title: Immunotherapeutic targeting of Wilms' tumor protein.
abstract: The expression of Wilms' tumor protein (WT1)-derived peptides on malignant cell surfaces and recognition of those peptides by cellular and humoral immune responses suggest that WT1 may be a promising potential target antigen in immunotherapeutic trials. With a high frequency of expression in hematopoietic as well as solid tumors, WT1 is a broadly applicable target. Both in vivo mouse model and in vitro human studies have demonstrated the ability of WT1-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes to lyse WT1-expressing malignancies without harming normal tissue. WT1-peptide vaccination, in combination with adjuvants, has demonstrated the ability to activate WT1-specific immune responses and evidence of clinical activity. Because peptide-based vaccines are human leukocyte antigen-restricted, other more broadly applicable strategies are now being developed to activate WT1-specific immune responses, including the use of WT1-specific viral vectors.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Departments of Medicine and Surgery, 401 MSRB, Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Yalonda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hutchings
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Osada
authors.forename: Christopher Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.forename: H Kim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lyerly
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D025721:WT1 Proteins