Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Ethiopia_Genome_Project__high_coverage_

The Ethiopian area stands among the most ancient ones ever occupied by human populations and their ancestors. Particularly, according to archaeological evidences, it is possible to trace back the presence of Hominids up to at least 3 million years ago. Furthermore, the present day human populations show a great cultural, linguistic and historic diversity which makes them essential candidate to investigate a considerable part of the African variability. Following the typing of 300 Ethiopian samples on Illumina Omni 1M (see Human Variability in Ethiopia project, previously approved by the Genotyping committee) we now have a clearer idea on which populations living in the area include the most of the diversity.This project therefore aims to sequence the whole genome of 300 individuals at low (4-8x) depth belonging to the six most representative populations of the Ethiopian area to produce a unique catalogue of variants peculiar of the North East Africa. Furthermore 6 samples (one from each population) will also be sequenced at high (30x) depth to ensure full coverage of the diversity spectrum.The retrieved variants will be of great help in evaluating the demographic dynamics of those populations as well as shedding light on the migrations out of Africa.

Study EGAS00001000237

Exome_trios_in_patients_with_gastroschisis

Gastroschisis (MIM 230750) is a herniation of the intestines through a defect of the abdominal wall lateral to the umbilicus (usually on the right side), and it is not covered by a membrane [Ledbetter, 2012]. Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly with increasing incidence, easy prenatal diagnosis and extremely variable postnatal outcomes. On the basis of clinical manifestations, epidemiologic charateristics, and the presence and type of additional malformations, gastroschisis could be considered a heterogeneous condition with no gene/s discovered yet. This congenital anomaly affects approximately 1-3 infancts per 10,000 live births [Calzolari et al.1995;Parker et al.,2010] Current knowledge about causative mutations/variants. To date, no single gene has been linked to gastroschisis. Some publications have tried to link this malformation to variants in genes (such as AEBP1 (adipocyte enhancer binding protein) gene [Feldkamp et al,. 2012] or the VEGF-NOS3 pathway [Lammer et al., 2008]. Previously, a Scribble mutant mouse model (circletail) was reported to exhibit gastroschisis, however recent studies demonstrated that the Scribble knockout fetus exhibits exomphalos phenotype of gastroschisis [Carnagham et al., 2013]. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

Study EGAS00001002664

Allele Balance Bias Identifies Systematic Genotyping Errors and False Disease Associations

In recent years, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has become a cornerstone of clinical genetics and diagnostics. Many clinical applications require high precision, especially if rare events such as somatic mutations in cancer or genetic variants causing rare diseases need to be identified. Although random sequencing errors can be modeled statistically and deep sequencing minimizes their impact, systematic errors remain a problem even at high depth of coverage. Understanding their source is crucial to increase precision of clinical NGS applications. In this work, we studied the relation between recurrent biases in allele balance (AB), systematic errors and false positive variant calls across a large cohort of human samples analyzed by whole exome sequencing (WES). We have modeled the allele balance distribution for biallelic genotypes in 987 WES samples in order to identify positions recurrently deviating significantly from the expectation, a phenomenon we termed allele balance bias (ABB). Furthermore, we have developed a genotype callability score based on ABB for all positions of the human exome, which detects false positive variant calls that passed state-of-the-art filters. Finally, we demonstrate the use of ABB for detection of false associations proposed by rare variant association studies (RVAS).

Study EGAS00001003027

The Genomic Landscape of Core-Binding Factor Acute Myeloid Leukemias

Pediatric de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease that can be divided into clinically distinct subtypes based on the presence of specific chromosomal abnormalities or gene alterations. One of the best characterized subtypes of AML involves leukemias with alterations of the core-binding factor (CBF)-complex, which comprises the FAB subtypes M2 and M4Eo and associates with a favorable outcome. Patients with the AML M2 subtype harbor a translocation between chromosomes 8 and 21 [t(8;21)] that yields the chimeric fusion gene RUNX1(AML1)-RUNX1T1(ETO), while patients with AML M4Eo express the chimeric fusion gene CBFβ-SMMHC(MYH11) as a result of an inversion/translocation event of chromosome 16 [inv(16)/t(16;16)]. In an effort to define the total complement of genetic changes in CBF-leukemia, we performed paired-end whole genome sequencing (WGS) on diagnostic leukemia blasts and matched germ line samples from 17 pediatric CBF-leukemia patients using the Illumina platform. Somatic alterations, including single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and structural variations (SVs), including insertions, deletions, inversions, and inter- and intra-chromosomal rearrangements, were detected using complementary analysis pipelines (Bambino, CREST and CONSERTING). Recurrent screening of identified mutations will be performed in a cohort of approximately 94 cases of CBF-leukemias.

Study EGAS00001000349

Long-term organoid culture of a small intestinal neuroendocrine tumor rna-seq

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are rare and highly heterogeneous neoplasms whose incidence has markedly increased over the last decades. A grading system based on the tumor cells' proliferation index predicts high-risk for G3 NETs. However, low-to-intermediate grade (G1/G2) NETs have an unpredictable clinical course that varies from indolent to highly malignant. Cultures of human cancer cells enable to perform functional perturbation analyses that are instrumental to enhance our understanding of cancer biology. To date, no tractable and reliable long-term culture of G1/G2 NET has been reported to permit disease modeling and pharmacological screens. Here, we report of the first long-term culture of a G2 metastatic small intestinal NET that preserves the main genetic drivers of the tumor and retains expression patterns of the endocrine cell lineage. Replicating the tissue, this long-term culture showed a low proliferation index, and yet it could be propagated continuously without dramatic changes in the karyotype. The model was readily available for pharmacological screens using targeted agents and as expected, showed low tumorigenic capacity in vivo. Overall, this is the first long-term culture of NETs to faithfully recapitulate many aspects of the original neuroendocrine tumor.

Study EGAS00001007108

ERG ALTERATIONS DEFINE A NOVEL SUBTYPE OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Structural chromosomal alterations are a hallmark of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) yet many patients lack an identifiable abnormality on conventional cytogenetic analysis. Here, using integrated analysis of genome-wide DNA copy number and gene expression data of 1764 childhood and adult ALL cases, including whole-genome, exome and mRNA-sequencing of 72 cases, we report a novel subtype of B-progenitor ALL (B-ALL) representing 4-13% of B-ALL cases characterized by a distinct gene expression profile, and focal deletions of ERG (ETS related gene) in 56% of cases. These cases are characterized by expression of a ERG transcript that utilizes a novel exon in intron 6 of ERG spliced to the canonical reading frame of ERG exons 7-10, encoding a 27 kDa C-terminal ERG protein that retains the ETS and transactivating domains but lacks the N-terminal pointed and regulatory domains. This protein is a competitive inhibitor of wild-type ERG and is leukemogenic in vivo. ERG-altered ALL cases have a favourable outcome despite the presence of alterations associated with poor prognosis in non-ERG ALL, such as deletions of IKZF1. These findings identify a new subtype of leukemia characterized by a novel mechanism of ETS transcription factor dysregulation in cancer.

