Background Glioblastoma is one of the most serious brain cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that PTEN function disorder affects the causing and exacerbation of glioblastoma. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been studied as a cancer virotherapeutics. In this study, PTEN gene was delivered to glioblastoma by recombinant NDV (rNDV) and translated into protein at the cytoplasm of the glioblastoma. Methods We did comparison tests PTEN protein expression efficiency and oncolytic effect depend on the PTEN gene insertion site at the between NP and P genes and the between P and M gene. PTEN protein mRNA transcription, translation in glioblastoma cell, and functional PTEN protein effect of the rNDV in vitro and in vivo test performed using western blotting, RT-qPCR, MTT assay, and Glioblastoma xenograft animal model test. Results The result of this study demonstrates that rNDV-PTEN kills glioblastoma cells and reduces cancer tissue better than rNDV without the PTEN gene. In molecular immunological and cytological assays, PTEN expression level was high at located in the between NP and P gene, and PTEN gene was successfully delivered to the glioblastoma cell using rNDV and PTEN gene translated to functional protein and inhibits hTERT and AKT gene. Conclusions PTEN gene enhances the oncolytic effect of the rNDV. And our study demonstrated that NP and P gene site is better than P and M gene site which is commonly and conventionally used. PTEN gene containing rNDV is a good candidate virotherapeutics for glioblastoma.

Since the SARS-CoV-2 infection was identified in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 infection has rapidly spread worldwide and has become a significant pandemic disease. In addition, human death and serious health problem caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, the socio-economic impact has been very serious. Here, we describe the development of the viral vector vaccine, which is the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 expressed on the surface of Newcastle disease virus (LVP-K1-RBD19). The RBD protein concentrations on the viral surface were measured by the sandwich ELISA method. 106.7 TCID50/ml of LVP-K1-RBD19 has a 0.17 μg of RBD protein. Optical density (OD) values of mouse sera inoculated with 10 μg of RBD protein expressed on the surface of LVP-K1-RBD19 generated 1.78-fold higher RBD-specific antibody titers than mice inoculated with 10 μg RBD protein with alum at 28 dpi. Moreover, mice inoculated with 10 μg of RBD protein expressed on the surface of LVP-K1-RBD19 virus showed more than 80% neutralization at 1:256 against the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. These results demonstrated that inactivated LVP-K1-RBD19 virus produces neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in a short period and could be elect protective immunity in humans and LVP-K1-RBD19 will be a good candidate for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The rapid emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has resulted in the ongoing global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Thus, the rapid development of a platform to detect a broad range of SARS-CoV-2 variants is essential for successful COVID-19 management. In this study, four SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) were isolated from a synthetic antibody library using phage display technology. Following the conversion of these scFvs into monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (K104.1–K104.4) and production and purification of the mAbs, the antibody pair (K104.1 and K104.2) that exhibited the highest binding affinity (K104.1 and K104.2, 1.3 nM and 1.9 nM) was selected. Biochemical analyses revealed that this antibody pair specifically bound to different sites on the S2 subunit of the spike protein. Furthermore, we developed a highly sensitive sandwich immunoassay using this antibody pair that accurately and quantitatively detected the spike proteins of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and multiple variants, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Kappa, and Omicron, in the picomolar range. Conclusively, the novel phage display-derived mAbs we have developed may be useful for the rapid and efficient detection of the fast-evolving SARS-CoV-2.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor and is associated with a low survival and high recurrence rate. Deletions and mutations in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a tumor suppressor gene, are associated with therapeutic resistance. In this study, we constructed a recombinant Newcastle disease virus (rNDV) overexpressing human PTEN (rNDV-PTEN) in GBM cells. PTEN overexpression decreased cell proliferation and migration and induced apoptosis in U87 MG cells. GBM tumorigenesis was also examined in vivo using orthotopic mouse models. rNDV and rNDV-PTEN crossed the blood–brain barrier to reach the GBM in the brain. A reduction in GBM size in mice treated intravenously with rNDV-PTEN was confirmed by in vivo and magnetic resonance imaging. PTEN overexpression increased mTOR dephosphorylation and decreased autophagy. As a result, the levels of pre-apoptotic markers such as caspases 3, 8, and 9 and Bax were increased in PTEN-overexpressing GBM cells. Taken together, these results suggest that PTEN overexpression via rNDV treatment promotes apoptosis of GBM cells by disrupting mTOR signaling and autophagy, suggesting a new strategy to treat GBM.