Division of Tumor Virology
Prof. Dr. Jean Rommelaere
Treatment of an intracerebral rat glioma with parvovirus H-1 (H-1PV). MRI of a rat brain bearing a glioma, at the time of infection with H-1PV (left), and 8 days later (right), showing disappearance of the tumor after infection.
The Division "Tumor Virology" should actually be called "Anti-Tumor Virology" since its objective is to develop oncolytic viruses (preferentially killing tumor cells) and viral vectors (transferring of therapeutic genes into diseased, including cancer cells). Our activities have led to the launching of a clinical trial using the oncolytic parvovirus H-1PV to treat malignant gliomas, and the advanced validation of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vectors. Three main research axes are presently developed.
1. Investigation of the interactions of oncolytic parvoviruses (PV) with host cells, in particular (i) cellular markers predictive of tumor responsiveness to PV treatment; (ii) PV determinants of host range; (iii) molecular pathways involved in PV oncotoxic and immuno-modulating properties; and (iv) PV-mediated delivery of cyto- and chemokines into tumors and their microenvironment.
2. Proofs of concept for future clinical trials using oncolytic parvoviruses, including (i) preclinical evaluation of the applicability of H-1PV therapy to malignancies in children and adolescents; (ii) development of novel anticancer strategies based on combining of H-1PV with epigenetic modulators; (iii) study of immuno-modulating effects of H-1PV to optimize its use to treat pancreatic carcinomas.
3. Knowledge-based improvement of AAV vectors.
Our Virus Production & Development Unit standardizes protocols for virus application to humans, and supports trial-accompanying research.
Selected Publications
Rommelaere, J., Geletneky, K., Angelova, A.L., Daeffler, L. Dinsart, C., Kiprianova, I., Schlehofer, J.R., Raykov, Z. (2010). Oncolytic parvoviruses as cancer therapeutics. Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews 21:185-95
Geletneky, K., Kiprianova,I., Ayache, A., Koch, R., Herrero y Calle, M., Deleu, L., Sommer, C., Thomas, N., Rommelaere, J., Schlehofer, J.R. (2010). Regression of advanced rat and human gliomas by local or systemic treatment with oncolytic parvovirus H-1 in rat models Neuro Oncol 12:804-14
A viral assembly factor promotes AAV2 capsid formation in the nucleolus. Sonntag F, Schmidt K, Kleinschmidt JA. (2010). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 107:10220-5.
Nüesch, J.P.F. and Rommelaere, J. (2007). A novel viral adaptor protein modulating Casein Kinase II activity induces cytopathic effects in permissive cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 104:12482-12487.
