Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Department of Internal Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 671, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Viruses. 2023 Jan 22;15(2):308. doi: 10.3390/v15020308.
Virotherapy is a promising, novel form of cancer immunotherapy currently being investigated in pre-clinical and clinical settings. While generally well-tolerated, the anti-tumor potency of oncolytic virus-based monotherapies needs to be improved further. One of the major factors limiting the replication efficiency of oncolytic viruses are the antiviral defense pathways activated by tumor cells. In this study, we have designed and validated a universal expression cassette for artificial microRNAs that can now be adapted to suppress genes of interest, including potential resistance factors. Transcripts are encoded as a primary microRNA for processing via the predominantly nuclear RNase III Drosha. We have engineered an oncolytic measles virus encoding this universal expression cassette for artificial microRNAs. Virally encoded microRNA was expressed in the range of endogenous microRNA transcripts and successfully mediated target protein suppression. However, absolute expression levels of mature microRNAs were limited when delivered by an oncolytic measles virus. We demonstrate that measles virus, in contrast to other cytosolic viruses, does not induce translocation of Drosha from the nucleus into the cytoplasm, potentially resulting in a limited processing efficiency of virus-derived, cytosolically delivered artificial microRNAs. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating functional expression of microRNA from oncolytic measles viruses potentially enabling future targeted knockdown, for instance of antiviral factors specifically in tumor cells.
病毒疗法是一种有前途的新型癌症免疫疗法,目前正在临床前和临床环境中进行研究。虽然通常具有良好的耐受性,但基于溶瘤病毒的单一疗法的抗肿瘤效力需要进一步提高。限制溶瘤病毒复制效率的一个主要因素是肿瘤细胞激活的抗病毒防御途径。在这项研究中,我们设计并验证了一种用于人工 microRNA 的通用表达盒,现在可以适用于抑制感兴趣的基因,包括潜在的耐药因素。转录本被编码为初级 microRNA,通过主要在核内的 RNase III Drosha 进行加工。我们已经构建了一种编码这种通用表达盒的溶瘤麻疹病毒用于人工 microRNA。病毒编码的 microRNA 的表达范围与内源性 microRNA 转录本相当,并成功介导了靶蛋白的抑制。然而,当由溶瘤麻疹病毒传递时,成熟 microRNA 的绝对表达水平是有限的。我们证明麻疹病毒与其他胞质病毒不同,不会诱导 Drosha 从细胞核易位到细胞质,这可能导致病毒衍生的、胞质递送的人工 microRNA 的处理效率有限。据我们所知,这是首次报道证明溶瘤麻疹病毒能够功能性表达 microRNA,可能能够实现未来的靶向敲低,例如在肿瘤细胞中特异性敲低抗病毒因子。