Efficacy of reovirus therapy combined with cyclophosphamide and gene-modified cell vaccines on tumors induced in mice by HPV16-transformed cells.

ABSTRACT

Oncolytic virotherapy is a novel approach to cancer treatment. In the present study we tested the ability of reovirus type 3, strain Dearing, to suppress the growth of tumors induced in mice by HPV16-transformed TC-1 cells. In vitro, these cells are highly susceptible to the virus. In repeated in vivo tests the intratumoral inoculation of the virus resulted in only a minor slow-down of tumor growth, never in a complete cure. The effect of the treatment was not enhanced by the simultaneous administration of non-oncogenic, genetically modified TC-1 cells expressing either IL-2, IL-12 or GM-CSF, and, in fact, the oncolytic effect of the virus was even less expressed in some instances. When cyclophosphamide was used in combination with the viral treatment, a synergistic effect resulting in tumor suppression was observed. In most instances the tumor regression was transitory, however, and was followed by tumor progression. The outcome of these experiments was dependent on the timing of the two treatments.