Oncolytic vaccinia therapy of squamous cell carcinoma Journal Article


Authors: Yu, Z.; Li, S.; Brader, P.; Chen, N.; Yu, Y. A.; Zhang, Q.; Szalay, A. A.; Fong, Y.; Wong, R. J.
Article Title: Oncolytic vaccinia therapy of squamous cell carcinoma
Abstract: Background: Novel therapies are necessary to improve outcomes for patients with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the head and neck. Historically, vaccinia virus was administered widely to humans as a vaccine and led to the eradication of smallpox. We examined the therapeutic effects of an attenuated, replication-competent vaccinia virus (GLV-1h68) as an oncolytic agent against a panel of six human head and neck SCC cell lines. Results: All six cell lines supported viral transgene expression (β-galactosidase, green fluorescent protein, and luciferase) as early as 6 hours after viral exposure. Efficient transgene expression and viral replication (>150-fold titer increase over 72 hrs) were observed in four of the cell lines. At a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1, GLV-1h68 was highly cytotoxic to the four cell lines, resulting in ≥ 90% cytotoxicity over 6 days, and the remaining two cell lines exhibited >45% cytotoxicity. Even at a very low MOI of 0.01, three cell lines still demonstrated >60% cell death over 6 days. A single injection of GLV-1h68 (5 × 106 pfu) intratumorally into MSKQLL2 xenografts in mice exhibited localized intratumoral luciferase activity peaking at days 2-4, with gradual resolution over 10 days and no evidence of spread to normal organs. Treated animals exhibited near-complete tumor regression over a 24-day period without any observed toxicity, while control animals demonstrated rapid tumor progression. Conclusion: These results demonstrate significant oncolytic efficacy by an attenuated vaccinia virus for infecting and lysing head and neck SCC both in vitro and in vivo, and support its continued investigation in future clinical trials. © 2009 Yu et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Keywords: controlled study; unclassified drug; human cell; genetics; squamous cell carcinoma; carcinoma, squamous cell; nonhuman; methodology; antineoplastic agent; mouse; animal; metabolism; animals; mice; animal tissue; mus; gene expression; green fluorescent protein; luciferase; animal experiment; animal model; in vivo study; antineoplastic activity; cancer cell culture; cytotoxicity; in vitro study; tumor regression; drug screening; xenograft model antitumor assays; cell line, tumor; physiology; virology; animalia; cancer inhibition; biosynthesis; nude mouse; mice, nude; head and neck neoplasms; tumor cell line; transgene; beta galactosidase; oncolytic virotherapy; vaccinia virus; single drug dose; green fluorescent proteins; virus replication; luciferases; head and neck tumor; head and neck carcinoma; oncolytic vaccinia virus glv 1h68; virus attenuation; giardia lamblia virus; variola virus; beta-galactosidase
Journal Title: Molecular Cancer
Volume: 8
ISSN: 1476-4598
Publisher: Biomed Central Ltd  
Date Published: 2009-07-06
Start Page: 45
Language: English
DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-8-45
PUBMED: 19580655
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC2714037
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 30 November 2010" - "Art. No.: 45" - "CODEN: MCOAC" - "Source: Scopus"
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MSK Authors
  1. Zhenkun Yu
    25 Yu
  2. Peter Brader
    25 Brader
  3. Richard J Wong
    412 Wong
  4. Yuman Fong
    775 Fong
  5. Sen Li
    19 Li