Apoptotic cells release a highly heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles, which can be categorized into apoptotic bodies, apoptotic microvesicles, and apoptotic exosomes. These apoptotic vesicles (apoVs) not only inherit materials from their parental cells but also encapsulate apoptosis-related factors, thereby playing multifaceted roles in signal transduction, homeostatic regulation, and the tumor microenvironment. This review highlights recent advances in the cell biology of apoptotic extracellular vesicles, with a focus on the unique characteristics of tumor-derived ApoVs and their mechanisms of interaction in immune evasion, angiogenesis, and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, the potential of ApoEVs as biomarkers for tumor diagnostics is explored. In the realm of tumor therapy, engineered and modified ApoEVs have emerged as promising drug delivery vehicles and vaccine carriers, enabling targeted delivery of therapeutic agents and showing significant potential in antitumor immunization strategies. Summarizes the role of apoptotic extracellular vesicles in the tumor microenvironment and their clinical applications. Evaluates the potential of these vesicles for use in tumor diagnosis and emerging therapies. Outlines future research directions and discusses challenges for clinical translation.
Dai et al. (2026) studied this question.