Macrophages Loaded Newcastle Disease Virus Enhance Anti-tumor Efficacy of Oncolytic Newcastle Disease Virus Lasota Strain in Mouse Model of Cervical Cancer

Rasekhi Kazeruni, Aezam; Babaei, Nahid; Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh, Hadi; Doosti, Abbas; Farzanehpour, Mahdieh

doi:10.32598/ARI.81.2.3426

Macrophages Loaded Newcastle Disease Virus Enhance Anti-tumor Efficacy of Oncolytic Newcastle Disease Virus Lasota Strain in Mouse Model of Cervical Cancer

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, BU.C., Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran

² Applied Virology Research Center, Biomedicine Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

³ Biotechnology Research Center, ShK.C., Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.

10.32598/ARI.81.2.3426

Abstract

Introduction: Today, cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common cancers in women. Oncolytic viruses (OVs), especially those from non-human hosts, have anti-cancer properties but are rapidly eliminated by the immune system. This study aims to investigate the effect of macrophages (MQ) loaded with Newcastle disease virus (NDV) on their anti-tumor efficacy.
Materials & Methods: In this study, TC1 cells were introduced into female C57BL/6 mice (6 to 8 weeks, n=40) to induce tumor formation. After tumors developed, the mice were divided into four treatment groups. Three groups were treated with NDV, doxorubicin (Doxo), and Bone marrow.macrophage-Newcastle disease virus (B.MQ-NDV), while the control group received PBS. After the last treatment, half of the mice were euthanized to evaluate the immune response, and the remaining half were observed until they naturally passed away.
Results: The findings revealed that mice treated with B.MQ-NDV had better survival rates and slower tumor growth compared to the control group. B.MQ-NDV treatment increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), while elevating levels of cytokines interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 12 (IL-12), and decreasing IL-4 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) levels. Additionally, Bax and p53 expression increased in NDV, B.MQ.NDV, and Doxo groups.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the use of NDV loaded with MQs can improve the effectiveness of NDV in a mouse model of CC. This indicates that this strategy may provide an additional treatment option for CC.

Keywords