Histone deacetylase inhibitor-based oncolytic virotherapy: A promising strategy for cancer treatment

Drug Discov Today. 2022 Jun;27(6):1689-1697. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.02.009. Epub 2022 Feb 17.

Abstract

A significant impediment to the treatment of solid and nonsolid cancers is the decline of drug efficacy and/or occurrence of adverse effects. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in oncolytic viruses (OVs) as a method to treat cancer because of their specificity for cancerous tissue and reduced likelihood of adverse effects. The results of clinical trials suggest that OVs have an acceptable safety profile and are effective in treating certain types of cancer, despite the limited number of these organisms. However, further advances are needed to make oncolytic virotherapy more effective by increasing tumor permeation and improving virus delivery. Combining oncolytic virotherapy with conventional treatments, such as targeted inhibitory drugs (e.g., histone deacetylase inhibitors), could results in safer, more reliable, and more effective therapeutics.

Keywords: Cancer; Combination therapy; Histone deacetylase; Histone deacetylase inhibitors; Oncolytic virus; Virotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy* / methods
  • Oncolytic Viruses*

Substances

  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors