title: The control of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell lines by oncolytic poxviruses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is rare, but its clinical presentation is often dramatic and aggressive and is nearly uniformly fatal. Oncolytic viral therapy is a potential strategy to improve outcomes for patients suffering with this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven established ATC cell lines were infected with a panel of poxviruses to identify which virus had the most potential as an oncolytic agent. These included myxoma, vaccinia, and tanapox viruses, all modified to express green fluorescence protein (GFP). Viral proliferation was assessed by fluorescence and viral amplification. The effect on cell line growth was assessed by the Presto Blue metabolic assay and a live-dead assay. A replication assay was performed to assess the production of infectious progeny. An additional five ATC cell lines were tested using the assays described above for susceptibility to vaccinia virus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ATC cell lines were differentially susceptible to each virus. Vaccinia virus was superior to myxoma and tanapox viruses for the control of anaplastic thyroid cancer in vitro. Although subsequent investigation using an expanded panel of cell lines revealed differential susceptibility to vaccinia virus, effective control of cell proliferation was still achieved using higher titers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaccinia virus was the most potent of the tested poxviruses and was highly effective in controlling proliferation and inducing cell death in ATC cell lines. The efficacy of these viruses offers hope for improving outcomes for patients suffering with ATC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mundi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Um
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Giananthony
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacNeil
authors.affiliation: London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Joe S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mymryk
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: John.Barrett@lhsc.on.ca.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address: Anthony.Nichols@lhsc.on.ca.
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D050130:Oncolytic Virotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D050504:Oncolytic Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D065646:Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
keywords: Anaplastic thyroid cancer; Myxoma virus; Oncolytic; Tanapox virus; Vaccinia virus