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Spiesschaert B, Angerer K, Park J, Wollmann G. Combining Oncolytic Viruses and Small Molecule Therapeutics: Mutual Benefits. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3386. [PMID: 34298601 PMCID: PMC8306439 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The focus of treating cancer with oncolytic viruses (OVs) has increasingly shifted towards achieving efficacy through the induction and augmentation of an antitumor immune response. However, innate antiviral responses can limit the activity of many OVs within the tumor and several immunosuppressive factors can hamper any subsequent antitumor immune responses. In recent decades, numerous small molecule compounds that either inhibit the immunosuppressive features of tumor cells or antagonize antiviral immunity have been developed and tested for. Here we comprehensively review small molecule compounds that can achieve therapeutic synergy with OVs. We also elaborate on the mechanisms by which these treatments elicit anti-tumor effects as monotherapies and how these complement OV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Spiesschaert
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- ViraTherapeutics GmbH, 6063 Rum, Austria
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach a.d. Riss, Germany;
| | - Katharina Angerer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - John Park
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, 88397 Biberach a.d. Riss, Germany;
| | - Guido Wollmann
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Viral Immunotherapy of Cancer, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (B.S.); (K.A.)
- Institute of Virology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Stavrakaki E, Dirven CMF, Lamfers MLM. Personalizing Oncolytic Virotherapy for Glioblastoma: In Search of Biomarkers for Response. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040614. [PMID: 33557101 PMCID: PMC7913874 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive primary brain tumor. Despite multimodal treatment, the prognosis of GBM patients remains very poor. Oncolytic virotherapy is being evaluated as novel treatment for this patient group and clinical trials testing oncolytic viruses have shown impressive responses, albeit in a small subset of GBM patients. Obtaining insight into specific tumor- or patient-related characteristics of the responding patients, may in the future improve response rates. In this review we discuss factors related to oncolytic activity of the most widely applied oncolytic virus strains as well as potential biomarkers and future assays that may allow us to predict response to these agents. Such biomarkers and tools may in the future enable personalizing oncolytic virotherapy for GBM patients. Abstract Oncolytic virus (OV) treatment may offer a new treatment option for the aggressive brain tumor glioblastoma. Clinical trials testing oncolytic viruses in this patient group have shown promising results, with patients achieving impressive long-term clinical responses. However, the number of responders to each OV remains low. This is thought to arise from the large heterogeneity of these tumors, both in terms of molecular make-up and their immune-suppressive microenvironment, leading to variability in responses. An approach that may improve response rates is the personalized utilization of oncolytic viruses against Glioblastoma (GBM), based on specific tumor- or patient-related characteristics. In this review, we discuss potential biomarkers for response to different OVs as well as emerging ex vivo assays that in the future may enable selection of optimal OV for a specific patient and design of stratified clinical OV trials for GBM.
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Reovirus and the Host Integrated Stress Response: On the Frontlines of the Battle to Survive. Viruses 2021; 13:v13020200. [PMID: 33525628 PMCID: PMC7910986 DOI: 10.3390/v13020200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells are continually exposed to stressful events, which are overcome by the activation of a number of genetic pathways. The integrated stress response (ISR) is a large component of the overall cellular response to stress, which ultimately functions through the phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF2α) to inhibit the energy-taxing process of translation. This response is instrumental in the inhibition of viral infection and contributes to evolution in viruses. Mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV), an oncolytic virus that has shown promise in over 30 phase I–III clinical trials, has been shown to induce multiple arms within the ISR pathway, but it successfully evades, modulates, or subverts each cellular attempt to inhibit viral translation. MRV has not yet received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for general use in the clinic; therefore, researchers continue to study virus interactions with host cells to identify circumstances where MRV effectiveness in tumor killing can be improved. In this review, we will discuss the ISR, MRV modulation of the ISR, and discuss ways in which MRV interaction with the ISR may increase the effectiveness of cancer therapeutics whose modes of action are altered by the ISR.
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Benedetti F, Sorrenti V, Buriani A, Fortinguerra S, Scapagnini G, Zella D. Resveratrol, Rapamycin and Metformin as Modulators of Antiviral Pathways. Viruses 2020; 12:v12121458. [PMID: 33348714 PMCID: PMC7766714 DOI: 10.3390/v12121458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Balanced nutrition and appropriate dietary interventions are fundamental in the prevention and management of viral infections. Additionally, accurate modulation of the inflammatory response is necessary to achieve an adequate antiviral immune response. Many studies, both in vitro with mammalian cells and in vivo with small animal models, have highlighted the antiviral properties of resveratrol, rapamycin and metformin. The current review outlines the mechanisms of action of these three important compounds on the cellular pathways involved with viral replication and the mechanisms of virus-related diseases, as well as the current status of their clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Benedetti
- Institute of Human Virology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Vincenzo Sorrenti
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Bendessere™ Study Center, Via Prima Strada 23/3, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Maria Paola Belloni Center for Personalized Medicine, Data Medica Group (Synlab Limited), 35100 Padova, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Buriani
- Maria Paola Belloni Center for Personalized Medicine, Data Medica Group (Synlab Limited), 35100 Padova, Italy;
| | | | - Giovanni Scapagnini
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (D.Z.)
| | - Davide Zella
- Institute of Human Virology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (D.Z.)
