Sindbis viral vectors target hematopoietic malignant cells

Channeling the Natural Properties of Sindbis Alphavirus for Targeted Tumor Therapy

Sindbis alphavirus vectors offer a promising platform for cancer therapy, serving as valuable models for alphavirus-based treatment. This review emphasizes key studies that support the targeted delivery of Sindbis vectors to tumor cells, highlighting their effectiveness in expressing tumor-associated antigens and immunomodulating proteins. Among the various alphavirus vectors developed for cancer therapy, Sindbis-vector-based imaging studies have been particularly extensive. Imaging modalities that enable the in vivo localization of Sindbis vectors within lymph nodes and tumors are discussed. The correlation between laminin receptor expression, tumorigenesis, and Sindbis virus infection is examined. Additionally, we present alternative entry receptors for Sindbis and related alphaviruses, such as Semliki Forest virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. The review also discusses cancer treatments that are based on the alphavirus vector expression of anti-tumor agents, including tumor-associated antigens, cytokines, checkpoint inhibitors, and costimulatory immune molecules.

Sindbis Virus with Anti-OX40 Overcomes the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment of Low-Immunogenic Tumors

Despite remarkable responses to cancer immunotherapy in a subset of patients, many patients remain resistant to therapies. It is now clear that elevated levels of tumor-infiltrating T cells as well as a systemic anti-tumor immune response are requirements for successful immunotherapies. However, the tumor microenvironment imposes an additional resistance mechanism to immunotherapy. We have developed a practical and improved strategy for cancer immunotherapy using an oncolytic virus and anti-OX40. This strategy takes advantage of a preexisting T cell immune repertoire in vivo, removing the need to know about present tumor antigens. We have shown in this study that the replication-deficient oncolytic Sindbis virus vector expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) (SV.IL12) activates immune-mediated tumor killing by inducing OX40 expression on CD4 T cells, allowing the full potential of the agonistic anti-OX40 antibody. The combination of SV.IL12 with anti-OX40 markedly changes the transcriptome signature and metabolic program of T cells, driving the development of highly activated terminally differentiated effector T cells. These metabolically reprogrammed T cells demonstrate enhanced tumor infiltration capacity as well as anti-tumor activity capable of overcoming the repressive tumor microenvironment. Our findings identify SV.IL12 in combination with anti-OX40 to be a novel and potent therapeutic strategy that can cure multiple types of low-immunogenic solid tumors.

Deficiency of the IRE1α-Autophagy Axis Enhances the Antitumor Effects of the Oncolytic Virus M1

Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging treatment modality that uses replication-competent viruses to destroy cancer cells. M1 is a naturally occurring alphavirus (Togaviridae) which shows potent oncolytic activities against many cancers. Accumulation of unfolded proteins during virus replication leads to a transcriptional/translational response known as the unfolded protein response (UPR), which might counteract the antitumor effect of the oncolytic virus. In this report, we show that either pharmacological or biological inhibition of IRE1α or PERK, but not ATF6, substantially increases the oncolytic effects of the M1 virus. Moreover, inhibition of IRE1α blocks M1 virus-induced autophagy, which restricts the antitumor effects of the M1 virus through degradation of viral protein, in glioma cells. In addition, IRE1α suppression significantly increases the oncolytic effect of M1 virus in an orthotopic glioma model. From a molecular pathology study, we found that IRE1α is expressed at lower levels in higher-grade gliomas, suggesting greater antitumor efficacy of the oncolytic virus M1. Taken together, these findings illustrate a defensive mechanism of glioma cells against the oncolytic virus M1 and identify possible approaches to enhance the oncolytic viral protein accumulation and the subsequent lysis of tumor cells.IMPORTANCE Although oncolytic virotherapy is showing great promise in clinical applications, not all patients are benefiting. Identifying inhibitory signals in refractory cancer cells for each oncolytic virus would provide a good chance to increase the therapeutic effect. Here we describe that infection with the oncolytic virus M1 triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR) and subsequent autophagy, while blocking the UPR-autophagy axis significantly potentiates the antitumor efficacy of M1 in vitro and in vivo A survey of cancer tissue banks revealed that IRE1α, a key element in the UPR pathway, is commonly downregulated in higher-grade human gliomas, suggesting favorable prospects for the application of M1. Our work provides a potential predictor and target for enhancement of the therapeutic effectiveness of the M1 virus. We predict that the mechanism-based combination therapy will promote cancer virotherapy in the future.

The Regulation of Translation in Alphavirus-Infected Cells

Sindbis virus (SINV) contains an RNA genome of positive polarity with two open reading frames (ORFs). The first ORF is translated from the genomic RNA (gRNA), rendering the viral non-structural proteins, whereas the second ORF is translated from a subgenomic mRNA (sgRNA), which directs the synthesis of viral structural proteins. SINV infection strongly inhibits host cell translation through a variety of different mechanisms, including the phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF2α and the redistribution of cellular proteins from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. A number of motifs have been identified in SINV sgRNA, including a hairpin downstream of the AUG initiation codon, which is involved in the translatability of the viral sgRNA when eIF2 is inactivated. Moreover, a 3′-UTR motif containing three stem-loop structures is involved in the enhancement of translation in insect cells, but not in mammalian cells. Accordingly, SINV sgRNA has evolved several structures to efficiently compete for the cellular translational machinery. Mechanistically, sgRNA translation involves scanning of the 5′-UTR following a non-canonical mode and without the requirement for several initiation factors. Indeed, sgRNA-directed polypeptide synthesis occurs even after eIF4G cleavage or inactivation of eIF4A by selective inhibitors. Remarkably, eIF2α phosphorylation does not hamper sgRNA translation during the late phase of SINV infection. SINV sgRNA thus constitutes a unique model of a capped viral mRNA that is efficiently translated in the absence of several canonical initiation factors. The present review will mainly focus in the non-canonical mechanism of translation of SINV sgRNA.

Oncolytic Alphaviruses in Cancer Immunotherapy

Oncolytic viruses show specific targeting and killing of tumor cells and therefore provide attractive assets for cancer immunotherapy. In parallel to oncolytic viral vectors based on adenoviruses and herpes simplex viruses, oncolytic RNA viruses and particularly alphaviruses have been evaluated as delivery vehicles. Immunization studies in experimental rodent models for various cancers including glioblastoma, hematologic, hepatocellular, colon, cervix, and lung cancer as well as melanoma have been conducted with naturally occurring oncolytic alphavirus strains such as M1 and Sindbis AR339. Moreover, animals were vaccinated with engineered oncolytic replication-deficient and -competent Semliki Forest virus, Sindbis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus vectors expressing various antigens. Vaccinations elicited strong antibody responses and resulted in tumor growth inhibition, tumor regression and even complete tumor eradication. Vaccination also led to prolonged survival in several animal models. Furthermore, preclinical evaluation demonstrated both prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic alphavirus administration. Clinical trials in humans have mainly been limited to safety studies so far.

Gene and virotherapy for hematological malignancies

Recent years have seen a transformation in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Advances in gene therapy and molecular techniques and significant gains in computational abilities have supported the rapid development of safer and better tolerated therapies for many patients with hematologic cancers. In this review, we discuss novel applications of gene therapy, including immunomodulation and gene silencing, and report on the rise of oncolytic viruses for use in the treatment of malignancies arising in cells of the blood, lymph, and marrow. We discuss the relationship of the tropism of wildtype viruses and their oncolytic behavior as well as the tumoricidal and immunostimulatory properties of a number of attenuated and recombinant viruses currently in clinical development in countries around the world. While we have focused on promising virotherapy applications for future development, we also present a historical perspective and identify areas of potential clinical and regulatory practice change. We outline several of the virus systems being developed for applications in hematology, and summarize efficacy data in the context of ongoing or future human clinical testing. We also present the advantages and limitations of gene and virus therapy, including challenges and opportunities for improved treatment tolerability and outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancies.

Alphavirus vectors as tools in neuroscience and gene therapy

Alphavirus-based vectors have been engineered for in vitro and in vivo expression of heterelogous genes. The rapid and easy generation of replication-deficient recombinant particles and the broad range of host cell infection have made alphaviruses attractive vehicles for applications in neuroscience and gene therapy. Efficient delivery to primary neurons and hippocampal slices has allowed localization studies of gene expression and electrophysiological recordings of ion channels. Alphavirus vectors have also been applied for in vivo delivery to rodent brain. Due to the strong local transient expression provided by alphavirus vectors a number of immunization and gene therapy approaches have demonstrated both therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy in various animal models.