Mesenchymal stem cell carriers enhance anti-tumor efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy

Xianyao Wang; Xing Zhao; Zhixu He

doi:10.3892/ol.2021.12499

Mesenchymal stem cell carriers enhance anti-tumor efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy

Oncol Lett. 2021 Apr;21(4):238. doi: 10.3892/ol.2021.12499. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Authors

Xianyao Wang^{1

2

3}, Xing Zhao^{1

2

3}, Zhixu He^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Research, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, P.R. China.
² Key Laboratory of Adult Stem Cell Translational Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, P.R. China.
³ Department of Immunology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, P.R. China.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, P.R. China.

Abstract

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) specifically infect, replicate and eventually destroy tumor cells, with no concomitant toxicity to adjacent normal cells. Furthermore, OVs can regulate tumor microenvironments and stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have inherent tumor tropisms and immunosuppressive functions. MSCs carrying OVs not only protect viruses from clearing by the immune system, but they also deliver the virus to tumor lesions. Equally, cytokines released by MSCs enhance anti-tumor immune responses, suggesting that MSCs carrying OVs may be considered as a promising strategy in enhancing the anti-tumor efficacies of virotherapy. In the present review, preclinical and clinical studies were evaluated and discussed, as well as the effectiveness of MSCs carrying OVs for tumor treatment.

Keywords: cellular carriers; immunosuppressive function; mesenchymal stem cells; oncolytic virotherapy; oncolytic virus; tumor tropism.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 81871313), the Graduate Student Innovation Program in Guizhou Province [grant no. Qian Jiao He YJSCXJH (2020) 143], Key projects of Guizhou Provincial Department of Science and Technology [grant no. Qian Ke He Zhi Cheng (2020) 4Y192], the Guizhou Provincial Natural Science Foundation [grant no. (2019)5663], the Program for Top Scientifc and Technological Talents in Guizhou Province [grant no. KY (2018)049], the Guizhou Province Science and Technology Talent Platform Project [grant no. (2019)5406], the Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (grant nos. 2018PT31048 and 2019PT310013) and the Special Grant for Central Government Supporting Local Science and Technology Development, Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Province [grant no. (2019)4008].