| abstract |
An object of the present invention is to find a new oncolytic virus and to utilize it for treatment of cancers. The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of cancers containing Sindbis virus as an active ingredient, a method for treatment of cancers, which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of Sindbis virus to a mammal having cancers, a method for identifying cancers, which comprises introducing Sindbis virus into an animal, thereby detecting a Sindbis virus protein or Sindbis virus RNA in vital tissues of the above animal, a method of identifying cancers, which comprises introducing into an animal Sindbis virus having a reporter gene incorporated therein, thereby, detecting the product of said reporter gene in vital tissues of said animal, and a method of identifying cancers, which comprises detecting a increase in antibody titer to the Sindbis virus protein or the product of the reporter gene in the aforementioned animals. It is confirmed that Sindbis virus has cytopathic effects upon various cancer cell lines in vitro, and that reduction in tumor size or disappearance of tumor takes place in vivo. Therefore, Sindbis virus is effective for treatment of cancers. In addition, Sindbis virus shows selective proliferation in a tumor, and is effective for identification or diagnosis for cancers within the living body. |