Results of Molecular Monitoring in Posttransplant Period by Means of Series Investigation of WT1 Gene Expression in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION , , , ,

YaV Gudozhnikova, NN Mamaev, IM Barkhatov, VA Katerina, TL Gindina, AI Shakirova, SN Bondarenko, OA Slesarchuk, EI Darskaya, OV Paina, LS Zubarovskaya, BV Afanas’ev

RM Gorbacheva Scientific Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation; IP Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022

For correspondence: Prof. Nikolai Nikolaevich Mamaev, MD, PhD, 6/8 L’va Tolstogo str., Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197022; Tel.: +7(812)233-12-43; e-mail: nikmamaev524@gmail.com

For citation: Gudozhnikova YaV, Mamaev NN, Barkhatov IM, et al. Results of Molecular Monitoring in Posttransplant Period by Means of Series Investigation of WT1 Gene Expression in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clinical oncohematology. 2018;11(3):241–51.

DOI: 10.21320/2500-2139-2018-11-3-241-251

ABSTRACT

Aim. To demonstrate diagnostic and prognostic significance of series measurement of WT1 expression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

Materials & Methods. The clinical trial included 88 AML patients (38 females (43 %) and 50 males (57 %) aged 2–68, median 30 years). All the patients received allo-HSCT. Bone marrow was aspirated before (D0) and after HSCT (D+30, D+60, and D+100).

Results. The univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in 2-year overall survival with respect to the following factors: with and without remission at the moment of HSCT (p < 0.001), with and without chronic graft vs. host disease (cGVHD) (p = 0.002), primary or secondary (MDS) AML (p = 0,028), WT1 gene expression < and > 250 copies before HSCT (p < 0.001) and at time points D+60 (p = 0.012), and D+100 (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed similar statistical significance of differences among patients transplanted in remission (p = 0.041) and with cGVHD (p = 0.03). In univariate analysis statistically significant differences in 2-year event-free survival (EFS) were found: a) in patients with allo-HSCT, either in remission or not (p < 0.001); b) using HSC, but not bone marrow, as transplant source (p < 0.026); c) with normal or high WT1 expression at the stage of HSCT (p < 0.001) and at time point D+100 (p < 0.001); d) using HSC from related or unrelated donor (p = 0.006); e) in patients with cGVHD (p = 0.05). In multivariate analysis independent positive effect on EFS was observed only in patients with normal WT1 expression at D+100 (p = 0.011) and with cGVHD (p = 0.038). Cumulative incidence of posttransplant relapse (PTR) in AML patients with normal or high WT1 expression at the stage of HSCT within the 2-year follow-up was significantly different (28.2 vs. 58.9 %; p = 0.002), also in measurements of this parameter at D+60 and D+100 (p = 0.015 and p < 0.001, respectively). In 1/4 of patients cytological relapses (cPTR) appeared considerably later than molecular relapses (mPTR), i.e. 13–489 days later (median 35 days), which is accounted for by early preventive therapy aimed at cPTR prophylaxis against the background of already recorded mPTR. According to our data, GVHD plays a crucial role in cPTR management.

Conclusion. Phenomenon of WT1 expression normalization after allo-HSCT in AML patients proves to have a high diagnostic and prognostic significance. Introduction of this approach into clinical practice seems highly advisable for national oncohematological centers.

Keywords: acute myeloid leukemia, allo-HSCT, posttransplant relapse, diagnostics and treatment with molecular monitoring of WT1 expression, graft vs. host disease.

Received: January 20, 2018

Accepted: April 18, 2018

Read in PDF 

REFERENCES

  1. Cilloni D, Gottardi E, De Micheli D, et al. Quantitative assessment of WT1 expression by real time quantitative PCR may be a useful tool for monitoring minimal residual disease in acute leukemia patients. Leukemia. 2002;16(10):2115–21. doi: 10:1038/sj.leu.2402675.
  2. Cilloni D, Gottardi E, Fava M, et al. Usefulness of quantitative assessment of the WT1 gene transcript as a marker for minimal residual disease detection. Blood. 2003;102(2);773–4. doi: 1182/blood-2003-03-0980.
  3. Ogawa H, Tamaki H, Ikegame K, et al. The usefulness of monitoring WT1 gene transcripts for the prediction and management of relapse following allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute type leukemia. Blood. 2003;101(5):1698–704. doi: 1182/blood-2002-06-1831.
  4. Zhao X-S, Jin S, Zhu H-H, et al. Wilms’ tumor gene 1 expression: an independent acute leukemia prognostic indicator following allogeneic hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2011;47(4):499–507. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2011.121.
  5. Мамаев Н.Н., Горбунова А.В., Бархатов И.М. и др. Молекулярный мониторинг течения острых миелоидных лейкозов по уровню экспрессии гена WT1 после аллогенной трансплантации гемопоэтических стволовых клеток. Клиническая онкогематология. 2015;8(3):309–20. doi: 10.21320/2500-2139-2015-8-3-309-320.[Mamaev NN, Gorbunova AV, Barkhatov IM, et al. Molecular Monitoring of WT1 Gene Expression Level in Acute Myeloid Leukemias after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Clinical oncohematology. 2015;8(3):309–20. doi: 10.21320/2500-2139-2015-8-3-309-320. (In Russ)]
  6. Мамаев Н.Н., Гудожникова Я.В., Горбунова А.В.  Гиперэкспрессия гена WT1при злокачественных опухолях системы крови: теоретические и клинические аспекты (обзор литературы). Клиническая онкогематология. 2016;9(3):257–64. doi: 10.21320/2500-2139-2016-9-3-257-264.[Mamaev NN, Gudozhnikova YaV, Gorbunova AV. WT1 Gene Overexpression in Oncohematological Disorders: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects (Literature Review). Clinical oncohematology. 2016;9(3):257–64. doi: 10.21320/2500-2139-2016-9-3-257-264. (In Russ)]
  7. Call KM, Gieser T, Ito CI, et al. Isolation and characterization of a zinc finger polypeptide gene at the human chromosome 11 Wilms’ tumor gene locus. Cell. 1990;60(3):509–20. doi: 10:1016/0092-8674(90)90601-a.
  8. Rose EA, Glaser T, Jones C, et al. Complete physical map of the WAGR region of 11p13 localizes a candidate Wilms’ tumor gene. 1990;60(3):495–508. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(90)90600-j.
  9. Miwa H, Beran M, Saunders GF. Expression of the Wilms’ tumor gene (WT1) in human leukemias. Leukemia. 1992;6(5):405–9.
  10. Inoue K, Sugiyama H, Ogava H, et al. WT1 as a new prognostic factor and a new marker for the detection of minimal residual disease in acute leukemia. Blood. 1994;84(9):3071–9.
  11. Inoue K, Ogawa H, Sonoda Y, et al. Aberrant overexpression of the Wilms’ tumor gene (WT1) in human leukemia. Blood. 1997;88(4):1405–12.
  12. Cilloni D, Gottardi E, Messa F, et al. Significant correlation between the degree of WT1 expression and the International Scoring System score in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21(10):1988–95. doi: 10.1200/jco.2003.10.503.
  13. Alonso-Domingues JM, Tenorio M, Velasco D, et al. Correlation of WT1 expression with the burden of total and residual leukemic blasts in bone marrow samples of acute myeloid leukemia patients. Cancer Genet. 2012;205(4):190–1. doi: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2012.02.008.
  14. Cilloni D, Messa F, Arruga F, et al. Early prediction of treatment outcome in acute myeloid leukemia by measurement of WT1 transcript levels in peripheral blood samples collected after chemotherapy. Haematologica. 2008;93(6):921–4. doi: 10.3324/haematol.12165.
  15. Ogava H, Ikegame K, Kawakami M, Tamaki H. WT1 gene transcript assay for relapse in acute myeloid leukemia after transplantation. Leuk Lymphoma. 2004;45(9):1747–53. doi: 10.1080/10428190410001687503.
  16. Pozzi S, Geroldi S, Tedone E, et al. Leukemia relapse after allogeneic transplant for acute myeloid leukemia: predictive role of WT1 expression. Br J Haematol. 2013;160(4);503–9. doi: 10.1111/bjh.12181.
  17. Nendedeu J, Esquirol A, Carricondo M, et al. Bone marrow WT1 levels in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia: Clinically relevant time-points and 100 copies threshold value. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017;24(1):55–63. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.09.001.
  18. Cilloni D, Saglio G, Gottardi E, et al. WT1 as universal marker for minimal residual disease detection and quantification in myeloid leukemias and in myelodysplastic syndrome. Acta Hematol. 2004;112(1–2):79–84. doi: 10.1159/000077562.
  19. Candoni A, Toffoletti E, Galina R, et al. Monitoring of minimal residual disease by quantitative WT1 gene expression following reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia. Clin Transpl. 2011;25(2):308–16. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2010.01251.x.
  20. Kwon M, Martinez-Laperche C, Infante M, et al. Evaluation of minimal residual disease by real-time quantitative PCR of Wilms’ Tumor 1 expression in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Correlation with flow cytometry and chimerism. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2012;18(8):1235–42. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2012.01.012.
  21. Polak J, Hajkova H, Haskovec C, et al. Quantitative monitoring of WT1 expression in peripheral blood before and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia – a useful tool for early detection of minimal residual disease. Neoplasma. 2013;60(01):74–82. doi: 10.4149/neo_2013_011.
  22. Lapillone H, Renneville A, Auvrignon A, et al. High WT1 expression after induction therapy predicts high risk or relapse and death in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24(10):1507–15. doi: 10.1200/jco.2005.03.5303.
  23. Messina C, Sala E, Carrabba M, et al. Early post-allogeneic transplantation WT1 transcript positivity predicts AML relapse. 40th EBMT Meeting. 30 March – 2 April; Milan, Italy; 2014: Abstract P239.
  24. Mear J-B, Salaun V, Dina N, et al. WT1 and flow cytometry minimal residual disease follow-up after allogeneic transplantation in practice. 40th EBMT Meeting. 30 March – 2 April; Milan, Italy; 2014: Abstract P655.
  25. Capelli D, Attolico I, Saraceli F, et al. Early cumulative incidence of relapse in 80 acute myeloid leukemia patients after chemotherapy and transplant post-consolidation treatment prognostic role of post-induction WT1. 40th EBMT Meeting. 30 March – 2 April; Milan, Italy; 2014: Abstract P287.
  26. Rossi G, Carella AM, Minervini MM, et al. Optimal time-points for minimal residual disease monitoring change on the basis of the method used in patients with acute myeloid leukemia who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation: A comparison between multiparameter flow cytometry and Wilms’ tumor 1 expression. Leuk Res. 2015;39(2):138–43. doi: 1016/j.leukres.2014.11.011.