Wilms' tumor 1 peptide–Human leukocyte antigen complex (WT1-HLA complex)

The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) peptide–Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex on dendritic cells is a critical target in cancer immunotherapy, specifically for the development of therapeutic vaccines and T-cell therapies. WT1 is a zinc-finger transcription factor that is highly overexpressed in a wide range of hematological malignancies, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and various solid tumors, while its expression in normal adult tissues is extremely limited (Cheever et al., 2009). In this therapeutic context, dendritic cells (DCs) are loaded with WT1-derived peptides, which are then processed and presented on the cell surface via HLA Class I and Class II molecules. This presentation allows the DCs to act as potent antigen-presenting cells that prime and expand WT1-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD4+ helper T cells (Sugiyama, 2010). These activated T cells subsequently circulate throughout the body to recognize and eliminate malignant cells that present the same WT1-HLA complexes. The efficacy of targeting this complex is influenced by the patient's specific HLA haplotype and the immunogenicity of the chosen WT1 peptide sequences (Oka et al., 2004).

Other names

WT1-MHC complexWT1 peptide-HLA complexWT1-derived peptide–HLA class I/II complexespMHC complexWilms' tumor protein 1-derived peptide-HLA complex

Activation and expansion of WT1-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD4+ helper T cells through T-cell receptor (TCR) recognition of the WT1 peptide-HLA complex presented on the surface of dendritic cells.