The HSV-2 mutant DeltaPK induces melanoma oncolysis through nonredundant death programs and associated with autophagy and pyroptosis proteins.

ABSTRACT: Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive and drug-resistant cancer. Virotherapy is a novel therapeutic strategy based on cancer cell lysis through selective virus replication. However, its clinical efficacy is modest, apparently related to poor virus replication within the tumors. We report that the growth compromised herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) mutant, DeltaPK, has strong oncolytic activity for melanoma largely caused by a mechanism other than replication-induced cell lysis. The ratio of dead cells (determined by trypan blue or ethidium homodimer staining) to cells that stain with antibody to the major capsid protein VP5 (indicative of productive infection) was 1.8-4.1 for different melanoma cultures at 24-72 h post-infection. Cell death was due to activation of calpain as well a

SUBMITTER: Colunga AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2904070 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature