Engineering a novel HSV-1 strain for oncolytic therapy of solid tumors.

ABSTRACT: Oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1-derived viruses are being developed for cancer treatment. Here, we describe the isolation of a novel strain of HSV-1 and its engineering to safely harness it as an oncolytic therapeutic. This strain (UT1a) was isolated from a de-identified consented patient biorepository. CRISPR-Cas9-based recombination was utilized to insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) genes into the viral UL39 and UL40 locus, resulting in the deletion of both large and small subunits of the viral ribonucleotide reductase (RR). Subsequent deletion of viral RL1 genes encoding the neurovirulence factor γ34.5 resulted in OncoDelta (OncoD), a virus deleted for UL39, UL40, and both copies of RL1. OncoD retained tumor-cell-specific cytoto

SUBMITTER: Vazquez-Arreguin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11957669 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature