Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research (CEDAR)

Under its programmatic name, the Center for Education and Drug Abuse research (CEDAR), this Center of Excellence project was completed in 2015. The CEDAR sample consists of 775 nuclear families comprising an adult male (proband), his spouse/mate, and their biological child who is 10-12 years of age at recruitment. This child is designated as index child (IC), and is followed through age 30. Minimal exclusionary criteria were applied to maximize the sample's representativeness. Follow-up evaluations on ICs were conducted at ages 14, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27 and 30. Interim questionnaires were mailed annually beginning at age 20. CEDAR utilizes the family/high-risk paradigm. The offspring thus comprise high average risk (HAR) and low average risk (LAR) groups, constituting the majority of the CEDAR children sample: 250 HAR males, 100 HAR females, 250 LAR males and 94 LAR females. The remainder of the IC sample, 50 males and 31 females, are the offspring of fathers who have a lifetime non-SUD psychiatric dis-order. The follow-up rate from baseline to the final assessment is ~65%. The cohort of children is 76% White and 22% Black. The representation of females among ICs is lower than males, due to the later start of recruit-ment (2nd funding cycle; the study originally focused on males). The CEDAR genetic study has been augmented by the inclusion of its sample into the whole-genome genotyping effort conducted under the Genes, Environment and Development Initiative (GEDI). DNA from the blood samples of target children (index cases) and their siblings submitted to the NIDA Genetics Depository a Rutgers University was obtained and genotyped on Illumina Human660W-Quad Beadchips, with a high average genotyping rate of 99.8%. The sample comprised 158 females and 271 males (37 and 63 %), ~70:30 European- and African- American, with approximately 1:1 ratio of children of affected fathers and normal controls.

Study phs001649

Foundation Medicine Adult Cancer Clinical Dataset (FM-AD)

The Foundation Medicine adult cancer clinical dataset consists of 18,004 unique solid tumor samples that underwent genomic profiling on a single uniform platform as part of standard clinical care. The dataset is derived from the FoundationOne® genomic profiling assay version 2 that interrogates exonic regions of 287 cancer-related genes and selected introns from 19 genes known to undergo rearrangements in human cancer. Genomic DNA samples were sequenced to over 500x median coverage, and custom computational analyses identified all classes of genomic alterations (base substitutions, insertions and deletions, copy number alterations, and rearrangements). Since matched normal tissue was unavailable for analysis, these data underwent additional filtering to enrich for cancer-related events. The reported data includes genomic alterations that are known and suspected tumor drivers, as well as variants of unknown significance. To preserve patient anonymity, all known or suspected germline variants were removed from the data unless known to be associated with cancer development. The dataset contains genomic alteration profiles generated by FoundationOne version 2 testing for adult cancer patients (over 18 y.o.), and represents a vast diversity of tumor subtypes, including many rare diseases not profiled as part of large-scale profiling efforts. Cases are grouped into 16 broad disease categories containing tumors from 162 unique disease subtypes. Since specimens were profiled as part of clinical care, limited clinical parameters were available, including age, gender, tissue of origin, % of tumor nuclei, and diagnosis. Publication of this dataset is intended to allow the broad scientific community access to this unique cohort for use in scientific research projects of common and rare types of cancer, both for generating leads regarding causal mechanisms as well as cross-testing and confirming existing hypotheses. A pediatric cancer clinical dataset consisting of data from 1,215 patients under 18 y.o. is available separately at: FOUNDATION MEDICINE

Study phs001179

Genomic Profiling of Pediatric Tumors by Cell Free DNA Sequencing

BACKGROUND Analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from peripheral blood has been studied extensively for detection and monitoring therapy response in adult cancers, but utility in pediatric tumors is unclear. METHODS We studied 233 children with hematologic, solid and brain tumors. cfDNA was extracted from 1 mL of plasma collected at diagnosis. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in cfDNA was quantified and diverse classes of somatic genomic variants were detected using PeCan-Seq. PeCan-Seq findings were compared with matched tumor whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing data. Minimal residual disease (MRD) status was evaluated by cfDNA PeCan-Seq in 14 patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. RESULTS Plasma cfDNA yields at diagnosis were higher for hematologic malignancies than for solid and brain tumors. Patients with hematologic malignancy were 100% ctDNA-positive, the median ctDNA fraction in cfDNA was 0.77. We detected 97% variants that were present in tumors and covered by the capture panel, and 50 subclonal variants that were present in cfDNA only. Our approach enabled detection of sequence and structural variants in B-ALL ctDNA at varying levels of MRD. Nineteen of 38 patients with solid tumors were ctDNA-positive, with high prevalence in Ewing Sarcoma, liver tumors and osteosarcoma. One of 19 brain tumor patients was ct-DNA positive, indicating lack of utility for plasma-derived cfDNA in this disease. Notably, cfDNA analysis of a single plasma sample identified genomic features in ctDNA derived from B-ALL, concurrent primary neuroblastoma, and a later neuroblastoma relapse, indicating that genomic variations from multiple tumors could be detected simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric patients with hematologic malignancy had an abundance of plasma ctDNA at diagnosis. Plasma ctDNA levels varied between different solid tumor types, more studies are needed to determine utility. Panel-based cfDNA sequencing could serve as a non-invasive approach for pediatric cancer diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Study EGAS50000000072

Single-Gene vs. Panel Sequencing in Advanced HR+/HER2− Breast Cancer

Background: Hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2−) breast cancer is the most common subtype of breast cancer, with biomarker-driven therapies improving outcomes. Liquid biopsies, which analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are increasingly essential in clinical management, offering a minimally invasive approach to assess somatic alterations and guide therapy decisions. However, the choice of assay directly affects clinical utility and global access to validated testing platforms remains inconsistent. To address these challenges, this study aimed to compare the performance of single-gene and panel-based sequencing for detecting PIK3CA mutations in HR+/HER2− breast cancer and evaluate the added value of broader genomic profiling in guiding treatment decisions. Patients and methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter study comparing our previously established SiMSen-Seq (SSS) assay, a single-gene method targeting PIK3CA hotspot mutations, with the AVENIO ctDNA Expanded assay, enriching for 77 clinically relevant cancer genes. Additionally, tumor fractions were estimated with mFAST-SeqS by assessing chromosomal aneuploidy. We analyzed 161 plasma samples collected from 146 patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer before starting a new line of palliative therapy. Results: High concordance (92.6%) was observed between SSS and AVENIO for PIK3CA mutation detection, with accurate variant allele frequency (VAF) quantification confirmed by Bland-Altman analysis and linear mixed-effects modeling. AVENIO identified additional PIK3CA mutations in 19% of samples as well as other actionable alterations, including ESR1 mutations (17.5%) and PI3K pathway alterations (40.6%). Panel sequencing improved the interpretation of negative liquid biopsy results by integrating tumor fraction and VAF metrics. Conclusions: Panel sequencing assays such as AVENIO provide broader genomic coverage, enhance the detection of actionable mutations and refine the interpretation of negative liquid biopsy findings. These findings support the integration of comprehensive ctDNA profiling into routine clinical practice for HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer while highlighting the need for improved assay accessibility and expanded genomic targets.

Study EGAS00001008200

Molecular characterization of Barrett’s esophagus at single cell resolution

Backgrounds & Aims: Patient with Barrett’s esophagus (BE) have an increased risk to develop esophageal adenocarcinoma and are under periodical endoscopic surveillance for malignant transformation. Pathologists distinguish between different BE stages to identify high-risk patients, but this process remains difficult as stage-specific markers are still missing. We established BE organoid cultures, applied single cell sequencing approaches to identify differences in gene expression and genomic alterations, and validated candidate genes for their predictive value on histological sections. Methods: We collected 43 epithelial biopsies from 21 patients, established organoids for the clonal expansion of matching healthy and diseased tissue from two patients to identify genomic alterations by whole genome sequencing (WGS). We performed single cell DNA-sequencing (scDNAseq) to analyse DNA alterations within biopsies from 8 patients and single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify gene expression differences between BE stages from 19 patients. Candidate marker genes were then validated by RNA in situ hybridization experiments on histological resection specimen. Results: Most BE biopsies were chromosomal stable (CS) and their single base substitution (SBS) signatures were indistinguishable from the healthy control tissues. Dysplastic BE cells contained areas of chromosomal instabilities (CIN), which differed by the presence of the SBS17 signatures from biopsy-matching CS cells or patient-matching healthy control cells. Such CIN areas affected efficient clustering of the scRNAseq data. We identified two sets of marker genes (SLC5A5, PSCA, LIPF and ANPEP, CEACAM6, REG4), which distinguish columnar BE epithelium from non-dysplastic/dysplastic stages. CLDN2 allowed the distinction between dysplastic and more advanced stages as its expression level increased and spread in dysplastic BE glands. Conclusions: Molecular characterization of BE samples identified a correlation between the presence of CIN and COSMIC signature 17, and we report seven marker genes that help in distinguishing different BE stages.

Study EGAS00001005221

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS)

Cohort DescriptionThe REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort is one of the nation's largest, most comprehensive population-based cohorts, and it uses innovative home- and telephone-based data collection. REGARDS centrally recruited and initially examined 30,239 Black and White men and women aged ≥45 years in 2003-7 to understand why Southerners and Black Americans have a higher incidence of stroke and related diseases that affect brain health.Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 397 variables for 8109 REGARDS participants in C4R. Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 448 variables for 6421 REGARDS participants in C4R. Dried Blood Spot/Serosurvey data includes 7 variables for 4058 REGARDS participants in C4R. Derived data includes 43 variables for 8606 REGARDS participants in C4R. Phenotype data includes 113 variables for 7880 REGARDS participants in C4R.

Study phs002919

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): Genetic Epidemiology of COPD Study (COPDGene)

Cohort Description The Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) study is a non-interventional, multicenter, longitudinal, case-control study at 21 US sites of smokers with a ≥10 pack-year history of smoking, with and without COPD, and healthy never smokers. The initial goal was to characterize disease-related phenotypes and explore associations with susceptibility genes. Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 397 variables for up to 3683 COPDGene participants in C4R. Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 447 variables for up to 2191 COPDGene participants in C4R. Dried Blood Spot/Serosurvey data includes 7 variables for up to 1692 COPDGene participants in C4R. Derived data includes 43 variables for up to 4082 COPDGene participants in C4R. Phenotype data includes 113 variables for up to 4082 COPDGene participants in C4R.

