Gene expression of Forkhead box Protein 3 (FOXP3) and Wilm's Tumor 1 (WT1) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia is being revealed as an increasingly heterogeneous entity as the molecular aberrations underlying it are defined. Such information is fundamental in the assessment of the chances of durable treatment response. Morphological complete remission is now achieved in the majority of patients with current chemotherapeutic regimens, so the main determinants of prognosis are therefore those variables that influence treatment-related death or relapse risk. FOXP3 is a member of the forkhead winged helix family Transcription factors and is essential for the development and function of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T -cells (Treg) which play a critical role in the control of immune responses in various clinical settings, including autoimmune diseases, allergic disorders, infections, transplantations, and cancers. One of the Tumor Associated Antigens (TAAs) that is expressed in various types of solid tumors and hematopoietic malignancies is WT1, which is an important regulatory molecule involved in cell growth and development. WT1 has been identified by cytogenetic deletion analysis of patients with Wilm's tumors. It is expressed in a tissue-specific manner. WT1 may be a more universal molecular marker of AML. It has a dual role in