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World J Stem Cells. Jul 26, 2026; 18(7): 116082
Published online Jul 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.116082
Published online Jul 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.116082
Letter to the Editor: Cell source dictates the effect - a critical consideration for exosome-based cancer therapies
Feng-Juan Lyu, South China University of Technology-the University of Western Australia Joint Center for Regenerative Medicine Research, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Lyu FJ drafted, revised, and approved the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this work, the author used Deepseek to improve grammar and language.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82272552.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Feng-Juan Lyu, PhD, Associate Professor, South China University of Technology-the University of Western Australia Joint Center for Regenerative Medicine Research, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China. 44238553@qq.com
Received: November 2, 2025
Revised: November 20, 2025
Accepted: January 26, 2026
Published online: July 26, 2026
Processing time: 262 Days and 15.1 Hours
Revised: November 20, 2025
Accepted: January 26, 2026
Published online: July 26, 2026
Processing time: 262 Days and 15.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Building on the study by Ababneh et al, we emphasize that the anti-cancer effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived exosomes are profoundly source-dependent. The research demonstrates that exosomes from induced pluripotent stem cell-derived MSCs potently induce senescence in aggressive cancer cells, whereas those from bone marrow MSCs show weaker effects. This highlights the critical need to move beyond generic “MSCs-exosome” descriptions. We advocate for rigorous standardization and functional profiling of exosome sources to ensure reproducibility and clinical relevance in future therapies.