Plant-Derived Vesicle-like Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy: From Drug Delivery to Combined Immunotherapy

Abstract

Plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (PDVLNs) are a unique class of natural nanomaterials secreted by plant cells. Endowed with intrinsic biocompatibility, minimal immunogenicity, and a molecular cargo rich in lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and unique metabolites, PDVLNs exhibit significant potential in cancer treatment. With the development of diverse engineering strategies and loading methods, PDVLNs have been well established as an ideal drug delivery platform for transporting a broad spectrum of anti-cancer agents, including nucleic acids, proteins, and conventional chemotherapeutics. Notably, accumulating evidence highlights PDVLNs as a novel nanoplatform for combined cancer immunotherapy. This review systematically summarizes the biogenesis, isolation methods, compositions, and anti-tumor activity and mechanisms of PDVLNs, emphasizing their synergistic applications with cancer immunotherapies. Finally, it also discusses the challenges related to production optimization, delivery efficiency, safety issues, and clinical translation facing current research. In the future, as mechanistic insights deepen and nanotechnology advances, PDVLNs are poised to become next-generation immunomodulatory nanoplatforms for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.