title: Assessment of Relationship between Wilms' Tumor Gene (WT1) Expression in Peripheral Blood of Acute Leukemia Patients and Serum IL-12 and C3 Levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leukemia is a common cancer among children and adolescents. Wilms' tumor gene (WT1) is highly expressed in patients with acute leukemia. It is found as a tumor associated antigen (TAA) in various types of hematopoietic malignancies and can be employed as a useful marker for targeted immunotherapy and monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD). In this regard, WT1 is a transcription factor that promotes gene activation or repression depending on cellular and promoter context. The purpose of this study was assessment of WT1 gene expression in patients with acute leukemia, measurement of IL-12 and C3 levels in serum and evaluation of the relationship between them.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the expression of WT1 mRNA using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and serum levels of IL-12 and C3 using ELISA and nephelometry in peripheral blood of 12 newly diagnosed patients with acute leukemia and 12 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of our study showed that the average wT1 gene expression in patients was 7.7 times higher than in healthy controls (P <0.05). In addition, IL-12 (P = 0.003) and C3 (P <0.0001) were significantly decreased in the test group compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WT1 expression levels are significantly higher in patients compared with control subjects whereas serum levels of interleukin-12 and C3 are significantly lower in patients. Wt1 expression levels in patients are inversely related with serum levels of IL-12 and C3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran E-mail : akhodadadi2@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Omran
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rezai
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khodadadi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heike
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mostafai
authors.forename: Nader Dashti
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Gerdabi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashno
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003176:Complement C3; D025721:WT1 Proteins; C583751:WT1 protein, human; D018664:Interleukin-12