AG Kühnel / Kubicka

 

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General concept

The immune response against cellular antigens due to viral infection is an important mechanism for autoimmune diseases, but can be also exploited for tumor immunotherapy. In our laboratory we generated several tumor specific oncolytic viruses by restriction of viral replication to tumor characteristic alterations in important signal transduction pathways such as p53-DNA-damage- and telomerase-senensence-signaling. Our tumor specific replicating viruses are capable of destroying tumors and even lymph node metastases in immune-deficient animals by intratumoral spreading of infection and tumor-wide oncolysis. In immune competent animals, the inflammation by the oncolytic virus triggers antiviral immune responses and inhibits viral dissemination, but it can also support virotherapy by enhancing antitumoral immune responses and tumor destruction.
The general aim of our laboratory is to improve the technology of oncolytic virotherapy and to investigate the interplay of antiviral and antitumoral immune responses in preclinical animal models. We aim to translate our advances into clinical studies, in order to improve the survival of patients with cancer.