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Genetically Engineered Vaccinia Viruses As Agents for Cancer Treatment, Imaging, and Transgene Delivery

Dana Haddad1

  • 1Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.

Frontiers in Oncology
|June 8, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Oncolytic viral therapy, particularly using vaccinia virus (VACV), offers a promising approach to cancer treatment. Genetically engineered VACV strains show enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity, paving the way for future cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Virology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Cancer treatment faces challenges, especially for advanced stages, with limited survival rate improvements.
  • Oncolytic viruses offer potential advantages over conventional therapies, including tumor selectivity and reduced toxicity.
  • Vaccinia virus (VACV) strains have demonstrated promising results in preclinical and clinical cancer studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of oncolytic viral therapies, specifically vaccinia virus (VACV), in cancer treatment.
  • To highlight advancements in genetically engineered VACV for improved safety and efficacy.
  • To explore novel VACV applications in combination therapies and diagnostic imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical and clinical trial data for wild-type and engineered VACV strains.
  • Analysis of molecular biology advancements enabling VACV genetic modification.
  • Examination of combination strategies involving VACV with conventional treatments and novel VACV strains with reporter genes.

Main Results:

  • VACV demonstrates selective replication in cancer cells, leading to tumor lysis and minimal harm to healthy tissues.
  • Engineered VACV strains armed with therapeutic agents (cytokines, prodrugs) and combined with other therapies show enhanced efficacy.
  • Novel VACV strains with reporter genes facilitate therapy tracking and response monitoring.

Conclusions:

  • Oncolytic vaccinia virus therapy holds significant promise for advancing cancer treatment paradigms.
  • Genetic engineering and combination strategies are crucial for maximizing VACV's therapeutic potential.
  • Further research is essential to fully realize the benefits of VACV in oncological applications.
Keywords:
gene therapymolecular imagingoncolytic viral therapyvaccinia virus

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