Detection of Humoral Immune Responses against WT1 Antigen in Patients Affected by Different Hematological Malignancies

摘要

The Wilms tumor gene (WT1) is highly expressed in many types of hematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Ph-negative myeloprolif-erative disorders such as idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), hypereo-sinophilic syndromes or chronic neutrophilic leukemia. WT1 overexpression prompted many researchers to develop vaccine strategies using WT1 as immunologi-cal target. The clinical results, although still preliminary, are encouraging in terms of feasibility, safety and efficacy although this latter point requires strategy improvements being at a very early phase of development. One important step could the adequate selection of patients who are candidates for vaccine protocols.