Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Ex Vivo Infection of Live Tissue with Oncolytic Viruses
12:08

Ex Vivo Infection of Live Tissue with Oncolytic Viruses

Published on: June 25, 2011

Viral oncolysis

James M Donahue1, John T Mullen, Kenneth K Tanabe

  • 1Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cox 626, 100 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114-2696, USA.

Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America
|December 19, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Oncolytic viral therapy engineers viruses to target and destroy cancer cells. Advances in molecular biology enhance viral potency, specificity, and immune response modulation for improved cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The concept of using viruses against cancer (antineoplastic agents) is nearly a century old.
  • Recent scientific advances allow for engineered viruses with increased tumor-targeting ability and effectiveness.
  • Current strategies include combining oncolytic viruses with chemotherapy and radiation to overcome tumor resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore advancements in engineering oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy.
  • To investigate methods for enhancing viral antineoplastic effects through genetic modification and immune response modulation.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of oncolytic viral therapy in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Engineering viruses for enhanced potency and tumor specificity.
  • Arming viruses with therapeutic transgenes.
  • Modulating the host immune response to favor antitumor immunity.
  • Investigating viral mechanisms to overcome cellular defenses.

Main Results:

  • Initial clinical studies indicate oncolytic viral therapy is safe and well-tolerated for metastatic disease.
  • Genetically modified viruses show antineoplastic effects in humans comparable to preclinical models.
  • Enhanced viral strategies aim to reduce tumor cell clone resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Oncolytic viral therapy represents a promising advancement in cancer treatment.
  • Further understanding of viral-cellular interactions will improve specificity and reduce toxicity.
  • Engineered oncolytic viruses demonstrate significant potential in both preclinical and clinical cancer studies.

More Related Videos

Transarterial Administration of Oncolytic Viruses for Locoregional Therapy of Orthotopic HCC in Rats08:55

Transarterial Administration of Oncolytic Viruses for Locoregional Therapy of Orthotopic HCC in Rats

Published on: April 15, 2016

Genome-wide RNAi Screening to Identify Host Factors That Modulate Oncolytic Virus Therapy08:51

Genome-wide RNAi Screening to Identify Host Factors That Modulate Oncolytic Virus Therapy

Published on: April 3, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
Subviral Agents01:29

Subviral Agents

Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...