12504 results for ""non-traditional+communal+storytelling+approach"+novel+segment+noted+in+critical+commentary"

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• A Combined Omics and Tissue Biobank for Paediatric Cancers

  The Swedish Childhood Tumour Biobank (BTB) is a nonprofit national infrastructure for samples and genomic data collection from pediatric patients diagnosed with central nervous system and other solid tumours in Sweden. Fresh frozen tumour tissue and patient’s matched blood are collected from affected patients and genomic data is continuously generated and made available for approved medical research projects. We expect that the accessibility of biological samples and/or data to the research community will contribute to further advances in the understanding of tumour biology, which in turn will impact many aspects of clinical care of children with cancer, by refining diagnosis and/or identifying oncogenic drivers and therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS50000000209

• A Phase II Study: CRS207/GVAX Plus Anti-PD1 and Anti-CTLA4 Recruits Mesothelin- and KRAS-Specific T cells into PDAC

  This study examined immunologic correlatives from a phase II study evaluating CRS207/GVAX vaccines in combination with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 in metastatic pancreatic cancer (NCT03190265). Arm A received CRS207/GVAX with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 therapy; Arm B received CRS207 with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 therapy. Patients undergoing treatment in this trial had peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and tumor tissue biopsied serially at pre-treatment and on-treatment timepoints. Single-cell RNA/TCR sequencing was employed on PBMCs. Bulk RNA/TCR sequencing was employed on tumor tissues. We identified treatment-enriched inflammatory pathways as well as T cell repertoires.

  Study phs003798

• Impact of cryopreservation on transcriptome analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

  To investigate the effect of cryopreservation on PBMCs, we conducted an experiment using samples from three healthy donors under four conditions: fresh PBMCs, PBMCs subjected to a single freeze–thaw cycle, PBMCs refrozen in freezing mix, and PBMCs refrozen in TRIzol. This resulted in a total of 12 samples (three replicates per condition). RNA was extracted from all PBMC samples using the Qiagen miRNeasy Mini Kit, followed by polyA RNA sequencing on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Blood was collected from one male and two female adult donors. Sequencing yielded high-quality data, with an average of 27.8 million reads per sample and over 94% of bases exceeding a Q30 quality score.

  Study EGAS50000001196

• bulk RNAseq analysis of tumor from 3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients

  We performed screenings of patient-specific neo-epitopes by tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes of 4 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients. After the tumor resection, these patients went on to receive BCG treatment as they had high-risk disease. In order to select the neo-epitopes, we performed bulk RNAseq of the bladder tumor to select the mutated genes that were expressed in the tumor (TPM >1). For patient UC2, 3 different tumors were resected at the same time and RNA from these 3 tumors were sent separately for RNAseq. For patient UC4, no RNA was available, so this patient is not included in this study.

  Study EGAS50000001383

• Whole genome sequencing data of paediatric patients with BCR::ABL1 acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  The BCR::ABL1 fusion results from the t(9;22)(q34;11.2) translocation, also known as the Philadelphia chromosome. In children, BCR::ABL1-positive leukemia is rare, accounting for approximately 3% of cases. The BCR::ABL1 oncoprotein activates multiple signaling pathways that drive cell proliferation. Historically, this subtype was associated with an extremely poor prognosis; however, the incorporation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors into therapy has markedly improved outcomes, with overall survival now approaching 80% in pediatric patients. Relapse most commonly occurs through the emergence of clones harboring kinase domain mutations, yet 30–40% of relapses arise in the absence of such mutations, a phenomenon that remains poorly understood.

  Study EGAS50000001512

• A human induced pluripotent stem cell toolbox for studying sex chromosome effects -transcriptional landscape

  We use state of the art reprogramming methods to generate panels of isogenic XXY, XX and XY iPSCs from XXY patient fibroblasts. We use CRISPR/Cas9 system to evict Y chromosome from XY cells and generate XO iPSCs. The generation and characterisation of panels of isogenic XXY, XX, XY and XO iPSCs will provide a foundational toolkit to study sex differences in vitro. As iPSCs can be differentiated into any somatic cell type, we can apply the model to any human disease. We have generated bulk RNA-Seq from 12 autosomally isogenic hiPSCs to investigate transcriptional landscape and any differences in those cells in pluripotent state.

  Study EGAS50000000931

• Genome-wide evaluation of the maturation of the immune response to the tuberculin skin test from day 2 to day 7

  The tuberculin skin test (TST) is a standardised human challenge model to evaluate the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens in vivo. To study the temporal evolution of the TST, we recruited healthy volunteers with evidence of peripheral blood Mtb reactive T cells, to undergo a TST in each arm that was sampled on day 2 at one site and on day 7 at the contralateral site on day 7. Genome-wide TST transcriptomes at day 2 and day 7 were defined by differential gene expression compared to transcriptomes from the site of control saline injections performed in a separate subset of volunteers.

  Study EGAS50000000822

• South Asia Rheumatic Heart Disease Genetics Network

  Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major cause of cardiovascular death and disability amongst young adults. Building on a sample collection established for and genotyped in several earlier successful candidate gene studies, this case-control study investigated host genetic susceptibility to RHD using a genome-wide approach. The current dataset comprises over 850 individuals recruited in Uttar Pradesh, India, including cases of RHD based on echocardiographic diagnosis and controls recruited on the basis of normal echocardiograms. For this analysis all available samples were genotyped using the Illumina HumanCore-24 BeadChip platform. Efforts are now underway to establish new sample collections in other areas of India as well as Pakistan and later other neighbouring countries.

  Study EGAS00001003565

• ICGC Oesophageal adenocarcinoma - pilot samples

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

  Study EGAS00001000559

• Identification_of_drug_resistance_genes_in_melanoma

  Our aim is to analyze the genome of human melanoma cell lines and short term culture from human melanoma samples in order to identify genes that confer drug resistance to clinically relevant targeted therapies. We will perform whole-exome sequencing, copy number variation analysis and methylome analysis in a collection of human melanoma cell lines and short term culture that will be then screened for drug sensitivity/resistance through a library of clinically relevant drugs and drug combinations. By the combined analysis of the genomic lesion and the drug sensitivity/resistance profile of different cell lines, we will look for genes whose mutation is associated to the sensitivity or resistance to a specific drug in different samples.

  Study EGAS00001000617

• Single-cell RNA-sequencing of CD34+ bone marrow cells from patients with SLE, healthy individuals and umbilical cord blood samples

  All immune cells that contribute to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) derive from adult haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) within the bone marrow (BM). We reasoned that the fundamental abnormalities in the disease can be traced back to HSPCs. The aim of this study was to delineate human haematopoietic CD34+ progenitor subpopulations and to identify deregulated pathways in each subpopulation in SLE as compared to healthy controls and umbilical cord blood samples. This study revealed both quantitative-as evidenced by decreased numbers of non-proliferating early progenitors and qualitative differences- characterized by an IFN signature, which is known to drive loss of function and depletion of HSPCs.

  Study EGAS00001007317

• ICGC Oesophageal adenocarcinoma - Barrett's samples

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

  Study EGAS00001000726

• Multiregion Whole Exome sequencing of paediatric High Grade Gliomas and DIPG

  Paediatric High Grade Gliomas (pHGG) are defined by unique, specific and highly recurrent mutations in genes encoding histone H3 variants which mark robust subgroups with distinct age of onset, anatomical distribution, clinical outcome, histopathological and radiological features. We have used whole exome sequencing to identify the main recurrent somatic mutations occurring within pHGG including H3 histones and the coincident mutations and DNA copy number events in order to classify clinically relevant subgroups and the molecular events within them as new targets for therapy. Analysis of sequenced cases revealed multiple tumour subclones, spatially and temporally co-existing in a stable manner as observed by multiple sampling strategies.

  Study EGAS00001001436

• Somatic point mutation data from microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers

  Microsatellite instability (MSI) leads to accumulation of an excessive number of mutations in the genome, mostly small insertions and deletions. MSI CRCs, however, also contain more point mutations than microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors, yet they have not been as comprehensively studied. To identify candidate driver genes affected by point mutations in MSI CRC, we ranked genes based on mutation significance while correcting for replication timing and gene expression utilizing an algorithm, MutSigCV. Somatic point mutation data from the exome kit-targeted area from 24 exome sequenced sporadic MSI CRCs and respective normals, and 12 whole genome sequenced sporadic MSI CRCs and respective normals were utilized. The top 73 genes were validated in 93 additional MSI CRCs.

