Naturally oncolytic viruses

Curr Opin Mol Ther. 2006 Aug;8(4):314-21.

Abstract

Naturally oncolytic viruses are replication-competent viruses that have an innate ability to selectively infect and kill tumor cells. Despite being used in the original attempts to treat cancer with live viruses five decades ago, interest in naturally oncolytic viruses has lagged behind the support for engineered adenoviruses and herpesviruses as cancer therapeutics. Recently, however, there has been renewed interest in the high potency and selectivity of these naturally occurring agents. In this review, the mechanism of selectivity as well as the preclinical and clinical activity of naturally oncolytic viruses will be discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Humans
  • Membrane Cofactor Protein / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy*
  • Oncolytic Viruses* / genetics
  • Oncolytic Viruses* / metabolism
  • Virus Replication

Substances

  • Membrane Cofactor Protein