Study phs002910

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study (MASALA)

Cohort Description The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study is a prospective cohort of South Asians that aims to identify risk factors for heart disease in a large, growing Asian American subgroup. MASALA enrolled 906 South Asians in 2010-2013 and then added a new wave of 258 South Asian participants from 2017-2018, for a full cohort size of 1,164. Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 3967 variables for up to 431 MASALA participants in C4R. Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 448 variables for up to 313 MASALA participants in C4R. Dried Blood Spot/Serosurvey data includes 7 variables for up to 248 MASALA participants in C4R. Derived data includes 43 variables for up to 528 MASALA participants in C4R. Phenotype data includes 113 variables for up to 429 MASALA participants in C4R.

Study phs002980

European Genome-phenome Archive 15th Anniversary Celebration

2023 marks the 15th Anniversary of the EGA, jointly managed by the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). To mark the occasion, a simultaneous celebration was held in both institutions on the 13th of December 2023. The teams gathered online to play a quiz game and celebrate all the achievements and milestones with two wonderful anniversary cakes. In 2008, the European Genome-phenome Archive was created at the EBI-EMBL in Cambridge to guarantee that human genome and phenome data were available to the international scientific community while data privacy was preserved. The six-person staff at the beginning of the project is now far behind us, with a team that reaches the number of 35 members. Since 2013, the European Bioinformatics Institute and the Centre for Genomic Regulation share responsibility for The European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA). At that time, the EGA had data for about 0,5 petabytes. Currently, the Archive contains more than 12 petabytes. 2023 comes to an end with several good news. The EGA has been renewed as an ELIXIR Core Data Resource. This was announced during the GA4GH 11th Plenary held in San Francisco last September when ELIXIR-Beacon was also confirmed to be a GA4GH Driver Project. Thus, the Beacon API has maintained this title since 2018. What’s more, the first Federated EGA dataset is now live on our website. This year we also launched new services for EGA users in September. By the numbers, in 2023 the EGA counts 2.5 PB archived, 371 studies published, 208 new submitters and 19 active projects in which the team is participating, among others. We look forward to continuing to support your research in 2024!

Blog 15-anniversary

Genomic profiling of subcutaneous patient derived xenograft models of solid childhood cancer

The pediatric cancer cohort in this study included 70 PDX models from 65 different individuals. This cohort included a total of 16 different pediatric solid tumor subtypes, including fourteen Wilms tumors, thirteen hepatoblastomas, thirteen osteosarcomas, ten germ cell tumors, four neuroblastomas, three clear cell sarcomas, two adrenal cortical carcinomas, two leydig cell tumors, two medulloblastomas, one embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), one Ewing sarcoma, one pleomorphic sarcoma, one adenocarcinoma, one glioblastoma, one mesothelioma and one ovarian tumor. Notably, we have five samples with multiple PDX models from same patient, including two cases with duplicates (564 and 564-Dup, 1796 and 1796-Dup), one case with two different metastasis (560-SM, 560-LM), one case with two blocks from same tumor (1939 and 1939-Dup), and one case with different primary tumor from same patient (2264 and 1932). We have a total of 353 sequencing data, including 82 RNA sequencing data (RNA-seq), 138 whole-exome sequencing (WES) and 135 low-pass whole-genome sequencing (WGS). For RNA-seq data, we have 61 PDXs and 21 PTs; for WES, we have 67 PDXs, 30 PTs and 40 matched normal germlines; for WGS, we have 64 PDXs, 30 PTs and 40 matched normal germlines. Of which, 19 PT-PDX paired RNA-seq, 28 paired PT-PDX paired WES and WGS were included.

Dataset EGAD00001009863

Genome-Wide Association Study of Hypertriglyceridemia in Mexicans

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the number one cause of death and mortality world-wide. High levels of serum triglycerides (TGs) and low levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are major risk factors for CAD. Previous epidemiological studies have shown that these two lipid disturbances are highly common dyslipidemias in Mexicans. However, the genetic factors underlying high serum TGs and low HDL-C are underinvestigated and poorly identified in Mexicans. As the Mexican-American and the genetically related Latin-American populations represent the fastest growing minority in the United States, elucidation of the unknown genetic factors influencing the increased susceptibility of Mexicans to these common dyslipidemias is of great relevance to these U.S. minorities and the American healthcare system. This study is a research collaboration between investigators at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición (INCMN), Mexico City, to perform a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) for hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in Mexicans (Weissglas-Volkov et al. 2013, PMID: 23505323). This study was funded by an RO1 grant from NIH/NHLBI (PI Paivi Pajukanta; PI of the subaward Teresa Tusie-Luna). In stage 1 of the GWAS, we tested all GWAS SNPs from the Illumina Infinium Human610-Quad platform that passed quality control for association in ~2,200 hypertriglyceridemia cases and controls. In stage 2, we genotyped the ~1,200 positive signals of stage 1 in additional ~2,200 hypertriglyceridemia cases and controls, and performed a combined analysis of the two stages to identify genome-wide significant variants. The subjects were recruited at the INCMN. The DNA isolation and clinical laboratory measurements of the case-control study samples were performed at INCMN using standardized procedures. Genotyping and statistical analyses of the data were performed at UCLA. A summary of this GWAS can be found in Weissglas-Volkov et al. 2013 Journal of Medical Genetics, PMID: 23505323. Briefly, using the two-stage GWAS design, we identified a novel Mexican-specific genome-wide significant locus for serum TG levels close to the Niemann-Pick type C1 protein (NPC1) gene (Weissglas-Volkov et al. 2013, PMID: 23505323). Of the European lipid GWAS loci, three TG loci (APOA5, GCKR, and LPL) and four HDL-C loci (ABCA1, CETP, LIPC and LOC55908) resulted in genome-wide significant signals in Mexicans. Furthermore, our cross-ethnic mapping narrowed three European TG GWAS loci, APOA5, MLXIPL, and CILP2 that exhibited long range LD and a large number of candidate SNPs in the European GWAS scan. In the apolipoprotein A1C3A4A5 gene cluster region, the cross-ethnic fine mapping and LD comparisons reduced the number of candidate variants to one SNP, rs964184. We also found that although 52% of the associations from European lipid GWAS meta-analysis could be generalized to Mexicans, in 82% of the European GWAS loci, a different variant other than the European lead SNP provided the statistically strongest evidence of association in the Mexican scan (Weissglas-Volkov et al. 2013, PMID: 23505323). Taken together, our Mexican GWAS for lipids identified a novel Mexican-specific locus for high serum TGs; restricted three European GWAS loci; and investigated which European lipid GWAS variants extend to the Mexican population (Weissglas-Volkov et al. 2013, PMID: 23505323). This NHLBI sponsored RO1 project aimed to identify genetic variants contributing to serum lipid levels in Mexicans. In addition to de-identified genome wide genotypic data, a selected list of de-identified phenotypic data related to hypertriglyceridemia and related metabolic traits are also available in dbGaP.

Study phs000618

Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Cohort

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is a prospective epidemiologic study conducted in four U.S. communities. The four communities are Forsyth County, NC; Jackson, MS; the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, MN; and Washington County, MD. ARIC is designed to investigate the etiology and natural history of atherosclerosis, the etiology of clinical atherosclerotic diseases, and variation in cardiovascular risk factors, medical care and disease by race, gender, location, and date. ARIC includes two parts: the Cohort Component and the Community Surveillance Component. The Cohort Component began in 1987, and each ARIC field center randomly selected and recruited a cohort sample of approximately 4,000 individuals aged 45-64 from a defined population in their community. A total of 15,792 participants received an extensive examination, including medical, social, and demographic data. These participants were examined with the baseline visit occurring in 1987-89, the second visit in 1990-92, the third visit in 1993-95, the fourth visit in 1996-98, the fifth visit in 2011-13, the sixth visit 2016-17 and the seventh visit 2018-19. Follow-up occurs yearly by telephone to maintain contact with participants and to assess health status of the cohort. In the Community Surveillance Component, these four communities were investigated to determine the community-wide occurrence of hospitalized myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease deaths in men and women aged 35-84 years. Hospitalized stroke is investigated in cohort participants only. Starting in 2006, the study conducted community surveillance of inpatient (ages 55 years and older) and outpatient heart failure (ages 65 years and older) for heart failure events beginning in 2005. Community Surveillance for non-cohorts ended in event year 2014. ARIC is currently funded through 2028. The ARIC Cohort is utilized in the following dbGaP sub-studies. To view genotypes, other molecular data, and derived variables collected in these sub-studies, please click on the following sub-studies below or in the "Sub-studies" section of this top-level study page phs000280 ARIC Cohort. phs000557 ARIC_CARe phs000090 GENEVA_ARIC phs000223 PAGE_CALiCo_ARIC phs000398 GO-ESP: HeartGo_ARIC phs000668 CHARGE_ARIC phs000860 MICORTEX phs001536 CCDG_ARIC

Study phs000280

Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 2 PANDA trial

Gastric and gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancers carry a poor prognosis, and despite recent advancements most patients die of their disease. While immune checkpoint blockade has become part of the standard of care for patients with metastatic G/GEJ cancers, its efficacy and impact on the tumor microenvironment in the early disease setting remain largely unknown. We hypothesized a higher efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in patients with non-metastatic G/GEJ cancer. In the phase 2 PANDA trial, patients with previously untreated resectable G/GEJ tumors (n=21) received neoadjuvant treatment with one cycle of atezolizumab monotherapy followed by 4 cycles of atezolizumab plus docetaxel, oxaliplatin and capecitabine. Treatment was well-tolerated, and all patients underwent resection without treatment-related delays, meeting the primary endpoint of safety and feasibility. Tissue was obtained at multiple time points, allowing analysis of the effects of single-agent PD-L1 blockade and the subsequent combination with chemotherapy on the tumor microenvironment. A total of 21 patients were included, of whom 20 patients underwent surgery and were evaluable for the secondary pathologic response and survival endpoints, while 19 were evaluable for exploratory translational analyses. A major pathologic response (MPR, ≤10% residual viable tumor) was observed in 14/20 (70%; 95% CI 46-88%) patients, including 9 (45%; 95% CI 23-68%) pathologic complete responses. At a median follow-up of 47 months, 13/14 responders were alive and disease-free, while 5/6 nonresponders had died due to disease recurrence. Notably, baseline PD-1+CD8+ T cell infiltration was significantly higher in responders than in nonresponders, and comparison of the tumor microenvironment alterations following anti-PD-L1 monotherapy versus the subsequent combination with chemotherapy revealed that increased immune activity was achieved upon single-agent PD-1/L1 axis blockade. Based on these data, anti-PD-L1 plus chemotherapy warrants further exploration in patients with non-metastatic G/GEJ cancer, and these results call for validation in a larger cohort.

Study EGAS50000000168

TK-EPN862 - Patient-dervied xenograft model of Posterior Fossa A Ependymoma - RNAseq

Ependymomas (EPN) are the third most common malignant brain cancer in children. Treatment strategies for pediatric EPN have remained unchanged over recent decades, with 10-year survival rates stagnating at just 67% for children aged 0-14 years. Moreover, patients who survive treatment for the most common subtype of pediatric EPN (posterior fossa A (PFA)), often suffer long-term neurological side effects as a result of therapy. It is evident that there is a need for safer, more effective treatments for pediatric EPN patients. There are ten distinct subgroups of EPN, each with their own molecular and prognostic features. To identify and facilitate the testing of new treatments for EPN, in vivo laboratory models representative of the diverse molecular subtypes are required. Here, we describe the establishment of a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model of PFA EPN, derived from a metastatic cranial lesion. Patient and PDOX tumors were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, DNA methylation profiling, whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing. Both patient and PDOX tumors classified as PFA EPN by methylation profiling, and shared similar histological features consistent with this molecular subgroup. RNA sequencing revealed that gene expression patterns were maintained across the primary and metastatic tumors, as well as the PDOX. Copy number profiling revealed gains of chromosomes 7, 8 and 19, and loss of chromosomes 2q and 6q in the PDOX and matched patient tumor. No clinically significant single nucleotide variants were identified, consistent with the low mutation rates observed in PFA EPN. Overexpression of EZHIP RNA and protein, a common feature of PFA EPN, was also observed. Despite the aggressive nature of the tumor in the patient, this PDOX was unable to be maintained past two passages in vivo. Others who have successfully developed PDOX models report some of the lowest success rates for EPN compared to other pediatric brain cancer types attempted, with loss of tumorigenicity not uncommon, highlighting the challenge in propagating these tumors in the laboratory. Here, we discuss our collective experiences with PFA EPN PDOX model generation and propose potential approaches to improve future success in establishing preclinical EPN models

Study EGAS00001006844

Multi-omic and functional analysis for classification and treatment of sarcomas with FUS-TFCP2 or EWSR1-TFCP2 fusions(H021/INF)

Many rare cancers are not well understood, and pathogenesis-directed therapies are often lacking, resulting in poor patient outcomes. Leveraging two (inter)national precision oncology trials that enroll large numbers of rare cancers, we investigated the clinical, histopathologic, molecular, and functional characteristics of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with fusions of FUS or EWSR1 to the TFCP2 transcription factor, a recently discovered ultra-rare entity whose classification, pathogenesis, and optimal treatment are unclear. Unusually for fusion-driven sarcomas, most cases had highly rearranged genomes, including chromothripsis, and signs of defective homologous recombination DNA repair. All tumors showed extreme expression of a truncated TERT variant and the ALK receptor tyrosine kinase, which was additionally affected by intragenic deletions and aberrant splicing, resulting in the expression of shortened variants in 58% of cases. Three ALK variants were oncogenic in immortalized cells, and patient-derived tumor cells expressing two variants responded to certain ALK inhibitors. Other recurrent alterations included CDKN2A/MTAP co-deletions and mutations in PAPPA2, encoding an IGFBP5-specific proteinase, in 67% and 25% of cases, respectively. DNA methylation analysis, along with 19 other soft-tissue sarcoma classes, revealed a close relationship with undifferentiated sarcoma but not other RMS subtypes, suggesting that TFCP2-rearranged RMS is a separate entity, possibly arising from a distinct cell of origin. Expression of TFCP2 fusions in immortalized human cells blocked late myogenic differentiation and significantly induced genes that were also highly expressed in patient tumors, including ALK, TERT, and two known regulators of skeletal muscle cells, IGFBP5 and PTH1R. Genome-wide chromatin profiling demonstrated direct binding of FUS-TFCP2 to the ALK and TERT loci outside their regular promoters, which correlated with the expression of alternative transcript variants. Finally, FUS-TFCP2 inhibited the repair of DNA double-strand breaks in immortalized cells, rendering them sensitive to treatment with cisplatin. This study provides insight into the pathogenesis and therapeutic vulnerabilities of a new RMS subtype and illustrates the value of linking comprehensive molecular diagnostics and functional annotation within multicenter consortia to improve the understanding and clinical management of rare cancers.

Study EGAS00001006939

Molecular diagnosis of albinism (2018-03-14)

Albinism is genetically heterogeneous rare genetic condition affecting 1:17000 in the Western world (but more frequent in Africa) whose main feature is a profound visual impairment, characterised by foveal hypoplasia, abnormal chiasmatic connections, nystagmus and photofobia. All these features result in severly altered visual acuity (<0,1), absent depth perception and poor night vision. People with albinism are primarily visually handicapped. In addition, for some types of albinism, the visual phenotype can be presented with partial or total hypopigmentation, hence resulting in a secondary phenotype which can lead to skin cancer if skin is not adequately protected. Recently a new syndrome has been described, FHONDA, with the same visual abnormalities of albinism but without pigment alteration. The traditional classification differentiates Oculoculatenous albinism (OCA), where hypopigmentation involves hair, skin and eyes versus Ocular Albinism (OA), where hypopigmentation only affects the eyes. These are non-sydrimic types of albinism. Some syndromic forms (Hermansky-Pudlak=HPS, Chediak-Higashi=CHS) affect cells beyond pigment cells, present in the lungs, immune system, platelets and intestines, resulting in more severe phenotypes that can be fatal. Mutations in at least 19 genes are assocaited with the corresponding types of albinism. Most hospitals will only diagnose the most frequent cases using traditional Sanger, MLPA approaches. Some will use CGH arrays. We aim to diagnose all cases of albinism through the Albinochip proposal, which combines a Sequenom first step of known mutations combined with subsequent NGS approaches. In some cases we fail to find a second mutation, these are good candidates for further full exome analyses. 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 2018-03-14.

Dataset EGAD00001004039

Spiradenocarcinoma (2018-10-29)

Spiradenocarcinoma is a rare cutaneous sweat gland adnexal cancer with potential for aggressive behaviour. They are classified histologically into low- and high-grade tumours, with morphologically low-grade tumours thought to behave more favourably. However, limited information is available, with only 18 published cases. We have collected morphologically low-grade spiroadenocarcinomas (one with a lung metastasis) and high-grade spiroadenocarcinomas, as well as some spiradenomas (benign lesions), cylindromas (another type of malignant cutaneous sweat gland adnexal tumour) and hybrid spiradenoma-cylindromas. H&E-stained sections were reviewed, follow-up was obtained, and immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, p53 and, MYB has been performed. The tumours were solitary, measuring 0.8-7?cm (median: 2.7?cm), with a predilection for the head and neck of elderly patients (median age: 72 years; range 53-92) without gender bias. Histologically, the tumours were multinodular and located in deep dermis and subcutis. A pre-existing spiradenoma was present in all cases. The malignant component was characterized by expansile growth with loss of the dual cell population, up to moderate cytological atypia and increased mitotic activity (median: 10/10 HPF; range 1-28). Additional findings included squamoid differentiation (n=9), necrosis (n=7), and ulceration (n=5). P53 expression was variable and no significant differences were noted in the benign compared with the malignant parts of the tumours. In contrast, in the malignant components the Ki-67 proliferative index was slightly increased, and MYB expression was lost. Follow-up (median: 67 months; range: 13-132) available for 16 patients (84%) revealed a local recurrence rate of 19% but no metastases or disease-related mortality. Here we wish to exome sequence these cases to define the first genomic landscape for this malignancy. This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2018-10-29.

Dataset EGAD00001004426

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Exome Sequencing Analysis

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly heritable with recent sibling recurrence risk estimates of 19% overall and 26% in males. The heritable phenotype of hyperserotonemia, or elevated levels of platelet serotonin (5HT), in ~35% of people with ASD is a well-established biomarker. The efficacy of drugs like risperidone and potent serotonin transporter inhibitors at treating behaviors related to Insistence on Sameness, along with evidence of the contribution of hyperserotonemia to autism susceptibility collectively support the hypothesis that dysfunction in the 5HT system is a significant etiological target for investigation of the genetic component to autism. ASD genetic architecture is complex; common variants of large effect do not contribute substantially to overall ASD risk, but there are clearly common variants with small effects and rare genetic/genomic variation of larger effect among ASD genetic risk factors. The NIH ARRA Autism Sequencing Consortium, including Dr. Sutcliffe and Dr. Cook among others, has initiated exome sequencing studies to identify more of the rare variants contributing to ASD. Data from our group and others reveal numerous rare de novo and inherited sequence mutations, and the number of de novo and other functional mutations that are found to affect molecules encoding 5HT signaling and its regulation further reinforces our hypothesis that regulation of serotonin levels is important in autism genetic susceptibility. Integrin receptor signaling pathways were prominently featured among identified de novo mutations, thus defining a set of interrelated gene networks that control 5HT signaling. We propose to extend our findings to date by conducting exome sequencing on ACE subjects, for whom we also have 5HT biochemical data, to identify rare variants (including CNVs) in 5HT-related gene networks. In total we propose to have exome sequencing completed on 523 samples. The purpose of the proposed research is two-fold: 1) we will conduct more extensive investigations to determine the support for the hypothesis that genetic variation at genes regulating platelet serotonin levels affect susceptibility to ASD and 2) we will combine the exome sequence data from these studies with sequence data for autism being accumulated in a variety of other research projects to further the goal of identifying and characterizing the genetic component to ASD.

Study phs000712

The genomic complexity of early T-cell progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

CREST The accurate identification of structural variations using whole-genome DNA sequencing data generated by next-generation sequencing technology is extremely difficult. To address this challenge, we have developed CREST, an algorithm that uses sequencing reads with partial alignments to the reference human genome (so-called soft-clipped reads) to directly map the breakpoints of somatic structural variations. We applied CREST to paired tumor/normal whole genome sequencing data from five cases of T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). A total of 110 somatic structural variants were identified, >80% of which were validated by genomic PCR and Sanger sequencing. The validated structural variants included 31 inter-chromosomal translocations, 19 intra-chromosomal translocations, one inversion, 22 deletions and 16 insertions. A comparison of the results generated with CREST to those obtained using the traditional paired-end discordant mapping methods demonstrate CREST to have a much higher sensitivity and specificity. In addition, application of CREST to publicly available whole-genome sequencing data from the human melanoma cancer cell line COLO-829 demonstrated the identification of 50 novel structural variations not detected using the standard methods, 20 of which were selected for validation with a 90% success rate. These data demonstrate that direct mapping of soft-clipped reads offers an improved method for detecting structural variants at the nucleotide level of resolution. T-ALL Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ETP ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of unknown genetic basis. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 12 ETP ALL cases and assessed the frequency of the identified somatic mutations in 94 T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cases. ETP ALL was characterized by activating mutations in genes regulating cytokine receptor and RAS signalling (67% of cases; NRAS, KRAS, FLT3, IL7R, JAK3, JAK1, SH2B3 and BRAF), inactivating lesions disrupting haematopoietic development (58%; GATA3, ETV6, RUNX1, IKZF1 and EP300) and histone-modifying genes (48%; EZH2, EED, SUZ12, SETD2 and EP300). We also identified new targets of recurrent mutation including DNM2, ECT2L and RELN. The mutational spectrum is similar to myeloid tumours, and moreover, the global transcriptional profile of ETP ALL was similar to that of normal and myeloid leukaemia haematopoietic stem cells. These findings suggest that addition of myeloid-directed therapies might improve the poor outcome of ETP ALL.

Study phs000340

The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on DNA Expression in the Normal Human Breast Epithelium

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center [www.komentissuebank.iu.edu] (KTB) was established expressly for the prospective collection of normal, healthy breast tissue from volunteer donors. Blood is also obtained from donors at the time of donation and is processed for serum, plasma and peripheral blood leukocyte DNA. Specimens are annotated and data includes age, race, ethnicity, personal health history, family cancer history, medication usage at the time of donation, and breast cancer risk factors. Premenopausal donors to the KTB were identified by a query of the Bank's database. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue of the identified donors were reviewed and tissue was graded on the basis of the abundance of epithelium within the section. Only tissue containing abundant epithelium was considered for this study. Based on dates, the specimens of nine women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and five in the luteal phase were chosen. Six donors using hormonal contraception at the time of donation were also included. Whole blood obtained from 19 of the 20 donors at the time of tissue donation was available and it was processed for serum. Estradiol, estriol, luteinizing hormone and progesterone concentrations were determined by the Indiana University Health Pathology Laboratory using a Beckman Unicel DxI 800 Immunoassay System. The phase of the menstrual cycle was verified by serum progesterone concentration. The epithelium of these 20 specimens was microdissected from multiple 8 micron frozen tissue sections. Total RNA extracted from the tissue was subsequently depleted of rRNA via locked nucleic acid probes. This enabled profiling of both poly-A and non-poly-A RNA species. Barcoded cDNA libraries from the 20 normal breast epithelia were prepared and sequenced on an Applied Biosystems (AB) SOLiD3 or SOLiD 4 platform. RNA-seq reads for each sample were then mapped to the human genome (hg19) using the LifeScope software version 2.5.1 (Life Technologies, Foster City, CA) and BAM (Binary Alignment/Map) files generated. Read counts for each gene were derived from the output BAM files using the RefSeq database (UCSC Genome Brower) as the gene model.

Study phs000644

Whole Blood Transcriptomics of Patients With Melioidosis

Melioidosis is a neglected tropical infection caused by the Gram negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei that is associated with high mortality rates in southeast Asia. The goal of this study was to a) identify human blood leukocyte transcriptomic features and pathways specific to melioidosis (vs other etiologies of infection), b) identify transcriptomic features and pathways specific to fatal melioidosis, and c) identify transcriptomic predictors of death in patients with melioidosis. This study used clinical data and whole blood leukocyte samples from a subset of participants in the Ubon Sepsis Study, a prospective single-center cohort study conducted at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand between 2013 and 2017. Participants in the Ubon Sepsis Study had suspected or documented infection with accompanying systemic manifestations of infection and were enrolled, with blood sampling, within 24 hours of admission to the study hospital. Enrolled patients were followed over time and vital status was determined at 28 days after enrollment. The subset of participants from the parent Ubon Sepsis Study cohort selected for this study was comprised of 164 patients with melioidosis (defined as having a culture of clinical sample positive for B. pseudomallei), 35 patients with Gram negative bacteremia due to either Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, 16 patients with Gram positive bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus, and 19 patients who had negative blood cultures and no clinical sample culture-positive for B. pseudomallei. Fifty uninfected control patients with or without diabetes were recruited from the outpatient department and blood donation center at Udon Thani hospital, Udon Thani, Thailand from 2018 to 2019. Blood was collected at the time of enrollment in Tempus Blood RNA tubes. RNA was extracted using the Tempus Spin RNA Isolation kit. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed at the University of Washington Northwest Genomics Center. Analysis was performed using a variety of statistical methods. The main finding of the study was that the transcriptomes of melioidosis patients, compared to patients with other infections, were characterized by upregulation of interferon signaling. The transcriptomes of patients with fatal melioidosis were notable for upregulation of inflammatory and type 2 immune responses and downregulation of genes related to T-cell function. A five-gene (EPHB1, SYCP2L, MERTK, IL5RA, and SPOCK1) predictive signature for death in melioidosis was developed.

Study phs003724

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Cohort DescriptionHispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is an ongoing population-based prospective cohort study of 16,415 community dwelling Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18-74 years at baseline, recruited from four urban field centers with large populations of Hispanics/ Latinos (Bronx, NY; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; and San Diego, CA). The primary goals of the HCHS/SOL are to describe: (1) the prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other major chronic conditions (2) the risk and/or protective factors associated with these conditions; and (3) the relationships between the initial sociodemographic and health profiles and future health events in the target population. Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 397 variables for up to 9817 HCHS/SOL participants in C4R. Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 448 variables for up to 7536 HCHS/SOL participants in C4R. Derived data includes 43 variables for up to 11182 HCHS/SOL participants in C4R. Phenotype data includes 113 variables for up to 11182 HCHS/SOL participants in C4R.

Study phs002908

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS)

Cohort Description The Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) is a study of the population of Washington Heights in Northern Manhattan. The ongoing study, which began in 1990, has enrolled over 4,400 people, some of whom have suffered a stroke or related neurological syndromes. As the cohort aged, the specific aims grew to include not only vascular determinants of stroke but also cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. The overall goal of NOMAS is to investigate stroke risk factors in different race-ethnic groups. NOMAS is also committed to developing better stroke prevention programs to improve the health of the community. The Hispanic population in Northern Manhattan is largely Dominican, along with Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central and South American components.Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 397 variables for up to 887 NOMAS participants in C4R Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 448 variables for up to 815 NOMAS participants in C4R Derived data includes 43 variables for up to 995 NOMAS participants in C4R Phenotype data includes 113 variables for up to 995 NOMAS participants in C4R

Study phs003028

Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R): Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Cohort Description The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a study of the characteristics of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the risk factors that predict progression to clinically overt CVD or progression of the subclinical disease. MESA researchers study a diverse, population-based sample of 6,814 asymptomatic men and women aged 45-84. Participants were recruited from six field centers across the United States: Wake Forest University, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and University of California - Los Angeles. Participants of this study are limited to MESA Classic participants. MESA Family and MESA Air Pollution cohorts are excluded from C4R. Data Being Submitted Wave 1 questionnaire data includes 397 variables for up to 3119 MESA participants in C4R. Wave 2 questionnaire data includes 448 variables for up to 1933 MESA participants in C4R. Dried Blood Spot/Serosurvey data includes 7 variables for up to 1058 MESA participants in C4R. Derived data includes 43 variables for up to 3283 MESA participants in C4R. Phenotype data includes 113 variables for up to 3136 MESA participants in C4R.

Study phs003017

NIDA Genetic Epidemiology of Opioid Dependence in Bulgaria (GEODB)

The study was conducted in Bulgaria as a collaboration between the Molecular Medicine Center (Medical University, Sofia), the Bulgarian Addictions Institute (Sofia), the Initiative for Health Foundation (Sofia) and Washington University School of Medicine (Saint Louis, MO, USA). This is a case-population control study. Participants (N=2,499 interviews; N=1,995 with GWAS data) in our study are primarily active heroin users (78%) aged 18 and over, with a median 8.9 years of daily heroin use (minimum of 12 months). Virtually all participants (99.1%) qualified for a lifetime DSM-IV diagnosis of dependence, symptom endorsement probabilities ranging from 77% to 99.3%; and 61% endorsing all symptoms. 85% were heroin injectors and 97% reported using (or having used) heroin daily. Anonymized, population-representative control samples (no phenotypic data, N = 1,062 with GWAS data) were drawn from the MMC repository. Unlike other studies, where samples are clinically ascertained (e.g., from ORT programs), our participants are primarily untreated. PTSD, major depression, suicidality, mania, alcohol, nicotine and substance dependence (separating heroin and opioids) were assessed using the MAGIC (Todd et al., 2003, PMID: 14627881), a broad semi-structured psychiatric assessment tool with good reliability and prospective stability. The onset of (any) illicit drug use in this sample is not particularly remarkable (age~16), but the age of onset of heroin use is much lower than in the USA: 25% by age 16; 50% by age 19, with no differences between ethnicities or gender. This is consistent with findings from other studies in Bulgaria. In contrast, in 2008, SAMHSA estimated an average age of 23.4 for new heroin initiates in the USA. Further, progression from first use to regular use appears to be more rapid, with the majority of participants reporting onset of dependence problems within one year of initiation. Another unique aspect of this study population are the comparatively low levels of polysubstance use (outside of nicotine and alcohol). This early-use, fast-transition and monosubstance heroin pattern stands in sharp contrast to what is reported in many studies in the Western World. In our study, 47% of Ethnic Bulgarians and 66% of Roma used only opioids, even years after the onset of drug use. 15.4% of Ethnic Bulgarians and 66.2% of Roma reported heroin as the very first illicit drug used. Lifetime, 12.5% of Ethnic Bulgarians and 52.8% of Roma report never having used another illicit drug other than heroin more than five times. While both Roma and Ethnic Bulgarians certainly experiment with other drugs, abuse/dependence rates for these drugs are low in Ethnic Bulgarians (from 8.4% for inhalants to 28% for stimulants) and in the Roma population (from 1.3% for hallucinogens to 11.2% for stimulants).

Study phs001804

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