  Study EGAS00001003101

• Guardians_of_the_genome__protecting_DNA_from_endogenous_sources_of_damage_

  Analysis of mutational signatures caused by DNA repair defects in human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. A reference human iPS cell line will be used for genetic manipulation to introduce homozygous knockouts of 100 genes known to be involved in or connected to DNA repair or DNA editing. Following a defined period of growth after homozygous knockout of each gene, sub clones will be generated and sequenced. The progenitor “parental” IPS cell line will be used to generate reference sequence data, in order to determine the mutational signature acquired due to the gene knockout. This is a pilot study to investigate the effects of oxygen conditions and growth period on mutations acquired

  Study EGAS00001000874

• RNA sequencing of undifferentiated sarcomas

  Undifferentiated sarcomas (USARCs) of adults are diverse, rare, and aggressive soft tissue cancers. Recent sequencing efforts have confirmed that USARCs exhibit one of the highest burdens of structural aberrations across human cancer. Here, we sought to unravel the molecular basis of the structural complexity in USARCs by integrating DNA sequencing, ploidy analysis, gene expression, and methylation profiling. We identified whole genome duplication as a prevalent and pernicious force in USARC tumorigenesis. Using mathematical deconvolution strategies to unravel the complex copy-number profiles and mutational timing models we infer distinct evolutionary pathways of these rare cancers. In addition, 15% of tumors exhibited raised mutational burdens that correlated with gene expression signatures of immune infiltration, and good prognosis.

  Study EGAS00001003291

• Tumor microenvironment study of ovarian granulosa cell tumors

  Adult-type granulosa cell tumors (aGCT) are rare ovarian sex cord tumors with few 41 effective treatments for recurrent disease. The objective of this study was to compare global gene expression profiles and characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME) of primary and recurrent aGCTs in order to identify correlates of disease recurrence. Total RNA sequencing was performed on 24 pathologically confirmed, cryopreserved aGCT samples, including 8 primary and 16 recurrent tumors. A total of 31 differentially expressed genes were identified between primary and recurrent aGCT. TME analysis demonstrated significantly higher fractions of neutrophils and macrophages in recurrent tumors in conjunction with significantly lower fractions of cancer-associated fibroblasts and endothelial cells.

  Study EGAS00001006478

• T cell reactivity of MHC epitopes

  By using >36,000 immunogenicity assay results, we developed a method to identify peptide-MHC complexes whose structural alignment facilitates T cell reaction. Our method accurately predicted neoepitopes for MHC II as well as MHC I that were responsive to checkpoint blockade when applied to >1,200 samples of various tumor types and on-therapy melanoma samples. To investigate selection by spontaneous immunity at the single epitope level, we analyzed the frequency spectrum of >25 million mutations in >9,000 treatment-naïve tumors in association with >100 immune phenotypes. MHC II immunogenicity specifically lowered variant frequencies in tumors under high immune pressure particularly with high TCR clonality and MHC II expression.

  Study EGAS00001006445

• Identification and functional characterisation of a rare MTTP variant underlying familial non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

  We identified a rare causal variant in MTTP, c.1691T>C p.I564T (rs745447480) encoding microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) causing progressive non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma unrelated to metabolic syndrome, without manifestations of abetalipoproteinemia, in a four generation family with South Asian ancestry. Variant-expressing hepatocyte-like-cells (HLCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells generated from homozygous donor skin fibroblasts had lower lipoprotein ApoB secretion, compared to wild type cells. Cytoplasmic triglyceride accumulation in HLCs triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators, production of reactive oxygen species, delineating the progression of disease associated with homozygosity for MTTP p.I564T

  Study EGAS00001005254

• ProHealth: Kaiser Permanente Genome-wide Association Study of Prostate Cancer

  A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of prostate cancer (PCa) was conducted in Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California health plan members (7,783 cases, 38,595 controls; 80.3% non-Hispanic white, 4.9% African-American, 7.0% East Asian, and 7.8% Latino) [PMID: 26034056]. The data for these members were drawn from three KP cohort studies: Research Program in Genes, Environment and Health (RPGEH) ProHealth, and California Men's Health Study (CMHS) (described further under Study History). Four custom arrays were designed for genotyping, one for each of the four major race-ethnicity groups in the RPGEH cohort: African Americans, East Asians, Latinos, and Non-Hispanic Whites. The number of SNPs and SNP content varied by array, with SNP content designed to maximize the genome-wide coverage of low frequency and more common variants specific to the different race-ethnicity groups, including newly identified SNPs from sequencing projects, and SNPs with established associations with disease phenotypes and risk factors [PMIDs: 21565264, 21903159]. Within the total study cohort, n=34,736 completed a consent which permitted deposition of data to NIH. Genotyping followed the same general procedure described in [PMIDs: 26092718, plus additional quality control (QC) steps for the additional men, in order to control for potential batch and kit effects, described in [PMID: 26034056. Briefly, we first repeated the filters described in [PMID: 26092718] for all four arrays (EUR, LAT, EAS, AFR). Then, on an array-wise basis, we removed SNPs with MAF<0.01, with a call rate<95%, or with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) p-value in homogeneous groups<1x10ˆ-5. Furthermore, on the EUR array, to adjust for potential kit effect, we conducted a GWAS of kit, and removed those kit associated SNPs with p<1x10ˆ-6; we also re-genotyped each of the new samples (those not genotyped with the original GERA data) with some of the original GERA data, and removed SNPs with >13/1,268 (1%) mismatches. For the AFR array, to adjust potential plate batch issues, we conducted a GWAS of whether an individual was in the original GERA data vs. in the newly genotyped data and removed those batch-associated SNPs with p<0.05 (we used a stronger threshold than that used for the EUR array because there were fewer individuals on the AFR array); we also re-genotyped each of the new samples with the original GERA data and removed SNPs with >2/78 (2.6%). After the QC described above, imputation was performed as described in [PMID: 26034056]. Imputation was performed on an array-wise basis, pre-phasing with SHAPE-IT v2.5 [PMID: 22138821], and imputing from the 1000 Genomes Project October 2014 release as a cosmopolitan reference panel with IMPUTE2 [PMID: 22384356]. In addition to the GWAS described above, a nested exome-wide association study (EWAS) of PCa was also conducted (7,489 cases, 7,323 controls; 78% non-Hispanic white, 9% African-American, 3% East Asian, 6% Latino, 4% Other). A custom EWAS array primarily focused on rare variants was designed for genotyping that complemented the GWAS arrays [PMID: 26034056]. The EWAS array content included missense and loss-of-function mutations, and rare exonic mutations from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and dbGaP prostate cancer tumor exomes [PMID: 26544944; PMID: 26544944]. Much of the EWAS array design content overlapped with the probesets on the UK Biobank Affymetrix Axiom array [PMID: 30305743]. Genotyping and QC steps taken to filter out samples exhibiting low quality and variants with low call rates are described in Emami et al., 2020 [biorXiv]. The resulting EWAS array genotypes are provided here.

  Study phs001221

• PAK4 inhibition improves PD-1 blockade immunotherapy

  Introduction with rationale and aims for study Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have significantly altered the current landscape of cancer treatment. However, this immunotherapy still fails more often than it succeeds. There are now evidences that the lack of tumour infiltration by immune cells is the main mechanism of primary resistance to PD‐1 blockade therapies for cancer. It has been postulated that cancer cell‐intrinsic mechanisms may actively exclude T cells from tumours, suggesting that the finding of actionable molecules that could be inhibited to increase T cell infiltration may synergize with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. With the idea of finding potential drivers of immune exclusion, we performed RNA sequencing analysis of biopsies from melanoma patients and compared the transcriptomic differences of samples that where infiltrated with those that did not have immune infiltration. Methods RNAseq analysis of gene expressions on biopsies from melanoma patients treated with checkpoint blockade were analysed. We focused on the variable of "infiltration: yes or no,", e.g. tumors that were well infiltrated by immune cells with those that kept immune cells out. Sequencing revealed a list of genes whose expression differed between the infiltrated and noninfiltrated tumors. The kinase PAK4 stood out as a good candidate for inhibition treatment in the future as it was consistently enriched in the samples without immune infiltration. To test whether immunotherapy would work better if we deleted PAK4, we first knocked out PAK4, using CRISPR‐Cas9, in the ‐resistant melanoma cell line, B16. Then they injected the melanoma cells into mice and observed that PAK4 KO tumours now responded to PD‐1 blockade. In order to elucidate whether pharmacological inhibition of PAK4 could recapitulate the results observed in the B16 PAK4 KO tumours, we obtained the PAK4 inhibitor, KPT-9274, from Karyopharm Therapeutics. Indeed, inhibiting PAK4 in combination with anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy significantly slowed the growth of the B16 melanomas more than either drug alone. Results and Conclusions Transcriptomic analysis of melanoma tumors that were well infiltrated by immune cells with those that kept immune cells out revealed a list of genes whose expression differed between the infiltrated and non-infiltrated tumours. The result suggests that p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is enriched in non-responding tumour biopsies with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration. In addition, PAK4 decreased WNT activity, a signalling pathway that has previously been involved in immune exclusion. In mouse models, genetic deletion of PAK4 increased T cell infiltration and reversed resistance to PD‐1 blockade in a CD8 T cell-dependent manner. Furthermore, combination of with the PAK4 inhibitor, KPT-9274, improved anti‐tumour responses compared to anti‐PD‐1 alone. Therefore, high PAK4 expression is correlated with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration and lack of response to PD‐1 blockade, which could be reversed with PAK4 inhibition. The data establish a rationale for targeting this kinase with inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients. Future work and data that we can anticipate for this study Oncogenic signalling pathways and specially the WNT signalling pathway, have been associated with lack of immune infiltration and resistance to PD‐1 blockade therapies. Here, we show that PAK4 overcome resistance to PD‐1 blockade while significantly decreases WNT signalling activity. Therefore, it constitutes the first potential druggable target that is able to reverse oncogenic driven immune cell exclusion. However, the fully mechanism whereby PAK4 sensitizes tumours to immunotherapy remains to be fully elucidated. It is necessary to address whether PAK4 inhibition overcomes resistance through WNT signalling inhibition or if other signalling pathways are involved in the observed phenotype.

  Study phs001919

• Long-term Impact and Intervention with Micronutrients in Brazil, Parque Universitário, Community-Based Study

  The Parque Universitário Zinc-Vitamin A cohort was a prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial with 324 children enrolled between 2000 and 2004 and randomized into 8 treatment arms: Placebo, Vitamin A, Glutamine, Vitamin A + Glutamine, Zinc + Glutamine, Zinc, Vitamin A + Zinc, Vitamin A + Zinc + Glutamine.The Parque Universitário Zinc-Arginine study conducted between 2006 and 2010 enrolled 349 infants from the Parque Universitário favela in Fortaleza. Participants were randomized into Placebo, Zinc, and Zinc + Arginine arms.This submission includes genetic and corresponding anthropometric data on a subset of 210 participants from the Zinc-Vitamin A (96) and Zinc-Arginine cohorts (114). More information on this project and its related projects can be found here: Studies of diarrheal susceptibility, growth, and development, in pediatric populations in Northeastern Brazil

  Study phs003175

• Study of Adaptation to Hypoxia in Ethiopian Highlanders via Whole Genome Sequencing

  Although it has long been proposed that genetic factors contribute to adaptation to high altitude, such factors remain largely unverified. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have made it feasible to analyze genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in human populations. Since traditionally such studies surveyed only a small fraction of the genome (either exons or a subset of SNPs) or a group of candidate genes, interpretation of the results was limited. We focused our study on Ethiopian highlander populations, which have been found to be well adapted to high altitudes (~3500m). We sequenced and analyze the genomes of 13 high altitude native Ethiopians: 6 individuals of Oromo heritage living on Bale Plateau (labeled "Oromos"), and 7 individuals residing on the Chennek field in the Simien Mountains (labeled "Amhara"). Our study revealed evolutionarily conserved genes that modulate hypoxia tolerance.

  Study phs000647

• IFN-γ and TNF-α drive a CXCL10+ CCL2+ Macrophage Phenotype Expanded in Severe COVID-19 Lungs and Inflammatory Diseases with Tissue Inflammation

  We explored how the human macrophages response to different inflammatory factors, focusing particularly on the effects of antiviral interferons (IFN-β and IFN-γ), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, and other mediators like IL-4. Co-cultured fibroblasts were a component in some conditions to generate factors produced by resident stroma. We used a single-cell antibody-based hashing strategy to multiplex samples from different stimulatory conditions in one sequencing run. This macrophage transcriptomic data reveals distinct macrophage activation states and polarizations shaped by different tissue-related inflammatory conditions at single-cell resolution. We further performed an unbiased integration between tissue-level macrophages and this stimulated human blood-derived macrophages, which pinpoint an IFN-γ and TNF-α synergistically driven inflammatory macrophage phenotype expanded in severe COVID-19 lungs and other inflamed disease tissues.

  Study phs002780

• Transcriptome of 2-Hydroxypropyl-Beta-Cyclodextrin Treatment in Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1

  Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is a rare and fatal lysosomal storage disorder. Classically, children with NPC demonstrate neurological dysfunction with cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, seizures, vertical gaze palsy, motor impairment, dysphagia, psychotic episodes, and progressive dementia. In general, adolescent and adult onset forms have a more insidious onset and slower progression. As part of a multi-omics approach to address the genetic architecture of NPC1 disease, we have recently completed a transcriptome analysis using 43 primary NPC1 patient-derived fibroblasts from an NIH-cohort study (NCT00344331) where extensive clinical data has been obtained regarding the natural history of the disease. Initial transcriptome analysis of this dataset demonstrated a set of 485 genes that are significantly upregulated in patient samples and subsequently downregulated in response to 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin treatment. 

  Study phs002392