1
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Li M, Zhang M, Ye Q, Liu Y, Qian W. Preclinical and clinical trials of oncolytic vaccinia virus in cancer immunotherapy: a comprehensive review. Cancer Biol Med 2023; 20:j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0202. [PMID: 37615308 PMCID: PMC10546091 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2023.0202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment for human cancers owing to an ability to elicit curative effects via systemic administration. Tumor cells often create an unfavorable immunosuppressive microenvironment that degrade viral structures and impede viral replication; however, recent studies have established that viruses altered via genetic modifications can serve as effective oncolytic agents to combat hostile tumor environments. Specifically, oncolytic vaccinia virus (OVV) has gained popularity owing to its safety, potential for systemic delivery, and large gene insertion capacity. This review highlights current research on the use of engineered mutated viruses and gene-armed OVVs to reverse the tumor microenvironment and enhance antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo, and provides an overview of ongoing clinical trials and combination therapies. In addition, we discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of OVV as a cancer therapy, and explore different perspectives in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Li
- Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Minghuan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Qian Ye
- Hangzhou Rong-Gu Biotechnology Limited Company, Hangzhou 310056, China
| | - Yunhua Liu
- Department of Pathology & Pathophysiology and Department of Surgical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Wenbin Qian
- Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
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2
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Wang Y. Rendezvous with Vaccinia Virus in the Post-smallpox Era: R&D Advances. Viruses 2023; 15:1742. [PMID: 37632084 PMCID: PMC10457812 DOI: 10.3390/v15081742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Smallpox was eradicated in less than 200 years after Edward Jenner's practice of cowpox variolation in 1796. The forty-three years of us living free of smallpox, beginning in 1979, never truly separated us from poxviruses. The recent outbreak of monkeypox in May 2022 might well warn us of the necessity of keeping up both the scientific research and public awareness of poxviruses. One of them in particular, the vaccinia virus (VACV), has been extensively studied as a vector given its broad host range, extraordinary thermal stability, and exceptional immunogenicity. Unceasing fundamental biological research on VACV provides us with a better understanding of its genetic elements, involvement in cellular signaling pathways, and modulation of host immune responses. This enables the rational design of safer and more efficacious next-generation vectors. To address the new technological advancement within the past decade in VACV research, this review covers the studies of viral immunomodulatory genes, modifications in commonly used vectors, novel mechanisms for rapid generation and purification of recombinant virus, and several other innovative approaches to studying its biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Wang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, 40 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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3
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Perdiguero B, Pérez P, Marcos-Villar L, Albericio G, Astorgano D, Álvarez E, Sin L, Elena Gómez C, García-Arriaza J, Esteban M. Highly attenuated poxvirus-based vaccines against emerging viral diseases. J Mol Biol 2023:168173. [PMID: 37301278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although one member of the poxvirus family, variola virus, has caused one of the most devastating human infections worldwide, smallpox, the knowledge gained over the last 30 years on the molecular, virological and immunological mechanisms of these viruses has allowed the use of members of this family as vectors for the generation of recombinant vaccines against numerous pathogens. In this review, we cover different aspects of the history and biology of poxviruses with emphasis on their application as vaccines, from first- to fourth-generation, against smallpox, monkeypox, emerging viral diseases highlighted by the World Health Organization (COVID-19, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola and Marburg virus diseases, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome, Nipah and other henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever and Zika), as well as against one of the most concerning prevalent virus, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the causative agent of AcquiredImmunodeficiency Syndrome. We discuss the implications in human health of the 2022 monkeypox epidemic affecting many countries, and the rapid prophylactic and therapeutic measures adopted to control virus dissemination within the human population. We also describe the preclinical and clinical evaluation of the Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara and New York vaccinia virus poxviral strains expressing heterologous antigens from the viral diseases listed above. Finally, we report different approaches to improve the immunogenicity and efficacy of poxvirus-based vaccine candidates, such as deletion of immunomodulatory genes, insertion of host-range genes and enhanced transcription of foreign genes through modified viral promoters. Some future prospects are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Perdiguero
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Patricia Pérez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Laura Marcos-Villar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Albericio
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Astorgano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Álvarez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Elena Gómez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan García-Arriaza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Shakiba Y, Vorobyev PO, Mahmoud M, Hamad A, Kochetkov DV, Yusubalieva GM, Baklaushev VP, Chumakov PM, Lipatova AV. Recombinant Strains of Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus for Cancer Immunotherapy. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:823-841. [PMID: 37748878 DOI: 10.1134/s000629792306010x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Cancer virotherapy is an alternative therapeutic approach based on the viruses that selectively infect and kill tumor cells. Vaccinia virus (VV) is a member of the Poxviridae, a family of enveloped viruses with a large linear double-stranded DNA genome. The proven safety of the VV strains as well as considerable transgene capacity of the viral genome, make VV an excellent platform for creating recombinant oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy. Furthermore, various genetic modifications can increase tumor selectivity and therapeutic efficacy of VV by arming it with the immune-modulatory genes or proapoptotic molecules, boosting the host immune system, and increasing cross-priming recognition of the tumor cells by T-cells or NK cells. In this review, we summarized the data on bioengineering approaches to develop recombinant VV strains for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Shakiba
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia.
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Pavel O Vorobyev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Marah Mahmoud
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Azzam Hamad
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Dmitriy V Kochetkov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Gaukhar M Yusubalieva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
- Federal Research Clinical Center for Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies, Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Moscow, 115682, Russia
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the FMBA of Russia, Moscow, 117513, Russia
| | - Vladimir P Baklaushev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
- Federal Research Clinical Center for Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies, Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), Moscow, 115682, Russia
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the FMBA of Russia, Moscow, 117513, Russia
| | - Peter M Chumakov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Anastasia V Lipatova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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5
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Riederer S, Del Canizo A, Navas J, Peter MG, Link EK, Sutter G, Rojas JJ. Improving poxvirus-mediated antitumor immune responses by deleting viral cGAMP-specific nuclease. Cancer Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41417-023-00610-5. [PMID: 37016144 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00610-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
cGAMP-specific nucleases (poxins) are a recently described family of proteins dedicated to obstructing cyclic GMP-AMP synthase signaling (cGAS), an important sensor triggered by cytoplasmic viral replication that activates type I interferon (IFN) production. The B2R gene of vaccinia viruses (VACV) codes for one of these nucleases. Here, we evaluated the effects of inactivating the VACV B2 nuclease in the context of an oncolytic VACV. VACV are widely used as anti-cancer vectors due to their capacity to activate immune responses directed against tumor antigens. We aimed to elicit robust antitumor immunity by preventing viral inactivation of the cGAS/STING/IRF3 pathway after infection of cancer cells. Activation of such a pathway is associated with a dominant T helper 1 (Th1) cell differentiation of the response, which benefits antitumor outcomes. Deletion of the B2R gene resulted in enhanced IRF3 phosphorylation and type I IFN expression after infection of tumor cells, while effective VACV replication remained unimpaired, both in vitro and in vivo. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, the absence of the VACV cGAMP-specific nuclease translated into improved antitumor activity, which was associated with antitumor immunity directed against tumor epitopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Riederer
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ana Del Canizo
- Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapies, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona-UB, Barcelona, Spain
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Navas
- Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapies, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona-UB, Barcelona, Spain
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marlowe G Peter
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ellen K Link
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gerd Sutter
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Juan J Rojas
- Division of Virology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapies, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona-UB, Barcelona, Spain.
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Cancer Group, Oncobell Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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6
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Lum FM, Torres-Ruesta A, Tay MZ, Lin RTP, Lye DC, Rénia L, Ng LFP. Monkeypox: disease epidemiology, host immunity and clinical interventions. Nat Rev Immunol 2022; 22:597-613. [PMID: 36064780 PMCID: PMC9443635 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-022-00775-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Monkeypox virus (MPXV), which causes disease in humans, has for many years been restricted to the African continent, with only a handful of sporadic cases in other parts of the world. However, unprecedented outbreaks of monkeypox in non-endemic regions have recently taken the world by surprise. In less than 4 months, the number of detected MPXV infections has soared to more than 48,000 cases, recording a total of 13 deaths. In this Review, we discuss the clinical, epidemiological and immunological features of MPXV infections. We also highlight important research questions and new opportunities to tackle the ongoing monkeypox outbreak. In this Review, Ng and colleagues examine the clinical, epidemiological and immunological aspects of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infections, with a focus on mechanisms of host immunity to MPXV. The authors also consider the unique epidemiological and pathological characteristics of the current non-endemic outbreak of the virus and discuss vaccines, therapeutics and outstanding research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fok-Moon Lum
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anthony Torres-Ruesta
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Matthew Z Tay
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Raymond T P Lin
- National Public Health Laboratory, Singapore, Singapore.,National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - David C Lye
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Laurent Rénia
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lisa F P Ng
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore. .,National Institute of Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. .,Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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7
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Verburg SG, Lelievre RM, Westerveld MJ, Inkol JM, Sun YL, Workenhe ST. Viral-mediated activation and inhibition of programmed cell death. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010718. [PMID: 35951530 PMCID: PMC9371342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses are ubiquitous intracellular genetic parasites that heavily rely on the infected cell to complete their replication life cycle. This dependency on the host machinery forces viruses to modulate a variety of cellular processes including cell survival and cell death. Viruses are known to activate and block almost all types of programmed cell death (PCD) known so far. Modulating PCD in infected hosts has a variety of direct and indirect effects on viral pathogenesis and antiviral immunity. The mechanisms leading to apoptosis following virus infection is widely studied, but several modalities of PCD, including necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and paraptosis, are relatively understudied. In this review, we cover the mechanisms by which viruses activate and inhibit PCDs and suggest perspectives on how these affect viral pathogenesis and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayla Grace Verburg
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | | | | | - Jordon Marcus Inkol
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Yi Lin Sun
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Samuel Tekeste Workenhe
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
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8
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Gong Z, Gao X, Yang Q, Lun J, Xiao H, Zhong J, Cao H. Phosphorylation of ERK-Dependent NF-κB Triggers NLRP3 Inflammasome Mediated by Vimentin in EV71-Infected Glioblastoma Cells. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27134190. [PMID: 35807435 PMCID: PMC9268588 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27134190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a dominant pathogenic agent that may cause severe central nervous system (CNS) diseases among infants and young children in the Asia-pacific. The inflammasome is closely implicated in EV71-induced CNS injuries through a series of signaling pathways. However, the activation pathway of NLRP3 inflammasome involved in EV71-mediated CNS injuries remains poorly defined. In the studies, EV71 infection, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and activation of NLRP3 are abolished in glioblastoma cells with low vimentin expression by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown. PD098059, an inhibitor of p-ERK, remarkably blocks the vimentin-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in EV71-infected cells. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 is dependent on p-ERK in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, NLRP3 activation and caspase-1 production are limited in EV71-infected cells upon the caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) administration, an inhibitor of NF-κB, which contributes to the inflammasome regulation. In conclusion, these results suggest that EV71-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome could be activated via the VIM-ERK-NF-κB pathway, and the treatment of the dephosphorylation of ERK and NF-κB inhibitors is beneficial to host defense in EV71-infected CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelong Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xuefeng Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Qingqing Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jingxian Lun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Hansen Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jiayu Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
- Center Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (Z.G.); (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (J.L.); (H.X.); (J.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +020-61648723
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9
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Ho TY, Mealiea D, Okamoto L, Stojdl DF, McCart JA. Deletion of immunomodulatory genes as a novel approach to oncolytic vaccinia virus development. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2021; 22:85-97. [PMID: 34514091 PMCID: PMC8411212 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Vaccinia virus (VV) has emerged as a promising platform for oncolytic virotherapy. Many clinical VV candidates, such as the double-deleted VV, vvDD, are engineered with deletions that enhance viral tumor selectivity based on cellular proliferation rates. An alternative approach is to exploit the dampened interferon-based innate immune responses of tumor cells by deleting one of the many VV immunomodulatory genes expressed to dismantle the antiviral response. We hypothesized that such a VV mutant would be attenuated in non-tumor cells but retain the ability to effectively propagate in and kill tumor cells, yielding a tumor-selective oncolytic VV with significant anti-tumor potency. In this study, we demonstrated that VVs with a deletion in one of several VV immunomodulatory genes (N1L, K1L, K3L, A46R, or A52R) have similar or improved in vitro replication, spread, and cytotoxicity in colon and ovarian cancer cells compared to vvDD. These deletion mutants are tumor selective, and the best performing candidates (ΔK1L, ΔA46R, and ΔA52R VV) are associated with significant improvement in survival, as well as immunomodulation, within the tumor environment. Overall, we show that exploiting the diminished antiviral responses in tumors serves as an effective strategy for generating tumor-selective and potent oncolytic VVs, with important implications in future oncolytic virus (OV) design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Y Ho
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 280 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - David Mealiea
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 280 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Stewart Building, 149 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1P5, Canada
| | - Lili Okamoto
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 280 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - David F Stojdl
- Department of Biology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa ON K1H 5B2, Canada
| | - J Andrea McCart
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 280 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Stewart Building, 149 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1P5, Canada
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10
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Richard HB, Minder S, Sidhu A, Juba AN, Jancovich JK, Jacobs BL, Wellensiek BP. Optimization of translation enhancing element use to increase protein expression in a vaccinia virus system. J Gen Virol 2021; 102. [PMID: 34382930 PMCID: PMC8513643 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the successful use of vaccinia virus (VACV) in the immunization strategies to eliminate smallpox, research has been focused on the development of recombinant VACV strains expressing proteins from various pathogens. Attempts at decreasing the side effects associated with exposure to recombinant, wild-type viral strains have led to the development of attenuated viruses. Yet while these attenuated VACV's have improved safety profiles compared to unmodified strains, their clinical use has been hindered due to efficacy issues in stimulating a host immune response. This deficiency has largely been attributed to decreased production of the target protein for immunization. Efforts to increase protein production from attenuated VACV strains has largely centered around modulation of viral factors, while manipulation of the translation of viral mRNAs has been largely unexplored. In this study we evaluate the use of translation enhancing element hTEE-658 to increase recombinant protein production in an attenuated VACV system. Optimization of the use of this motif is also attempted by combining it with strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in previous research. We show that extension of the 5' leader sequence containing hTEE-658 does not improve motif function, nor does the combination with other known translation enhancing elements. However, the sole use of hTEE-658 in an attenuated VACV system is shown to increase protein expression levels beyond those of a standard viral promoter when used with a wild-type virus. Taken together these results highlight the potential for hTEE-658 to improve the effectiveness of attenuated VACV vaccine candidates and give insights into the optimal sequence context for its use in vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold B Richard
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Stephanie Minder
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Amandeep Sidhu
- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - Amber N Juba
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
| | - James K Jancovich
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, CA 92078, USA
| | - Bertram L Jacobs
- Biodesign Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Brian P Wellensiek
- Biomedical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA
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11
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Lant S, Maluquer de Motes C. Poxvirus Interactions with the Host Ubiquitin System. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10081034. [PMID: 34451498 PMCID: PMC8399815 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin system has emerged as a master regulator of many, if not all, cellular functions. With its large repertoire of conjugating and ligating enzymes, the ubiquitin system holds a unique mechanism to provide selectivity and specificity in manipulating protein function. As intracellular parasites viruses have evolved to modulate the cellular environment to facilitate replication and subvert antiviral responses. Poxviruses are a large family of dsDNA viruses with large coding capacity that is used to synthetise proteins and enzymes needed for replication and morphogenesis as well as suppression of host responses. This review summarises our current knowledge on how poxvirus functions rely on the cellular ubiquitin system, and how poxviruses exploit this system to their own advantage, either facilitating uncoating and genome release and replication or rewiring ubiquitin ligases to downregulate critical antiviral factors. Whilst much remains to be known about the intricate interactions established between poxviruses and the host ubiquitin system, our knowledge has revealed crucial viral processes and important restriction factors that open novel avenues for antiviral treatment and provide fundamental insights on the biology of poxviruses and other virus families.
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12
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Ma J, Jin C, Čančer M, Wang H, Ramachandran M, Yu D. Concurrent expression of HP-NAP enhances antitumor efficacy of oncolytic vaccinia virus but not for Semliki Forest virus. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 21:356-366. [PMID: 34141872 PMCID: PMC8182386 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent promising therapeutic agents for cancer therapy by selective oncolysis and induction of anti-tumor immunity. OVs can be engineered to express tumor-associated antigens and immune-modulating agents to provoke stronger antitumor immunity. Here, we engineered vaccinia virus (VV) and Semliki Forest virus (SFV) to express neuroblastoma-associated antigen disialoganglioside (GD2) and the immune modulator Helicobacter pylori neutrophil-activating protein (NAP) and compared their therapeutic potency. Oncolytic VV did not exhibit any antitumor benefits, whereas SFV was able to delay subcutaneous neuroblastoma (NXS2) tumor growth. Additional expression of the GD2 mimotope (GD2m) by VV-GD2m or SFV-GD2m did not improve their anti-tumor capacity compared to the parent viruses. Further arming these OVs with NAP resulted in contrasting anti-tumor efficacy. VV (VV-GD2m-NAP) significantly improved therapeutic efficacy compared to VV-GD2m, which was also associated with a significantly elevated anti-GD2 antibody, whereas there was no additive antitumor efficacy for SFV-GD2m-NAP compared to SFV-GD2m, nor was the anti-GD2 antibody response improved. Instead, NAP induced higher neutralizing antibodies against SFV. These observations suggest that distinct immune stimulation profiles are elicited when the same immunostimulatory factor is expressed by different OVs. Therefore, careful consideration and detailed characterization are needed when engineering OVs with immune-modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Chuan Jin
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Matko Čančer
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hai Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mohanraj Ramachandran
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Di Yu
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden
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13
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Shahryari A, Burtscher I, Nazari Z, Lickert H. Engineering Gene Therapy: Advances and Barriers. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Shahryari
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
- School of Medicine Department of Human Genetics Technical University of Munich Klinikum Rechts der Isar 81675 München Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
- Stem Cell Research Center Golestan University of Medical Sciences Gorgan 49341‐74515 Iran
| | - Ingo Burtscher
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
| | - Zahra Nazari
- Department of Biology School of Basic Sciences Golestan University Gorgan 49361‐79142 Iran
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
- School of Medicine Department of Human Genetics Technical University of Munich Klinikum Rechts der Isar 81675 München Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research Helmholtz Zentrum München 85764 Neuherberg Germany
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14
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Di Pilato M, Palomino-Segura M, Mejías-Pérez E, Gómez CE, Rubio-Ponce A, D'Antuono R, Pizzagalli DU, Pérez P, Kfuri-Rubens R, Benguría A, Dopazo A, Ballesteros I, Sorzano COS, Hidalgo A, Esteban M, Gonzalez SF. Neutrophil subtypes shape HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses after vaccinia virus infection. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:52. [PMID: 33846352 PMCID: PMC8041892 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00314-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are innate immune cells involved in the elimination of pathogens and can also induce adaptive immune responses. Nα and Nβ neutrophils have been described with distinct in vitro capacity to generate antigen-specific CD8 T-cell responses. However, how these cell types exert their role in vivo and how manipulation of Nβ/Nα ratio influences vaccine-mediated immune responses are not known. In this study, we find that these neutrophil subtypes show distinct migratory and motility patterns and different ability to interact with CD8 T cells in the spleen following vaccinia virus (VACV) infection. Moreover, after analysis of adhesion, inflammatory, and migration markers, we observe that Nβ neutrophils overexpress the α4β1 integrin compared to Nα. Finally, by inhibiting α4β1 integrin, we increase the Nβ/Nα ratio and enhance CD8 T-cell responses to HIV VACV-delivered antigens. These findings provide significant advancements in the comprehension of neutrophil-based control of adaptive immune system and their relevance in vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Di Pilato
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain. .,Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. .,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Miguel Palomino-Segura
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Area of Cell & Developmental Biology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ernesto Mejías-Pérez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Max von Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Carmen E Gómez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Rubio-Ponce
- Area of Cell & Developmental Biology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain.,Bioinformatics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocco D'Antuono
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Crick Advanced Light Microscopy Science and Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Ulisse Pizzagalli
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Institute of Computational Science, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Pérez
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raphael Kfuri-Rubens
- Center of Integrated Protein Science Munich and Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Alberto Benguría
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Dopazo
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iván Ballesteros
- Area of Cell & Developmental Biology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Oscar S Sorzano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Hidalgo
- Area of Cell & Developmental Biology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Santiago F Gonzalez
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
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15
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Suraweera CD, Hinds MG, Kvansakul M. Poxviral Strategies to Overcome Host Cell Apoptosis. Pathogens 2020; 10:pathogens10010006. [PMID: 33374867 PMCID: PMC7823800 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis is a form of cellular suicide initiated either via extracellular (extrinsic apoptosis) or intracellular (intrinsic apoptosis) cues. This form of programmed cell death plays a crucial role in development and tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms and its dysregulation is an underlying cause for many diseases. Intrinsic apoptosis is regulated by members of the evolutionarily conserved B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family, a family that consists of pro- and anti-apoptotic members. Bcl-2 genes have also been assimilated by numerous viruses including pox viruses, in particular the sub-family of chordopoxviridae, a group of viruses known to infect almost all vertebrates. The viral Bcl-2 proteins are virulence factors and aid the evasion of host immune defenses by mimicking the activity of their cellular counterparts. Viral Bcl-2 genes have proved essential for the survival of virus infected cells and structural studies have shown that though they often share very little sequence identity with their cellular counterparts, they have near-identical 3D structures. However, their mechanisms of action are varied. In this review, we examine the structural biology, molecular interactions, and detailed mechanism of action of poxvirus encoded apoptosis inhibitors and how they impact on host–virus interactions to ultimately enable successful infection and propagation of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathura D. Suraweera
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia;
| | - Mark G. Hinds
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Correspondence: (M.G.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Marc Kvansakul
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia;
- Correspondence: (M.G.H.); (M.K.)
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16
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Struzik J, Szulc-Dąbrowska L. NF-κB as an Important Factor in Optimizing Poxvirus-Based Vaccines against Viral Infections. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9121001. [PMID: 33260450 PMCID: PMC7760304 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Poxviruses are large dsDNA viruses that are regarded as good candidates for vaccine vectors. Because the members of the Poxviridae family encode numerous immunomodulatory proteins in their genomes, it is necessary to carry out certain modifications in poxviral candidates for vaccine vectors to improve the vaccine. Currently, several poxvirus-based vaccines targeted at viral infections are under development. One of the important aspects of the influence of poxviruses on the immune system is that they encode a large array of inhibitors of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), which is the key element of both innate and adaptive immunity. Importantly, the NF-κB transcription factor induces the mechanisms associated with adaptive immunological memory involving the activation of effector and memory T cells upon vaccination. Since poxviruses encode various NF-κB inhibitor proteins, before the use of poxviral vaccine vectors, modifications that influence NF-κB activation and consequently affect the immunogenicity of the vaccine should be carried out. This review focuses on NF-κB as an essential factor in the optimization of poxviral vaccines against viral infections.
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17
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Pelin A, Boulton S, Tamming LA, Bell JC, Singaravelu R. Engineering vaccinia virus as an immunotherapeutic battleship to overcome tumor heterogeneity. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 20:1083-1097. [PMID: 32297534 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2020.1757066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immunotherapy is a rapidly evolving area of cancer therapeutics aimed at driving a systemic immune response to fight cancer. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are at the cutting-edge of innovation in the immunotherapy field. Successful OV platforms must be effective in reshaping the tumor microenvironment and controlling tumor burden, but also be highly specific to avoid off-target side effects. Large DNA viruses, like vaccinia virus (VACV), have a large coding capacity, enabling the encoding of multiple immunostimulatory transgenes to reshape the tumor immune microenvironment. VACV-based OVs have shown promising results in both pre-clinical and clinical studies, including safe and efficient intravenous delivery to metastatic tumors. AREA COVERED This review summarizes attenuation strategies to generate a recombinant VACV with optimal tumor selectivity and immunogenicity. In addition, we discuss immunomodulatory transgenes that have been introduced into VACV and summarize their effectiveness in controlling tumor burden. EXPERT OPINION VACV encodes several immunomodulatory genes which aid the virus in overcoming innate and adaptive immune responses. Strategic deletion of these virulence factors will enable an optimal balance between viral persistence and immunogenicity, robust tumor-specific expression of payloads and promotion of a systemic anti-cancer immune response. Rational selection of therapeutic transgenes will maximize the efficacy of OVs and their synergy in combinatorial immunotherapy schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Pelin
- Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen Boulton
- Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Levi A Tamming
- Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John C Bell
- Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ragunath Singaravelu
- Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Umer BA, Noyce RS, Franczak BC, Shenouda MM, Kelly RG, Favis NA, Desaulniers M, Baldwin TA, Hitt MM, Evans DH. Deciphering the Immunomodulatory Capacity of Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus to Enhance the Immune Response to Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res 2020; 8:618-631. [PMID: 32127390 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Vaccinia virus (VACV) is a double-stranded DNA virus that devotes a large portion of its 200 kbp genome to suppressing and manipulating the immune response of its host. Here, we investigated how targeted removal of immunomodulatory genes from the VACV genome impacted immune cells in the tumor microenvironment with the intention of improving the therapeutic efficacy of VACV in breast cancer. We performed a head-to-head comparison of six mutant oncolytic VACVs, each harboring deletions in genes that modulate different cellular pathways, such as nucleotide metabolism, apoptosis, inflammation, and chemokine and interferon signaling. We found that even minor changes to the VACV genome can impact the immune cell compartment in the tumor microenvironment. Viral genome modifications had the capacity to alter lymphocytic and myeloid cell compositions in tumors and spleens, PD-1 expression, and the percentages of virus-targeted and tumor-targeted CD8+ T cells. We observed that while some gene deletions improved responses in the nonimmunogenic 4T1 tumor model, very little therapeutic improvement was seen in the immunogenic HER2/neu TuBo model with the various genome modifications. We observed that the most promising candidate genes for deletion were those that interfere with interferon signaling. Collectively, this research helped focus attention on the pathways that modulate the immune response in the context of VACV oncolytic virotherapy. They also suggest that the greatest benefits to be obtained with these treatments may not always be seen in "hot tumors."
