Special Issue "RNA Viruses and Cancer"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Santanu Bose
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Website: http://www.uthscsa.edu/micro/faculty/sb/sb.asp
E-Mail: bose@uthscsa.edu
Phone: +1 210 567 1019
Fax: +1 210 567 6612
Interests: respiratory RNA virus infections; oncolytic RNA viruses; oncolytic RNA virus based anti-cancer therapeutics

Dear Colleagues,

RNA viruses are important class of human pathogens that causes an array of human diseases. RNA viruses can also act as oncoviruses to promote cancer development (oncogenesis). For example, retrovirus like Human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) has been associated to T-cell leukemia, while hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been linked to development of liver cancer. Several RNA viruses also possess anti-cancer property. Known as oncolytic viruses, these viruses specifically “kills” cancer cells, but not normal cells. RNA viruses that possess oncolytic activity are vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), measles virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), mumps virus, reovirus, coxsackie virus, poliovirus. In the last decade major stride has been made in understanding the mechanism of oncogenesis by HTLV-I and HCV. These have led to development of treatment regimen to combat virus-associated cancers. Similarly, research with oncolytic viruses has illustrated the possible usage of these natural or genetically engineered “anti-cancer” viruses to treat various cancers and solid tumors either alone or in combination with other non-virus cancer agents (radiation, chemotherapy etc). This has culminated in major progress for development of safe and efficacious oncolytic viruses that can specifically target cancer cells (and tumors). This special issue will publish original research papers and review articles on RNA oncovirues (HTLV-I and HCV) and oncolytic viruses that possess RNA genome.

Prof. Dr. Santanu Bose
Guest Editor

Submission

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• cancer
• oncogenesis
• oncolytic
• RNA oncoviruses
• therapy
• RNA oncolytic viruses
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
• Human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-I)

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Oncolytic Newcastle Disease Virus as Cutting Edge between Tumor and Host
Authors: Philippe Fournier ¹ and Volker Schirrmacher ^1,2*
Affiliations: ¹ German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; E-Mail: Volker.Schirrmacher@dkfz.de; ² IOZK Köln, Hohenstaufenring 30-32, Germany.
Abstract: In contrast to standard cancer therapies which focus on the cancer, immunotherapies focus on the cancer-bearing host. Their aim is to instruct the patient`s immune system to fight against the cancer cells and to establish anti-cancer immune memory. Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), a bird RNA paramyxovirus, appears to be an outstanding reagent to combine anti-cancer activity (oncolytic virotherapy) with immune-stimulatory properties. This review will present the many milestones over the last 50 years which suggest that the combination of NDV with tumor cells and Dendritic cells to generate the tumor vaccine NDV-DC is a new promising strategy for cancer treatment.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Hepatitis C Virus and Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tatsuo Kanda ^1,*, Osamu Yokosuka ¹ and Masao Omata ^2,3
Affiliations: ¹ Department of Gastroenterology and Nephrology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba (260-8670), Japan; E-Mails: kanda2t@yahoo.co.jp (T.K.); yokosukao@faculty.chiba-u.jp (O.Y.)
² Yamanashi Hospitals (Central and Kita) Organization, 1-1-1 Fujimi, Koufu-shi, Yamanashi (400-8506), Japan; E-Mail: momata-tky@umin.ac.jp (M.O.)
³ University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo (113-8655), Japan
Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a hepatotropic virus, is a single stranded-positive RNA virus with ~9600 nt. in length, which belongs to the Flaviviridae family. HCV infection causes acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been reported that HCV-coding proteins interact host-cell factors, which are involved in cell cycle regulation, transcriptional regulation, cell proliferation and apoptosis. Severe inflammation and advanced liver fibrosis in the background of the liver is also associated with the incidence of HCV-related HCC. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis in HCV-related liver diseases.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Anti-tumor Virotherapy by Attenuated Measles Virus (MV).
Authors: Jean-Baptiste Guillerme¹, Frédéric Tangy², Jean-François Fonteneau¹ and Marc Gregoire¹
Affiliations: ¹ INSERM U892 -CRCNA, Université de Nantes, France; E-Mails: jean-baptsite.guillerme@univ-nantes.fr (J.-B.G.); jfontene@nantes.inserm.fr (J.-F.F.); marc.gregoire@nantes.inserm.fr (M.G.)
² Institut Pasteur Paris, France; E-Mail: ftangy@pasteur.fr
Abstract: Anti-tumor virotherapy consists in the use of replication-competent viruses to infect and kill preferentially tumor cells without damaging healthy cells. MV uses CD46 molecule as major entry receptor in cells. This molecule negatively regulates the complement system and cancer cells frequently over-express it to escape from complement lysis. MV exhibits oncolytic properties on many types of cancer in vitro, and in mouse models. Phase I clinical trials using MV are now on the way. Here, we review the state of this therapeutic approach.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Reovirus Clinical Trials: Past, Present and Future Perspectives
Authors: Chandini Thirukkumaran, Matt Coffey and Don Morris
Affiliation: Department of Oncology, Tom baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, 1331 – 29 Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N2; E-Mail: cmthiruk@ucalgary.ca
Abstract: Reovirus, an ubiquitous double stranded RNA virus has been shown to target cancer but not normal cells under in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo conditions. These findings have provided pre-clinical data for the ongoing advanced stage clinical trials. To realize the full potential of this virus in a clinical setting, optimizing the host/tumour/virus microenvironment is imperative. Paradoxically, immune clearance of the virus presents a limitation in reovirus treatment of patients whereas harnessing the immune system towards an anti-tumour and immune surveillance of the cancer represents a pivotal advantage in patient treatment. This review presents a timely overview of the clinical trials that have been conduced to date: from primates to phase III trials, lessons learnt from these trials and future clinical trials that are planned. Strategies that will be developed to overcome hurdles faced in the clinic that may lead to attainment of the full clinical potential of this viral therapeutic that has versatile activity against a spectrum of histologies will also be discussed.