Abstract 4976: Telomerase-specific replication-selective virotherapy combined with radiation therapy for oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Abstract

Abstract Replication-selective tumor-specific viruses present a novel approach for treating neoplastic disease. These vectors are designed to induce virus-mediated lysis of tumor cells after selective viral propagation within the tumor. Telomerase activation is considered to be a critical step in carcinogenesis, and its activity is closely correlated with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression. We previously, investigated the antitumor effect of the hTERT-specific replication-competent adenovirus (Telomelysin: OBP-301) on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells in vitro and in vivo orthotopic graft model. OBP-301 replicated efficiently and induced more over 50% cell killing in a panel of human OSCC cell lines, but not in normal human fibroblasts, which were lacking telomerase activity. In orthotopic graft model, intratumoral injection of OBP-301 resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth and prolongation of survival. Moreover, OBP-301 in use has limited potency when administered alone; however, combination therapy using these agents and conventional anticancer agents, such as radiation exhibits encouraging levels of efficacy. Here, we describe the mechanistic basis for synergy of irradiation and OBP-301. This combination therapy was more effective compared with OBP-301 alone in OSCC cells. These results illustrate the potential of combining oncolytic virotherapy and ionizing radiation as a promising strategy in the management of human oral cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4976. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4976