Treating cancer with viral nucleic acid

Abstract

This document provides methods and materials related to the use of nucleic acid coding for viruses to reduce the number of viable cancer cells within a mammal. For example, methods for using infectious nucleic acid to treat cancer, engineered viral nucleic acid, methods for making engineered viral nucleic acid, methods for identifying infectious nucleic acid for treating cancer, methods and materials for controlling virus-mediated cell lysis, and methods and materials for assessing the control of virus-mediated cell lysis are provided.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An isolated nucleic acid coding for an oncolytic virus and comprising a microRNA target element nucleic acid sequence complementary to at least a region of a microRNA molecule, wherein said microRNA molecule is present in non-cancer cells, wherein the expression level of said microRNA molecule in cancer cells is less than the expression level of said microRNA molecule in said non-cancer cells, wherein said microRNA target element nucleic acid sequence is heterologous to said oncolytic virus, and wherein, when said isolated nucleic acid is introduced into said non-cancer cells, the level of viral lysis of said non-cancer cells is reduced as compared to the level of viral lysis of said non-cancer cells when an isolated nucleic acid coding for said oncolytic virus and lacking said microRNA target element nucleic acid sequence is introduced into said non-cancer cells. 
     
     
         25 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said oncolytic virus is a coxsackievirus. 
     
     
         26 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said oncolytic virus is a coxsackievirus A21 or B3 virus. 
     
     
         27 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said microRNA target element nucleic acid sequence is located in the 5′ untranslated region of said oncolytic virus upstream of an IRES of said oncolytic virus. 
     
     
         28 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said microRNA molecule is a tissue-specific microRNA. 
     
     
         29 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said microRNA molecule is a muscle-specific, brain-specific, or heart-specific microRNA. 
     
     
         30 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said microRNA target element nucleic acid sequence is located in the 3′ untranslated region of said oncolytic virus adjacent to a stop codon of a polypeptide or polyprotein. 
     
     
         31 . The isolated nucleic acid of  claim 24 , wherein said microRNA molecule is miR-1, miR-133, or miR-206.