Oncolytic vaccinia virus encoding constitutively active EPAC remodels the tumor microenvironment to enhance therapeutic efficacy with chemotherapy and surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Oncolytic viruses are tumor-specific immunotherapeutic agents that exploit inherent features of the tumor microenvironment to replicate, spread, and kill cancer cells. The exchange protein activated by cAMP (EPAC) is a cell signaling protein that regulates pathways important for cell growth, survival, and migration, which are commonly associated with cancer progression, but are also very important for regulation of viral infectivity. EPAC antagonism has been explored as a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy, while selective EPAC activation with cAMP analogs has been found to increase virus replication and enhance therapeutic outcome of oncolytic virotherapy. However, systemic EPAC agonism bears risk of cardiovascular complications and may potentiate cancer progression.

SUBMITTER: Boulton S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12829389 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature