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Measles virus causes immunogenic cell death in human melanoma

Gene Therapy volume 20, pages 7–15 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Oncolytic viruses (OV) are promising treatments for cancer, with several currently undergoing testing in randomised clinical trials. Measles virus (MV) has not yet been tested in models of human melanoma. This study demonstrates the efficacy of MV against human melanoma. It is increasingly recognised that an essential component of therapy with OV is the recruitment of host antitumour immune responses, both innate and adaptive. MV-mediated melanoma cell death is an inflammatory process, causing the release of inflammatory cytokines including type-1 interferons and the potent danger signal HMGB1. Here, using human in vitro models, we demonstrate that MV enhances innate antitumour activity, and that MV-mediated melanoma cell death is capable of stimulating a melanoma-specific adaptive immune response.

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Acknowledgements

The work described was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council (UK) and Cancer Research UK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leeds Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    O G Donnelly, F Errington-Mais, L Steele, V Jennings, K Scott, J Bond, R Vile, P Selby & A A Melcher

  2. Molecular Medicine Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    O G Donnelly, E Hadac, R Vile & S Russell

  3. Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds, UK

    O G Donnelly, H Peach & A A Melcher

  4. Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Bradford, UK

    R M Phillips

  5. Department of Oncology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

    H Pandha

  6. Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK

    K Harrington

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Correspondence to A A Melcher.

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Competing interests

Stephen J Russell is a named inventor on patents pertaining to the use of MV as an anticancer drug therapy. These patents are owned by Mayo Clinic. The authors otherwise declare no competing interests in relation to the work described.

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Donnelly, O., Errington-Mais, F., Steele, L. et al. Measles virus causes immunogenic cell death in human melanoma. Gene Ther 20, 7–15 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2011.205

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