Tumor cell-derived exosomes deliver TIE2 protein to macrophages to promote angiogenesis in cervical cancer

Tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains 2 (TIE2)-expressing macrophages (TEMs) are an angiogenesis-promoting subset of tumor-associated macrophages that have been demonstrated to be increased in solid tumors and associated with the progression of cervical cancer. However, the induction mechanism of TEMs remains unclear. Here, based on multicolor immunofluorescence of 58 cervical cancer tissues and the GEPIA database, we found that TEMs were increased in TIE2-high cervical cancer and related to shorter survival. In vitro and in vivo experiments verified that exosomes derived from TIE2-high cervical cancer cells transferred TIE2 protein directly to macrophages, thereby inducing TEMs. Similar to primary TEMs, TEMs induced by tumor-derived exosomes promoted angiogenesis, could be induced by angiopoietin-2, and possessed an M2-like phenotype. In conclusion, exosomes derived from TIE2-high cervical cancer cells induce TEMs by directly transporting TIE2 to promote tumor angiogenesis. •High levels of TIE2-expressing macrophages are related to poor prognosis in cervical cancer.•TIE2-high tumor cells deliver TIE2 to macrophages to induce TIE2-expressing macrophages via exosomes.•TIE2-expressing macrophages induced by tumor-derived exosomes promote angiogenesis.