Work

Oncolytic Poliovirus Against Malignant Glioma

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: In cancerous cells, physiologically tight regulation of protein synthesis is lost, contributing to uncontrolled growth and proliferation. We describe a novel experimental cancer therapy approach based on genetically recombinant poliovirus that targets an intriguing aberration of translation control in malignancy. This strategy is based on the confluence of several factors enabling specific and efficacious cancer cell targeting. Poliovirus naturally targets the vast majority of ectodermal/neuroectodermal cancers expressing its cellular receptor. Evidence from glioblastoma patients suggests that the poliovirus receptor is ectopically upregulated on tumor cells and may be associated with stem cell-like cancer cell populations and proliferating tumor vasculature. We exploit poliovirus' reliance on an unorthodox mechanism of protein synthesis initiation to selectively drive viral translation, propagation and cytotoxicity in glioblastoma. PVSRIPO, a prototype nonpathogenic poliovirus recombinant, is scheduled to enter clinical investigation against glioblastoma.

Source: Future Virology

DOI: 10.2217/fvl.11.76

Authors: Christian Goetz, Elena Dobrikova, Mayya Shveygert, Mikhail Dobrikov, Matthias Gromeier

Institutions: Duke University, Duke Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Virus-based gene therapy research

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute