title: Analysis of Wilms tumor gene (WT1) expression in acute leukemia patients with special reference to the differential diagnosis between eosinophilic leukemia and idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndromes.
abstract: Continuous Wilms' tumor gene (WT1) expression is a typical feature of leukemic blasts in AML, ALL, and blast crisis CML patients. It is easily detectable by a variety of RT-PCR protocols, which differ mainly in their sensitivity. The nuclear WT1 protein can be found in blasts of approximately 50-60% of acute leukemia patients at diagnosis. Conversely, WT1 is only transiently expressed in normal hemopoiesis. Early CD34+ hemopoietic progenitors express WT1, whereas no WT1 mRNA transcripts can be found in mature blood cells and differentiation-induced committed CD34- progenitors. As a powerful complementary diagnostic tool, testing for WT1 expression can be helpful to discriminate between eosinophilic leukemia (EoL) patients and patients with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndromes. Conflicting data about the usefulness of testing for WT1 expression to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in treated leukemia patients will be discussed. Finally, research strategies to circumvent shortcomings in detecting leukemia-associated WT1 expression will be outlined.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik III, Hämatologie, Onkologie und Transfusionsmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin der Freien Universität Berlin, Germany, EU. hmenssen@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Menssen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartelt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arjomand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leben
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kath
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiel
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D017681:Hypereosinophilic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011786:Quality Control; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D025721:WT1 Proteins
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins