title: Oncolytic herpes simplex virus interactions with the host immune system.
abstract: Oncolytic viruses (OVs), like oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV), are genetically engineered to selectively replicate in and kill cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Initial OV infection, cell death, and subsequent OV propagation within the tumor microenvironment leads to a cascade of host responses (innate and adaptive), reflective of natural anti-viral immune responses. These host-virus interactions are critical to the balance between OV activities, anti-viral immune responses limiting OV, and induction of anti-tumor immunity. The host response against oHSV is complex, multifaceted, and modulated by the tumor microenvironment and immunosuppression. As a successful pathogen, HSV has multiple mechanisms to evade such host responses. In this review, we will discuss these mechanisms and HSV evasion, and how they impact oHSV therapy.
authors: Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
authors: Dipongkor
authors: D
authors: Saha
authors: Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Wakimoto
authors: Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: rabkin@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors: Samuel D
authors: SD
authors: Rabkin
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D050504:Oncolytic Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*