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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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Mirbahari SN, Da Silva M, Zúñiga AIM, Kooshki Zamani N, St-Laurent G, Totonchi M, Azad T. Recent progress in combination therapy of oncolytic vaccinia virus. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1272351. [PMID: 38558795 PMCID: PMC10979700 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1272351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, oncolytic viruses have emerged as promising agents for treating various cancers. An oncolytic virus is a non-pathogenic virus that, due to genetic manipulation, tends to replicate in and cause lysis of cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected. Among these viruses, vaccinia virus is an attractive platform for use as an oncolytic platform due to its 190 Kb genome with a high capacity for encoding therapeutic payloads. Combining oncolytic VV therapy with other conventional cancer treatments has been shown to be synergistic and more effective than monotherapies. Additionally, OVV can be used as a vector to deliver therapeutic payloads, alone or in combination with other treatments, to increase overall efficacy. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of preclinical and clinical studies that have evaluated the efficacy of oncolytic vaccinia viruses in cancer immunotherapy. We discuss the outcomes of these studies, including tumor regression rates, overall survival benefits, and long-term responses. Moreover, we provide insights into the challenges and limitations associated with oncolytic vaccinia virus- based therapies, including immune evasion mechanisms, potential toxicities, and the development of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Nasim Mirbahari
- Faculty of Sciences and Advanced Technologies in Biology, University of Science and Culture, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Miles Da Silva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Abril Ixchel Muñoz Zúñiga
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Nika Kooshki Zamani
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Gabriel St-Laurent
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Mehdi Totonchi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Taha Azad
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Zhu X, Fan C, Xiong Z, Chen M, Li Z, Tao T, Liu X. Development and application of oncolytic viruses as the nemesis of tumor cells. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1188526. [PMID: 37440883 PMCID: PMC10335770 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1188526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses and tumors are two pathologies that negatively impact human health, but what occurs when a virus encounters a tumor? A global consensus among cancer patients suggests that surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other methods are the primary means to combat cancer. However, with the innovation and development of biomedical technology, tumor biotherapy (immunotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, gene therapy, oncolytic virus therapy, etc.) has emerged as an alternative treatment for malignant tumors. Oncolytic viruses possess numerous anti-tumor properties, such as directly lysing tumor cells, activating anti-tumor immune responses, and improving the tumor microenvironment. Compared to traditional immunotherapy, oncolytic virus therapy offers advantages including high killing efficiency, precise targeting, and minimal side effects. Although oncolytic virus (OV) therapy was introduced as a novel approach to tumor treatment in the 19th century, its efficacy was suboptimal, limiting its widespread application. However, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first OV therapy drug, T-VEC, in 2015, interest in OV has grown significantly. In recent years, oncolytic virus therapy has shown increasingly promising application prospects and has become a major research focus in the field of cancer treatment. This article reviews the development, classification, and research progress of oncolytic viruses, as well as their mechanisms of action, therapeutic methods, and routes of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology—Manhattan Campus, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chenyang Fan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Medicine and Technology, School of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Zhuolong Xiong
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Mingwei Chen
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zesong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Tumor, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital(Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, China
| | - Xiuqing Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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Ghasemi M, Abbasi L, Ghanbari Naeini L, Kokabian P, Nameh Goshay Fard N, Givtaj N. Dendritic cells and natural killer cells: The road to a successful oncolytic virotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 13:950079. [PMID: 36703982 PMCID: PMC9871831 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.950079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Every type of cancer tissue is theoretically more vulnerable to viral infection. This natural proclivity has been harnessed as a new anti-cancer therapy by employing oncolytic viruses (OVs) to selectively infect and destroy cancer cells while providing little or no harm with no toxicity to the host. Whereas the primary oncolytic capabilities of OVs initially sparked the greatest concern, the predominant focus of research is on the association between OVs and the host immune system. Numerous OVs are potent causal agents of class I MHC pathway-related chemicals, enabling early tumor/viral immune recognition and cytokine-mediated response. The modified OVs have been studied for their ability to bind to dendritic cells (DCs) by expressing growth factors, chemokines, cytokines, and defensins inside the viral genome. OVs, like reovirus, can directly infect DCs, causing them to release chemokines and cytokines that attract and excite natural killer (NK) cells. In addition, OVs can directly alter cancer cells' sensitivity to NK by altering the expression levels of NK cell activators and inhibitors on cancerous cells. Therefore, NK cells and DCs in modulating the therapeutic response should be considered when developing and improving future OV-based therapeutics, whether modified to express transgenes or used in combination with other drugs/immunotherapies. Concerning the close relationship between NK cells and DCs in the potential of OVs to kill tumor cells, we explore how DCs and NK cells in tumor microenvironment affect oncolytic virotherapy and summarize additional information about the interaction mentioned above in detail in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Ghasemi
- Faculty of Medicine, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
| | - Laleh Abbasi
- Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | | | - Pajman Kokabian
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Najmeh Nameh Goshay Fard
- Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Nozar Givtaj
- Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,*Correspondence: Nozar Givtaj,
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Design Strategies and Precautions for Using Vaccinia Virus in Tumor Virotherapy. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10091552. [PMID: 36146629 PMCID: PMC9504998 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10091552] [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] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as a novel form of cancer immunotherapy. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) can directly infect and lyse the tumor cells, and modulate the beneficial immune microenvironment. Vaccinia virus (VACV) is a promising oncolytic vector because of its high safety, easy gene editing, and tumor intrinsic selectivity. To further improve the safety, tumor-targeting ability, and OV-induced cancer-specific immune activation, various approaches have been used to modify OVs. The recombinant oncolytic VACVs with deleting viral virulence factors and/or arming various therapeutic genes have displayed better therapeutic effects in multiple tumor models. Moreover, the combination of OVs with other cancer immunotherapeutic approaches, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cells, has the potential to improve the outcome in cancer patients. This will open up new possibilities for the application of OVs in cancer treatment, especially for personalized cancer therapies.
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Enhancing therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic vaccinia virus armed with Beclin-1, an autophagic Gene in leukemia and myeloma. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 125:110030. [PMID: 32187960 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Different strategies were taken to make virotherapy more effective at killing cancer cells. Among them, oncolytic virus which arms the therapeutic gene to enhance antitumor activity is a prevalent approach. In this study, a newly developed oncolytic vaccinia virus (OVV) that expresses Beclin-1 (OVV-BECN1) was tested for its in vitro and in vivo oncolytic activity in blood cancer. Results showed that the OVV exhibited higher infectivity for leukemia cells. OVV-BECN1 induced significant apoptosis-independent cell death either in wild-type leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines or caspase-3 shRNA leukemia cell lines, and had a superior antitumor activity compared to the parent OVV. Autophagic cell death induced by OVV-BECN1 was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo experiments. Finally, upregulation of SIRT-1, a member of class III histone deacetylases, by OVV-BECN1 resulted in the deacetylation of LC3 and its distribution from the nucleus toward the cytoplasm, which might contribute to induction of autophagy. Overall, our data showed a favorable therapeutic effect of the oncolytic vaccinia virus on blood cancers through oncolytic and autophagic mechanisms, and may therefore constitute a promising and effective therapeutic strategy for treating human leukemia and MM. However, further studies are warranted for its reliable clinical translation.
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Wang P, Wu Y, Yang C, Zhao G, Liu Y, Cheng G, Wang S. Embelin Promotes Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus-Mediated Antitumor Immunity Through Disruption of IL-6/STAT3 Signaling in Lymphoma. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:1421-1429. [PMID: 32110041 PMCID: PMC7034962 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s209312] [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: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising alternative to conventional treatment, yet limited viral replication and immune-negative feedback are the major hurdles to effective viro-immunotherapy. Methods In this study, we found that use of an adjuvant of embelin, a small molecular inhibitor of XIAP, increased the replication of oncolytic vaccinia virus (OVV) by mitigating antiviral innate immunity. Moreover, embelin suppresses constitutive STAT3 phosphorylation and mitigates OVV-induced activation of STAT3 in lymphoma. In the subcutaneous lymphoma model, embelin significantly enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of OVV and prolonged the survival. In addition, embelin significantly increased the OVV-induced infiltration of T cells and NK cells and decreased the number of OVV-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the tumor microenvironment. Results Our results explored the ability of OVV and embelin in combination to enhance lymphoma cell lysis, revealing a beneficial combinatorial effect wherein both lymphoma cell lysis and OVV replication were enhanced both in vitro and in an in vivo murine model system. Conclusion Our findings indicate the utility of embelin as an adjuvant for oncolytic viro-immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- Medical Laboratory Center, Lishui City People's Hospital, Lishui, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Hematology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanan Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Lishui City People's Hospital, Lishui, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonghua Liu
- Department of Hematology, Lishui City People's Hospital, Lishui, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Cheng
- Department of Stomatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shibing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.,Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
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