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Gilchrist VH, Jémus-Gonzalez E, Said A, Alain T. Kinase inhibitors with viral oncolysis: Unmasking pharmacoviral approaches for cancer therapy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 56:83-93. [PMID: 32690442 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
There are more than 500 kinases in the human genome, many of which are oncogenic once constitutively activated. Fortunately, numerous hyperactive kinases are druggable, and several targeted small molecule kinase inhibitors have demonstrated impressive clinical benefits in cancer treatment. However, their often cytostatic rather than cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, and the development of resistance mechanisms, remain significant limitations to these targeted therapies. Oncolytic viruses are an emerging class of immunotherapeutic agents with a specific oncotropic nature and excellent safety profile, highlighting them as a promising alternative to conventional therapeutic modalities. Nonetheless, the clinical efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy is challenged by immunological and physical barriers that limit viral delivery, replication, and spread within tumours. Several of these barriers are often associated with oncogenic kinase activity and, in some cases, worsened by the action of oncolytic viruses on kinase signaling during infection. What if inhibiting these kinases could potentiate the cancer-lytic and anti-tumour immune stimulating properties of oncolytic virotherapies? This could represent a paradigm shift in the use of specific kinase inhibitors in the clinic and provide a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of cancers. A phase III clinical trial combining the oncolytic Vaccinia virus Pexa-Vec with the kinase inhibitor Sorafenib was initiated. While this trial failed to show any benefits over Sorafenib monotherapy in patients with advanced liver cancer, several pre-clinical studies demonstrate that targeting kinases combined with oncolytic viruses have synergistic effects highlighting this strategy as a unique avenue to cancer therapy. Herein, we review the combinations of oncolytic viruses with kinase inhibitors reported in the literature and discuss the clinical opportunities that represent these pharmacoviral approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Heather Gilchrist
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Apoptosis Research Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Estephanie Jémus-Gonzalez
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Apoptosis Research Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Aida Said
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Apoptosis Research Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tommy Alain
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Apoptosis Research Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Cai R, Meng G, Li Y, Wang W, Diao Y, Zhao S, Feng Q, Tang Y. The oncolytic efficacy and safety of avian reovirus and its dynamic distribution in infected mice. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2019; 244:983-991. [PMID: 31299861 DOI: 10.1177/1535370219861928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is a major public health challenge that ranks as the third most common cause of cancer worldwide despite therapeutic improvement. Reovirus has been emerging as a potential anti-cancer agent and is undergoing multiple clinical trials, and it is reported that reovirus can preferentially cause the cell death of a variety of cancers in a manner of apoptosis. As few studies have reported the efficacy of oncolytic activity and safety profile of avian reovirus, in our study, LDH assay, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay were performed to demonstrate the oncolytic effects of avian reovirus against the HepG2 cells, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and animal experiments were conducted to investigate the dynamic distribution of avian reovirus in infected mice and then illustrate the safety and tissue tropism of avian reovirus. LDH assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay confirmed the efficacy of the oncotherapeutic effects of avian reovirus, and MTT assay has indicated that avian reovirus suppressed the proliferation of HepG2 cells and decreased their viability significantly. qRT-PCR revealed the dynamic distribution of avian reovirus in infected mice that avian reovirus might replicate better and have more powerful oncolytic activity in liver, kidney, and spleen tissues. Furthermore, histopathological examination clearly supported that avian reovirus appeared non-pathogenic to the normal host, so our study may provide the new insights and rationale for the new strategy of removing liver cancer. Impact statement We demonstrated the efficacy of oncolytic activity of avian reovirus (ARV) by LDH assay, MTT assay, DAPI staining, and flow cytometry assay, and also investigated the dynamic distribution of ARV in infected mice and then illustrated the safety and tissue tropism of ARV by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and animal experiments. Collectively, our study may provide the new insights and rationale for the new strategy of removing liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruimin Cai
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China.,2 Department of Public Health, Taishan Medical University, Taian 271000, China
| | - Guangyuan Meng
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China
| | - Yi Li
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China
| | - Wenyang Wang
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China
| | - Youxiang Diao
- 3 College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271000, China
| | - Shuping Zhao
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China
| | - Qiang Feng
- 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Taian Central Hospital, Taian 271000, China
| | - Yi Tang
- 3 College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271000, China
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Phan M, Watson MF, Alain T, Diallo JS. Oncolytic Viruses on Drugs: Achieving Higher Therapeutic Efficacy. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:1448-1467. [PMID: 30152676 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic expansion in the testing of oncolytic viruses (OVs) for the treatment of cancer. OVs are unique biotherapeutics that induce multimodal responses toward tumors, from direct cytopathic effects on cancer cells, to tumor associated blood vessel disruption, and ultimately potent stimulation of anti-tumor immune activation. These agents are highly targeted and can be efficacious as cancer treatments resulting in some patients experiencing complete tumor regression and even cures from OV monotherapy. However, most patients have limited responses with viral replication in tumors often found to be modest and transient. To augment OV replication, increase bystander killing of cancer cells, and/or stimulate stronger targeted anti-cancer immune responses, drug combination approaches have taken center stage for translation to the clinic. Here we comprehensively review drugs that have been combined with OVs to increase therapeutic efficacy, examining the proposed mechanisms of action, and we discuss trends in pharmaco-viral immunotherapeutic approaches currently being investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Phan
- Center for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Margaret F. Watson
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road Research Building 2, Second Floor, Room 2119, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Tommy Alain
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road Research Building 2, Second Floor, Room 2119, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Jean-Simon Diallo
- Center for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
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