Concise Review: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells and Their Supporting Niche Using Oncolytic Viruses

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have the capacity to self‐renew and differentiate to give rise to heterogenous cancer cell lineages in solid tumors. These CSC populations are associated with metastasis, tumor relapse, and resistance to conventional anticancer therapies. Here, we focus on the use of oncolytic viruses (OVs) to target CSCs as well as the OV‐driven interferon production in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that can repress CSC properties. We explore the ability of OVs to deliver combinations of immune‐modulating therapeutic transgenes, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies. In particular, we highlight the advantages of virally encoded bi‐specific T cell engagers (BiTEs) to not only target cell‐surface markers on CSCs, but also tumor‐associated antigens on contributing components of the surrounding TME and other cancer cells. We also highlight the crucial role of combination anticancer treatments, evidenced by synergy of OV‐delivered BiTEs and chimeric‐antigen receptor T cell therapy. Stem Cells 2019;37:716–723

The Advances in Biomedical Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

“…Stem cells and their application for tissue engineering and medicine attracted the attention of researchers around the world during the last decades. In fact, stem cells have been considered as a magic bullet to treat various pathologies, including oncology, cardiology, dentistry, neurology, and wound management [140][141][142]. There is growing evidence that CNTs could be used as a cell substrate, and could then modulate proliferation and differentiation of various types of stem cells [143].…”

Virotherapy as a Potential Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of Aggressive Thyroid Cancer

“…The loss of IFN type I signaling allows cancer cells to circumvent the growth inhibitory effects mediated by IFN [30,31] and mediates immune evasion of tumor [32]. IFN pathway abnormalities are more frequent in advanced aggressive lesions and therefore OVs might display a higher proliferative potential in more aggressive cancers [33]. Overall, IFN pathway abnormalities favor cancer cell survival and immune-escape, but make neoplastic cells highly susceptible to viral infection.…”

Enhanced Kat3A/Catenin transcription: a common mechanism of therapeutic resistance

“…For both CSC and SSC, there are multiple points of intersection and crosstalk, including feedback and feed forward loops, connecting the various signaling cascades that modulate "stemness" allowing for escape from driver directed therapeutics. These targets and therapies blocking these pathways are summarized in recent reviews [8,[30][31][32] .…”