Emerging role of oncolytic viruses and stem cells in gene therapy: Should they be integrated?

Muhammad Tahir; Nadeem Ahmad; Dong Lei; Sakhawat Ali

doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2022.03.016

Emerging role of oncolytic viruses and stem cells in gene therapy: Should they be integrated?

Drug Discov Today. 2022 Aug;27(8):2244-2251. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.03.016. Epub 2022 Mar 26.

Authors

Muhammad Tahir¹, Nadeem Ahmad², Dong Lei³, Sakhawat Ali⁴

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Environment & Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
² Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan.
³ School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
⁴ School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China. Electronic address: sakhawat@bit.edu.cn.

PMID: 35351608
DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.03.016

Abstract

Recombinant virus-based transgene therapy has shown promising results in solid tumors. Oncolytic virotherapy is a research hotspot because of its additional immunostimulatory effects. However, metastatic malignancies require systemic virotherapy, which necessitates the use of safe and effective vehicles for drug delivery. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are good carriers because of their tumor-tropic and immune-evasive capabilities. We collated published results from pre-clinical and clinical trials to support the use of MSCs as Trojan horses for the systemic administration of recombinant viruses, with a focus on glioblastoma. The generation of modified MSCs harboring recombinant viruses could expedite bench-to-bedside transformation.

Keywords: Gene therapy; Glioma; Mesenchymal stem cells; Oncolytic viruses; Targeted delivery.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Genetic Therapy
Glioblastoma*
Humans
Oncolytic Virotherapy* / methods
Oncolytic Viruses* / genetics
Stem Cells