Targeting pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia with oncolytic measles

Background: Children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a poor prognosis. Oncolytic viruses, i.e. attenuated measles (OMV), are effective against solid tumors. It was unknown whether OMV is efficacious in pediatric ALL. Methods: OMV leukemolysis of pediatric primary B lineage ALL cells and xenografts (PDXs) was analysed by flow cytometry. OMV replication was examined as cytotoxic effect on indicator cells. Expression of OMV entry receptors and interferon response genes was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. In vivo, PDXs were transplanted into NOD/SCID mice. Following intravenous OMV in…