Figure 1.

Main steps of the scenario linking the inhibition of the proliferation and differentiation of tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes to the release of tumor exosomes carrying miR-24-3p in the microenvironment of nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Exosomes carrying miR-24-3p are released by malignant NPC cells and up-taken by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The internalization of miR-24-3p in target cells results in the downregulation of FGF11 with subsequent modifications in the phosphorylation of Erk and Stat proteins. These signaling events result in the inhibition of the proliferation of conventional T-cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and probably impair Th1 and Th17 differentiation. This scenario is based on in vitro and in vivo investigations reported by Ye et al. (5).