Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

A combined circulating tumor DNA and protein biomarker-based liquid biopsy for the earlier detection of pancreatic cancer

The earlier diagnosis of cancer is one of the keys to reducing future cancer deaths. Here we describe our efforts to develop a non-invasive, blood test for the detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We combined blood tests for KRAS gene mutations with carefully thresholded protein biomarkers to determine whether the combination of these markers was superior to any single marker. The cohort tested included 221 patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and 185 control patients without known cancers. KRAS mutations were detected in the plasma of 66 patients (30%) and every mutation found in the plasma was identical to that subsequently found in the patients' primary tumor (100% concordance). The use of KRAS in conjunction with two thresholded protein biomarkers (CA19-9 and prolactin) increased the sensitivity to 67%. Only one of the 185 plasma samples from the control cohort were positive for any of the three markers (99.5% specificity). This combinatorial approach may prove useful for the earlier detection of many cancer types.

Study EGAS00001002444

Mutations in SPINK2 induce azoospermia

Azoospermia, characterized by the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate is a common cause of male infertility with a poorly characterized etiology. Exome sequencing analysis of two azoospermic brothers allowed the identification of a homozygous splice mutation in SPINK2, encoding a serine protease inhibitor believed to target acrosin, the main sperm acrosomal protease. In accord with these findings we observed that homozygous Spink2 KO male mice had azoospermia. Moreover, despite normal fertility, heterozygous male mice had a high rate of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa and a reduced sperm motility. Further analysis demonstrated that in the absence of Spink2, protease-induced stress initiates Golgi fragmentation and prevents acrosome biogenesis leading to spermatid differentiation arrest. We also observed a deleterious effect of acrosin overexpression in HEK cells, effect that was alleviated by SPINK2 coexpression confirming its role as acrosin inhibitor. These results demonstrate that SPINK2 is necessary to neutralize proteases during their cellular transit towards the acrosome and that its deficiency induces a pathological continuum ranging from oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in heterozygotes to azoospermia in homozygotes.

Study EGAS00001002450

Integrative genomic analysis identifies multiple subtypes and therapeutic targets in acute erythroid leukemia

Acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) is a high risk leukemia of poorly understood genetic basis, and controversy regarding diagnosis in the spectrum of myelodysplasia and myeloid leukemia. We compared genomic and clinical features of 159 childhood and adult AEL cases to non-AEL myeloid disorders, and identified patterns of mutation that describe 5 age-related subgroups with distinct transcriptional profiles: adult, TP53-mutated; NPM1-mutated; KMT2A-mutated/rearranged; adult, DDX41-mutated; and pediatric, NUP98-rearranged. Mutational spectra were age-dependent and significantly associated with outcome, with NPM1 mutations and high HOXB9 expression being associated with favorable prognosis, and TP53, FLT3 and RB1 alterations associated with poor survival. Targetable signaling mutations were present in 45% of cases, and include recurrent mutations of ALK and NTRK1, the latter of which drive erythroid leukemogenesis sensitive to TRK inhibition. This genomic landscape of AEL provides the framework for accurate diagnosis and risk stratification of this disease, and the rationale for testing targeted therapies in this form of leukemia that has hitherto and dismal outcome.

Study EGAS00001002537

Genetic history of the Comorian populations.

At the dawn of the second millennium, the expansion of the Indian Ocean trading network aligned with the emergence of an outward-oriented community along the East African coast to create a cosmopolitan cultural and trading zone known as the Swahili Corridor. Based on analyses of genome-wide genotyping data in 140 individuals from coastal Kenya and the Comoros islands, along with 3,477 individuals from the Indian Ocean rim, we reconstruct historical population dynamics showing that the Swahili Corridor is largely an East Bantu genetic continuum. Within this continuity significant gene flows from the Middle East can be seen in the Swahili and Comorians at dates corresponding to the Islamization of East Africa. However the main external gene flow into insular populations of the Swahili Corridor, such as Comorian and Malagasy groups, came from Island Southeast Asia as early as the 10th century. Remarkably, our results reflect archaeological and linguistic data in suggesting that the Comoros archipelago is the oldest place of contact between Austronesian and African populations in the Swahili Corridor.

Study EGAS00001002565

Intratumoral plasma cells predict outcomes to PD-L1 blockade in non-small cell lung cancer

Inhibitors of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) signaling axis are approved to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, based on their significant overall survival (OS) benefit. Using transcriptomic analysis of 891 NSCLC tumors from patients treated with either the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab or chemotherapy from two large randomized clinical trials, we found a significant B cell association with extended OS with PD-L1 blockade, independent of CD8+ T cell signals. We then derived gene signatures corresponding to the dominant B cell subsets present in NSCLC from single-cell RNA-seq data. Importantly, we found increased plasma cell signatures to be predictive of OS in patients treated with atezolizumab, but not chemotherapy. B cells were also associated with the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures and organized lymphoid aggregates. Our results suggest an important contribution of B and plasma cells to PD-L1 blockade efficacy in NSCLC.

Study EGAS00001005013

Kalirin-RAC controls nucleokinetic migration in ADRN-type neuroblastoma

The migrational propensity of neuroblastoma is affected by cell identity, but the mechanisms behind the divergence remain unknown. Using RNAi and time-lapse imaging, we show that ADRN-type NB cells exhibit RAC1- and kalirin-dependent nucleokinetic (NUC) migration that relies on several integral components of neuronal migration. Inhibition of NUC migration by RAC1 and kalirin-GEF1 inhibitors occurs without hampering cell proliferation and ADRN identity. Using three clinically-relevant expression dichotomies, we reveal that most of up-regulated mRNAs in RAC1- and kalirin-GEF1-suppressed ADRN-type NB cells are associated with low-risk characteristics. The computational analysis shows that, in a context of overall gene set poverty, the upregulomes in RAC1- and kalirin-GEF1-suppressed ADRN-type cells are a batch of AU-rich elements (ARE)-containing mRNAs, which suggests a link between NUC migration and mRNA stability. GSEA-based search for vulnerabilities reveals prospective weak points in RAC1- and kalirin-GEF1-suppressed ADRN-type NB cells, including activities of H3K27- and DNA methyltransferases. Altogether, these data support the introduction of NUC inhibitors into cancer treatment research.

Study EGAS00001005023

HCA_Female_Reporductive_Adult_WSSS_RNA

Cell atlas of the human placenta The Human Cell Atlas initiative is an ambitious global research effort which aims to describe every cell in the human body across all developmental stages to generate a reference map to accelerate progress in science and medicine particularly relating to human development and disease. The initiative is led by investigators based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and funding support from the Wellcome and NIH. This specific project will assess human development. We aim to interrogate the cellular composition and molecular regulators underpinning development and maturation through single cell RNA-sequencing/spatial transcriptomics and computational algorithms to predict cellular developmental trajectories and cell-cell interactions. We will subsequent validate these findings in situ using allied imaging technologies e.g. immunohistochemistry and RNAscope and in vitro culture of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). 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 EGAS00001004210

Genomic and functional fidelity of small cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) can be generated from biopsies or circulating tumor cells (CTCs), though scarcity of tissue and low efficiency of tumor growth have previously limited these approaches. Applying an established clinical-translational pipeline for tissue collection and an automated microfluidic platform for CTC-enrichment, we generated 17 biopsy-derived PDXs and 17 CTC-derived PDXs in a two-year timeframe, at efficiencies of 89% and 38%, respectively. Whole exome sequencing showed that somatic alterations are stably maintained between patient tumors and PDXs. Early-passage PDXs maintain the genomic and transcriptional profiles of the founder PDX. In vivo treatment with etoposide and cisplatin (EP) in 30 PDX models demonstrated greater sensitivity in PDXs from EP naïve patients, and resistance to EP corresponded to increased expression of a MYC gene signature. Finally, serial CTC-derived PDXs generated from an individual patient at multiple time points accurately recapitulated the evolving drug sensitivities of that patient’s disease. Collectively, this work highlights the translational potential of this strategy.

Study EGAS00001002853

Exome sequencing demonstrates a dual origin of relapses in retinoic-acid resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Retinoic acid (RA) and arsenic target the PML/RARA driver of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), their combination now curing over 95% patients. Here we report exome sequencing of 64 matched diagnosis/remission/relapses patients treated with historical RA/chemotherapy protocols. A first subgroup presents a high incidence of oncogenic mutations disrupting key epigenetic or transcriptional regulators (primarily WT1) or activating MAPK signaling at diagnosis. Relapses retain these cooperating oncogenes and exhibit additional oncogenic alterations and/or mutations impeding therapy response (RARA, NT5C2). The second group primarily exhibits FLT3 activation at diagnosis, which is lost upon relapse together with most other passenger mutations, implying that relapses derive from pre-leukemic PML/RARA-expressing cells that survived RA/chemotherapy. Accordingly, clonogenic activity of PML/RARA-immortalized progenitors ex vivo is only transiently affected by RA, but selectively abrogated by arsenic. Our studies stress the role of cooperating oncogenes in direct relapses and suggest that targeting pre-leukemic cells by arsenic contributes to its clinical efficacy.

Study EGAS00001002893

Somatic_mutation_profiling_of_intestinal_crypts_from_IBD

In this project we want to investigate the role that somatic mutations in intestinal stem cells play in IBD. We will use laser capture microdissection to ascertain epithelial cells from an individual crypts/vilus. We will extract DNA from these and use a new low-input material library prep methods to make accurate libraries for sequencing. In this pilot phase of the project we will perform 15X whole-genome sequencing of a small number of crypts biopsied from four patients. Biopsies have been taken from inflammed and noninflammed patches to compare mutation rates and mutational signatures. We will also test if crypts from inflammed patches of a single patient are clonal (either within a given inflammed patch or across inflammed patches). We will quantify the rate of cancer driver mutations in inflammed and non-inflammed crypts. 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 EGAS00001002896

Interferon lambda 4 impairs viral antigen presentation and attenuates T cell responses

Genetic variants of the interferon lambda (IFNL) gene locus are strongly associated with spontaneous and IFN treatment induced clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Individuals with the ancestral IFNL4-dG allele are not able to clear HCV in the acute phase and develop chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with more than 90% probability. Paradoxically, the IFNL4-dG allele encodes a fully functional IFNλ4 protein with antiviral activity against HCV and coronavirus. Here we describe a hitherto unknown effect of IFNλ4 on HCV antigen presentation. Only minor amounts of IFNλ4 are secreted, because the protein is largely retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where it induces ER stress. Stressed cells were significantly weaker activators of HCV specific CD8+ T cells. This was not due to reduced MHC I surface presentation or extracellular IFNλ4 effects, since T cell responses could be restored by exogenous loading of MHC with HCV antigens. Rather, IFNλ4 induced ER stress impaired HCV antigen processing and/or loading onto the MHC I complex. Our results provide a potential explanation for the IFNλ4 – HCV paradox.

Study EGAS00001005396

Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world

Multiple lines of evidence show that modern humans interbred with archaic Denisovans. Here, we report an account of shared demographic history between Australasians and Denisovans distinctively in Island Southeast Asia. Our analyses are based on ~2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines including 25 diverse self-identified Negrito populations, along with high-coverage genomes of AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos. We show that Ayta Magbukon possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world – ~30-40% greater than that of Australians and Papuans – consistent with an independent admixture event into Negritos from Denisovans. Together with the recently described Homo luzonensis, we suggest that there were multiple archaic species that inhabited the Philippines prior to the arrival of modern humans, and that these archaic groups may have been genetically related. Altogether, our findings unveil a complex intertwined history of modern and archaic humans in the Asia-Pacific region, where distinct Islander Denisovan populations differentially admixed with incoming Australasians across multiple locations and at various points in time.

Study EGAS00001005407

Multimodal single-cell and bulk glioma analyses

Glioma intratumoral heterogeneity enables adaptation to challenging microenvironments and contributes to therapeutic resistance. We integrated 914 single-cell DNA methylomes, 55,284 single-cell transcriptomes, and bulk multi-omic profiles across 11 adult IDH-mutant or IDH-wild-type gliomas to delineate sources of intratumoral heterogeneity. We show that local DNA methylation disorder associates with cell-to-cell DNA methylation differences, is elevated in more aggressive tumors, links with transcriptional disruption, and is altered in environmental stress response. Glioma cells under in vitro hypoxic and irradiation stress increased local DNA methylation disorder and shifted cell states. We identified a positive association between genetic and epigenetic instability that was supported in bulk longitudinally collected DNA methylation data. Increased DNA methylation disorder associated with accelerated disease progression, and recurrently selected DNA methylation changes were enriched for environmental stress response pathways. Our work identifies an epigenetically facilitated adaptive stress response process and highlights the importance of epigenetic heterogeneity in shaping therapeutic outcomes.

Study EGAS00001005300

An instructive role for IL7RA in the development of human B-cell precursor leukemia

Kinase signaling fuels growth of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Yet its role in leukemia initiation is unclear and has not been shown in primary human hematopoietic cells. We previously described activating mutations in interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL7RA) in poor-prognosis “ph-like” BCP-ALL. Here we show that expression of activated mutant IL7RA in human CD34+ hematopoietic cells creates a preleukemic state in transplanted NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγnull mice, characterized by persistence of self-renewing Pro-B cells with non-productive V(D)J gene rearrangements. Preleukemic CD34+CD10highCD19+ cells evolved to a BCP-ALL with spontaneously acquired CDKN2A deletions as commonly observed in primary human BCP-ALL. CRISPR mediated silencing of CDKN2A in primary human CD34+ cells transduced with activated IL7RA resulted in robust development of BCP-ALLs in-vivo. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that constitutive activation of IL7RA can initiate preleukemia in primary human hematopoietic progenitors and cooperates with CDKN2A silencing in progression into BCP-ALL.

