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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Ex Vivo Infection of Live Tissue with Oncolytic Viruses
Published on: June 25, 2011
Oncolytic Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer Using Coxsackie A21 Virus.
Nicola E Annels1, Mehreen Arif1, Guy R Simpson1
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7WG, UK.
Oncolytic virotherapy using Coxsackievirus A21 (CVA21) shows promise for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). CVA21 enhances tumor cell death and triggers immune responses, potentially offering a less toxic treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a clinical setting where live biological therapies are established.
- Oncolytic virotherapy presents opportunities for treating NMIBC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Coxsackievirus A21 (CVA21) as an oncolytic virus for bladder cancer.
- To evaluate CVA21's potential in combination with chemotherapy and its immunogenic properties.
Main Methods:
- Assessed CVA21 cytotoxicity in human bladder cancer cell lines based on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression.
- Examined CVA21 replication and oncolysis enhancement with mitomycin-C in NMIBC tissue slices.
- Investigated CVA21-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) markers and tumor rejection in a mouse model.
Main Results:
- CVA21 sensitivity correlated with ICAM-1 expression in bladder cancer cell lines.
- Mitomycin-C increased CVA21 replication and oncolysis by upregulating ICAM-1.
- CVA21 induced ICD, characterized by calreticulin expression and HMGB-1 release, leading to tumor rejection in mice.
Conclusions:
- CVA21 demonstrates oncolytic activity against bladder cancer, enhanced by mitomycin-C.
- CVA21 induces immunogenic cell death, crucial for triggering anti-tumor immune responses.
- CVA21 immunotherapy offers a potentially less toxic and more effective treatment for bladder cancer.

