Oncolytic viral therapy for human prostate cancer by conditionally replicating herpes simplex virus 1 vector G207

Over the last few years, a conditionally replicating herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) vector, G207 has been used for the treatment of several malignant tumors. In this article we evaluate the antitumoral effect of G207 against prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo. The susceptibility of the human prost ate cancer cell lines, DU145 and PC3 to G207 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 was examined. In addition, the growth characteristics of G207 were assessed. Athymic mice with s.c. tumors were inoculated in vivo intra neoplastically with 1x10(7) plaque-forming units (PFU) of G207. For the pat hological analyses, s.c. tumors were stained with X-gal. DU145 and PC3 were efficiently destroyed by G207 within 7 days. The viral yields of G207 incr eased time-dependently. In vivo, the intraneoplastic inoculation of G207 in duced a significant inhibition of the tumor growth. The mean tumor growth r atio was significantly inhibited in the G-207-treated tumors (DU145, P<0.00 01; PC3, P<0.001 versus controls). In a pathological study, many lacZ-posit ive cells were diffusely present in the G207-treated tumors. G207 showed a significant antitumoral effect against human prostate cancer cell lines, an d thus may be considered a useful agent for the treatment of prostate cance r.