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Updated: Aug 22, 2025
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Published on: April 3, 2018
Reporter Transgenes for Monitoring the Antitumor Efficacy of Recombinant Oncolytic Viruses
A V Semenova1, G F Sivolobova1, A A Grazhdantseva1
1Federal Budgetary Research Institution «State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology «Vector», Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, 630559, Russia.
Abstract:
Accurate measurement of tumor size and margins is crucial for successful oncotherapy. In the last decade, non-invasive imaging modalities, including optical imaging using non-radioactive substrates, deep-tissue imaging with radioactive substrates, and magnetic resonance imaging have been developed. Reporter genes play the most important role among visualization tools; their expression in tumors and metastases makes it possible to track changes in the tumor growth and gauge therapy effectiveness. Oncolytic viruses are often chosen as a vector for delivering reporter genes into tumor cells, since oncolytic viruses are tumor-specific, meaning that they infect and lyse tumor cells without damaging normal cells. The choice of reporter transgenes for genetic modification of oncolytic viruses depends on the study objectives and imaging methods used. Optical imaging techniques are suitable for in vitro studies and small animal models, while deep-tissue imaging techniques are used to evaluate virotherapy in large animals and humans. For optical imaging, transgenes of fluorescent proteins, luciferases, and tyrosinases are used; for deep-tissue imaging, the most promising transgene is the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS), which ensures an accumulation of radioactive isotopes in virus-infected tumor cells. Currently, NIS is the only reporter transgene that has been shown to be effective in monitoring tumor virotherapy not only in preclinical but also in clinical studies.
Insights
Reporter genes delivered by oncolytic viruses enable tumor imaging for cancer therapy. The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) is a key reporter gene for tracking virotherapy effectiveness in clinical studies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Imaging
- Gene Therapy
Background:
- Accurate tumor size and margin assessment is vital for effective cancer treatment.
- Non-invasive imaging techniques, including optical and magnetic resonance imaging, have advanced oncotherapy.
- Reporter genes are crucial for visualizing tumor changes and therapy response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of reporter genes in oncolytic virus therapy.
- To discuss the suitability of different reporter genes for various imaging modalities.
- To highlight the significance of the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) in clinical virotherapy monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing oncolytic viruses as vectors for reporter gene delivery into tumor cells.
- Employing optical imaging techniques with transgenes like fluorescent proteins and luciferases.
- Applying deep-tissue imaging with the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) transgene for radioactive isotope accumulation.
Main Results:
- Reporter gene expression allows tracking of tumor growth and therapy effectiveness.
- Optical imaging is suitable for in vitro and small animal studies.
- The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) is effective for deep-tissue imaging and has shown promise in clinical studies.
Conclusions:
- Oncolytic viruses effectively deliver reporter genes for tumor visualization.
- The choice of reporter transgene depends on the imaging method and study scale.
- Sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) is the only reporter transgene proven effective in both preclinical and clinical virotherapy monitoring.
