Abstract:

The oncolytic virus (OV) therapy utilizes natural or genetically modified viruses to specifically target and infect tumor cells, leading to the destruction of cancer cells by the replication of the virus itself. This process also alters the immune microenvironment of the tumor transforming “cold” into “hot”, and mobilizes the body's immune system. The effectiveness of oncolytic viruses in anti-tumor therapy depends on factors such as the type of virus, host immunity and route of administration. Immunotherapy aims to activate the immune system and exert anti-tumor effect by relying on autoimmune function. With the development of genetic engineering technology, oncolytic viruses can enhance the anti-tumor effect through gene editing reconstruction, and can be used to treat tumors alone or in combination with other therapies. In view of the limited efficacy of single application of oncolytic virus therapy in clinic, the combination of oncolytic virus therapy and immunotherapy provides a new strategy for tumor treatment. This review started from the types of oncolytic viruses approved in the clinic, characteristics and its anti-tumor mechanisms. At the same time, it combed through the treatment of oncolytic viruses in the clinical trial stage, summarized the combined treatment strategies of oncolytic viruses, especially the combination of tumor immunotherapy represented by immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and put forward some thoughts and prospects of oncolytic viruses in the anti-tumor treatment in combination with the experience accumulated by the project team in the research of oncolytic viruses.

Key words: Oncolytic virus, Immunotherapy, Malignant tumor, Immune checkpoint inhibitor, Adoptive cell therapy