Article
Hematology
Maki Oku, Ryo Ishino, Shumpei Uchida, Osamu Imataki, Naoshi Sugimoto, Tomoki Todo, Norimitsu Kadowaki
Summary: This study demonstrates that the third-generation oncolytic HSV-1 virus, T-01, has a direct oncolytic effect on human myeloma cells. The presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells can enhance the anti-tumor effect, with pDCs and NK cells dominating the immune activation. Lenalidomide is likely to augment the anti-myeloma effect of HSV-1.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Virology
Jun Ding, Yanal M. Murad, Yi Sun, I-Fang Lee, Ismael Samudio, Xiaohu Liu, William Wei-Guo Jia, Ronghua Zhao
Summary: This study investigates the impact of pre-existing immunity against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and multicycle treatment with VG161, an oncolytic virus, on its anticancer efficacy. The results show that pre-immunization with HSV-1 and multicycle administration can enhance the anticancer efficacy of VG161, providing potential clinical benefits.
Review
Virology
Ifeanyi Kingsley Uche, Konstantin G. Kousoulas, Paul J. F. Rider
Summary: The development of cancer disrupts anti-tumor immunity needed for surveillance and elimination of tumor cells, with immunotherapy aiming to restore or establish these responses. However, a significant proportion of patients do not respond equally to immunotherapies, partially due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Current research focuses on mechanisms of immunosuppression in the TME, with the goal of promoting anti-tumor immune responses.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elizabeth Robilotti, Nathalie C. Zeitouni, Marlana Orloff
Summary: Oncolytic viral immunotherapies are a type of treatment that can kill tumor cells and trigger an immune response. Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is the only oncolytic virus approved for patient use in the United States.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Xiaxi Li, Wei Hu, Jiangang Shen, Mingsong Li, Wei Gong
Summary: It has been found that combining HSV-1 with chemotherapy drugs can enhance the killing effect of HSV-1 on tumor cells synergistically. The combination of bortezomib and HSV-1 treatment promotes apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Angelica P. Aspirin, Aurelio A. de los Reyes, Yangjin Kim
Summary: This study explores different therapeutic protocols using proteasome inhibition, oncolytic virotherapy, and natural killer cells to minimize cancer cell population. The first treatment scheme involves early oncolytic virus administration followed by well-timed NK cell infusion for maximum antitumour efficacy. The second strategy focuses on timely oncolytic virus infusion, while the last treatment scheme suggests transient NK cell depletion followed by appropriate NK cell infusion therapy yields the most benefits.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Madeleine Benguigui, Avital Vorontsova, Michael Timaner, Sapir Levin, Jozafina Haj-Shomaly, Abhilash Deo, Rotem Menachem, Bar Manobla, Tim J. Cooper, Ziv Raviv, Yuval Shaked
Summary: It has been found that granulocytic-MDSCs (G-MDSCs) are enriched in anti-PD1 resistant tumors. Resistance to anti-PD1 monotherapy can be reversed by switching to a combined regimen of anti-Bv8 and anti-PD1 antibodies, which is associated with decreased G-MDSCs levels and enrichment of active cytotoxic T cells in tumors. Anti-Bv8 blockade is also effective in the hyperprogressive phenotype of anti-PD1-treated tumors. In vitro experiments show that anti-Bv8 antibodies directly inhibit MDSC-mediated immunosuppression. In conclusion, Bv8 blockade inhibits the immunosuppressive function of MDSCs, enhances the anti-tumor activity of cytotoxic T cells, and increases the sensitivity of anti-PD1-resistant tumors.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
G. K. Friedman, J. M. Johnston, A. K. Bag, J. D. Bernstock, R. Li, I Aban, K. Kachurak, L. Nan, K. D. Kang, S. Totsch, C. Schlappi, A. M. Martin, D. Pastakia, R. McNall-Knapp, S. Farouk Sait, Y. Khakoo, M. A. Karajannis, K. Woodling, J. D. Palmer, D. S. Osorio, J. Leonard, M. S. Abdelbaki, A. Madan-Swain, T. P. Atkinson, R. J. Whitley, J. B. Fiveash, J. M. Markert, G. Y. Gillespie
Summary: The study conducted a phase 1 trial of G207 in children and adolescents with recurrent or progressive supratentorial brain tumors, showing an acceptable adverse-event profile and evidence of responses. G207 was able to convert immunologically cold tumors to hot.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Dafne C. A. Quixabeira, Victor Cervera-Carrascon, Joao M. Santos, James H. A. Clubb, Tatiana V. Kudling, Saru Basnet, Camilla Heinio, Susanna Gronberg-Vaha-Koskela, Marjukka Anttila, Riikka Havunen, Anna Kanerva, Akseli Hemminki
Summary: This study demonstrates that the combination treatment of local injection of adenovirus coding for TNFa and IL-2 and systemic aPD-1 therapy can effectively control both injected and non-injected tumors in animal models. The treatment reshapes the tumor microenvironment and enhances the systemic antitumor response.
Review
Immunology
Qingbo Li, Patrick Kwabena Oduro, Rui Guo, Ruiqiao Li, Ling Leng, Xianbin Kong, Qilong Wang, Long Yang
Summary: Oncolytic virus therapy is a rapidly advancing approach for treating malignant tumors, with high specificity and safety. The treatment of malignant tumors in the digestive system still requires improvement, and oncolytic viruses may provide therapeutic solutions for this issue.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Gelare Ghajar-Rahimi, Kyung-Don Kang, Stacie K. Totsch, Sam Gary, Abbey Rocco, Sarah Blitz, Kara Kachurak, M. R. Chambers, Rong Li, Elizabeth A. Beierle, Asim Bag, James M. Johnston, James M. Markert, Joshua D. Bernstock, Gregory K. Friedman
Summary: Malignant brain tumors are a significant health issue in children and current treatment options have poor outcomes and long-term morbidity. Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as a promising immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. This review focuses on past and current clinical trials using oncolytic virotherapy in pediatric brain tumors and discusses future research directions.
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guijin Tang, Dawei Wang, Xiangqian Zhao, Zhihua Feng, Qi Chen, Yangkun Shen
Summary: Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are effective gene therapy and immunotherapy drugs. The integration of exogenous genes into OVs, particularly the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), has become a novel approach in OV therapy. The current mode of administration for HSV-1 oncolytic viruses is mainly through tumor in situ injection, which limits their application. Intravenous administration offers a solution, but is challenging due to the immune response against HSV-1, leading to clearance by the body's immune system and side effects. This review discusses different administration methods, with a focus on intravenous administration, and explores immune constraints and potential solutions to improve HSV-1 delivery for OV therapy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rodion A. Velichinskii, Maria A. Streltsova, Sofya A. Kust, Alexander M. Sapozhnikov, Elena I. Kovalenko
Summary: NK cells are a promising target for cancer immunotherapy for their potent antitumor activity, with a reduced risk of graft versus host disease compared to T cells. While NK-cell-based therapies show considerable effectiveness for hematological tumors, the low efficiency of NK cell migration and functional activity in the tumor environment poses major barriers for their use in solid tumor treatment. Various strategies are being explored to enhance NK cell anticancer therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Xin Xie, Jingwen Lv, Wei Zhu, Chao Tian, Jingfeng Li, Jiajia Liu, Hua Zhou, Chunyang Sun, Zongfeng Hu, Xiaopeng Li
Summary: The study suggests that combination therapy with engineered oncolytic viruses may serve as a potent immunotherapy strategy for cancer patients, especially those resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy.
TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Virology
Elaine Y. L. Leung, Iain A. McNeish
Summary: Oncolytic viruses are emerging as a promising anti-cancer therapy that selectively replicate within malignant cells and induce immune responses. NK cells play a crucial role in oncolytic viral therapy, with their impact on OV efficacy being context-dependent. Advancements in understanding cancer and OV biology have led to the development of strategies to modulate NK activities for improving therapeutic benefits.
Article
Oncology
Bangxing Hong, Valerie Chapa, Uksha Saini, Puneet Modgil, David E. Cohn, Guangan He, Zahid H. Siddik, Anil K. Sood, Yuanqing Yan, Karuppaiyah Selvendiran, Guangsheng Pei, Zhongming Zhao, Ji Young Yoo, Balveen Kaur
Summary: This study revealed the impact of HSV-induced cisplatin retention on cancer cells, resulting in increased DNA damage and activation of antitumor immunity, as well as increased sensitivity of tumors to immune checkpoint therapy.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eun S. Park, Sehee Kim, Shuning Huang, Ji Young Yoo, Jakob Korbelin, Tae Jin Lee, Balveen Kaur, Pramod K. Dash, Peng R. Chen, Eunhee Kim
Summary: Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are a major cause of hemorrhagic stroke and neurological deficits in children and young adults, with no pharmacological intervention available. KRAS mutations, commonly seen in cancer, have been found in human sporadic bAVMs, leading to a new direction in research. Using AAV-BR1, the study demonstrated that endothelial KRAS(G12V) mutation induces bAVMs in mice, and MEK/ERK inhibition can suppress bAVM growth.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Ji Young Yoo, Margaret Yeh, Balveen Kaur, Tae Jin Lee
Summary: Aberrant gene and miRNA expression can drive cancer development, and the modulation of these expressions provides a therapeutic opportunity. Recent advances in RNA nanotechnology offer potential for miRNA therapy, but the lack of a delivery platform remains a challenge.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesca Lovat, Pierluigi Gasparini, Giovanni Nigita, Karilyn Larkin, John C. Byrd, Mark D. Minden, Michael Andreeff, Bing Z. Carter, Carlo M. Croce
Summary: The study found that the loss of both miR-15/16 clusters may act as a potential oncogenic driver in the transition from chronic phase to blast crisis in CML patients.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Yoshihiro Otani, Ji Young Yoo, Cole T. Lewis, Samantha Chao, Jessica Swanner, Toshihiko Shimizu, Jin Muk Kang, Sara A. Murphy, Kimberly Rivera-Caraballo, Bangxing Hong, Joseph C. Glorioso, Hiroshi Nakashima, Sean E. Lawler, Yeshavanth Banasavadi-Siddegowda, John D. Heiss, Yuanqing Yan, Guangsheng Pei, Michael A. Caligiuri, Zhongming Zhao, E. Antonio Chiocca, Jianhua Yu, Balveen Kaur
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of NOTCH signaling on virus-induced immunotherapy. The results showed that NOTCH signaling was significantly correlated with myeloid cell infiltration, and NOTCH-activated macrophages promoted the secretion of CCL2 in the tumor microenvironment, leading to the expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Pharmacologic blockade of NOTCH signaling improved the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and activated a CD8-dependent antitumor memory response, resulting in therapeutic benefits.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Felice Pepe, Laura Z. Rassenti, Yuri Pekarsky, Jadwiga Labanowska, Tatsuya Nakamura, Giovanni Nigita, Thomas J. Kipps, Veronica Balatti, Carlo M. Croce
Summary: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a common adult leukemia characterized by chromosomal aberrations. This study found that some CLL patients have undetected microdeletions, which are closely associated with chromosomal alterations in cancer. These findings may have clinical relevance for successful stratification of patients.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Yoshihiro Otani, Ji Young Yoo, Toshihiko Shimizu, Kazuhiko Kurozumi, Isao Date, Balveen Kaur
Summary: Despite current progress in treatment, glioblastoma remains a lethal primary malignant tumor. Immunotherapy has shown effectiveness in multiple malignancies but has not been successful in clinical trials for glioblastoma. Oncolytic virotherapy has shown promise in treating glioblastoma by modifying the tumor microenvironment and recruiting immune cells, although fine-tuning of the immune response is crucial for maximizing therapeutic efficacy.
