Development of anti-leukemia killer T-lymphocytes genetically modified to express T-cell receptors against the Wilms' tumor 1 antigen.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an agressive type of blood cancer that still carries a dreadful prognosis. Even with treatment, only one out of 4 patients with AML will be alive 5 years after the diagnosis. This explains the urgent need for novel therapies. It is well known that our own immune system can fight cancer, laying the foundation for the development of immune-based therapies for cancer. One type of immunotherapy that has attracted much recent interest is T-cell therapy. Such therapy is based on the intrinsic ability of T cells - an important part of our immune system - to recognize and kill cancer cells. They do so via T-cell receptors, which are expressed on their cell surface. These T-cell receptors recognize certain substances, called antigens, that are presented by the cancer cells. In the context of AML, one antigen that serves as an attractive T-cell target is the Wilms' tumor protein 1 (WT1). In this research project, we will try to "weaponise" T cells to attack leukemia cells by genetically enforcing the expression of T-cell receptors against WT1. The ultimate goal is to exploit these anti-leukemia "killer" T cells for therapeutic purposes and to fulfill the unmet therapeutic need in AML.

Keywords:ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA

Disciplines:Cancer therapy