WT1 Expression Levels Combined with Flow Cytometry Blast Counts for Risk Stratification of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Abstract

Wilm’s tumor 1 (WT1), a zinc-finger transcription factor and an epigenetic modifier, is frequently overexpressed in several hematologic disorders and solid tumors, and it has been proposed as diagnostic and prognostic marker of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, the exact role of WT1 in leukemogenesis and disease progression remains unclear. In this real-world evidence retrospective study, we investigated prognostic role of WT1-mRNA expression levels in AML and MDS patients and correlations with complete blood counts, flow cytometry counts, and molecular features. A total of 71 patients (AML, n = 46; and MDS, n = 25) were included in this study, and WT1 levels were assessed at diagnosis, during treatment and follow-up. We showed that WT1 expression levels were inversely correlated with normal hemopoiesis in both AML and MDS, and positively associated with blast counts. Flow cytometry was more sensitive and specific in distinguishing normal myeloid cells from neoplastic counterpart even just using linear parameters and CD45 expression. Moreover, we showed that a simple integrated approach combining blast counts by flow cytometry, FLT3 mutational status, and WT1 expression levels might be a useful tool for a better prognostic definition in both AML and MDS patients.