Oncolytic Viruses and Combinatorial Immunotherapy for Cancer

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Immunology and Immunotherapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 4608

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
Interests: oncolytic virus; poxviruses; cancer immunotherapy; cancer immunology; oncoimmunology; molecular targeted therapy; combinatorial therapy for cancer
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Guest Editor
Institute for Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
Interests: cell signaling; cell migration; cytokine gene expression; HIV; poxviruses; vaccines; viral vectors; virus–host interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are developed as tools for novel cancer therapies. In recent years, investigators have started to realize that the indirect antitumor activity of viruses beyond direct oncolysis is a vital contributor to therapeutic efficacy. OV-induced antitumor immunity plays an important, sometimes essential, role in OV-mediated therapeutics for cancer.

OVs modulate the tumor microenvironment to favor antitumor immunity. Their ability to turn cold tumors immunologically hot is a unique property that makes OVs highly useful agents in combinatorial approaches for cancer immunotherapy.

We cordially invite authors in the field to submit original research or review articles pertaining to this important and fast-advancing field of biomedicine.

The submission of articles addressing (i) the mechanisms of action of OVs, (ii) genetic modifications of OVs for improving their efficacy and safety, (ii) the delivery of OVs, (iv) host responses to OVs and (v) studies with combinatorial approaches is strongly encouraged.

Dr. Zong Sheng Guo
Dr. Michael H. Lehmann
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • oncolytic virus
  • antitumor immunity
  • cold tumor
  • tumor antigen
  • cancer vaccine
  • immunotherapy
  • combinatorial therapy
  • immune checkpoint blockade

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3503 KiB  
Article
Newcastle Disease Virus Virotherapy: Unveiling Oncolytic Efficacy and Immunomodulation
by Kawther A. Zaher, Jehan S. Alrahimi, Fatemah S. Basingab and Alia M. Aldahlawi
Biomedicines 2024, 12(7), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12071497 - 5 Jul 2024
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Abstract
In virotherapy, cancer cells are eradicated via viral infection, replication, and dissemination (oncolysis). Background: This study aims to evaluate the oncolytic potential of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) against colon cancer and explore the immune response associated with its therapeutic effects. Methods: NDV was [...] Read more.
In virotherapy, cancer cells are eradicated via viral infection, replication, and dissemination (oncolysis). Background: This study aims to evaluate the oncolytic potential of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) against colon cancer and explore the immune response associated with its therapeutic effects. Methods: NDV was tested for its oncolytic potential in colon cancer cell lines using MTT assays and apoptosis assessments. Tumor-induced mice were treated with NDV, tumor cell lysate (TCL), or a combination of both. After the euthanasia of murine subjects, an assessment of oncolytic efficacy was performed through flow cytometry analysis of murine blood and tumor tissue, targeting CD83, CD86, CD8, and CD4. An ELISA was also performed to examine interferon-gamma levels, interleukin-4 levels, interleukin-12 levels, and interleukin-10 levels in serum and spleen homogenate. Results: Cell viability was low in HCT116 and HT-29, indicating a cytotoxic effect in the MTT assay. NDV+TCL recorded the highest rate of cell death (56.72%). NDV+TCL had accelerated cell death after 48 h, reaching 58.4%. The flow cytometry analysis of the blood and tumor of mice with induced tumor treated with combined treatment revealed elevated levels of CD83, CD86, CD8, and CD4 (76.3, 66.9, 83.7, and 14.4%, respectively). The ELISA levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-12 in serum and the spleen homogenate were elevated (107.6 ± 9.25 pg/mL). In contrast, the expression of IL-10 was significantly reduced (1 ± 0.79). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oncolytic Viruses and Combinatorial Immunotherapy for Cancer)
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Review

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16 pages, 266 KiB  
Review
Individualized Multimodal Immunotherapy (IMI): Scientific Rationale and Clinical Experience from a Single Institution
by Volker Schirrmacher, Stefaan Van Gool and Wilfried Stuecker
Biomedicines 2024, 12(4), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12040754 - 28 Mar 2024
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Abstract
Oncolytic viruses and combinatorial immunotherapy for cancer (this Special Issue) are both part of cancer treatment at IOZK. This review focusses on an individual multimodal cancer immunotherapy concept developed by IOZK, Cologne, Germany. The scientific rationale for employing three main components is explained: [...] Read more.
Oncolytic viruses and combinatorial immunotherapy for cancer (this Special Issue) are both part of cancer treatment at IOZK. This review focusses on an individual multimodal cancer immunotherapy concept developed by IOZK, Cologne, Germany. The scientific rationale for employing three main components is explained: (i) oncolytic Newcastle disease virus, (ii) modulated electrohyperthermia and (iii) individual tumor antigen and oncolytic virus modified dendritic cell vaccine (IO-VACR). The strategy involves repeated cancer-immunity cycles evoked in cancer patients by systemic oncolytic virus exposure plus hyperthermia pretreatment to induce immunogenic cell death followed by intradermal IO-VACR vaccination. As an example of the experience at IOZK, we present the latest results from combining the immunotherapy with standard treatment of patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme. The promising clinical results in terms of overall survival benefit of additional individualized multimodal immunotherapy are presented. The cancer-immunity cycle, as introduced 10 years ago, describes key important steps occurring locally at the sites of both tumor and draining lymph nodes. This view is extended here towards systemic events occuring in blood where immunogenic cell death-induced tumor antigens are transported into the bone marrow. For 20 years it has been known that bone marrow is an antigen-responsive organ in which dendritic cells present tumor antigens to T cells leading to immunological synapse formation, tumor antigen-specific T cell activation and memory T cell formation. Bone marrow is known to be the most prominent source of de novo cellular generation in the body and to play an important role for the storage and maintenance of immunological memory. Its systemic activation is recommended to augment cancer-immunity cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oncolytic Viruses and Combinatorial Immunotherapy for Cancer)
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