Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 31, 2025
An Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model for Gene Delivery Studies
Published on: December 1, 2013
Using oncolytic viruses to ignite the tumour immune microenvironment in bladder cancer
Roger Li1,2, Jingsong Zhang3, Scott M Gilbert3
1Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA. Roger.Li@moffitt.org.
Abstract:
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has transformed the treatment paradigm for bladder cancer. However, despite the success of ICI in other tumour types, the majority of ICI-treated patients with bladder cancer failed to respond. The lack of efficacy in some patients could be attributed to a paucity of pre-existing immune reactive cells within the tumour immune microenvironment, which limits the beneficial effects of ICI. In this setting, strategies to attract lymphocytes before implementation of ICI could be helpful. Oncolytic virotherapy is thought to induce the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, eliciting a pro-inflammatory cytokine cascade and stimulating the activation of the innate immune system. Concurrently, oncolytic virotherapy-induced oncolysis leads to further release of neoantigens and subsequent epitope spreading, culminating in a robust, tumour-specific adaptive immune response. Combination therapy using oncolytic virotherapy with ICI has proven successful in a number of preclinical studies and is beginning to enter clinical trials for the treatment of both non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In this context, understanding of the mechanisms underpinning oncolytic virotherapy and its potential synergism with ICI will enable clinicians to effectively deploy oncolytic virotherapy, either as monotherapy or as combination therapy in the different clinical stages of bladder cancer.
Insights
Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) shows limited success in bladder cancer due to low immune cell presence. Oncolytic virotherapy may enhance ICI efficacy by attracting immune cells and boosting anti-tumor responses.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has revolutionized bladder cancer treatment, but many patients do not respond.
- Lack of response is often linked to an insufficient immune cell presence in the tumor microenvironment.
- Strategies to enhance immune cell infiltration are needed to improve ICI effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of oncolytic virotherapy to enhance immune responses in bladder cancer.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of combining oncolytic virotherapy with ICI.
- To understand the mechanisms by which oncolytic virotherapy can overcome resistance to ICI.
Main Methods:
- Oncolytic virotherapy induces damage-associated molecular patterns, triggering inflammation and innate immune activation.
- Oncolysis releases tumor neoantigens, promoting epitope spreading and adaptive anti-tumor immunity.
- Preclinical studies and early clinical trials are evaluating oncolytic virotherapy in combination with ICI for bladder cancer.
Main Results:
- Oncolytic virotherapy shows promise in preclinical models for improving anti-tumor immunity.
- Combination therapy with ICI is being investigated in clinical trials for various stages of bladder cancer.
- The approach aims to convert non-responsive tumors into ones that can benefit from ICI.
Conclusions:
- Oncolytic virotherapy can potentially prime the tumor microenvironment for ICI therapy.
- Understanding the synergistic mechanisms is crucial for optimizing combination strategies.
- This approach may offer new therapeutic avenues for bladder cancer patients resistant to current treatments.
More Related Videos
12:42Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
Published on: January 7, 2019
11:02Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development
Published on: October 30, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
02:49Cancer Therapies
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...
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...