Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Growth, Purification, and Titration of Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus
06:14

Growth, Purification, and Titration of Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus

Published on: May 13, 2021

Oncolytic virus therapy using genetically engineered herpes simplex viruses

Tomoki Todo1

  • 1Molecular Neurosurgery Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA. toudou-nsu@umin.ac.jp

Human Cell
|April 22, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Oncolytic virus therapy, particularly using Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors, shows promise for cancer treatment. These engineered viruses selectively target and destroy tumor cells, offering a potential new therapeutic option.

Area of Science:

  • Oncolytic virotherapy
  • Cancer gene therapy
  • Viral oncology

Background:

  • Oncolytic viruses are engineered to selectively infect and kill cancer cells.
  • Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors offer advantages due to their genetic tractability and tumor-selective replication.
  • HSV-1 vectors can induce antitumor immunity and deliver multiple therapeutic transgenes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of oncolytic Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors in cancer therapy.
  • To highlight the safety and efficacy of HSV-1 based on clinical trials.
  • To discuss strategies for enhancing oncolytic HSV-1 efficacy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on oncolytic HSV-1 vectors.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data for HSV-1 based cancer therapies.
  • Discussion of genetic engineering approaches for improved vector design.

Main Results:

  • Replication-competent HSV-1 vectors have demonstrated safety in human clinical trials, including for brain tumors.
  • HSV-1 vectors exhibit selective tumor cell lysis, amplified gene delivery, and induction of antitumor immunity.
  • Early studies show feasibility and safety of HSV-1 vector administration in patients.

Conclusions:

  • Oncolytic HSV-1 vectors represent a promising therapeutic strategy for various cancers.
  • Ongoing research focuses on next-generation vectors and combination therapies to improve treatment outcomes.
  • Further development is expected to establish oncolytic virotherapy as a key cancer treatment modality.

More Related Videos

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo12:42

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo

Published on: January 7, 2019

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

Herpes01:28

Herpes

Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV‑1) is a widespread pathogen responsible for orolabial lesions. It is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus belonging to the family Herpesviridae. Once the virus infects a host cell, its double‑stranded DNA genome is delivered into the nucleus, where a coordinated cascade of immediate‑early, early, and late gene expression directs viral DNA replication, structural protein synthesis, and virion assembly. After primary infection of epithelial cells, HSV-1...
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.
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors01:22

Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors

Antiviral Nucleoside InhibitorsAntiviral nucleoside inhibitors are structural analogs of natural nucleosides that interfere with viral DNA or RNA synthesis. These compounds selectively target viral polymerases due to their resemblance to host nucleosides, thereby disrupting viral genome replication.Mechanism of Acyclovir ActionAcyclovir is a guanosine analog with a three-carbon acyclic side chain. It selectively targets herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
Genital Herpes01:23

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...
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...