14308 results for ""Pennsylvania+German"+ACS+study+'Socius'+open+access"

in 48.73 milliseconds.

• Somatic Mutations in Epilepsy: Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Single Neurons

  Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing was performed on single-cells from resected brain tissues obtained from an individual with hemimegalencephaly (HMG) along with a somatic copy number variant (sCNV) of chromosome 1q in order to characterize the sCNV at the single cell level. Single neuronal nuclei and non-neuronal nuclei were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) using NeuN immunoreactivity to identify neurons. 46 neurons and 30 non-neuronal cells, as well as a batch of 10 and a batch of 100 cells from each group, were genome amplified using multiple displacement amplification (MDA) and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencer. Thirty-two samples were multiplexed into each HiSeq lane for single-end 50 bp runs, obtaining ~5 million pass-filter reads per sample.

  Study phs002615

• Dysregulation of Naive T Cell Quiescence during Aging

  TEA-seq (novel trimodal single-cell analysis of mRNA transcripts, surface protein epitopes, and chromatin accessibility) was performed on CD3+ T cells isolated from peripheral blood of healthy pediatric (11–13 yrs, n = 8) and older adult (55–65 yrs, n = 8) female donors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was additionally performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a healthy cohort of 16 pediatric, 16 young adult (25–35 yrs), and 16 older adult donors with equal sex distribution. Using these data, we dissected the compositional and molecular alterations within the T cell compartment across the spectrum of healthy age, showing broad transcriptional and epigenetic alterations within the T cell compartment of older adults compared to children, as well as a novel population of pediatric-specific CD8aa T cells.

  Study phs003400

• Clinical Outcomes and ctDNA Correlates for CAPOX BETR: A phase II trial of Capecitabine, Oxaliplatin, Bevacizumab, Trastuzumab in Previously Untreated Advanced HER2+ Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma

  We performed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis on plasma of patients with advanced HER2 positive gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas who were treated on a phase 2 clinical trial testing the addition of bevacizumab to capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and trastuzumab. ctDNA was analyzed using panel based next generation sequencing assay (Predicine CARE), low-pass whole genome sequencing (LP-WGS), and methylation based panel assay (Predicine ALERT). This allowed us to derive tumor mutational profiles, circulating tumor fractions in plasma, and changes in both over time. We show that tumor fraction and the presence of mutations in the MAPK pathway are prognostic in our patient cohort. LP-WGS data from baseline and cycle 2 of treatment is available through dbGaP. Additional data is submitted alongside the manuscript.

  Study phs003706

• Clonal heterogeneity leads to secondary resistance in a melanoma patient after adoptive cell therapy with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

  Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is effective in melanoma patients, although long-term responses seem restricted to patients with complete remissions. Many patients develop secondary resistance to TIL-ACT but involved mechanisms are unclear. Here, we describe a case of secondary resistance to TIL-ACT likely due to intratumoral heterogeneity and selection of a resistant tumor cell clone via transferred T cells. This is the first case of clonal selection of a pre-existing non-dominant tumor cell clone and demonstrates a new mechanism involved in secondary resistance to TIL-ACT and could potentially change current clinical practice, because it advocates for T cell collection from different tumor sites and analysis of tumor heterogeneity before the treatment with TIL-ACT.

  Study EGAS50000000279

• Genomic and clinical characterization of a familial GIST kindred intolerant to imatinib

  Familial gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare. We present a kindred with multiple family members affected with multifocal GIST who underwent whole genome sequencing of the germline and tumor. Affected individuals with GIST harbored a germline variant found within exon 13 of the KIT gene, (c.1965T>G; p.Asn655Lys, p.N655K) and a variant in the MSR1 gene (c.877C>T; p.Arg293*, pR293X). Multifocal GISTs in the proband and her mother were treated with preoperative imatinib, and resulted in severe intolerance. The clinical features of multifocal GIST, cutaneous mastocytosis, allergies and gut motility disorders seen in the affected individuals may represent manifestations of the multifunctional roles of KIT in interstitial cells of Cajal or mast cells and/or may be suggestive of additional molecular pathways which can contribute to tumorigenesis.

  Study EGAS50000000372

• Single cell multi-omics analysis of chromothriptic medulloblastoma highlights genomic and transcriptomic consequences of genome instability

  Chromothripsis is a form of genome instability, whereby a presumably single catastrophic event generates extensive genomic rearrangements of one or few chromosome(s). However, little is known about the heterogeneity of chromothripsis across different clones from the same tumor, as well as changes in response to treatment. We analyzed single-cell genomic and transcriptomic alterations linked with chromothripsis in human p53-deficient medulloblastoma (n=7). We reconstructed the order of somatic events, identified early alterations likely linked to chromothripsis and depicted the contribution of chromothripsis to malignancy. We characterized subclonal variation of chromothripsis and its effects on double-minute chromosomes, cancer drivers and putatively druggable targets. Furthermore, we highlighted the causative role and the fitness consequences of specific rearrangements in neural progenitors.

  Study EGAS00001005410

• Clinical relevance of TCGA subtypes for gastric cancer patients

  There is a clinical need for the availability of molecular biomarkers in the tratment of gastric cancer (GC), since survival rates remain poor with a 5-year survival rate of only ~`40% for patients with resectable disease. These markers will elad to a more tailored approach in the treatment of GC, which enhances efficacy and reduces toxicity. Recently, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) classified GC patients into four molecular subgroups: Epstein Barr Virus positive (EBV+), genomically stable (GS), microsatellite instable (MSI), and chromosomal instable (CIN). For this purpose we aim to collect tumor tissue blocks from patients who participated in the Dutch D1/D2 or the CRITICS trial and who gave informed consent for translational studies. Associations between TCGA subtypes and outcomes to these different therapeutic options will be analyzed.

  Study EGAS50000000779

• 10x genomics single cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq from 10 pre-menopausal patients fimbriae and ampullary part of the fallopian tube

  The fallopian tube, connecting the uterus with the ovary, is a dynamic organ that undergoes cyclical changes and is the site of several diseases, including serous cancer. Here, we use single-cell technologies to construct a comprehensive cell map of healthy pre-menopausal fallopian tubes, capturing the impact of the menstrual cycle and menopause on different fallopian tube cells at the molecular level. The comparative analysis between pre- and post-menopausal fallopian tubes reveals substantial shifts in cellular abundance and gene expression patterns, highlighting the physiological changes associated with menopause. Further investigations into menstrual cycle phases illuminate distinct molecular states in secretory epithelial cells caused by hormonal fluctuations. The markers we identified characterizing secretory epithelial cells provide a valuable tool for classifying ovarian cancer subtypes.

  Study EGAS50000000628

• RNA-Seq of human longitudinal whole blood samples from PCR-positive and PCR-negative recent household contacts of COVID-19 index cases.

  Little is known about the transcriptomic profile of individuals who are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 yet resist becoming PCR positive. To investigate this, longitudinal whole-blood samples were taken (0, 7, 14, and 28 days after enrolment) from PCR positive and PCR negative SARS-CoV-2-naïve household contacts who were recently exposed to a COVID-19 index. Samples were also taken from pre- and post-pandemic unexposed controls. Total RNA was extracted from PAXgene tubes before undergoing poly(A) selection followed by globin and rRNA depletion. DNA libraries were constructed using the NEBNext® Ultra™ II Directional RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina. All samples were then sequenced across 2 flowcells of an Illumina HiSeq 4000.

  Study EGAS50000000473

• Developing Targeted Therapy for Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Gain or Amplification of Chr1q (1q+)

  Multiple myeloma (MM) frequently presents with gain or amplification of chr1q (1q+), which is associated with inferior response to treatment and poor outcomes. To develop targeted therapy for MM with 1q+, we leveraged external and in-house dependency screens and drug screens, along with single-cell sequencing of patient tumors with subclonal 1q+. We demonstrated that MM with 1q+ exhibits higher sensitivity to MCL1 and PI3K inhibitors, which may be synergistic and act through established and novel mechanisms. Two human MM cell lines with 1q+, KMS12BM and KMS11, were profiled with either single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) alone (KMS12BM, KMS11) or both scRNA-seq and whole-genome sequencing (WGS; KMS12BM) to understand the factors that determine response to MCL1 and PI3K inhibitors and how these inhibitors work.

  Study phs003886

• The function of circular RMST in neuroendocrine tumours

  Circular RNA (circRNA) is a class of noncoding RNA with regulatory potentials. Its role in the transdifferentiation of prostate and lung adenocarcinoma into neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains unexplored. Here we identified circRMST as an exceptionally abundant circRNA predominantly expressed in NEPC using total RNA-seq profiling of patient samples. In addition, circRMST is also abundantly expressed in SCLC. Functional studies using shRNA, siRNA, CRISPR-Cas13 and Cas9 consistently demonstrate that circRMST is essential for tumour growth and the expression of ASCL1, a master regulator of neuroendocrine fate. Mechanistically, circRMST physically interacts with lineage transcription factors NKX2-1 and SOX2. Loss of circRMST induces NKX2-1 protein degradation through autophagy-lysosomal pathway and alters the genomic binding of SOX2, collectively leading to the loss of ASCL1 transcription.

  Study EGAS50000000897

• Construction of Thousands of Single Cell Genome Sequencing Libraries Using Combinatorial Indexing

  Single-cell genome sequencing has proven valuable for the detection of somatic variation, particularly in the context of tumor evolution. Current technologies suffer from high library construction costs which restrict the number of cells that can be assessed and thus impose limitations on the ability to measure heterogeneity within a tissue. Here, we present Single cell Combinatorial Indexed Sequencing (SCI-seq) as a means of simultaneously generating thousands of low-pass single cell libraries for somatic copy number variant detection. We constructed libraries for 16,698 single cells from a combination of cultured cell lines, primate frontal cortex tissue, and two human adenocarcinomas, including a detailed assessment of subclonal variation within a pancreatic tumor. "Reprinted from Vitak, S.A., et. al. 2017 with permission from Nature Methods."

  Study phs001268

• Whole genome sequencing of human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from 5 type I cyctic biliary atresia patients

  We have successfully generated a panel of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from five Japanese patients carrying type I cystic biliary atresia (BA). These hiPSC lines have exhibited characteristics of self-renewal and pluripotency. These cells held normal karyotypes mostly, but one of them carried hemizygous deletions, of which clinical significance is unknown yet. Whole genome sequence analysis indicated that some of the mutations or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) commonly found in these patients are related to hepatobiliary abnormality. Given the limited understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of cystic BA, attributed to unknown factors of genetic and environmental causes, these cellular resources will be instrumental in replicating disease phenotypes and in the advancement of novel therapies for this condition.

  Study JGAS000765

• Nala TAS-LRS PGx Study

  Sequencing was performed on the PromethION Flow Cell R10 (M version) using the P2 Solo Sequencer (MinION release 24.02.16). The library was divided into three portions and loaded in a tapered manner across three time points. At the first time point, the initial portion of the library was loaded, and sequencing began in whole-genome mode (without adaptive sampling), to monitor QC (N50 within the expected range). After one hour, adaptive sampling was activated. A custom BED file was used to define the target regions (N=326). Each region was extended by 20 kb upstream and downstream, and overlapping regions were merged into non-redundant intervals using bedtools43, covering a total of 1.3% of the human genome. At the second time point (20–24 hours after sequencing began, or when fewer than 2000 pores remained active), the flow cell was washed following ONT’s Flow Cell Wash Kit protocol, and the second portion of the library was loaded. At the third time point (40–48 hours), the second portion of the library was retrieved, and merged with the third portion. The flow cell was washed and reloaded with the mixed library. POD5 files were basecalled using Dorado v0.8.1 in super-accuracy (SUP) mode with the dna_r10.4.1_e8.2_400bps_SUP@v5.0.0. Reads from the initial 1 h Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and subsequent 72 h adaptive sampling were filtered for Q-scores >10. Passing reads were demultiplexed using Dorado’s demux function, then combined per sample and mapped to the GRCh38 reference genome using Minimap2 v2.22. Files were converted to CRAM using samtools.

  Dataset EGAD50000001609

• Head and neck tumor organoid biobank for modelling individual responses to radiation therapy according to the TP53/ HPV status

  Head and neck cancers (HNC) represent an extremely heterogeneous group of diseases with a poorly predictable therapy outcome. Here, we have established a comprehensive molecularly and functionally characterized head and neck organoid biobank recapitulating the clinically relevant subtypes of TP53 mutant and human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) infection-driven HNC. Organoids were exposed to radiotherapy and genetically engineered normal and tumor organoids were used for testing the direct functional consequences of TP53-loss and HPV infection. We identified subtype-associated transcriptomic signatures and pathological features, including sensitivity to TP53 stabilization by the MDM2 inhibitor Nutlin-3. TP53 loss-of-function alone was insufficient to promote radiation resistance, whereas HPV 16 oncogenes E6/E7 mediated radiosensitivity via induction of cell cycle arrest.

  Study EGAS50000001219

• An allele-resolved nanopore-guided tour of the human placental methylome

  The placenta is a temporary organ present during pregnancy that is responsible for coordinating all aspects of pregnancy between the mother and fetus. It has a distinct epigenetic, transcriptomic, and mutational landscape with low levels of methylation, high numbers of transcribed loci, and a high mutational burden relative to somatic tissues. We present this landscape through the application of nanopore sequencing technology to provide a more comprehensive picture of female placental genomics and methylomics along with integrated haplotype-resolved transcriptomic analyses across eight trios. Whole genome sequencing of trios allows robust phasing, permitting comprehensive genome-wide investigation of parent-of-origin methylation and transcription. This enhanced view facilitates identifications of many new differentially methylated regions (DMRs), both conserved and differing between individuals, as well as novel imprinted genes.

  Study EGAS50000001301

• exploration of biomarkers discriminating squamous cell carcinoma from other lung cancers

  Targeted therapies based on the molecular and histological features of cancer types are becoming standard practice. The most effective regimen in lung cancers is different between squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AD). Therefore a precise diagnosis is crucial, but this has been difficult, particularly for poorly differentiated SCC (PDSCC) and AD without a lepidic growth component (non-lepidic AD). Biomarkers enabling a precise diagnosis are therefore urgently needed. To achieve this goal, we initially performed CAGE (Cap Analysis of Gene Expression) to quantify promoter activities on 97 frozen tissues from surgically resected lung cancers (22 SCC and 75 AD). We furhter expanded the transcriptome profiling to cover additional 48 malignant neoplasm of bronchus and lung, including mesothelioma and metastatic lung cancers derived from other tissues.

  Study JGAS000488

• The characterization of gene expression pattern of anticancer agent-resistant cancer stem cells using RNA sequencing analysis.

  Slow cycling cancer stem cells persist and contribute to tumor regrowth after chemotherapy.To investigate this mechanism, we developed stemness- and cell cycle-visualized colon cancer organoids from patient tissues, and perfomed comparative transcriptome analysis using sorted rapid cycling stem cells (LGR5+p27-) and slow cycling stem cells (LGR5+p27+). In addition, we analyzed the changes in the gene expression patterns in the slow cycling stem cells and all of tumor cells after chemotherapy (camptothecin) treatment. Gene ontology analysis and gene set enrichment analysis using these transcriptome data revealed cell adhesion signal and YAP siganling pathway were important to maintain the dormancy and resume propagation after chemotherapy. In each experiments, total RNA was extracted from organoids and sequenced with HiSeq X Ten (Illumina).

  Study JGAS000350

• High-coverage whole exome sequence in non-TRU-type lung adenocarcinomas

  In order to elucidate the key genetic events in non-TRU-type lung cancer, we selected 43 non-TRU-type lung adenocarcinomas and performed a whole exome sequence and RNA-seq analysis using a next-generation sequencer. The results of the analysis identified mutations in TP53, KRAS and NKX2-1 as the top three significantly mutated genes, while the EGFR mutation was rare in this cohort. Eight NKX2-1 mutations (5 frameshift, 2 nonsense, and one missense) were identified, with one case harboring two distinct NKX2-1 mutations (missense and frameshift). All NKX2-1 mutants were transcriptionally inactive in reporter assays. Histologically, invasive mucinous adenocarcinomas accounted for most of the NKX2-1 mutations (5 cases), while 1 enteric and 1 acinar adenocarcinoma harbored the NKX2-1 mutation.

  Study JGAS000105

• Development of humanized mice for human hematopoisis and immunity research

  We obtained peripheral blood or bone marrow samples from 27 FLT3-ITD+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and created humanized mice engrafted with human AML cells. We sequenced DNA obtained from patient-derived pre-leukemia and leukemia cells and engrafted human hematopoietic cells and leukemia cells en bulk to detect AML-associated mutations and determine mutations contributing to in vivo. From five of these patients, we also performed single cell DNA sequencing to determine clonal heterogeneity and mutational complexity of human pre-leukemic and leukemic cells and to discriminate between permissive and leukemogenic mutations. Finally, inhibition of a leukemogenic mutation led to effective elimination of human AML cells in vivo, and a co-administration of an inhibitor of anti-apoptotic pathway further improved killing of AML cells in vivo.

  Study JGAS000122

• DEPArray-based sorting of pure carcinoma and stromal populations from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues followed by targeted sequencing

  To overcome the challenges of low DNA yields, degraded DNA by formalin fixation and diluted signal of genomic aberrations by non-carcinoma components in the heterogeneous FFPE samples, we isolated pure carcinoma and stromal cells using the DEPArray™ NxT system, a microchip-based digital sorter that allows isolation of pure, homogeneous subpopulations of cells from FFPE samples. We isolated pure carcinoma and stromal cell populations from 12 FFPE tissues, including tissues from 9 primary and metastatic breast cancer and 3 primary ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas. This was followed by a targeted panel for somatic mutation and sCNA analysis (7 samples), subject to cell availability. Mutation analysis was performed successfully in 6/7 samples and somatic mutations were detected in all of them.

  Study EGAS50000001327

• A single-cell multi-omic atlas of nodal B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas

  Nodal B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHL) are a clinically diverse set of cancers thought to originate from distinct stages of B-cell maturation. To characterize intratumor heterogeneity across B-NHL entities, we performed CITE-Seq (cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes) on 51 lymph node samples including mantle cell lymphoma (MCL, n = 8), follicular lymphoma (FL, n = 12), germinal center (GCB, n = 5) or activated B-cell (non-GCB/ABC, n = 7) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL, n = 11) tumors, in addition to non-malignant reactive lymph nodes (rLN, n = 8). We also performed 5 prime scRNA-seq with immune receptor profiling for 11 of these samples (2 rLN, 2 MCL, 3 FL, 2 DLBCL, and 2 MZL).

  Study EGAS50000000342

• Truncated FOS impairs osteogenic differentiation and induces prostaglandin and NFkB signalling in an in vitro cell-of-origin model for osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma

  The effect of FOS truncation on osteogenic differentiation and proliferation was investigated in an in vitro model for osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma. In this model, truncated FOS (FOSΔ) was overexpressed in human foetal mesenchymal stem cells through a lentiviral vector. Osteogenic differentiation - assessed by measuring mineralization, ALPL expression and ALP activity - and proliferation rate were reduced in cells overexpressing FOSΔ compared to mesenchymal stem cells with an empty lentiviral vector (pLV). Transcriptome-sequencing and differential gene expression analysis revealed decreased gene expression of genes in pathways involving cell cycling and mitosis, and osteogenic differentiation, including WNT signalling, extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in FOSΔ as compared to empty vector cells, indicating decreased proliferation and osteogenesis.

  Study EGAS50000001291

• Non-Mendalian inheritance of extrachromosal DNA elements can drive disease evolution in glioblastoma

  Genomic heterogeneity of glioblastoma (GBM) is suspected to contribute to the poor response to therapy of this disease. We compared molecular characteristics between primary GBM, neurospheres and orthotopic xenograft models derived from the same parental tumor. Driver alterations were in majority propagated from tumor to model systems. Extrachromosomal amplifications of MET, a proto-oncogene coding for a receptor tyrosine kinase, were detected in three primary GBM, largely discarded in neurospheres cultures, but resurfaced in xenografts. The clonal dynamics inferred by somatic single nucleotide variants (sSNVs) in MET-amplified samples diverged from the pattern delineated by the MET amplification event suggesting that the MET event and sSNVs were inherited in different manners. Our analysis shows that extrachromosomal elements are able to drive tumor progression.

  Study EGAS00001001878

• Whole-genome sequencing of bladder cancers of various stages and grades to search for driver mutations, chromosome-scale somatic changes, mutation signatures and clonal structures.

  This discovery set of tumours cancers with whole-genome sequence data comprised 14 bladder cancers, paired with peripheral blood, that had been collected from unrelated individuals presenting to the Urology Department, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield between June 2008 and September 2011. Four cancers were of low-grade papillary morphology (pTaG1-2), five were high grade invading the lamina propria (pT1G3, with two subsequently becoming muscle-invasive); and five were muscle-invasive (pT2-pT3). All tumours were sampled at transurethral resection or cystectomy and had not previously received any other therapy. The presence of a majority of cancer cells in the tumour specimens was confirmed by routine histological assessment. Genomic DNA was extracted from each tumour and paired blood sample using standard methods.

  Study EGAS00001000738

• Cross-species genomics identifies TAF12, NFYC and RAD54L as novel choroid plexus carcinoma oncogenes

  Choroid plexus carcinomas (CPC) are poorly understood and frequently lethal brain tumors with minimal treatment options. Using a new mouse model of the disease and a large cohort of human CPCs, we performed a cross-species, genome-wide search for novel oncogenes within syntenic regions of chromosome gain. TAF12, NFYC and RAD54L, co-located on human chromosome 1p32-35.3 and mouse chromosome 4qD1-D3, were identified as oncogenes that are gained in tumors in both species and required to initiate and progress the disease in mice. TAF12 and NFYC are transcription factors that regulate the epigenome, while RAD54L plays a central role in DNA repair. Our data identify a group of concurrently gained, novel oncogenes that cooperate in the formation of CPC and unmask potential new avenues for therapy.

  Study EGAS00001000961

• Genetic landscape of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

  Neurofibromatosis 1 is a hereditary syndrome characterized by the development of numerous benign neurofibromas, a small subset of which progress to malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). To better understand the genetic basis for MPNSTs, we performed whole genome sequencing on four MPNSTs from patients with neurofibromatosis 1 and found that each of them had a somatic, inactivating mutation of SUZ12, a chromatin modifying gene adjacent to the NF1 gene responsible for the benign neurofibromas in these patients. We then performed targeted sequencing on an additional 46 MPNSTs and found that 12 had somatic mutations in SUZ12. Fifteen of the 17 (88%) mutations in SUZ12 were predicted to inactivate protein function, implicating it as a tumor suppressor gene possibly responsible for the progression from neurofibromas to MPNTs.

  Study EGAS00001000974

• Exome sequence data for germline, primary tumor, and relapse tumor of a transformed non-Hodgkins lymphoma patient with unexpected long-time remission

  The patient was diagnosed with a transformed high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma stage III, and treated with conventional R-CHOP (Rituximab (R), Cyclophosphamide (C), Doxorubicin (H), Vincristine (O) and Prednisone (P)). Unfortunately, she suffered from severe toxicity but recovered during the following six months remission until a biopsy verified relapse. The patient refused second line combination chemotherapy, but accepted a 3 months palliation with R and Chlorambucil. Unexpectedly, she obtained continuous complete remission and is at present >9 years after primary diagnosis.Molecular studies and data evaluation by principal component analysis, mutation screening, and copy number variations of the primary and relapsed tumor, identified patterns of branched lymphoma evolution, most likely diverging from an unknown in situ follicular lymphoma.

  Study EGAS00001001973

• Recurrent Somatic Mutations of PTPN1 in Primary Mediastinal B cell lymphoma and Hodgkin Lymphoma

  Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL) are related lymphomas sharing pathological, molecular and clinical characteristics. Here, we discovered recurrent somatic coding sequence mutations of the tyrosine phosphatase gene PTPN1 in the tumor genomes and transcriptomes of these B cell lymphomas (6 of 30 or in 20% of HL cases and 13 of 49 or in 27% of PMBCL cases), consisting of nonsense, missense and frameshift mutations. We demonstrate that PTPN1 mutations lead to reduced phosphatase activity and increased phosphorylation of JAK-STAT pathway members. Moreover, silencing of PTPN1 by RNA interference in HL cell line KM-H2 resulted in hyperphosphorylation and overexpression of downstream oncogenic targets. Our data establish PTPN1 mutations as novel drivers in B cell lymphomagenesis.

  Study EGAS00001000554

• MYC Drives Progression of Small Cell Lung Cancer to a Variant Neuroendocrine Subtype with Vulnerability to Aurora Kinase Inhibition

  Loss of the tumor suppressors RB1 and TP53 and MYC amplification are frequent oncogenic events in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We show that Myc expression cooperates with Rb1 and Trp53 loss in the mouse lung to promote aggressive, highly metastatic tumors, that are initially sensitive to chemotherapy followed by relapse, similar to human SCLC. Importantly, MYC drives a neuroendocrine-low “variant” subset of SCLC with high NEUROD1 expression corresponding to transcriptional profiles of human SCLC. Targeted drug screening reveals that SCLC with high MYC expression is vulnerable to Aurora kinase inhibition, which combined with chemotherapy strongly suppresses tumor progression and increases survival. These data identify molecular features for patient stratification and uncover a novel targeted treatment approach for MYC-driven SCLC.

  Study EGAS00001002115

• Two lung cancer cell lines with EGFR mutations, PC-9 and KHM-3S, were either treated with Tarceva for 24 hours or left untreated. The gene expression profiles were examined by RNAseq, and the genome wide binding profiles of total STAT3 and pSTAT3 were characterized by ChIPseq.

  Lung cancers harboring activating EGFR mutants show dramatic responses to EGFR TKIs, such as Tarceva. However, nearly all patients show relapse within 1 year after initial treatment. To investigate the early signaling switches that are involved in the formation of drug resistance, and the role of STAT3 in the early signaling switches involved in the formation of drug resistance, we have treated two lung cancer cell lines with EGFR mutations, PC-9 and KMH-3S, with Tarceva for 24hours. The RNA samples with and without treatment were collected in triplicate for RNAseq experiment.The total STAT3 and pSTAT3 chromatinIP were done on samples with and without treatment for ChIPseq.

  Study EGAS00001000793

• A genetic compendium of human brains from the UK Medical Research Council brain tissue resource

  Common neurodegenerative diseases have a complex genetic architecture. Highly penetrant diseases alleles are found in a significant minority of cases, and common risk alleles are present in a large proportion. Given the central role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of these disorders, it is critical that mechanistic studies in human subjects and tissue samples are interpreted in an genetically enlightened context. To address this we performed exome sequencing on 1461 human brains accessible through the Medical Research Council (UK) brain banks network. Our findings confirm the complex genetic landscape of neurodegenerative disease. Clinical, pathological and genetic data for the 1461 brains with corresponding exome sequencing data are available within this dataset, enabling the genetic stratification and selection of post-mortem tissue samples for researchers.

  Study EGAS00001001599

• ICGC Oesophageal adenocarcinoma - tumour samples

  The oesophageal project will focus on adenocarcinoma which is increasing in incidence in the UK and other developed countries and has a very poor outcome. The primary aims of this project are to deeply sequence tumour and normal genomic DNA (including the precursor condition Barrett’s oesophagus when material is available) to provide a comprehensive catalogue of somatic mutations. This will be achieved through a UK-wide network of hospitals involved in a research collaboration called the OCCAMS consortium. The goal of this project is to use high quality clinical material with accurately annotated clinic-pathological, treatment and outcome data.

  Study EGAS00001000725

• Spatio-temporal evolution of the primary glioblastoma genome

  Tumor recurrence following treatment is the major cause of mortality for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. Thus, insights on the evolutionary process at recurrence are critical for improved patient care. Here, we describe our genomic analyses of 38 GBM patients with the initial and recurrent tumor specimens for each individual. A substantial divergence in the landscape of driver alterations was associated with distant appearance of a recurrent tumor from the initial tumor, suggesting that the genomic profile of the initial tumor can mislead targeted therapies for the distally recurred tumor. In addition, in contrast to IDH1-mutated gliomas, IDH1-wild-type primary GBMs rarely developed hypermutation following temozolomide (TMZ) treatment, indicating low risk of TMZ-induced hypermutation for these patients under the standard regimen.

  Study EGAS00001001041

• ICGC PedBrain: Deep-sequencing of childhood brain tumors.

  Brain tumors constitute the childhood tumors with the highest mortality rates and survival is often associated with severe long-term sequelae due to intensive multimodal treatment regimens. Thus, the PedBrainTumor network aims at the identification of robust biomarkers for clinical management and novel molecular targets for therapeutic interventions. Using massively parallel whole-genome sequencing, and transcriptome and methylome sequencing for subsets of cases, we aim to decipher the molecular causes of medulloblastoma as well as low-grade astrocytoma, and to identify markers to stratify patients for specialized treatment. As the PedBrain network is affiliated with clinical trials in medulloblastoma and pilocytic astrocytoma, validation cohorts for the translation of key findings into clinical settings are readily available.

  Study EGAS00001000215

• Exome_sequencing_of_thyroid_disease_in_Val_Borbera

  The Val Borbera is a region characterized by low iodine and high prevalence of thyroid disorders, the commonest endocrine disorders in the general population. About 30% of the participants of the Val Borbera Project were affected by such disorders and were characterized by several parameters, TSH level, anti TPO antibodies, echography, family origin. Individuals with extreme phenotypes were identified and could be clustered based on family origin and genotype. We propose to exome sequence 6 of them, affected with true goiter, at high dept (40-60x) to obtain information on exonic rare variants. Due to the family structure and to the availability of whole genome sequence information on 110 individuals from the isolated population we expect to be able to identify putative causative variants for thyroid disorders that may be studied in the remaining affected individuals.

  Study EGAS00001000344

• WGS of liver cancer in the Japanese population

  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cancer-related cause of death and the seventh most common form of cancer worldwide, with an estimate of more than 700,000 new cases each year. The most established risk factors of HCC are chronic HBV and HCV infection. HBV infection is responsible for over 50% of the worldwide attributable risk of HCC, especially in East Asia and Africa, while in Japan and several Western countries HCV infection is the most common risk factor for HCC. To gain insights into the molecular alterations of virus-associated HCC, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 321 HCC tumors from 159 patients. This work was performed as a part of the ICGC (International Cancer Genome Consortium) project.

  Study EGAS00001000678

• Mutations in the SIX1/2 pathway and the DROSHA/DGCR8 miRNA microprocessor complex underlie high-risk blastemal type Wilms tumors

  Blastemal histology in chemotherapy-treated pediatric Wilms tumors (nephroblastoma) is associated with adverse prognosis. In order to find novel therapeutic leads for this subgroup of patients, we analyzed 58 such Wilms tumors by exome and transcriptome analysis and validated our findings in larger independent cohorts. Recurrent mutations identified either somatically or in the germline included a hotspot mutation (Q177R) in the homeodomain of SIX1 and SIX2 in tumors with high proliferative potential, mutations in microprocessor genes like DROSHA, DGCR8, DICER1 and DIS3L2, and alterations in IGF2, MYCN, and TP53, the latter being strongly associated with dismal outcome. DROSHA and DGCR8 mutations had a strong effect on miRNA profiles in tumors, which we confirmed in cell lines transfected with mutant DROSHA.

  Study EGAS00001000906

• Genome_Diversity_in_Africa_Project___ancient_samples___standard_libraries

  Given the central importance of Africa to studies of human origins, genetic diversity and disease susceptibility, large-scale and representative characterisation of genetic diversity in Africa is needed. Analyses of ancient DNA from Africa would complement sequencing of modern African populations and provide unique opportunities to transform our understanding of the pre-history of the region. This approach would greatly refine our understanding of population structure and gene flow in Africa and globally, including genetic signatures of ancient admixture. This low coverage sequencing experiment will allow us to test and refine our pipeline for ancient DNA sequencing.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 EGAS00001001182

• The transcription factor GABP selectively binds and activates the mutant TERT promoter in cancer

  Reactivation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression enables cells to overcome replicative senescence and escape apoptosis, fundamental steps in the initiation of human cancer. Multiple cancer types, including up to 83% of glioblastomas (GBM), harbor highly recurrent TERT promoter mutations of unknown function but specific to two nucleotide positions. We identify the functional consequence of these mutations in GBM to be recruitment of the multimeric GABP transcription factor specifically to the mutant promoter. Allelic recruitment of GABP is consistently observed across four cancer types, highlighting a shared mechanism underlying TERT reactivation. Tandem flanking native ETS motifs critically cooperate with these mutations to activate TERT, likely by facilitating GABP heterotetramer binding. GABP thus directly links TERT promoter mutations to aberrant expression in multiple cancers.

  Study EGAS00001001242

• A collection of 142 samples used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of small-scale variation detection in exome-capture data with a particular focus on indel detection.

  The dataset includes exome sequencing data and 704 Sanger sequencing validations for the 142 samples. The 704 Sanger sequencing validations are comprised of 416 variants and 288 sites known to be negative, including 293 indels and 247 negative indel sites. DNA libraries were prepared from genomic DNA using the Illumina TruSeq sample preparation kit. DNA was fragmented using Covaris technology and the libraries were prepared without gel size selection. Target enrichment was performed in pools of six libraries using the Illumina TruSeq Exome Enrichment kit. The captured DNA libraries were PCR amplified using the supplied paired-end PCR primers. Sequencing was performed with an Illumina HiSeq2000 (v3 flow cell, one pool per lane) generating 2x101-bp reads. Technology – Illumina HiSeq 2000

  Study EGAS00001001332

• Chromosome Y Philogeny in Sardinia

  Genetic variation within the male specific portion of the Y chromosome (MSY) can clarify the origins of contemporary populations, but previous studies were hampered by partial genetic information. Population sequencing of 1,204 Sardinian males identified 11,763 MSY single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), of which 6,751 have not previously been observed. We constructed a MSY phylogenetic tree containing all main haplogroups found in Europe along with many Sardinian-specific lineage clusters within each haplogroup. The tree was calibrated with archaeological data from the initial expansion of the Sardinian population ~7,700 years ago. The ages of nodes highlight different genetic strata in Sardinia and reveal presumptive timing of coalescence with other human populations. We calculate a putative age for coalescence of ~180-200,000 years ago, consistent with previous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) based estimates.

  Study EGAS00001000532

• Relaxed selection during a recent human expansion

  To better understand and quantify the effect of a recent expansion process on the amount and pattern of mutation load, we screened the ascending genealogies of 3916 individuals from the CARTaGENE cohort (Awadalla et al. 2013) that were linked to the BALSAC genealogical database (http://balsac.uqac.ca/). Using stringent criteria on the quality of genealogical information, we selected (front) individuals whose ancestors were as close as possible to the front of the colonization of Quebec, and (core) individuals whose ancestors were as far as possible from the front. We then sequenced these 102 individuals at very high coverage (mean 89.5X, range 67X-128X) for 106.5 Mb of exomic and UTR regions and contrasted their genomic diversity to detect if sites with various degrees of conservation and deleteriousness had been differentially impacted by selection.

  Study EGAS00001001957

• Spatial and temporal evolution of distal 10q deletion, a prognostically unfavorable event in diffuse low-grade gliomas

  Background: The disease course of patients with diffuse low-grade glioma is notoriously unpredictable. Temporal and spatially distinct samples may provide insight into the evolution of clinically relevant copy number aberrations (CNAs). The purpose of this study is to identify CNAs that are indicative of aggressive tumor behaviour and can thereby complement the prognostically favorable 1p/19q co-deletion. Results: Genome-wide, 50 base pair single-end, sequencing was performed to detect CNAs in a clinically well-characterized cohort of 98 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded low-grade gliomas. CNAs are correlated with overall survival as an endpoint. Seventy-five additional samples from spatially distinct regions and paired recurrent tumors of the discovery cohort were analysed to interrogate the intratumoral heterogeneity and spatial evolution. Loss of 10q25.2-qter is a frequent subclonal event and significantly correlates with an unfavorable prognosis. A significant correlation is furthermore observed in a validation set of 126 and confirmation set of 184 patients. Loss of 10q25.2-qter arises in a longitudinal manner in paired recurrent tumor specimens, whereas the prognostically favorable 1p/ 19q co-deletion is the only CNA that is stable across spatial regions and recurrent tumors. Conclusions: CNAs in low-grade gliomas display extensive intratumoral heterogeneity. Distal loss of 10q is a late onset event and a marker for reduced overall survival in low-grade glioma patients. Intratumoral heterogeneity and higher frequencies of distal 10q loss in recurrences suggest this event is involved in outgrowth to the recurrent tumor.

  Dataset EGAD00001001000

• Direct Comparative Analysis of 10X Genomics Chromium and Smart-seq2

  Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is widely used for profiling transcriptomes of individual cells. The droplet-based 10X Genomics Chromium (10X) approach and the plate-based Smart-seq2 full-length method are two frequently-used scRNA-seq platforms, yet there are only a few thorough and systematic comparisons of their advantages and limitations. Here, by directly comparing the scRNA-seq data by the two platforms from the same samples of CD45- cells, we systematically evaluated their features using a wide spectrum of analysis. Smart-seq2 detected more genes in a cell, especially low abundance transcripts as well as alternatively spliced transcripts, but captured higher proportion of mitochondrial genes. The composite of Smart-seq2 data also resembled bulk RNA-seq data better. For 10X-based data, we observed higher noise for mRNA in the low expression level. Despite the poly(A) enrichment, approximately 10-30% of all detected transcripts by both platforms were from non-coding genes, with lncRNA accounting for a higher proportion in 10X. 10X-based data displayed more severe dropout problem, especially for genes with lower expression levels. However, 10X-data can better detect rare cell types given its ability to cover a large number of cells. In addition, each platform detected different sets of differentially expressed genes between cell clusters, indicating the complementary nature of these technologies. Our comprehensive benchmark analysis offers the basis for selecting the optimal scRNA-seq strategy based on the objectives of each study.

  Dataset EGAD00001005448

• Evolutionary Origins of Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer

  Surgery is the only curative option for patients with Stage I/II pancreatic cancer, nonetheless most patients will recur after surgery and die of their disease. To identify novel opportunities for management of recurrent pancreatic cancer we performed whole exome or targeted sequencing of 10 resected primary cancers and their matched intrapancreatic recurrences or distant metastases. We identified that recurrent disease develops from a monophyletic or polyphyletic origin, and this distinction has potential clinical relevance. In all patients, treatment induced genetic bottlenecks led to a modified genetic landscape and subclonal heterogeneity for driver gene alterations in part due to intermetastatic seeding. In one patient what was believed to be recurrent disease was an independent (second) primary tumor. These findings strongly advocate for routine post-treatment sampling in the management of recurrent pancreatic cancer.

  Study EGAS00001004097

• Tumor-associated preferred end coordinates and somatic variants as signatures of circulating tumor DNA

  Cell-free DNA fragmentation is a nonrandom process. We showed that cell-free DNA fragments with ends at certain genomic coordinates had higher likelihoods of being derived from hepatocellular carcinoma. Other coordinates were associated with cell-free DNA molecules originating from the liver. Quantitative assessment of cell-free DNA molecules bearing these respective groups of end signatures correlated with the amounts of tumor-derived or liver-derived DNA in plasma. There were millions of tumor-associated plasma DNA end coordinates across the genome. Due to their high prevalence, they were more readily detectable than somatic mutations as a cancer signature in plasma. Hence, detection of tumor-associated plasma DNA ends may offer a cost-effective means of capturing evidence for the presence of cancer through liquid biopsy assessment.

  Study EGAS00001003160

• Evolutionary landscape of clonal hematopoiesis in 3359 individuals from the general population

  This project contains longitudinal data for processed somatic variant calls and data on core phenotypic variables for 3359 community-based individuals ≥60 years, a sub-cohort of the population-based Lifelines cohort (167,729 participants). Cases with peripheral blood count abnormalities and population-based controls were included. Next-generation sequencing data were generated with a median time period of 43 months between baseline and follow-up visit. For 327 individuals a third visit sample was included. Error-corrected sequencing was performed using single-molecule tagged molecular inversion probes targeting 27 myeloid and lymphoid driver genes. The threshold for variant calling was set at ≥1% VAF and ≥10 consensus variant reads. Details on sample selection, sequencing technique, variant calling procedures and data curation are described (van Zeventer et al. 2023).

  Study EGAS00001007087

• Lung Adenocarcinoma Promotion by Air Pollutants

  A complete understanding of how environmental carcinogenic exposures promote cancer formation is lacking. Over 70 years ago, tumour formation was proposed to occur in a two step process: an initiating step which induces mutations in normal tissue, followed by a promoter step which triggers cancer development. Recent evidence has revealed healthy human tissue contains a patchwork of clones harbouring oncogenic mutations.This led us to hypothesise that environmental particulate matter measuring PM2.5, known to be associated with lung cancer risk, might promote lung cancer by acting on pre-existing cells harbouring oncogenic mutations in normal lung tissue. Here we use a combination of WGS and RNA-seq of mouse tumours from pollution-exposed mice to examine the impact of particulate matter on mutagenesis and gene expression respectively.

  Study EGAS00001006951

• Single cell transcriptomics of human adrenal gland reveal chromosomal alterations in adrenocortical cells

  Adrenocortical cells get replenished throughout our lifetime and as such they are a cellular population of high interest in relation to adrenocortical tumours. Single cell transcriptomics of human adrenal gland were performed to identify rare subpopulations of cells, dynamics of cellular turnover and clone expansions in the adrenal cortex. The adrenal gland of this particular individual is characterized by the presence of mutant clone charecterized by aneuploidy in chromosomes 8, 9, 13 and 22, occupying the zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata. Differential expression analysis of the mutant cells revealed upregulation of MC2R (adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor), CYP21A2, HSD3B2 genes (enzymes involved in cortisol production). Overall, this donor sample is an example of clonal tissue expansions carrying chromosomal rearrangements that likely impact organ morphology and function but are seemingly benign.

  Study EGAS00001007488

• Circulating cell-free DNA analysis in Small Cell Lung Cancer

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for ~250,000 deaths worldwide each year. Acquisition of adequate tumour biopsies is challenging and liquid biopsies present the best option for patient stratification and response monitoring. We present genome-wide and targeted plasma DNA sequencing data that identifies tumour related changes in 91% of limited (LS-SCLC) and 100% of extensive stage (ES-SCLC) patients. Parallel analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs, by CellSearch) based on ≥ 1 CTC/7.5ml blood increased tumour detection frequencies to 98% patients (95% for LS-SCLC) where CTC count and plasma DNA readouts correlated with disease stage and overall survival (OS). Targeted plasma DNA sequencing identified potential therapeutic targets in >50% of patients. This approach will support trials of targeted therapies where improved patients outcomes are urgently required.

  Study EGAS00001003110

• Whole exome sequencing in RVOT patients

  In a patient with right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) tachycardia we identified a heterozygous point mutation in the selectivity filter of the stretch-activated K2P potassium channel TREK-1 (KCNK2 or K2P2.1). This mutation introduces abnormal sodium permeability to TREK-1 In addition, mutant channels exhibit a hypersensitivity to stretch-activation, suggesting that the selectivity filter is directly involved in stretch-induced activation and desensitization. Increased sodium permeability and stretch-sensitivity of mutant TREK-1 channels may trigger arrhythmias in areas of the heart with high physical strain such as the RVOT. We present a pharmacological strategy to rescue the selectivity defect of the TREK-1 pore. Our findings provide important insights for future studies of K2P channel stretch-activation and the role of TREK-1 in mechano-electrical feedback in the heart.

  Study EGAS00001002319

• Size-tagged preferred ends in maternal plasma DNAshed light on the production mechanism and showutility in noninvasive prenatal testing

  Cell-free DNA molecules in the plasma of pregnant women exhibit nonrandom fragmentation with preferred end sites. We studied if such preferred end sites might bear any re- lationship with fragment lengths of plasma DNA. Short and long plasma DNA molecules were associated with different preferred DNA end sites. Analysis of size-tagged preferred ends could be used for measuring fetal DNA fraction and for facilitating fetal trisomy 21 detection. Fetal preferred end sites were generally located in the nucleosome cores, while the maternal ones were located in the linker regions. This con- ceptual framework provides an explanation of the relative shortness of fetal DNA in maternal plasma and brings us closer to understanding the biological mechanisms that influence plasma DNA fragmentation.

  Study EGAS00001002831

• Low frequency and rare coding variation contributes to multiple sclerosis risk

  Multiple sclerosis is a common, complex neurological disease, where almost 20% of risk heritability can be attributed to common genetic variants, including >230 identified by genome-wide association studies. Multiple strands of evidence suggest that the majority of the remaining heritability is also due to the additive effects of individual variants, rather than epistatic interactions between these variants, or mutations exclusive to individual families. Here, we show in 68,379 cases and controls that as much as 5% of this heritability is explained by low-frequency variation in gene coding sequence. We identify four novel genes driving MS risk independently of common variant signals, which highlight a key role for regulatory T cell homeostasis and regulation, IFNγ biology and NFκB signaling in MS pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001003195

• Adeno-associated virus in the liver: natural history and consequences in tumor development

  Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a defective mono-stranded DNA virus, endemic in human population (40-80%). AAV infection has long been considered as non-pathogenic1, however few years ago we reported for the first time recurrent clonal AAV2 insertion in the pathogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed on normal liver. These clonal viral insertions target cancer driver genes, including CCNA2, CCNE1, TERT, TNFSF10 and MLL4, leading to their overexpression. The viral inserted sequences involved in almost all the cases the 3’ inverse tandem repeat (ITR) of AAV2, which is important for virus integration in host DNA and exhibits a promoter/enhancer activity. Here, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate their functional impact on the tissue, such as fusion transcript generation events.

  Study EGAS00001003310

• RNA-seq of Glioblastoma stem cells

  Chromatin accessibility discriminates stem from mature cell populations, enabling the identification of primitive stem-like cells in primary tumors, such as Glioblastoma (GBM) where self-renewing cells driving cancer progression and recurrence are prime targets for therapeutic intervention. We show, using single-cell chromatin accessibility, that primary GBMs harbor a heterogeneous self-renewing population whose diversity is captured in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). In depth characterization of chromatin accessibility in GSCs identifies three GSC states: Reactive, Constructive, and Invasive, each governed by uniquely essential transcription factors and present within GBMs in varying proportions. Orthotopic xenografts reveal that GSC states associate with survival, and identify an invasive GSC signature predictive of low patient survival. Our chromatin-driven characterization of GSC states improves prognostic precision and identifies dependencies to guide combination therapies.

  Study EGAS00001003070

• UCSF Pediatric Bithalamic Glioma Genome Project

  Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors of childhood, and the genetic drivers and optimal therapeutic strategies for many of the different subtypes remain unknown. We performed targeted next-generation sequencing of approximately 500 cancer-associated genes on a cohort of 13 pediatric bithalamic diffuse gliomas, a lethal brain tumor of childhood for which the genetic basis is largely unknown. We identified that bithalamic diffuse gliomas harbor frequent mutations in the EGFR oncogene in the absence of accompanying gene amplification and only rare histone H3 mutation. These EGFR mutations were either small in-frame insertions within exon 20 (intracellular tyrosine kinase domain) or missense mutations within exon 7 (extracellular ligand-binding domain). Accompanying alterations included frequent TP53 mutation, CDK6 amplification or CDKN2C mutation, and BCOR and BCORL1 mutation or deletion.

  Study EGAS00001004033

• An Unusual Genomic Variant of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma with an Indolent Clinical Course

  We describe a patient with biopsy-proven locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) who underwent a modified course of gemcitabine and stereotactic body radiation therapy. Whole exome sequencing of this patient's tumor revealed a simple genome landscape with no evidence of mutations, copy number changes, or structural alterations in genes most commonly associated with PDA, i.e. KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53 or SMAD4. An analysis of germline DNA revealed no pathogenic variants of significance. Whole exome and whole genome sequencing identified a somatic mutation of RNF213 and an inversion/deletion of CTNNA2 as the genetic basis of this PDA. Although PDA is classically characterized by a predictable set of mutations, these data suggest that alternate genetic paths to PDA may exist, which can be associated with a more indolent clinical course.

  Study EGAS00001002192

• Most HCCs in Taiwan show the mutational signature of aristolochic acid

  Plants in the genus Aristolochia contain the mutagen aristolochic acid (AA) and have been widely used in traditional medicines and for weight loss. AA binds covalently to genomic DNA and induces a highly distinctive mutational signature. While AA involvement in urinary-tract cancers in Taiwan is known, the possible role of AA in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in Taiwan has not been examined. Here, we whole-exome sequenced 98 unselected HCCs from Taiwan and analyzed the mutational signatures for evidence of AA mutagenesis. Remarkably, more than 78% of HCCs showed strong evidence of AA mutagenesis, often associated with high mutation burdens. Non-synonymous mutations in genes known to be HCC driver genes were detected. Importantly, we elucidated the potential of immunotherapy in this cohort of liver cancer patients.

  Study EGAS00001002301

• UAMS Smoldering Myeloma Timeline Cohort

  To better understand the pattern of genetic changes over time, we performed whole exome sequencing of sequential bone marrow samples from 9 patients taken overtime including some paired SMM/newly diagnosed MM/Relapse MM samples. Samples from 9 patients (9 controls and 53 tumors) underwent whole exome sequencing with an additional capture for the IGH, IHK, IGL, and MYC loci. DNA was obtained from either CD138+ cells from the bone marrow of smoldering myeloma patients through time (tumor) or from stem cell harvests or peripheral blood cells from the same patient (control). 100 ng of DNA was fragmented, end-repaired, and adapters ligated using NimbleGen's MedExome. After PCR amplification hybridized libraries underwent further amplification before being sequenced on a NextSeq500 (Illumina) using 75 bp paired end reads.

  Study EGAS00001003687

• Multisample genomic analysis of solid childhood cancers using high resolution SNP-arrays, Whole Exome Sequencing and Targeted Deep Sequencing.

  We mapped the prevalence of genetically distinct clones over 248 regions in 54 childhood cancers. This revealed that primary tumors can simultaneously follow up to four evolutionary patterns in different anatomic areas. The most common pattern consists of a fluctuating presence over anatomic space of subclones with very few mutations. The second most common is a surprisingly stable coexistence, over vast areas, of clones with different changes in chromosome numbers. This is contrasted by a third, less frequent, pattern where a novel clone harboring driver mutations or structural chromosome rearrangements completely replaces its progenitor. The fourth and rarest pattern is the local emergence of a myriad of clones with TP53 inactivation. Strikingly, death from disease was limited to tumors exhibiting the two latter, most dynamic patterns.

  Study EGAS00001002662

• Phase Ib of olaparib and capivasertib

  Background: Combining poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway inhibitors is supported by strong preclinical rationale. We sought to assess safety and a recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) for the PARPi olaparib combined with the AKT inhibitor, capivasertib, and evaluate molecular markers of response and resistance. Methods: As part of a larger phase 1b trial, we performed a safety lead in of olaparib and capivasertib followed by expansion (n=24) in endometrial, triple negative breast, ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer. Olaparib 300mg orally twice daily and capivasertib orally twice daily on a 4 day on/3 day off schedule were evaluated. Two dose levels (DL) were planned: capivasertib 400mg (DL1); capivasertib 320mg (DL-1). Patients underwent biopsies at baseline and after 28 days.

  Study EGAS00001004930

• Assessment of the Toll-like receptor 3 response in hepatocytes

  Toll like receptor 3 (TLR3) is an endosomal pattern recognition receptor (PRR), recognizing double stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a distinct Pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) for viral infections. We aim to understand the contribution of TLR3 to the dsRNA response in hepatocytes. The innate immune response of cells of hepatic origin (Huh7, Huh7.5, PH5CH and primary human hepatocytes (PHH)) was analyzed by transcriptome analysis (RNAseq) upon supernatant delivery or transfection of synthetic dsRNA (poly(I:C)). Expression of TLR3 and RIG-I was reconstituted by lentiviral transduction in Huh7 and Huh7.5 cells. Huh7 and Huh7.5 cells, devoid of functional TLR3 expression, did not respond to supernatant delivery of poly(I:C), in contrast to PH5CH and PHH, confirming a high selectivity of this method towards activating TLR3 in all hepatocyte models.

  Study EGAS00001005147

• IMCISION RNAseq

  RNA sequencing could be performed on all 32 baseline and 30 on-treatment primary tumor biopsies. Based on gene-set enrichment analysis, the epithelial to mesenchymal transition signature was enriched in baseline tumors of patients without MPR, though its expression was insufficient to predict ICB response. Baseline and on-treatment IFNγ and T-cell signature expression (Z-score) were not significantly higher in patients with an MPR.­­­ Baseline primary tumor hypoxia-associated gene expression in IMCISION did not predict ICB response. However, on-treatment biopsies of MPR tumor samples showed significantly lower hypoxia gene expression when compared to non-MPR samples. Moreover, in a paired analysis of baseline and corresponding on-treatment samples, a significant decrease of hypoxia-related gene expression was observed in MPR biopsies, while this decrease was absent in non-MPR biopsies.

  Study EGAS00001005454

• Synthetic data - Genome in a Bottle

  In May, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released its first genome in a bottle, a reference sample of DNA for validating human genome sequences. This so-called truth sequence comes from a decades-old sample donated by a Utah woman for (other) research purposes (NA12878 cell line), which, over the years, has been one of the most studied, and hence best-characterized, human samples. Seeing genomic medicine moving toward mainstream healthcare, researchers at NIST recognized the need for a reference human genome and assembled a private-public consortium in 2012 to create one. As detailed in a 2014 Nature Biotechnology paper (Nat. Biotechnol.32, 246–251, 2014), the group integrated and arbitrated among sequences from 14 data sets, five sequencing technologies, seven read mappers and three variant callers.

  Study EGAS00001005591

• Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma RNA and Targeted Sequencing

  Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) are frequently driven by genetic alterations in the RAS/MAPK pathway yet show unexplained variability in their clinical outcome. To address this, we characterized a cohort of >1,000 clinically annotated pLGG. 84% of cases harbored a driver alteration, while those without an identified alteration also often exhibited up-regulation of the RAS/MAPK pathway. pLGG could be broadly classified based on their alteration type. Rearrangement-driven tumors were diagnosed at a younger age, enriched for WHO grade I histology, infrequently progressed, and rarely resulted in death as compared to SNV-driven tumors. Further sub-classification of clinical-molecular correlates stratified pLGG into risk categories. These data highlight the biological and clinical differences between pLGG subtypes and opens avenues for future treatment refinement.

  Study EGAS00001004242

• High-resolution structural genomics reveals new therapeutic vulnerabilities in glioblastoma

  We investigated the role of 3D genome architecture in instructing functional properties of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) by generating the highest-resolution 3D genome maps to-date for this cancer. Integration of DNA contact maps with chromatin and transcriptional profiles identified specific mechanisms of gene regulation, including individual physical interactions between regulatory regions and their target genes. Residing in structurally conserved regions in GSCs was CD276, a gene known to play a role in immuno-modulation. We show that, unexpectedly, CD276 is part of a stemness network in GSCs and can be targeted with an antibody-drug conjugate to curb self-renewal, a key stemness property. Our results demonstrate that integrated structural genomics datasets can be employed to rationally identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in self-renewing cells.

  Study EGAS00001003493

• Sequencing of Infant high grade gliomas

  Infant high grade gliomas appear distinct from their counterparts in older children, indicating that grading may not accurately reflect the biology of these tumours. We have collected 228 cases under 4 years of age, and carried out histological review, methylation profiling (217), custom panel (15) and genome (20)/exome (12) sequencing. After excluding cases representing other established entities or subgroups, we identified 120 cases to be part of an intrinsic spectrum of disease in the infant population. These included those with targetable MAP-kinase alterations, and a large proportion of remaining cases to harbour gene fusions targeting ALK, NTRK1/2/3, ROS1 and MET as their driving alterations, with evidence of efficacy of targeted agents in the clinic. Infant gliomas require a change in diagnostic practise and management.

  Study EGAS00001003532

• Loss-of-activity-mutation in the cardiac chloride-bicarbonate exchanger AE3 causes short QT syndrome

  Patients with short QT syndrome (SQTS) may present with syncope, ventricular fibrillation or sudden cardiac death. Six SQTS susceptibility genes, encoding cation channels, explain less than 25% of SQTS cases. Here we identify a missense mutation in the anion exchanger (AE3)-encoding SLC4A3 gene in two unrelated families with SQTS. The mutation causes reduced surface expression of AE3 and reduced membrane bicarbonate transport. Slc4a3 knockdown in zebrafish causes increased cardiac pHi, short QTc, and reduced systolic duration, which is rescued by wildtype but not mutated SLC4A3. Mechanistic analyses suggest that an increase in pHi and decrease in [Cl-]i shortened the action potential duration. However, other mechanisms may also play a role. Altered anion transport represents a mechanism for development of arrhythmia and may provide new therapeutic possibilities.

  Study EGAS00001002632

• Single-cell RNA sequencing of 22 Hodgkin lymphoma tumors and 5 reactive lymph nodes

  Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is characterized by an extensively dominant tumor microenvironment (TME) composed of different types of non-cancerous immune cells with rare malignant cells. Characterization of the cellular components and their spatial relationship is crucial to understanding crosstalk and therapeutic targeting in the TME. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of more than 127,000 cells from 22 HL tissue specimens and 5 reactive lymph nodes, profiling for the first time the phenotype of the HL-specific immune microenvironment at single-cell resolution. Library preparation was performed using the 10x Genomics Chromium system, and Illumina sequencing was used to generate 3' gene expression data for every cell. Downstream analysis was performed in R to identify HL-specific microenvironment patterns and identify novel cell populations.

  Study EGAS00001004085

• Multiple migrations to the Philippines during the last 50,000 years

  A key link to understand human history in Island Southeast Asia is the Philippine archipelago and its poorly investigated genetic diversity. We collected and analyzed the most comprehensive set of population-genomic data for the Philippines, 1028 individuals covering 115 indigenous communities. We demonstrate that the Philippines were populated by at least five waves of human migration. The Cordillerans migrated into the Philippines prior to the arrival of rice agriculture, where some remain to be the least admixed East Asians carrying an ancestry shared by all Austronesian-speaking populations; thereby challenging an exclusive Out-of-Taiwan model of joint farming-language-people dispersal. Altogether, our findings portray Philippines as a crucial gateway, with a multilayered history, that ultimately changed the genetic landscape of the Asia-Pacific region.

  Study EGAS00001005083

• Germline SDHB-inactivating mutation in gastric spindle cell sarcoma (HIPO-021)

  Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most frequent mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Inactivating mutations or epigenetic deregulation of succinate dehydrogenase complex (SDH) genes are considered defining features of a subset of GIST occurring in the stomach. Based on comprehensive molecular profiling and biochemical analysis within a precision oncology program, we identified hallmarks of SDH deficiency (germline SDHB-inactivating mutation accompanied by somatic loss of heterozygosity, lack of SDHB expression, global DNA hypermethylation, and elevated succinate/fumarate ratio) in a 40-year-old woman with undifferentiated gastric spindle cell sarcoma that did not meet the diagnostic criteria for other mesenchymal tumors of the stomach, including GIST. These data reveal that the loss of SDH function can be involved in the pathogenesis of non-GIST sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract.

  Study EGAS00001004277

• Egyptref: An integrated personal and population-based Egyptian genome reference

  North African individuals are not represented in current genetic data sets. To address this issue, we generated an integrated personal and population-based Egyptian genome reference called Egyptref. Towards this end, we performed a human de novo assembly of an Egyptian individual using long PacBio reads (99x genome coverage) and polished it using Illumina short reads (90x). Variants were phased using 10x Genomics linked reads (80x). This personal genome was complemented with whole genome sequencing-based variant data of 109 further Egyptians and mitochondrial haplogroups from mtDNA sequencing of 326 further Egyptians (of which 100 individuals from EGAD00001001372/EGAD00001001380) to obtain a population-based genome. We used Egyptref for assessing the impact of genetic variation, e.g. by integration of blood RNA sequencing data of the assembly individual.

  Study EGAS00001004303

• The coding and non-coding transcriptional landscape of subependymal giant cell astrocytomas

  Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominantly inherited neurocutaneous disorder caused by inactivating mutations in TSC1 or TSC2, key regulators of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway. In the central nervous system TSC is characterized by cortical tubers, subependymal nodules and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs). SEGAs may lead to the impaired circulation of cerebrospinal fluid resulting in hydrocephalus and raised intracranial pressure in patients with TSC. Currently, surgical resection and mTORC1 inhibitors are the recommended treatment options for patients with SEGA. Here, we performed RNA-Seq and small RNA-Seq on SEGAs (n=19) and periventricular controls (n=8) to gain a better understanding of the underlying molecular basis of SEGAs, so that novel treatment targets could be identified.

  Study EGAS00001003787

• Peripheral immunoprofiling of stratifies COVID-19 patients based on disease-specific neutrophil signatures

  The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients all over the world. Aetiopathologies range from no symptoms, mild flu-like to severe cases succumbing to respiratory failure. Reports on a dysregulated immune system in the severe cases, showing similarities to cytokine release syndrome, calls for better characterization and understanding of the changes in the immune system as well as their variance across COVID-19 patients in order to be able to design according to host-directed therapies. Here, we profiled blood transcriptomes of 39 COVID-19 patients and 10 control donors. Enriched granulocyte signatures in whole blood samples were verified in granulocyte samples from 49 COVID-19 patients in a second cohort.

  Study EGAS00001004503

• A benchmarking resource for NGS testing of cancer predisposition genes

  A benchmarking resource of 639 individuals, to assess the analytical sensitivity of cancer predisposition gene (CPG) testing.The dataset includes sequencing data generated using the TruSight Cancer Panel (TSCP) a targeted NGS assay for analysis of CPGs and orthogonally generated data supporting at least one pathogenic variant in a CPG for a total of 645 pathogenic CPG variants.The set of pathogenic CPG variants includes strong representation of some of the most challenging types of pathogenic variants, with 339 indels, including 16 complex indels and 24 insertions or deletions with length greater than 5bp, and 74 exon CNVs, including 23 single exon CNVs. There are 502 pathogenic variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2, making this an important first-line validation dataset for laboratories performing NGS testing of BRCA1 and BRCA2.

  Study EGAS00001002993

• Integrative Profiling of T790M Negative EGFR Mutated NSCLC Reveals Pervasive Lineage Transition and Therapeutic Opportunities

  We performed whole exome and transcriptome analysis of 59 first- and second-generation EGFR TKI resistant metastatic EGFR mutated patients to characterize and compare molecular alterations mediating resistance in T790M positive and negative disease. Transcriptomic analysis revealed ubiquitous loss of adenocarcinoma lineage gene expression in T790M negative tumors, orthogonally validated using multiplex immunohistochemistry. There was enrichment of genomic features such as TP53 alterations, 3q chromosomal amplifications, whole genome doubling and non-aging mutational signatures in T790M negative tumors. Almost half of resistant tumors were further classified as Immunehot, with clinical outcomes conditional on immune cell infiltration state and T790M status. Finally, using a Bayesian statistical approach, we explored how T790M negative and positive disease might be predicted using comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic profiles of treatment-naïve patients.

  Study EGAS00001005389

• Mullighan - PAX5-driven Subtypes

  Using integrated genomic analysis of 1.988 childhood and adult cases, we describe a revised taxonomy of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which incorporates 23 subtypes defined by chromosomal rearrangements, sequence mutations, or heterogeneous genomic alterations. Two subtypes have frequent alterations of the B lymphoid transcription factor gene PAX5. One, PAX5alt, has diverse PAX5 alterations, and a second subtype is defined by a single mutation, PAX5 P80R. We show that P80R impairs B lymphoid development and promotes the development of B-ALL in vivo. These results demonstrate the utility of transcriptome sequencing to classify B-ALL and reinforce the central role of PAX5 as a checkpoint in B lymphoid maturation and leukemogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001003266

• Neuroblastoma tumor heterogeneity and cell plasticity (from PDX and cell lines)

  Two cell identities, noradrenergic and mesenchymal, have been characterized in neuroblastoma cell lines according to their epigenetic landscapes relying on specific core regulatory circuitries of transcription factors. Yet, their relationship and relative contribution in patient tumors remain to be defined. Here, we document a spontaneous plasticity between the noradrenergic and mesenchymal identities in a subset of cell lines. Strikingly, mesenchymal neuroblastoma cells revert to a noradrenergic phenotype in vivo. Consistently, tumor cells with a mesenchymal identity are detected in single-cell transcriptomic analyses of neuroblastoma tumors and PDX models. Our data also highlight neuroblastoma intra-tumor heterogeneity with the co-existence of distinct tumor populations, including sympathoblast-like and chromaffin-like cells suggesting that neuroblastoma cells arise from a common sympatho-adrenal progenitor.

  Study EGAS00001004781

• Personalised therapy with MEK inhibition leads to a sustained complete response in an adolescent patient with a recurrent malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor

  The prognosis of recurrent malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) is dismal, with surgical resection being the only definitive salvage therapy. Treatment with chemo-radiation approaches has not significantly improved patient outcomes. Similarly, trials of therapies targeting MPNST genomic drivers have thus far been unsuccessful. Improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of MPNST indicates frequent activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cell signaling pathway. MEK inhibitors have shown activity in preclinical studies; however, their clinical efficacy has not been reported to date. We describe here a case of sustained complete response to MEK inhibition in an adolescent patient with a recurrent metastatic MPNST with multiple alterations in the MAPK pathway, guided by a precision oncology approach.

  Study EGAS00001004899

• Germline variant analysis in childhood AML

  Analysis of rare germline variants in childhood AML in a large panel of cancer predisposition genes (n=216) compiled from literature review, and including genes involved in familial hematological malignancies (HM) and bone marrow failure (BMF) syndromes. The prevalence of extremely rare variants in the combined childhood AML cohort (n=72) was compared to that in the Medical Genome Reference Bank (MGRB; n=2570) comprising individuals aged at least 70 years with no history of cardiovascular disease, dementia or cancer. This showed a significant increase of rare alleles in childhood AML for 100% of subset comparisons. Next additional stringent filtering was applied to determine predicted damaging germline predisposition variants. Overall, 21% of the Australian cohort and 25% of the TARGET cohort presented germline variants predicted to be damaging predisposition variants.

  Study EGAS00001006276

• Single cell whole genome sequencing of high hyperdiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  This dataset was collected from viable bone marrow cells obtained at diagnosis from nine patients with high hyperdiploid ALL and one normal bone marrow sample. All samples were subjected to low pass single cell whole genome sequencing with the median sequencing coverage of 0.02x. Single nuclei in G0/G1 phase were isolated using a fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) cytometer. DNA libraries were constructed and associated next-generation sequencing was carried out by European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Further details regarding the DNA libraries construction are available by Bos et. al., 2019 (https://link.springer.com/protocol/10.1007/978-1-4939-8931-7_15). The dataset has been used for copy number aberrations analysis.

  Study EGAS00001006347

• Pathogenic variants damage cell compositions and single cell transcription in cardiomyopathies

  Pathogenic variants in genes that cause dilated (DCM) and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies (ACM) convey high risks for the development of heart failure (HF) through unknown mechanisms. Using single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq), we characterized the transcriptome of 880,000 nuclei from 18 control and 61 failing, non-ischemic human hearts with pathogenic variants in DCM and ACM genes or idiopathic disease. We performed genotype-stratified analyses of the ventricular cell lineages and transcriptional states. The resultant DCM and ACM ventricular cell atlas demonstrated distinct right and left ventricular responses, highlighting genotype-associated pathways, intercellular interactions, and differential gene expression at single cell resolution. Together these data illuminate both shared and distinct cellular and molecular architectures of human HF and suggest novel candidate therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS00001006374

• Upper respiratory microbiome of COVID-19 patients

  Understanding the pathology of COVID-19 is a global research priority. Early evidence suggests that the microbiome may be playing a role in disease progression, yet current studies report contradictory results. Here, we examine potential confounders in COVID-19 microbiome studies by analyzing the upper respiratory tract microbiome in well-phenotyped COVID-19 patients and controls combining microbiome sequencing, viral load determination, and immunoprofiling. We found that time in the intensive care unit and the type of oxygen support explained the most variation within the upper respiratory tract microbiome, dwarfing (non-significant) effects from viral load, disease severity, and immune status. Specifically, mechanical ventilation was linked to altered community structure, lower species- and higher strain-level diversity, and significant shifts in oral taxa previously associated with COVID-19.

  Study EGAS00001004951

• Single-cell multi-omics of relapse/refractory multiple myeloma patients (Hipo K08K/H067/K43R)

  Therapy resistance in cancers is ingrained in complex clonal dynamics. While the major clonal population in a tumour might respond well to the employed intervention, minor clones will eventually mutate, consequently acquiring a selective advantage and drug resistance. Hence, to improve cancer therapy, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms behind clonal evolution. Here, we applied single-cell transcriptomics and epigenomics, as well as whole-genome sequencing to 15 patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). By profiling longitudinal samples throughout varying treatment regimens, we were able to interrogate patterns of evolution across patients. In particular, by defining clones based on copy number aberrations (CNAs), we found evidence for the majority of clones being diminished but not fully eradicated during treatment.

  Study EGAS00001006538

• Longitudinal monitoring of cell-free DNA methylation in ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients

  Here, we performed genome-wide 5-mC profiling in plasma of metastatic ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. We established a strategy to identify ALK-specific 5-mC changes from cfDNA and demonstrated the suitability of the identified markers for cancer detection, prognosis and therapy monitoring. Longitudinal plasma samples (n = 79) of 21 ALK-positive NSCLC patients and 13 healthy donors were collected alongside 15 ALK-positive tumor tissue and 10 healthy lung tissue specimens. All plasma and tissue samples were analyzed by cell-free DNA methylation immunoprecipitation sequencing to generate genome-wide 5-mC profiles. Information on genomic alterations (i.e., somatic mutations/fusions and copy number alterations) determined in matched plasma samples were available from previous studies.

  Study EGAS00001006573

• Persistent Mutation Burden Drives Sustained Anti-Tumor Immune Responses

  Tumor mutation burden is an imperfect proxy of tumor foreignness and has therefore failed to consistently demonstrate clinical utility in predicting responses in the context of immunotherapy. We evaluated mutations in regions of the genome that are unlikely to undergo loss and discovered that clonal mutations in single-copy regions and those present in multiple copies per cell constitute a persistent tumor mutation burden (pTMB) that is linked with therapeutic response to immune checkpoint blockade. Persistent mutations were retained in the context of tumor evolution under selective pressure of immunotherapy and tumors with a high pTMB content were characterized by a more inflamed tumor microenvironment. pTMB imposes an evolutionary bottleneck that cancer cells cannot overcome and may thus drive sustained immunologic tumor control in the context of immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001006660

• The Iberian Roma genetic variant server

  The Roma are the most numerous ethnic minority in Europe. The Iberian Roma arrived in the Iberian Peninsula five centuries ago and still today, they keep a strong group identity. Demographic and cultural reasons lie behind a high rate of Mendelian disease often related to founder variants. We have analysed exome data from 119 Iberian Roma individuals collected from 2018 to 2020. A database of variant frequency has been implemented (IRPVS) and made available online. We have analysed the carrier rate of founder private alleles as well as pathogenic variants present in the general population. Significant enrichment in structural variants involving gene clusters related to keratinization and epidermal growth suggest that evolutive mechanisms have developed towards climate and environmental adaptation. IRPVS can be accessed at http://irpvs.clinbioinfosspa.es/

  Study EGAS00001006758

• GCparagon: Evaluation and correction of GC biases in cell-free DNA at the fragment level

  We present GCparagon, a two-stage algorithm for computing and correcting GC biases in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples. The length of the highly fragmented cfDNAs and the number of GC bases are essential parameters in the calculations. Regions of low mappability, known reference genome assembly errors and regions surrounding assembly gaps are excluded from the bias computation. GCparagon outputs a bias matrix and an optional tagged BAM file with GC bias balance weights as alignment tags. Parallelization allows calculation of a GC bias estimate in less than 2 minutes per sample with between 99.0% and 99.9% of fragments already corrected. We propose that GCparagon can help standardize cfDNA applications and evaluate the impact of GC bias on algorithms used in the analysis of liquid biopsy data.

  Study EGAS00001006963

• ATAC-Seq of inflamed and non-inflamed biopsies

  Inflamed and non-inflamed biopsies were digested for 45 minutes at 37ºC with collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum (Sigma). Suspension cells were then stained with an antibody cocktail to sort live CD8-CD4+ T cells. After isolating crude nuclei of two thousand live CD4+ T cells, they were treated with Tagment DNA buffer and Tagment DNA Enzyme (Nextera DNA Library Prep Kit, Illumina), and then the DNA was purified by MinElute PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen). Transposed DNA fragments were amplified using specific adapters followed by purification with MinElute PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen). Fragments from 240-360pb were selected in the PippinHT system (Sage Science). The quality of the library and its DNA concentration were assessed by Bioanalyzer instruments (Agilent Technologies) and ultimately submitted for sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencer, V4 chemistry.

  Study EGAS00001007344

• Genomics Define Malignant Transformation in Myeloma Precursor Conditions

  Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). While these precursor conditions are asymptomatic, they are not entirely benign and carry a lifelong risk of progression to MM. Unlike other cancers defined by pathology, malignant transformation from MGUS or SMM to MM has so far relied on demonstration of clinical end-organ damage as morphology and cytogenetics cannot reliably distinguish them. In this study, using genomic data from 374 patients with MGUS or SMM (277 training, 97 validation), to our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time the ability to identify malignant transformation in MGUS and SMM. We introduce the concept of genomic MM and genomic MGUS to differentiate the subsets of MGUS and SMM that are biologically malignant with genomic features indistinguishable from MM from the subset that is premalignant and unlikely to progress to malignancy. Importantly, we find that most SMM has biological features of malignant transformation indistinguishable from MM. As expected, this subset that we consider having genomic MM is associated with a high risk of progression to MM although some patients remained progression-free beyond 5 years. Conversely, 60% of MGUS and 10% of SMM have no evidence of malignant transformation (genomic MGUS), with no progression during follow-up. Integration of genomic features with the 2/20/20 International Myeloma Working Group model significantly improved the prediction of progression among genomic MM. These findings support the use of genomic criteria to refine the classification and the risk stratification in myeloma precursor conditions.

  Dataset EGAD00001015768

• RNA-seq data from 224 advanced prostate tumors generated by the West Coast Dream Team

  224 pairs of FASTQ files from metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) sequenced on HiSeq 4000 instruments. Patients were enrolled in the West Coast Dream Team study. Biopsies include various tissue sites including bone, soft tissue, and lymph node.

  Dataset EGAD00001008487

• Southern African Prostate Cancer Study (SAPCS) Ethnic Disparity

  The cohort (n=130) consists of prostate cancer patients from South Africa (n=123) and Brazil (n=7). For each patient, a pair of blood and tumour samples were collected. The sequencing data was mapped to hg38 reference. Blood BAMs are named with “-B” as suffix and tumour BAMs are named with “-T” as suffix.

  Dataset EGAD00001009067

• RNA-seq data from 164 advanced prostate tumors generated by the West Coast Dream Team including 42 paired samles

  164 pairs of FASTQ files from metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) sequenced on HiSeq 4000 instruments. Patients were enrolled in the West Coast Dream Team study. Biopsies include various tissue sites including bone, soft tissue, and lymph node. 42 pairs prior to enzalutamide treatment and at progression from 21 patients are included.

  Dataset EGAD00001009065

• Genome-wide associations of human gut microbiota variation and implications for causal inference analyses

  Here we use appropriate taxon-specific models along with support from independent cohorts to show association between human host genotype and gut microbiome variation. Using fecal derived 16S rRNA gene sequences and host genotype data from the Flemish Gut Flora Project (FGFP) we identify genetic associations involving multiple microbial traits. Mendelian randomization analysis was able to estimate associations between microbial traits and disease, however in the absence of clear microbiome driven effects, caution is needed in interpretation. This work marks a growing catalog of genetic associations which will provide insight into the contribution of host genotype to gut microbiome. Despite this, the uncertain origin of association signals will likely complicate future work looking to dissect function or use associations for causal inference analysis.

  Study EGAS00001004420

• FOXM1 is a biomarker of resistance to PI3Kα inhibition in ER+ breast cancer that is detectable using metabolic imaging (RNA-seq data)

  PIK3CA, encoding the PI3Kα isoform, is the most frequently mutated oncogene in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors are used clinically but intrinsic and acquired resistance limits their utility. Improved selection of patients that will benefit from these drugs requires novel predictive biomarkers. We show here that persistent FOXM1 expression following drug treatment is a biomarker of resistance to PI3Kα inhibition in ER+ breast cancer. Since the transcription factor drives expression of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) but not hexokinase 2 (HK-II), changes in FOXM1 expression can be detected using magnetic resonance imaging of LDH-catalyzed hyperpolarized 13C label exchange between pyruvate and lactate but not by PET measurements of HK-II-mediated trapping of the glucose analog 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose.

  Study EGAS00001004452

• Correction of a Factor VIII genomic inversion with designer recombinases

  Despite advances in nuclease-based genome editing technologies, correcting human disease-causing genomic inversions remains a challenge. Here, we describe the potential use of a recombinase-based system to correct the 140 kb inversion of the F8 gene frequently found in patients diagnosed with severe Hemophilia A. Employing substrate-linked directed molecular evolution, we developed a coupled heterodimeric recombinase system (RecF8) achieving 30% inversion of the target sequence in human tissue culture cells. Transient RecF8 treatment of endothelial cells, differentiated from patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of a hemophilic donor, resulted in 12% correction of the inversion and restored Factor VIII mRNA expression. Our data suggests that designer-recombinases may represent efficient and specific means towards treatment of monogenic diseases caused by large gene inversions.

  Study EGAS00001005496

• Defining T cell States Associated with Response to Checkpoint Immunotherapy in Melanoma

  Checkpoint blockade therapy using antibodies targeting CTLA4, PD1 or PDL1 have changed the way cancer patients with advanced disease are being treated, as evident by their FDA approval in a wide variety of malignancies, and their ability to induce high response rates when compared to conventional therapies (e.g. chemotherapy). However, even in melanoma, despite the high response rate, most patients are refractory to therapy or acquire resistance in 10-12 months. To identify key immunological elements coupled with response or resistance to checkpoint immunotherapy, we performed an unbiased analysis on 16,291 CD45+ immune cells from 32 patients (48 samples) treated with checkpoint therapy (anti-PD1=37; anti-PD1/CTLA4=11), using single cell transcriptomics. Initial unsupervised clustering of all CD45+ cells identified 11 clusters. When examining the association of these clusters with clinical outcome, we found that two clusters (B-cells, p=0.005; memory T-cells, p=0.03) were significantly enriched in responder lesions while 4 clusters (monocytes/macrophages, p=0.003; dendritic cells, p=0.015; exhausted CD8+ T-cells, p=0.005; and exhausted/cell-cycle lymphocytes, 1.3x10-5) are enriched in non-responder lesions. Next, by leveraging our unbiased single cell approach, we identified not only clusters but also specific markers associated with either responder lesions (PLAC8, LTB, LY9, SELL, TCF7, IGKC and CCR7) or non-responder ones (CCL3, CD38, HAVCR2, ENTPD1 and WARS), many of which were not previously reported to be associated with clinical outcome to checkpoint therapy. Due to the importance of CD8+ T-cells in controlling tumors, the significant association of T-cell states with clinical outcome, and their high abundance in melanoma tumors, we next focused our analysis on CD8+ T-cells and identified 2 main clusters CD8_G (with increased expression of genes linked to memory) and CD8_B (enriched for genes linked to cell dysfunction), that were significantly enriched in responder (CD8_G, p=1.4x10-6) and non-responder (CD8_B, p=0.005) lesions, respectively. Since cells with both states coexist in each of the responder and non-responder lesions, we decided to calculate the ratio between the number of cells in these 2 clusters and observed a significant separation between responders (CD8_G/CD8_B>1) and non-responders (CD8_G/CD8_B<1) when looking at all samples, baseline or post samples separately. Similar results were detected when looking at the expression of a single transcription factor, TCF7, in CD8 T-cells in an independent cohort (n=43) using a simple immunofluorescence assay. Additionally, we validated the identity and function of some of the newly identified cell states as well as their epigenetic landscape, and found that cells expressing the inhibitory molecules CD39 and TIM3, on top of being enriched in non-responder lesions, are likely to play a crucial role in T-cell exhaustion in melanoma. Collectively, our study provides extensive unbiased data in human tumors for discovery of predictors and therapeutic targets to checkpoint immunotherapy.

  Study phs001680

• Whole-Genome Sequencing in Multiplex Epilepsy Families

  Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders, affecting approximately 4% of individuals at some time in their lives. More than 30% of people with epilepsy continue to have seizures despite treatment, and improved approaches to treatment and prevention are sorely needed. In the search for new strategies to reduce the burden of disease, the discovery of specific genes that influence risk offers a novel opportunity to clarify pathogenic mechanisms, identify susceptible individuals prior to seizure onset, and treat and prevent seizures in people at risk. Despite clear evidence of the importance of genetics in susceptibility to epilepsy, only limited progress has been made in identifying the specific genes that influence risk. One of the greatest challenges for genetic research on this disorder is its extreme clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Although epilepsy is broadly defined by recurrent unprovoked seizures, it is so variable in its clinical manifestations, natural history, and treatment response that most epileptologists view it as a collection of different syndromes ("epilepsies") with distinct etiologies. The genetic effects on susceptibility are also likely to be extremely variable, ranging from rare variants with high penetrance (some of which produce Mendelian patterns of inheritance) to common variants with low penetrance. Recent findings strongly suggest that rare gene variants play a major role in the genetic architecture of the epilepsies. The purpose of this study was to discover new genetic risk factors for epilepsy. The primary approach was to use whole-genome sequencing to interrogate classes of genetic variants, including very rare variants, in multiplex families. Our main hypothesis was that, in at least some proportion of these families, a single variant would explain all instances of epilepsy. Variants identified within the families could then be tested for cosegregation within the family and also validated by seeing enrichment in sporadic epilepsy cases. Furthermore, understanding the impact of rare variation in epilepsy also has the potential to provide insight into the genetic architecture of other complex human diseases. Our analysis focused on families containing multiple individuals with non-acquired (idiopathic or unknown cause) epilepsy under the hypothesis that these would be enriched for genetic control. The families studied had been previously collected and phenotyped in detail, and contain an average of 3.8 individuals per family with a range of different types of epilepsy. We selected one or two affected individuals from each family for sequencing. This work has generated NGS data on 60 samples from 29 multiplex epilepsy families. We have established that, under a monogenic model of inheritance, sequencing pairs of distantly related relatives is an effective method for reducing the number of candidate variants. Critically, we have found that no single variant can explain a large proportion of these epilepsy families. This work emphasizes that identifying causal variants among the many genetic candidates found in this work will require very large sample sizes and gene-based analyses.

  Study phs000690

• Robust detection of translocations in lymphoma FFPE samples using Targeted Locus Capture-based sequencing

  Chromosomal translocations with immunoglobin (IG) loci are the classic drivers in a large subset of B-cell lymphomas. Detection of these translocations is important for confirmation of diagnosis and for prognosis and therapy decisions. Currently, molecular diagnosis of translocations in lymphomas is not addressed well by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). The standard method for detection of translocations is Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH), which is labor-intensive, and can be difficult to interpret. There is a need for a robust technology that can be standardized. Targeted Locus Capture (TLC) selectively enriches and sequences entire genes based on the crosslinking of physically proximal sequences, and thereby enables complete sequencing of genes of interest, including detection of large structural variants. Because the technology is based on the crosslinking and fragmenting of DNA, it has particular advantages in the analysis of Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) samples, in which DNA is inherently crosslinked and fragmented. In order to validate the FFPE-TLC technology as a novel approach for translocation detection in lymphoma samples, we have developed a panel assay containing genes with frequent translocations (MYC, BCL2, BCL6, IG loci). With this assay we have analyzed >140 lymphoma and control FFPE samples of variable input amounts and qualities that had previously been analyzed with FISH, and a subset also with standard targeted NGS. Good concordance with FISH results was observed for both translocation positive and negative samples. In 10 cases for which FFPE-TLC detected a relevant fusion and FISH had been called negative, discordance could be explained by higher sensitivity of FFPE-TLC or by inconclusive FISH results. In a specific case, FFPE-TLC detected a small-distance rearrangement on chromosome 3 that caused a BCL6 fusion but led to insufficient and therefore undetectable break-apart with FISH. Secondly, the FFPE-TLC approach was tested on a set of 19 B-cell lymphoma FFPE samples that had previously been analyzed using standard targeted NGS and FISH and was enriched for discordant results between these methods. FFPE-TLC-based NGS enables more robust translocation calling as the detection relies on broad sequencing coverage across the translocation partner rather than on breakpoint sequences only. In 3 cases, FFPE-TLC could proof false negative calls in standard targeted NGS due to breakpoints located in regions difficult to capture or to sequence. In 1 case, standard targeted NGS had made a false positive call on a breakpoint sequence that was shown to be caused by a small insertion rather than a genuine translocation. This study shows that FFPE-TLC promises to be a robust alternative for FISH analysis and standard targeted NGS procedures in lymphoma diagnostics and possibly in other cancers with frequent structural variants. The FFPE-TLC approach enables a single, DNA-based NGS test detecting both small mutations and translocations.

  Study EGAS00001004760