Forskolin enhances the antitumor effect of oncolytic measles virus by promoting Rab27a dependent vesicular transport system

Abstract Background Measles vaccine strain viruses (MV-Edm) are an ideal platform for developing safe and effective oncolytic vectors. However, despite the promising pre-clinical data, understanding of determinants of efficacy and, thus, the interplay of the oncolytic virus with particular agents remains limited. Methods We investigated the potency of forskolin enhancing the antitumor effect of oncolytic measles virus by promoting Rab27a dependent vesicular transport system. Cells were infected with MV-Edm and the vesicles were observed by TEM. The oncolytic effects of MV-Edm/Forskolin were investigated in vitro. Results Here we demonstrate that the MV-Edm infection and spread in tumor, which are indispensable processes for the viral oncolysis, depend on the vesicular transport system of tumor cells. On the contrary, the tumor cells display a responsive mechanism to restrain the MV-Edm spread by down-regulating the expression of Rab27a, which is a key member of the vesicle transport system. Over-expression of Rab27a promotes the oncolytic efficacy of MV-Edm towards A549 tumor cells. Finally, we find a Rab27a agonist Forskolin, is capable of promoting the oncolytic effect of MV-Edm in vitro. Conclusions Our study reveals the important role of vesicle transporter Rab27a in the whole program of MV-Edm mediated oncolysis. We also provide a combined strategy of Forskolin and MV-Edm, which may exert a synergistic anti-tumor effect, for clinical treatment for patients with tumor.