13304 results for ""pdc"+"heritage+language"+census+study"

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• Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium (PPTC)

  The Pediatric Preclinical Testing Consortium (PPTC) is addressing the unmet need of streamlining the development of new therapies for childhood cancers. The PPTC seeks to develop robust biomarkers of anticancer drug activity, and the majority of these are predicted to be genetic mutations that can be detected in tumor DNA and/or RNA. In order to design the most impactful experiments that can be rapidly translated to the clinic, PPTC investigators require a complete genomic characterization of the patient-derived xenograft tumor models that are utilized across the consortium. This will not only allow for the most robust experimental design, but also will increase the engagement of industry partners who seek collaborators poised to provide the proof-of-concept necessary for drugs in their development pipelines. All data and models will be made available to academically qualified investigators.

  Study phs001437

• Shotgun Transcriptome and Isothermal Profiling of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Reveals Unique Host Responses, Viral Diversification, and Drug Interactions

  In less than nine months, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed hundreds of thousands of people, including >23,000 in New York City (NYC) alone. The pandemic's sudden emergence highlights the clinical need to detect infection, track strain evolution, and identify biomarkers of disease course. To address these challenges, we provide large-scale shotgun metatranscriptomics (total-RNA-seq) for host, viral, and microbial profiling. In version 1, we sequenced a total of 732 clinical specimens (nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs) gathered from 669 unique patients in New York City during the first two months of the outbreak. In version 2, we sequenced an additional 168 clinical specimens from autopsy tissues (lung, heart, kidney, liver, and lymph node) from 60 patients, yielding a broad molecular portrait of the emerging COVID-19 disease across 900 clinical specimens and 729 patients.

  Study phs002258

• Genetic Analysis of Skin Cells

  Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a form of skin cancer originating from keratinocytes in the skin. They have high mutation burdens, primarily driven by UV-radiation-induced DNA damage. The order in which mutations undergo selection during the evolution of cSCC is not known. A subset of cSCCs grow out of benign neoplasms called actinic keratoses. To better understand the evolution of cSCC, we identified cases of cSCCs adjacent to actinic keratoses. From these cases, we separately microdissected the surrounding normal skin, the actinic keratosis, and the cSCC, and we performed targeted DNA-sequencing on the tissue from each area. We reconstructed tumor phylogenies and performed spatial transcriptomics on the 10X FFPE Visium platform on a subset of cases. Collectively, these studies revealed the mutational and gene expression changes that arise during the evolution of cSCC.

  Study phs003282

• Gene Variants in Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

  Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla and in extra-adrenal locations, respectively. PPGL has the strongest hereditary risk of all endocrine neoplasms with about 40% of cases harboring germline mutations and another 25-30% of cases arising from somatic mutations. To date, over 20 susceptibility genes have been suggested to play a role in PPGL pathogenesis, with more genes still being researched. This project will seek to identify new candidate genes in apparently sporadic PPGLs to reveal a possible genetic background in cases without variants in known susceptibility genes. Knowledge of the genetic background and the genes involved in the pathogenesis of PPGL allows for clustering and/or development of targeted therapies for the tumors that cannot be surgically resected or tumors that have metastasized.

  Study phs002405

• The Contribution of De Novo Coding Mutations to Meningomyelocele

  Meningomyelocele (MM) is considered a genetically complex disease resulting from the failure of the neural tube to close; a neural tube defect (NTD). Patients display neuromotor disability and frequent hydrocephalus requiring ventricular shunting. A few genes have been proposed to contribute to disease susceptibility, but most risk remains unexplained. 851 MM trios were recruited and we found 187 likely gene disrupting or damaging missense de novo mutations (DNMs) that are estimated to contribute to disease risk. These DNMs collectively define networks including actin cytoskeleton and microtubule-based processes, axon guidance, and histone modification. Gene validation demonstrates partial or complete loss of function, impaired signaling and defective neural tube closure in Xenopus embryos. Our results suggest DNMs make key contributions to MM risk, and highlight critical pathways required for neural tube closure in human embryogenesis. Data for 245 WES trios and 1 quad are available through dbGaP.

  Study phs003746

• The Genetic Evolution of Acral Melanoma

  Acral melanoma is a rare melanoma subtype arising on the sole, palm, or nail apparatus. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) for a cohort of 35 acral melanoma patients. For each patient, we sequenced multiple tumor areas representing different tumor stages, including the in situ and invasive portions of the primary tumor and available regional or distant metastases. Normal areas were included for all except one patient. We identified distinct evolutional trajectory compared to melanomas arising on the sun-exposed skin. Whole-genome sequencing and targeted sequencing were additionally performed for a subset of the samples. Particularly, in acral melanomas, complex genomic aberrations, characterized by clustered copy number transitions and focal amplifications, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) activating alterations occur very early during evolution, while MAP-kinase pathway mutations, such as BRAF V600E and NRAS hotspot mutations, can occur late and often result in striking intra-tumor heterogeneity.

  Study phs003451

• Transgenerational Transmission of Post-Zygotic Mutations Suggests Symmetric Contribution of First Two Blastomeres to Human Germline

  Skin and blood samples were collected from four phenotypically normal individuals (mother, father, and children) from a randomly selected family. Whole genomes of the samples from these individuals were sequenced to a depth of 30X-200X. Sequencing data for the mother was previously analyzed and is available at NDA collection #2961. Sequenced reads from the children and father were aligned to the human reference genome (hg19) generating BAM files for each individual. We used post-zygotic mutations in the mother to trace cell lineages across human generations. Analysis of this family demonstrated that different cell lineages were transmitted to offspring. Coupled with analysis of publicly available data, this result revealed a fundamental difference between soma and germline in lineage allocation and suggested a 50:50 contribution of the first two blastomeres to the germline.

  Study phs003781

• Beta-Blocker Evaluation in Survival Trial (BEST-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Objectives The Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial was designed to determine whether bucindolol hydrochloride- a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocker and mild vasodilator- would reduce the rate of death from any cause among patients with advanced heart failure and to assess its effects in various subgroups defined by ethnic background and demographic criteria- specifically women and members of minority groups. Background Although beta-adrenergic-receptor antagonists reduce morbidity and Mortality in participants with mild-to-moderate chronic heart failure, their effort on survival in participants with more advanced heart failure is unknown. Participants There were 2,708 participants. Conclusions Bucindolol resulted in no significant overall survival benefit. (Krause-Steinrauf et al., 2001, PMID: 11386264).

  Study phs003730

• Genomic Alterations and Transcriptional Phenotypes in Circulating Tumor DNA and Matched Metastatic Tumor

  We analyzed a prospective cohort of 49 plasma samples obtained before, during, and after treatment from 20 patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer. We conducted cfDNA low-pass whole genome sequencing (0.1X coverage) and exome sequencing (130X coverage) in comparison with time-point matched tumor characterized using whole-exome (130X) and transcriptome sequencing. A direct comparison of cfDNA and tumor biopsy revealed that cfDNA not only mirrors the mutation and copy number landscape of the corresponding tumor, but also identifies clinically relevant resistance mechanisms and cancer driver alterations not detected in matched tumor biopsies. Longitudinal cfDNA analysis reliably tracks tumor response, progression, and clonal evolution. Sequencing coverage of plasma DNA fragments around transcription start sites showed distinct treatment-related changes and captured the expression of key transcription factors n the corresponding SCLC tumors.

  Study phs003689

• Spatiotemporal Charting of Human Esophageal Development for Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy

  Human fetal esophageal development is not well understood. We present a spatio-temporal single-cell multi-omics atlas to close such a long-standing knowledge gap. With such an atlas, we describe the cellular heterogeneity and lineage transitions of esophageal epithelium and stroma. We delineate the cellular dynamics of both epithelial and stromal populations during the establishment of esophageal tissue architecture. We identify niche paracrine signals that drive the development of the epithelium. We develop an in silico perturbation deep learning algorithm to further enlighten the in vitro derivation of esophageal basal cells (eBCs) and we use the algorithm to screen for effective and efficient signaling pathway perturbations that could guide in vitro eBC differentiation. We observe that chemically perturbing prioritized pathways yields functional eBCs. Such success sheds light on cell replacement therapy of eBC dysfunction, such as Epidermolysis Bullosa.

  Study phs003281

• Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI): Pediatric In Vivo Testing Program - Neuroblastoma

  The goal of NCI's Pediatric In Vivo Testing Consortium (PIVOT) is to advance the development of effective treatments for pediatric cancers through preclinical in vivo testing of novel therapeutic agents. To design impactful experiments that can be rapidly translated to the clinic, PIVOT investigators require comprehensive genomic characterization of the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models used across the consortium. This robust experimental design enhances collaboration with industry partners by providing proof-of-concept data for drugs in development. As part of this effort, neuroblastoma PDX models are being molecularly characterized to identify promising therapeutic candidates. The molecular profiling includes whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA-seq, MethylEPIC array, CytoSNP array, and DNA fingerprinting for quality control. Additionally, demographic and clinical data (e.g., diagnosis, disease site, disease status) are shared. These characterized PDX models, matched with patient tumors, guide model selection for preclinical drug testing.

  Study phs003163

• Multiplexed scRNA-Seq Reveals Cellular and Genetic Correlates of SLE

  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease. Knowledge of circulating immune cell types and cell states associated with SLE remains incomplete. We profiled over 1.2 million PBMCs (160 cases, 98 controls) with multiplexed single-cell RNA-seq (mux-seq). Cases exhibited prominent expression of type-1 interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) in monocytes, reduction of naïve CD4+ T cells that correlated with monocyte ISG expression, and expansion of repertoire-restricted cytotoxic GZMH+ CD8+ T cells. Cell-type-specific expression features accurately predicted case-control status and stratified patients into two molecular subtypes. We integrated dense genotyping data, mapping cell-type-specific cis-eQTLs and linked known and novel SLE-associated variants to cell-type-specific gene expression. These results demonstrate mux-seq as a systematic approach to characterize cellular composition, identify transcriptional signatures, and annotate genetic variants associated with SLE.

  Study phs002812

• Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED-BioLINCC)

  Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Objectives: To determine the sensitivities and specificities of ventillation/perfusion (V/Q) lung scans for acute pulmonary embolism (PE).Participants: A total of 1487 participants were enrolled.Conclusions: Almost all participants with pulmonary embolism had abnormal scans of high, intermediate, or low probability, but so did most without pulmonary embolism. Only in a minority of participants did the clinical assessment combined with the V/Q scan interpretation improve the overall chance of reaching a correct diagnosis of acute PE. Although a high probability scan usually indicated the presence of PE, only a small number of participants with PE had a high probability scan. Reference: PIOPED Investigators, 1990, PMID: 2332918.

  Study phs004020

• Immediate Postoperative Minimal Residual Disease Detection with MAESTRO Predicts Recurrence and Survival in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Surgery

  We selected 24 patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who were surgically treated. MAESTRO, our ultrasensitive, tumor-informed, mutation enrichment sequencing assay, was applied in a pooled format (MAESTRO-Pool) to plasma samples collected from these patients at baseline (pre-op) and postoperatively. We show that detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) 1 to 9 days after surgery is associated with significantly worse survival. Many plasma samples also had tumor fractions detected below 100 parts-per-million, the detection limit for first-generation commercial assays, highlighting the need for more sensitive ctDNA assays. Here we provide whole genome sequencing of matched tumor biopsy and normal germline DNA from 24 patients that were used to identify somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) to be tracked using our MAESTRO-Pool assay.

  Study phs003981

• P4HA1 Mediates Hypoxia-Induced Invasion in Human Pancreatic Cancer Organoids

  Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy defined by extensive invasion into the local tumor microenvironment and systemic metastasis. PDAC develops in a hypoxic microenvironment and adapts to survive under low oxygen conditions, including the activation of processes that may enhance the ability of cancer cells to invade locally or metastasize. Here we employ bulk RNA-sequencing of eight patient-derived organoid (PDO) cultures grown in hypoxia and normoxia to identify differentially expressed genes. PDOs were grown in Matrigel, transferred into collagen domes, then incubated in hypoxia or normoxia. Invasive organoids were individually collected from collagen domes grown in hypoxia and normoxia separately and processed for RNA-sequencing analysis. Using this dataset, prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha (P4HA1) was identified as a potential regulator of PDAC invasion in hypoxia. This dataset exists as a reference for gene expression of invasive organoids in hypoxia and normoxia.

  Study phs003961

• Estimating the Efficacy of Pharmacogenomics Over a Lifetime

  The goal was to evaluate the potential impact of pharmacogenomic testing on drug prescribing over a lifetime. To address this goal, 300 random patients enrolled in Marshfield Clinic's PMRP biobank with life-long medical records were whole genome sequenced and evaluated for known clinically actionable pharmacogenomic variants as defined by CPIC and FDA. This genomic data was evaluated in the context of extensive longitudinal prescription record data from patient EHR. Results show nearly all (93%) carry a clinically actionable pharmacogenomic variant and 80% with a variant were prescribed approximately three medications on average that may have been impacted because of their variants, the optimal age for pharmacogenomic testing was prior to age 50, but most patients well past their 50s can still benefit from pharmacogenomic testing. Results available include genotype and drug prescribing data.

  Study phs003454

• High volume culture initiating in vitro evolution in neuroblastoma cell lines

  Despite the advent of advanced molecular prognostic tools, it is still difficult to predict the course of disease for cancer patients at the individual level. This lack of predictability is also reflected in many experimental cancer model systems, begging the question of whether certain biological aspects of cancer (eg. growth, evolution etc.) can ever be anticipated or if there remains an inherent unpredictability to cancer, similar to other complex biological systems. We demonstrate by a combination of agent-based mathematical modelling, analysis of patient-derived xenograft systems from multiple cancer types, and in-vitro culture that certain conditions may invoke chaotic fluctuations in the clonal landscape of cancer growth. Our findings indicate that under those conditions, the cancer genome may behave as a complex dynamic system, making its long-term evolution inherently unpredictable.

  Study EGAS00001007962

• Single Cell DNA Methylation Analysis for Forensic Epigenetics

  As part of the Epigenetic CHaracterization and Observation (ECHO) program, the Genomic Analysis Laboratory at the Salk Institute generated the DNA methylation profiles of certain PBMC cell types to determine the change in methylation levels before, during or after exposure to certain biological or chemical agents. Samples from individuals who either handled anthrax in controlled environments or who tested positive to MRSA, MSSA, HIV, COVID-19 or exposed to Flu virus or organophosphates, or control samples were used in single-nucleus methylation (snmC-seq) assays to quantify DNA methylation levels of cytosine residues of the DNA. Around 5-10% cytosine sites were sampled in the assay. Using computational analyses, regions in the genome differentially methylated in response to the exposure were identified. This information can be used to develop diagnostic tools to predict the type of infection or time since exposure.

  Study phs003204

• Disease-Linked Regulatory DNA Variants and Homeostatic Transcription Factors in Epidermis

  The role of non-coding variants in polygenic skin disease and their connection to homeostatic transcription factors (TFs) in epidermis was investigated. Homeostatic TFs were identified by perturb-seq in differentiating keratinocytes, using either 10x or split-pool approaches to sequencing, with follow-up validation by siRNA and RNA-seq. TF binding events were profiled by population sampling Cleavage Under Targets & Release Using Nuclease (CUT&RUN), in which a random population of neonatal foreskin keratinocytes were assayed by CUT&RUN for homeostatic TFs under progenitor growth and differentiation conditions. Heterozygous alleles were identified from the TF binding data and examined for allele specific binding events (ASBs). ASBs were then compared with non-coding variants linked to skin disease. Variants with potentially pathogenic effects were identified. Promoters and high TF occupancy genomic regions were found to be "buffered" against variants causing ASBs.

  Study phs003977

• Transcriptome of human trophoblast stem cells derived from normal and HDP placentas

  Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is a disease driven by abnormal placenta formation, which is a leading cause of maternal and fetal death. For investigation of genetic and epigenetic regulation of human trophoblast differentiation, we have previously established human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) from first-trimester placentas. Those hTSCs were able to differentiate into extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) and syncytiotrophoblasts (STs), and their transcriptome was similar to that of cytotrophoblasts in human placenta. However, since HDP happens in the second half of pregnancy, the conventional hTSC derivation method was not enough to investigate the nature of HDP trophoblasts. In this analysis, we improved the derivation method and successfully established the hTSCs from normal and HDP term placentas after delivery. We performed RNA-seq of normal and HDP hTSCs, and HDP hTSCs recapitulated abnormalities in gene expression reported in HDP placentas.

  Study JGAS000660

• RNA sequencing of surgically removed lung adenocarcinoma afterwards treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

  Patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were enrolled in the training cohort to establish a prognostic signature based on the expression of tumor-specific amino acid metabolism related genes. The established signature was further investigated against an original cohort, KCC-ICI, of chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The signature consisting of nine genes, KYNU, PSPH, PPAT, MIF, GCLC, ACAD8, TYRP1, ALDH2, and HDC, could effectively stratify the OS in LUAD patients. The KCC-ICI cohort confirmed the predictive ability of the established signature in the clinical response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy, which correlated with the infiltration of immune cells (e.g., T lymphocytes and nature killer cells). We discovered that the high signature risk score patients showed a significantly lower concentration of plasma-free ??-aminobutyric acid (AABA).

  Study JGAS000675

• The Formation and Propagation of Human Robertsonian Chromosomes

  Robertsonian chromosomes are a type of variant chromosome found commonly in nature. Present in one in 800 humans, these chromosomes can underlie infertility, trisomies, and increased cancer incidence. Recognized cytogenetically for more than a century, their origins have remained mysterious. Recent advances in genomics have allowed us to assemble three human Robertsonian chromosomes completely. We identify a common breakpoint and epigenetic changes in centromeres that provide insight into the formation and propagation of common Robertsonian translocations. Further investigation of the assembled genomes of chimpanzee and bonobo highlights the structural features of the human genome that uniquely enable the specific crossover event that creates these chromosomes. Resolving the structure and epigenetic features of human Robertsonian chromosomes at a molecular level will pave the way to understanding how chromosomal structural variation occurs more generally, and how chromosomes evolve.

  Study phs003920

• Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI): Molecular Characterization Initiative

  The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) focuses on the critical need to collect, analyze, and share data to address the burden of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults (AYAs). The Molecular Characterization Initiative (MCI) will further the CCDI's goals by providing access to better diagnostic tests for pediatric and AYA patients. The molecular characterizations of solid tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, and rare diseases are performed in a CLIA-certified setting as results may be used to screen for and/or confirm clinical trial eligibility, direct treatment, or otherwise contribute to the conduct of the trial. The following molecular characterization assays were performed:Tumor/Normal Whole Exome sequencing Methylation arraysArcher fusion panel Deidentified clinical reportsNote: New data will be added periodically, please check the CCDI Hub Explore site for updates.

  Study phs002790

• Identification of a Type 1 Diabetes-Associated T Cell Receptor Repertoire Signature from the Human Peripheral Blood

  Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a T-cell mediated disease with a strong immunogenetic HLA dependence. HLA allelic influence on the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire shapes thymic selection and controls activation of diabetogenic clones, yet remains largely unresolved in T1D. We sequenced the circulating TCRβ chain repertoire from 2250 HLA-typed participants across three cross-sectional cohorts, including T1D individuals, and healthy related and unrelated controls. We found that HLA risk alleles show higher restriction of TCR repertoires in T1D individuals. We leveraged deep learning to identify T1D-associated TCR subsequence motifs that were also observed in independent TCR cohorts residing in pancreas-draining lymph nodes of T1D individuals. Collectively, our data demonstrate T1D-related TCR motif enrichment based on genetic risk, offering a potential metric for autoreactivity and groundwork for TCR-based diagnostics and therapeutics.

  Study phs003979

• Dynamic Evolution of Fibroblasts Revealed by Single Cell RNA Sequencing of Human Pancreatic Cancer

  Understanding the constituents of the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) microenvironment may illuminate more efficacious targets for treating this aggressive malignancy. However, the compositional changes occurring in untreated and treated PDAC relative to both normal and inflamed pancreas have not been well characterized. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of the PDAC tumor microenvironment relative to the non-cancerous pancreas, we performed single-cell expression profiling (10X Genomics Chromium) on samples of upfront resectable PDAC, FOLFIRINOX-based treated PDAC, chronic pancreatitis, and normal pancreas specimens from 19 patients. Spatial gene expression profiling (10X Genomics Visium) was performed to gain additional insight into cell populations. Our analysis revealed that fibroblasts are central mediators of cell-cell communication in both inflamed and malignant settings and defined unique roles for these cell populations in different disease contexts.

  Study phs003751

• DNA methylation dynamics during early human development

  DNA methylation is globally reprogrammed during mammalian preimplantation development, which has been well characterized in the mouse but not in other mammals. Here we report on the single base-resolution DNA methylome of human gametes and blastocysts. Near complete demethylation of the paternal genome was apparent, except for tandem repeat-containing CpG-rich regions, whereas the maternal genome was essentially resistant to replication-dependent global demethylation. The human oocyte methylome was characterized by a unique bimodal distribution of gene body methylation, a particular promoter methylation profile and a high proportion of hypomethylated transposable elements. Methylome and transcriptome comparisons between the human and mouse suggested species-specific regulation of many genes including the important DNA methylation regulators. Our findings are essential to understand the unique gene regulatory mechanisms during early human development and will facilitate preimplantation epigenetic diagnosis of human embryos.

  Study JGAS000006

• A capture methyl-seq protocol with improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness using pre-pooling and enzymatic conversion

  The opportunities for sequencing-based methylome analysis of clinical samples are increasing. To reduce its cost and the amount of genomic DNA required for library preparation, we aimed to establish a capture methyl-seq protocol, which adopts pre-pooling of multiple libraries before hybridization capture and TET2/APOBEC-mediated conversion of unmethylated cytosine to thymine. We compared a publicly available dataset generated by the standard Agilent protocol of SureSelect XT Human Methyl-Seq Kit and our dataset obtained by our modified protocol, EMCap, that adopted sample pre-pooling and enzymatic conversion. We confirmed that the quality of DNA methylation data was comparable between the two datasets. As our protocol, EMCap, is more cost-effective and reduces the amount of input genomic DNA, it would serve as a better choice for clinical methylome sequencing.

  Study JGAS000605

• Controlling cell differentiation with precision through understanding the structure and dynamics of gene regulatory networks

  We established a set of transgenic human ES cell lines that carry inducible expression gene cassette for singe transcriptional factor induction with Tet-ON system. Transcriptome data was obtained 48h after transgene induction by Microarray. We established inducible human ES lines about more than 700 genes, and achieved microarray analysis on 115 genes. Our data set has multiple characteristic properties; 1) the same platform across data set, 2) analyzed with dynamic cell status, 3) pre-determined initiation point on gene perturbation, 4)inducible in different cell status. In parallele, we also performed RNA sequenncig analysis on 435 transgene induced ES lines as well. 32 transgene induced transcriptome data were obtained from both Microarray and RNA sequencing, normalizing technical gaps between them. We hope those systematic data set to reveal transcriptional network structure and molecular mechanisms of cell differentiation.

  Study JGAS000121

• Genomics characterization of primary central nervous system lymphoma

  Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare malignancy confined to the central nervous system (CNS). Despite low tendency of systemic dissemination, its prognosis is poor with median overall survival of 2?4 years. Due to its rarity, knowledge of genomic alterations underling PCNSL pathogenesis is severely limited. Here we performed whole-exome sequencing on 44 PCNSL and paired normal specimens, revealing high penetrance of nonsynonymous somatic mutations in PIM1 (95.5%), BTG2 (88.6%) and MYD88 (81.8%). Interestingly we found oncogenic mutations in GRB2, and this effect was cancelled when transformed cells are treated with inhibitors to downstream kinases MAP2K1/2. Further, when tumor cells carries MYD88 mutations, the same mutations were also found at low frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC), implying that MYD88 mutation?positive precancerous cells originate outside CNS and develop to lymphoma with additional genetic hits that fit the CNS environment.

  Study JGAS000021

• Mutational anysis of breast cancer stem cells

  Exome sequences of breast cancer have been investigated for many patients. Recently it has been shown that there are intra-heterogeneity in tumor tissues. When the tumor cells were sequenced in bulk condition, only the major populations��� (clones���) mutations will be detected. Based on cancer stem theory, each populations��� cells are derived from each cancer stem cells, which their numbers are not so different among different clones. Here, we separated cancer cells into cancer stem cells and non-cancer stem cells exploiting cancer stem cell specific surface markers. By comping two groups��� mutation, we identified mutations, which were only detected in stem cell population. These mutations could be the mutations in cells of small size populations, and maybe the important mutations to understand the heterogeneity of tumor tissues, progression, and/or prediction for the outcome to therapies.

  Study JGAS000304

• Single-cell bisulfite-seq analyses of 1-year-old prospermatogonia and adult spermatogonial stem cell

  To examine the timing of de novo methylation during human male germ cell development, single-cell bisulfite sequencing was carried out on human germ cells. FACS-purified Prospermatogonia from three teratoma patients (1-year-0-month, 1-year-5-months, and 1-year-8-months) and spermatogonial stem cells from a 29-year-old obstructive azoospermia patient with normal spermatogenesis were analyzed. The three 1-year-old prospermatogonia exhibited average methylation levels of 41.4% (23.1-54.4%, 1-year-0-month), 53.1% (32.0-62.4%, 1-year-5-months), and 32.6% (10.2-54.7%, 1-year-8-months). In contrast, adult spermatogonia showed an average level of 75.7% (73.3-76.8%). Although teratoma may have influenced the developmental timing of prospermatogonia within the same testes, prospermatogonia across all 1-year-old samples remained in an intermediate phase of DNA methylation establishment.

  Study JGAS000887

• Single-cell bisulfite-seq analyses of 29-year-old prospermatogonia and adult spermatogonial stem cell

  To examine the timing of de novo methylation during human male germ cell development, single-cell bisulfite sequencing was carried out on human germ cells. FACS-purified Prospermatogonia from three teratoma patients (1-year-0-month, 1-year-5-months, and 1-year-8-months) and spermatogonial stem cells from a 29-year-old obstructive azoospermia patient with normal spermatogenesis were analyzed. The three 1-year-old prospermatogonia exhibited average methylation levels of 41.4% (23.1-54.4%, 1-year-0-month), 53.1% (32.0-62.4%, 1-year-5-months), and 32.6% (10.2-54.7%, 1-year-8-months). In contrast, adult spermatogonia showed an average level of 75.7% (73.3-76.8%). Although teratoma may have influenced the developmental timing of prospermatogonia within the same testes, prospermatogonia across all 1-year-old samples remained in an intermediate phase of DNA methylation establishment.

  Study JGAS000888

• Analysis of the co-occurrence of LOY and CHIP in Alzheimer's disease patients and control individuals using whole-exome sequencing (WES)

  We performed deep whole-exome sequencing of FACS-isolated CD4+ T lymphocytes, NK and myeloid cells from men with AD and controls exhibiting either LOY or retention of Y chromosome (ROY). We found 39 sequence variants in known (canonical) myeloid driver genes of clonal hematopoiesis (MD-CH) and known lymphoid driver genes (LD-CH), and maximally 14 (35%) of these could co-exist with LOY within the same clone. We further describe 192 unknown drivers of clonal hematopoiesis (UD-CH), which were markedly enriched in AD-LOY individuals (odds ratio=4.8, Benjamini-Hochberg-adjusted p=0.041), and over 20% of these variants were protein-truncating. In myeloid cells, the total burden of all detected drivers correlated with the percentage of LOY cells (Spearman ρ=0.52, adjusted p=0.00041).

  Study EGAS00001008234

• An ancient DNA perspective on the Russian Conquest of Yakutia

  Yakut communities from northeastern Siberia inhabit some of the coldest environments on Earth preserving an extraordinary archaeological record. Their history was profoundly reshaped by the Russian conquest, which introduced cereals, pathogens and Christianity from 1632 CE. However, the biological impact of these transformations remains unknown. Here, we generated extensive ancient DNA data to elucidate contemporary changes in Yakut genomic diversity and oral microbiomes. We found Yakut origins tracing back to local populations that admixed with trans-Baikal groups migrating as the Great Mongol Empire spread. Despite the Russian conquest, the Yakut gene pool and oral microbiomes appeared largely stable, though smallpox strains distinct from those documented in Europe by ~1650 CE circulated. Marital practices generally maintained low consanguinity, with the exception of one female bearing the latest markers of traditional shamanism, who was the daughter of second-degree relatives.

  Study EGAS50000001329

• BLUEPRINT Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Methylomes

  An optimized whole genome bisulfite sequencing protocol (µWGBS, Farlik et al. 2015 Cell Reports) was used to establish DNA methylation profiles of FACS-purified stem and progenitor cells types of the human blood lineage. Most cell types were sorted from the peripheral blood of three donors with eight pools of ten cells, two pools of 50 cells, and one pool of 1000 cells. HSCs and MPPs were also sorted from fetal liver (HSCs only), cord blood, and bone marrow. Single-cell methylomes using the scWGBS protocol (Farlik et al. 2015 Cell Reports) were established for six cell types (HSC, MPP, CMP, GMP, CLP, MLP0). Gene expression profiling using the Smart-seq2 protocol (Picelli et al. 2013 Nature Methods) was done for nine stem/progenitor cell types (HSC, MPP, CMP, GMP, CLP, MLP0, MLP1, MLP2, MLP3).

  Study EGAS00001002070

• Genetic landscape of pediatric Retinoblastoma

  Retinoblastoma is a pediatric cancer of the developing retina. All retinoblastomas are believed to initiate with biallelic inactivation of the RB1 gene. To identify subsequent genetic lesions in retinoblastoma, we performed whole genome sequencing of tumor and normal DNA of 4 children with retinoblastoma and one matched orthotopic xenograft. Both alleles of RB1 were inactivated in the tumor samples. 3 of the patients had sporadic retinoblastoma and one patient had inherited retinoblastoma. Overall, there were few single nucleotide changes in coding regions of the genome and some of the tumors had few chromosomal lesions. There were very few new genetic lesions in the xenograft compared to the primary tumor. These data suggest that the genome in retinoblastoma is more stable than previously believed and there are relatively few recurrent genetic lesions in known cancer pathways other than the RB1 pathway.

  Study EGAS00001000346

• Human papillomavirus integration induces oncogenic host gene fusions in oropharyngeal cancers

  HPV integration disrupts host genomic structure and expression, but whether these alterations promote cancer development remains unclear. Multiple genomic analyses of oropharyngeal cancers identified several host gene fusions, including recurrent FGFR3-TACC3 fusions, expressed from rearranged genomic loci adjacent to HPV integration sites. Evolutionary modeling implicated integration of virus concatemers into the host genome as a common initiating event in fusion formation. Co-expression of HPV16 E6/E7 and FGFR3-TACC3, but neither alone, was sufficient for tumor development in both xenograft and syngeneic mouse models and led to unique transcriptional programs implicated in carcinogenesis. FGFR3-TACC3 expression decreased the ubiquitination and degradation of E6 and E7, thereby increasing oncoprotein abundance. We conclude that expression of HPV16 oncoproteins and host gene fusions generated from HPV integration sites can be sufficient for cancer development.

  Study EGAS50000000892

• Single-nucleus brain transcriptomics reveals microglia dysfunction in Multiple System Atrophy

  Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare, age-related neurodegenerative disease that shares clinical and pathological features with Parkinson’s disease (PD) but presents a more devastating disease course. To elucidate the distinct cellular pathophysiology underlying multiple system atrophy (MSA) or Parkinson's disease (PD), we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing on postmortem striatal brain tissue from 7 MSA and 12 PD patients, and 10 non-neurological cases. Using 10x Genomics Chromium Next GEM Single Cell 3' Reagent Kits v3.1, we isolated 130k nuclei covering all major cell types of the striatum. We performed state-of-the-art bioinformatic analyses on the data followed by orthogonal analyses to validate our findings. We identified a disease-specific activation of microglia cells distinguishing the two diseases and possibly explaining some of the detrimental effects observed in both.

  Study EGAS50000001406

• H3Africa Chip Design - Aim of designing a cost-effective GWAS chip with content appropriate for use in genomics studies of individuals from the African continent.

  Since it is recognized that currently available chips may not be ideally suited to studying African populations, the H3Africa Genome Analysis working group undertook the task of designing a cost-effective GWAS chip with content appropriate for use in genomics research studies of individuals from the African continent. To address gaps in sequence data for some of the African populations being studied in H3Africa projects, a high coverage whole genome sequence dataset was generated at the Baylor College of Medicine with samples provided by H3Africa PIs and collaborators, funded by the National Institutes of Health. This dataset includes 350 high coverage and 160 medium coverage whole genome sequences from 348 populations. The data is accompanied by minimal metadata, including country, ethnic group and sex.

  Study EGAS00001002976

• Long-read sequencing of saliva collected and stablized at room temperature in Oragene devices on the PacBio Revio

  Saliva collected in Oragene™ devices and extracted with Nanobind kits yields high‑molecular‑weight DNA suitable for PacBio HiFi whole‑genome sequencing, offering a convenient alternative to blood collection (“High-quality HMW DNA was obtained from all samples…”). Sequencing of paired saliva and blood samples on the Revio system produced comparable HiFi read lengths, yields, and 30–39× genome coverage. Methylation profiles were also highly similar, with minor differences attributable to small amounts of non‑human DNA present in saliva (“DNA extracted from saliva is typically ~75–95% human…”). Variant calling using PacBio WGS pipelines showed high concordance between saliva and blood from the same donor for both SNVs and structural variants. These results demonstrate that saliva enables reliable, high‑throughput HiFi sequencing workflows with performance equivalent to blood.

  Study EGAS50000001666

• Anaplastic oligodendroglioma exome and RNA sequencing data

  Anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AOs) are rare primary brain tumors which are generally incurable, with heterogeneous prognosis and few treatment targets identified. Most oligodendrogliomas have chromosome 1p/19q co-deletion and IDH mutation. We analyzed 51 AOs by whole-exome sequencing, identifying previously reported frequent somatic mutations in CIC and FUBP1. We also identified recurrent mutations in TCF12 and in an additional series of 83 AO. Overall 7.5% of AO are mutated for TCF12, which encodes an oligodendrocyte-related transcription factor. 80% of TCF12 mutations identified were in either the bHLH domain, which is important for TCF12 function as a transcription factor, or were frame shift mutations leading to TCF12 truncated for this domain. We show that these mutations compromise TCF12 transcriptional activity and are associated with a more aggressive tumor type. Our analysis provides further insights into the unique and shared pathways driving AO.

  Study EGAS00001001209

• A Unifying Paradigm for Transcriptional Heterogeneity and Squamous Features in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

  Pancreatic cancer expression profiles largely reflect a classical or basal-like phenotype. The extent to which these profiles vary within a patient is unknown. We integrated evolutionary analysis and expression profiling in multiregion sampled metastatic pancreatic cancers, finding that squamous features are the histologic correlate of an RNA-seq defined basal-like subtype. In patients with coexisting basal/squamous and classical/glandular morphology, phylogenetic studies revealed that squamous morphology represented a subclonal population in an otherwise classical/glandular tumor. Cancers with squamous features were significantly more likely to have clonal mutations in chromatin modifiers, intercellular heterogeneity for MYC amplification, and entosis. These data provide a unifying paradigm for integrating basal-type expression profiles, squamous histology, and somatic mutations in chromatin modifier genes in the context of clonal evolution of pancreatic cancer.  

  Study EGAS00001003974

• The function of circular RMST in neuroendocrine tumours

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

  Study EGAS50000000897

• A benchmark of DNA methylation deconvolution methods for tumoral fraction estimation using DecoNFlow

  In cancer patients, circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) originates from both healthy and cancer cells, and the proportion of tumor-derived cfDNA serves as a surrogate marker of tumor burden. Tumoral cfDNA can be identified using patient-specific mutations or more general tumor-specific DNA methylation patterns that are preserved in cfDNA, enabling non-invasive cancer detection and monitoring. Accurately estimating tumor fractions remains challenging due to the heterogeneous mixture of cfDNA sources in body fluids. Computational DNA methylation deconvolution methods can address this by estimating tumoral fraction with or without reference methylomes. Here, we benchmarked 10 reference-based and 2 reference-free DNAm deconvolution tools and provide the data generated for this benchmarking, consisting of 10 neuroblastoma cell lines and one healthy cfDNA sample (pooled from 15 healthy cfDNA samples), profiled using cfRRBS.

  Study EGAS50000001529

• APOL1 Risk Variants Induce Metabolic Reprogramming of Podocytes in Patient-Derived Kidney Organoids

  Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) high-risk genotypes G1 and G2 are responsible for the increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the African-American population, especially in the presence of interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Here, we applied single cell transcriptomics on kidney organoids generated from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model human APOL1 nephropathy. iPSCs were generated from fibroblasts of two patients with APOL1 nephropathy homozygous for G1 or G2 risk variants, and an isogenic control (G0) was created by gene correction. Kidney organoids were generated according to previously published protocol (Takasato M et al. Nat. Protoc. 2016) and treated with IFN-γ for two days to induce APOL1. Twenty-four hours after IFN-γ removal, treated organoids from all three lines that were cultured in parallel were harvested for single cell transcriptomics.

  Study EGAS50000001223

• Reconstructing the dispersals and adaptive history of Bantu-speaking populations in Africa and North America

  Bantu languages are spoken by ~310 million Africans, yet the genetic history of Bantu-speaking populations remains largely unexplored. We generated genomic data for 1,318 individuals from 35 populations in western central Africa, where Bantu languages originated. We found that early Bantu speakers first moved southward, through the equatorial rainforest, before spreading toward eastern and southern Africa. We also found that genetic adaptation of Bantu speakers was facilitated by admixture with autochthonous populations, particularly for the HLA and LCT loci. Finally, we identified a major contribution of western central African Bantu speakers to the ancestry of African Americans, whose genomes present no strong signals of natural selection. Together, these results highlight the contribution of Bantu-speaking peoples to the complex genetic history of Africans and African Americans.

  Study EGAS00001002078

• PDX_models_from_Latin_America_RNAseq

  Acral melanoma (AM) is a subtype of cutaneous melanoma that occurs on glabrous skin of the hands and feet (palms, soles and nail apparatus) and which is relatively more common in non-European descent populations such as those of Latin America. Compared to other subtypes, it is poorly studied and experimental models that faithfully reproduce human AM features are urgently needed. We report the generation and preliminary characterisation of a collection of patient-derived xenografts of acral melanomas (AM-PDX) from Latin-American patients. PDX came from Brazilian and Mexican patients cared for at the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) and the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan). The majority of the samples are acral lentiginous melanomas, ulcerated, with > 4mm Breslow depth and > 2 mitosis / mm2. Samples were mechanically fragmented and subcutaneously implanted in NSG mice and then collected for molecular analysis.

  Study EGAS00001008150

• Genomic and transcriptional landscape of P2RY8-CRLF2-positive childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  The mutational and transcriptional landscape of P2RY8-CRLF2-positive ALL was defined in 41 major clone fusion-positive cases including 19 matched diagnosis and relapse pairs by an integrated analysis of whole-exome and RNA sequencing. We detected a variety of frequently subclonal and highly unstable JAK/STAT but also RTK/Ras pathway activating mutations in 76% of cases at diagnosis and virtually all relapses. Unlike P2RAY8-CRLF2 that was lost in 32% of relapses, all other genomic deletions affecting lymphoid development and cell cycle remained stable. Only IKZF1 alterations predominated in relapsing cases and increased from initially 36 to 58% in matched cases. IKZF1¹s transcriptional signature revealed compromised stem cell features with signs of impaired lymphoid differentiation, enhanced focal adhesion, activated hypoxia pathway, deregulated cell cycle and increased drug resistance.

  Study EGAS00001001847

• PDX_models_from_Latin_America_WES_

  Acral melanoma (AM) is a subtype of cutaneous melanoma that occurs on glabrous skin of the hands and feet (palms, soles and nail apparatus) and which is relatively more common in non-European descent populations such as those of Latin America. Compared to other subtypes, it is poorly studied and experimental models that faithfully reproduce human AM features are urgently needed. We report the generation and preliminary characterisation of a collection of patient-derived xenografts of acral melanomas (AM-PDX) from Latin-American patients. PDX came from Brazilian and Mexican patients cared for at the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) and the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan). The majority of the samples are acral lentiginous melanomas, ulcerated, with > 4mm Breslow depth and > 2 mitosis / mm2. Samples were mechanically fragmented and subcutaneously implanted in NSG mice and then collected for molecular analysis.

  Study EGAS00001005663

• Sequencing of pancreatic cancer primary tumors and metastases

  The extent of heterogeneity of driver gene mutations present in naturally occurring metastases is largely unknown, i.e. treatment-naïve metastatic disease. To address this issue, 60x whole genome sequencing of 26 metastases from 4 patients was carried out. We found that the identical driver gene mutations were present in every metastatic lesion of each patient studied. Passenger gene mutations not known or predicted to have functional consequences accounted for all intratumoral heterogeneity. Even with respect to these passenger gene mutations, the genetic similarity among the founding cells of metastases was markedly higher than that expected for any two cells randomly taken from a normal tissue. The uniformity of driver gene mutations among metastases in the same patient has critical, encouraging implications for the success of future targeted therapies in advanced stage disease.

  Study EGAS00001002186

• Ensilication as a Cold‑Chain–Free Solution for High‑Fidelity DNA Preservation in tumor samples

  Nucleic acid preservation requires continuous refrigeration at -20 °C to -80 °C, creating infrastructure barriers limiting genomic medicine access globally. While ambient-temperature preservation methods exist, their effects on DNA integrity and sequence fidelity remain incompletely characterized. The project aims to evaluate ensilication as a method for preserving DNA at ambient temperatures and to determine whether it can match or exceed the fidelity of conventional ultra‑low‑temperature storage. It seeks to assess the technology’s ability to maintain diagnostic accuracy, including detection of clinically actionable variants in tumor samples. Another goal is to compare sequencing‑related artifact rates between ensilicated and cryogenically stored DNA to quantify improvements in data quality. Ultimately, the project aims to establish ensilication as a cold‑chain‑independent solution that enables more accessible global genomic testing and biobanking.

  Study EGAS50000001698

• A Comprehensive Catalogue of Somatic Mutations from a Human Cancer Genome

  We have carried out complete sequencing of the genome of the human male maligant melanoma cell line COLO-829 using the Illumina Genome Analyzer II. We generated a sequencing library with a median insert size of ~200 bp following random fragmentation and gel fractionation of the genomic DNA. We sequenced 75 bases from both ends of these templates to cover the COLO-829 genome to an average depth of more than 40x. We have carried out purity-filtering (PF) to remove mixed reads, where two or more different template molecules are close enough on the surface of the flow-cell to form a mixed or overlapping cluster. No other filtering of the data has been carried out prior to submission. We have also submitted sequence data for a lymphoblastoid control cell line COLO-829BL from the same individual.

  Study EGAS00000000052

• The Simons Genome Diversity Project: 300 genomes from 142 diverse populations

  Here we report the Simons Genome Diversity Project data set: high quality genomes from 300 individuals from 142 diverse populations. These genomes include at least 5.8 million base pairs that are not present in the human reference genome. Our analysis reveals key features of the landscape of human genome variation, including that the rate of accumulation of mutations has accelerated by about 5% in non-Africans compared to Africans since divergence. We show that the ancestors of some pairs of present-day human populations were substantially separated by 100,000 years ago, well before the archaeologically attested onset of behavioural modernity. We also demonstrate that indigenous Australians, New Guineans and Andamanese do not derive substantial ancestry from an early dispersal of modern humans; instead, their modern human ancestry is consistent with coming from the same source as that in other non- Africans.

  Study EGAS00001001959

• RNAseq_of_healthy_mesothelial_cells_and_primary_mesothelioma_cell_lines

  Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer associated with previous exposure to asbestos. Currently there are no effective treatments for mesothelioma and majority of patients will die within a year after diagnosis. Although a large number of preclinical and clinical trials assessed the efficacy of various therapuetic modes, including anti-angiogenic therapies, immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates and oncolytic viruses, none of the tested molecules entered the clinic. Thus, to better understand what drives mesothelioma carcinogenesis and to identify novel targets for therapy, in this project we aim at performing a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of heathy mesothelial cells and a panel of mesothelioma cells lines. Primary mesothelial cell lines were established in prof. Marciniak lab from human pleural specimens, while primary mesothelioma cell lines were obtained from MesobanK. Both models constitute low passage cell lines and therefore should closely represent genetics of the original tissue.

  Study EGAS00001005728

• Genomic_profiling_of_B_other_Adult_ALL_WGS

  Adult ALL is an aggressive leukaemia, affecting adults of all ages. It is associated with a rapid onset and poor outcomes. Our understanding of adult ALL genome has been limited to molecular markers first described in paediatric ALL and validated in adult ALL and to date there have been no studies investigating the genomics of Adult ALL. We will perform whole genome sequencing on at least 100 Adult ALL cases. Priority will be given on ALL cases without a known primary lesion by cytogenetic analysis which are categorised as “B-other”. We will also sequence representative cases of each known subtype. This will deliver a comprehensive annotation of the genomic landscape of Adult ALL to include acquired somatic mutations (substitutions, indels, structural variants/fusion genes) and copy number profiles. The focus on B-other Adult ALL is likely to result in new and previously undescribed genomic lesions.

  Study EGAS00001002474

• Measuring the level of relatedness between NGS datasets

  Sequencing technologies are providing increasingly detailed insight in genetic makeup are paving their way into molecular diagnostics. The field will benefit from rigorous and bias-free measures for the quality of sequence data and for the proper representation of the complexity of the original samples. While current methodologies rely on the availability of a well-characterized reference genome, we propose kMer profiling for alignment-free assessment of the quality, comparability, and complexity of sequencing datasets. We show that kMer detects technical artefacts such as high duplication rates, library chimaeras, and differences in library preparation protocols in whole-genome, whole-exome, and RNA sequencing data. Additionally, it successfully captures the complexity and diversity of microbiomes. Thus, kMer allows for a robust evaluation of the quality and complexity of sequencing data without relying on any prior information and opens the way to a more reliable biological reasoning.

  Study EGAS00001000600

• CIRdb: Array genotype data

  The current inhabitants of the Canary Islands have a unique genetic makeup in the European diversity landscape due to the existence of African footprints from recent admixture events, especially of North African components (>20%). The underrepresentation of non-Europeans in genetic studies and the sizable North African ancestry, which is nearly absent from all existing catalogs of worldwide genetic diversity, justify the need to develop CIRdb, a population-specific reference catalog of natural genetic variation in the Canary Islanders. Based on array genotyping of the selected unrelated donors and comparisons against available datasets from European, sub-Saharan, and North African populations, we illustrate the intermediate genetic differentiation of Canary Islanders between Europeans and North Africans and the existence of within-population differences that are likely driven by genetic isolation. In addition, here we describe the overall design and the methods that are being implemented to develop CIRdb.

  Study EGAS00001006050

• Massive Genomic Rearrangment Acquired in a Single Catastrophic Event During Cancer Development

  Cancer is driven by mutation. Using Agilent exome hybridisation capture and Illumina GA massively parallel sequencing technology, we aim to sequence ~1600 microRNAs plus the protein coding genome of 25 matched human renal cancer samples. Bespoke algorithms are being developed to identify the somatically acquired point mutations, insertions and deletions in these samples. This project will give unprecedented insights into mutational processes, cellular repair pathways and gene networks associated with renal cancer development.Agilent whole exome hybridisation capture will be performed on genomic DNA derived from 25 renal cancers and matched normal DNA from the same patients. Three lanes of Illumina GA sequencing will be performed on the resulting 50 exome libraries and mapped to build 37 of the human reference genome to facilitate the identification of novel cancer genes.

  Study EGAS00000000029

• Validation_of_a_Haloplex_platform_for_targeted_re_sequencing_of_the_exons_of_25_genes

  We recently used the Agilent SureSelect platform to re-sequence a set of genes known to bemutated in human AML. The results from 10 AML DNA samples were very satisfactory, butthe effort required was significant.Thus, we decided to re-sequence the same genes using the Haloplax system for targetenrichment in 48 AML samples. We planned to do this using MiSeq and have data from apilot of 3 samples. The data is promising but coverage appears pathcy so far.However, in order to get a better understanding of the data we will need deeper sequencing. Wewill need two lanes of HiSeq to get the same degree coverage as Sureselect.his data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001000285

• Patient-derived organoids model treatment response of metastatic gastrointestinal cancers (targeted and whole-genome sequencing)

  Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have recently emerged as robust pre-clinical models, however, their potential to predict patient clinical outcomes remain unclear. We report a living biobank of PDOs from metastatic, heavily-pretreated colorectal and gastroesophageal cancer patients recruited in phase I/II clinical trials. Phenotypic and genotypic profiling of PDOs showed a high-degree of similarity to the original patient tumor. Molecular profiling of tumor organoids was matched to drug screening results, suggesting PDOs could complement existing approaches in defining cancer vulnerabilities and improving treatment responses. We compared ex vivo organoid responses to anticancer agents, and PDO-based orthotopic mouse tumor xenograft models to the response of the patient in clinical trials. Our data suggest that PDOs can recapitulate patient responses in the clinic, and have the potential to be implemented in personalized medicine programs.

  Study EGAS00001002784

• Molecular and Clonal Evolution in Recurrent Metastatic Gliosarcoma

  We present a rare case of a 37-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed with IDH wild-type gliosarcoma in the frontal lobe and later developed two local recurrences and extracranial metastases to the vertebral and pelvic bones. In order to understand the clonal relationships between the four tumor instances and the origin of metastasis, we performed whole genome sequencing of the intracranial tumors and the tumor located in the right iliac bone. Mutational and copy number profile comparisons of the metastatic to intracranial tumors highlighted a high similarity in molecular profile, but contrasting evidence regarding the origin of the metastasis. Subclonal reconstruction suggested a parallel evolution of the recurrent tumors, and that the metastatic tumor was largely derived from the first recurrence. We conclude that metastasis in glioma can be a late event in tumorigenesis.

  Study EGAS00001004076

• Sequencing data from a highly cost-effective cell-free DNA methylome test

  Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA), originating from multiple organs, holds significant potential for non-invasive diagnostics and prognostics. Current cfDNA methylation assays primarily focus on single clinical indications by targeting specific genomic loci. In contrast, comprehensive profiling of cfDNA methylome can enable simultaneous detection of multiple diseases by capturing organ-specific methylation signatures, thereby offering a holistic view of health, when disease etiology is unclear or when conventional biochemical diagnostics are unavailable. However, deep sequencing required for sensitive detection of methylation abnormalities remains prohibitively expensive, limiting widespread clinical use. To overcome this barrier, we developed MethylScan, a highly cost-effective approach for cfDNA methylome sequencing. We demonstrated its broad clinical utility in a cohort of 1,061 individuals across diverse applications, including multi-cancer detection in general population, liver cancer surveillance in high-risk individuals, liver disease classification, identification of organ abnormalities, and race prediction from cfDNA.

  Study EGAS00001008125

• An oncogenic enhancer-rearrangement causes concomitant deregulation of EVI1 and GATA2 in leukemia. Targeted resequencing of chromosomal regions centered on 3q21 and 3q26 in conjunction with RNA-Seq from Acute Myeloid Leukemia patients.

  Chromosomal rearrangements without gene-fusions have been implicated in leukemogenesis by causing deregulation of proto-oncogenes via relocation of cryptic regulatory DNA elements. AML with inv(3)/t(3;3) is associated with aberrant expression of the stem-cell regulator EVI1. Applying functional genomics and genome-engineering, we demonstrate that both 3q-rearrangements reposition a distal GATA2 enhancer to ectopically activate EVI1 and simultaneously confer GATA2 functional haploinsufficiency, previously identified as the cause of sporadic familial AML/MDS and MonoMac/Emberger syndromes. Genomic excision of the ectopic enhancer restored EVI1 silencing and led to growth inhibition and differentiation of AML cells, which could be replicated by pharmacologic BET-inhibition. Our data show that structural rearrangements involving chromosomal repositioning of enhancers can cause deregulation of two unrelated distal genes, with cancer as the outcome.

  Study EGAS00001000669

• BCR-ABL is enriched in S- and G2-cell cycle phases

  To address the unusually long duration of imatinib therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia, we sought to understand the expression of BCR-ABL gene expression with different phases of the cell cycle. A precedent for dynamic fusion oncoprotein expression already exists for the pediatric solid tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma. Quantitative immunocytochemistry was conducted to compare the expression of BCR-ABL with markers of each cell cycle phase: CDK6 for G1, CDK2 for S, phospho-CDC2 for G2, and phospho-HH3 for M phase. BCR-ABL expression was most strongly correlated with the G2 and S cell cycle phases. Low BCR-ABL expression only coincided with high cell cycle marker expression for the G1. BCR-ABL was rarely if at all expressed in M. Our results suggest a possible explanation for the prolonged nature of imatinib therapy, which may be only effective on S- and G2-phase actively replicating leukemia cells.

  Study EGAS00001006769

• Identification of cis- and trans-regulatory variation modulating microRNA expression levels in human fibroblasts

  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory noncoding RNAs that affect the production of a significant fraction of human mRNAs via post-transcriptional regulation. Interindividual variation of the miRNA expression levels is likely to influence the expression of miRNA target genes and may therefore contribute to phenotypic differences in humans, including susceptibility to common disorders. The extent to which miRNA levels are genetically controlled is largely unknown. In this report, we assayed the expression levels of miRNAs in primary fibroblasts from 180 European newborns of the GenCord project and performed association analysis to identify eQTLs (expression quantitative traits loci). We detected robust expression for 121 miRNAs out of 365 interrogated. We have identified significant cis- (10%) and trans- (11%) eQTLs. Furthermore, we detected one genomic locus (rs1522653) that influences the expression levels of five miRNAs, thus unraveling a novel mechanism for coregulation of miRNA expression

  Study EGAS00000000056

• Whole-genome sequencing across 449 samples spanning 47 ethnolinguistic groups provides insights into genetic diversity in Nigeria

  African populations have been drastically underrepresented in genomics research and failure to capture the genetic diversity across the numerous ethnolinguistic groups (ELGs) found in the continent has hindered the equity of precision medicine initiatives globally. Here, we describe the whole-genome sequencing of 449 Nigerian individuals across 47 unique self-reported ELGs. Population structure analysis reveals genetic differentiation amongst our ELGs, consistent with previous findings. From the 36 million SNPs and indels discovered in our dataset, we provide a high-level catalog of both novel and medically-relevant variation present across the ELGs. These results emphasize the value of this resource for genomics research, with added granularity by representing multiple ELGs from Nigeria. Our results also underscore the potential of using these cohorts with larger sample sizes to improve our understanding of human ancestry and health in Africa.

  Study EGAS00001007036

• PDX_models_from_Latin_America_RNAseq_Xenofiltered

  Acral melanoma (AM) is a subtype of cutaneous melanoma that occurs on glabrous skin of the hands and feet (palms, soles and nail apparatus) and which is relatively more common in non-European descent populations such as those of Latin America. Compared to other subtypes, it is poorly studied and experimental models that faithfully reproduce human AM features are urgently needed. We report the generation and preliminary characterisation of a collection of patient-derived xenografts of acral melanomas (AM-PDX) from Latin-American patients. PDX came from Brazilian and Mexican patients cared for at the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) and the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan). The majority of the samples are acral lentiginous melanomas, ulcerated, with > 4mm Breslow depth and > 2 mitosis / mm2. Samples were mechanically fragmented and subcutaneously implanted in NSG mice and then collected for molecular analysis.

  Study EGAS00001008232

• PDX_models_from_Latin_America_Xenofiltered_WES

  Acral melanoma (AM) is a subtype of cutaneous melanoma that occurs on glabrous skin of the hands and feet (palms, soles and nail apparatus) and which is relatively more common in non-European descent populations such as those of Latin America. Compared to other subtypes, it is poorly studied and experimental models that faithfully reproduce human AM features are urgently needed. We report the generation and preliminary characterisation of a collection of patient-derived xenografts of acral melanomas (AM-PDX) from Latin-American patients. PDX came from Brazilian and Mexican patients cared for at the Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA) and the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan). The majority of the samples are acral lentiginous melanomas, ulcerated, with > 4mm Breslow depth and > 2 mitosis / mm2. Samples were mechanically fragmented and subcutaneously implanted in NSG mice and then collected for molecular analysis.

  Study EGAS00001008231

• BLUEPRINT ChIP-seq data for cells in the haematopoietic lineages, from adult and cord blood samples.

  ChIP-seq data for cells in the haematopoietic lineages, from adult and cord blood samples.

  Study EGAS00001000326

• Frequent mutations in chromatin-remodelling genes in pulmonary carcinoids

  Pulmonary carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumours of the lung. The molecular alterations underlying the pathogenesis of these tumours have not been systematically studied so far. Here we perform gene copy number analysis (n¼54), genome/exome (n¼44) and transcriptome (n¼69) sequencing of pulmonary carcinoids and observe frequent mutations in chromatin-remodelling genes. Covalent histone modifiers and subunits of the SWI/SNF complex are mutated in 40 and 22.2% of the cases, respectively, with MEN1, PSIP1 and ARID1A being recurrently affected. In contrast to small-cell lung cancer and large-cell neuroendocrine tumours, TP53 and RB1 mutations are rare events, suggesting that pulmonary carcinoids are not early progenitor lesions of the highly aggressive lung neuroendocrine tumors but arise through independent cellular mechanisms. These data also suggest that inactivation of chromatinremodelling genes is sufficient to drive transformation in pulmonary carcinoids.

  Study EGAS00001000650

• Combination_therapies_for_personalized_cancer_medicine

  It is the ambition of the team formed by members of the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) and the Cancer Genome Project at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) to unravel the genomic and phenotypic complexity of human cancers in order to identify optimal drug combinations for personalized cancer therapy. Our integrated approach will entail (i) deep sequencing of human tumours and cognate mouse tumours; (ii) drug screens in a 1000+ fully characterized tumour cell line panel; (iii) high-throughput in vitro and in vivo shRNA and cDNA drug resistance and enhancement screens; (iv) computational analysis of the acquired data, leading to significant response predictions; (v) rigorous validation of these predictions in genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived xenografts. This integrated effort is expected to yield a number of combination therapies and companion-diagnostics biomarkers that will be further explored in our existing clinical trial networks.

  Study EGAS00001000655

• Pangenomic classification of pituitary adenomas

  Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are common. They are classified in five main histological types: PitNETs of POU1F1 (Pit1) lineage -lactotroph, somatotroph and thyrotroph -, gonadotroph, and corticotroph PitNETs. Pituitary tumorigenesis is poorly understood. We report here a pangenomic characterization of 134 PitNETs from all types, based on exome, genome, transcriptome, miRnome and methylome. Pit1 lineage was associated with a specific epigenetic signature of diffuse DNA hypomethylation, and correlated with expression of Pit1 markers and chromosomal instability. 45% of somatotroph PitNETs showed GNAS mutations. GNAS-wild type somatotroph showed a distinct transcriptome profile, expressing gonadotroph transcription factor NR5A1 (SF1). Sparsely granulated somatotroph PitNETs was classified apart from somatotroph, owing to a thyrotroph transcriptome signature. 43% of corticotroph PitNETs showed USP8 mutations, sharing a low epithelial-mesenchimal transition (EMT) transcriptome signature. Silent corticotroph PitNETs showed a gonadotroph transcriptome signature evoking transdifferentiation, and lost somatostatin target SSTR5 expression.

  Study EGAS00001003642

• Methylation CYLD cutaneous syndrome

  Patients with CYLD cutaneous syndrome (CCS; syn. Brooke-Spiegler syndrome) carry germline mutations in the tumor suppressor CYLD and develop multiple skin tumors with diverse histophenotypes. We comprehensively profiled the genomic landscape of 42 benign and malignant tumors across 13 individuals from four multigenerational families. Novel recurrent mutations were found in epigenetic modifiers DNMT3A and BCOR in 29% of benign tumors. Multi-level and microdissected sampling strikingly reveal that many clones with different DNMT3A mutations exist in these benign tumors, suggesting that intra-tumor heterogeneity is common. Integrated genomic, methylation and transcriptomic profiling in selected tumours suggest that isoform specific DNMT3A2 mutations are associated with dysregulated Wnt/ß-catenin pathway signaling. Phylogenetic and mutational signature analyses confirm cylindroma pulmonary metastases from primary skin tumours. These findings add novel dimensions to existing paradigms of cutaneous tumorigenesis and metastasis.

  Study EGAS00001003800

• Germline MBD4 Mutations and Predisposition to Uveal Melanoma

  Uveal melanoma (UM) arises from malignant transformation of melanocytes from the uveal tract. This rare tumor has a poor outcome with frequent liver metastases and primary resistance to treatment1. The only strong predisposing condition for UM is the BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome due to germline BAP1 deleterious mutations. UMs are generally characterized by a very low tumor mutation burden (TMB). However, some UMs display a high level of CpG to TpG mutations associated with MBD4 inactivation. Here, we explored the incidence of germline MBD4 variants in a consecutive series of 1, 099 primary UMs, and identified 8 deleterious MBD4 mutations, an aprox 10-fold increased incidence compared with the general population. These mutations were associated with a high TMB in tested UMs. We thus demonstrated that MBD4 is the second major predisposing gene for UM.

  Study EGAS00001003941

• TenK10K Phase 1:  Single Cell

  Understanding the genetic basis of gene expression can shed light on the regulatory mechanisms underlying complex traits and diseases. Single-cell resolved measures of RNA levels and single-cell expression quantitative trait loci (sc-eQTLs) have revealed genetic regulation that drives sub-tissue cell states and types across diverse human tissues. Here, we describe the first phase of TenK10K, the largest- to-date dataset of matched whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). We leverage scRNA-seq data from over 5 million cells across 28 immune cell types and matched WGS from 1,925 individuals. This provides power to detect associations between rare and low-frequency genetic variants that have largely been uncharacterised in their impact on cell-specific gene expression. We map the effects of both common and rare variants in a cell type specific manner using SAIGE-QTL.

