PARP inhibitors enhance reovirus-mediated cell killing through the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) with an associated NF-kappa B-regulated immune response.

Oncolytic Reovirus type 3 Dearing (RT3D), is a naturally occurring double-stranded (ds) RNA virus that is under development as an oncolytic immunotherapy We used an unbiased high-throughput cytotoxicity screen of different targeted therapeutic agents with the aim of identifying potential drug-viral sensitizers to enhance RT3D tumour killing. Talazoparib, a clinical poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP-1) inhibitor, was identified as a top hit and found to cause profound sensitisation to RT3D. This effect was not seen with other classes of oncolytic virus and was not mediated by enhanced viral replication or PARP inhibitor-related effects on the DNA damage response. RT3D interacts with retinoic acid-induced gene-1 (RIG-I) and activates PARP-1, with consequent PARylation of components of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of PARP-1 abrogates this PARylation and increases levels of extrinsic apoptosis, NF-kB signalling and pro-inflammatory cell death. Direct interaction between PARP-1 and RIG-I following RT3D/talazoparib treatment is a key factor in activating downstream signaling pathways that lead to IFN-{beta} and TNF-/TRAIL production which, in turn, amplify the therapeutic effect through positive feedback. Critically, it was possible to phenocopy the effect of RT3D through the use of non-viral ds-RNA therapy and RIG-I agonism. In in vivo studies, we demonstrated profound combinatorial efficacy of RT3D and talazoparib in human A375 melanoma in immunodeficient mice. More impressively, in immunocompetent mouse models of 4434 murine melanoma, we achieved 100% tumour control and protection from subsequent tumour rechallenge with the combination regimen. Correlative immunophenotyping confirmed significant innate and adaptive immune activation with the combination of RT3D and PARP inhibition. Taken together, these data provide a clear line of sight to clinical translation of combined regimens of PARP inhibition or ds-RNA agonism, with either viral or non-viral agents, in tumour types beyond the relatively narrow confines of current licensed indications for PARP inhibition.