Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus Gene Modification and Cytokine Expression Effects on Tumor Infection, Immune Response, and Killing.

Oncolytic vaccinia viruses have promising efficacy and safety profiles in cancer therapy. Although antitumor activity can be increased by manipulating viral genes, the relative efficacy of individual modifications has been difficult to assess without side-by-side comparisons. This study sought to compare the initial antitumor activity after intravenous administration of five vaccinia virus variants of the same Western Reserve backbone and thymidine kinase gene deletion in RIP-Tag2 transgenic mice with spontaneous pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Nonreplicating vaccines can protect african green monkeys from the memphis 37 strain of respiratory syncytial virus.

Background: We evaluated the immunological responses of African green monkeys immunized with multiple F and G protein-based vaccines and assessed protection against the Memphis 37 strain of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Methods: Monkeys were immunized with F and G proteins adjuvanted with immunostimulatory (CpG) oligodeoxyribonucleotides admixed with either Alhydrogel or ISCOMATRIX adjuvant. Delivery of F and G proteins via replication incompetent recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSVs) and human adenoviruses was also evaluated.