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Gujar S, Pol JG, Kumar V, Lizarralde-Guerrero M, Konda P, Kroemer G, Bell JC. Tutorial: design, production and testing of oncolytic viruses for cancer immunotherapy. Nat Protoc 2024:10.1038/s41596-024-00985-1. [PMID: 38769145 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-024-00985-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent a novel class of cancer immunotherapy agents that preferentially infect and kill cancer cells and promote protective antitumor immunity. Furthermore, OVs can be used in combination with established or upcoming immunotherapeutic agents, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, to efficiently target a wide range of malignancies. The development of OV-based therapy involves three major steps before clinical evaluation: design, production and preclinical testing. OVs can be designed as natural or engineered strains and subsequently selected for their ability to kill a broad spectrum of cancer cells rather than normal, healthy cells. OV selection is further influenced by multiple factors, such as the availability of a specific viral platform, cancer cell permissivity, the need for genetic engineering to render the virus non-pathogenic and/or more effective and logistical considerations around the use of OVs within the laboratory or clinical setting. Selected OVs are then produced and tested for their anticancer potential by using syngeneic, xenograft or humanized preclinical models wherein immunocompromised and immunocompetent setups are used to elucidate their direct oncolytic ability as well as indirect immunotherapeutic potential in vivo. Finally, OVs demonstrating the desired anticancer potential progress toward translation in patients with cancer. This tutorial provides guidelines for the design, production and preclinical testing of OVs, emphasizing considerations specific to OV technology that determine their clinical utility as cancer immunotherapy agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashi Gujar
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jonathan G Pol
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France
- Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMICCa, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Vishnupriyan Kumar
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Manuela Lizarralde-Guerrero
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France
- Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMICCa, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Prathyusha Konda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guido Kroemer
- INSERM, U1138, Paris, France.
- Equipe 11 labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, UMS AMICCa, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.
| | - John C Bell
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Lin D, Shen Y, Liang T. Oncolytic virotherapy: basic principles, recent advances and future directions. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:156. [PMID: 37041165 PMCID: PMC10090134 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) have attracted growing awareness in the twenty-first century, as they are generally considered to have direct oncolysis and cancer immune effects. With the progress in genetic engineering technology, OVs have been adopted as versatile platforms for developing novel antitumor strategies, used alone or in combination with other therapies. Recent studies have yielded eye-catching results that delineate the promising clinical outcomes that OVs would bring about in the future. In this review, we summarized the basic principles of OVs in terms of their classifications, as well as the recent advances in OV-modification strategies based on their characteristics, biofunctions, and cancer hallmarks. Candidate OVs are expected to be designed as "qualified soldiers" first by improving target fidelity and safety, and then equipped with "cold weapons" for a proper cytocidal effect, "hot weapons" capable of activating cancer immunotherapy, or "auxiliary weapons" by harnessing tactics such as anti-angiogenesis, reversed metabolic reprogramming and decomposing extracellular matrix around tumors. Combinations with other cancer therapeutic agents have also been elaborated to show encouraging antitumor effects. Robust results from clinical trials using OV as a treatment congruously suggested its significance in future application directions and challenges in developing OVs as novel weapons for tactical decisions in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yinan Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Zhejiang Clinical Research Center of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- The Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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Lundstrom K. Therapeutic Applications for Oncolytic Self-Replicating RNA Viruses. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415622. [PMID: 36555262 PMCID: PMC9779410 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-replicating RNA viruses have become attractive delivery vehicles for therapeutic applications. They are easy to handle, can be rapidly produced in large quantities, and can be delivered as recombinant viral particles, naked or nanoparticle-encapsulated RNA, or plasmid DNA-based vectors. The self-replication of RNA in infected host cells provides the means for generating much higher transgene expression levels and the possibility to apply substantially reduced amounts of RNA to achieve similar expression levels or immune responses compared to conventional synthetic mRNA. Alphaviruses and flaviviruses, possessing a single-stranded RNA genome of positive polarity, as well as measles viruses and rhabdoviruses with a negative-stranded RNA genome, have frequently been utilized for therapeutic applications. Both naturally and engineered oncolytic self-replicating RNA viruses providing specific replication in tumor cells have been evaluated for cancer therapy. Therapeutic efficacy has been demonstrated in animal models. Furthermore, the safe application of oncolytic viruses has been confirmed in clinical trials. Multiple myeloma patients treated with an oncolytic measles virus (MV-NIS) resulted in increased T-cell responses against the measles virus and several tumor-associated antigen responses and complete remission in one patient. Furthermore, MV-CEA administration to patients with ovarian cancer resulted in a stable disease and more than doubled the median overall survival.
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Jin S, Wang Q, Wu H, Pang D, Xu S. Oncolytic viruses for triple negative breast cancer and beyond. Biomark Res 2021; 9:71. [PMID: 34563270 PMCID: PMC8466906 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-021-00318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological therapy is considered an alternative treatment capable of eliciting the same effects on tumors as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. As a major player in biological therapy, oncolytic viruses (OVs) have attracted great attention and achieved good results. Specifically, the successful application of OVs in head and neck cancer, as well as melanoma, promoted its research in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is a high-risk molecular type of breast cancer, characterized by strong invasion, easy recurrence, and metastasis. Due to the absence of estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as the absence of overexpression or gene amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), endocrine therapy and anti HER-2 targeted therapy have proven ineffective. Although chemotherapy has shown substantial efficacy in some TNBC patients, the occurrence of drug resistance and poor prognosis have prompted the exploration of new and effective treatment methods. The emerging concept of OVs provides a new platform to treat TNBC. Indeed, several studies have confirmed the therapeutic effects of OVs in TNBC. Numerous studies have also investigated the efficacy of OVs in other malignances, including solid tumor clinical trials, thus further demonstrating the promising application of oncolytic virotherapy for TNBC. The primary focus of the current review is the examination of OV mechanisms underlying their antitumor properties, while also summarizing the ongoing progress in OV research regarding TNBC treatment, as well as the various combinatorial strategies comprising OVs and other therapies. We also briefly introduce specific relevant clinical trials and discuss some of the progress in the research of novel OVs for the treatment of other malignancies, thereby affirming the significant therapeutic potential of OVs for the treatment of TNBC, as well as other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengye Jin
- Harbin Medical University, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150086, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Qin Wang
- Sino-Russian Medical Research Cen8ter, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China.,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150086, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Harbin Medical University, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 1550081, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China.,Sino-Russian Medical Research Cen8ter, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China.,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Harbin Medical University, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 1550081, China
| | - Da Pang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China. .,Sino-Russian Medical Research Cen8ter, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China. .,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150086, China.
| | - Shouping Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 150081, China. .,Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, 157 Baojian Road, Harbin, 150086, China. .,Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Harbin Medical University, 150 Haping Road, Harbin, 1550081, China.
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Zhang J, Liu Y, Tan J, Zhang Y, Wong CW, Lin Z, Liu X, Sander M, Yang X, Liang L, Song D, Dan J, Zhou Y, Cai J, Lin Y, Liang J, Hu J, Yan G, Zhu W. Necroptotic virotherapy of oncolytic alphavirus M1 cooperated with Doxorubicin displays promising therapeutic efficacy in TNBC. Oncogene 2021; 40:4783-4795. [PMID: 34155344 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01869-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive molecular subtype among breast tumors and remains a challenge even for the most current therapeutic regimes. Here, we demonstrate that oncolytic alphavirus M1 effectively kills both TNBC and non-TNBC. ER-stress and apoptosis pathways are responsible for the cell death in non-TNBC as reported in other cancer types, yet the cell death in TNBC does not depend on these pathways. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that the M1 virus activates necroptosis in TNBC, which can be pharmacologically blocked by necroptosis inhibitors. By screening a library of clinically available compounds commonly used for breast cancer treatment, we find that Doxorubicin enhances the oncolytic effect of the M1 virus by up to 100-fold specifically in TNBC in vitro, and significantly stalls the tumor growth of TNBC in vivo, through promoting intratumoral virus replication and further triggering apoptosis in addition to necroptosis. These findings reveal a novel antitumor mechanism and a new combination regimen of the M1 oncolytic virus in TNBC, and highlight a need to bridge molecular diagnosis with virotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600# Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jingyi Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yanming Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Chun-Wa Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ziqing Lin
- Guangzhou Virotech Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, #3 Lanyue Road, Science Park, Guangzhou, 510663, China
| | - Xincheng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Max Sander
- Guangzhou Virotech Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, #3 Lanyue Road, Science Park, Guangzhou, 510663, China
| | - Xiaozhi Yang
- Guangzhou Virotech Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, #3 Lanyue Road, Science Park, Guangzhou, 510663, China
| | - Lebin Liang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Deli Song
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jia Dan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yuwei Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiankai Liang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Guangmei Yan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Wenbo Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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