title: Viral genes as oncolytic agents for cancer therapy.
abstract: Many viruses have the ability to modulate the apoptosis, and to accomplish it; viruses encode proteins which specifically interact with the cellular signaling pathways. While some viruses encode proteins, which inhibit the apoptosis or death of the infected cells, there are viruses whose encoded proteins can kill the infected cells by multiple mechanisms, including apoptosis. A particular class of these viruses has specific gene(s) in their genomes which, upon ectopic expression, can kill the tumor cells selectively without affecting the normal cells. These genes and their encoded products have demonstrated great potential to be developed as novel anticancer therapeutic agents which can specifically target and kill the cancer cells leaving the normal cells unharmed. In this review, we will discuss about the viral genes having specific cancer cell killing properties, what is known about their functioning, signaling pathways and their therapeutic applications as anticancer agents.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Lab, Division of Veterinary Biotechnology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India.
authors.forename: Shishir Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Ravi Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Gandham
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tiwari
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017727:Chicken anemia virus / Q000235:genetics; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D050130:Oncolytic Virotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D050504:Oncolytic Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D017992:Parvovirus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; C091717:VP3 protein, Chicken anemia virus