Cancer‐derived non‐coding RNAs endow tumor microenvironment with immunosuppressive properties

Non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have attracted extensive attention due to their vital roles in tumorigenesis and progression, especially in the immunotherapy resistance. Tumor immunotherapy resistance is a crucial factor hindering the efficacy of tumor treatments, which can be largely attributed to the immunosuppressive properties of tumor microenvironment. Current studies have revealed that cancer‐derived ncRNAs are involved in the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment (TIME) through multiple ways. They not only promote the expression of immune checkpoint ligands (e.g., PD‐L1, CD47, Gal‐9, and CD276) on cancer cell surfaces, but also enhance the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines (e.g., TGF‐β, IL‐6, IL‐10, VEGF, and chemokines). Cancer‐derived ncRNAs could also be transferred into surrounding immune‐related cells through extracellular vesicles, thereby inhibiting the cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells and NK cells, restraining the DC‐mediated antigen presentation, inducing the immunosuppressive phenotype transformation of TAMs and CAFs, and enhancing the immunosuppressive functions of Tregs and MDSCs. Herein, we summarize the roles of cancer‐derived ncRNAs in regulating TIME formation and further explore their potential applications as prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets, which will help us to address the TIME‐mediated immunotherapy resistance in the future. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs