Monitoring the Efficacy of Oncolytic Viruses via Gene Expression

Ashley Ansel, Joshua P. Rosenzweig, Philip D. Zisman, Beni Gesundheit

With the recent success of oncolytic viruses in clinical trials, efforts toward improved monitoring of the viruses and their mechanism have intensified. Four main gene expression strategies have been employed to date including: analyzing overall gene expression in tumor cells, looking at gene expression of a few specific genes in the tumor cells, focusing on gene expression of specific transgenes introduced into the virus, and following gene expression of certain viral genes. Each strategy presents certain advantages and disadvantages over the others. Various methods to organize the dysregulated genes into clusters have provided a window into the mechanism of action for these viruses. Methodologically, the combined approach of looking at both overall gene expression, the tumor cells and gene expression of viral genes, enables researchers to assess correlation between the introduction of the virus and the changes in the tumor. This would seem to be the most productive approach for future studies, providing much information on mechanism and timing.