Background
Relapsing disease is a major challenge after hematopoietic cell transplant for hematological malignancies. Myxoma virus (MYXV) is an oncolytic virus that can target and eliminate contaminating cancer cells from auto-transplant grafts. The aims of this study were to examine the impact of MYXV on normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and define the optimal treatment conditions for ex vivo virotherapy.
Methods
Bone marrow (BM) and mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (mPBSCs) from patients with hematological malignancies were treated with MYXV at various time, temperature and incubation media conditions. Treated BM cells from healthy normal donors were evaluated by flow cytometry for MYXV infection, LTC-IC assay, and CFC assay.
Results
MYXV initiated infection in up to 45% of antigen presenting monocytes, B cells and natural killer cells; however, these infections were uniformly aborted in > 95% of all cells. Fresh graft sources showed higher levels of MYXV infection initiation than cryopreserved specimens but all cases, less than 10% of CD34+ cells could be infected after ex vivo MYXV treatment. MYXV did not impair LTC-IC colony numbers compared to mock treatment. CFC colony types and numbers were also not impaired by MYXV treatment. MYXV incubation time, temperature or culture media did not significantly change percentage of infected cells, LTC-IC colony formation or CFC colony formation.
Conclusions
Human hematopoietic cells are non-permissive for MYXV. Human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells were not infected and thus unaffected by MYXV ex vivo treatment.