An oncolytic virus with strong appetence for the most aggressive type of pancreatic cancer cells

The Minute virus of mice (MVMp) is a small-sized DNA virus belonging to the Parvoviridae family. Harmless to humans, it infects various animal species, including mice, without being pathogenic. Our work demonstrates for the first time that this virus targets the most aggressive type of pancreatic cancer cells. While normal cells and more differentiated cancer cells are spared by the virus, MVM infects, replicates, and kills pancreatic cancer cells of murine or human origin that exhibit a mesenchymal profile, which is generally recognized as the source of resistance of these tumors to treatments. In experimental tumor models, viral infection blocks tumor progression and facilitates the recruitment of antitumoral immune cells into tumors.

This work represents, to our knowledge, one of the very first examples of precision virotherapy, in which the phenotype of tumor cells could be predictive of the anticancer efficacy of oncolytic viruses. This study also opens the door to combining virotherapy and immunotherapy for the management of the most aggressive pancreatic tumors.”

Infection and oncolysis of PDAC cells by MVMp, depending on their phenotype

Collaborations and partnerships

Collaborations

• Nelson Dusetti, CRCM

• Louis Buscail, CHU de Toulouse

Funding

• Fondation ARC