an antitumor T-cell response. Exosomes derived from LNCaP, a human prostate cancer cell line, were visualized by FACS and identified based on size (80–200 nm) in comparison to marker beads. Exosomes from tumor cell line inhibited T-cell proliferation. Dose-dependent apoptosis of T cells was induced by co-culture with tumor exosomes. Addition of anti-FasL antibody blocked the apoptosis induction by tumor exosomes. This study suggests that induction of T-cell apoptosis by tumor-derived exosomes appears to be a novel mechanism of tumor immune evasion.