12538 results for ""non-traditional+communal+storytelling+approach"+novel+segment+noted+in+critical+commentary"

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• IMPRESS: Improved methylation profiling using restriction enzymes and smMIP sequencing, combined with a new biomarker panel, creating a multi-cancer detection assay

  Background Despite the worldwide progress in cancer diagnostics, more sensitive diagnostic biomarkers are needed. The methylome has been extensively investigated in the last decades, but a low-cost, bisulfite-free detection method for multiplex analysis is still lacking. Methods We developed a methylation detection technique called IMPRESS, which combines methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and single-molecule Molecular Inversion Probes. We used this technique for the development of a multi-cancer detection assay for eight of the most lethal cancer types worldwide. We selected 1791 CpG sites that can distinguish tumor from normal tissue based on DNA methylation. These sites were analysed with IMPRESS in 35 blood, 111 tumor and 114 normal samples. Finally, a classifier model was built. Results We present the successful development of IMPRESS and validated it with ddPCR. The final classifier model discriminating tumor from normal samples was built with 358 CpG target sites and reached a sensitivity of 0.95 and a specificity of 0.91. Moreover, we provide data that highlight IMPRESS’s potential for liquid biopsies. Conclusions We successfully created an innovative DNA methylation detection technique. By combining this method with a new multi-cancer biomarker panel, we developed a sensitive and specific multi-cancer assay, with potential use in liquid biopsies.

  Study EGAS50000000624

• Transcriptome sequencing of human colon organoid after co-cultivation with Bifidobacterium longum

  The large intestine has a dense milieu of indigenous bacteria, generating a complex ecosystem with crosstalk between individual bacteria and host cells. In vitro host cell modeling and bacterial interactions at the anaerobic interphase have elucidated the crosstalk molecular basis. Although classical cell lines derived from patients with colorectal cancer including Caco-2 cells are used, whether they adequately mimic normal colonic epithelial physiology is unclear. To address this, we performed transcriptome profiling of Caco-2 and Monolayer cells derived from healthy Human Colonic Organoid (MHCO) cultured hemi-anaerobically. Coculture with the anaerobic gut bacteria, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum differentiated the probiotic effects of test cells from those of physiologically normal intestinal and colorectal cancer cells. We cataloged non- or overlapping gene signatures where gene profiles of Caco-2 cells represented absorptive cells in the small intestinal epithelium, and MHCO cells showed complete colonic epithelium signature, including stem/progenitor, goblet, and enteroendocrine cells colonocytes. Characteristic gene expression changes related to lipid metabolism, inflammation, and cell-cell adhesion were observed in cocultured live Bifidobacterium longum and Caco-2 or MHCO cells. B. longum-stimulated MHCO cells exhibited barrier-enhancing characteristics, as demonstrated in clinical trials. Our data represent a valuable resource for understanding gut microbe and host cell communication.

  Study JGAS000740

• Genome-Wide Association Study of the Taste and Hedonic Ratings of the Low-Calorie Sweetener Acesulfame Potassium

  Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is a low-calorie sweetener (LCS) widely used as an additive in foods and beverages and an excipient in pediatric medicines. Because genetic variants play a role in individual variation in the taste of Ace-K, we sought to identify genetic contributions to its taste using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). 141 adult panelists rated the taste of an aqueous solution of Ace-K using the general labelled magnitude scale (gLMS) and its palatability using the hedonic gLMS. Genotypes were assayed on the Infinium Global Screening Array. Imputation of genotypes was performed on the Michigan Imputation Server with 1000 Genomes Project phase 3 genotype data as reference. Linear regression was performed to test genetic associations between genotyped and imputed variants with three gLMS ratings (bitterness (square-root-transformed), hedonic, sweetness) of Ace-K using PLINK2, adjusting for standardized age, sex, and the first 10 principal components of genetic ancestry. We identified that a locus spanning several TAS2R (Taste receptor 2) genes was associated with bitterness ratings of Ace-K and a locus within the gene ELMO1 (Engulfment and Cell Motility Protein 1) was associated with hedonic ratings of Ace-K (p-values 40594245).

  Study phs004031

• Hematopoietic Tet2 inactivation enhances the response to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy

  Somatic mutations inactivating TET2 are among the most common drivers of clonal hematopoiesis (CH). While TET2 inactivation is associated with monocyte-derived inflammation and improved chimeric antigen-receptor-T cell function, its impact on immunotherapy response is unknown. In murine models, hematopoietic Tet2 mutation enhanced the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response via the combined presence of phagocytes, CD4 and CD8 T cells. This effect was lost with myeloid- or T-cell restricted Tet2 inactivation, or in mice with 20% Tet2-mutant hematopoiesis. Mechanistically, in Tet2-mutant tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (TILs), ICB preferentially restricted cell states linked to tumor progression while inducing anti-tumor states. Tet2-mutant monocytes activated costimulatory programs, while Tet2-mutant T cells showed enhanced T cell memory signatures, alongside decreased exhaustion and regulatory phenotypes. This murine data was clinically relevant, since tumors from colorectal cancer and melanoma patients with TET2 driver mutation-CH (TET2-CH) showed enhanced immune infiltration, inflammation, and T cell activation. In melanoma patients treated with ICB, TET2-CH was associated with 6-fold greater odds of clinical benefit. Collectively, we demonstrate that hematopoietic Tet2 inactivation primes leukocytes for anti-tumor states associated with immunotherapy response and provides a potential biomarker for personalized therapy.

  Study EGAS50000001191

• Genomic and Genetic Analysis of Brain Tumors and Analysis of Their Clinicopathological Significance

  The treatment outcome of glioma patients remains disappointing, and more studies are needed to improve therapeutic strategies. In particular, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying resistance to treatment and malignant transformation, as well as the intratumoral heterogeneity and interaction of tumor cells and host immunity. Recent advances in omics analysis techniques, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), have enabled us to obtain omics data more easily and accelerated our ability to integrate this information and precisely characterize cases. In our project, we have already collected more than 100 pairs of human glioma/normal tissue samples, of which some are multiple specimens collected from initial and recurrent tumors, and some include multiple specimens collected from different regions within a single tumor. We used our in-house algorithms, composed of alignment and variant calling programs, to analyze omics data from multiple platforms, such as whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and methylation array, with our original cohort of glioma patients. Using several informatics tools, the information about genetic and epigenetic status and expression signatures were analyzed. Those data are expected to provide key information for investigating the mechanisms discussed above. Through this project, we hope to improve strategies for personalized therapy based on comprehensive omics data.

  Study JGAS000004

• Assessing gene expression profiling from FFPE Patient Samples: A Comparison of Two Library Preparation Approaches and Recommendations

  Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has transformed cancer research and clinical practice, with Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) driving advances in mutational profiling and personalized oncology. Yet, transcriptomic signatures remain essential for understanding disease mechanisms, including therapy resistance pathways. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), however, faces unique challenges when dealing with low-input or degraded RNA, as often found in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Although previous studies have compared library preparation protocols, rapidly evolving technologies call for updated evaluations. Here, we present a direct comparison of two FFPE-compatible stranded RNA-seq library preparation kits: TaKaRa™ SMARTer® Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit v2 (Kit A) and Illumina Stranded Total RNA Prep Ligation with Ribo-Zero Plus (Kit B). Both kits generated high-quality RNA-seq data, yet important differences emerged. Notably, Kit A achieved comparable gene expression quantification to Kit B while requiring 20-fold less RNA input, a crucial advantage for limited samples, albeit with increased sequencing depth. We critically discuss these results in relation to RNA availability, technical performance, cost-effectiveness, processing time, and automation potential, offering practical guidance for selecting optimal RNA-seq strategies in clinical and translational research settings

  Study EGAS50000001066

• Discover Cancer Image Europe, the first release of the EUCAIM platform to fuel cancer research and data sharing

  The EUCAIM consortium and the European Commission have announced the release of Cancer Image Europe, a platform to fuel collaborative innovation and data sharing across Europe. This constitutes a major milestone in EUCAIM's development and an exciting step towards achieving the project's vision and goals. The platform aims to accelerate the pace of AI development and other data-intensive cancer research activities, constituting the basis for a fully-fledged infrastructure for sharing, reusing, and exploiting cancer imaging data, especially using AI techniques. A platform paving the way for the future of cancer diagnosis and treatment Cancer Image Europe brings benefits to researchers, clinicians, and AI innovators across Europe as it addresses the fragmentation of existing cancer image repositories. The platform gathers a public catalogue of cancer imaging datasets from the repositories of the EU-funded AI for Health Imaging projects. A distributed Atlas of Cancer Imaging with over 60 million anonymised cancer image data from over 100,000 patients will be established as part of future updates. The first version of Cancer Image Europe also includes a public catalogue of cancer imaging datasets, a federated searching tool to understand the information available in the federated providers, and full integration with Life Science Login. Moreover, it reuses and adds value to key components of EU-funded research projects and infrastructure in the field of cancer. The Public Catalogue When we talk about data re-use, data discovery is key. The EUCAIM public catalogue is the result of a systematic and collaborative process to which the EGA-CRG has actively contributed. This browsing interface gathers the metadata of the available cancer imaging datasets. This descriptive information will help researchers in their data retrieval. Our contribution to the Public Catalogue comes from our experience gained in the deployment of our federated network, the Federated EGA (FEGA), and as partners in projects such as EuCanImage (AI4HI initiative), in which we worked on the definition of common data models, ontologies and data standards. The EUCAIM Project EUCAIM is a cornerstone of the European Commission-initiated European Cancer Imaging Initiative, a flagship of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which aims to foster innovation and deployment of digital technologies in cancer treatment and care, to achieve more precise and faster clinical decision-making, diagnostics, treatments, and predictive medicine for cancer patients. For more information about the first release of the Cancer Image Europe platform and the EUCAIM project, please visit cancerimage.eu.

  Blog discover-cancer-image-europe

• Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement

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

  Study EGAS00001004209

• WGS of 32 paired SRCC samples

  Signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) has specific epidemiology and oncogenesis in gastric cancer, however with no systematical investigation for prognostic genomic features. We systematically investigated the clinical characteristics of 1,868 Chinese gastric cancer patients, and found that signet-ring cell content was significantly related to multiple clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes. Next, we performed whole genome sequencing for 32 SRCC patients with > 80% signet-ring cells in tumor, and identified frequent5 CLDN18-ARHGAP26/6 fusion (25%). With additional 797 patients for validation, we notice that prevalence of CLDN18-ARHGAP26/6 fusion is positively associated with signet-ring cell content (P = 4.1 x 10 -9 ), younger age at diagnosis (P = 4.2 x 10 -10 ), female/male ratio (P = 1.7 x 10 -9 ), and advanced TNM stage (P = 1.7 x 10 -5 ). Importantly, patients with CLDN18-ARHGAP26/6 fusion had a worse survival outcomes (P = 0.03), and got no benefit0 from platinum/fluoropyrimidines based chemotherapy (P = 0.92) compared to fusion-free patients (P = 0.001), which is consistent with the fact of oxaliplatin/fluoropyrimidine resistance acquired in CLDN18-ARHGAP26 introduced gastric cancer cell lines. Overall, this study provides new insights into the clinical and genomic features of SRCC, and highlights the importance of frequent CLDN18-ARHGAP26/6 fusions in chemotherapy response for SRCC.

  Study EGAS00001002668

• Clonal_haematopoiesis_in_patients_with_AAA

  Recent advances in genomics have demonstrated that clonal haemopoiesis driven by leukaemia associated somatic mutations is a relatively common phenomenon that increases in frequency with advancing age. Whilst individuals with clonal haemopoiesis have an increased risk of developing haematological malignancies, they also have an increased mortality from other causes. Additionally, certain mutations are almost exclusively seen in individuals aged 70 years or older, whilst others are seen in individuals with non-haematological cancers including breast and ovarian. Recently, clonal haemopoiesis was found to be associated with a significantly increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This association is thought to be causative with clonally-derived macrophages showing elevated expression of several chemokine and cytokine genes that contribute to atherosclerosis. Another vascular pathology, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), increases with age and shares risk factors with atherosclerosis (including smoking, male sex, high cholesterol). However, the impact of these risk factors and the overlap between AAA and atherosclerosis is poorly understood. To investigate a possible link between clonal haemopoiesis and AAA, we will study DNA samples from 300 patients with AAA and up to 200 controls for evidence of clonal haemopoiesis. This will be done using target DNA enrichment with biotinylated RNA baits followed by high throughput sequencing.

  Study EGAS00001002873