  Study EGAS50000001653

• Heterogeneous Genomic Evolution and Immune Microenvironments in Metastatic Lung Cancer

  The mechanism underlying the occurrence of lung cancer metastasis to different tissues/organs remains elusive. We investigated the genomic evolution and immune microenvironments of paired primary-metastatic tumors by employing multi-region whole-exome sequencing in 179 samples of 106 tumors from 51 lung cancer patients and subsequent immunohistochemistry assays in 70 of them. Our data revealed differences in genomic landscapes, molecular determinants, evolutionary dynamics, and lymphocyte infiltration among different metastatic sites. We demonstrated commonly late arising of metastatic seeding of lung cancer with quantitative evidence. Most distant metastases originated from independent origins of earlier lymph node spreads. Immune-heterogeneity and -homogeneity were primarily driven by arm-level and focal copy number events in primary tumors, respectively. These findings implied the combinatorial role of multiple factors in shaping patterns of dissemination and advanced the clinical evaluation and intervention of lung cancer metastasis.

  Study EGAS00001004228

• Network-based systems pharmacology identifies heterogeneity in LCK and BCL2 signaling and differential vulnerability of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia to targeted therapy

  T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy, and novel therapeutics are much needed. Profiling patient leukemia’ drug sensitivities ex vivo, we discovered striking inter-patient variability in T-ALL response to a panel of targeted agents. Applying network-based systems pharmacology analyses, by integrating ex vivo pharmacotyping, bulk and single-cell RNA-seq, genomics, phospho-proteomics, and genome-wide CRISPR screening data, to examine signal circuitry, we identified the pharmacogenomic basis of T-ALL drug response and revealed a therapeutic vulnerability that is directly related to the developmental stage of leukemia cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that heterogeneity in the differentiation of T-ALL drives activation of key signaling pathways in this leukemia, providing unique opportunities for targeted therapy.

  Study EGAS00001004700

• Investigate the evolutionary trajectories during invasiveness acquisition in early lung adenocarcinoma

  The evolutionary trajectories of early lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have not been fully elucidated. We hypothesize that genomic analysis between pre-invasive and invasive components will facilitate the description of LUAD evolutionary patterns. We micro-dissect malignant pulmonary nodules (MPNs) into paired pre-invasive and invasive components for panel-genomic sequencing and recognize three evolutionary trajectories. Evolutionary mode 1 (EM1) demonstrates none of the common driver events between paired components, but another two modes, EM2A and EM2B, exhibit critical private alterations restricted to pre-invasive and invasive components, respectively. When ancestral clones harbor EGFR mutations, truncal mutation abundance significantly decrease after the acquisition of invasiveness, which may be associated with the intratumoral accumulation of infiltrated B cells. Harboring EGFR mutations is critical to the selective pressure and further impacts the prognosis. Our findings extend the understanding of evolutionary trajectories during invasiveness acquisition in early LUAD.

  Study EGAS00001004754

• Tracing the origins of relapse in AML to stem cells

  In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most patients relapse despite achieving remission. While relapse-specific mutations are sometimes detected at low frequency within bulk diagnosis samples, the cell type giving rise to relapse is unknown. Through combined genetic and functional analysis of purified subpopulations and xenografts from paired diagnosis/relapse samples, we identified two major patterns of relapse arising from therapy-resistant cells already present at diagnosis. In some cases relapse originated from rare leukemia stem cells with a primitive immunophenotype, while in other instances relapse developed from larger subclones of immunophenotypically-committed cells that retained strong stemness transcriptional signatures. The identification of distinct patterns of relapse should lead to improved methods for disease management and monitoring in AML. Moreover, the shared functional and transcriptional stemness properties that underlie both cellular origins of relapse underscore the importance of developing new therapeutic approaches that target stemness to prevent relapse.

  Study EGAS00001002225

• Identification of four new susceptibility loci for testicular germ cell tumour, including variants near GAB2, GSPT1 and ZFPM1

  Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple risk loci for testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT), revealing a polygenic model of disease susceptibility strongly influenced by common variation. To identify further SNPs associated with TGCT we conducted a multistage GWAS with a combined dataset of >25,000 individuals (6,059 cases and 19,094 controls). We identified new risk loci for TGCT at 3q23 (rs11705932, TFDP2, P = 1.5 x 10-9), 11q14.1 (rs7107174, GAB2, P = 9.7 x 10-11), 16p13.13 (rs4561483, GSPT1, P = 1.6 x 10-8) and 16q24.2 (rs55637647, ZFPM1, P = 3.4 x 10-9). We additionally present detailed functional analysis of these loci, identifying a statistically significant relationship between rs4561483 risk genotype and increased GSPT1 expression in TGCT patient samples. These findings provide additional support for a polygenic model of TGCT risk and further insight into the biological basis of disease development.

  Study EGAS00001001302

• Functional_genomics_approaches_to_understand_osteoarthritis

  The aim of this work is to apply an integrated systems approach to understand the biological underpinnings of large joint (hip and knee) osteoarthritis which culminates in the need for total joint replacement (TJR). We will obtain diseased and non-diseased cartilage as well as other disease-relevant tissue following TJR, coupled with a blood sample. We will generate genotype data and will characterise the pairs of diseased and non-diseased tissue samples in terms of methylation, transcription (RNASeq) and expression (quantitative proteomics). We will apply integrative approaches to combine information across the –omics levels to characterise genes, pathways, and networks that underlie osteoarthritis progression. 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 please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001002322

• Exome sequencing data from two myelosarcomas

  Isolated myeloid sarcoma (MS, i.e. acute myeloid leukemia without detectable bone marrow infiltration) is rare and most patients subsequently develop overt AML. We prospectively performed whole exome sequencing of uterine MS, concomitant morphologically normal bone marrow (BM) and subsequently developing AML from two women. Both patients harbored preleukemic clones in the morphologically normal BM, including DNMT3A mutations. In addition, recurrent mutations were identified in the NFE2 gene, a gene not previously associated with AML or isolated MS. Retrospective studies of further MS samples, twelve with and four without preceding or concomitant bone marrow AML, revealed NFE2 mutations in two additional cases, both with isolated MS and prior myeloid malignancies. We conclude that DNMT3A mutated preleukemia may predispose for the frequent bone marrow relapses following isolated MS and that recurrent NFE2 mutations may have a role in the development of isolated MS.

  Study EGAS00001002562

• Colorectal advanced adenomas NKI-AvL TGO COCOS series

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops from normal epithelium, through a benign precursor lesion called adenoma, by accumulation of genetic alterations affecting oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. About 5% of colorectal adenomas are estimated to progress to CRC. However, it is important to identify which adenomas actually carry a high-risk of progression, because these serve as intermediate endpoints for e.g. screening programs. In clinical practice, adenomas with a size of ≥10 mm, villous component and/or high-grade dysplasia, called advanced adenomas, are considered high-risk, although solid evidence for this classification is lacking. Specific DNA copy number changes are associated with adenoma-to-carcinoma progression.For this tissue dataset, we applied low-pass whole genome sequencing to 96 advanced adenomas. Advanced adenomas were classified as lesions with low-risk or high-risk of progression, according to the presence of specific DNA copy number changes (Carvalho et al, CancerPrevRes, 2018).

  Study EGAS00001002952

• Whole-genome sequencing in 14 cases and whole-exome sequencing in 90 cases of Chinese ESCC

  Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide1. Approximately 70% of the global esophageal cancers occur in China and over 90% histopathological forms of this disease are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)2-3. Currently, there are limited clinical approaches for early diagnosis and treatment for ESCC, resulting in a 10% 5-year survival rate for the patients. Meanwhile, the full repertoire of genomic events leading to the pathogenesis of ESCC remains unclear. Here we show a comprehensive genomic analysis in 158 ESCC cases, as part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) Research Projects (http://icgc.org/icgc/cgp/72/371/1001734). We conducted whole-genome sequencing in 14 ESCC cases and whole-exome sequencing in 90 cases.

  Study EGAS00001001487

• Exome Sequencing in Moebius Syndrome

  Möbius syndrome (MBS; MIM 157900) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by paralysis of the facial nerves and variable other congenital anomalies. The etiology of this syndrome has been an enigma since the initial description in 1880 by von Graaefe and in 1888 by Möbius, and it has been debated for decades whether MBS has a genetic or a non-genetic etiology. Here, we reveal various de novo mutations affecting two genes, PLXND1 and REV3L. The finding that de novo mutations can cause Möbius syndrome will have considerable impact on further research, as well as in diagnostics. PLXND1 and REV3L represent totally unrelated pathways involved in hindbrain development: neural migration and DNA translesion synthesis, essential for the replication of endogenously damaged DNA. However, analysis of Plxnd1 and Rev3l-mutant mice revealed that both genetic defects converge at the facial branchiomotor nucleus, affecting either motoneuron migration or proliferation.

  Study EGAS00001001250

• Functional_genomics_approaches_to_understand_osteoarthritis

  The aim of this work is to apply an integrated systems approach to understand the biological underpinnings of large joint (hip and knee) osteoarthritis which culminates in the need for total joint replacement (TJR). We will obtain diseased and non-diseased cartilage as well as other disease-relevant tissue following TJR, coupled with a blood sample. We will generate genotype data and will characterise the pairs of diseased and non-diseased tissue samples in terms of methylation, transcription (RNASeq) and expression (quantitative proteomics). We will apply integrative approaches to combine information across the –omics levels to characterise genes, pathways, and networks that underlie osteoarthritis progression. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001002255

• Investigation_of_mutational_signatures_associated_with_DNMT3A_deficiency_

  Mutational signatures have been shown to be attributable to specific genetic contexts, such as mutations in DNA repair genes. DNMT3A is a DNA methyltransferase that helps maintain the DNA methylation pattern in a site-specific manner and may participate in DNA repair or the stress response. We have identified an adult individual who is a germline mosaic for a DNMT3A mutation. We have obtained clonal lymphoblastoid cells (LCLs) from the subject representing both WT and mutant lines grown in the same individual for >50 years. These clones represent a unique opportunity to examine the mutational impact of the DNMT3A mutation in a well-controlled setting. Our goal is to perform WGS on whole blood, representing the pool, as well as several WT and several mutant clones, in order to investigate the contribution of DNMT3A to mutation rates and signatures.

  Study EGAS00001002329

• CRLF2_sequencing_project_

  I hope to gain insight into novel genetic aberrations present in these patients that will highlightimportant pathways that are involved in this subtype of leukaemia. It would be interesting to see ifthe mutations and pathways that are activated are consistent between the patients, or differencesare observed dependent upon whether the patient has the translocation or the PAR1 deletion. Ofnote is the high association with either numerical gains of chromosome X or numerical/structuralabnormalities of chromosome 21 (Down syndrome, iAMP21) in patients with CRLF2 deregulation. Ihope to find abnormalities linking chromosomes X and 21 to CRLF2 deregulation in BCP‐ALL. Byincluding the three patients that are normal for CRLF2, but have consistent genetic abnormalitiesfound in the experimental cohort, I expect to find genetic differences between these two groupsthat will help us to identify novel molecular targets specific to CRLF2 deregulation.

  Study EGAS00001000080

• Screening_for_human_epigenetic_variation_at_CpG_islands

  Many human characteristics, including susceptibility to disease, are determined genetically. An unexplored alternative to such genetic determination concerns epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. CpG islands (CGIs) are generally constitutively hypomethylated, however there are circumstances in which they become heavily methylated and, when coincident with a gene promoter, this invariably causes transcriptional silencing. CGI methylation occurs in normal tissues during processes such as X-inactivation, but abnormal patterns of methylation have also been implicated in disease. The vast majority of evidence relates to cancer, where silencing of multiple genes in this way appears to be a causal contributor to the cancer state. To address the role and extent of CGI methylation in ‘normal’ and diseased cells we applied MBD-affinity purification in conjunction with next generation sequencing in a panel of human brain autopsy samples. These samples represent a panel of individuals as well as specific brain regions and neurological pathologies.

  Study EGAS00001000074

• H3K27ac ChIP-seq in TMPRSS2:ERG positive and negative prostate cancer tissue samples

  The TMPRSS2:ERG (T2E) structural rearrangements typifies ~50% of prostate tumors and results in overexpression of the ERG transcription factor. Using chromatin data collected in T2E and non-T2E primary prostate tumors, we show a distinct cis-regulatory landscape between T2E and non-T2E, inclusive of Cluster Of Regulatory Elements (COREs). This is mediated by ERG co-option of HOXB13 and FOXA1 implementing a T2E-specific transcriptional profile. We also report a T2E-specific CORE on the structurally rearranged ERG locus arising from spreading of the TMPRSS2 locus pre-existing CORE, assisting in its overexpression. Finally, we show that the T2E-specific cis-regulatory landscape reveals a vulnerability against the NOTCH pathway. Taken together, our work shows that overexpressed ERG co-opts master transcription factors to deploy a unique cis-regulatory landscape inducing a druggable dependency on NOTCH signaling in T2E prostate tumors.

  Study EGAS00001002496

• End motifs analysis of circulating DNA from the plasma of patients with stage II-III breast cancer (n=50), stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (n=56), metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) (n=15) and healthy individuals (n=37)..

  We have developed an algorithm designed to discriminate cancer patients and healthy individuals based on cirDNA fragment end motif analysis assisted by machine learning, using data obtained from shallow whole genome sequencing (a method we call EMA). We applied EMA to cirDNA from the plasma of patients with stage II-III breast cancer, stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer, and metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). CirDNA from 158 individuals was prepared following the conventional double-stranded DNA library preparation (DSP). We also performed a single-stranded DNA library preparation (SSP) using mCRC patients and healthy control cirDNA, which allowed us to make the first ever end motif analysis in the literature which compares the use of DSP and SSP.

  Study EGAS50000001319

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

  To overcome the challenges of low DNA yields, degraded DNA by formalin fixation and diluted signal of genomic aberrations by non-carcinoma components in the heterogeneous FFPE samples, we isolated pure carcinoma and stromal cells using the DEPArray™ NxT system, a microchip-based digital sorter that allows isolation of pure, homogeneous subpopulations of cells from FFPE samples. We isolated pure carcinoma and stromal cell populations from 12 FFPE tissues, including tissues from 9 primary and metastatic breast cancer and 3 primary ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas. This was followed by downstream shallow whole genome sequencing (WGS) for copy number landscape profiling for 10 samples. Seven out of 10 samples (even some with low tumour content or of old age) produced good quality genomic data, detecting sCNA in all carcinoma population samples but not in the stromal populations.

  Study EGAS50000001328

• Detection and localization of surgically resectable cancers with a multi-analyte blood test

  Earlier detection is key to reducing cancer deaths. Here we describe a blood test that can detect eight common cancer types through assessment of the levels of circulating proteins and mutations in cell-free DNA. We applied this test, called CancerSEEK, to 1,005 patients with clinically detected cancers of the ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas, esophagus, colorectum, lung, or breast. CancerSEEK tests were positive in a median of 70% of the eight cancer types. The sensitivities ranged from 69% to 98% for the detection of five cancer types (ovary, liver, stomach, pancreas, and esophagus) for which there are no screening tests available for average-risk individuals. The specificity of CancerSEEK was > 99%: only 7 of 812 healthy controls scored positive. In addition, CancerSEEK localized the cancer to a small number of anatomic sites in a median of 83% of the patients.

  Study EGAS00001002764

• Evolutionary analysis of pancreatic cancer and coexistent precursor lesions using whole exome sequencing data

  Most adult carcinomas develop from noninvasive precursor lesions, a progression that is supported by genetic analysis. Further, the evolution of these lesions contextualizes the dynamics of advanced stage disease. We analyzed the somatic variants of co-existing pancreatic cancers and precursor lesions sampled from distinct regions of the same pancreas. After inferring evolutionary relationships, we found that the ancestral cell had initiated and clonally expanded to form one or more lesions, and that subsequent driver gene mutations eventually led to a pancreatic cancer. We also found that this multi-step progression generally spans many years. Our data suggest that independent, high-grade pancreatic lesions observed in a histologic cross section often represent a single neoplasm that can spread and colonize the ductal system, accumulating spatial and genetic divergence over time.

  Study EGAS00001002778

• Transcriptome sequencing of Gingivo-buccal Cancer : ICGC-India Project_YR03

  Transcriptome Sequencing of Gingivo-buccal Cancer: ICGC-India ProjectAs a part of the ICGC, India has undertaken genomic studies on gingivobuccal cancer of the oral cavity, which is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India. There are various known environmental (life-style) correlates of this cancer, the most important of which are tobacco chewing and HPV infection. Transcriptome sequencing of paired RNA samples – isolated from the tumor and adjacent normal tissues of 12 patients – have been performed. Detailed clinical characterization of the patients, collection of data on demographic and environmental exposures, and isolation of DNA samples from adjacent normal and tumor tissues collected from each patient are being done at the Advanced Centre for Research, Treatment and Education on Cancer, Mumbai. Sequencing is being performed at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani.

  Study EGAS00001002851

• MuTHER_adipose_tissue_small_RNA_expression

  We investigate the naturally occurring variation of small RNA expression in conjunction with genetic and gene expression variation. We shall assess the variation in subabdominal fat tissue small RNA levels in 168 unrelated MuTHER individuals. Using gene expression data from the same samples, we can survey how much the small RNA expression contributes to the variance in gene expression profiles. We can also take advantage of the high density genotyping data on these samples to identify genetic associations of small RNA expression levels, and the downstream effect of the genetic variants in small RNA sequence. Previous small RNA sequencing efforts have also extended the repertoire of small RNAs, and we hope to potentially find additional small RNAs active in adipose tissue biology. Altogether, the project should provide an exciting view into small RNA biology in humans, and lead to development of new methodology for analysis of molecular phenotype data.

  Study EGAS00001000212

• SCANDARE MACARON

  Among gynecological cancers, high-grade serous ovarian cancer has the highest prevalence and more than 75% of patients have advanced stage at diagnosis with a 5-year survival of 40%. When the initial complete surgical removal is not possible (60% of patients), an interval surgery can be considered after three to four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the tumor mass. However, in approximately 50% of cases the tumor has little or no response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of potential drug targets, biomarkers and/or pathways whose modulation can help in the prevention, interception, or curing of the disease is essential to address the unmet need. Therefore, MACARON project aims to address these issues through the identification of shared neoantigens arising out of somatic alterations and aberrant transcriptional programs in ovarian cancer DNA/RNA datasets.

  Study EGAS50000000145

• Co-culture experiment (hashed samples)

  The principles governing tissue architecture and the mechanisms underlying its disruption in disease remain poorly understood. Here, we utilized single-cell and spatial mapping to interrogate the mechanisms directing immune cell organization in human lymph nodes and its disruption in architecturally distinct lymphoma entities: indolent follicular lymphoma (FL) and aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Our data substantiate the central role of lymph node stromal cells in chemokine-driven lymphocyte zonation and reveal an inflammatory feedback loop fueled by tumor-reactive T cells, triggering stromal remodeling, progressive loss of homeostatic chemokine gradients and tissue organization from non-malignant to FL and DLBCL. Loss of homeostatic chemokines was associated with adverse patient survival, identifying the underlying architectural rearrangement as a key event during lymphomagenesis. Collectively, our results highlight the principles of lymph node organization and suggest how lymphoma-induced microenvironmental reprogramming drives loss of tissue organization.

  Study EGAS50000001252

• Deregulation of FOXF1/FENDRR from t(14;16)(q32;q24) defines a subtype of high risk lineage ambiguous leukemia

  Despite great progress in understanding the genomic basis of immature T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-ALL) and acute leukemias of ambiguous lineage (ALAL), there are still cases that lack defining genetic markers, complicating risk stratification and limiting targeted therapeutic options. Here, we describe a subtype of leukemia defined by the t(14;16)(q32;q24) translocation, which places the FOXF1 gene and its antisense long noncoding RNA gene FENDRR under the regulatory control of the BCL11B enhancer, leading to their ectopic transcriptional activation. Analysis of different high-throughput sequencing data, including WGS, RNA-seq, scDNA-seq, scRNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and HiChIP-seq, identified BCL11B-enhancer mediated deregulation of FOXF1/FENDRR as a hallmark of a subtype of high-risk lineage ambiguous leukemia that is potentially amenable to targeted therapeutic intervention.

  Study EGAS50000001255

• Clonally heritable gene expression imparts a layer of diversity within cell types

  Cell types can be classified according to shared patterns of transcription. Non-genetic variability among individual cells of the same type has been ascribed to stochastic transcriptional bursting and transient cell states. Using high coverage single cell RNA profiling, we asked whether long-term, heritable differences in gene expression can impart diversity within cells of the same type. Studying clonal human lymphocytes and mouse brain cells, we uncovered a vast diversity of heritable gene expression patterns among different clones of cells of the same type in vivo. We combined chromatin accessibility and RNA profiling on different lymphocyte clones to reveal thousands of regulatory regions exhibiting interclonal variation which could be directly linked to interclonal variation in gene expression. Our findings identify a source of cellular diversity, which may have important implications for how cellular populations are shaped by selective processes in development, aging and disease.

  Study EGAS50000000161