Adipose Tissue-Derived Exosomes as Nanocarriers in Cancer Progression and Therapy
Katu Amina H.
School of Natural and Applied Sciences Kampala International Uganda
ABSTRACT
Adipose tissue derived exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles released by adipocytes, stromal cells, and immune cells within fat depots. In obesity, their secretion rate and molecular cargo shift toward pro-inflammatory, lipotoxic, and oncogenic profiles that reprogram cancer cells and their microenvironments to favor growth, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. At the same time, these vesicles possess inherent attributes biocompatibility, immune stealth, membrane complexity, and tissue tropism that can be redirected for therapeutic delivery of small molecules, biologics, and nucleic acids. This review synthesizes current understanding of the dual nature of adipose-derived exosomes in obesity-related malignancies. It outlines how obesity remodels exosome biogenesis and content, explains the mechanisms by which these vesicles drive tumor progression, and details strategies to engineer them as precision nanocarriers. The discussion covers isolation and manufacturing in dyslipidemic contexts, quality and safety controls that minimize pro-tumor risks, and translational frameworks for dosing, imaging, and clinical integration alongside metabolic and microenvironment-normalizing interventions. The goal is to convert a conduit of disease signaling into a clinically reliable delivery system tailored to high-BMI populations.
Keywords: exosomes; adipose tissue; obesity-associated cancer; extracellular vesicles; nanocarriers
CITE AS: Katu Amina H. (2026). Adipose Tissue–Derived Exosomes as Nanocarriers in Cancer Progression and Therapy. IDOSR JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ALLIED FIELDS 11(1):71-76. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JBBAF/2026/1027176