BRAIN TUMOR PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Kimberly Ann Rivera-Caraballo, Mitra Nair, Tae Jin Lee, Balveen Kaur, Ji Young Yoo
Summary: This review provides a systematic overview of the role of integrins in relation to oncolytic HSV-1 (oHSV) therapy for high-grade gliomas (HGGs), highlighting their therapeutic potential and discussing the pros and cons of targeting integrins during oHSV therapy. The review also explores alternative strategies to regulate the dual functionality of integrins in the context of oHSV therapy.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS
(2022)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Uksha Saini, Brentley Q. Q. Smith, Kalpana Deepa Priya Dorayappan, Ji Young Yoo, G. Larry Maxwell, Balveen Kaur, Ikuo Konishi, David E. O'Malley, David E. Cohn, Karuppaiyah Selvendiran
Summary: This study revealed that TMEM205 contributes to chemoresistance in OCCC cells via the exosomal pathway, and showed that combination therapy of oncolytic virus with cisplatin has a synergistic effect in treating OCCC. The combination of oHSV and cisplatin inhibits OCCC tumor growth, providing a potential new therapeutic strategy.
JOURNAL OF OVARIAN RESEARCH
(2022)
Biographical-Item
Oncology
Gary S. Stein, Carlo M. Croce
Article
Oncology
Alessandro La Ferlita, Nipin Sp, Marina Goryunova, Giovanni Nigita, Raphael E. Pollock, Carlo M. Croce, Joal D. Beane
Summary: Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS), a rare and diverse group of tumors, have various subtypes characterized by differences in tumor biology and clinical outcomes. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), including miRNAs and tRNA-derived ncRNAs, play important roles in STS tumorigenesis and differentiation. However, the translation of these findings into clinical applications, such as biomarkers or therapeutic targets, remains challenging. This review summarizes the current understanding of sncRNAs in STS, with a focus on liposarcoma, and discusses their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Jessica Swanner, Ji Seon Shim, Kimberly A. Rivera-Caraballo, Karina Vazquez-Arreguin, Bangxing Hong, Alberto J. Bueso-Perez, Tae Jin Lee, Yeshavanth Kumar Banasavadi-Siddegowda, Balveen Kaur, Ji Young Yoo
Summary: High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a DAMP molecule involved in inflammation and tumorigenesis, while receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a major receptor for HMGB1. In this study, the endogenous secretory form of RAGE (esRAGE) was introduced into an oncolytic herpes simplex virus 1 (oHSV) to block RAGE signaling. The results showed that this approach effectively inhibited EC activation, promoted virus replication, and improved therapeutic efficacy in glioblastoma.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Henry R. Kilgore, Peter G. Mikhael, Kalon J. Overholt, Ann Boija, Nancy M. Hannett, Catherine Van Dongen, Tong Ihn Lee, Young-Tae Chang, Regina Barzilay, Richard A. Young
Summary: This research reveals that different types of intracellular condensates have distinct chemical environments that affect molecular distribution. Machine learning approaches can predict the selective partitioning of molecules in condensates, providing insights for the development of small molecule therapeutics with optimal subcellular distribution and therapeutic benefits.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yeshavanth Kumar Banasavadi-Siddegowda, Sriya Namagiri, Yoshihiro Otani, Hannah Sur, Sarah Rivas, Jean-Paul Bryant, Allison Shellbourn, Mitchell Rock, Ashis Chowdhury, Cole T. Lewis, Toshihiko Shimizu, Stuart Walbridge, Sivarajan Kumarasamy, Ashish H. Shah, Tae Jin Lee, Dragan Maric, Yuanqing Yan, Ji Young Yoo, Sangamesh G. Kumbar, John D. Heiss, Balveen Kaur
Summary: The study demonstrated that combined inhibition of PRMT5 and MEK synergistically inhibited glioblastoma in animal models, showing promising therapeutic potential.
NEURO-ONCOLOGY ADVANCES
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Lucia Casadei, Patricia Sarchet, Luciano Cascione, Giovanni Nigita, Fernanda Costas Casal de Faria, Carlo Maria Croce, Valerie Grignol, Raphael E. Pollock