Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42120181›Full record

ArticleJournal for immunotherapy of cancer2026

Pancreatic tumor microenvironment reprogramming via alloantigen-expressing virotherapy elicits tumor rejection and improves immunotherapy response.

Mulu Z Tesfay, Aleksandra Cios, Zetao Cheng, Khandoker U Ferdous, Randal S Shelton, Bahaa Mustafa, Natalie M Elliott, Elizabeth A Raupach, Camila C Simoes, Isabelle R Miousse and 14 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

24 authors.

Mulu Z Tesfay *Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Aleksandra Cios *Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Zetao ChengDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-9420-197X
Khandoker U FerdousDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Randal S SheltonDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Bahaa MustafaDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Natalie M ElliottDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4130-1286
Elizabeth A RaupachDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Camila C SimoesDepartment of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Isabelle R MiousseDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Alicja UrbaniakDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Michael A BauerDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Eric R SiegelDepartment of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Steven R PostDepartment of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Jean C ChamcheuDepartment of Pathological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Rangaswamy GovindarajanDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Valery Z GrdzelishviliDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
Martin J CannonDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Martin E Fernandez-ZapicoSchulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Alexei G BasnakianDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Chiswili Yves ChabuDivision of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri System, Columbia, Missouri, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9585-5527
Omeed MoavenDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Mitesh J BoradDepartment of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Bolni Marius NagaloDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA bnagalo@som.umaryland.edu.

Funding

BLRD VA I01 BX002425BLRD VA IK6 BX006184
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common malignant type of pancreatic cancer, is characterized by a dense desmoplastic stroma, low neoantigen burden, and a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).

methodsWe present a novel strategy harnessing acute transplant rejection mechanisms by employing a recombinant oncolytic rVMG vector engineered to express murine alloantigens H-2Kb (rVMG-H-2Kb) or H-2Kk (rVMG-H-2Kk), thereby inducing tumor-specific antigenic mismatch responses.

resultsIn vitro, rVMG-H-2Kb and rVMG-H-2Kk exhibited strong replication and cytolytic activity while inducing cell surface expression of both H-2Kk and endogenous H-2Kb, in addition to upregulation of antigen presentation genes (β2-microglobulin, Tap1, and Tapbp). In two immunocompetent PDAC models, intratumoral and systemic delivery of rVMG-H-2Kb and rVMG-H-2Kk delayed tumor progression, with rVMG-H-2Kk conferring a survival advantage. Multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunophenotyping revealed substantial TME remodeling, marked by increased effector T-cell infiltration, regulatory T-cell depletion, and reduced fibrosis. Spatial transcriptomics further showed compartment-specific immune activation and epithelial metabolic reprogramming, corroborating with enhanced tumor immunogenicity. Despite these effects, rVMG-H-2Kk also induced compensatory immunosuppressive pathways, including upregulation of antiviral response genes and immune checkpoint receptors such as programmed death-ligand-2. Importantly, combination therapy with rVMG-H-2Kk and murine checkpoint blockade (anti-programmed cell death protein-1 and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) drastically improved survival compared to checkpoint blockade alone. Strikingly, surviving mice resisted tumor rechallenge, indicating the establishment of durable antitumor memory.

conclusionThese findings establish rVMG-mediated alloantigen delivery as a novel immunotherapeutic platform capable of converting immune-cold tumors into immune-hot, sensitizing tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors, and establishing durable antitumor immunity in PDAC.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Pancreatic DuctalImmunotherapyOncolytic VirotherapyPancreatic NeoplasmsTumor MicroenvironmentAnimalsFemaleHumansMiceCombination therapyGastrointestinal CancerImmune Checkpoint InhibitorOncolytic virusTumor microenvironment - TME

Identifiers

PMID42120181
PMCPMC13182324

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.