Oncolytic potential of recombinant influenza A virus vectors on a model of malignant glioma in vivo

: Malignant glioma is the most frequently occurring primary brain tumor. Despite significant progress in the diagnostics and treatment of neoplastic diseases the prognosis for patients with III-IV grade gliomas, remains extremely unfavorable. Rapidly developing area in oncology is the employment of therapeutic viruses with natural or genetically engineered oncolytic activity. In the present study we demonstrated the oncolytic potential of a recombinant influenza A virus vector with impaired interferon antagonism function of NS1 protein in treatment of malignant glioma. Recombinant influenza A virus (HA-DS-GFP) expressing green fluorescent protein from the NS1 open reading frame was used as a model vector. HA-DS-GFP virus has shown infectivity towards glioma cells both in vitro, and in vivo (experimental glioma model in rats). Intratumoral inoculation of HA-DS-GFP resulted in a substantial inhibition or complete regression of tumor growth. Our data demonstrate that recombinant influenza vectors have promising potential in therapy of malignant gliomas.