Nanobugs as Drugs: Bacterial Derived Nanomagnets Enhance Tumor Targeting and Oncolytic Activity of HSV-1 Virus.

The survival strategies of infectious organisms have inspired many therapeutics over the years. Indeed the advent of oncolytic viruses (OVs) exploits the uncontrolled replication of cancer cells for production of their progeny resulting in a cancer-targeting treatment that leaves healthy cells unharmed. Their success against inaccessible tumors however, is highly variable due to inadequate tumor targeting following systemic administration. Coassembling herpes simplex virus (HSV1716) with biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles derived from magnetotactic bacteria enables tumor targeting from circulation with magnetic guidance, protects the virus against neutralizing antibodies and thereby enhances viral replication within tumors. This approach additionally enhances the intratumoral recruitment of activated immune cells, promotes antitumor immunity and immune cell death, thereby inducing tumor shrinkage and increasing survival in a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer by 50%. Exploiting the properties of such a nanocarrier, rather than tropism of the virus, for active tumor targeting offers an exciting, novel approach for enhancing the bioavailability and treatment efficacy of tumor immunotherapies for disseminated neoplasms.

First-in-Human Intravenous Seprehvir in Young Cancer Patients: A Phase 1 Clinical Trial.

Seprehvir (HSV1716) is an oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) previously demonstrated to be well tolerated in pediatric patients when administered intratumorally. To determine the safety of administering Seprehvir systemically, we conducted the first-in-human phase I trial of intravenous injection in young patients with relapsed or refractory extra-cranial solid cancers. We delivered a single dose of 5 × 104 infectious units (iu)/kg (maximum dose of 2 × 106) or 2.5 × 105 iu/kg (maximum dose of 1 × 107 iu) of Seprehvir via the peripheral vein, monitored adverse events, and measured tumor responses by imaging. We monitored HSV-1 serology as well as viremia and shedding by PCR and culture. We administered a single dose of Seprehvir to seven patients and multiple doses to two patients. We did not observe any dose-limiting toxicities. All five HSV-1 seronegative patients seroconverted by day 28. Four of nine patients had detectable HSV-1 genomes in peripheral blood appearing on day +4 consistent with de novo virus replication. Two patients had stable disease in response to Seprehvir. Intravenous Seprehvir is well tolerated without viral shedding in children and young adults with late-stage cancer. Viremia consistent with virus replication holds promise for future Seprehvir studies at higher doses and/or in combination with other anti-neoplastic therapies.

HSV1716 Prevents Myeloma Cell Regrowth When Combined with Bortezomib In Vitro and Significantly Reduces Systemic Tumor Growth in Mouse Models.

Multiple myeloma remains largely incurable due to refractory disease; therefore, novel treatment strategies that are safe and well-tolerated are required. Here, we studied the modified herpes simplex virus HSV1716 (SEPREHVIR®), which only replicates in transformed cells. Myeloma cell lines and primary patient cells were infected with HSV1716 and assessed for cell death using propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin-V staining and markers of apoptosis and autophagy by qPCR. Myeloma cell death was associated with dual PI and Annexin-V positivity and increased expression of apoptotic genes, including CASP1, CASP8, CASP9, BAX, BID, and FASL. The combination of HSV1716 and bortezomib treatments prevented myeloma cell regrowth for up to 25 days compared to only transient cell growth suppression with bortezomib treatment. The viral efficacy was tested in a xenograft (JJN-3 cells in NSG mice) and syngeneic (murine 5TGM1 cells in C57BL/KaLwRijHsd mice) systemic models of myeloma. After 6 or 7 days, the post-tumor implantation mice were treated intravenously with the vehicle or HSV1716 (1 × 107 plaque forming units/1 or 2 times per week). Both murine models treated with HSV1716 had significantly lower tumor burden rates compared to the controls. In conclusion, HSV1716 has potent anti-myeloma effects and may represent a novel therapy for multiple myeloma.

Inconsistencies in Modeling the Efficacy of the Oncolytic Virus HSV1716 Reveal Potential Predictive Biomarkers for Tolerability.

Treatment with HSV1716 via intralesional administration has proven successful for melanoma patients with the hope that oncolytic virotherapy would become another weapon in the systemic anticancer therapy (SACT) arsenal. In addition to challenges surrounding the systemic delivery of oncolytic viruses (OVs), problems associated with its in vivo modeling have resulted in low predictive power, contributing to the observed disappointing clinical efficacy. As OV's efficacy is elicited through interaction with the immune system, syngeneic orthotopic mouse models offer the opportunity to study these with high reproducibility and at a lower cost; however, inbred animals display specific immune characteristics which may confound results. The systemic delivery of HSV1716 was, therefore, assessed in multiple murine models of breast cancer. Tolerability to the virus was strain-dependent with C57/Bl6, the most tolerant and Balb/c experiencing lethal side effects, when delivered intravenously. Maximum tolerated doses were not enough to demonstrate efficacy against tumor growth rates or survival of Balb/c and FVB mouse models; therefore; the most susceptible strain (Balb/c mice) was treated with immunomodulators prior to virus administration in an attempt to reduce side effects. These studies demonstrate the number of variables to consider when modeling the efficacy of OVs and the complexities involved in their interpretation for translational purposes. By reporting these observations, we have potentially revealed a role for T-cell helper polarization in viral tolerability. Importantly, these findings were translated to human studies, whereby a Th1 cytokine profile was expressed in pleural effusions of patients that responded to HSV1716 treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma with minimal side effects, warranting further investigation as a biomarker for predictive response.

Endogenous retrovirus envelope as a tumor-associated immunotherapeutic target in murine osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma remains one of the deadliest cancers in pediatrics and young adults. We administered two types of immunotherapies, oncolytic virotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibition, to two murine osteosarcoma models and observed divergent results. Mice bearing F420 showed no response, whereas those with K7M2 showed prolonged survival in response to combination therapy. K7M2 had higher expression of immune-related genes and higher baseline immune cell infiltrates, but there were no significant differences in tumor mutational burden or predicted MHC class I binding of nonsynonymous mutations. Instead, we found several mouse endogenous retrovirus sequences highly expressed in K7M2 compared with F420. T cell tetramer staining for one of them, gp70, was detected in mice with K7M2 but not F420, suggesting that endogenous retrovirus proteins are targets for the anti-tumor immune reaction. Given prior observations of endogenous retrovirus expression in human osteosarcomas, our findings may be translatable to human disease.

Macrophages Mediate the Antitumor Effects of the Oncolytic Virus HSV1716 in Mammary Tumors.

Oncolytic viruses (OV) have been shown to activate the antitumor functions of specific immune cells like T cells. Here, we show OV can also reprogram tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) to a less immunosuppressive phenotype. Syngeneic, immunocompetent mouse models of primary breast cancer were established using PyMT-TS1, 4T1, and E0771 cell lines, and a metastatic model of breast cancer was established using the 4T1 cell line. Tumor growth and overall survival was assessed following intravenous administration of the OV, HSV1716 (a modified herpes simplex virus). Infiltration and function of various immune effector cells was assessed by NanoString, flow cytometry of dispersed tumors, and immunofluorescence analysis of tumor sections. HSV1716 administration led to marked tumor shrinkage in primary mammary tumors and a decrease in metastases. This was associated with a significant increase in the recruitment/activation of cytotoxic T cells, a reduction in the presence of regulatory T cells and the reprograming of TAMs towards a pro-inflammatory, less immunosuppressive phenotype. These findings were supported by in vitro data demonstrating that human monocyte-derived macrophages host HSV1716 replication, and that this led to immunogenic macrophage lysis. These events were dependent on macrophage expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Finally, the antitumor effect of OV was markedly diminished when TAMs were depleted using clodronate liposomes. Together, our results show that TAMs play an essential role in support of the tumoricidal effect of the OV, HSV1716-they both host viral replication via a novel, PCNA-dependent mechanism and are reprogramed to express a less immunosuppressive phenotype.

Oncolytic herpesvirus therapy for mesothelioma - A phase I/IIa trial of intrapleural administration of HSV1716.

OBJECTIVES: Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) remains a major oncological challenge with limited therapeutic options. HSV1716 is a replication restricted oncolytic herpes simplex virus with anti-tumor effects in multiple cell lines including MPM. Intrapleural treatment appeals because MPM is typically multifocal but confined to the pleura, and distant metastases are uncommon. We assessed the safety and possible efficacy of intrapleural HSV1716 for inoperable MPM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with MPM received 1 × 107iu HSV1716 injected via an indwelling intrapleural catheter (IPC) on one, two or four occasions a week apart. The primary endpoint was the safety and tolerability of HSV1716. Secondary endpoints were assessment of HSV1716 replication, detection of immune response and evaluation of tumor response. RESULTS: Of thirteen patients enrolled, five had received previous pemetrexed-cisplatin chemotherapy, and eight were chemotherapy naïve. Three patients were enrolled to receive one dose, three patients to two doses and seven patients to four doses. The treatment was well-tolerated with few virus-related adverse events and no dose limiting toxicities. Twelve patients were evaluable for response, as one patient withdrew early after a catheter fracture. There was evidence of viral replication/persistence in pleural fluid in seven of the twelve patients. Induction of Th1 cytokine responses to HSV1716 treatment occurred in eight patients and four patients developed novel anti-tumor IgG. No objective responses were observed but disease stabilization was reported in 50 % of patients at 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapleural HSV1716 was well-tolerated and demonstrated an anti-tumor immune response in MPM patients. These results provide a rationale for further studies with this agent in MPM and in combination with other therapies.

Please stand by: how oncolytic viruses impact bystander cells.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) do more than simply infect and kill host cells. The accepted mechanism of action for OVs consists of a primary lytic phase and a subsequent antitumor and antiviral immune response. However, not all cells are subject to the direct effects of OV therapy, and it is becoming clear that OVs can also impact uninfected cells in the periphery. This review discusses the effects of OVs on uninfected neighboring cells, so-called bystander effects, and implications for OV therapies alone or in combination with other standard of care chemotherapy.

High Mobility Group Box 1 Influences HSV1716 Spread and Acts as an Adjuvant to Chemotherapy.

High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) is a multifunctional protein that plays various roles in the processes of inflammation, cancer, and other diseases. Many reports document abundant HMGB1 release following infection with oncolytic viruses (OVs). Further, other groups including previous reports from our laboratory highlight the synergistic effects of OVs with chemotherapy drugs. Here, we show that virus-free supernatants have varying cytotoxic potential, and HMGB1 is actively secreted by two established fibroblast cell lines (NIH 3T3 and 3T6-Swiss albino) following HSV1716 infection in vitro. Further, pharmacologic inhibition or genetic knock-down of HMGB1 reveals a role for HMGB1 in viral restriction, the ability to modulate bystander cell proliferation, and drug sensitivity in 3T6 cells. These data further support the multifactorial role of HMGB1, and suggest it could be a target for modulating the efficacy of oncolytic virus therapies alone or in combination with other frontline cancer treatments.

Cooperation of Oncolytic Herpes Virotherapy and PD-1 Blockade in Murine Rhabdomyosarcoma Models.

Oncolytic virotherapy is an effective immunotherapeutic approach for cancer treatment via a multistep process including direct tumor cell lysis, induction of cytotoxic or apoptosis-sensitizing cytokines and promotion of antitumor T cell responses. Solid tumors limit the effectiveness of immunotherapeutics in diverse ways such as secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines and expression of immune inhibitory ligands to inhibit antitumor T cell function. Blocking programmed cell death protein (PD)-1 signaling, which mediates T cell suppression via engagement of its inhibitory ligands, PD-L1 or PD-L2, is of particular interest due to recent successes in many types of cancer. In syngeneic murine rhabdomyosarcoma models, we found that M3-9-M (MHC I high) but not 76-9 (MHC I low) tumors respond to oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 (oHSV-1) and PD-1 blockade combination therapy. In addition, the therapeutic outcomes in M3-9-M tumor models correlated with the increased incidence of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but not with the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell populations in the tumor. Overall, our data suggest the combination of PD-1 blockade and oHSV-1 may be an effective treatment strategy for childhood soft tissue sarcoma.

TGF-ß Inhibition Improves Oncolytic Herpes Viroimmunotherapy in Murine Models of Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Oncolytic viruses are an emerging class of cancer therapeutics that couple cytotoxicity with the induction of an anti-tumor immune response. Host-virus interactions are complex and modulated by a tumor microenvironment whose immunosuppressive activities can limit the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. In an effort to improve this aspect of oncolytic virotherapy, we combined the oncolytic herpes virus HSV1716 with the transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGF-ßR1) inhibitor A8301 to treat syngeneic models of murine rhabdomyosarcoma. Mice that received HSV1716 or A8301 alone showed little to no benefit in efficacy and survival over controls. Conversely, mice given combination therapy exhibited tumor stabilization throughout the treatment regimen, which was reflected in significantly prolonged survival times including some complete responses. In vitro cell viability and virus replication assays showed that the rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines were generally insensitive to HSV1716 and A8301. Likewise, in vivo virus replication assays showed that HSV1716 titers moderately decreased in the presence of A8301. The enhanced efficacy instead appears to be dependent on the generation of an improved anti-tumor T cell response as determined by its loss in athymic nude mice and following in vivo depletion of either CD4+ or CD8+ cells. These data suggest TGF-ß inhibition can augment the immunotherapeutic efficacy of oncolytic herpes virotherapy.

Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Inhibits Pediatric Brain Tumor Migration and Invasion.

Pediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) are invasive tumors with poor survival. Oncolytic virotherapy, initially devised as a direct cytotoxic treatment, is now also known to act via immune-mediated mechanisms. Here we investigate a previously unreported mechanism of action: the inhibition of migration and invasion in pediatric brain tumors. We evaluated the effect of oncolytic herpes simplex virus 1716 (HSV1716) on the migration and invasion of pHGG and DIPG both in vitro using 2D (scratch assay, live cell imaging) and 3D (spheroid invasion in collagen) assays and in vivo using an orthotopic xenograft model of DIPG invasion. HSV1716 inhibited migration and invasion in pHGG and DIPG cell lines. pHGG cells demonstrated reduced velocity and changed morphology in the presence of virus. HSV1716 altered pHGG cytoskeletal dynamics by stabilizing microtubules, inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3, and preventing localized clustering of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) to the leading edge of cells. HSV1716 treatment also reduced tumor infiltration in a mouse orthotopic xenograft DIPG model. Our results demonstrate that HSV1716 targets the migration and invasion of pHGG and DIPG and indicates the potential of an oncolytic virus (OV) to be used as a novel anti-invasive treatment strategy for pediatric brain tumors.

Aurora A kinase inhibition enhances oncolytic herpes virotherapy through cytotoxic synergy and innate cellular immune modulation.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) and neuroblastoma models respond to the investigational small molecule Aurora A kinase inhibitor, alisertib. We previously reported that MPNST and neuroblastomas are also susceptible to oncolytic herpes virus (oHSV) therapy. Herein, we show that combination of alisertib and HSV1716, a virus derived from HSV-1 and attenuated by deletion of RL1, exhibits significantly increased antitumor efficacy compared to either monotherapy. Alisertib and HSV1716 reduced tumor growth and increased survival in two xenograft models of MPNST and neuroblastoma. We found the enhanced antitumor effect was due to multiple mechanisms that likely each contribute to the combination effect. First, oncolytic herpes virus increased the sensitivity of uninfected cells to alisertib cytotoxicity, a process we term virus-induced therapeutic adjuvant (VITA). Second, alisertib increased peak virus production and slowed virus clearance from tumors, both likely a consequence of it preventing virus-mediated increase of intratumoral NK cells. We also found that alisertib inhibited virus-induced accumulation of intratumoral myeloid derived suppressor cells, which normally are protumorigenic. Our data suggest that clinical trials of the combination of oHSV and alisertib are warranted in patients with neuroblastoma or MPNST.

Intratumoral Injection of HSV1716, an Oncolytic Herpes Virus, Is Safe and Shows Evidence of Immune Response and Viral Replication in Young Cancer Patients.

Purpose: HSV1716 is an oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) studied in adults via injection into the brain and superficial tumors. To determine the safety of administering HSV1716 to pediatric patients with cancer, we conducted a phase I trial of image-guided injection in young patients with relapsed or refractory extracranial cancers.Experimental Design: We delivered a single dose of 105 to 107 infectious units of HSV1716 via computed tomography-guided intratumoral injection and measured tumor responses by imaging. Patients were eligible for up to three more doses if they achieved stable disease. We monitored HSV-1 serum titers and shedding by PCR and culture.Results: We administered a single dose of HSV1716 to eight patients and two doses to one patient. We did not observe any dose-limiting toxicities. Adverse events attributed to virus included low-grade fever, chills, and mild cytopenias. Six of eight HSV-1 seronegative patients at baseline showed seroconversion on day 28. Six of nine patients had detectable HSV-1 genomes by PCR in peripheral blood appearing on day +4 consistent with de novo virus replication. Two patients had transient focal increases in metabolic activity on 18fluorine-deoxyglucose PET, consistent with inflammatory reactions. In one case, the same geographic region that flared later appeared necrotic on imaging. No patient had an objective response to HSV1716.Conclusions: Intratumoral HSV1716 is safe and well-tolerated without shedding in children and young adults with late-stage, aggressive cancer. Viremia consistent with virus replication and transient inflammatory reactions hold promise for future HSV1716 studies. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3566-74. ©2017 AACR.

Characterisation of the immunoglobulin variable region gene usage encoding the murine anti-ganglioside antibody repertoire.

Neuropathogenic murine antibodies reactive with terminal disialylgalactose epitopes are innate and preferentially encoded by the VH7183.3b gene. Here we have studied antibodies reactive with internal galactose-linked disialosyl epitopes and the terminal trisaccharide of GT1b. Antibodies were of moderate affinity and unmutated. Anti-GD1b antibodies were often encoded by the VH10.2b heavy and gj38c light chain genes. Anti-GT1b antibodies with broader glycan binding patterns were encoded by VHQ52 and VHJ558 family genes. These data indicate that the discrete specificities of ganglioside-binding antibodies are dictated by particular patterns of V gene usage residing within the innate B cell repertoire.

Directing cell therapy to anatomic target sites in vivo with magnetic resonance targeting.

Cell-based therapy exploits modified human cells to treat diseases but its targeted application in specific tissues, particularly those lying deep in the body where direct injection is not possible, has been problematic. Here we use a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to direct macrophages carrying an oncolytic virus, Seprehvir, into primary and metastatic tumour sites in mice. To achieve this, we magnetically label macrophages with super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and apply pulsed magnetic field gradients in the direction of the tumour sites. Magnetic resonance targeting guides macrophages from the bloodstream into tumours, resulting in increased tumour macrophage infiltration and reduction in tumour burden and metastasis. Our study indicates that clinical MRI scanners can not only track the location of magnetically labelled cells but also have the potential to steer them into one or more target tissues.

Innate murine B cells produce anti-disialosyl antibodies reactive with Campylobacter jejuni LPS and gangliosides that are polyreactive and encoded by a restricted set of unmutated V genes.

In Guillain-Barré syndrome following Campylobacter enteritis, anti-lipopolysaccharide antibodies cross-react with neural gangliosides, thereby precipitating autoimmune neuropathy. We examined the properties of 15 murine anti-LPS/ganglioside mAbs specific for NeuAc(alpha2-8)NeuAc-Gal disialosyl epitopes. Many mAbs displayed features of an innate B cell origin including polyreactivity (13/15), hybridoma CD5 mRNA expression (5/15), predominance of IgM (9/15) or IgG3 (3/6) isotype, low affinity, and utilisation of unmutated VH and VL VDJ rearrangements. Antibody specificity resided in highly selective V gene usage, with 6/15 mAbs being encoded by the VH7183.3b gene. These data indicate that neuropathogenic antiganglioside autoantibodies can arise from the natural autoantibody repertoire.

Potent efficacy signals from systemically administered oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV1716) in hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft models.

Oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV1716), lacking the neurovirulence factor ICP34.5, has highly selective replication competence for cancer cells and has been used in clinical studies of glioma, melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pediatric non-central nervous system solid tumors, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. To date, 88 patients have received HSV1716 and the virus is well tolerated, with selective replication in tumor cells and no spread to surrounding normal tissue. We assessed the potential value of HSV1716 in preclinical studies with two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, HuH7 and HepG2-luc. HSV1716 displayed excellent replication kinetics in vitro in HepG2-luc cells, a cell line engineered to express luciferase, and virus-mediated cell killing correlated with loss of light emissions from the cells. In vivo, the HepG2-luc cells readily formed light-emitting xenografts that were easily visualized by an in vivo imaging system and efficiently eliminated by HSV1716 oncolysis after intratumoral injection. HSV1716 also demonstrated strong efficacy signals in subcutaneous HuH7 xenografts in nude mice after intravenous administration of virus. In the HuH7 model, the intravenously injected virus replicated prolifically immediately after efficient tumor localization, resulting in highly significant reductions in tumor growth and enhanced survival. Our preclinical results demonstrate excellent tumor uptake of HSV1716, with prolific replication and potent oncolysis. These observations warrant a clinical study of HSV1716 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Oncolytic herpes viruses, chemotherapeutics, and other cancer drugs.

Oncolytic viruses are emerging as a potential new way of treating cancers. They are selectively replication-competent viruses that propagate only in actively dividing tumor cells but not in normal cells and, as a result, destroy the tumor cells by consequence of lytic infection. At least six different oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (oHSVs) have undergone clinical trials worldwide to date, and they have demonstrated an excellent safety profile and intimations of efficacy. The first pivotal Phase III trial with an oHSV, talimogene laherparepvec (T-Vec [OncoVex(GM-CSF)]), is almost complete, with extremely positive early results reported. Intuitively, therapeutically beneficial interactions between oHSV and chemotherapeutic and targeted therapeutic drugs would be limited as the virus requires actively dividing cells for maximum replication efficiency and most anticancer agents are cytotoxic or cytostatic. However, combinations of such agents display a range of responses, with antagonistic, additive, or, perhaps most surprisingly, synergistic enhancement of antitumor activity. When synergistic interactions in cancer cell killing are observed, chemotherapy dose reductions that achieve the same overall efficacy may be possible, resulting in a valuable reduction of adverse side effects. Therefore, the combination of an oHSV with "standard-of-care" drugs makes a logical and reasonable approach to improved therapy, and the addition of a targeted oncolytic therapy with "standard-of-care" drugs merits further investigation, both preclinically and in the clinic. Numerous publications report such studies of oncolytic HSV in combination with other drugs, and we review their findings here. Viral interactions with cellular hosts are complex and frequently involve intracellular signaling networks, thus creating diverse opportunities for synergistic or additive combinations with many anticancer drugs. We discuss potential mechanisms that may lead to synergistic interactions.