Selective down-modulation of anti-reoviral immunity during reovirus oncotherapy to facilitate the eradication of prostate cancer stem cells

Recent findings suggest that not all cells that form a prostate tumour are equivalent, and that a population of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) is responsible for both the origin of the cancer itself and for the eventual spread of the cancer cells outside of the gland. Thus, if oncologists could kill off these CSCs, this could be a very powerful tool to treat advanced stage prostate cancers. Recent research has demonstrated that certain viruses can be used to selectively kill cancer cells (‘oncolysis’), without causing illness in humans. However, the body's immune system detects these viruses and attempts to destroy them, thus limiting their ability to attack the cancer cells. In this research project, Dr. Lee's team will study a new approach to eliminating the immune system's response to a specific type of anti-cancer virus known as a reovirus. Dr. Lee will also assess how this reovirus targets CSCs within experimentally grown prostate cancer cells and tumours. It is hoped that Dr. Lee's research will help lead to a new effective and safe treatment for prostate cancer, based on the use of oncolytic viruses.