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Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
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The emerging field of oncolytic virus-based cancer immunotherapy

Rui Ma1, Zhenlong Li2, E Antonio Chiocca3

  • 1Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China.

Trends in Cancer
|November 19, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are promising cancer therapies that kill tumor cells and boost anti-cancer immunity. Overcoming challenges like tumor penetration and immune response could enable combination therapies for improved cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncolytic virotherapy
  • Cancer immunotherapy
  • Tumor microenvironment modulation

Background:

  • Oncolytic viruses (OVs) offer a novel therapeutic strategy for cancers resistant to conventional treatments.
  • OVs exhibit dual action: direct tumor cell lysis and indirect immune system potentiation within the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of oncolytic viruses as cancer therapeutics.
  • To identify limitations hindering the clinical translation of oncolytic virotherapy.
  • To explore promising combination strategies for enhanced oncolytic virotherapy efficacy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on oncolytic viruses and their therapeutic applications.
  • Analysis of challenges associated with OV delivery, persistence, and host immune responses.
  • Exploration of synergistic potential with immunotherapies like immune checkpoint blockade and CAR-T/NK cells.

Main Results:

  • Oncolytic viruses demonstrate direct tumor cell killing and indirect immune stimulation.
  • Key limitations include poor tumor penetration, short viral persistence, and host antiviral immunity.
  • Combination therapies involving OVs with ICB, CAR T cells, or CAR NK cells show significant therapeutic promise.

Conclusions:

  • Oncolytic viruses represent a promising approach for treating refractory cancers.
  • Addressing current limitations is crucial for widespread clinical adoption of oncolytic virotherapy.
  • Combination strategies hold the potential to create powerful new platforms for cancer treatment.
Keywords:
CAR-NKCAR-Tcombination therapyimmunotherapyoncolytic virotherapyoncolytic virus

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