Study EGAS00001005347

Mapping the breast cancer metastatic cascade onto circulating tumour DNA using genetic and epigenetic clonal tracking

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) allows tracking the evolution of human cancers at high resolution, overcoming many limitations of tissue biopsies. However, exploiting ctDNA to determine how a patient’s cancer is evolving in order to aid clinical decisions remains difficult. This is because ctDNA is a mix of fragmented alleles, and the contribution of different cancer cell subpopulations from distinct lesions to ctDNA remains largely unknown. Profiling of ctDNA almost invariably requires prior knowledge of what genomic alterations to track. Here we leverage on a rapid autopsy programme to demonstrate that unbiased genomic characterisation of several metastatic sites and concomitant ctDNA profiling at whole-genome resolution reveals the extent to which ctDNA is representative of widespread disease. We also present a ctDNA methylation profiling method that allows tracking evolutionary changes in the cancer cell population at single-molecule resolution without prior knowledge. These results have critical implications for the use of liquid biopsies to monitor cancer evolution in humans and potentially guide treatment.

Study EGAS00001004014

HCA_Placenta_Adult_Vento_RNA

The Human Cell Atlas initiative is an ambitious global research effort which aims to describe every cell in the human body across all developmental stages to generate a reference map to accelerate progress in science and medicine particularly relating to human development and disease. The initiative is led by investigators based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and funding support from the Wellcome and NIH. This specific project will assess human development. We aim to interrogate the cellular composition and molecular regulators underpinning development and maturation through single cell RNA-sequencing/spatial transcriptomics and computational algorithms to predict cellular developmental trajectories and cell-cell interactions. We will subsequent validate these findings in situ using allied imaging technologies e.g. immunohistochemistry and RNAscope and in vitro culture of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). 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 EGAS00001004069

Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world

Multiple lines of evidence show that modern humans interbred with archaic Denisovans. Here, we report an account of shared demographic history between Australasians and Denisovans distinctively in Island Southeast Asia. Our analyses are based on ~2.3 million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines including 25 diverse self-identified Negrito populations, along with high-coverage genomes of AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos. We show that Ayta Magbukon possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world – ~30-40% greater than that of Australians and Papuans – consistent with an independent admixture event into Negritos from Denisovans. Together with the recently described Homo luzonensis, we suggest that there were multiple archaic species that inhabited the Philippines prior to the arrival of modern humans, and that these archaic groups may have been genetically related. Altogether, our findings unveil a complex intertwined history of modern and archaic humans in the Asia-Pacific region, where distinct Islander Denisovan populations differentially admixed with incoming Australasians across multiple locations and at various points in time.

Study EGAS00001005408

Comprehensive pharmacogenomic characterization of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is among the most lethal human malignancies. Previous studies have identified molecular aberrations that constitute dynamic biological networks and genomic complexities of gastric tumors. However, the clinical translation of molecular-guided targeted therapy is hampered by challenges. Notably, solid tumors often harbor multiple genetic alterations, complicating the development of effective treatments. To address such challenges, we established a comprehensive dataset of molecularly annotated patient derivatives coupled with pharmacological profiles for 60 targeted agents to explore dynamic pharmacogenomic interactions in gastric cancers. We identified lineage-specific drug sensitivities based on histopathological and molecular subclassification, including substantial sensitivities toward VEGFR and EGFR inhibition therapies in diffuse- and signet ring-type gastric tumors, respectively. We identified potential therapeutic opportunities for WNT pathway inhibitors in ALK-mutant tumors, a significant association between PIK3CA-E542K mutation and AZD5363 response, and transcriptome expression of RNF11 as a potential predictor of response to gefitinib. Collectively, our results demonstrate the feasibility of drug screening combined with tumor molecular characterization to facilitate personalized therapeutic regimens for gastric tumors.

Study EGAS00001004106

DERMATLAS__Hidradenoma_papilliferum_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are hidradenoma papilliferums.

Study EGAS00001005715

DERMATLAS__Porocarcinoma_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are porocarcinomas.

Study EGAS00001005721

Cancer immune control needs senescence induction by Stat1 dependent cell cycle regulator pathways in tumours

Immune checkpoint bloackade (ICB)-based or natural cancer immune responses largely eliminate tumours. Yet, they require additional mechanisms to arrest those cancer cells that are not rejected. Cytokine-induced senescence (CIS) can stably arrest cancer cells, suggesting that interferon-dependent induction of senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators is needed to control those cancer cells that escape from killing. Here we report in two different cancers sensitive to T cell-mediated rejection, we show that deletion of the senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators p16Ink4a/p19Arf (Cdkn2a) or p21Cip1 (Cdkn1a) in the tumour cells abrogated both, the natural and the ICB-induced cancer immune control. Also in humans, melanoma metastases that progressed rapidly during ICB have losses of senescence-inducing genes and amplifications of senescence inhibitors. Metastatic cells also resist CIS. Such genetic and functional alterations are infrequent in metastatic melanomas regressing during ICB. Thus, activation of tumour-intrinsic, senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators is required to stably arrest those cancer cells that escape from eradication.

Study EGAS00001004151

A blood atlas of COVID-19 defines hallmarks of disease severity and specificity

Treatment of severe COVID-19 is currently limited by clinical heterogeneity and incomplete understanding of potentially druggable immune mediators of disease. To advance this, we present a comprehensive multi-omic blood atlas in patients with varying COVID-19 severity and compare with influenza, sepsis and healthy volunteers. We identify immune signatures and correlates of host response. Hallmarks of disease severity revealed cells, their inflammatory mediators and networks as potential therapeutic targets, including progenitor cells and specific myeloid and lymphocyte subsets, features of the immune repertoire, acute phase response, metabolism and coagulation. Persisting immune activation involving AP-1/p38MAPK was a specific feature of COVID-19. The plasma proteome enabled sub-phenotyping into patient clusters, predictive of severity and outcome. Tensor and matrix decomposition of the overall dataset revealed feature groupings linked with disease severity and specificity. Our systems-based integrative approach and blood atlas will inform future drug development, clinical trial design and personalised medicine approaches for COVID-19.

Study EGAS00001005493

Automated image-based profiling of complex drug induced phenotypes in patient-derived organoids

We established a platform for high-throughput confocal fluorescence microscopy and automated image analysis to perform large-scale drug response profiling with patient derived organoids (PDOs). Using PDO lines newly established from colorectal cancer patients with a standardized workflow, we performed chemical perturbations with more than 500 experimental and clinically used compounds. Subsequently, we captured approx. six million images by confocal microscopy. To analyze drug-induced PDO re-organization on a single organoid level we developed SCOPE, a software framework for automated PDO high-throughput image analysis. We observed a rich variety of divergent and reoccurring compound induced phenotypes in organoids. Perturbation of cellular processes, including signaling by MEK, GSK3β, cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and others, led to recurring and distinct architectural changes. Highlighting the clinical relevance, PDO viability was heterogeneous after perturbation with anticancer drugs and matched clinical response of corresponding colorectal cancer patients. Our work opens new avenues for image-based profiling for accelerated drug discovery and clinical decision-making.

Study EGAS00001003140

DERMATLAS__Poroma_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are poromas.

Study EGAS00001005759

Multi-omic analysis of cell-of-origin and epigenomic state in pediatric H3K27M gliomas

It is not known whether midline pediatric gliomas driven by Histone 3 K27M mutations (oncohistones) or EZHIP expression (oncohistone-mimics) share a common cell-of-origin, or arise from distinct cell types with unique vulnerabilities to PRC2 inhibition and partner alterations. Here, we define the etiological and oncogenic relationship between pediatric midline gliomas characterized by inhibition of K27M and K27M-like oncohistones. We assemble an extensive reference for gliogenesis from the developing mouse and human fetal brain. With bulk and single-cell transcriptomics and epigenomics, we profiled a large cohort of primary tumors comprising H3.1K27M and H3.3K27M pontine gliomas, H3.3K27M thalamic gliomas, and EZHIP+ posterior fossa ependymomas. We focus on differences across axes of location (thalamus vs. pons vs. posterior fossa), tumor type (diffuse midline gliomas vs. ependymomas), and oncohistone (H3.1/2K27M vs. H3.3K27M vs. EZHIP). We use tumor molecular features to delineate transcriptional states and cell-of-origin in each entity. Finally, we use culture models in isogenic contexts to interrogate the effect of each oncohistone or mimic.

Study EGAS00001005773

Single-nuclei gene-expression analysis of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma links tumor subtypes with tumor microenvironment

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PCPG) are rare neuroendocrine tumors associated with autonomic nerves. We used single nuclei-RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) for analysis of 30 PCPG representing 13 known driver genes, plus two normal adrenal medullas to dissect cell composition, refine PCPG subtypes and compare PCPG and normal tissue expression. Incorporating bulk-tissue and snRNA-seq data we identified seven PCPG gene-expression subtypes with genotype and cell type associations. The tumor microenvironment reflected HIF pathway activation and neovascularization by detection of abundant tip-like endothelial cells and pericytes concordant with VEGFA expression in neoplastic cells with mutations in VHL, genes encoding SDH subunits and MAML3-fusions. Macrophages were abundant in PCPG with distinct tumor-associated features. Schwann-cell-like cells were also enriched in some subtypes. The transcriptional profile of neoplastic PCPG cells resembled normal chromaffin cells but early chromaffin and neuroblast cell markers were expressed in some subtypes including GPR139, a putative therapeutic target for a subset of pseudohypoxic PCPG.

Study EGAS00001005861

Molecular origins of mpMRI visibility

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has transformed the landscape of prostate cancer (PCa) management. Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADSv2) scores reflect function and correlate phenotypic features with tumor aggressiveness, is an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence, and may distinguish low-risk tumors requiring no treatment from high-risk tumors requiring aggressive management. We hypothesize that differences in functional mpMRI of prostate tumors reflect the genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity of PCa. We profiled the genomes and transcriptomes of 40 Gleason score 3+4 tumors, of which 20 tumors were mpMRI invisible (not PI-RADSv2 3-5) and 20 tumors were visible (PI-RADSv2 5). Genomes of visible tumors were more unstable than those of invisible tumors. We identified 62 enriched transcripts, including numerous snoRNAs, Relaxin 1 and SCHLAP1, in visible tumors. These data suggest a confluence of aggressive pathological and microenvironmental phenomenon in PI-RADSv2 5 tumors reminiscent of nimbosus, while linking the molecular profiles of tumor aggressiveness with their functional features on mpMRI.

Study EGAS00001003179

MethCORR: DNA Methylation-based Characterization, Classification and Prognostication of Colorectal Cancer using Archival Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Tissue

Transcriptional characterization and classification has potential to resolve the inter-tumor heterogeneity of colorectal cancer (CRC) and improve patient management. Yet, robust transcriptional profiling is difficult using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, which complicates testing in clinical and archival material. We present MethCORR, an approach that allows uniform molecular characterization and classification of fresh-frozen and FFPE samples. MethCORR identifies genome-wide correlations between RNA expression and DNA methylation in fresh-frozen samples. This information is used to infer gene expression information in FFPE samples from their DNA methylation profiles. MethCORR was applied to methylation profiles from 877 fresh-frozen and FFPE samples and comparative analysis identified the same two major subtypes in four independent cohorts. Furthermore, subtype-specific prognostic biomarkers that better predicted relapse-free survival (HR=2.66, 95% CI [1.67-4.22], P<0.001) than TNM staging and MSI status were identified and validated using DNA methylation-specific PCR assays. The MethCORR approach is general, and may be similarly successful for other cancer types.

Study EGAS00001004293

Epigenomic priming of immune genes implicates oligodendroglia in multiple sclerosissusceptibility

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a targeted attack on oligodendroglia (OLG)and associated myelin by immune cells, which are thought to be the main drivers of MS susceptibility. Assessing chromatin accessibility and the transcriptome simultaneously at the single cell level, we found that immune genes exhibit a primedchromatin state in mouse and human OLG in a non-disease context, compatible withrapid transitions to immune-competent states in MS. We identified transcription factors as BACH1 and STAT1 involved in immune gene regulation in oligodendrocyteprecursor cells (OPCs). A subset of immune genes present bivalency of H3K4me3/H3K27me3 in OPCs, with Polycomb inhibition leading to their increased activation upon interferon-gamma (IFNg) treatment. Some MS susceptibility single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) overlap with these regulatory regions in mouse andhuman OLG, and treatment of mouse OPCs with IFNg leads to chromatin architecture remodeling at these loci and altered expression of interacting genes. Our data indicates that susceptibility for MS may involve OLG, which therefore constitute novel targets for immunological-based therapies for MS.

Study EGAS00001005911

Combination therapies to inhibit LCK tyrosine kinase and mTOR signaling in T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Relapse and refractory T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has a poor prognosis and new combination therapies are sorely needed. This work uncovered potent drug synergies between AKT/mTORC1 inhibitors and the general tyrosine kinase-inhibitor, dasatinib. The combination effectively curbed T-ALL growth in human cell lines and primary human T-ALL samples, and was well tolerated and effective in suppressing leukemia growth in patient-derived xenografts grown in mice. Mechanistically, dasatinib inhibited phosphorylation and activation of the lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) to blunt the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway and when complexed with mTORC1 inhibition, induced potent T-ALL cell killing through reducing MCL-1 protein expression. Analysis of responses across T-ALL subtypes and association with specific genetic mutations or expression patterns failed to identify any obvious biomarkers or correlations in predicting therapy responses, although there appeared to be a trend toward higher TCR/LCK pathway activity in samples that exhibited synergistic therapy responses.

Study EGAS00001005945

Sensitive detection of tumor mutations from blood and its application to immunotherapy prognosis

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is attractive for many applications, including cancer detection, locating, and monitoring. A fundamental task underlying these applications is the SNV calling from cfDNA, which, however, faces a new challenge, namely, the generally very low tumor content in cfDNA. Thus all existing callers fail to achieve satisfactory performance. Here we present cfSNV, a method incorporating multi-layer error suppression and hierarchical mutation calling, to address this important challenge. Furthermore, by leveraging cfDNA’s comprehensive coverage of clonal landscape, for the first time cfSNV can profile mutations even in subclones. In both simulated and real patient data, cfSNV vastly outperforms existing tools, showing tens of times increase in sensitivity in detecting mutations with low allele frequency while maintaining high precision. cfSNV can enhance the clinical utilities of cfDNA by dramatically reducing the required sequencing depth and therefore reduce the cost by magnitudes, and further make the Whole-Exome-Sequencing of cfDNA a viable option. As an example, we demonstrate that cfDNA-WES allows a new biomarker to effectively select patients for immunotherapy.

Study EGAS00001004373

Tumor-intrinsic expression of the autophagy gene Atg16l1 suppresses anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer

The vast majority of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients fail to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Understanding tumor-intrinsic determinants of immunotherapy resistance is critical to improve CRC patient outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that transcript levels of the core autophagy gene ATG16L1 are prognostic of poor outcome and predictive of ICI resistance in late-stage CRC. Deletion of Atg16l1 in murine CRC organoids markedly inhibited tumor growth in primary and metastatic niches in syngeneic hosts. ATG16L1 deficiency rendered CRC organoids more responsive to interferon (IFN) signaling and enhanced programmed cell death while decreasing tumor stem-like populations. IFN hypersensitivity consequently promoted cytotoxic anti-tumor immunity in vivo. In IMblaze370, a large phase III clinical trial of anti-PD-L1 in advanced metastatic CRC, low ATG16L1 levels identified patients with increased lymphocyte infiltration and improved outcome in a KRAS mutant setting. This work reveals autophagy as a clinically relevant immunosuppressive mechanism in CRC and provides a rationale for autophagy inhibition to boost immunotherapy responses in the clinic.

Study EGAS00001005952

Infiltrative and drug-resistant slow-cycling cells support metabolic heterogeneity in glioblastoma

Metabolic reprogramming has been described in rapidly growing tumors, which are thought to mostly contain fast-cycling cells (FCCs) that have impaired mitochondrial function and rely on aerobic glycolysis. Here, we characterize the metabolic landscape of glioblastoma (GBM) and explore metabolic specificities as targetable vulnerabilities. Our studies highlight the metabolic heterogeneity in GBM, in which FCCs harness aerobic glycolysis, and slow-cycling cells (SCCs) preferentially utilize mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation for their functions. SCCs display enhanced invasion and chemoresistance, suggesting their important role in tumor recurrence. SCCs also demonstrate increased lipid contents that are specifically metabolized under glucose-deprived conditions. Increased fatty acid transport in SCCs is targetable by pharmacological inhibition or genomic deletion of FABP7, both of which sensitize SCCs to metabolic stress. Furthermore, FABP7 inhibition, whether alone or in combination with glycolysis inhibition, leads to overall increased survival. Our studies reveal the existence of GBM cell subpopulations with distinct metabolic requirements and suggest that FABP7 is central to lipid metabolism in SCCs and that targeting FABP7-related metabolic pathways is a viable therapeutic strategy.

Study EGAS00001003251

Single-cell analysis of airway samples identifies immune cell activation correlating with COVID-19 disease severity

To investigate the immune response and mechanisms associated with severe COVID-19, we performed single-cell RNA-seq on nasopharyngeal and bronchial samples from 19 clinically well-characterized patients with moderate or critical disease and from 5 healthy controls. We identified airway epithelial cell types and states vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In COVID-19 patients, epithelial cells showed an average threefold increase in expression of the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor ACE2, which correlated with interferon signals by immune cells. Compared with moderate cases, critical cases exhibited stronger interactions between epithelial and immune cells, as indicated by ligand–receptor expression profiles, and activated immune cells , including inflammatory macrophages expressing CCL2, CCL3, CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL3, CXCL10, IL8, IL1B and TNF . The transcriptional differences in critical cases compared with moderate cases likely contribute to clinical observations of heightened inflammatory tissue damage, lung injury and respiratory failure. Our data suggest that pharmacologic inhibition of the CCR1 and/or CCR5 pathways may suppress immune hyperactivation in critical COVID-19.

Study EGAS00001004481

Functional screening on patient-derived organoids identifies a therapeutic bispecific antibody that triggers EGFR degradation in LGR5+ tumor cells

Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have demonstrated predictive value in prospective clinical trials supporting selection of personalized treatments. Because PDOs retain the organization and physiological functions of their source tissue, PDO biobanks could also be an ideal substrate to screen for novel therapeutic interventions. Here we describe a large-scale functional screen of dual targeting bispecific antibodies (bAbs) on a colorectal cancer (CRC) PDO biobank to target their dependency on cancer stem cells. A novel drug discovery pipeline was assembled where therapeutic bAb panels generated against WNT and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) targets were functionally evaluated by high content imaging to capture the complexity of PDO responses across a wide range of different CRCs and paired normal colonic mucosa samples. Our strategy resulted in a bAb that specifically triggers EGFR degradation in LGR5+ CSCs and that exhibits unique therapeutic properties such as potent growth inhibition of KRAS mutant CRCs, blockade of metastasis initiation in preclinical models and minimal toxicity towards normal LGR5+ colon stem cells.

Study EGAS00001004584

Single-cell RNA-seq of celiac disease-specific plasma cells

Disease-specific plasma cells (PCs) reactive with transglutaminase 2 (TG2) or deamidated gluten peptides (DGP) are abundant in celiac disease (CeD) gut lesions. Their contribution toward CeD pathogenesis is unclear. We assessed expression of markers associated with PC longevity in 15 untreated and 26 treated CeD patients in addition to 13 non-CeD controls, and performed RNA-sequencing with clonal inference and transcriptomic analysis of 3251 single PCs. We observed antigen-dependent V-gene selection and stereotypic antibodies. Generation of recombinant DGP-specific antibodies revealed a key role of a heavy-chain residue that displays polymorphism, suggesting that immunoglobulin gene polymorphisms may influence CeD-specific antibody responses. We identified transcriptional differences between CeD-specific vs non-disease-specific PCs and between short-lived vs long-lived PCs. The short-lived CD19+CD45+ phenotype dominated in untreated and short-term-treated CeD, in particular among disease-specific PCs but also in the general PC population. Thus, the disease lesion of untreated CeD is characterized by massive accumulation of short-lived PCs that are not only directed against disease-specific antigens.

Study EGAS00001004623

Salivary Gland Cancer TSO500 dataset

Salivary gland cancer (SGC) is a rare cancer for which systemic treatment options are limited. Therefore, it is important to characterize its genetic landscape in search for actionable aberrations. This research aimed to identify these actionable aberrations by NGS-based analysis of DNA (single and multiple nucleotide variants, copy number variants, microsatellite instability and tumor mutational burden) in a large cohort of SGC patients. DNA was extracted from archival tissue of 119 patients with various SGC subtypes and sequenced using a targeted NGS panel encompassing 523 cancer related genes (TruSight Oncology 500, TSO500). The 119 patients included 46 AdCC patients, 43 SDC patients, 15 MEC patients, 9 AciCC patients and 6 patients with other subtypes (1 secretory carcinoma, 1 polymorphic adenocarcinoma (PAC), 1 adenocarcinoma NOS, 1 myoepithelial carcinoma, 1 epithelial/myoepithelial carcinoma and 1 mixed PAC/myoepithelial carcinoma). Median exon coverage ranged from 80-904 (median 308) unique reads and the median percentage of exon coverage with at least 100 unique reads was median 96.6% in these 119 samples.

Study EGAS00001006232

Functional and genomic heterogeneity of long-term self-renewing compartment as the origin of treatment resistance in pancreatic tumors

Adaptive drug-resistance mechanisms allow human tumors to evade treatment through selection and expansion of treatment-resistant clones. Here, studying clonal evolution of tumor cells derived from human pancreatic tumors, we demonstrate that in vitro cultures and in vivo tumors are maintained by a common set of tumorigenic cells that can be used to establish clonal replica tumors (CRTs), large cohorts of animals bearing human tumors with identical clonal composition. Using CRTs to conduct quantitative assessments of adaptive responses to therapeutics, we uncovered a multitude of functionally heterogeneous subpopulations of cells with differential degrees of drug sensitivity. High-throughput isolation and deep characterization of unique clonal lineages showed genetic and transcriptomic diversity underlying functionally diverse subpopulations. Molecular annotation of gemcitabine-naïve clonal lineages with distinct responses to treatment in the context of CRTs generated signatures that can predict the response to chemotherapy, representing a potential biomarker to stratify patients with pancreatic cancer. RNA-Seq data on these clones are available on EBI ENA, under accession number: PRJEB27735.

Study EGAS00001003442

RNA-seq of M-CSF differentiated human peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) - Validation macIDR

Macrophages represent multifunctional leukocytes defined by their stimulus-specific transcriptional reprogramming. As in vivo macrophages are often difficult to obtain, in vitro macrophage models are often used. We aggregated public expression data to define consensus expression profiles for eight commonly-used in vitro macrophage models and built the classifier macIDR, capable of distinguishing macrophage subsets with high accuracy (>0.95). Classification of in vivo macrophages suggested that alveolar macrophages resembled interleukin-10 activated macrophages in general whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients displayed decreased similarity to interferon-γ stimulated macrophages. Adipose tissue-derived macrophages were classified as unstimulated macrophages, but would resemble LPS-stimulated macrophages more in diabetic-obese patients. Rheumatoid arthritic synovial macrophages were similar to macrophages stimulated with interleukin-10 or interferon-γ. Altogether, our results suggest that macIDR is capable of identifying in vitro macrophages. By projecting in vivo macrophages onto the in vitro macrophages, we were capable of elucidating macrophage-specific changes as a result of tissue and disease.

Study EGAS00001003451

An Isogenic Cell Line Panel for Sequence-based Screening of Targeted Anti-cancer Drugs

We describe the creation and characterization of an isogenic cell line panel representing common cancer pathways, with multiple features optimized for high-throughput screening. More than 1,800 cell lines from three normal human cells were generated using CRISPR-technologies. Surprisingly, we discovered most of these lines did not result in complete gene inactivation, despite integration of sgRNA at the desired genomic site. However, a subset of the lines harbored true, biallelic disruptions of the targeted tumor suppressor gene, yielding a final panel of 100 well-characterize lines covering 19 pathways frequently subject to loss of function in cancers. This panel included genetic markers optimized for sequence-based ratiometric assays for drug-based screening assays. To illustrate the potential utility of this panel, we developed a multiplexed high-throughput screen that identified Wee1 inhibitor MK-1775 as a selective growth inhibitor of cells with inactivation of TP53. These cell lines and screening approach should prove useful for researchers studying a variety of cellular and biochemical phenomena

Study EGAS00001005974

Genetic and epigenetic variation at regulatory regions contribute to cancer evolution under endocrine treatment

Comprehensive profiling of hormone-dependent breast cancer (HDBC) has identified hundreds of protein-coding alterations contributing to cancer initiation, but only a handful have been linked to endocrine therapy resistance, potentially contributing to 40% of relapses. If other mechanisms underlie the evolution of HDBC under adjuvant therapy is currently unknown. In this work, we employ integrative functional genomics to dissect the contribution of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) to cancer evolution by focusing on 12 megabases of non-coding DNA, including clonal enhancers, gene promoters, and boundaries of topologically associating domains. Massive parallel perturbation in vitro reveals context-dependent roles for many of these CREs, with a specific impact on dormancy entrance and endocrine therapy resistance9. Profiling of CRE somatic alterations in a unique, longitudinal cohort of patients treated with endocrine therapies identifies non-coding changes involved in therapy resistance. Overall, our data uncover actionable transient transcriptional programs critical for dormant persister cells and unveil new regulatory nodes driving evolutionary trajectories towards disease progression.

Study EGAS00001006340

Understanding_Self__Organising_Capacity_of_Stem_Cells_during_Implantation_and_Early_Post_implantation_Development_in_vitro_and_in_vivo__Implications_for_Human_Development_

The aim of this project is to differentiate human embryonic stem cells to an extra-embryonic fate, specifically the hypoblast. This is of uttermost importance given the current lack of human hypoblast stem cells. We hypothesized that the pluripotent characteristics of the starting human embryonic stem cell population may dictate the competency for extra-embryonic cell fate specification. Based on this hypothesis and using human embryonic stem cells maintained in different naïve-like culture regimes, we have now developed conditions that allow the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to a stable GATA6+ SOX2- population. This suggests that these cells may be putative human hypoblast stem cells. To validate this finding here we propose to perform RNA sequencing experiments of the differentiated human embryonic stem cells. By comparing their RNA expression profile to the single cell sequencing data of the human embryo that we are currently generating, we will be able to determine the identity of our GATA6+ SOX2- cells, and establish whether they represent the in vivo human hypoblast.

Study EGAS00001003571

Proteogenomics reveals two distinct biological pilocytic astrocytoma subgroups

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common pediatric brain tumor and driven by aberrant MAPK signaling, typically mediated by BRAF alterations. While five-year overall survival rates exceed 95%, tumor recurrence constitutes a major clinical challenge in incompletely resected tumors despite chemotherapeutic or radiation based therapies. Therefore, we used proteogenomics to discern the biological heterogeneity of PA to improve classification of this tumor entity and identify novel therapeutic targets. Our proteogenomics approach integrates RNA sequencing and LC/MS-based proteomic profiling data from a cohort of 58 confirmed, primary PA samples. An integrative genomics approach was conducted to discern the biological heterogeneity of PA and to identify aberrant pathway activation in these biological subgroups. In summary, Pilocytic astrocytomas segregate into two groups where younger patients are significantly associated with Group 1. Importantly, we validate the two distinct biological subgroups in two non-overlapping cohorts. The biological heterogeneity seen here may improve biological classification and reveal novel therapeutic targets specifically useful for non-resectable tumors with high risk of recurrent or progressive disease.

Study EGAS00001006402

Genomic analysis and evolutionary modeling of breast and larynx cancer, based on specimens from Polish population

We explore the genomic characteristics of the original dataset of breast and larynx cancer specimens of several cell types from the collection of the Department of Applied Radiology of the Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Krakow (Poland) Branch and Institute of Human Genetics Polish Academy of Sciences. DNA from paired tissue samples from primary tumor locations and concurrent metastasis to regional lymph nodes was sequenced and matched to controls. A range of genomic analyses was carried out, such as estimation of variant allele frequencies (VAF) and copy number variation (CNV). They show that subsets of variants from primary tumors are present in metastatic lymph nodes and that the CNV pattern is similar, but not identical to that known in the literature. In addition to that, we fit the VAF data to theoretical site frequency spectra predicted by multiple models found in the literature. Analysis suggests existence of secondary advantageous subclones arising on the clonal background as well as of a number of neutral or slightly deleterious passenger mutations.

Study EGAS00001006456

DERMATLAS__Tubular_adenoma

IVirtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are tubular adenomas.

Study EGAS00001006686

The Precision Medicine in Liver Cancer across an Asia-pacific NETwork (PLANET) - Intratumoural immune heterogeneity

The clinical relevance of immune landscape intratumoural heterogeneity (immune-ITH) and its role in tumour evolution remain largely unexplored. Here, we uncover significant spatial and phenotypic immune–ITH from multiple tumour sectors and decipher its relationship with tumour evolution and disease progression in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Immune–ITH is associated with tumour transcriptomic-ITH, mutational burden, and distinct immune microenvironments. Tumours with low immune–ITH experience higher immunoselective pressure and escape via loss of heterozygosity in human leukocyte antigens and immunoediting. Instead, the tumours with high immune-ITH evolve to a more immunosuppressive/exhausted microenvironment. This gradient of immune pressure along with immune-ITH represents a hallmark of tumour evolution, which is closely linked to the transcriptome-immune networks that contributes to disease progression and immune inactivation. Remarkably, high immune-ITH and its transcriptomic signature are predictive for worse clinical outcome in HCC patients. This in-depth investigation of ITH provides evidence on tumour-immune co-evolution along HCC progression.

Study EGAS00001003814

The miR-185/PAK6 Axis Predicts Therapy Response and Regulates Survival of Drug-Resistant Leukemic Stem Cells in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Overcoming drug resistance and targeting cancer stem cells remain challenges for curative cancer treatment. To investigate the role of miRNAs in regulating drug resistance and leukemic stem cell (LSCs) fate, we performed global transcriptome profiling in treatment-naïve chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem/progenitor cells and identified that miR-185 levels anticipate their response to ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). miR-185 functions as a tumor suppressor; its restored expression impaired survival of drug-resistant cells, sensitized them to TKIs in vitro, and markedly eliminated long-term repopulating LSCs and infiltrating blast cells, conferring a survival advantage in pre-clinical xenotransplantation models. Integrative analysis with mRNA profiles uncovered PAK6 as a crucial target of miR-185 and pharmacological inhibition of PAK6 perturbed the RAS/MAPK pathway and mitochondrial activity, sensitizing therapy-resistant cells to TKIs. Thus, miR-185 presents as a potential predictive biomarker, and dual targeting of miR-185-mediated PAK6 activity and BCR-ABL may provide a valuable strategy for overcoming drug resistance in patients.

Study EGAS00001004153

The clinical utility of genomics in childhood cancer extends beyond targetable mutations - WGS data

We deeply sequenced 864 cancer-associated genes and the complete genomes and transcriptomes for 300 pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) patients with poor prognosis or rare tumors. Using integrative somatic-germline analyses, we assessed the clinical utility of cancer genomics in this population. Clinically actionable variants were identified in 56% of patients. Improved diagnostic accuracy led to modified management in a subset. Therapeutically targetable variants, found in 54% of patients, were of unanticipated timing and type, with over 20% of these derived from the germline. Enrichment in corroborating mutational signature 3 (‘BRCAness’) in patients with germline homologous recombination defects suggests they are drivers of pediatric cancers and potential targets for PARP inhibition. Comprehensive somatic-germline cancer genomic profiling is useful at multiple points in the care trajectory for pediatric/AYA patients, supporting its integration into early clinical management. Re-biopsy at the time of relapse should be considered, and specific attention to mutational burden is indicated. Defective DNA repair genes in the germline may represent important targetable drivers.

Study EGAS00001006610

The clinical utility of genomics in childhood cancer extends beyond targetable mutations - Cancer Panel data

We deeply sequenced 864 cancer-associated genes and the complete genomes and transcriptomes for 300 pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) patients with poor prognosis or rare tumors. Using integrative somatic-germline analyses, we assessed the clinical utility of cancer genomics in this population. Clinically actionable variants were identified in 56% of patients. Improved diagnostic accuracy led to modified management in a subset. Therapeutically targetable variants, found in 54% of patients, were of unanticipated timing and type, with over 20% of these derived from the germline. Enrichment in corroborating mutational signature 3 (‘BRCAness’) in patients with germline homologous recombination defects suggests they are drivers of pediatric cancers and potential targets for PARP inhibition. Comprehensive somatic-germline cancer genomic profiling is useful at multiple points in the care trajectory for pediatric/AYA patients, supporting its integration into early clinical management. Re-biopsy at the time of relapse should be considered, and specific attention to the mutational burden is indicated. Defective DNA repair genes in the germline may represent important targetable drivers.

Study EGAS00001006642

DERMATLAS__Tubular_adenoma_RNAseq

IVirtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are tubular adenomas.

Study EGAS00001006685

Structural Expression of BMMF in tissues of colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer patients

Chronic inflammation, linked to the presence of bovine milk and meat factors (BMMF) and specific subsets of macrophages, results in oxygen radical synthesis and induction of mutations in DNA of actively replicating cells and replicating single stranded DNA (zur Hausen et al., 2017). Cancers arising from this process have been characterized as indirect carcinogenesis by infectious agents (without persistence of genes of the agent in premalignant or cancers cells). Here we investigate structural properties of pleomorphic vesicles, regularly identified by staining peritumour tissues of colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer for expression of BMMF Rep. The latter represents a subgroup of BMMF1 proteins involved in replication of small single-stranded circular plasmids of BMMF, but most likely also contributing to pleomorphic vesicular structures found in the periphery of colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancers. Structurally dense regions are demonstrated in preselected areas of colorectal cancer, after staining with monoclonal antibodies against BMMF1 Rep. Similar structures were observed in human embryonic cells (HEK293TT) overexpressing Rep. These data suggest that Rep or Rep isoforms contribute to the structural formation of vesicles.

Study EGAS00001006744

Detection of isoforms and genomic alterations by high-throughput full-length single-cell RNA sequencing in HGSOC

Understanding the complex background of cancer requires genotype-phenotype information in single-cell resolution. Long-read single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), capturing full-length transcripts, lacked the depth to provide this information so far. Here, we increased the PacBio sequencing depth to 12,000 reads per cell, leveraging multiple strategies, including artifact removal and transcript concatenation, and applied the technology to samples from three human ovarian cancer patients. Our approach captured 152,000 isoforms, of which over 52,000 were novel, detected cell type- and cell-specific isoform usage, and revealed differential isoform expression in tumor and mesothelial cells. Furthermore, we identified gene fusions, including a novel scDNA sequencing-validated IGF2BP2::TESPA1 fusion, which was misclassified as high TESPA1 expression in matched short-read data, and called somatic and germline mutations, confirming targeted NGS cancer gene panel results. With multiple new opportunities, especially for cancer biology, we envision long-read scRNA-seq to become increasingly relevant in oncology and personalized medicine.

Study EGAS00001006807

Genotype data from 'Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture.'

Previous studies have highlighted how African genomes have been shaped by a complex series of historical events. Despite this, genome-wide data has only been obtained from a small proportion of present-day ethnolinguistic groups. By analysing new autosomal genetic variation data of 1333 individuals from over 150 ethnic groups from Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria and Sudan, we demonstrate a previously underappreciated fine-scale level of genetic structure within these countries, for example correlating with historical polities in western Cameroon. By comparing genetic variation patterns among populations, we infer that many northern Cameroonian and Sudanese groups share genetic links with multiple geographically disparate populations, likely resulting from long-distance migrations. In Ghana and Nigeria, we infer signatures of intermixing dated to over 2000 years ago, corresponding to reports of environmental transformations possibly related to climate change. We also infer recent intermixing signals in multiple African populations, including Congolese, that likely relates to the expansions of Bantu language-speaking peoples.

Study EGAS00001006944

Advancing fast in the analysis of circulating tumour DNA

In cancer patients, solid tumours also release DNA fragments into the blood, and they are called Circulating Tumours DNA (ctDNA). Nowadays, the standard procedure for cancer monitoring is analysis of surgically obtained biopsies. They generate a big amount of material, but the operation is highly invasive and provide medical doctors with a single-time snapshot of the tumours, which are often highly changeable. Analysis of ctDNA, on the other hand, can provide continuous information regarding the tumour itself without the need of invasive procedures. This is why interest in this method is growing, and with it, the need for its technological optimization. Guanhua Zhu and colleagues, at the Genome Institute of Singapore, developed a methodology to quantify ctDNA burden, which means to estimate the amount of tumours derived circulating DNA among all cell-free DNA in the blood of individuals. Their work, published in Nature Communications in april 2021 and summarized in a sketch below, uses state-of-the art methods to analyse cfDNA degradation patterns at promoters and exon regions, to discern it from the DNA coming from the tumours. The bright point of their approach is that simultaneously enable for profiling of actionable cancer mutations and quantitative estimation of ctDNA burden. Their sequencing data of ctDNA has been deposited in the EGA under the accession number EGAS00001004657. This study sums up to a total of 37 of cfDNA and 36 about ctDNA present up to date in the EGA archive. The existence of cfDNA was firstly described back in 2002, while the use of ctDNA analysis in the oncological field exploded only after 2016. The approach is rapidly evolving, moving in parallel with the ever-improving sequencing technologies. Especially, the possibility to obtain high quality sequences from minimal amount of material is a crucial factor. Being able to alleviate cancer patients of disturbing and often slow-recovery procedures, while at the same time improving the quality of diagnosis and disease monitoring seems like a lot to ask. Thankfully, we are blessed with brilliant and dedicated scientists from all around the world who collaborate to make this a reality, sharing their results, knowledge and data.

Blog advancing-fast-in-the-analysis-of-circulating-tumour-dna

Genomic Advances in Sepsis (GAinS): RNA-seq

Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. This cohort comprises a subset of patients enrolled in the Genomic Advances in Sepsis (GAinS) study, an established biobank of adult sepsis patients. Patients with sepsis due to community acquired pneumonia or faecal peritonitis were recruited from 34 hospitals across the UK from 2005-2018, with samples for functional genomics and detailed clinical information collected on the first, third and/or fifth day following ICU admission. RNA was extracted from leukocytes isolated at the bedside using LeukoLOCK kits. We have previously identified sepsis response signatures (SRSs), transcriptomic endotypes that are associated with differential early mortality (Davenport et al, Lancet Respir Med, 2016; Burnham et al, AJRCCM, 2017) and response to treatment in a clinical trial (Antcliffe et al, AJRCCM, 2018). We generated RNA sequencing data on 903 samples, including 134 samples repeated from our previously released microarray data. Libraries were prepared using NEB Ultra II Library Prep kits (Illumina) and sequenced on a NovaSeq 6000. Reads were aligned to the reference genome (GRCh38) using STAR and gene counts quantified using featureCounts (annotation Ensembl v99). Counts were TMM-normalised and log-transformed. Following QC, processed data were available on 864 samples from 667 unique patients.

Dataset EGAD00001008730

Somatic mutation and selection at epidemiological scale - TwinsUK_RENanoSeq_Buccal

Utilising restriction enzyme NanoSeq, we hope to explore the somatic mutation burden and mutational signatures in buccal cells from TwinsUK donors. Some donors have paired blood samples and data from this will help contextualise that work. All donors have paired Targeted NanoSeq data from buccal swabs. As we age, many tissues become colonised by microscopic clones carrying somatic driver mutations. Some of these clones represent a first step towards cancer whereas others may contribute to ageing and other diseases. However, our understanding of the clonal landscapes of human tissues, and their impact on cancer risk, ageing and disease, remains limited due to the challenge of detecting somatic mutations present in small numbers of cells. Here, we introduce a new version of nanorate sequencing (NanoSeq), a duplex sequencing method with error rates of less than 5 per billion base pairs, which is compatible with whole-exome and targeted gene sequencing. Deep sequencing of polyclonal samples with single-molecule sensitivity enables the simultaneous detection of mutations in large numbers of clones, yielding accurate somatic mutation rates, mutational signatures and driver mutation frequencies in any tissue. Applying targeted NanoSeq to 1,042 non-invasive samples of oral epithelium and 371 samples of blood from a twin cohort, we found an unprecedentedly rich landscape of selection, with 46 genes under positive selection driving clonal expansions in the oral epithelium, over 62,000 driver mutations, and evidence of negative selection in some genes. The high number of positively selected mutations in multiple genes provides high-resolution maps of selection across coding and non-coding sites, a form of in vivo saturation mutagenesis. Multivariate regression models enable mutational epidemiology studies on how carcinogenic exposures and cancer risk factors, such as age, tobacco or alcohol, alter the acquisition and selection of somatic mutations. Accurate single-molecule sequencing has the potential to unveil the polyclonal landscape of any tissue, providing a powerful tool to study early carcinogenesis, cancer prevention and the role of somatic mutations in ageing and disease.

Dataset EGAD00001015621

Somatic mutation and selection at epidemiological scale - Sanger_NanoSeq_RandD

Bottleneck sequencing of human tissue including neurons, cord blood, sperm 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/. As we age, many tissues become colonised by microscopic clones carrying somatic driver mutations. Some of these clones represent a first step towards cancer whereas others may contribute to ageing and other diseases. However, our understanding of the clonal landscapes of human tissues, and their impact on cancer risk, ageing and disease, remains limited due to the challenge of detecting somatic mutations present in small numbers of cells. Here, we introduce a new version of nanorate sequencing (NanoSeq), a duplex sequencing method with error rates of less than 5 per billion base pairs, which is compatible with whole-exome and targeted gene sequencing. Deep sequencing of polyclonal samples with single-molecule sensitivity enables the simultaneous detection of mutations in large numbers of clones, yielding accurate somatic mutation rates, mutational signatures and driver mutation frequencies in any tissue. Applying targeted NanoSeq to 1,042 non-invasive samples of oral epithelium and 371 samples of blood from a twin cohort, we found an unprecedentedly rich landscape of selection, with 46 genes under positive selection driving clonal expansions in the oral epithelium, over 62,000 driver mutations, and evidence of negative selection in some genes. The high number of positively selected mutations in multiple genes provides high-resolution maps of selection across coding and non-coding sites, a form of in vivo saturation mutagenesis. Multivariate regression models enable mutational epidemiology studies on how carcinogenic exposures and cancer risk factors, such as age, tobacco or alcohol, alter the acquisition and selection of somatic mutations. Accurate single-molecule sequencing has the potential to unveil the polyclonal landscape of any tissue, providing a powerful tool to study early carcinogenesis, cancer prevention and the role of somatic mutations in ageing and disease.

Dataset EGAD00001015624

GDAP - Genome Diversity in Africa Project (2021-02-12)

The Genomic Diversity in Africa Project (GDAP) started with the plan to develop a genomic resource from African populations, characterise genomic diversity and population history, and facilitate clinical studies in Africa. Currently, 25 individuals from 24 ethnolinguistic groups have been whole-genome sequenced at high depth totalling 585 individuals. An additional 41 individuals have been sequenced with 10X Genomics libraries. At this stage, the initial curation of this dataset has been finished and we are performing the analysis in coordination with our collaborators. The current state of the GDAP represents a very diverse panel of African populations that maximizes geographical and ethnic variation and represents a great starting point to achieve the aforementioned goals. However, southern sub-Saharan countries, Bantu speakers and hunter gatherer groups are currently underrepresented, despite being crucial to understand the evolutionary history of the continent. After extensive effort to collate studies documentation, we finally have the opportunity to sequence 600 new individuals from these groups, including countries as Gabon, Rwanda and Zambia, and address these deficiencies. We aim to proceed with the same strategy: to sequence at high depth 25 individuals with standard PCR free libraries, with 2 additional individuals with 10X Genomics Chromium libraries per ethnolinguistic group. The former allows a good representation of variants down to low frequency in any given population, and the latter allows accurate phasing and the analysis of structural variation. By including these new populations, we want to investigate three crucial questions in African history in addition to the initial objectives: the Bantu expansion, the evolutionary history of hunter gatherers and the transatlantic slave trade. Additionally, the expanded dataset will help us better discover the genetic variation present in Africa and characterize the African pangenome. 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/ . This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2021-02-12.

Dataset EGAD00001006965

Genome Diversity in Africa Project: Uganda (2021-02-17)

Globally, human populations show structured genetic diversity as a result of geographical dispersion, selection and drift. Understanding this genetic variation can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that shape both human adaptation and variation in disease. Populations from SSA have the highest levels of genetic diversity. This characteristic, in addition to historical genetic admixture, can lead to complexities in the design of studies assessing the genetic determinants of disease and human variation. However, such studies of African populations are also likely to provide new opportunities to discover novel disease susceptibility loci and variants and refine gene-disease association signals. A systematic assessment of genetic diversity within SSA would facilitate genomic epidemiological studies in the region. The Genome Diversity in Africa Project (GDAP) aims to produce a comprehensive catalogue of human genetic variation in SSA, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural variants, and haplotypes. This resource will make a substantial contribution to understanding patterns of genetic diversity within and among populations in SSA, as well as providing a global resource to help design, implement and interpret genomic studies in SSA populations and studies comprising globally diverse populations, complementing existing genomic resources. Specifically, we plan to carry out high depth whole genome sequencing of up to 2000 individuals across Africa (25 individuals from each ethnolinguistic group). Our scientific objectives are to: 1) develop a resource that provides a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variation in populations from SSA accessible to the global scientific community; 2) characterise population genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and admixture across SSA; 3) develop a cost-efficient, next-generation genotype array for diverse populations across SSA; and 4) facilitate whole genome-sequencing association studies of complex traits and diseases by developing a reference panel for imputation and resource for enhancing fine-mapping disease susceptibility loci. These scientific objectives will be supported by cross-cutting operational activities, including network and management of the consortium, research ethics, and research capacity building in statistical genetics and bioinformatics . This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2021-02-17.

Dataset EGAD00001006976

Dataset RNAseq from regions of insitu and invasive human mammary ductal disease

BAM files from RNAseq study from regions of insitu and invasive human mammary ductal disease

Dataset EGAD00001008586

RNAseq data to study PRPF6 regulated splice forms in colon cancer cell lines

Alternative splicing plays critical roles in differentiation, development, and cancer (Pettigrew et al., 2008; Chen and Manley, 2009). The recent identification of specific spliceosome inhibitors has generated interest in the therapeutic potential of targeting this cellular process (van Alphen et al., 2009). Using an integrated genomic approach, we have identified PRPF6, an RNA binding component of the pre-mRNA spliceosome, as an essential driver of oncogenesis in colon cancer. Importantly, PRPF6 is both amplified and overexpressed in colon cancer, and only colon cancer cells with high PRPF6 levels are sensitive to its loss. Our data clearly point to an important role for PRPF6 in colon cancer growth and suggest that a better understanding of its role in alternative splicing in colon cancer is warranted. To determine the specific alternative splice forms that PRPF6 regulates in colon cancer, we plan three experiments: 1. The first involves knocking down expression of PRPF6 in two different cancer cell lines with 3 different siRNAs, and then completing RNA-seq to determine the gene expression changes that occur relative to a non-targeting control siRNA. Because of the role for PRPF6 in pre-mRNA splicing, we especially want to quantify the changes in splice-specific forms of all genes genome-wide to identify genes whose splicing is altered upon PRPF6 knockdown. 2. The second involves immunoprecipitating PRPF6 from two different cancer cell lines and isolating any RNA that is bound to PRPF6, since PRPF6 is an RNA-binding protein. We then want to carry out RNA-seq to identify which RNA molecules co-immunoprecipitated with PRPF6. This will help us determine possible functions for PRPF6 in regulating colon cancer growth. 3. The third involves overexpressing PRPF6 in cell lines and then carrying out RNA-seq to identify any changes in splice-specific gene expression. This will allow us to determine whether increased PRPF6 expression is sufficient to drive alternative splicing changes.

Dataset EGAD00001000817

DERMATLAS__Leiomyosarcoma_WES

irtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are leiomyosarcomas.

Study EGAS00001007628

DERMATLAS__Poroma_WES

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are poromas.

Study EGAS00001007705

DERMATLAS__SG_basal_cell_adenoma_and_adenocarcinoma_WES

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are SG basal cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas.

Study EGAS00001007745

DERMATLAS__SG_basal_cell_adenoma_and_adenocarcinoma_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are SG basal cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas.

Study EGAS00001007746

RNA sequencing of CCO- and CCO+ human hepatocytes

RNAseq data from Passman et al 2023. Clonal CCO-deficient hepatocyte patches and nearby CCO-proficient hepatocytes were identified in morphologically normal human livers and sampled at varying distances along the PT-CV axis. Samples are named according to their location within the liver lobule, with "PT" denoting samples abutting the portal triad, "CV" denoting samples abutting the central hepatic vein, and "Mid" sampled acquired midway between these structures. Normal human liver is thought to be generally quiescent, however clonal hepatocyte expansions have been observed but neither their cellular source nor their expansion dynamics have been determined. Knowing the hepatocyte cell of origin, and their subsequent dynamics and trajectory within the human liver will provide an important basis to understand disease-associated dysregulation. Here we use in vivo lineage tracing and a combination of methylation sequence analysis to demonstrate normal human hepatocyte ancestry. We exploit next generation mitochondrial sequencing to determine hepatocyte clonal expansion dynamics across spatially-distinct areas of laser-capture microdissected clones, in tandem with computational modelling in morphologically-normal human liver.

Study EGAS00001006984

Integrated single cell analysis in transformed follicular lymphoma

Histological transformation of follicular lymphoma to aggressive form occurs 2-3% per year with poor outcome. Divergent evolution and an altered tumour-microenvironment (TME) have been implicated during transformation. However, phenotypic consequences of this evolution and its implication in TME remain unknown. To address this, we performed single cell whole genome and whole transcriptome sequencing of paired pre/post transformation patient samples. We further performed scWTS of additional samples from patients without transformation. Our analysis revealed evolutionary dynamics of transformation at unprecedented resolution. Integration of scWGS and scWTS identified pathways upregulated during evolution. scWTS analysis revealed a shifting TME landscape, with an exhausted signature emerging during transformation. Using multi-color immunofluorescence we transferred these findings to a TME-based transformation biomarker, subsequently validated in independent pretreatment cohorts. Taken together, our results provide a comprehensive view of the combined genomic and phenotypic evolution of malignant cells during transformation, and shifting cross-talk between malignant cells and TME.

Study EGAS00001007023

Spatial transcriptomics reveal topological immune landscapes of Asian head and neck angiosarcoma

Angiosarcomas are rare malignant tumors of the endothelium, arising commonly from the head and neck region (AS-HN) and recently associated with ultraviolet (UV) exposure and human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) infection. We examined 81 cases of angiosarcomas, including 47 cases of AS-HN, integrating information from whole genome sequencing, gene expression profiling and spatial transcriptomics (10X Visium). In the AS-HN cohort, we observed recurrent somatic mutations in CSMD3 (18%), LRP1B (18%), MUC16 (18%), POT1 (16%) and TP53 (16%). UV-positive AS-HN harbored significantly higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) than UV-negative cases (p=0.0294). NanoString profiling identified three clusters with distinct tumor inflammation signature (TIS) scores (p<0.001). Spatial transcriptomics revealed topological profiles of the tumor microenvironment, identifying dominant but tumor-excluded inflammatory signals in “immune-hot” cases and immune foci even in otherwise “cold” cases. In conclusion, spatial transcriptomics reveal the tumor immune landscape of angiosarcoma, and in combination with multi-omic information, may improve implementation of treatment strategies.

Study EGAS00001007083

Effective reprogramming of patient-derived M2-polarized glioblastoma-associated microglia/macrophages by treatment with GW2580

Purpose: Targeting immunosuppressive and pro-tumorigenic glioblastoma-associated macrophages and microglial cells (GAMs) has great potential to improve patient outcomes. Colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) has emerged as a promising target for reprogramming anti-inflammatory M2-like GAMs. However, treatment data on patient-derived, tumor-educated GAMs and their influence on the adaptive immunity are lacking. Experimental Design: CD11b+-GAMs freshly isolated from patient tumors were treated with CSF1R-targeting drugs PLX3397, BLZ945, and GW2580. Phenotypical changes upon treatment were assessed using RNAseq. Changes in GAM activation were confirmed in a complex patient-derived 3D tumor organoid model serving as a tumor avatar. Results: The most effective reprogramming of GAMs was observed upon GW2580 treatment, which led to the downregulation of M2-related markers, IL-6, and IL-10, ERK1/2 and MAPK signaling pathways, while M1-like markers and gene set enrichment indicating activated MHC-II presentation were substantially increased. Moreover, treatment of patient-derived glioblastoma organoids with GW2580 confirmed successful reprogramming.

Study EGAS00001007466

DERMATLAS__Leiomyoma_WES

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are leiomyomas.

Study EGAS00001007629

GOSH_Childhood_Leukemia_Behjati_WellcomeCore_RNA

Paediatric single-cell archival project This project is taking sequential samples of children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) between 2011 and the present day. Patients selected, are those that have done badly (e.g. had to escalate treatment, relapsed or died) despite having apparently ""good"" or ""intermediate"" risk cytogenetics, and often also had immunotherapy (e.g., the bi-specific T-cell engager blinatumomab) because of this. Using samples from key treatment-points, we hope to better characterise their disease and treatment response, to re-define understandings of risk for patients who did unexpectedly poorly. Additionally, we hope to define the disease/immunological factors that determine response to increasingly used immunotherapies within the field of paediatric B-ALL. Each of the samples will be viably frozen bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells. They will come in Eppendorf's, frozen and de-anonymised, from GOSH. We plan to primarily do single cell analysis (GEX, BCR +/-TCR), and then tumour-only WGS and bulk-RNA expression on left-over

Study EGAS00001007616

DERMATLAS__Leiomyoma_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are leiomyomas.

Study EGAS00001007630

DERMATLAS__Leiomyosarcoma_RNAseq

Virtually no other tumour type is associated with so many different forms as skin cancer. Histologically, tumours of the skin may arise from epithelium, including epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous or sweat gland, melanocytes, dermal-associated mesenchymal structures or tissue resident immune cells, making for a diversity of clinical presentations. Importantly, many skin tumour types have an extremely poor prognosis. Many skin tumour subtypes have never undergone molecular profiling, or if they have, targeted sequencing has been used and the number of cases analyzed has been so limited that deriving firm conclusions about the profile of driver genes, DNA mutational signatures and germline alleles has not been possible For 70 key skin tumour subtypes defined by the World Health Organization, that have not undergone extensive genetic analysis previoulsy, we propose to perform whole exome and transcriptome sequencing, from a range of body sites, to build a genomic atlas of dermatological tumours, including detailed maps of SNVs, copy number alterations, genome-wide methylation and expression profiles. The cases in this cohort are leiomyosarcomas.

Study EGAS00001007631

Human NXPE1 mediates variation in sialic acid O-acetylation in Colon Tissue

Sialylation, and its modifications, have important consequences for development, differentiation and immune system regulation in nearly all human tissues. An accounting of all the genes responsible for modifying sialic acids is incomplete, with only one pathway for O-acetylation being well-defined in humans. Using whole genome sequencing of normal human colorectal tissue we identify a haplotype on chromosome 11 that is associated with differences in mild periodic acid Schiff staining (mPAS), a marker of acetylation of sialic acids. Of the genes in this region, only SNPs from NXPE1 correlate perfectly in a validation data set. NXPE1 protein expression by IHC also correlates with mPAS staining patterns in homozygous, as well as heterozygous colon crypts that have undergone spontaneous gain of the mPAS phenotype. Manipulation of NXPE1 expression with CRISPR-Cas9 causes changes to modified sialic acid levels in both 2D cell line and 3D normal colon organoid models. These findings suggest NXPE1 may cause O-acetylation of sialic acids in colorectal tissue, potentially defining NXPE as a new family of sialic acid-modifying genes.

Study EGAS00001007704

Selective targeting of TBXT with DARPins identifies regulatory networks and therapeutic vulnerabilities in chordoma

The embryonic transcription factor TBXT (brachyury) drives chordoma, a spinal neoplasm without effective drug therapies. TBXT’s regulatory network is poorly understood, and strategies to disrupt its activity for therapeutic purposes are lacking. We developed designed ankyrin repeat proteins that block TBXT-DNA binding (T-DARPins). In chordoma cells, T-DARPins reduced cell cycle progression, spheroid formation, and tumor growth in mice and induced signs of senescence and differentiation. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified gene networks involved in cell cycle regulation, embryonic cell identity, and interferon response and revealed features of regulome components, such as druggability for future translational studies and the fine-tuning of TBXT downstream effectors through IGFBP3. Finally, we found high interferon signaling in chordoma cell lines and patient tumors, which was promoted by TBXT and associated with sensitivity to JAK2 inhibitors. These findings demonstrate the potential of DARPins for probing nuclear proteins to understand the regulatory networks of transcription factor-driven cancers, including entry points for therapies that warrant testing in patients.

Study EGAS00001008140

Genetic and Functional Drivers of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common hematologic malignancy and is characterized by a striking degree of heterogeneity. We enrolled a total of 1001 DLBCL patients and comprehensively defined the landscape of genetic mutations, copy number alterations and expression through whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. We identified 150 genetic drivers of DLBCL including many novel, clinically relevant genes (e.g. SPEN, SETD1B and KLHL14). Genetic drivers were highly enriched among essential genes identified by CRISPR screening in DLBCL cell lines including those of immediate potential therapeutic relevance such as MTOR, SYK, SF3B1 and XPO1. RHOA emerged as a critical driver gene from our genetic analysis and CRISPR screen; we further delineated its functional role in vitro and in vivo models to define its role as an essential oncogene in DLBCL. Our work thus identifies the functional landscape of genetic drivers and their clinical and therapeutic relevance in DLBCL patients.

Study EGAS00001002606

Pan Prostate Cancer Group data

The Pan Prostate Cancer Group intends to provide breakthrough advances from the analysis of a very large series of Whole Genome DNA data, contributed by many of the leading scientists and clinicians working in prostate cancer genomics generating Whole Genome DNA Sequence (WGS) data from prostate cancer patients. The accumulated data, collected and compared in a common format including common storage, re-analysis through a single pipeline, and investigation to achieve a variety of scientific goals, are presented in this series. This project will provide a global framework for the future analysis of even larger series of genomes as costs of DNA sequencing, storage, and sequence analysis decrease. In addition to these WGS data from different clinical categories, ethnicities, levels of aggressiveness, and disease managed by different treatments with information linked to long-term clinical follow up, we intend to add additional layers of data, including transcriptome and methylation data. The current data series focuses primarily on the analysis of WGS data. For further information, please refer to https://panprostate.org/, and The Pan Prostate Cancer Group Data Sharing Policy, EGAP50000000784.

Study EGAS00001002876

Intratumoral Heterogeneity and Clonal Evolution Induced by HPV Integration.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) genome is integrated into host DNA in most HPV-positive cancers, but the consequences for chromosomal integrity are unknown. Continuous long-read sequencing of oropharyngeal cancers and cancer cell lines revealed a unique form of structural variation, termed heterocateny here, characterized by heterogeneous, interrelated, and repetative patterns of concatemerized virus and host DNA segments. Evidence of heterocateny was detected in extrachromosomal and/or intrachromosomal DNA in all cases. Unique breakpoint sequences shared across structurally heterogeneous virus-host concatemers within each cancer facilitated stepwise reconstruction of their evolution from a common molecular ancestor. This analysis revealed that unstable virus and virus-host concatemers in ecDNA or integrated form mediate insertion into and excision from chromosomes, capture, rearrangement, and rolling-circle amplification of host DNA, and chromosomal rearrangements. The data indicate that heterocatena is driven by the dynamic, aberrant replication and recombination of an oncogenic DNA virus, thereby extending known consequences of HPV integration to include promotion of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and clonal evolution.

Study EGAS00001006652

Characterization_of_individual_foci_of_multicentric_multifocal_breast_cancer_using_targeted_next_generation_sequencing

Multifocality or multicentricity in breast cancer may be defined as the presence of two or more tumor foci within a single quadrant of the breast or within different quadrants of the same breast, respectively. This original classification of the breast cancer as multicentric or multifocal was based on the assumption that cancers arising in the same quadrant were more likely to arise from the same ductal structures than those occurring in separate areas of the breast. The problem with these definitions is that the “quadrants” of the breast are arbitrary external designations, as no internal boundaries do exist. This project will therefore focus both on synchronous multifocal and multicentric tumors. The incidence of multifocal and multicentric breast cancers was reported to be between 13 and 75% depending on the definition used, the extent of the pathologic sampling of the breast and whether in situ disease is considered evidence of multicentricity (1). Although this incidence is variable, those figures show that it is a frequent phenomenon. Multiple (multifocal/multicentric) breast carcinomas, especially when occurring in the same breast, represent a real challenge for both pathologists and clinicians in terms of identifying the cellular origin and the best therapeutic management of the cancer. Multifocality or multicentricity has been associated with a number of more aggressive features including an increased rate of regional lymph node metastases and adverse patient outcome when compared with unifocal tumors (2-3), and a possible increased risk of local recurrence following breast conserving surgery (4). For the moment, the literature is divided on whether there is a corresponding impact on survival outcomes. Today, the current convention to stage and to treat multifocal and multicentric tumors is the classical tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging guidelines with which tumor size is assessed by the largest tumor focus without taking other foci of disease into consideration. If some papers, as the recent one from Lynch and colleagues, support the current staging convention (3), others, however, as Boyages et al. suggested that aggregate size and not the size of the largest lesion should be considered in order to refine the prognostic assessment of those tumors (5). On the top of that, the question whether multifocal/multicentric carcinomas are due to the spread of a single carcinoma throughout the breast or is due to multiple carcinomas arising simultaneously has been a matter of debate. Some studies suggested that multifocal breast cancer may result from either intramammary spread from a single primary tumor or multiple synchronous primary tumors; whereas others suggest that multiple breast carcinomas always arise from the same clone (6-8). Recently, Pietri and colleagues analyzed the biological characterization of a series of 113 multifocal/multicentric breast cancers (8) which were diagnosed over a 5-year period. The expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptors, Ki-67 proliferative index, expression of HER2 and tumor grading were prospectively determined in each tumor focus, and mismatches among foci were recorded. Mismatches in ER status were present in 5 (4.4%) cases and PgR in 18 (15.9%) cases. Mismatches in tumor grading were present in 21 cases (18.6%), proliferative index (Ki-67) in 17 (15%) cases and HER2 status in 11 (9.7%) cases. Interestingly, this heterogeneity among foci has led to 14 (12.4%) patients receiving different adjuvant treatments compared with what would have been indicated if we had only taken into account the biologic status of the primary tumor. This study therefore showed that differences in biological characteristics of multifocal/multicentric lesions play a crucial role in the adjuvant treatment decision making process. In this study, we will concentrate on a larger series of patients with multifocal invasive ductal breast cancer lesions. We aim at: 1. Evaluating the incidence of multifocality according to the different breast cancer molecular subtypes (ER-/HER2-, HER2+, ER+/HER2-). 2. Evaluating the incidence of multifocality in patients with hereditary breast cancer disease (presence of germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations). Moreover, we would like to investigate if multifocal lesions with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations exhibit a characteristic combination of substitution mutation signatures and a distinctive profile of deletions as demonstrated recently by Nik-Zainal and colleagues (9). 3. Correlating multifocality with clinical information in order to define its influence on patients’ survival (DFS and OS). 4. Carrying high coverage targeted gene sequencing of driver cancer genes and genes whose mutation is of therapeutic importance in order to compare clinically-relevant genetic differences between several multifocal breast cancer lesions. 5. Evaluating the impact of the distance between the different lesions on the clinical outcome but also on the genetic differences. 6. Comparing gene expression patterns between several multifocal breast cancer lesions and correlate them with the results of the targeted genes screen. 7. Characterizing the genomic and transcriptomic status of cancer related genes in metastatic lesions (local recurrence, positive lymph node or distant metastatic sites) from the same multifocal invasive ductal breast cancer patients in order to evaluate the consequence of genomic and transcriptomic heterogeneity of multifocal lesions on metastatic lesions. Multiple (multifocal/multicentric) breast carcinomas, especially when occurring in the same breast, represent a real challenge for both pathologists and clinicians in terms of identifying the cellular origin and the best therapeutic choice. This project has the potential to identify genetic/transcriptomic differences existing between several lesions constituting multifocal breast cancers, which in the routine clinical practice are usually considered to be homogeneous among them. We foresee validating significant results in a larger series of patients and this, in turn, could have a remarkable impact on the treatment and clinical management of multifocal breast cancers. Indeed, we hope to provide some evidence whether or not each focus matters in multifocal and multicentric breast cancer to define the adequate therapeutic approach, especially in the context of targeted therapies. The work to be done at Sanger will be target gene screen pooling of 1400 samples.

Study EGAS00001000407

Genomic Diagnosis and Individualized Therapy of Highly Penetrant Genetic Diabetes

The most common and well-known causes of diabetes are type 1 and type 2 diabetes; however, there are many other etiologies of diabetes. At least 1-2% of diabetes cases result from high penetrance single gene defects, most commonly in a gene encoding either a transcription factor involved in beta cell development and function or the enzyme glucokinase (GCK). Others have mutations in transcription factors necessary for beta cell development and function. This subset of monogenic diabetes cases is autosomal dominant and is known as "Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young" (MODY). Patients with type 1 diabetes are insulin dependent, meaning they lack insulin production and therefore require multiple daily injections of insulin, as well as multiple times a day blood glucose monitoring. This can be quite burdensome. Type 2 diabetes is predominantly an insulin resistance problem and can often be managed with pills initially, but there are many who also require insulin either at diagnosis or later on in their disease course. Usually, monogenic diabetes is misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes and thus treated suboptimally. Those with monogenic diabetes, due to a defect in a gene encoding a transcription factor, respond extremely well to a class of oral diabetes medications called sulfonylureas. Those with GCK-MODY often have a mild, stable, fasting, nonprogressive hyperglycemia for which pharmacological treatment is often not necessary. It is important to accurately diagnose our patients with the correct etiology to their diabetes for a multitude of reasons. Accurately diagnosing a patient with MODY, for example, can predict their clinical course and we can tailor treatment accordingly. If diagnosed with a transcription factor MODY, we can try switching the patient from insulin to an oral sulfonylurea, and if diagnosed with a GCK-MODY, we can consider discontinuing pharmacological treatment altogether. With specific tailoring of treatment, we would hope to improve quality of life by discontinuing perhaps multiple daily injections of insulin and glucose checking as these may not be necessary. In addition, we would hope to improve glycemic control with an eventual decreased cost to society by decreasing the complication rate of diabetes, resulting in less specialty referrals, lab tests, supplies and procedures. Further, given MODY is an autosomal dominant condition with a 50% chance of inheritance to first-degree family members, we could offer testing to asymptomatic family members which could lead to prevention and/or early diagnosis and treatment. Overall, testing for monogenic diabetes is underutilized clinically. Testing is being done in the U.K., but in the U.S. we are lagging behind. This is most predominantly due to lack of knowledge and concern over cost. In addition, it is difficult to differentiate the relatively small number of monogenic diabetes cases from the larger number with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as each of these etiologies have overlapping characteristics. In fact, many patients with monogenic diabetes are being misdiagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There are recommendations set forth by different societies on who to consider screening for monogenic diabetes. However, these recommendations are difficult to employ clinically as they are general recommendations, there is no specific algorithm, and they are based on varying levels of evidence. The purpose of this study is to implement a personalized diabetes medicine program to enhance the identification of individuals and families affected by highly penetrant diabetes gene mutations through a combination of systematic screening and genetic testing at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, the Baltimore VA Medical Center and additional partner centers at Geisinger Health System and Bay West Endocrinology Associates, and other UM outpatient clinics. Our hope is to develop an approach that can be eventually implemented across the United States so that we can more often uncover the correct etiology to diabetes, tailor treatment accordingly, and test asymptomatic family members.

Study phs001771

Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors (ROCS) and Disparities and Cancer Epidemiology - Colorectal Cancer (DANCE)

The goals for this study were as follows:1. Enroll a total of 5,060 African Americans newly diagnosed with cancer into the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors (Detroit ROCS) Cohort. These population-based cases will be ascertained through the Detroit Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System (MDCSS), a founding member of the NCI SEER Program. Participation at baseline will include a written, web-based, or telephone interview, saliva and/or blood collection, and tumor block retrieval, with detailed cancer-related information coming from the MDCSS registry and medical records.2. Enroll a subgroup of colorectal cancer patients identified through the Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR). An additional 500 colorectal cancer patients, approximately half non-Hispanic white and half African American, will be identified through the LTR and enrolled into the ROCS protocol. The survey is the same survey administered to the ROCS cohort. The Louisiana (“DANCE-CRC”) cohort will not be followed beyond baseline, and blood will not be collected (tumor tissue, however, will be collected, deidentified, and sent for processing through Dr. Rozek's laboratory at Georgetown University).The proposed cohorts will provide for a broad research agenda evaluating cancer outcomes in African Americans across a variety of factors from individual, provider, health care system and community perspectives. These factors include tumor characteristics driving individualized treatment planning, quality of life after a diagnosis and recurrence. Utilizing the MDCSS registry, we will enroll a large population-based sample of African-American cases with lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers and their caregivers resulting in a cohort that will provide substantial benefit to the cancer research community. KCI has a strong history of research in the African-American community and the faculty represents a breadth of experience that includes clinical oncology, genetic epidemiology, environmental exposures, quality of life, treatment decision making, racism/discrimination, and health behaviors. Drs. Schwartz and Beebe-Dimmer have been and will continue to be generous collaborators with other institutions to ensure that this resource will be extensively utilized. The proposed overall cohort will be the only one of its kind, to our knowledge, filling a substantial gap in our understanding of the determinants driving cancer outcomes in African Americans. In addition to registry data detailing cancer specifics, yearly surveys have collected information about individualized treatment experiences, heath histories, family histories, quality of life after a diagnosis, recurrence and caregiving. Population: Adult cancer survivors (see inclusion criteria in next section) Molecular Technologies: Genotyping: Infinium Expanded Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array (MEGAEX) DNA Sequencing: Illumina NovaSeq X Plus using XLEAP-SBS (sequencing by synthesis) Whole genome sequencingPrincipal Findings: The preliminary data collected reinforces differences by race in factors affecting cancer outcomes. Variants in DNA damage repair genes and HOXB13 may be important cancer risk factors for Black men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and are more frequently observed in men with a family history of cancer. ROCS participants reported high rates of a family history of cancer. The high rate of eligibility for Cancer genetic counseling among ROCS participants supports the need for interventions to increase referrals and uptake of genetic counseling among African Americans 60% of ROCS participants reported participating in regular physical activity (PA), with 24% reporting ≥150 min/wk. There were no differences by sex, but prostate cancer survivors were the most likely to report participating in regular PA, whereas lung cancer survivors were the least likely. Survivors who reported participating in regular PA reported higher health-related quality of life and lower depression. More African American than White survivors reported financial hardship and limiting care. More White than African American survivors reported utilizing assets, while more African American survivors reported cancer-related debt. Data available in dbGaP: Individual phenotype data Individual genotype data Individual sequencing dataSample types: Germline DNA

Study phs003116

Molecular characterization of invasive lobular carcinoma

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common histological subtype of breast cancer accounting for 10-15% of cases. ILC differs from invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)with respect to epidemiology, histology, and clinical presentation. Moreover, ILC is lesssensitive to chemotherapy, more frequently bilateral, and more prone to form gastrointestinal, peritoneal, and ovarian metastases than IDCs. In contrast to IDC, the prognostic value ofhistological grade (HG) in ILC is controversial. One of the three major components of histological grading (tubule formation) is missing in ILC which hinders the process of gradingin this histological subtype and results in the classification of approximately two thirds of ILC as HG 2.Over the last decade, a number of gene expression signatures have shed light onto breast cancer classification, allowing breast cancer care to become more personalized. Withrespect to the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, several gene expression signatures provide prognostic and/or predictive information beyond what is possible with current classical clinico-pathological parameters alone. Nevertheless, most studies using gene expression signature have not considered different histologic subtypesseparately. Recently, a comprehensive research program has elucidated some of the biological underpinnings of invasive lobular carcinoma. Genetic material extracted from 200 ILC tumor samples were studied using gene expression profiling and identified ILCmolecular subtypes. These proliferation-driven gene signatures of ILC appear to have prognostic significance. In particular, the Genomic Grade (GG) gene signature improved upon HG in ILC and added prognostic value to classic clinico-pathologic factors. In addition this study demonstrated that most ILC are molecularly characterized as luminal-A (~75%)followed by luminal-B (~20%) and HER2-positve tumors (~5%). Moreover, we investigated the prognostic value of known gene signatures/ gene modules in the same cohort of ILC. As a second step within the scope of this project, we aim to investigate the interactionsbetween somatic ILC tumor mutations to observed transcriptome findings. To this end, we aim to perform somatic mutation analysis for the ILC tumors for which Affymetrix gene expression profiling is available. To this end, we will use a gene screen assay, which specifically interrogates the mutational status of a few hundreds of cancer genes. We believe that this pioneering effort will be fundamental for a tailored treatment of ILC withimprovement in patients' outcome.

Dataset EGAD00001000288

WNT-dependent interaction between inflammatory fibroblasts and FOLR2+ macrophages promotes fibrosis in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem driven by myofibroblast accumulation, leading to interstitial fibrosis. Heterogeneity is a recently recognised characteristics in kidney fibroblasts in CKD, but the role of different populations is still unclear. Here, we characterize a proinflammatory fibroblast population (named CXCL-iFibro), which corresponds to an early state of myofibroblast differentiation in CKD. By performing immunofluorescence studies and spatial transcriptomics analysis on 2 patients, we demonstrate that CXCL-iFibro co-localize with macrophages in the kidney and participate in their attraction, accumulation, and switch into FOLR2+ macrophages from early CKD stages on. In vitro, we cultured primary inflammatory fibroblasts that we characterized by using bulk RNAseq. We show that macrophages promote the switch of CXCL-iFibro into ECM-secreting myofibroblasts through a WNT/-catenin-dependent pathway, thereby suggesting a reciprocal crosstalk between these populations of fibroblasts and macrophages. Finally, the detection of CXCL-iFibro at early stages of CKD is predictive of poor patient prognosis, which shows that the CXCL-iFibro population is an early player in CKD progression and demonstrates the clinical relevance of our findings.

Study EGAS50000000101

Residual ANTXR1+ myofibroblasts after chemotherapy inhibit anti-tumor immunity via YAP1 signaling pathway

Although cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity is well-established, the impact of chemotherapy on CAF populations remains poorly understood. We address this question in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), in which we previously identified 4 CAF populations. While the global content in stroma increases in HGSOC after chemotherapy, the proportion of FAP+ CAF (also called CAF-S1) decreases. Still, maintenance of high residual CAF-S1 content after chemotherapy is associated with reduced CD8+ T lymphocyte density and poor patient prognosis, emphasizing the importance of CAF-S1 reduction upon treatment. Single cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry reveal that the content in the ECM-producing ANTXR1+ CAF-S1 cluster (ECM-myCAF) is the most affected by chemotherapy. Moreover, functional assays demonstrate that ECM-myCAF isolated from HGSOC reduce CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity through a Yes Associated Protein 1 (YAP1)-dependent mechanism. Thus, efficient inhibition after treatment of YAP1-signaling pathway in the ECM-myCAF cluster is required to enhance CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Altogether, these data pave the way for novel therapy targeting YAP1 in ECM-myCAF in HGSOC.

Study EGAS50000000136

Stability of gut microbiome after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals

Bidirectional interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiota are key contributors to various physiological functions. Immune-associated diseases such as cancer and auto- immunity, and efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies, have been linked to microbiome variation. Although COVID-19 infection has been shown to cause microbial dysbiosis, it remains understudied whether the inflammatory response associated with vaccination also impacts the microbiota. Here, we investigate the temporal impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the gut microbiome in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals; the latter included patients with primary immunodeficiency and cancer patients on immuno- modulating therapies. We find that the gut microbiome remained remarkably stable postvaccination irrespective of diverse immune status, vaccine response, and microbial composition spanned by the cohort. The stability is evident at all evaluated levels including diversity, phylum, species, and functional capacity. Our results in- dicate the resilience of the gut microbiome to host immune changes triggered by COVID-19 vaccination and suggest minimal, if any, impact on microbiome-mediated processes. These findings en- courage vaccine acceptance, particularly when contrasted with the significant microbiome shifts observed during COVID-19 infection.

Study EGAS50000000179

Mechanisms of Therapy Driven Clonal Evolution in Oncogenic RAS Mutant Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Although multi-agent combination chemotherapy is curative in a significant fraction of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, 20% of cases relapse and most die due to chemo-refractory disease. Here we used whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing to analyze the mutational landscape and pattern of clonal evolution at relapse in pediatric ALL cases. These analyses showed that ALL relapses originate from a common ancestral precursor clone of the diagnosis and relapsed populations and frequently harbor mutations implicated in chemotherapy resistance. RAS-MAPK pathway activating mutations in NRAS, KRAS and PTPN11 were present in 24/55 (44%) cases in our series. Notably, while some cases showed emergence of RAS mutant clones at relapse, in others, RAS mutant clones present at diagnosis were replaced by RAS wild type populations. Mechanistically, functional dissection of mouse and human wild type Kras and mutant Kras (Kras G12D) isogenic leukemia cells demonstrated induction of methotrexate resistance, but also improved response to vincristine, in mutant Kras- expressing lymphoblasts. These results identify chemotherapy driven selection as a central mechanism of leukemia clonal evolution and pave the road for the development of tailored personalized therapies for the treatment of relapsed ALL.

Study phs001072

Transcriptome of Chronic Pain and Disease

The Functional Genomics Section (FGS) is a part of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Research at the FGS focuses on understanding the mechanics involved in nociception through both clinical samples from patients with chronic pain and mouse models of pain. Pain is relayed from the periphery to the central nervous system through specialized sensory neurons known as nociceptors. The cell body of nociceptors resides in neuronal structures that branch off of the spinal cord known as dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The DRG is a heterogenous tissue containing not only sensory neurons like nociceptors, but also glial cells, capillaries, fibroblasts, and resident macrophages. The interaction between the nociceptors and these DRG cell types can have a significant role in affecting neuronal hyperexcitability and downstream pain sensitivity. To better understand the cellular factors involved in producing conditions of chronic pain, DRGs from consenting organ donors were collected from individuals experiencing pain disorders such as painful diabetic neuropathy and rheumatoid arthritis. A multi-omics approach is being used to identify molecular mechanisms that lead to pain hypersensitivity in patients with chronic pain.  

Study phs002548

Detection of Genes Predisposing to Hematologic Malignancies

We have been conducting genetic studies on families at high risk of different hematologic malignancies, in order to define the related tumors in the families, define precursor and other related conditions, and map and identify susceptibility genes. We have focused mainly on four types of lymphoid malignancies: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). A few families with a rare lymphoma subtype, hairy cell leukemia (HCL) are included. In addition, single large pedigrees with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and juvenile myelomocytic leukemia (JMML) are included. Families are ascertained for having at least two patients with the same hematologic malignancy and are classified by the type of malignancy that predominates in the family. Multiple types of lymphoid malignancies are often found in the same family. Other data has shown that these conditions aggregate together in families. Verification of cancer diagnoses is obtained through medical records, pathology reports, and flow cytometry. Family members with precursor traits are also included, monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) in CLL families and IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in WM families.

Study phs001219

Epigenomes and Transcriptomes of Brain Samples of Schizophrenics and Controls

We examined the effects of antipsychotic medications on the cell-specific epigenomics and transcriptomics in the frontal cortex of schizophrenic subjects. We performed ChIP-seq (H3K4me3 and H3K27ac) and RNA-seq on neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei of postmortem frontal cortex samples from two cohorts of schizophrenics, either previously treated or not with antipsychotic medications, and control subjects individually matched by sex and age. In total, we tested 29 schizophrenics (15 untreated and 14 treated patients) and their matched control samples. Two replicates were produced on each brain sample for each assay. ChIP-seq data were generated using MOWChIP-seq (Zhu et al., PMID: 31666743) and RNA-seq data were produced using the combination of SMART-seq2 (Picelli et al., PMID: 24385147) and a Nextera XT DNA library preparation kit. The filename contains the information on the experimental group, the number of the sample within the group, the type of the brain nuclei, the epigenomic/transcriptomic data set (either H3K27ac or mRNA), and the number of replicate. For example, “SCZ-1-untreated-neuron-H3K4me3-R1” refers untreated schizophrenic sample #1, replicate 1 ChIP-seq data on H3K4me3.

Study phs002487

Clonal Evolution and Transcriptomic Analysis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treated with Ibrutinib

Disease progression has been increasingly appreciated with the use of ibrutinib to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Understanding the pattern of clonal evolution and transcriptomic changes during the early treatment period with ibrutinib may provide insight into the mechanisms of resistance. We performed whole exome sequencing on sequential samples with matched germline controls from 61 patients with CLL during the first 12 months of ibrutinib monotherapy or ibrutinib in combination with rituximab. Additionally, RNA sequencing was done on a subset of 14 patients treated with ibrutinib monotherapy. The presence of clonal shifts was associated with an increased risk of disease progression, suggesting that resistant clones are more likely to emerge in CLL with greater evolutionary capacity.This cohort was later augmented with additional data (including data from 15 additional patients). In total, this second set of data contained whole exome sequencing (31 samples), RNA sequencing (6 samples) and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (67 samples) for CLL samples and used them to identify expression subtypes of CLL. In an integrative analysis of genetic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic data, incorporating known and newly identified subtypes of CLL, we built new models to improve patient prognostication.

Study phs001473

E5103 Correlative Studies

ECOG-ACRIN E5103 (E5103) was a phase III adjuvant breast cancer trial that randomized 4994 patients with node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer to intravenous doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide every 2 or 3 weeks (at the discretion of treating physician), for four cycles of adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by 12 weeks of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) alone (Arm A), or to the same chemotherapy with either concurrent bevacizumab (Arm B), or concurrent plus sequential bevacizumab (Arm C). To develop predictive genetic biomarkers for chemotherapy efficacy and toxicities, we have successfully performed genome-wide genotyping and whole exome sequencing in the germline (blood) DNA of 3215 and 672 patients, respectively, from the E5103 trial to investigate the association of genetic variants with chemotherapy efficacy and toxicities. Case and control studies were performed with genome-wide analyses (GWAS) and whole exome analyses (WES) across all arms of E5103 to identify genotypes at single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and deleterious gene mutations that were associated with paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN). Through GWAS, we have identified a SNP, rs3125923, and through WES, Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR), that was significantly associated with grade 3-4 TIPN.

Study phs003201

The Genomic Landscape of Endocrine Resistant Advanced Breast Cancers: Paired Pre- and Post-endocrine Therapy Samples.

The genomic evolution of breast cancers exposed to systemic therapy and its effects on clinical outcome have not been broadly characterized. We integrated the genomic sequencing of 1918 breast cancers, including 1501 hormone receptor-positive tumors, with detailed clinical information and treatment outcomes. Functional mutations in ERBB2 and loss-of-function mutations in NF1 were more than twice as common in post-endocrine therapy tumors compared to treatment-naive tumors. Additional alterations in the MAPK pathway (EGFR, KRAS among others) and in estrogen receptor transcriptional regulators (MYC, CTCF, FOXA1 and TBX3) were also more common compared to hormonal therapy-naive tumors. To determine whether candidate genomic lesions in the MAPK pathway and estrogen receptor transcriptional regulators were present prior to therapy or whether such lesions arose under the selective pressure of therapy, we performed whole-exome sequencing in select patients who had adequate samples acquired prior to and after progression on endocrine therapy. In total, 95 specimens corresponding to 30 treatment-naive primary tumors, 35 post-treatment tumors, and 30 normal samples were sequenced from 30 patients with endocrine-resistant metastatic breast cancer.

Study phs001674

High response rate to anti PD-1 therapy in desmoplastic melanoma

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM) is a rare subtype of melanoma characterized by dense fibrous stroma, resistance to chemotherapy and a lack of actionable driver mutations, but is highly associated with ultraviolet light DNA damage. We analysed 60 patients with advanced DM treated with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) or PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) blocking antibody therapy. Objective tumor responses were observed in 42 of the 60 patients (70%, 95% confidence interval 57-81%), including 19 patients (32% overall) with a complete response. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a high mutational load and frequent NF-1 mutations (14 out of 17 cases). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis from 19 DM and 13 non-DM revealed a higher percentage of PD-L1 positive cells in the tumor parenchyma in DM (p = 0.04), highly associated with increased CD8 density and PD-L1 expression in the tumor invasive margin. Therefore, patients with advanced DM derive significant clinical benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade therapy despite being a cancer defined by its dense desmoplastic fibrous stroma. The benefit is likely derived from the high mutational burden and a frequent pre-existing adaptive immune response limited by PD-L1 expression.

Study phs001469

Pharmacogenomics of HIV Therapy - Atazanavir Bilirubin-related Side Effects

This is an evaluation of genetic associations with atazanavir (ATV) discontinuation for bilirubin-related causes within 12 months of treatment. Patients were treated at an HIV primary care clinic in Nashville TN from 1998 to 2012. A previously known SNP in UGT1A1 (rs887829) was used to define metabolizer genotypes (extensive, intermediate, slow metabolizer). Over 500,000 SNPs from genome-wide genotyping were used to define MDS (Multidimensional Scaling) coordinates to account for population stratification. Patients were defined as cases if they discontinued ATV for bilirubin-related causes within 12 months of treatment, otherwise they were defined as controls if they did not stop treatment. Among 321 evaluable patients, 15 (4.6%) had bilirubin-related atazanavir discontinuation within 12 months. Homozygosity for rs887829 T/T was present in 28.1% of black, 21.4% of Hispanic, and 8.6% of white patients. Among all patients the hazard ratio (HR) for bilirubin-related discontinuation with T/T versus C/C genotype was 7.3 (95% C.I.: 1.7 to 31.5; p = 0.007). Among 152 white patients the HR was 14.4 (95% CI: 2.6 to 78.7; p = 0.002), but among 153 black patients the HR was 0.8 (95% C.I. 0.05 to 12.7; p = 0.87).

Study phs001484

Mechanisms of Restoring T Cell Immunity after Cure of Chronic Viral Infection

We analyzed hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific T cells and non-specific memory T cell populations from 6 patients with chronic HCV infection receiving 12 weeks of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy with aritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir + dasabuvir + ribavirin. All patients were treated successfully. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from blood draws right before treatment initiation (Pre-DAA) and 12 months after the end of treatment (Post-DAA). In each patient, HCV-specific cells were sorted using two different HCV multimers: One representing an epitope present in the circulating HCV genome and one epitope where the virus had escaped the T cell response and thus the corresponding T cells did not receive a TCR signal in vivo. Sorted specific T-cell populations and memory T cell subpopulations were analyzed by extracting RNA and performing RNA sequencing using the Smart-Seq2 protocol. A group of 8 patients with acute self-limited HCV infection (resolvers) were included as control representing natural control of infection. These patients were studied 24 weeks after their last detectable HCV viremia. Finally, we confirmed the data from chronically treated patients in a confirmatory cohort, consisting of 9 patients after successful antiviral treatment.

Study phs002510

Transcriptomic Characterization of Human Innate T Cells

We performed low input RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq on 7 lymphocyte populations with the objective of finding the common transcriptional programs shared among innate T cells. In brief, we drew blood from healthy donors and isolated CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, Natural Killer cells, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, and two γδ T cell populations: Vδ1 and Vδ2. We performed low input RNA-seq on samples with 1000 cells each, for 6 healthy individuals, in duplicate. We performed single-cell RNA-seq with DNA-barcoded hashing antibodies to identify the cell type of origin for each cell. We found a common transcriptional program across lymphocytes that is gradually turned on as lymphocytes have a more "innateness" state, promoting effector functions and sacrificing proliferative capacity. Additionally, we performed low input RNA-seq for Vδ3-expressing γδ T cells and δ/αβ T cells for one healthy individual in duplicate (1000 cells per sample). This revealed δ/αβ T cells are transcriptionally more adaptive-like and Vδ3 more innate-like.

Study phs002007

An APOBEC Cytidine Deaminase Mutagenesis in Human Cancers

Reprinted from Roberts et al. "An APOBEC cytidine deaminase mutagenesis pattern is widespread in human cancers", Nature Genetics, 45:970-976, 2013, with permission of Nature Publishing Group: Recent studies indicate that a subclass of APOBEC cytidine deaminases, which convert cytosine to uracil during RNA editing and retrovirus or retrotransposon restriction, may induce mutation clusters in human tumors. We show here that throughout cancer genomes APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis is pervasive and correlates with APOBEC mRNA levels. Mutation clusters in whole-genome and exome data sets conformed to the stringent criteria indicative of an APOBEC mutation pattern. Applying these criteria to 954,247 mutations in 2,680 exomes from 14 cancer types, mostly from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), showed a significant presence of the APOBEC mutation pattern in bladder, cervical, breast, head and neck, and lung cancers, reaching 68% of all mutations in some samples. Within breast cancer, the HER2-enriched subtype was clearly enriched for tumors with the APOBEC mutation pattern, suggesting that this type of mutagenesis is functionally linked with cancer development. The APOBEC mutation pattern also extended to cancer-associated genes, implying that ubiquitous APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis is carcinogenic.

Study phs000677

NHLBI GO-ESP: Family Studies (Familial Interstitial Pneumonia)

The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. The Familial Interstitial Pneumonia (FIP) project seeks to identify genetic variants in coding regions of the human genome that are linked to FIP by examining the coding regions among relatives with FIP. These data will be used in conjunction with our other genetic studies to help us better understand how and why some individuals develop pulmonary fibrosis.

Study phs000582

Genome-Wide Discovery of Novel Breast Cancer Predisposing Mutations

Cancer risk shows clear heritability, but the inherited genetic factors remain largely unknown. This project will seek to identify new genes in which mutations confer hereditary risk for early onset breast cancer, with important implications for both biological understanding and clinical prediction and prevention. Identifying cancer predisposing mutations can provide new biological insights and significantly impact important clinical decision making regarding treatment, surveillance and preventive approaches. Examples include the BRCA1 breast cancer susceptibility gene, which affects treatment decisions (surgical management), surveillance (frequent breast MRI) and prevention (oophorectory for prevention of ovarian cancer). Hereditary early onset breast cancer patients commonly present to Cancer Genetics clinics, but the majority of these patients do not have identifiable mutations in known candidate genes. Here, we will perform whole exome sequencing to discover novel cancer susceptibility genes. The patients have been recruited from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (PIs Kenneth Offit and Zsofia Stadler) and Massachusetts General Hospital (PI Daniel Haber). All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon Kit v2 and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 or 2500.

Study phs000822

Altered chromosomal topology drives oncogenic programs in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Metabolic lesions with pleiotropic effects on epigenetic regulation and other cellular processes are widely implicated in cancer, yet their oncogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) deficiency causes a subset of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) with DNA hyper-methylation. Here we associate this hyper-methylation with changes in chromosome topology that activate oncogenic programs. To investigate epigenetic alterations in this disease, we systematically mapped DNA methylation, CTCF insulators, enhancers and chromosome topology in KIT-mutant, PDGFRA-mutant and SDH-deficient GISTs. Although these respective subtypes share similar enhancer landscapes, we identified hundreds of putative insulators where DNA methylation replaced CTCF binding in SDH-deficient GISTs. We focused on disrupted insulators that partitions super-enhancers from FGF3, FGF4 and the KIT oncogene. Recurrent loss of this insulator alters locus topology in SDH-deficient GISTs, allowing aberrant physical interaction between enhancers and oncogenes. CRISPR-mediated excision of the corresponding CTCF motif in an SDH-intact model disrupted the boundary and up-regulated FGFs and KIT expression. Our findings reveal how a metabolic lesion destabilizes chromatin structure to facilitate the initiation and selection of epigenetic alterations that drive oncogenic programs in the absence of canonical mutations.

Study phs001906

14347 results for ""Pennsylvania+German"+ACS+study+'Socius'+open+access"

in 277.88 milliseconds.

A combined circulating tumor DNA and protein biomarker-based liquid biopsy for the earlier detection of pancreatic cancer

Mutations in SPINK2 induce azoospermia

Integrative genomic analysis identifies multiple subtypes and therapeutic targets in acute erythroid leukemia

Genetic history of the Comorian populations.

Intratumoral plasma cells predict outcomes to PD-L1 blockade in non-small cell lung cancer

Kalirin-RAC controls nucleokinetic migration in ADRN-type neuroblastoma

HCA_Female_Reporductive_Adult_WSSS_RNA

Genomic and functional fidelity of small cell lung cancer patient-derived xenografts

Exome sequencing demonstrates a dual origin of relapses in retinoic-acid resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Somatic_mutation_profiling_of_intestinal_crypts_from_IBD

Interferon lambda 4 impairs viral antigen presentation and attenuates T cell responses

Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world

Multimodal single-cell and bulk glioma analyses

An instructive role for IL7RA in the development of human B-cell precursor leukemia

Mapping the breast cancer metastatic cascade onto circulating tumour DNA using genetic and epigenetic clonal tracking

HCA_Placenta_Adult_Vento_RNA

Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world

Comprehensive pharmacogenomic characterization of gastric cancer

DERMATLAS__Hidradenoma_papilliferum_RNAseq

DERMATLAS__Porocarcinoma_RNAseq

Cancer immune control needs senescence induction by Stat1 dependent cell cycle regulator pathways in tumours

A blood atlas of COVID-19 defines hallmarks of disease severity and specificity

Automated image-based profiling of complex drug induced phenotypes in patient-derived organoids

DERMATLAS__Poroma_RNAseq

Multi-omic analysis of cell-of-origin and epigenomic state in pediatric H3K27M gliomas

Single-nuclei gene-expression analysis of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma links tumor subtypes with tumor microenvironment

Molecular origins of mpMRI visibility

MethCORR: DNA Methylation-based Characterization, Classification and Prognostication of Colorectal Cancer using Archival Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Tissue

Epigenomic priming of immune genes implicates oligodendroglia in multiple sclerosissusceptibility

Combination therapies to inhibit LCK tyrosine kinase and mTOR signaling in T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Sensitive detection of tumor mutations from blood and its application to immunotherapy prognosis

Tumor-intrinsic expression of the autophagy gene Atg16l1 suppresses anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer

Infiltrative and drug-resistant slow-cycling cells support metabolic heterogeneity in glioblastoma

Single-cell analysis of airway samples identifies immune cell activation correlating with COVID-19 disease severity

Functional screening on patient-derived organoids identifies a therapeutic bispecific antibody that triggers EGFR degradation in LGR5+ tumor cells

Single-cell RNA-seq of celiac disease-specific plasma cells

Salivary Gland Cancer TSO500 dataset

Functional and genomic heterogeneity of long-term self-renewing compartment as the origin of treatment resistance in pancreatic tumors

RNA-seq of M-CSF differentiated human peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) - Validation macIDR

An Isogenic Cell Line Panel for Sequence-based Screening of Targeted Anti-cancer Drugs

Genetic and epigenetic variation at regulatory regions contribute to cancer evolution under endocrine treatment

Understanding_Self__Organising_Capacity_of_Stem_Cells_during_Implantation_and_Early_Post_implantation_Development_in_vitro_and_in_vivo__Implications_for_Human_Development_

Proteogenomics reveals two distinct biological pilocytic astrocytoma subgroups

Genomic analysis and evolutionary modeling of breast and larynx cancer, based on specimens from Polish population

DERMATLAS__Tubular_adenoma

The Precision Medicine in Liver Cancer across an Asia-pacific NETwork (PLANET) - Intratumoural immune heterogeneity

The miR-185/PAK6 Axis Predicts Therapy Response and Regulates Survival of Drug-Resistant Leukemic Stem Cells in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

The clinical utility of genomics in childhood cancer extends beyond targetable mutations - WGS data

The clinical utility of genomics in childhood cancer extends beyond targetable mutations - Cancer Panel data

DERMATLAS__Tubular_adenoma_RNAseq

Structural Expression of BMMF in tissues of colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer patients

Detection of isoforms and genomic alterations by high-throughput full-length single-cell RNA sequencing in HGSOC

Genotype data from 'Dense sampling of ethnic groups within African countries reveals fine-scale genetic structure and extensive historical admixture.'

Advancing fast in the analysis of circulating tumour DNA

Genomic Advances in Sepsis (GAinS): RNA-seq

Somatic mutation and selection at epidemiological scale - TwinsUK_RENanoSeq_Buccal

Somatic mutation and selection at epidemiological scale - Sanger_NanoSeq_RandD

GDAP - Genome Diversity in Africa Project (2021-02-12)

Genome Diversity in Africa Project: Uganda (2021-02-17)

Dataset RNAseq from regions of insitu and invasive human mammary ductal disease

RNAseq data to study PRPF6 regulated splice forms in colon cancer cell lines

DERMATLAS__Leiomyosarcoma_WES

DERMATLAS__Poroma_WES

DERMATLAS__SG_basal_cell_adenoma_and_adenocarcinoma_WES

DERMATLAS__SG_basal_cell_adenoma_and_adenocarcinoma_RNAseq

RNA sequencing of CCO- and CCO+ human hepatocytes

Integrated single cell analysis in transformed follicular lymphoma

Spatial transcriptomics reveal topological immune landscapes of Asian head and neck angiosarcoma

Effective reprogramming of patient-derived M2-polarized glioblastoma-associated microglia/macrophages by treatment with GW2580

DERMATLAS__Leiomyoma_WES

GOSH_Childhood_Leukemia_Behjati_WellcomeCore_RNA

DERMATLAS__Leiomyoma_RNAseq

DERMATLAS__Leiomyosarcoma_RNAseq

Human NXPE1 mediates variation in sialic acid O-acetylation in Colon Tissue

Selective targeting of TBXT with DARPins identifies regulatory networks and therapeutic vulnerabilities in chordoma

Genetic and Functional Drivers of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Pan Prostate Cancer Group data

Intratumoral Heterogeneity and Clonal Evolution Induced by HPV Integration.