Mesenchymal stem cell carriers enhance anti-tumor efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) specifically infect, replicate and eventually destroy tumor cells, with no concomitant toxicity to adjacent normal cells. Furthermore, OVs can regulate tumor microenvironments and stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have inherent tumor tropisms and immunosuppressive functions. MSCs carrying OVs not only protect viruses from clearing by the immune system, but they also deliver the virus to tumor lesions. Equally, cytokines released by MSCs enhance anti-tumor immune responses, suggesting that MSCs carrying OVs may be considered as a promising strategy in enhancing the anti-tumor efficacies of virotherapy. In the present review, preclinical and clinical studies were evaluated and discussed, as well as the effectiveness of MSCs carrying OVs for tumor treatment.