TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wang, Huiqiang
A1  - Chen, Nanhai G.
A1  - Minev, Boris R.
A1  - Szalay, Aladar A.
T1  - Oncolytic vaccinia virus GLV-1h68 strain shows enhanced replication in human breast cancer stem-like cells in comparison to breast cancer cells
JF  - Journal of Translational Medicine
N2  - Background: Recent data suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer, as these cells possess enhanced tumor-forming capabilities and are responsible for relapses after apparently curative therapies have been undertaken. Hence, novel cancer therapies will be needed to test for both tumor regression and CSC targeting. The use of oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV) represents an attractive anti-tumor approach and is currently under evaluation in clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate whether VACV does kill CSCs that are resistant to irradiation and chemotherapy. 
Methods: Cancer stem-like cells were identified and separated from the human breast cancer cell line GI-101A by virtue of increased aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity as assessed by the ALDEFLUOR assay and cancer stem cell-like features such as chemo-resistance, irradiation-resistance and tumor-initiating were confirmed in cell culture and in animal models. VACV treatments were applied to both ALDEFLUOR-positive cells in cell culture and in xenograft tumors derived from these cells. Moreover, we identified and isolated CD44\(^+\)CD24\(^+\)ESA\(^+\) cells from GI-101A upon an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These cells were similarly characterized both in cell culture and in animal models. 
Results: We demonstrated for the first time that the oncolytic VACV GLV-1h68 strain replicated more efficiently in cells with higher ALDH1 activity that possessed stem cell-like features than in cells with lower ALDH1 activity. GLV-1h68 selectively colonized and eventually eradicated xenograft tumors originating from cells with higher ALDH1 activity. Furthermore, GLV-1h68 also showed preferential replication in CD44\(^+\)CD24\(^+\)ESA\(^+\) cells derived from GI-101A upon an EMT induction as well as in xenograft tumors originating from these cells that were more tumorigenic than CD44\(^+\)CD24\(^-\)ESA\(^+\) cells. 
Conclusions: Taken together, our findings indicate that GLV-1h68 efficiently replicates and kills cancer stem-like cells. Thus, GLV-1h68 may become a promising agent for eradicating both primary and metastatic tumors, especially tumors harboring cancer stem-like cells that are resistant to chemo and/or radiotherapy and may be responsible for recurrence of tumors.
KW  - tumors
KW  - therapy
KW  - metastasis
KW  - identification
KW  - lines
KW  - gene expression
KW  - in-vitro propagation
KW  - acute myeloid leukemia
KW  - epithelial-mesenchymal transition
KW  - subpopulation
Y1  - 2012
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-130019
VL  - 10
IS  - 167
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Donat, Ulrike
A1  - Rother, Juliane
A1  - Schäfer, Simon
A1  - Hess, Michael
A1  - Härtl, Barbara
A1  - Kober, Christina
A1  - Langbein-Laugwitz, Johanna
A1  - Stritzker, Jochen
A1  - Chen, Nanhai G.
A1  - Aguilar, Richard J.
A1  - Weibel, Stephanie
A1  - Szalay, Alandar A.
T1  - Characterization of Metastasis Formation and Virotherapy in the Human C33A Cervical Cancer Model
JF  - PLoS ONE
N2  - More than 90% of cancer mortalities are due to cancer that has metastasized. Therefore, it is crucial to intensify research on metastasis formation and therapy. Here, we describe for the first time the metastasizing ability of the human cervical cancer cell line C33A in athymic nude mice after subcutaneous implantation of tumor cells. In this model, we demonstrated a steady progression of lumbar and renal lymph node metastases during tumor development. Besides predominantly occurring lymphatic metastases, we visualized the formation of hematogenous metastases utilizing red fluorescent protein (RFP) expressing C33A-RFP cells. RFP positive cancer cells were found migrating in blood vessels and forming micrometastases in lungs of tumor-bearing mice. Next, we set out to analyze the influence of oncolytic virotherapy in the C33A-RFP model and demonstrated an efficient virus-mediated reduction of tumor size and metastatic burden. These results suggest the C33A-RFP cervical cancer model as a new platform to analyze cancer metastases as well as to test novel treatment options to combat metastases.
KW  - metastasis
KW  - renal cancer
KW  - oncolytic viruses
KW  - lymph nodes
KW  - kidneys
KW  - lung and intrathoracic tumors
KW  - secondary lung tumors
KW  - cancer treatment
Y1  - 2014
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119674
SN  - 1932-6203
VL  - 9
IS  - 6
ER  -