Study EGAS00001000514

Rare SNPs in receptor tyrosine kinases are negative outcome predictors in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder that is characterized by a great genetic heterogeneity. Recent next generation sequencing studies revealed an accumulation of tumor-associated mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which may also contribute to the activation of survival pathways in MM. To investigate the clinical role of RTK-mutations in MM, we deep-sequenced the coding DNA-sequence of EGFR, EPHA2, ERBB3, IGF1R, NTRK1 and NTRK2 which were previously found to be mutated in MM, in 75 uniformly treated MM patients of the "Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom". Subsequently, we correlated the detected mutations with common cytogenetic alterations and clinical parameters. We identified 11 novel non-synonymous SNVs or rare patient-specific SNPs, not listed in the SNP databases 1000 genomes and dbSNP, in 10 primary MM cases. The mutations predominantly affected the tyrosine-kinase and ligand-binding domains and no correlation with cytogenetic parameters was found. Interestingly, however, patients with RTK-mutations, specifically those with rare patient-specific SNPs, showed a significant lower overall, event-free and progression-free survival. This indicates that RTK SNVs and rare patient-specific RTK SNPs are of prognostic relevance and suggests that MM patients with RTK-mutations could potentially profit from treatment with RTK-inhibitors.

Study EGAS00001001665

Cardiovascular disease biomarkers derived from circulating cell-free DNA methylation

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a major cause of worldwide mortality. The syndrome occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is decreased or blocked, causing muscle tissues to die or malfunction. There are three main types of ACS: Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. The treatment depends on the type of ACS, and this is decided by a combination of clinical findings, such as electrocardiogram and plasma biomarkers. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is proposed as an additional marker for ACS since the damaged tissues can release DNA to the bloodstream. We used ccfDNA methylation profiles for differentiating between the ACS types and provided computational tools to repeat similar analysis for other diseases. We leveraged cell type specificity of DNA methylation to deconvolute the ccfDNA cell types of origin and to find methylation-based biomarkers that stratify patients. We identified hundreds of methylation markers associated with ACS types and validated them in an independent cohort. Many such markers were associated with genes involved in cardiovascular conditions and inflammation. ccfDNA methylation showed promise as a non-invasive diagnostic for acute coronary events. These methods are not limited to acute events, and may be used for chronic cardiovascular diseases as well.

Study EGAS00001007263

Single_Cell_Sequencing_of_Sperm__scSperm_

The aim of this project is to genotype and sequence single spermatozoa from two men, one in his twenties and the other in his seventies. The resulting data is used to quantify the mutations that have arisen in the gametes of both individuals in order to better understand the effect of aging on mutation rates and modes.Project Outline. In order to quantify mutations, semen from two individuals are sequenced. 48 single sperm cells are isolated from each individual, and their DNA is extracted. The resulting genomes are amplified using PicoPlex, GenomiPhi MDA, Repli-G MDA, and MALBAC. QC step is applied to check the quality of WGA DNA using standard Sequenom plex (26 SNPs). A subset of 32 amplification products which pass the intiall QC, are genotyped using Affymetrix SNP6 chips. 12 of the genotyped amplification products are also sequenced. In addition, one multi-cell sample per individual is sequenced as a reference and for validation purposes.Altogether, 12 single cell sperm genomes and two multi-cell genomes are sequenced, coming to a total of 14 genomes. Of the single cell sperm genomes, 2 are sequenced to 50x coverage, and the other 10 to 25x coverage. Both multi-cell genomes are sequenced to 25x coverage.

Study EGAS00001000935

An RCOR1 loss-associated gene expression signature identifies a prognostically significant DLBCL subgroup

Effective treatment of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is plagued by heterogeneous responses to standard therapy, and molecular mechanisms underlying unfavorable outcomes in lymphoma patients remain elusive. Here, we profiled 148 genomes with 91 matching transcriptomes in an R-CHOP-treated DLBCL cohort to uncover molecular subgroups linked to treatment failure. Systematic integration of high-resolution genotyping arrays and RNA-seq data revealed novel deletions in RCOR1 to be associated with unfavorable progression free survival (P = 0.001). Integration of expression data from the clinical samples with data from RCOR1 knockdowns in the lymphoma cell lines KM-H2 and Raji yielded an RCOR1 loss-associated gene signature comprising of 233 genes. This signature identified a subgroup of patients with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (P = 0.023). The prognostic significance of the 233-gene signature for OS was reproduced in an independent cohort comprising of 195 R- CHOP treated patients (P = 0.039). Additionally, we discovered that within the IPI low risk group, the gene signature provides additional prognostic value that was independent of the cell-of-origin phenotype. Taken together, we present a novel and reproducible molecular subgroup of DLBCL, impacting risk-stratification of R- CHOP treated DLBCL patients and revealing a new avenue for therapeutic intervention strategies.

Study EGAS00001001000

MutWP1__CRUK_Grand_Challenge_Mutographs_of_Cancer__Colorectal

he Mutographs project aims to advance our understanding of the causes of cancer through studies of mutational signatures. Led by Mike Stratton, together with Paul Brennan, Ludmil Alexandrov, Allan Balmain, David Phillips and Peter Campbell, this large-scale international research endeavour was awarded a Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge. Different patterns of somatic mutation are generated by the different environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that cause cancer, many of them are still unknown. Within Mutographs, the International Agency for Research on Cancer is coordinating the recruitment of 5000 individuals with cancer (colorectal, renal, pancreatic, oesophageal adenocarcinoma or oesophageal squamous cancers) across 5 continents to explore whether different mutational signatures explain marked variation in incidence. In brief, through an international network of collaborators around the world, biological materials are collected, along with demographic, histological, clinical and questionnaire data. Whole genome sequences of tumour-germline DNA pairs are generated at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Somatic mutational signatures are subsequently extracted by non-negative matrix factorisation methods and correlated with risk factors data. Through an enhanced understanding of cancer aetiology, Mutographs unprecedented effort is anticipated to outline modifiable risk factors, lead to new approaches to prevent cancer, and provide opportunities to empower early detection, refine high-risk groups and contribute to further therapeutic development.

Study EGAS00001003774

Rapid identification of somatic genome rearrangements as personalized biomarkers for blood-based cancer monitoring

Increasing evidence shows the value of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to detect cancer and monitor its progression. Somatic genomic structural variations (SVs) are promising personalized biomarkers for sensitive and specific detection of ctDNA in liquid biopsies. However, accurate, affordable, and fast identification of such SV biomarkers is challenging, which hinders routine use in the clinic. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach - termed SHARC - for rapid discovery of somatic SV breakpoints as personalized tumour biomarkers. SHARC combines low-coverage cancer genome sketching by using Oxford Nanopore portable sequencing with a random forest classification and a dedicated filtering pipeline to enrich for somatic SVs. Our method leverages the real-time and long-read capabilities of Nanopore sequencing to identify somatic SV breakpoints at nucleotide resolution from a tumour biopsy within two days. We applied SHARC to tumour samples of high-grade ovarian and prostate cancer and validated on average 10 somatic SVs per sample with the use of PCR mini-amplicons. Finally, we demonstrate that these somatic SV biomarkers can be used to detect tumour presence from liquid biopsies in a quantitative manner and we retrospectively monitored treatment response in patients with prostate cancer, demonstrating its potential benefit for clinical practice.

Study EGAS00001003963

Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement

The possibility of voyaging contact between prehistoric Polynesian and Native American populations has long intrigued researchers. Proponents have pointed to the existence of New World crops, such as the sweet potato and bottle gourd, in the Polynesian archaeological record, but nowhere else outside the pre-Columbian Americas while critics have argued that these botanical dispersals need not have been human mediated. The Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl controversially suggested that prehistoric South American populations had an important role in the settlement of east Polynesia and particularly of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Several limited molecular genetic studies have reached opposing conclusions, and the possibility continues to be as hotly contested today as it was when first suggested. Here we analyse genome-wide variation in individuals from islands across Polynesia for signs of Native American admixture, analysing 807 individuals from 17 island populations and 15 Pacific coast Native American groups. We find conclusive evidence for prehistoric contact of Polynesian individuals with Native American individuals (around AD 1200) contemporaneous with the settlement of remote Oceania. Our analyses suggest strongly that a single contact event occurred in eastern Polynesia, before the settlement of Rapa Nui, between Polynesian individuals and a Native American group most closely related to the indigenous inhabitants of present-day Colombia.

Study EGAS00001004209

Pancreatic tropism of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is characterized by a particularly broad metastatic swath, and enigmatically, when the pancreas is a destination, the disease is associated with improved survival. Intrigued by this observation, we sought to characterize the clinical behavior, therapeutic implications, and underlying biology. While pancreatic metastases (PM) are infrequent, we identified 31 patients across two institutional cohorts and show that improved survival is independent of established prognostic variables, that these tumors are exquisitely sensitive to anti-angiogenic agents and resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), and that they are characterized by a distinctive biology. Primary tumors of patients with PM exhibited frequent PBRM1 mutations, 3p loss, and 5q amplification, along with a lower frequency of aggressive features such as BAP1 mutations and loss of 9p, 14q, and 4q. Gene expression analyses revealed constrained evolution with remarkable uniformity, reduced T-effector gene signatures and increased angiogenesis. Similar findings were observed histopathologically. Thus, RCC metastatic to the pancreas is characterized by indolent biology, heightened angiogenesis, and an uninflamed stroma, likely underlying its good prognosis, sensitivity to anti-angiogenic therapies, and refractoriness to ICI. These data suggest that metastatic organotropism may be an indicator of a particular biology with prognostic and treatment implications for patients.

Study EGAS00001004208

Pediatric Non-Down Syndrome Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia is Characterized by Distinct Genomic Subsets with Varying Outcomes

Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (AMKL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in which cells morphologically resemble abnormal megakaryoblasts. While extremely rare in adults, AMKL accounts for 4-15% of newly diagnosed childhood AML1-3. A significant proportion of pediatric AMKL cases occur in children with Down syndrome (DS). These patients have excellent outcomes and are characterized at the genomic level by a founding GATA1 mutation4-6. In contrast, AMKL in patients without DS (non-DS-AMKL) is frequently associated with poor outcomes. Previous efforts have identified chimeric oncogenes in a significant number of cases, including RBM15-MKL1, CBFA2T3-GLIS2, KMT2A gene rearrangements and NUP98-KDM5A7-9. The etiology of 30-40% of cases, however, remains unknown. To better understand the genomic landscape of non-DS-AMKL, we performed RNA and exome sequencing on specimens from 99 patients (75 pediatric and 24 adult). We demonstrate that pediatric non-DS-AMKL is a heterogeneous malignancy that can be divided into seven subgroups with varying outcomes. These subgroups are characterized by chimeric oncogenes with cooperating mutations in epigenetic and kinase signaling genes. Overall, these data shed light on the etiology of AMKL and provide useful information for treatment tailoring.

Study EGAS00001002183

CancerLocator: Non-Invasive Cancer Diagnosis and Tissue-of-Origin Prediction Using Methylation Profiles of Cell-Free DNA

Background: The detection and characterization of cell-free DNA in plasma is one of the most promising new areas in cancer diagnosis. Liquid biopsy, unlike traditional tissue biopsy, has the potential to diagnose a variety of different malignancies. Results: Here we propose a probabilistic method, CancerLocator, which exploits the diagnostic potential of cell-free DNA by determining not only the presence but also the location of tumors. CancerLocator simultaneously infers the proportions and the tissue-of-origin of tumor-derived cell-free DNA in a blood sample using genome-wide DNA methylation data. We comprehensively evaluate CancerLocator with simulations and real data, and compare its performance with that of two established multi-class classification methods. We show that the predicted tumor burdens are highly consistent with the true values. In addition, when the proportion of tumor-derived DNAs in the cell-free DNAs is low, the two popular machine learning methods completely fail for cancer diagnosis, while CancerLocator successfully overcomes the challenge. CancerLocator also achieves promising results on patient plasma samples, despite the fact that the DNA methylation data from these samples has very low sequencing coverage. Conclusions: CfDNA methylation may be developed as an important approach for non-invasive early cancer diagnosis.

Study EGAS00001002211

Whole genome sequencing of tumour and normal paired samples of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) have a universally dismal prognosis (median 9-12 months), with neither chemotherapeutic nor targeted agents showing any substantial survival benefit in clinical trials in children with these tumours. DIPG are highly infiltrative malignant glial neoplasms of the ventral pons, which due to their location within the brain, make them unsuitable for surgical resection and consequently have a universally dismal clinical outcome. Recent high-throughput sequencing approaches have revealed a striking prevalence of K27M mutations in the genes encoding the histone variants H3.3 (H3F3A) or H3.1 (HIST1H3B) in the childhood brain tumour DIPG. This K-to-M substitution confers a trans-dominant ablation of global H3K27 trimethylation, which likely profoundly alters gene expression through de-repression of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) target genes. Despite these advances in our understanding of the distinct biology of these tumours, approaches for specific novel therapeutic interventions are not clear, and little has been reported of the secondary mutations accompanying these changes. We carried out whole genome sequencing on a series of 20 tumour normal pairs of pre-treatment biopsy samples of DIPG, for which the patients underwent a safe stereotactic procedure, and whole exome sequencing on a further six tumour normal pairs obtained at autopsy.

Study EGAS00001000572

Accurate sample assignment in a multiplexed, ultra-sensitive, high-throughput sequencing assay for minimal residual disease

High throughput sequencing (HTS) (next generation sequencing) of the rearranged immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes promises to be cheaper and more sensitive than current methods for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, adoption of new approaches by clinical laboratories requires careful evaluation of all potential sources of error and the development of strategies to ensure the highest accuracy. Timely and efficient clinical use of HTS platforms will depend on combining multiple samples (multiplexing) in each sequencing run. Here we examine immunoglobulin heavy chain gene HTS on the Illumina MiSeq platform for MRD (HTS-MRD). We identify errors associated with multiplexing that could potentially impact on the accuracy of MRD analysis. We optimise a strategy combining high purity, sequence-optimised oligonucleotides, dual-indexing and an error-aware demultiplexing approach to minimise errors and maximise sensitivity. We present a probability-based demultiplexing pipeline, Error-Aware Demultiplexer (EAD) - that is suitable for all MiSeq sequencing strategies and accurately assigns samples to the correct identifier without excessive loss of data. Finally using controls quantified by digital PCR, we show that HTS-MRD can accurately detect as few as 1 in 106 copies of specific leukemic MRD.

Study EGAS00001001303

Biallelic mutations in the ubiquitin ligase RFWD3 cause Fanconi anemia

The WD40-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase RFWD3 has been recently linked to the repair of DNA damage by Homologous Recombination (HR). Here we show that an RFWD3 mutation within the WD40 domain is connected to the genetic disease Fanconi anemia (FA). An individual revealed congenital abnormalities characteristic for FA. Cells from the patient, carrying the compound heterozygous mutations c.205_206dupCC and c.1916T>A in RFWD3, show increased sensitivity to DNA interstrand cross-linking agents in terms of increased chromosomal breakage, reduced survival and cell cycle arrest in G2 phase. The cellular phenotype is mirrored in genetically engineered human and avian cells by inactivation of RFWD3 or by introduction of the patient-derived missense mutation, and is rescued by expression of wildtype RFWD3 protein. HR is disrupted in RFWD3 mutant cells, caused by impaired relocation of mutant RFWD3 to chromatin and defective physical interaction with RPA. Rfwd3 knockout mice exhibit increased embryonic lethality, are sub-fertile, show ovarian and testicular atrophy and have a reduced life span in which they resemble other FA mouse models. Although mutation was detected in a single child with FA yet, we propose RFWD3 as a novel FA gene, FANCW, supported by cellular paradigm systems and an animal model.

Study EGAS00001002440

High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinomas Originate in the Fallopian Tube

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most frequent type of ovarian cancer and has a poor outcome. It has been proposed that fallopian tube cancers may be precursors of HGSOC but evolutionary evidence for this hypothesis has been limited. To provide insights into the origins of HGSOC, we We performed whole-exome sequence and copy number analyses of laser-capture microdissected fallopian tube lesions (p53 signatures, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), and fallopian tube carcinomas), ovarian cancers, and metastases from nine patients with HGSOC. The majority of tumor-specific sequence and structural alterations in ovarian cancers were present in STICs, including those affecting TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2 or PTEN genes. An eEvolutionary analyseis revealed that p53 signatures and STICs were are the precursors of ovarian carcinoma which in turn gave rise to metastatic lesionsand identify a. In one patient we identified a second STIC as a metastasis in the fallopian tube opposite from the affected ovary. These analyses revealed a window of seven years between the development of a STIC and the initiation of ovarian carcinomas, with development of metastases following rapidly thereafter. Our results provide insights into the etiology of ovarian cancer and have implications for the prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention of this disease.

Study EGAS00001002589

Whole-exome and targeted sequencing of pediatric hyperdiploid B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

High hyperdiploidy defines the largest genetic entity of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Despite its relatively low recurrence risk, this subgroup generates a high proportion of relapses. The cause and origin of these relapses remains obscure. We therefore explored the mutational landscape in high hyperdiploid (HD) ALL with whole-exome (n=19) and subsequent targeted deep sequencing of 60 genes in 100 relapsing and 51 non-relapsing cases. We identified multiple clones at diagnosis that were primarily defined by a variety of mutations in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)/Ras pathway and chromatin-modifying genes. The relapse clones consisted of reappearing as well as new mutations, and overall contained more mutations. Although RTK/Ras pathway mutations were similarly frequent between diagnosis and relapse, both intergenic and intragenic heterogeneity was essentially lost at relapse. CREBBP mutations, however, increased from initially 18-30% at relapse, then commonly co-occurred with KRAS mutations (P<0.001) and these relapses appeared primarily early (P=0.012). Our results confirm the exceptional susceptibility of HD ALL to RTK/Ras pathway and CREBBP mutations, but, more importantly, suggest that mutant KRAS and CREBBP might cooperate and equip cells with the necessary capacity to evolve into a relapse-generating clone.

Study EGAS00001001113

Single cell transcriptomic landscape of pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: dissection of transcriptional heterogeneity and B-cell developmental state

Introduction: Genomic analyses of bulk ALL samples have improved our understanding of the genetic basis and risk stratification of B-ALL, but do not directly examine intratumor heterogeneity or enable inference of leukemia developmental state and cell of origin. Methods: We profiled 89 B-ALL samples by single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) (10X Genomics 5’v2) and compared them to a scRNA-seq reference map of normal human B-cell development. Results: Analysis of heterogeneity of inferred DNA copy number alterations at single cell level showed that aneuploid ALL with near haploidy and hyperdiploid harbor chromosomal losses or gains in all blasts, consistent with early, synchronous origin rather than sequential accumulation. Intra-sample heterogeneity was driven by five gene expression signatures: cell cycle, metabolism, differentiation, inflammation, refining leukemic subtyping. An atlas of B cell development was established to map B-ALL samples to specific developmental states. Hyperdiploid samples resembled pro-B cells, while MEF2D-r and TCF3::PBX1 showed high pre-B abundance. Patients with high early lymphoid abundance had poorer outcomes. Conclusions: Understanding variation in transcriptional programs and developmental states of B-ALL blasts by sc transcriptome refines existing clinical and genomic classifications and provides novel prognostic markers.

Study EGAS00001007512

Ewing and Ewing-like-sarcoma tumoroid biobank reveals distinct drug sensitivities: translocation makes the difference

Ewing sarcoma (ES) and Ewing-like sarcomas (ELS) are highly aggressive tumors found in soft tissues and bone of mostly children and young adults. Despite being different in many aspects, including genetics, possible cell-of-origin, and pathology, patients with any of these entities all receive the same therapeutic regimen. Currently, there is a lack of preclinical cell models that can predict drug response of these entities in vitro. Here, we describe a pediatric ES and ELS tumor organoid (tumoroid) biobank containing tumoroids with different translocations, including EWSR1::FLI1, EWSR1::ERG, CIC::DUX4, and BCOR-rearrangements. Using histology, whole genome sequencing and RNA sequencing, we demonstrate that these tumoroids retain key properties of their matching patient tumors. In addition, we traced tumor subclones in the tumoroids across patient-matched longitudinal samples, which showed that cellular heterogeneity was maintained. We subsequently performed drug screening on the tumoroid models, which unveiled entity-specific drug sensitivity to various cytotoxic compounds and targeted compounds, including MCL-1 inhibitors for CIC::DUX4 sarcomas. Taken together, this newly established ES and ELS patient-derived tumoroid biobank generates a unique source of material for future basic cancer research and drug-screening.

Study EGAS00001007941

Pooled scRNA-seq of iPSC-derived neural stem cells from ADHD and control individuals

This dataset comprises paired-end FASTQ files from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSCs were reprogrammed from somatic cells (keratinocytes, PBMCs, or lymphoblastoid cell lines) collected from individuals diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and age-matched healthy controls (ages 6–18 years). Reprogramming was carried out using the non-integrative Sendai virus system (CytoTune-iPS 2.0, Thermo Fisher Scientific), introducing OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC. iPSCs were cultured in Essential 8 medium on vitronectin and underwent rigorous quality control including immunocytochemistry, qRT-PCR, mycoplasma testing, and SNP genotyping (Illumina Global Screening Array). NSCs were generated using a standardized neural induction protocol and validated via qRT-PCR and immunostaining for markers including PAX6, SOX2, NESTIN, TUJ1, and FOXG1. Two independent scRNA-seq multiplexed experiments were performed: Experiment 1 (ADHD: n = 7; Control: n = 6) and Experiment 2 (ADHD: n = 9; Control: n = 7). Samples were pooled and demultiplexed using the Ensemblex algorithm, incorporating prior genotype data. After quality control filtering (>500 unique RNA molecules per cell), 30,433 single-cell transcriptomes were retained. Differential gene expression analysis was conducted to identify transcriptional signatures associated with ADHD compared to controls.

Study EGAS00001008169

Genomic profiling of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Ataxia Telangiectasia patients reveals tight link between ATM mutations and chromothripsis

Recent developments in sequencing technologies led to the discovery of a novel form of genomic instability, termed chromothripsis. This catastrophic genomic event, involved in tumorigenesis, is characterized by tens to hundreds of simultaneously acquired locally clustered rearrangements on one chromosome. We hypothesized that leukemias developing in individuals with Ataxia Telangiectasia, who are born with two mutated copies of the ATM gene, an essential guardian of genome stability, would show a higher prevalence of chromothripsis due to the associated defect in DNA double-strand break repair. Using whole-genome sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and RNA sequencing, we characterized the genomic landscape of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) arising in patients with Ataxia Telangiectasia. We detected a high frequency of chromothriptic events in these tumors, specifically on acrocentric chromosomes, as compared to tumors from individuals with other types of DNA repair syndromes (27 cases total, 10 with Ataxia Telangiectasia). Our data suggest that the genomic landscape of Ataxia Telangiectasia ALL is clearly distinct from that of sporadic ALL. Mechanistically, short telomeres and compromised DNA damage response in cells of Ataxia Telangiectasia patients may be linked with frequent chromothripsis. Furthermore, we show that ATM loss is associated with increased chromothripsis prevalence in additional tumor entities.

Study EGAS00001002270

Whole genome, whole exome, and targeted sequencing of high-grade meningioma tumor samples.

High-grade meningiomas frequently recur and are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. To determine the factors that promote the development and evolution of these tumors, we analyzed the genomes of 274 high-grade meningiomas and compared this information with data from 456 low-grade meningiomas. High-grade meningiomas had a higher mutation burden than low-grade meningiomas but did not harbor any statistically significant mutated genes aside from NF2. High-grade meningiomas also possessed significantly elevated rates of chromosomal gains and losses, especially among tumors with monosomy 22. Meningiomas previously treated with adjuvant radiation had significantly more copy number alterations than radiation-induced or radiation-naïve meningiomas. Across serial recurrences, genomic disruption preceded the emergence of nearly all mutations, remained largely uniform across time, and when present in low-grade meningiomas, correlated with subsequent progression to a higher grade. In contrast to the largely stable copy number alterations, mutations were strikingly heterogeneous across tumor recurrences, likely due to extensive geographic heterogeneity in the primary tumor. While high-grade meningiomas harbored significantly fewer overtly targetable alterations than low-grade meningiomas, they contained numerous mutations that are predicted to be neoantigens, suggesting that immunologic targeting may be of therapeutic value.

Study EGAS00001002294

Botswana 15 autosomal unlinked microsatellites

Population structure was investigated in 990 Botswana individuals according to ethno-linguistics, Bantu and Khoisan, and geography (the nine administrative districts) using the AmpFLSTR Identifiler autosomal microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity and forensic parameters were calculated for the overall population, and according to ethno-linguistics and geography. The overall combined power of exclusion (CPE) was 0.9999965412 and the combined match probability 6,28 x 10-19. CPE was highest for the Khoisan Tuu ethnolinguistic group and the Northeast District at 0.9999582029 and 0.9999922652 respectively. CMP ranged from 6.28 x 10-19 (Khoisan Tuu) to 1,02 x 10-18 (Northwest district). Using pairwise genetic distances (FST), analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), factorial correspondence analysis (FCA), and the unsupervised Bayesian clustering method found in STRUCTURE and landscape genetics software TESS, ethno-linguistics were found to have a greater influence on population structure than geography. FCA showed clustering between Bantu and Khoisan, and within the Bantu. This Bantu sub-structuring was not seen with STRUCTURE and TESS, which detected clustering only between Bantu and Khoisan. The patterns of population structure revealed highlight the need for regional reference databases that include ethno-linguistic and geographic location information. These markers have important potential for bio-anthropological studies as well as for forensic applications.

Study EGAS00001002380

The evolutionary trajectory of a highly recurrent paediatric high grade neuroepithelial tumour with MN1:BEND2 fusion

Astroblastomas are rare brain tumours which predominate in children and young adults, and have a controversial claim as a distinct entity, with no established WHO grade. Reports suggest a better outcome than high grade gliomas, though they frequently recur. Recently, they have been described to overlap with a newly-discovered group of tumours described as ’high grade neuroepithelial tumour with MN1 alteration’ (CNS HGNET-MN1), defined by global methylation patterns and strongly associated with gene fusions targeting MN1. We have studied a unique case of astroblastoma arising in a 6 year old girl, with multiple recurrences over a period of 10 years, with the pathognomonic MN1:BEND2 fusion. Exome sequencing allowed for a phylogenetic reconstruction of tumour evolution, which when integrated with clinical, pathological and radiological data provide for a thorough understanding of disease progression, with initial treatment driving tumour dissemination along four distinct trajectories. Infiltration of distant sites was associated with a later genome doubling, whilst there was evidence of convergent evolution of different lesions acquiring distinct alterations targeting NF-κB. These data represent an usual opportunity to understand the evolutionary history of a highly recurrent childhood brain tumour, and provide novel therapeutic targets for astroblastoma / CNS HGNET-MN1.

Study EGAS00001002432

Natural genetic variation of the cardiac transcriptome in non-diseased donors and patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Background: Genetic variation is an important determinant of RNA transcription and splicing, which in turn contributes to variation in human traits including cardiovascular diseases.Results: Here we report the first in-depth survey of heart transcriptome variation using RNA-sequencing in 149 (97)* patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and 113 (108)* non-diseased controls. We reveal extensive differences of gene expression and splicing between dilated cardiomyopathy patients and controls, affecting known as well as novel dilated cardiomyopathy genes. Moreover, we show a widespread effect of genetic variation on the regulation of transcription, isoform usage and allele specific expression. Systematic annotation of genome wide association SNPs identifies 60 functional candidate genes for heart phenotypes, representing 20% of all published heart genome wide association loci. Focusing on the dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype we found that eQTL variants are also enriched for dilated cardiomyopathy genome wide association signals in two independent cohorts.Conclusions: RNA transcription, splicing and allele specific expression are each important determinants of the DCM phenotype and are controlled by genetic factors. Our results represent a powerful resource for the field of cardiovascular genetics. (*) numbers in parentheses represent samples that the publication is based on.

Study EGAS00001002454

Direct Detection of Early-stage Cancers Using Circulating Tumor DNA

Early detection and intervention are likely to be the most effective means for reducing morbidity and mortality of human cancer. However, development of methods for noninvasive detection of early-stage tumors has remained a challenge. We have developed an approach called targeted error correction sequencing (TEC-Seq) that allows ultrasensitive direct evaluation of sequence changes in circulating cell-free DNA using massively parallel sequencing. We have used this approach to examine 58 cancer-related genes encompassing 81 kb. Analysis of plasma from 44 healthy individuals identified genomic changes related to clonal hematopoiesis in 16% of asymptomatic individuals but no alterations in driver genes related to solid cancers. Evaluation of 200 patients with colorectal, breast, lung, or ovarian cancer detected somatic mutations in the plasma of 71, 59, 59, and 68%, respectively, of patients with stage I or II disease. Analyses of mutations in the circulation revealed high concordance with alterations in the tumors of these patients. In patients with resectable colorectal cancers, higher amounts of preoperative circulating tumor DNA were associated with disease recurrence and decreased overall survival. These analyses provide a broadly applicable approach for noninvasive detection of early-stage tumors that may be useful for screening and management of patients with cancer.

Study EGAS00001002577

UK10K_RARE_NEUROMUSCULAR

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The neuromuscular disorder samples are part of the “rare disease” group, and will undergo exome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Francesco Muntoni (f.muntoni@ucl.ac.uk).

Study EGAS00001000101

CancerDetector: Ultrasensitive and Non-Invasive Cancer Detection at the Resolution of Individual Reads using Cell-free DNA Methylation Sequencing Data

The detection of tumor-derived cell-free DNA in plasma is one of the most promising directions in cancer diagnosis. The major challenge in such approach is how to identify the tiny amount of tumor DNAs out of total cell-free DNAs in blood. Here we propose an ultrasensitive cancer detection method, termed “CancerDetector”, using the DNA methylation profiles of cell-free DNAs. The key of our method is to probabilistically model the joint methylation patterns of multiple adjacent CpG sites on an individual sequencing read, in order to exploit the pervasive nature of DNA methylation for signal amplification. Therefore, CancerDetector can sensitively identify a trace amount of tumor cfDNAs in plasma, at the level of individual reads. We evaluated CancerDetector on the simulated data, and showed a high concordance of the predicted and true tumor burden. Testing CancerDetector on real plasma data demonstrated its high sensitivity and specificity in detecting tumor DNAs. In addition, the predicted tumor burden showed great consistency with tumor size and survival outcome. Note that all of those testing were performed on sequencing data at low to medium coverage (1X to 10X). Therefore, CancerDetector holds the great potential to detect cancer early and cost-effectively.

Study EGAS00001002728

UK10K_RARE_FIND

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The Raymond samples will be part of the “rare disease” group, and will undergo exome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Lucy Raymond (flr24@cam.ac.uk).

Study EGAS00001000128

UK10K_RARE_CILIOPATHIES

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The Ciliopathies samples will be part of the rare disease group, and will undergo exome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Phil Beales (p.beales@ich.ucl.ac.uk).

Study EGAS00001000126

UK10K_RARE_SIR

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes.Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches.The SIR (Severe Insulin Resistance) samples are part of the “rare disease” group, and will undergo exome sequencing. For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Robert Semple (rks16@cam.ac.uk).

Study EGAS00001000130

Interplay of somatic alterations and immune infiltration modulates response to PD-1 blockade in advanced clear cell RCC -- CA209-009

Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1 pathway have transformed the management of many advanced malignancies, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), but the drivers and resistors of PD-1 response remain incompletely elucidated. Here, we analyzed 592 tumors collected from advanced ccRCC patients enrolled in prospective clinical trials of treatment with PD-1 blockade (or mTOR inhibition as control arm) by whole-exome and RNA-sequencing, integrated with immunofluorescence analysis, to define the somatic alteration landscape of late-stage ccRCC and to uncover the immunogenomic determinants of therapeutic response. While conventional genomic markers (tumor mutation burden, neoantigen load) and degree of CD8+ T cell infiltration were not associated with clinical response, we discovered numerous chromosomal alterations in advanced ccRCC associated with response or resistance to PD-1 blockade. These advanced tumors were highly CD8+ T cell infiltrated, with only 22% and 5% with an immune desert and immune excluded phenotype, respectively. Our analysis revealed that CD8+ infiltrated tumors are depleted of favorable PBRM1 mutations and are enriched for unfavorable chromosomal losses of 9p21.3 when compared to non-infiltrated tumors. These data demonstrate how the interplay of somatic alterations and immunophenotypes impacts therapeutic efficacy.

Study EGAS00001004290

Stratifying and Targeting Pediatric Medulloblastoma through Genomics

In this project, genomic analyses of pediatric medulloblastoma samples, obtained through the international medulloblastoma consortium, will be performed. RNA and miRNA expression profiles of 1000 samples, representing all four subgroups (Wnt, Shh, Group C, and D), will be studied to identify novel subtypes within each subgroup. The resulting subtype-specific expression profiles will support the development of reliable and robust biomarkers to more accurately and reliably classify medulloblastomas for treatment in clinical trials. For that purpose, two assays will be developed: an antibody-based immunohistochemical assay and an orthogonal nucleic acid-based hybridization assay. Additional genomic DNA analysis of the 300 high risk subgroup cases will support the discovery of subgroup specific somatic mutations in order to inform current clinical trials of targeted therapies, and to identify genes and pathways already targeted in other diseases. Such therapies could be rapidly transitioned to Phase II trials in medulloblastoma. Furthermore, the discovery of somatic mutations could be used for developing as well as validating specific biomarkers. The project team will also try to identify risk factors that predispose children to this type of cancer.

Study EGAS00001000273

UK10K RARE CHD

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The CHD (congenital heart disease) samples will be part of the “rare disease” group, and will undergo exome sequencing.For further information with regard to this cohort please contact Shoumo Bhattacharya (shoumo@me.com).

Study EGAS00001000125

Genomic Alterations in Gingivo-buccal Cancer: ICGC-India Project_YR02

As a part of the ICGC, India has undertaken genomic studies on gingivobuccal cancer of the oral cavity, which is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India. There are various known environmental (life-style) correlates of this cancer, the most important of which are tobacco chewing and HPV infection. Paired DNA samples – isolated from the tumour tissue and from the blood of fifty six patients – have been analyzed to catalog germline and somatic mutations. Association between each observed genomic alteration and exposure to environmental risk factors is being explored.Detailed clinical characterization of the patients, collection of data on demographic and environmental exposures, and isolation of DNA samples from blood and tumour tissues collected from each patient are being done at the Advanced Centre for Research, Treatment and Education on Cancer, Mumbai. Exome capture and deep resequencing are being performed at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani. We have analyzed the exomes of paired blood and tumour DNA samples using exome capture by Illumina TrueSeq Exome Enrichment kit followed by sequencing on Illumina HiSeq-2000. Each exome is being sequenced at a mean depth of 70x for Tumour and 40x for Blood. In addition, we have used Illumina Omni 2.5 SNP-chips to generate genotype data.

Study EGAS00001001028

P647_Targeted_resequencing_project

In collaboration with Dr Robert Semple we have identified a family harbouring an autosomal dominant variant, which leads to severe insulin resistance (SIR), short stature and facial dysmorphism. This family is unique within the SIR cohort in having normal lipid profiles, preserved adiponectin and normal INSR expression and phosphorylation. DNA is available for 7 affected and 7 unaffected family members across 3 generations. All 14 samples have been genotyped using microsatellites and the Affymetrix 6.0 SNP chip. Linkage analysis identified an 18.8Mb haplotype on chromosome 19 as a possible location of the causative variant. However, Exome sequencing of 3 affected and 1 unaffected family members has not identified the causative variant suggesting the possibility of an intronic or intergenic variant in this region or elsewhere in the genome. We propose to conduct whole genome sequencing of 5 members of the pedigree at a depth of 20X. The chosen samples are two sets of parents plus one member of an unaffected branch of the pedigree who shares the risk haplotype on chromosome 19. Sequencing of the two sets of parents will be used along with the genome-wide SNP data to impute 4 affected children giving an effect sample size of 6 affected individuals.

Study EGAS00001000305

Exome sequencing of a novel cervical cancer cell line

Human cancer cell lines are largely used in the searching for new antineoplastic agents. However, due to the artifacts of a long-term in culture, cell lines do not always represent the realistic tumor cell behavior. This has motivated the development of models that better mimetics the tumor tissue, among them, the establishment of primary cell cultures. In this work, we establish and characterized a low-passage cervix cancer cell line from a Brazilian patient with squamous cell carcinoma. The phenotype confirms the epithelial and tumor origin, through cytokeratins, EpCAM, and p16 staining. Whole exome sequencing showed relevant somatic mutations in several genes including BRCA2, TGFBR1, and IRX2 genes. CNV analysis by nanostring and WGS revealed amplification in genes related mainly with kinases proteins, involved in proliferation, migration and cell differentiation, such as EGFR, PIK3CA, and MAPK7. Overexpression of EGFR was confirmed by phospho RTK-array and western blot analysis. Furthermore, the cell was sensitivity to cisplatin, with IC50 13 times lower than SiHa cell line. In conclusion, this cervical cancer cell line presents molecular alterations that are an important tool for leading pre-clinical studies of new drugs that target one or more of the altered pathways.

Study EGAS00001003343

Intratumoural Heterogeneity Underlies Distinct Therapy Responses and Treatment Resistance in Glioblastoma

Glioblastomas are the most common and lethal neoplasms of the central nervous system. Neighbouring glioma cells maintain extreme degrees of genetic and phenotypic variation that forms intratumoural heterogeneity. This genetic diversity allows the most adaptive tumour clones to show treatment resistance and conserve the tumour bulk. We aimed to model this phenomenon and test the effectiveness of several targeted therapeutic interventions to overcome therapy resistance. Heterogenic tumour masses were first deconstructed into single tumour cells, which were expanded independently as single-cell clones. SNP arrays, whole-genome and RNA sequencing, and CpG methylation analysis validated the unique molecular profile of each tumour clone, which displayed distinct pathologic features, including cell morphology, growth rate, and resistance to temozolomide and ionizing radiation. We also identified variable sensitivities to AURK, CDK, and EGFR inhibitors, consistent with the heterogenic molecular alterations that each clone harboured. These targeted therapies effectively eliminated the temozolomide- and/or irradiation-resistant clones and also parental polyclonal cells. Our findings indicate that polyclonal tumours create a dynamic environment that consists of diverse tumour elements and treatment responses. Designing targeted therapies based on a range of molecular profiles can be a more effective strategy to eradicate treatment resistance, recurrence, and metastasis.

Study EGAS00001003438

MutWP1__CRUK_Grand_Challenge_Mutographs_of_Cancer__Colorectal_LCM

The Mutographs project aims to advance our understanding of the causes of cancer through studies of mutational signatures. Led by Mike Stratton, together with Paul Brennan, Ludmil Alexandrov, Allan Balmain, David Phillips and Peter Campbell, this large-scale international research endeavour was awarded a Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge. Different patterns of somatic mutation are generated by the different environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that cause cancer, many of them are still unknown. Within Mutographs, the International Agency for Research on Cancer is coordinating the recruitment of 5000 individuals with cancer (colorectal, renal, pancreatic, oesophageal adenocarcinoma or oesophageal squamous cancers) across 5 continents to explore whether different mutational signatures explain marked variation in incidence. In brief, through an international network of collaborators around the world, biological materials are collected, along with demographic, histological, clinical and questionnaire data. Whole genome sequences of tumour-germline DNA pairs are generated at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Somatic mutational signatures are subsequently extracted by non-negative matrix factorisation methods and correlated with risk factors data. Through an enhanced understanding of cancer aetiology, Mutographs unprecedented effort is anticipated to outline modifiable risk factors, lead to new approaches to prevent cancer, and provide opportunities to empower early detection, refine high-risk groups and contribute to further therapeutic development.

Study EGAS00001003455

Reconstituting the transcriptome and DNA methylome landscapes of human implantation at single-cell resolution

Implantation is a milestone event during mammalian embryogenesis. Due to the extreme difficulty of obtaining in vivo human early post-implantation embryos, the gene regulatory network and epigenetics controlling human embryo implantation remains elusive. Here, combining an in vitro culture system for human post-implantation development and single-cell omics sequencing technologies, over 10,000 single cells at five representative stages of pre/post-implantation development were systematically analyzed. Unsupervised dimensionality reduction and clustering algorithm of the transcriptome data show stepwise implantation routes for the epiblast, primitive endoderm, and trophectoderm lineages, suggesting preparation for the establishment of a mother-to-offspring connection after implantation. Female embryos showed asynchronous progress of dosage loss of X chromosomes during implantation. Furthermore, using the single cell trio-Seq (scTrio-Seq) strategy, re-methylation of the genomes of all the three lineages was unambiguously revealed. Surprisingly, the genome re-methylation of PE lineage were much slower than both EPI and TE lineages during the implantation process, indicating distinct methylome features between EPI and PE although both of which were derived from ICM. Collectively, our work paves the way for understanding the complex molecular mechanisms that regulate human embryo implantation, informing new insights and future efforts in early embryonic development and reproductive medicine.

Study EGAS00001003443

Molecular determinants of response to PD-L1 blockade across tumor types

Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis lead to durable clinical responses in subsets of cancer patients across multiple indications, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), urothelial carcinoma (UC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Herein, we complement PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and tumor mutation burden (TMB) with RNA-seq in 366 patients to identify unifying and indication-specific molecular profiles that can predict response to checkpoint blockade across these tumor types. Multiple machine learning approaches failed to identify a baseline transcriptional signature highly predictive of response across these indications. Signatures described previously for immune checkpoint inhibitors also failed to validate. At the pathway level, significant heterogeneity was observed between indications, in particular within the PD-L1+ tumors. mUC and NSCLC were molecularly aligned, with cell cycle and DNA damage repair genes associated with response in PD-L1- tumors. At the gene level, the CDK4/6 inhibitor CDKN2A was identified as a significant transcriptional correlate of response, highlighting the association of non-immune pathways to the outcome of checkpoint blockade. This cross-indication analysis revealed molecular heterogeneity between mUC, NSCLC and RCC tumors, suggesting that indication-specific molecular approaches should be prioritized to formulate treatment strategies.

Study EGAS00001004343

A somatic reference standard for cancer genome sequencing with COLO829

Identification of somatic alterations in cancer has become feasible with the massive adoption of next generation sequencing. However, due to variability in sequencing and informatics pipelines, a common somatic reference is needed. We thus performed paired whole genome sequencing of a metastatic melanoma cell line (COLO829) and a matched lymphoblastoid line (COLO829BL) across three institutions (TGen, Illumina, Genome Sciences Centre at the British Columbia Cancer Agency). We performed a meta-analysis of all data, in combination with the originally reported analysis of these cell lines by Pleasance et al (PMID: 20016485), and report a somatic reference standard based on consensus events. DNA extractions, library preparation, sequencing, and analysis were separately performed at each site. Results were compiled with sequence data previously generated for the cell lines to identify true positive variants, collectively representing a somatic reference standard. Overall, common somatic events include point mutations, small insertion/deletions, and genes affected by concurrent copy number changes. We additionally show divergence of somatic mutations in COLO829 associated with differences in cell line lineage. We present this reference to the community as a standard for enabling interpretation and identification of somatic mutations across institutions and analytical pipelines.

Study EGAS00001001385

Whole exome sequencing on primary retinoblastoma tissues and matching lymphocyte DNA.

Retinoblastoma is a rare childhood cancer initiated by RB1 mutation or MYCN amplification, while additional alterations may be required for tumor development. However, the view on single nucleotide variants is very limited. To better understand oncogenesis, we determined the genomic landscape of retinoblastoma. We performed exome sequencing of 71 retinoblastomas and matched blood DNA. Next, we determined the presence of single nucleotide variants, copy number alterations and viruses. Aside from RB1, recurrent gene mutations were very rare. Only a limited fraction of tumors showed BCOR (7/71, 10%) or CREBBP alterations (3/71, 4%). No evidence was found for the presence of viruses. Instead, specific somatic copy number alterations were more common, particularly in patients diagnosed at later age. Recurrent alterations of chromosomal arms often involved less than one copy, also in highly pure tumor samples, suggesting within-tumor heterogeneity. Our results show that retinoblastoma is among the least mutated cancers and signify the extreme sensitivity of the childhood retina for RB1 loss. We hypothesize that retinoblastomas arising later in retinal development benefit more from subclonal secondary alterations and therefore, these alterations are more selected for in these tumors. Targeted therapy based on these subclonal events might be insufficient for complete tumor control.

Study EGAS00001001690

Ethiopia_Genome_Project__low_coverage_

The Ethiopian area stands among the most ancient ones ever occupied by human populations and their ancestors. Particularly, according to archaeological evidences, it is possible to trace back the presence of Hominids up to at least 3 million years ago. Furthermore, the present day human populations show a great cultural, linguistic and historic diversity which makes them essential candidate to investigate a considerable part of the African variability. Following the typing of 300 Ethiopian samples on Illumina Omni 1M (see Human Variability in Ethiopia project, previously approved by the Genotyping committee) we now have a clearer idea on which populations living in the area include the most of the diversity.This project therefore aims to sequence the whole genome of 300 individuals at low (4-8x) depth belonging to the six most representative populations of the Ethiopian area to produce a unique catalogue of variants peculiar of the North East Africa. Furthermore 6 samples (one from each population) will also be sequenced at high (30x) depth to ensure full coverage of the diversity spectrum.The retrieved variants will be of great help in evaluating the demographic dynamics of those populations as well as shedding light on the migrations out of Africa.

Study EGAS00001000238

UK10K OBESITY TWINSUK

In the UK10K project we propose a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will analyse directly quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. These TwinsUK samples are a subset of the TwinsUK cohort samples with a BMI>=40 that will be exome sequenced by the Obesity group.

Study EGAS00001000306

Large-scale viral genome analysis identifies novel clinical associations between hepatitis B virus and chronically infected patients

Despite the high global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, datasets covering the whole hepatitis B viral genome from large patient cohorts are lacking, greatly limiting our understanding of the viral genetic factors involved in this deadly disease. We performed deep sequencing of viral samples from patients chronically infected with HBV to investigate the association between viral genome variation and patients’ clinical characteristics. We discovered novel viral variants strongly associated with viral load and HBeAg status. Patients with viral variants C1817T and A1838G had viral loads nearly three orders of magnitude lower than patients without those variants. These patients consequently experienced earlier viral suppression while on treatment. Furthermore, we identified novel variants that either independently or in combination with precore mutation G1896A were associated with the transition from HBeAg positive to negative phase of infection. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that mutation of the HBeAg open reading frame is an important factor driving CHB patient’s HBeAg status. This analysis provides a detailed picture of HBV genetic variation in the largest patient cohort to date and highlights the diversity of plausible molecular mechanisms through which viral variation affects clinical phenotype.

Study EGAS00001003689

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