T cells genetically engineered with tumor antigen-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) genes have demonstrated therapeutic potential in patients with solid tumors.
The Wilms tumor antigen, WT1, is expressed at high levels in various types of leukemia and solid tumors, including lung, breast, colon cancer and soft tissue sarcomas.
Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is a tumor antigen expressed in various malignant tumors including solid tumors and hemopoietic neoplasias but no or weak expression in normal tissues.
The WT1 gene exerts an oncogenic function rather than a tumor-suppressor gene function in solid tumors as well as leukemias, and the WT1 gene product is an attractive tumor antigen capable of eliciting cytotoxic T lymphocytes against WT1-expressing tumors.