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Project

Optimalization of immunotherapy in uterine sarcoma.

Uterine sarcomas are highly aggressive. Treatment options are sparse and have limited effect. Less than 10% of patients survive more than 5 years. New therapies are needed. Based on our previous findings that Wilms tumor gene (WT1) is overexpressed in the majority of uterine sarcomas and is linked with poor prognosis, we developed dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy. DCs are produced in the laboratory starting from regular white blood cells from a patient. These DCs are loaded with WT1 in its genetic form (RNA) and then reinjected into the patient, activating defender cells (T cells), which destroy WT1 positive tumor cells. Our first clinical study started in 2010. Though we notice a tendency that part of the patients live longer, the WT1 immunotherapy should be optimized to make it more immunogenic. In this research project, we will load DCs in different ways to find the most immunogenic vaccine. Simultaneously, we will look for WT1 antibodies in blood samples of uterine sarcoma patients. We will try to expand WT1 antibody producing B cells in a mouse model and then use them to attack the WT1 positive tumor. With these two pathways we hope to optimize WT1 immunotherapy and offer patients with uterine sarcoma better chances of survival.
Date:1 Oct 2012 →  30 Sep 2013
Keywords:Immunotherapy, Dendritic cell, WT1, Uterine sarcoma, WT1 antibody, Wilms tumor gene 1
Disciplines:Microbiology, Systems biology, Laboratory medicine