Combination of vaccine-strain measles and mumps virus synergistically kills a wide range of human hematological cancer cells: Special focus on acute myeloid leukemia

• Combination of vaccine-derived measles and mumps viruses (MM) synergistically killed many hematopoietic cancer cell lines including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells due to increased apoptosis induction.
• MM displayed greater tumor suppression and prolonged survival in an U937 xenograft AML mouse model.
• Furthermore, MM efficiently killed blasts from AML patients and elicited more efficient killing effect when co-administered with Ara-C.
• Hence MM is a promising therapeutic candidate for hematological malignancies.

Through combining vaccine-derived measles and mumps viruses (MM), we efficiently targeted a wide range of hematopoietic cancer cell lines. MM synergistically killed many cell lines including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines. Further investigation suggested that enhanced oncolytic effect of MM was due to increased apoptosis induction. In an U937 xenograft AML mouse model, MM displayed greater tumor suppression and prolonged survival. Furthermore, MM efficiently killed blasts from 16 out of 20 AML patients and elicited more efficient killing effect on 11 patients when co-administered with Ara-C. Our results demonstrate that MM is a promising therapeutic candidate for hematological malignancies.