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Umer
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan S Noyce
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Brian C Franczak
- Department of Statistics, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mira M Shenouda
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rees G Kelly
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole A Favis
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Megan Desaulniers
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Troy A Baldwin
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mary M Hitt
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David H Evans
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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19
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Pérez P, Marín MQ, Lázaro-Frías A, Sorzano CÓS, Gómez CE, Esteban M, García-Arriaza J. Deletion of Vaccinia Virus A40R Gene Improves the Immunogenicity of the HIV-1 Vaccine Candidate MVA-B. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010070. [PMID: 32041218 PMCID: PMC7158668 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of a safe and efficacious vaccine against the HIV/AIDS pandemic remains a major scientific goal. We previously described an HIV/AIDS vaccine based on the modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) expressing HIV-1 gp120 and Gag-Pol-Nef (GPN) of clade B (termed MVA-B), which showed moderate immunogenicity in phase I prophylactic and therapeutic clinical trials. Here, to improve the immunogenicity of MVA-B, we generated a novel recombinant virus, MVA-B ΔA40R, by deleting in the MVA-B genome the vaccinia virus (VACV) A40R gene, which encodes a protein with unknown immune function. The innate immune responses triggered by MVA-B ΔA40R in infected human macrophages, in comparison to parental MVA-B, revealed an increase in the mRNA expression levels of interferon (IFN)-β, IFN-induced genes, and chemokines. Compared to priming with DNA-B (a mixture of DNA-gp120 plus DNA-GPN) and boosting with MVA-B, mice immunized with a DNA-B/MVA-B ΔA40R regimen induced higher magnitude of adaptive and memory HIV-1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immune responses that were highly polyfunctional, mainly directed against Env. and of an effector memory phenotype, together with enhanced levels of antibodies against HIV-1 gp120. Reintroduction of the A40R gene into the MVA-B ΔA40R genome (virus termed MVA-B ΔA40R-rev) promoted in infected cells high mRNA and protein A40 levels, with A40 protein localized in the cell membrane. MVA-B ΔA40R-rev significantly reduced mRNA levels of IFN-β and of several other innate immune-related genes in infected human macrophages. In immunized mice, MVA-B ΔA40R-rev reduced the magnitude of the HIV-1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses compared to MVA-B ΔA40R. These results revealed an immunosuppressive role of the A40 protein, findings relevant for the optimization of poxvirus vectors as vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Pérez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
| | - María Q. Marín
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Adrián Lázaro-Frías
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Carlos Óscar S. Sorzano
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Carmen E. Gómez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Juan García-Arriaza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (P.P.); (M.Q.M.); (A.L.-F.); (C.E.G.); (M.E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-915-854-560
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20
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Sheean ME, Malikova E, Duarte D, Capovilla G, Fregonese L, Hofer MP, Magrelli A, Mariz S, Mendez-Hermida F, Nistico R, Leest T, Sipsas NV, Tsigkos S, Vitezic D, Larsson K, Sepodes B, Stoyanova-Beninska V. Nonclinical data supporting orphan medicinal product designations in the area of rare infectious diseases. Drug Discov Today 2019; 25:274-291. [PMID: 31704277 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This review provides an overview of nonclinical in vivo models that can be used to support orphan designation in selected rare infectious diseases in Europe, with the aim to inform and stimulate the planning of nonclinical development in this area of often neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Sheean
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Helmholz Association, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Eva Malikova
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; State Institute for Drug Control, Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Comenius University, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Dinah Duarte
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; INFARMED - Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Giuseppe Capovilla
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; C. Poma Hospital, Mantova, Italy; Fondazione Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Fregonese
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias P Hofer
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Armando Magrelli
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Segundo Mariz
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Mendez-Hermida
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios, Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert Nistico
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Malta Medicines Authority, San Ġwann, Malta
| | - Tim Leest
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; The Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nikolaos V Sipsas
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stelios Tsigkos
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dinko Vitezic
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; University of Rijeka Medical School and University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Kristina Larsson
- Orphan Medicines Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bruno Sepodes
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; INFARMED - Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento, Lisbon, Portugal; Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Farmácia, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Violeta Stoyanova-Beninska
- Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Medicines Evaluation Board, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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21
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Parekh NJ, Krouse TE, Reider IE, Hobbs RP, Ward BM, Norbury CC. Type I interferon-dependent CCL4 is induced by a cGAS/STING pathway that bypasses viral inhibition and protects infected tissue, independent of viral burden. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007778. [PMID: 31603920 PMCID: PMC6808495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Type I interferons (T1-IFN) are critical in the innate immune response, acting upon infected and uninfected cells to initiate an antiviral state by expressing genes that inhibit multiple stages of the lifecycle of many viruses. T1-IFN triggers the production of Interferon-Stimulated Genes (ISGs), activating an antiviral program that reduces virus replication. The importance of the T1-IFN response is highlighted by the evolution of viral evasion strategies to inhibit the production or action of T1-IFN in virus-infected cells. T1-IFN is produced via activation of pathogen sensors within infected cells, a process that is targeted by virus-encoded immunomodulatory molecules. This is probably best exemplified by the prototypic poxvirus, Vaccinia virus (VACV), which uses at least 6 different mechanisms to completely block the production of T1-IFN within infected cells in vitro. Yet, mice lacking aspects of T1-IFN signaling are often more susceptible to infection with many viruses, including VACV, than wild-type mice. How can these opposing findings be rationalized? The cytosolic DNA sensor cGAS has been implicated in immunity to VACV, but has yet to be linked to the production of T1-IFN in response to VACV infection. Indeed, there are two VACV-encoded proteins that effectively prevent cGAS-mediated activation of T1-IFN. We find that the majority of VACV-infected cells in vivo do not produce T1-IFN, but that a small subset of VACV-infected cells in vivo utilize cGAS to sense VACV and produce T1-IFN to protect infected mice. The protective effect of T1-IFN is not mediated via ISG-mediated control of virus replication. Rather, T1-IFN drives increased expression of CCL4, which recruits inflammatory monocytes that constrain the VACV lesion in a virus replication-independent manner by limiting spread within the tissue. Our findings have broad implications in our understanding of pathogen detection and viral evasion in vivo, and highlight a novel immune strategy to protect infected tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil J. Parekh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Tracy E. Krouse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Irene E. Reider
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ryan P. Hobbs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Christopher C. Norbury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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22
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Guo ZS, Lu B, Guo Z, Giehl E, Feist M, Dai E, Liu W, Storkus WJ, He Y, Liu Z, Bartlett DL. Vaccinia virus-mediated cancer immunotherapy: cancer vaccines and oncolytics. J Immunother Cancer 2019; 7:6. [PMID: 30626434 PMCID: PMC6325819 DOI: 10.1186/s40425-018-0495-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines and oncolytic immunotherapy are promising treatment strategies with potential to provide greater clinical benefit to patients with advanced-stage cancer. In particular, recombinant vaccinia viruses (VV) hold great promise as interventional agents. In this article, we first summarize the current understanding of virus biology and viral genes involved in host-virus interactions to further improve the utility of these agents in therapeutic applications. We then discuss recent findings from basic and clinical studies using VV as cancer vaccines and oncolytic immunotherapies. Despite encouraging results gleaned from translational studies in animal models, clinical trials implementing VV vectors alone as cancer vaccines have yielded largely disappointing results. However, the combination of VV vaccines with alternate forms of standard therapies has resulted in superior clinical efficacy. For instance, combination regimens using TG4010 (MVA-MUC1-IL2) with first-line chemotherapy in advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer or combining PANVAC with docetaxel in the setting of metastatic breast cancer have clearly provided enhanced clinical benefits to patients. Another novel cancer vaccine approach is to stimulate anti-tumor immunity via STING activation in Batf3-dependent dendritic cells (DC) through the use of replication-attenuated VV vectors. Oncolytic VVs have now been engineered for improved safety and superior therapeutic efficacy by arming them with immune-stimulatory genes or pro-apoptotic molecules to facilitate tumor immunogenic cell death, leading to enhanced DC-mediated cross-priming of T cells recognizing tumor antigens, including neoantigens. Encouraging translational and early phase clinical results with Pexa-Vec have matured into an ongoing global phase III trial for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Combinatorial approaches, most notably those using immune checkpoint blockade, have produced exciting pre-clinical results and warrant the development of innovative clinical studies. Finally, we discuss major hurdles that remain in the field and offer some perspectives regarding the development of next generation VV vectors for use as cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zong Sheng Guo
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Binfeng Lu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zongbi Guo
- Fujian Tianjian Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sanming, Fujian, China
| | - Esther Giehl
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mathilde Feist
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Enyong Dai
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Weilin Liu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Walter J Storkus
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yukai He
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Zuqiang Liu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David L Bartlett
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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23
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The azatryptophan-based fluorescent platform for in vitro rapid screening of inhibitors disrupting IKKβ-NEMO interaction. Bioorg Chem 2018; 81:504-511. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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24
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Kowalsky SJ, Liu Z, Feist M, Berkey SE, Ma C, Ravindranathan R, Dai E, Roy EJ, Guo ZS, Bartlett DL. Superagonist IL-15-Armed Oncolytic Virus Elicits Potent Antitumor Immunity and Therapy That Are Enhanced with PD-1 Blockade. Mol Ther 2018; 26:2476-2486. [PMID: 30064894 PMCID: PMC6171074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic immunotherapy is a promising novel therapeutic for cancer, and further preclinical studies may maximize its therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we construct a novel oncolytic vaccinia virus (VV) expressing a superagoinst IL-15, a fusion protein of IL-15 and IL-15Ralpha. This virus, named vvDD-IL15-Rα, possesses similar replication efficiency as the parental virus vvDD yet leads to significantly more regression of the disease and extends the survival of mice bearing MC38 colon or ID8 ovarian cancer. This novel virus elicits potent adaptive antitumor immunity as shown by ELISPOT assays for interferon-gamma-secreting CD8+ T cells and by the rejection of tumor implants upon re-challenge in the mice, which were previously cured by vvDD-IL15-Rα treatment. In vivo cell depletion assays with antibodies showed that this antitumor activity is highly dependent on CD8+ T cells but much less so on CD4+ T cells and NK cells. Finally, the combination of the oncolytic immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 antibody dramatically improves the therapeutic outcome compared to either anti-PD-1 alone or vvDD-IL15-Rα alone. These results demonstrate that the IL-15-IL-15Rα fusion protein-expressing OV elicits potent antitumor immunity, and rational combination with PD-1 blockade leads to dramatic tumor regression and prolongs the survival of mice bearing colon or ovarian cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy J Kowalsky
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zuqiang Liu
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mathilde Feist
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Surgery, CCM/CVK, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sara E Berkey
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Congrong Ma
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Roshni Ravindranathan
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Enyong Dai
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Edward J Roy
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zong Sheng Guo
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - David L Bartlett
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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25
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Mejías-Pérez E, Carreño-Fuentes L, Esteban M. Development of a Safe and Effective Vaccinia Virus Oncolytic Vector WR-Δ4 with a Set of Gene Deletions on Several Viral Pathways. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2018; 8:27-40. [PMID: 29367944 PMCID: PMC5772009 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the effectiveness of classic treatments and available diagnostic tools, cancer continues to be a leading world health problem, with devastating cancer-related death rates. Advances in oncolytic virotherapy have shown promise as potentially effective treatment options in the fight against cancer. The poxviruses have many features that make them an attractive platform for the development of oncolytic vectors, with some candidates currently in clinical trials. Here, we report the design and generation of a new oncolytic vector based on the vaccinia virus Western Reserve (WR) strain. We show that the WR-Δ4 virus, with the combined deletion of four specific viral genes that act on metabolic, proliferation, and signaling pathways (A48R, B18R, C11R, and J2R), has effective anti-tumor capabilities in vivo. In WR-Δ4-infected mice, we observed strong viral attenuation, reduced virus dissemination, and efficient tumor cell growth control in the B16F10 syngeneic melanoma model, with enhanced neutrophil migration and activation of tumor antigen-specific immune responses. This approach provides an alternative strategy toward ongoing efforts to develop an optimal oncolytic poxvirus vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Mejías-Pérez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Liliana Carreño-Fuentes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Darwin 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
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26
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Albarnaz JD, Torres AA, Smith GL. Modulating Vaccinia Virus Immunomodulators to Improve Immunological Memory. Viruses 2018; 10:E101. [PMID: 29495547 PMCID: PMC5869494 DOI: 10.3390/v10030101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing frequency of monkeypox virus infections, new outbreaks of other zoonotic orthopoxviruses and concern about the re-emergence of smallpox have prompted research into developing antiviral drugs and better vaccines against these viruses. This article considers the genetic engineering of vaccinia virus (VACV) to enhance vaccine immunogenicity and safety. The virulence, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of VACV strains engineered to lack specific immunomodulatory or host range proteins are described. The ultimate goal is to develop safer and more immunogenic VACV vaccines that induce long-lasting immunological memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas D Albarnaz
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
| | - Alice A Torres
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
| | - Geoffrey L Smith
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK.
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27
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Melamed S, Israely T, Paran N. Challenges and Achievements in Prevention and Treatment of Smallpox. Vaccines (Basel) 2018; 6:vaccines6010008. [PMID: 29382130 PMCID: PMC5874649 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines6010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Declaration of smallpox eradication by the WHO in 1980 led to discontinuation of the worldwide vaccination campaign. The increasing percentage of unvaccinated individuals, the existence of its causative infectious agent variola virus (VARV), and the recent synthetic achievements increase the threat of intentional or accidental release and reemergence of smallpox. Control of smallpox would require an emergency vaccination campaign, as no other protective measure has been approved to achieve eradication and ensure worldwide protection. Experimental data in surrogate animal models support the assumption, based on anecdotal, uncontrolled historical data, that vaccination up to 4 days postexposure confers effective protection. The long incubation period, and the uncertainty of the exposure status in the surrounding population, call for the development and evaluation of safe and effective methods enabling extension of the therapeutic window, and to reduce the disease manifestations and vaccine adverse reactions. To achieve these goals, we need to evaluate the efficacy of novel and already licensed vaccines as a sole treatment, or in conjunction with immune modulators and antiviral drugs. In this review, we address the available data, recent achievements, and open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Melamed
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, P.O. Box 19, Ness-Ziona 74100, Israel.
| | - Tomer Israely
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, P.O. Box 19, Ness-Ziona 74100, Israel.
| | - Nir Paran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel Institute for Biological Research, P.O. Box 19, Ness-Ziona 74100, Israel.
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28
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Gómez CE, Perdiguero B, Sánchez-Corzo C, Sorzano COS, Esteban M. Immune Modulation of NYVAC-Based HIV Vaccines by Combined Deletion of Viral Genes that Act on Several Signalling Pathways. Viruses 2017; 10:v10010007. [PMID: 29280955 PMCID: PMC5795420 DOI: 10.3390/v10010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An HIV-1 vaccine continues to be a major target to halt the AIDS pandemic. The limited efficacy of the RV144 phase III clinical trial with the canarypox virus-based vector ALVAC and a gp120 protein component led to the conclusion that improved immune responses to HIV antigens are needed for a more effective vaccine. In non-human primates, the New York vaccinia virus (NYVAC) poxvirus vector has a broader immunogenicity profile than ALVAC and has been tested in clinical trials. We therefore analysed the HIV immune advantage of NYVAC after removing viral genes that act on several signalling pathways (Toll-like receptors—TLR—interferon, cytokines/chemokines), as well as genes of unknown immune function. We generated a series of NYVAC deletion mutants and studied immune behaviour (T and B cell) to HIV antigens and to the NYVAC vector in mice. Our results showed that combined deletion of selected vaccinia virus (VACV) genes is a valuable strategy for improving the immunogenicity of NYVAC-based vaccine candidates. These immune responses were differentially modulated, positive or negative, depending on the combination of gene deletions. The deletions also led to enhanced antigen- or vector-specific cellular and humoral responses. These findings will facilitate the development of optimal NYVAC-based vaccines for HIV and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Elena Gómez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Perdiguero
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Cristina Sánchez-Corzo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlos Oscar S Sorzano
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Mariano Esteban
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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29
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Martins M, Joshi LR, Rodrigues FS, Anziliero D, Frandoloso R, Kutish GF, Rock DL, Weiblen R, Flores EF, Diel DG. Immunogenicity of ORFV-based vectors expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein in livestock species. Virology 2017; 511:229-239. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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