Mathematical modelling of oncolytic virotherapy: The effects of a PEG-modified adenovirus conjugated with herceptin

摘要

Oncolytic virotherapy is an experimental cancer treatment which uses genetically engineered viruses to specifically target and kill cancer cells. One limitation of this treatment is that free virus particles are rapidly cleared by the immune system, preventing the virus from arriving at the tumour site. To improve virus survival and delivery, virus particles may be coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) which is known to increase plasma retention. PEG-modification however, is also known to decrease viral infectivity. To overcome this, the virus may be conjugated with herceptin. Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody which recognises and binds to a protein over-expressed on 20%–30% of breast cancer cells. Experimental studies in Kim et al. look at the effects of treating tumour cells with a PEG-modified virus conjugated with herceptin. In the study presented here, a mathematical model is derived to describe the interaction between an oncolytic virus, tumour cells and the immune system.