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

in 54.45 milliseconds.

• Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Studies of Fibrosis in Prospective Registry in IBD Study at MGH and GI Disease and Endoscopy Registry

  Stricturing disease or fibrosis is a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), often requiring surgical intervention. This process is caused by the abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix in the context of inflammation, and thus involves crosstalk between multiple cell types including fibroblasts and immune cells. To understand the cellular interactions involved in fibrosis, we performed single cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses of biopsy or resection samples from IBD patients, diverticulitis patients or controls.For single cell analyses, intestinal samples were processed within three hours of collection by first stripping the epithelial layer with EDTA and then enzymatically digesting the underlying tissue. Cells from both the epithelial and tissue fractions were separately loaded in two channels on a 10x Chromium controller and libraries were generated with the 3'v3 Chemistry pipeline before sequencing on an Illumina sequencer. The resulting sequence data was demultiplexed and analyzed with the CellRanger pipeline to generate raw fastq files and processed gene-count matrices for each sample.For spatial transcriptomic analyses, intestinal resection samples were snap frozen in OCT (optimal cutting temperature embedding medium). Blocks were cut into 10μm sections in a cryostat and transferred to a 10x Genomics Visium slide v1. Spatially barcoded libraries were prepared according to manufacturer's instructions and sequencing on an Illumina sequencer. The resulting sequence data was processed with the SpaceRanger pipeline to generate fastq files and processed barcode-count matrices. Using the samples deposited here, we defined 68 fine-grained cell types across the ileum and colon of control and fibrotic intestinal tissues. We show that intestinal strictures were characterized by increased immune cells - including IgG+ plasma cells and CCR7hiCD4+ T cells - and inflammatory fibroblasts. We also define the transcriptional differences associated with fibrosis, with inflammatory fibroblasts in particular showing broad changes in gene expression. Spatial transcriptomics showed that key subsets colocalize within diseased tissues and identified additional populations such as interstitial cells of Cajal and enteric neurons. Further, we mapped gene expression onto intestinal biogeography, finding that known genetic risk loci are enriched within discrete spatial modules, defined by the presence of inflammatory fibroblasts and lymphoid follicles. Altogether, our datasets chart the key transcriptomic and cellular networks in stricturing CD and highlight the spatial organization of multicellular genetic risk factors.

  Study phs003943

• Whole Exome Sequencing of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors at The Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine (HGSC-BCM)

  Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs), often referred to as "islet cell tumors", are neuroendocrine neoplasms that arise from cells of the endocrine and nervous system within the pancreas. These rare tumors which originate from the pancreatic islet are divided into many categories and are often classified by the hormone most strongly secreted. With the collaboration of the Elkins Pancreatic Center, the Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) at Baylor College of Medicine had access to approximately 30 untreated tumor specimens and matched normal blood samples. Since the onset and progression of cancer is driven by extensive mutation of the genome, we are combining enrichment of exonic DNA with next generation sequencing to detect and characterize the somatic mutation profile of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. This work was done at the Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) in collaboration with the Elkins Pancreatic Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX and was supported by grant number 5U54HG003273 from National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

  Study phs000871

• Circulating Tumor Cell Heterogeneity in Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer by Single Cell Copy Number Analysis

  Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive variant of prostate cancer that may arise de novo or develop from pre-existing prostate adenocarcinoma as a mechanism of treatment resistance. Combined loss of tumor suppressors RB1, TP53, PTEN are frequent in NEPC but also present in a subset of prostate adenocarcinomas. Most clinical and preclinical studies support a trans-differentiation process, whereby NEPC arises clonally from a prostate adenocarcinoma precursor during the course of treatment resistance. Here we highlight a case of NEPC with significant intra-patient heterogeneity observed across metastases. We further demonstrate how single-cell genomic analysis of circulating tumor cells combined with phenotypic evaluation of cellular diversity can be considered as a window into tumor heterogeneity in patients with advanced prostate cancer. We performed whole genome sequencing of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patients with castration resistant adenocarcinoma (n=4) and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (n=8). CTCs were collected via Epic Sciences platform and single CTC genomic data (n=215) generated via Illumina NextSeq500. 

  Study phs002462

• Clonal Evolution in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

  We analyzed clonal evolution in serial samples from five CLL patients who became resistant to the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib, using whole-exome and deep targeted sequencing. We observe a BTK-C481S mutation in one of five patients, and multiple PLCG2 mutations in a second patient. The other patients had an expansion of clones harboring del(8p) carrying additional driver mutations (EP300, MLL2, EIF2A), with one patient developing trans-differentiation into CD19-negative histiocytic sarcoma. We calculated the growth kinetics of ibrutinib-resistant subclones and estimated the size of the resistant clones at treatment initiation, which we validated by droplet-microfluidic technology. Haplo-insufficiency of TRAIL-R, a consequence of del(8p), led to TRAIL insensitivity which may contribute to development of ibrutinib resistance. These findings demonstrate that ibrutinib therapy has the potential to lead to clonal selection and expansion of rare cell populations already present at the time of treatment initiation. They also provide insight into the heterogeneity of genetic changes associated with ibrutinib resistance, previously attributed solely to mutations in BTK and related pathway molecules.

  Study phs001091

• INCLUDE: Genetic Underpinnings of the Multifactorial Phenotype of Trisomy 21 Patients Unveiled by Multi-Omics Approaches

  The INCLUDE (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) Project is an NIH-wide collaboration that seeks to improve health and quality-of-life for people with Down syndrome. The INCLUDE Project Data Coordinating Center and partners created the INCLUDE Data Hub, a centralized data resource that allows access to large-scale clinical and multi-omics datasets specific to Down syndrome and supports collaborative, cloud-based analysis to accelerate scientific discoveries related to Down syndrome and its co-occurring conditions.Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality in livebirths with an incidence of 1 in 700 in the US. To better understand the pathophysiology of DS, this proposal will generate and analyze sequence data on 777 pediatric DS patients from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), as well as 321 mothers and 148 fathers. We anticipate that the information derived from this deeply-phenotyped cohort will allow for improved understanding of the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms underlying DS-associated comorbidities, which may inform on new practices for treatment or innovative future therapies.

  Study phs002983

• Gut microbiome profiles according to sex, body mass index and dietary fiber intake

  Findings from recent studies suggest that the community of microbes residing in the human body is important in disease etiology; however, it remains unclear whether personal factors modulate human microbial composition. Studies based on animal models indicate that differences in composition might be attributed to sex-mediated effects. We analyzed the relationship of sex, adiposity, and dietary fiber intake with gut microbial composition using fecal samples from human subjects. We explored the associations of these factors with metrics of community composition and specific taxon abundances. We found that men and women had significantly different microbial community composition and that women had reduced abundance of a major phylum. Adiposity was associated with gut microbiome composition and specifically in women but not in men. Fiber from fruits and vegetables and fiber from beans were each associated with increased abundance of specific bacterial taxa. These findings provide initial indications that sex, adiposity, and dietary fiber might play important roles in influencing the human gut microbiome. Better understanding of these factors may have significant implications for gastrointestinal health and disease prevention.

  Study phs000884

• Genome-Wide Discovery of Novel Colon Cancer Predisposing Mutations

  Cancer risk shows clear heritability, but the inherited genetic factors remain largely unknown. This project will seek to identify new genes in which mutations confer hereditary risk for early onset colorectal cancer, with important implications for both biological understanding and clinical prediction and prevention. Identifying cancer predisposing mutations can provide new biological insights and significantly impact important clinical decision making regarding treatment, surveillance and preventive approaches. Hereditary colon cancer patients commonly present to Cancer Genetics clinics, but the majority of these patients do not have identifiable mutations in known candidate genes. We have performed whole exome sequencing to discover novel colorectal cancer susceptibility genes. The patients have been recruited from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (PIs Kenneth Offit, Nathan Ellis, and Zsofia Stadler), and Case Western University and University Hospitals of Cleveland (PIs Joseph Willis and Sanford Markowitz). All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon Kit v2 and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 or 2500.

  Study phs000824

• The spectrum of somatic mutations in high-risk acute myeloid leukemia with -7/del(7q)

  Patients with myeloid malignancies bearing high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities lack effective therapies and have a poor overall survival. -7/del(7q) is identified in half of high-risk myeloid neoplasms. We recently identified CUX1 to be a haploinsufficient myeloid tumor suppressor gene located within the commonly deleted segment of 7q22. Here we identify the spectrum of somatic mutations that co-occur with loss of CUX1 and chromosome 7 in patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or a therapy-related myeloid neoplasm. -7/del(7q) leukemias have a distinct mutational profile characterized by low frequencies of alterations in major leukemogenic pathways, including genes encoding transcription factors, cohesin, and DNA-methylation-related proteins. In contrast, RAS pathway activating mutations occurred in 40% of -7/del(7q) samples, a significantly higher frequency than other AMLs and higher than previously reported. As targeted therapeutics advance, our data provide guidance for which pathways are most relevant in the treatment of adverse-risk myeloid leukemia.

  Study phs000759

• The Dynamic Landscape of Open Chromatin During Human Cortical Neurogenesis

  Non-coding regions comprise most of the human genome and harbor a significant fraction of risk alleles for neuropsychiatric diseases, yet their functions remain poorly defined. We created a high-resolution map of non-coding elements involved in human cortical neurogenesis by contrasting chromatin accessibility and gene expression in the germinal zone and cortical plate of the developing cerebral cortex. To obtain a high resolution depiction of chromatin structure and gene expression in developing human fetal cortex, we dissected the post-conception week (PCW) 15-17 human neocortex into two major anatomical divisions to distinguish between proliferating neural progenitors and post mitotic neurons: (1) GZ: the neural progenitor-enriched region encompassing the ventricular zone (VZ), subventricular zone (SVZ), and intermediate zone (IZ) and (2) CP: the neuron-enriched region containing the subplate (SP), cortical plate (CP), and marginal zone (MZ). Tissues were obtained from three independent donors and three to four technical replicates from each tissue were processed for ATAC-seq to define the landscape of accessible chromatin and RNA-seq for genome-wide gene expression profiling.

  Study phs001438

• eMERGE Geisinger eGenomic Medicine (GeM) Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Project (AAAP)

  A large research cohort of Geisinger Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) patients was created by enrolling and consenting patients of the Geisinger Department of Vascular Surgery. Consented patients provide blood, serum and DNA samples for research and authorize use of data in their medical record for research. They also complete a data questionnaire that asks information about family history of AAA and other vascular diseases, as well as information on known or suspected AAA risk factors, including smoking history, body mass index, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerotic disease. The AAA cases are 78% male, with a mean age of 74 years; 39% have undergone surgical or endovascular repair; more than 85% or current or past smokers; approximately 20% of cases report a positive family history of AAA. Geisinger AAA patients undergo regular imaging studies, typically every 6 months, to monitor the progression of aneurysm expansion. This allows the growth rates of their aneurysm to be calculated. DNA samples from a total of 910 AAA patients were used for whole genome genotyping; these results are included in the dbGaP.

  Study phs000387

• Induction of HIV-1 Env-Specific Peripheral Blood Plasmablasts and Clonal Persistence as Bone Marrow Plasma Cells Following Vaccination in Humans

  Induction of persistent HIV-1 Envelope (Env) specific antibody (Ab) is a primary goal of HIV vaccine strategies, however, it is unclear if HIV Env immunization in humans induces bone marrow plasma cells, the presumed source of long-lived systemic Ab. To define the features of Env-specific plasma cells after vaccination, samples were obtained from HVTN 105, a phase I trial testing the same gp120 protein immunogen, AIDSVAX B/E, as used in RV144, along with a DNA immunogen in various prime/boost strategies. Boosting regimens that included AIDSVAX B/E induced robust peripheral blood plasmablast responses. The Env-specific immunoglobulin repertoire of the plasmablasts was dominated by VH1 gene usage and targeting of the V3 region. Numerous plasmablast-derived immunoglobulin lineages persisted in the bone marrow greater than eight months after immunization, including in the CD138+ long-lived plasma cell compartment. These findings identify a cellular linkage for the development of sustained Env-specific Ab following vaccination in humans.

  Study phs002027

• Genomic Analysis of Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) is a very rare and distinct subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma that occurs in the previously healthy livers of adolescents and young adults. The low incidence rate has kept FL-HCC an understudied cancer, thus the list of FL-HCC markers is limited and the genetic alterations driving its growth have remained unknown. In order to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying FL-HCC initiation and progression, we performed an in-depth genomic analyses of one tumor followed by immunohistochemistry validation on seven other tumors. We showed the expression of neuroendocrine markers in FL-HCC. In addition, DNA/RNA sequencing revealed that common cancer pathways are not visibly altered in FL-HCC but identified two novel structural variants, both resulting in fusion transcripts. Through in vitro studies, we demonstrated the oncogenic properties of these fusion transcripts. These experiments further highlight the tumorigenic role of gene fusions in the etiology of pediatric solid tumors and identify both candidate biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets for this lethal pediatric disease.

  Study phs000828

• BrainSpan Atlas of the Human Brain

  The NIH-funded BrainSpan (www.brainspan.org) and PsychENCODE (www.psychencode.org). Consortia sought to generate and analyze multi-dimensional genomics data from the developing and adult human brain in healthy and disease states. One of the main goals has been to perform large-scale and integrated analysis of the genome, transcriptome, and epigenome of the human brain to broaden our understanding of human neurodevelopment. This dataset consists of sixteen regions, including eleven neocortical areas, of human donors of both sexes and various ethnic groups. In the first stage of this project, we provide the genome-wide exon-level transcriptome data generated using the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Arrays, and the genome-wide genotyping data for 2.5 million markers using the Illumina Human Omni 2.5-Quad Bead Chips. In the second stage of this project, we provide whole-genome sequencing data, transcriptome data by mRNA-Seq, small RNA data by smRNA-seq, DNA cytosine methylation by Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, and epigenomic/epigenetic data by ChIP-Seq for H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K27ac and CTCF.

  Study phs000755

• Longitudinal genome-wide analysis of progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia under uniform front-line therapy of pentostatin, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab

  Samples from two-center prospective phase 2 clinical trail conducted at Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) and Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) were analyzed in 12 cases. All patients had progressive CLL as defined by National Cancer Institute (NCI) Working Group criteria. Patients provided written informed consent for correlative studies according to the Declaration of Helsinki on an institutional review board approved protocol for the collection and use of samples for research purposes from both participating institutions. Eligible patients received a regimen consisting of pentostatin (2 mg/m2), cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2), and rituximab (375 mg/m2) provided intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle for a maximum of 6 cycles. Responses were assessed by NCI Working Group criteria and included a bone marrow evaluation and two-color flow cytometry 2 months after completion of therapy. Peripheral blood samples from these patients collected longitudinally before (Pre-Baseline), at (Baseline) and after therapy (Relapse) were analyzed for genomic heterogeneity and clonal complexity by high throughput Exome sequencing.

  Study phs000794

• Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA) - OncoArray Genotypes

  The data come from 40 studies participating in the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA). CIMBA recruits individuals with pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. The majority of carriers were recruited through cancer genetics clinics offering genetic testing, and were enrolled into national or regional studies. The remainder were identified by population-based sampling of cases, or community recruitment. Eligibility to participate is restricted to carriers of pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations who were 18 years or older at recruitment. Information collected included amongst other variables: age at recruitment; ages at breast and ovarian cancer diagnosis; and estrogen receptor (ER) status. Samples were genotyped using the Illumina OncoArray beadchip 500K SNP custom array. Details of the genotyping process and sample selection are included in Phelan et al, Identification of twelve new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, Nat Genet. 2017 May;49(5):680-691 (PMID:28346442), and Milne et al, Identification of ten variants associated with risk of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, Nat Genet (in press).

  Study phs001321

• Single-Cell DNA and RNA Sequencing over A 29-Year Period of A CLL Patient Demonstrating Evolution of Multiple Cell Clones

  Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a frequent B-cell malignancy characterized by recurrent somatic chromosome alterations and a low level of point mutations. Here we present single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray analyses of a single CLL patient over 29-years of observation and treatment, and transcriptome and whole genome sequencing at selected timepoints. We identified chromosome alterations of 13q14-, 6q- and 12q+ in early cell clones, elimination of clonal populations following therapy, and subsequent appearance of a clone containing trisomy 12 and a chromosome 10 copy neutral loss of heterogeneity (LOH) that marks a major population dominant at death. Serial single cell RNA sequencing revealed elevated mRNA expression of the FOS, JUN and KLF4 genes just before the appearance of acute disease requiring therapy. This gene expression pattern became undetectable following therapy, but reoccurred following relapse. Transcriptome evolution indicates that complex expression changes occur over time. In conclusion, CLL can evolve gradually during indolent phases, and undergo rapid changes following therapy.

  Study phs001181

• Adoptive Cell Therapy of Autologous T cell Receptor-Engineered T Cells Targeting the p53 Neoantigens in Human Solid Tumors

  Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) using T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells can mediate regression of advanced human cancers. How TCR-transduced T cells change post-ACT in vivo is currently not well understood. We screened 78 patients for TP53 mutations by whole exome sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing. Of the 78 patient samples, 49 patient samples were previously reported (phs001003) and 2 additional patients were reported in phs002735. In this accession we report the sequencing data of remaining 23 patients and include 6 additional samples from previously published patients. Additionally, we treated a patient with chemo-refractory breast cancer that expressed mutant p53 R175H with autologous T cells transduced with an allogeneic TCR targeting p53 R175H with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction of A*02. The patient had a partial response for 6 months with 55% tumor regression. The T cells from the infusion product and the peripheral blood T cells at 6 weeks post-ACT were analyzed using 10X single cell transcriptome analysis.

  Study phs002928

• Rare germline sequence variants, copy number variations, expression alterations, methylation variations and disease susceptibility in familial melanoma

  Although a number of high-risk melanoma genes have been identified, they account for melanoma risk in less than 40% of melanoma-prone families. The major goals of our research are to identify novel high-penetrance genes for familial melanoma in melanoma-prone families without known mutations and to identify modifier factors, including genetic and epigenetic, in melanoma-prone families with and without known major mutations. We are using whole exome sequencing to identify additional high-risk susceptibility genes and using targeted sequencing to follow up on the top genes in additional family members and in population-based melanoma cases and controls. We are also using RNASeq to investigate genome-wide allele-specific expression and eQTLs in these families to identify genes with expression alteration, which will provide additional information for gene discovery. In addition, we also conducted genome-wide copy number variation (CNV), methylation, and miRNA expression profiling analyses in our melanoma families with the goal of identifying genetic and epigenetic factors as disease modifiers.

  Study phs001177

• Tumor Fraction Guided Cell-Free DNA Profiling in Metastatic Cancer Patients

  Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) profiling is increasingly used to guide cancer care, yet mutations are not always identified. The ability to detect somatic mutations in plasma depends on both assay sensitivity and the fraction of circulating DNA in plasma that is tumor-derived (i.e cfDNA tumor fraction). We hypothesized that cfDNA tumor fraction could inform the interpretation of negative cfDNA results and guide the choice of subsequent assays of greater genomic breadth or depth. Plasma samples collected from 118 metastatic cancer patients were analyzed with cf-IMPACT, a modified version of the FDA-authorized MSK-IMPACT tumor test that can detect genomic alterations in 410 cancer-associated genes. Shallow whole genome sequencing (sWGS) was also performed in the same samples to estimate cfDNA tumor fraction based on genome-wide copy number alterations using z-score statistics. The results show that cfDNA tumor fraction can inform the interpretation of negative cfDNA results and guide the selection of subsequent sequencing platforms that are most likely to identify clinically-relevant genomic alterations.

  Study phs002290

• Transcriptional Profiling of Macrophages In Situ in Metastatic Melanoma Reveals Localization-Dependent Phenotypes and Function

  Therapeutic interventions modulating immune function at the tumor site could improve outcomes in cancer. Here we analyzed metastatic melanoma, a tumor type highly responsive to T-cell based therapies, and found that the tumor-infiltrating T cells are localized closely to CD14+ monocytes/macrophages rather than to melanoma cells. Using novel immunofluorescence-guided laser capture micro-dissection, we analyzed transcriptomes of CD3+ T cells, CD14+ monocytes/macrophages and melanoma cells in non-dissociated tissue. CD14+ cells localized in tumors beds displayed specific transcriptional signatures distinct from CD14+ cells that were localized in tumor stroma.The 8 distinct metastatic melanoma samples are from the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN). 64 RNA-seq files are available from 16 intraCD14+, 16 stromaCD14+, 16 cancer cells, 8 intraCD3+ and 8 stromaCD3+ cells. 2 LCM harvests were completed for the CD14+ and cancer cells on two sections of the samples. One harvest was done for the CD3+ samples.The processed data (TPM/raw counts tables) are available on GEO under GSE180124. 

  Study phs002564

• Pharmacogenetics of Efavirenz Discontinuation for Reported Central Nervous System Symptoms Appears to Differ by Race

  This is an evaluation of genetic associations with efavirenz (EFV) discontinuation for central nervous system (CNS) symptoms within 12 months of treatment. Patients were treated at an HIV primary care clinic in Nashville TN from 1998 to 2012. Previously known SNPs in CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 were used to define metabolizer genotypes (extensive, intermediate, slow metabolizer). Over 500,000 SNPs from genome-wide genotyping were used to define MDS (Multidimensional Scaling) coordinates to account for population stratification. Patients were defined as cases if they discontinued EFV for CNS symptoms within 12 months, otherwise they were defined as controls if they did not stop treatment. Among 563 evaluable participants, the hazard ratio for EFV discontinuation for CNS symptoms was 4.9 (95% C.I. 1.9 TO 12.4, p=0.001) in slow metabolizers compared to extensive metabolizers. This association was very significant in Whites 6.5 (95% CI: 2.3 to 18.8; p = 0.001), but not in Blacks 2.6 (95% C.I. 0.5 to 14.1; p = 0.27). The reason for this difference by race is not clear and warrants further investigation.

  Study phs001253

• CD4+ cell transcriptional profiling by RNA sequencing

  We use next generation sequencing to investigate the different transcriptomes of closely related CD4+ T-cells from healthy human donors to elucidate the genetic programs that underlie their specialized immune functions. Six cell types were included: Regulatory T-cells (CD25hiCD127low/neg with >95% FOXP3+ purity), regulatory T-cells activated using PMA/ionomycin, CD25-CD45RA+ ('naive' helper T-cells), CD25-CD45RO+ ('memory' helper T-cells), activated Th17 cells (>98% IL17A+ purity) and activated IL17-CD4+ T-cells (called 'ThPI'). Poly-T capture beads were used to isolate mRNA from total RNA, and fragment sizes of ~200 were sequenced from both ends on Illumina's genome analyzer. We confirm many of the canonical signature genes of T-cell populations, but also discover new genes whose expression is limited to specific CD4 T-cell lineages, including long non-coding RNAs. Additionally, we find that genes encoded at loci linked to multiple human autoimmune diseases are enriched for preferential expression upon T-cell activation, suggesting that an aberrant response to T-cell activation is fundamental to pathogenesis.

  Study phs000626

• CPTAC: Microscaled Proteogenomic Methods for Precision Oncology

  Cancer proteogenomics combines genomics, transcriptomics and mass spectrometry-based proteomics to gain insights into cancer biology and treatment outcomes. To promote clinical investigation, we developed a "microscaled" proteogenomics approach for tumor-rich frozen core needle biopsies. Tissue-sparing specimen processing ("Biopsy Trifecta EXTraction", BioTExt) and microscaled proteomics (MiProt) generated deep-scale proteogenomics datasets. As a proofof- concept, biopsies were accrued from ERBB2 positive (ERBB2+) breast cancers before and 48 to 72 hours after the first dose of neoadjuvant trastuzumab-based chemotherapy. Multi-omics comparisons were conducted between samples associated with residual disease versus complete pathological response (pCR). Integrated analyses diagnosed diverse molecular causes of treatmentresistance including: 1) absence of ERBB2 amplification (false-ERBB2&#43); 2) insufficient ERBB2 activity for therapeutic sensitivity despite ERBB2 amplification (pseudo-ERBB2&#43); 3) resistance features in true-ERBB2+ cases including androgen receptor signaling, mucin expression and an inactive immune microenvironment; 4) lack of acute phospho-ERBB2 down-regulation in nonpCR cases. We conclude microscaled cancer proteogenomics could improve diagnostic precision.

  Study phs001907

• Genomic Profiling of Sequentially Acquired Metastatic Sites from an "Exceptional Responder" Lung Adenocarcinoma Patient Reveals Extensive Genomic Heterogeneity and Novel Somatic Variants

  We employed next-generation sequencing to identify somatic alterations in multiple metastatic sites from an "exceptional responder" lung adenocarcinoma patient during his seven year course of ERBB2-directed therapies. The degree of heterogeneity was unprecedented, with ~1% similarity between somatic alterations of the lung and lymph nodes. One novel translocation, PLAG1-ACTA2, present in both sites, up-regulated ACTA2 expression. ERBB2, the predominant driver oncogene, was amplified in both sites, more pronounced in the lung, and harbored an L869R mutation in the lymph node. Functional studies demonstrated increased proliferation, migration, metastasis, and resistance to ERBB2-directed therapy due to L869R mutation and increased migration due to ACTA2 overexpression. Within the lung, a nonfunctional CDK12, due to a novel G879V mutation, correlated with down-regulation of DNA damage response genes, causing genomic instability, and sensitivity to chemotherapy. We propose a model whereby a sub-clone metastasized early from the primary site and evolved independently in lymph nodes.

  Study phs001159

• Spatiotemporal Evolution of the ccRCC Microenvironment Links Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity to Immune Escape CINOMA

  We utilize temporal multi-regional multi-omics profiling to uncover the mechanisms of immune escape in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in 29 patients including 17 patients from a neoadjuvant nivolumab clinical trial. We observe that tumors can be broadly categorized into intra-tumoral heterogeneity (ITH) high and low, which correlates across genomic, transcriptomic, immune and tumor microenvironment (TME) landscapes. We identify several genetic alterations associated with ITH that correlate with a myeloid high and effector T cell low TME. Namely, ITH high tumors are enriched for mutations in SETD2, PBRM1, CDKN2A/B somatic copy number loss and HLA loss of heterozygosity, and they demonstrate the characteristics of immune escape. ITH high tumors demonstrate reduced peripheral blood TCR diversity which is associated with neoantigen depletion. Moreover, we identify a link between neoantigen depletion and immune escape through myeloid activation. A transcriptomic signature associated with neoantigen depletion is strongly associated with response to ICI treatment and targeted therapies in several independent clinical trial cohorts.

  Study phs003079

• NHLBI GO-ESP: Family Studies (Dilated Cardiomyopathy)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. The goals for this project are to conduct exome sequencing for novel dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) gene discovery in families with DCM. These families have already been sequenced for 15 DCM genes, accounting for approximately 75% of known genetic cause, without rare coding variants identified.

  Study phs000581

• The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African-Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR)

  The Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African-Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) Registry and Repository, supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), was established in 2000 to provide a resource for the scientific community to explore genetic and non-genetic factors affecting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurrence and outcomes in African Americans. The long term objective is a database and a repository of 1,100 RA and 550 matched healthy African-American subjects. This CLEAR Registry and Repository has two arms: a longitudinal arm for subjects with early RA (enrollment from 2000 to 2005) and a cross-sectional arm for subjects with any disease duration (enrollment from 2006 to 2012). CLEAR has two components: a database and a repository. The database contains extensive demographic, socioeconomic, clinical and radiographic (radiographs of hands and feet) information and bone mineral density data from DEXA scans. The repository contains genomic DNA, plasma and serum on most of the participants. Participants in CLEAR II had RNA isolated from peripheral blood cells.

  Study phs001360

• The Mutational Landscape of CTCL and Sezary Syndrome

  Sezary syndrome is a leukemic and aggressive form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) resulting from the malignant transformation of skin-homing central memory CD4+ T cells. To identify new genetic alterations involved in Sezary syndrome and CTCL transformation we performed whole-exome sequencing of tumor-normal sample pairs from 26 Sezary syndrome and 16 CTCL patients. These analyses revealed a distinctive pattern of somatic copy number alterations in Sezary syndrome including highly prevalent recurrent chromosomal deletions involving the TP53, RB1, PTEN, DNMT3A, and CDKN1B tumor suppressor genes. Mutation analysis identified a broad spectrum of somatic mutations involving key genes involved in epigenetic regulation (TET2, CREBBP, MLL3, BRD9, SMARCA4 and CHD3) and signaling, including mutations in MAPK1, BRAF, CARD11 and PRKG1 driving increased MAPK, NFKB and NFAT activity upon T-cell receptor stimulation. Collectively, our findings provide new insights into the genetics of Sezary syndrome and CTCL and support the development of personalized therapies targeting key oncogenically activated signaling pathways for the treatment of these diseases.

  Study phs000994

• Characterization of Immune Evasion in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, neuroendocrine skin carcinoma that is caused by the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in 80% of cases and by ultraviolet (UV) damage in 20% of cases. MCC should theoretically elicit a strong cytotoxic T cell response due to the high neoantigen and viral antigen burden in MCPyV- and MCPyV+ MCC, respectively. However, MCC often escapes immune recognition and is associated with very poor prognosis at advanced stages. To systemically identify mechanisms of immune evasion in MCC, we established 11 robust MCC lines from either primary tumors or patient-derived xenografts (7 MCPyV+ and 4 MCPyV-). We then characterized these tumors and cell lines by whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA-sequencing, scRNA-sequencing, ATAC-seq, and whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). We also studied MCC transcriptional subtypes, utilizing bulk and scRNA-sequencing datasets of patient-derived tumors and cell lines to investigate profiles of neuroendocrine gene expression. The genes linked below define either a neuroendocrine or a non-neuroendocrine phenotype presence within MCC tumors.

  Study phs002260

• A Pilot Trial of Complement Inhibition Using Eculizumab to Overcome Platelet Transfusion Refractoriness in HLA Allo-Immunized Patients

  Platelet transfusion can be a life-saving procedure in preventing or treating serious bleeding in patients who have low and/or dysfunctional platelets. Heavily transfused patients frequently develop human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allo-immunization resulting in platelet transfusion refractoriness and a high risk for life-threatening thrombocytopenia. Data suggest complement activation leading to the destruction of platelets bound by HLA allo-antibodies may play a pathophysiologic role in platelet refractoriness. We conducted a pilot trial to investigate the use of eculizumab to treat platelet transfusion refractoriness in allo-immunized patients with severe thrombocytopenia. We hypothesized that when we treated patients having platelet refractoriness with eculizumab, platelet counts would increase to higher numbers after platelet transfusions, decreasing the risk of bleeding complications associated with having a low platelet count. The response of the treatment was assessed by the corrected platelet count increment (CCI) 10 - 60 min and 18 - 24 h post transfusion, and any requirement for subsequent platelet transfusions following eculizumab. Reference 1 (PMID: 32086819) contains the main results for this trial.

  Study phs003212

• Altered Interactions between Circulating and Tissue-Resident CD8 T Cells with the Colonic Mucosa Define Checkpoint Inhibitor Colitis

  Therapeutic immune checkpoint blockade has revolutionized oncology, but treatments are limited by immune-related adverse events, including checkpoint inhibitor colitis (irColitis). To define molecular drivers of irColitis, we profiled ~300,000 cells from the colonic mucosa and blood of 29 patients and controls. Patients with irColitis showed expanded mucosal Tregs (regulatory T cells), CD8 tissue-resident memory T cells expressing CXCL13 and Th17 gene programs, and recirculating ITGB2 CD8 T cells. Cytotoxic CD4 T cells, recirculating CD8 T cells, and endothelial cells expressing hypoxia gene programs were further expanded in colitis associated with anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 compared to in the presence of anti-PD-1 therapy. Luminal epithelial cells in irColitis patients expressed PCSK9, PD-L1, and interferon-induced signatures associated with apoptosis, increased cell turnover, and malabsorption.Raw data files from both colon and PBMCs from irColitis patients and controls have been provided to dbGaP. Count matrices derived from raw RNA-Seq data will be available through GEO accession GSE206301.

  Study phs003418

• Analysis of Epigenomes and Genome Topology in Colorectal Cancer

  When diagnosing cancer, pathologists use nuclear morphology as a hallmark of tumor cells, but the topological changes linked to alterations in the shape of the nucleus were poorly understood. To uncover the molecular changes that occur in the 3D structure of cancer genomes, we integrated topological maps for colon tumors and normal colon tissues with epigenetic, transcriptional, and imaging data. We characterized tumor-associated changes in chromatin loops, topologically associated domains (TADs), and large-scale compartments. We found that chromatin loop rewiring contributes to oncogenic gene expression programs. Whereas TAD structures are largely stable, the spatial partitioning of the open and closed genome compartments is compromised in tumors and is accompanied by hypomethylation and histone mark rearrangements. We also identified a compartment that is reorganized in tumors and is at the interface between the canonical A and B compartments. Similar changes were evident in non-malignant cells that had accumulated excessive cellular divisions. Our analyses suggest that these compartment changes repress stemness and invasion programs while inducing immunity genes, and they may therefore restrain malignant progression.

  Study phs002288

• Longitudinal Immune Dynamics of Mild COVID-19 Define Signatures of Recovery and Persistence

  SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 160 million and caused more than 3 million deaths to date. Most individuals (>80%) have mild symptoms and recover in the outpatient setting, but detailed studies of immune responses have focused primarily on moderate to severe COVID-19. We deeply profiled the longitudinal immune response in individuals with mild COVID beginning with early time points post-infection (1-15 days) and proceeding through convalescence to >100 days after symptom onset. We correlated data from single cell analyses of peripheral blood cells, serum proteomics, virus-specific cellular and humoral immune responses, and clinical metadata. Acute infection was characterized by vigorous coordinated innate and adaptive activation, including an early cellular and proteomic signature that correlated with the amplitude of virus-specific humoral responses after day 30. We characterized signals associated with recovery and convalescence to define a new signature of inflammatory cytokines, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility that persists in individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).

  Study phs002576

• Comprehensive Genomic Data Deposition for Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Studies: Clinical Trials NCT02451982 and NCT02648282

  This submission includes specimens from 89 pancreatic cancer patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital, comprising 41 surgically resectable and 48 locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) cases. These samples originate from two clinical studies, NCT02451982 and NCT02648282, following the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution Institutional Review Board-approved registry protocol at the Pancreatic Cancer Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program. Written consent for specimen use, obtained from participants in the original studies, covers additional research, including this one. Biopsy specimens collected through endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle core biopsies or surgically resected tumors are included. NCT02451982 is a platform trial evaluating immunotherapy combinations for surgically resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in the neo-adjuvant and adjuvant settings. It investigates the GVAX pancreatic cancer vaccine with immune-boosting cyclophosphamide, exploring immune cell trafficking and the impact of PD-1 blocking. NCT02648282 focuses on the efficacy and safety of combining cyclophosphamide, pembrolizumab, GVAX, and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer, with an emphasis on anti-tumor activity. Both studies provide valuable insights into innovative pancreatic cancer treatment approaches.

  Study phs003600

• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

  Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a neurological disorder of aging that is characterized by enlarged cerebral ventricles, gait difficulty, incontinence and dementia. It is a common disorder that occurs almost exclusively after the age of 60. About 1.3% of patients over the age of 65 and 9-14% of nursing home residents are thought to have iNPH. Unfortunately, more than 90% of these patients remain misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, in part because the symptoms of iNPH resemble the symptoms of other neurodegenerative diseases, and in part because many health care practitioners are unfamiliar with this disorder. The etiology of iNPH is not known. Scattered reports of familial cases of iNPH suggest a genetic origin, but the genes involved are unknown. To investigate this matter, we have used exome sequencing to look for genetic factors associated with iNPH. We find recurrent heterozygous mutations in 10 genes, nearly all of which show increased expression in the ciliated ventricular epithelium and/or choroid plexus. Many have previously been associated with the function of cilia. 

  Study phs002296

• Loss of SDHB promotes dysregulated iron homeostasis, oxidative stress and sensitivity to ascorbate

  Succinate dehydrogenase is a key enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport chain. All four subunits of succinate dehydrogenase are tumor suppressor genes predisposing to paraganglioma, but only mutations in the SDHB subunit are associated with increased risk of metastasis. Here we generated an Sdhd knockout chromaffin cell line and compared it to Sdhb-deficient cells. Both cell types exhibited similar SDH loss of function, metabolic adaptation, and succinate accumulation. In contrast, Sdhb-/- cells showed hallmarks of mesenchymal transition associated with increased DNA hypermethylation and a stronger pseudo-hypoxic phenotype compared to Sdhd-/- cells. Loss of SDHB specifically led to increased oxidative stress associated with dysregulated iron and copper homeostasis in the absence of NRF2 activation. High-dose ascorbate exacerbated the increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, leading to cell death in Sdhb-/- cells. These data establish a mechanism linking oxidative stress to iron homeostasis that specifically occurs in SDHB deficient cells and may promote metastasis. They also highlight high-dose ascorbate as a promising therapeutic strategy for SDHB-related cancers.

  Study EGAS00001005279

• CALGB 40601: Randomized Phase III Trial of Paclitaxel Combined With Trastuzumab, Lapatinib, or Both As Neoadjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Primary Breast Cancer

  This randomized phase III trial studies paclitaxel and trastuzumab with or without lapatinib to see how well they work in treating patients with stage II or stage III breast cancer that can be removed by surgery. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Lapatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving paclitaxel with trastuzumab and/or lapatinib before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. It is not yet known which regimen is more effective in treating patients with breast cancer.

  Study phs001570

• Circulating, Cell-Free DNA Methylation Patterns Indicate Cellular Sources of Allograft Injury after Liver Transplant

  Post-transplant complications reduce allograft and recipient survival. Current approaches for detecting allograft injury non-invasively are limited and do not differentiate between cellular mechanisms. Here, we monitor cellular damages after liver transplants from cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments released from dying cells into the circulation. We analyzed longitudinal blood samples collected from patients at different time points after transplant. Sequence-based methylation of cfDNA fragments were mapped to an atlas of cell-type-specific DNA methylation patterns derived from 476 methylomes of purified cells. For liver cell types, DNA methylation patterns and multi-omic data integration show distinct enrichment in open chromatin and regulatory regions functionally important for the respective cell types. We find that multi-tissue cellular damage post-transplant recovers in patients without allograft injury during the first post-operative week. However, sustained elevation of hepatocyte and biliary epithelial cfDNA within the first month indicates early-onset allograft injury. Further, cfDNA composition differentiates amongst causes of allograft injury indicating the potential for non-invasive monitoring and timely intervention.

  Study phs003610

• Whole Genome Sequencing Consortium on Frontotemporal Dementia With Underlying TDP-43 Pathology

  Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is one of the leading causes of dementia in individuals younger than 65 years. The FTLD symptoms of most patients are not yet explained by mutations in the known FTLD genes (C9orf72, GRN, MAPT). Identifying genetic risk associated with the disease is key for developing disease models and new therapeutic avenues. We performed short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on 19 neuropathologically normal individuals and 560 patients with FTLD, including 171 pathologically confirmed FTLD patients, 352 clinically diagnosed FTLD patients, and 37 autosomal dominant FTLD patients. Pathologically confirmed FTLD patients include FTLD with TDP43 inclusions (FTLD-TDP) and FTLD with FUS inclusions (FTLD-FUS), autosomal dominant FTLD patients include GRN (FTLD-TDP GRN) and C9ORF72 (FTLD-TDP C9ORF72) mutation carriers, clinically diagnosed patients include behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), frontotemporal dementia with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS), frontotemporal dementia with corticobasal syndrome (FTD-CBS), semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), and non-fluent variant of primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA).

  Study phs003309

• Fetal Genomics Consortium (FGC)

  Many of the congenital anomalies and associated genomic variants identified during prenatal care are rare, requiring aggregation and harmonization to assure their appropriate clinical interpretation and to support the expanding utility of genomics in perinatal medicine. The primary step in accomplishing this is the creation of interoperability allowing collection, collaborative storage, dissemination and use of harmonized and vetted genomic and phenotypic data. The overall goal of this project is to generate a prenatal repository for both clinical care and research ensuring data are Findable; Accessible; Interoperable; and Reusable. The specific goals are: (1) collect and organize data contributions from multiple sites using the cloud-based Terra platform; (2) establish a governance structure for data contributions across sites; (3) develop and implement a pipeline for phenotype driven analysis and implementation of fetal specific Phenopackets on Terra; (4) generate a searchable callset of genomic variants and phenotype features on Terra; and (5) explore methods for facilitating broad access and sharing of longitudinal phenotype and genomic data facilitating genomic analysis in the prenatal space.

  Study phs003193

• dbGaP Collection: NIH Autism -omics Studies

  Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are early onset neurodevelopmental syndromes characterized by impairments in reciprocal social interaction and communication, accompanied by restricted and repetitive behaviors. ASDs afflict ~1% of the human population, and represent a major public health burden. Evidence for the etiology of ASD has consistently pointed to a strong genetic component, though the genetic architecture is indisputably complex. This dbGaP Collection consists of studies that include GWAS, sequencing (targeted, exome, whole genome), transcriptomics, etc, across many different cohorts. Many of the datasets have been curated and harmonized with NDAR prior to submission to dbGaP. Researchers who request and are approved to access this collection will be granted access to all related substudies in dbGaP as well as all NDAR data. Individual level genomics data will only be available for download through dbGaP along with minimal phenotype and pedigree information. Detailed phenotype and available imaging data related to these same research subjects are available for query and download within NDAR. The NDAR GUID will allow individual genomic data to be associated with all NDAR data collected for those subjects.

  Study phs000764

• Aberrant Oligoclonal Hematopoiesis in Remission AML and Relapse from Rare Cells Genomically Resembling Leukemic Blasts

  Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy that often responds well to initial treatment in which patients achieve a complete remission (CR). Nevertheless, most patients will relapse after achieving a CR, which is often fatal. This minimal residual disease (MRD) that remains after CR is likely the source of relapse and so improved measurement and characterization of these residual cells is critical. Employing droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), we were able to measure mutated alleles of many recurrently mutated genes in bone marrow samples acquired during CR from AML patients at levels as low as 0.002% variant allele frequency. Most of these gene mutations persisted in CR but at very variable and gene-dependent levels. Most AML cases involved residual aberrant oligoclonal hematopoiesis, and rare cell populations (as few as 1 in 15,000) were detected that were genomically similar to the AML blast populations at that dominated at diagnosis and were fully clonally represented at relapse. From a clinical perspective, the mutant allele frequency correlated closely with relapse-free and overall survival.

  Study phs001408

• Chromatin accessibility in stem cells unveils progressive transcriptional reprogramming in myelodysplastic syndrome

  Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) originate from hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) clones with acquired gene mutations/deletions. However, our knowledge on the epigenetic properties of MDS stem cells are limited. Here, we examined chromatin accessibility of MDS stem cells. Chromatin accessibility profiles of MDS stem cells represented the disease status better than progenitor cells and unveiled the process of stem cell reprograming during disease progression. Characterization of differentially accessible regions (DARs) revealed that MDS stem cells acquire progenitor-like chromatin accessibility with disease progression, resulting in imprecise stem-progenitor hierarchy. Profiling of transcriptional factor binding motifs at DARs revealed precocious inactivation and activation of HSC and myeloid transcriptional networks, respectively, in MDS stem cells. Increased chromatin accessibility at CEBP target sites well represented the myeloid reprograming of MDS stem cells and stratified MDS into distinct subgroups. Newly developed "Progenitor scores" based on chromatin accessibility well stratified the disease status and correlated with prognosis. These results highlight that the chromatin properties of MDS stem cells define the cell-autonomous behavior of MDS and disease progression.

  Study JGAS000718

• Single Cell RNA-Sequencing of BCG Naive and Recurrent Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Reveals a CD6/ALCAM-Mediated Immune-Suppressive Pathway

  Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents 70–80% patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) remains a cornerstone treatment for intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC to prevent disease recurrence and progression. However, a significant number of patients experience recurrence after their first course of BCG, posing significant challenges in the management of the disease. We conducted single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) on freshly collected NMIBC samples, distinguishing between those naive to BCG treatment and those that recurred post-BCG treatment. We observed a clear activation of inflammatory pathways across cell types during recurrence, but these were not associated with canonical immune checkpoint or T cell exhaustion phenotypes. Analysis of cell-to-cell communication revealed enhanced interactions between T cells and urothelial cells in BCG-recurrence, predominantly modulated by CD6 and activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM). Furthermore, we found CD6hi T cells to be immunosuppressed and enriched in recurrent samples, suggesting a potential role for CD6 as an immune evasion signal in NMIBC.

  Study phs003742

• Health Information National Trends Survey-SEER (HINTS-SEER)

  HINTS-SEER is a cross-sectional survey that sampled cancer survivors from three different SEER cancer registries. Sampling frames of survivors from each registry were stratified by time since diagnosis and race/ethnicity, with non-malignant tumors and non-melanoma skin cancers excluded. Respondents who consented completed a self-administered questionnaire sent through the mail and resulted in a total sample of 1,234 respondents. The goal of HINTS-SEER was to better understand the communication needs and practices, information preferences, risk behaviors and cancer knowledge of cancer survivors using a modified version of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) specifically designed for cancers survivors. Demographic information on the survivors showed that over 60% of the sample was 10 or more years since diagnosis with the most common cancers being male reproductive (24.6%), female breast (23%) and melanoma (9.6%) and gastrointestinal (8.6%). De-identified data is available in SAS, SPSS, and STATA formats, as part of a data package that also includes a history document, methodology report, data analysis recommendations, and a codebook.

  Study phs004065

• Identification and phenotypic characterization of neoantigen-specific cytotoxic CD4+ T cells in endometrial cancer

  Tumor-reactive CD4+ T cells often accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in human cancer, but their functions and roles in anti-tumor responses remain elusive. Here, we investigated the immunopeptidome of HLA class II (HLA-II)-positive endometrial cancer with inflamed TME using a proteogenomic approach. We identified HLA-II neoantigens, one of which induced polyclonal CD4+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) responses. We experimentally demonstrate that neoantigen-specific CD4+ TILs lyse target cells in an HLA-II-dependent manner. Single cell analysis of the TME coupled with T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing revealed the presence of CD4+ T cell clusters characterized by CXCL13 expression. The CXCL13+ clusters contained two subclusters with distinct cytotoxic gene expression patterns. The identified neoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells were found exclusively in one of the CXCL13-positive subclusters characterized by GZMB and CCL5 expression. These results demonstrate the involvement of tumor reactive CD4+ T cells with cytotoxic function in immune surveillance of endometrial cancer and reveal their transcriptomic signature.

  Study JGAS000766

• Response​ to Tagraxofusp in Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm

  Tagraxofusp is a CD123-targeted therapy comprised of a recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) fused to a truncated diphtheria toxin (DT) payload. It is the first approved treatment specifically for patients with Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN). In order to identify biomarkers of response, bone marrow samples from 12 BPDCN patients who were treated with tagraxofusp in the pivotal phase II trial (NCT02113982) were profiled longitudinally using gene panel and/or single-cell RNA sequencing. Durable responders had either wildtype or missense TET2 mutations while transient and non-responders had at least one truncating TET2 mutation. Those who had progression at any one point during the treatment course (transient responders) and non-responders had enrichment of the chemokines CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5. Residual tumor cells following tagraxofusp treatment were identified in all patients, whose resistance may be due to their lower levels of TXNRD1 possibly preventing the potentiation of tagraxofusp. Thus, response to tagraxofusp may be related to culmination of intrinsic TET2 mutations, levels of TXNRD1, and extrinsic effects of chemokines within bone marrow.

  Study phs003895

• Single-Cell Multiomics of the Immune Microenvironment in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  We present single-cell transcriptome and surface protein expression (CITE-seq) data from four healthy donors and fifteen pediatric T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients at diagnosis and at different treatment timepoints (days 1 – 6 and at time of remission). Mononuclear cells from peripheral blood (PB; longitudinal) or bone marrow (BM; diagnosis only) were isolated and CD45high immune cells and CD45dimCD7+ malignant cells were sorted and subsequently pooled to enrich for immune cells. For comparison,CD45high immune cells from four healthy donors were also sorted. Single-cell sequencing of the transcriptome and surface protein expression (204 antibodies) was performed using the 10x Genomics platform.Multiomics analyses resulted in the identification of a T-ALL subgroup characterized by a remodeled immune microenvironment at initial diagnosis. This immune landscape is dominated by the presence of non-malignant CD4-CD8-TCRab T cells that interact with CXCL16 expressing non-classical monocytes. Leukemia cell intrinsic transcriptional rewiring in these patients is associated with activation of Rap1 signaling.

  Study phs004269

• Genomic Copy-Number Variants Drive Apoptotic Resistance and Relapses on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

  We investigated the genomic mechanisms underlying acquired resistance (AR) to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) across tumor types, specifically by examining how copy number variant (CNV)-driven subclonal evolution contributes to clinical relapses in melanoma patients. We analyzed longitudinal clinical melanoma samples from patients who experienced relapses on ICI therapy, complemented by isogenic human melanoma cell line models (M486) and murine melanoma tumor systems. Single-cell whole-genome sequencing (scWGS) was employed to resolve subclonal CNV patterns in AR tumors. The scWGS data revealed that AR-dominant subclones systematically deleted pro-apoptotic genes while amplifying anti-apoptotic genes and innate resistance pathway components. Notably, shared and private AR subclonal CNVs preexisted selective pressure, with convergent evolution targeting apoptosis-regulatory pathways and resulting in downregulated apoptotic/mitochondrial priming that enables ICI resistance. scWGS datasets from isogenic human melanoma cell lines, patient-matched tumor samples, and murine melanoma models will be made available through dbGaP, enabling researchers to access high-resolution subclonal CNV profiles that define the genomic landscape of acquired ICI resistance evolution.

  Study phs004102

• Non-invasive human skin transcriptome analysis using mRNA in skin surface lipids

  Non-invasive acquisition of mRNA data from the skin can be extremely useful for understanding skin physiology and diseases. Inspired by the holocrine process, in which the sebaceous glands secrete cell contents into the sebum, we focused on the possible presence of mRNAs in skin surface lipids (SSLs). We found that measurable levels of human mRNAs exist in SSLs, where the sebum protects them from degradation by RNases. The AmpliSeq transcriptome analysis was modified to measure SSL-RNA levels, and our results revealed that the SSL-RNAs predominantly comprised mRNAs derived from sebaceous glands, the epidermis, and hair follicles. Analysis of SSL-RNAs non-invasively collected from patients with atopic dermatitis revealed significantly increased expression of inflammation-related genes and decreased expression of terminal-differentiation���related genes, consistent with the results of previous reports. Further, we found that lipid-synthesis���related genes were downregulated in the sebaceous glands of patients with atopic dermatitis. These results indicate that the analysis of SSL-RNAs is a promising strategy to understand the pathophysiology of skin diseases.

  Study JGAS000416

• Ten colorectal cancer patients with locally advanced primary tumors who underwent primary tumor resection following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

  Background We aim to investigate the utility of serial gene mutation tracking for locally advanced CRC in those who underwent curative resection following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods We prospectively collected 10 locally advanced CRC cases for which curative resection was performed following preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Tissues from the primary tumour, distant metastatic tumours, and blood plasma were obtained during serial treatment. Comprehensive mutation analysis of 47 cancer-associated genes was performed using a pre-designed gene panel and next-generation sequencing. Results All cases showed a partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pathological R0 resection was accomplished. In primary tumours, non-synonymous mutations were detected at between 1 and 14 sites before chemotherapy and at between 1 and 2 sites after. Founder mutations were precisely detected in blood plasma and metastatic tumours during longitudinal treatment. Conclusions Serial mutational analysis indicated that subclonal selection occurs during chemotherapy and that plasma can substitute for tumourous tissue in mutational analysis for drug selection and treatment decisions.

  Study JGAS000222

• Identification and Characterization of Cancer Mutations in Japanese LungAdenocarcinoma without Sequencing of Normal Tissue Counterparts

  We analyzed whole-exome sequencing data from 97 Japanese lung adenocarcinomapatients and identified several putative cancer-related genes and pathways. Particularly, we observed that cancer-related mutation patterns were significantly different between different ethnic groups. As previously reported, mutations in the EGFR gene were characteristic to Japanese, while those in the KRAS gene were more frequent in Caucasians. Furthermore, during the course of this analysis, we found that cancer-specific somatic mutations can be detected without sequencing normal tissue counterparts. 64% of the germline variants could be excluded using a total of 217 external Japanese exome datasets. We also show that a similar approach may beused for other three ethnic groups, although the discriminative power depends on the ethnic group. We demonstrate that the ATM gene and the PAPPA2 gene could be identified as cancer prognosis related genes. By bypassing the sequencing of normaltissue counterparts, this approach provides a useful means of not only reducing the time and cost of sequencing but also analyzing archive samples, for which normal tissue counterparts are not available.

  Study JGAS000001

• Non-invasive human skin transcriptome analysis using mRNA in skin surface lipids

  Non-invasive acquisition of mRNA data from the skin can be extremely useful for understanding skin physiology and diseases. Inspired by the holocrine process, in which the sebaceous glands secrete cell contents into the sebum, we focused on the possible presence of mRNAs in skin surface lipids (SSLs). We found that measurable levels of human mRNAs exist in SSLs, where the sebum protects them from degradation by RNases. The AmpliSeq transcriptome analysis was modified to measure SSL-RNA levels, and our results revealed that the SSL-RNAs predominantly comprised mRNAs derived from sebaceous glands, the epidermis, and hair follicles. Analysis of SSL-RNAs non-invasively collected from patients with atopic dermatitis revealed significantly increased expression of inflammation-related genes and decreased expression of terminal-differentiation���related genes, consistent with the results of previous reports. Further, we found that lipid-synthesis���related genes were downregulated in the sebaceous glands of patients with atopic dermatitis. These results indicate that the analysis of SSL-RNAs is a promising strategy to understand the pathophysiology of skin diseases.

  Study JGAS000418

• Immuno-genomic Profiling of Biopsy Specimens Predicts Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressive cancers and is primarily treated with platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Some ESCCs respond well to NAC. However, biomarkers to predict NAC sensitivity and their response mechanism in ESCC remain unclear. We introduce a model by machine learning and validated its potential to predict the NAC response in ESCC. To create this model, we performed whole genome sequencing and RNA-seq analysis on totally 141 ESCC biopsy specimens before NAC treatment and analyzed their immuno-genomic features and association with NAC response. Neutrophils infiltration could play an important role in ESCC response to NAC. We also demonstrated that specific copy number alterations and copy number signatures in the ESCC genome were significantly associated with NAC response. The interactions between the tumor genome and immune features of ESCC are likely to be a new indicator of therapeutic capability and a new therapeutic target for ESCC, and machine learning prediction for NAC response is useful.

  Study JGAS000535

• Non-invasive human skin transcriptome analysis using mRNA in skin surface lipids

  Non-invasive acquisition of mRNA data from the skin can be extremely useful for understanding skin physiology and diseases. Inspired by the holocrine process, in which the sebaceous glands secrete cell contents into the sebum, we focused on the possible presence of mRNAs in skin surface lipids (SSLs). We found that measurable levels of human mRNAs exist in SSLs, where the sebum protects them from degradation by RNases. The AmpliSeq transcriptome analysis was modified to measure SSL-RNA levels, and our results revealed that the SSL-RNAs predominantly comprised mRNAs derived from sebaceous glands, the epidermis, and hair follicles. Analysis of SSL-RNAs non-invasively collected from patients with atopic dermatitis revealed significantly increased expression of inflammation-related genes and decreased expression of terminal-differentiation���related genes, consistent with the results of previous reports. Further, we found that lipid-synthesis���related genes were downregulated in the sebaceous glands of patients with atopic dermatitis. These results indicate that the analysis of SSL-RNAs is a promising strategy to understand the pathophysiology of skin diseases.

  Study JGAS000417

• Fragmentomics Uncover Non-Mutational HRD Features

  Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is a key biomarker in prostate cancer (PCa), predicting response to PARP inhibitors and platinum-based therapies. However, current diagnostics often rely solely on BRCA1/2 mutations or genomic scars, missing cases driven by other mechanisms. Tissue-based testing is further limited by tumor heterogeneity and biopsy challenges in metastatic bone disease. Here, we applied a comprehensive multimodal approach to assess HRD in 106 advanced PCa patients using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). This included targeted sequencing of homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes, low-pass WGS for genomic instability (sHRD), WES for mutational signatures, and cfDNA fragmentomics and chromatin accessibility profiling. BRCA2 was the most frequently altered gene, often co-occurring with PTEN loss. High sHRD scores correlated with BRCA2/RB1 loss, somatic copy number alterations, and poor survival. HRD tumors showed enrichment of SBS3/ID6 signatures, altered fragment lengths, and reduced accessibility at zinc finger transcription factor sites. These results support ctDNA-based multimodal profiling as a non-invasive strategy for HRD detection and stratification.

  Study EGAS00001008190

• TGF-β signaling mediates microglial resilience to spatiotemporally restricted myelin degeneration

  Microglia survey and regulate central nervous system myelination during embryonic development and adult homeostasis. However, whether microglia-myelin interactions are spatiotemporally regulated remains unexplored. By examining spinal cord white matter tracts, we found that myelin degeneration was particularly prominent in the dorsal column (DC) during normal aging. This was accompanied by molecular and functional changes in DC microglia as well as an upregulation of TGF-β signaling. Disrupting TGF-β signaling in microglia led to unchecked microglial responses and myelin loss in the DC, accompanied by neurological deficits exacerbated with aging. snRNA-seq revealed the emergence of a TGF-β signaling-sensitive microglial subset and a disease-associated oligodendrocyte subset, both spatially restricted to the DC. We further discovered that microglia rely on a TGFβ autocrine mechanism to prevent damage of myelin in the DC. These findings demonstrate that TGF-β signaling is indispensable for maintaining microglial resilience to myelin degeneration in the DC during the aging process. This highlights a previously unresolved checkpoint mechanism of TGF-β signaling with regional specificity and spatially restricted microglia-oligodendrocyte interactions.

  Study EGAS50000001413

• Advancing fast in the analysis of circulating tumour DNA

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

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

• Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing data from five lines of human iPSC-derived (hiPSC-derived) astrocytes (3 in-house and 2 commercial lines), both alone and in co-culture with neurons, to define the molecular response of astrocytes to misfolded alpha-synuclein

  RNA editing is a post transcriptional mechanism that targets changes in RNA transcripts to modulate innate immune responses. We report the role of astrocyte specific, ADAR1 mediated RNA editing in neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease. We generated hiPSC-derived astrocytes, neurons and co-cultures and exposed them to small soluble alpha-synuclein aggregates. Oligomeric alpha-synuclein triggered an inflammatory glial state associated with TLR activation, viral responses, and cytokine secretion. This reactive state resulted in loss of neurosupportive functions, and the induction of neuronal toxicity. Notably, interferon response pathways were activated leading to upregulation, and isoform switching of the RNA deaminase enzyme, ADAR1. ADAR1 mediates A-to-I RNA editing, and increases in RNA editing were observed in inflammatory pathways in cells, as well as in post-mortem human PD brain. Aberrant, or dysregulated, ADAR1 responses and RNA editing may lead to sustained inflammatory reactive states in astrocytes triggered by alpha-synuclein aggregation, and this may drive the neuroinflammatory cascade in Parkinson’s.

  Study EGAS50000000751

• Mutant KIT as imatinib-sensitive target in metastatic sinonasal carcinoma (H021)

  Sinonasal carcinomas (SNCs) comprise various rare tumor types that are characterized by marked histologic diversity and largely unknown molecular profiles, yet share an overall poor prognosis owing to an aggressive clinical course and frequent late-stage diagnosis. The lack of effective systemic therapies for locally advanced or metastatic SNC poses a major challenge to therapeutic decision making for individual patients. Here, we used whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing to identify a KIT exon 11 mutation (c.1733_1735del, p.578_579del) as actionable target in a patient with metastatic SNC whose tumor, despite all diagnostic efforts, could not be assigned to any known SNC category and was refractory to multimodal therapy. Molecularly guided treatment with imatinib resulted in a dramatic and durable response with remission of nearly all tumor manifestations, indicating a dominant driver function of mutant KIT in this tumor. This observation highlights the potential of unbiased genomic profiling for uncovering the vulnerabilities of individual malignancies, particularly in rare and unclassifiable tumors, and underscores that KIT exon 11 mutations represent tractable therapeutic targets across different histologies.H021

  Study EGAS00001001845

• Whole Genome Sequencing of Gingivo-buccal Cancer: ICGC-India Project_YR03

  As 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. Whole genome sequencing of paired DNA samples – isolated from the tumor tissue and from the blood of twenty five patients – have been performed to catalog germline and somatic mutations. Association between each observed genomic alteration and exposure to environmental risk factors is being explored. Detailed clinical characterization of the patients, collection of data on demographic and environmental exposures, and isolation of DNA samples from blood and tumor tissues collected from each patient are being done at the Advanced Centre for Research, Treatment and Education on Cancer, Mumbai. Whole genome sequencing is being performed at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani. We have completed whole genome sequencing of paired blood and tumor DNA samples using Illumina HiSeq-2000 and 2500.

  Study EGAS00001001901

• Genomic Analyses Identify Recurrent MEF2D Fusions in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  Chromosomal rearrangements are initiating events in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here, using RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) of 560 ALL cases, we identify rearrangements between MEF2D (myocyte enhancer factor 2D) and five genes (BCL9, CSF1R, DAZAP1, HNRNPUL1 and SS18) in 22 B progenitor ALL (B-ALL) cases with a distinct gene expression profile, the most common of which is MEF2D-BCL9. Examination of an extended cohort of 1164 B-ALL cases identified 30 cases with MEF2D rearrangements which include an additional fusion partner, FOXJ2, thus MEF2D-rearranged cases comprise 5.3% of cases lacking recurring alterations. MEF2D-rearranged ALL is characterized by a distinct immunophenotype, DNA copy number alterations at the rearrangement sites, older diagnosis age, and poor outcome. The rearrangements result in enhanced MEF2D transcriptional activity, lymphoid transformation, activation of HDAC9 expression and sensitive to histone deacetylase inhibitors treatment. Thus, MEF2D-rearranged ALL represents a distinct form of high-risk leukemia, for which new therapeutic approaches should be considered.

  Study EGAS00001001952

• Somatic pathogenic variants in the normal mammary gland of sporadic breast cancer patients.

  The mammary gland undergoes hormonally stimulated cycles of proliferation, lactation and involution. We hypothesized that these factors increase the mutational burden in glandular tissue and may explain high cancer incidence rate in the general population and recurrent disease. Hence, we investigated the DNA sequence variants in the normal mammary gland, tumor and peripheral blood from 52 reportedly sporadic breast cancer patients, including breast-conserving surgery cases. Targeted resequencing of 542 cancer associated genes revealed mosaic somatic pathogenic variants of: PIK3CA, TP53, AKT1, MAP3K1, CDH1, RB1, NCOR1, MED12, CBFB, TBX3 and TSHR in the normal mammary gland, at considerable allelic frequencies (9x10-2 to 5.2x10-1) indicating clonal expansion. Further evaluation of the frequently damaged PIK3CA and TP53 genes by ultra-sensitive duplex sequencing demonstrated a diversified picture of multiple low level-mosaic (in 10-2 to 10-4 alleles) hotspot pathogenic variants. Our results raise a question about the oncogenic potential in non-tumor mammary gland tissue of breast-conserving surgery patients.

  Study EGAS00001005698

• Gene expression adaptation of metastases to their host tissue

  The adaptation of metastatic cells to their host tissue critically determines the pathogenicity of a cancer and therefore patient survival. Yet, it remains elusive to what extent the host environment drives gene expression programs in metastatic cells. Here we identify adaptive mechanisms that enable metastases to establish themselves in a novel tissue context. We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing on malignant and benign tissue samples from untreated donors with colorectal adenocarcinoma and liver metastasis to deduce tissue adaptive expression patterns. A novel computational approach identified genes and pathways that consistently adapted to the host tissue at the transition from the primary tumor to the paired metastasis across donors. This analysis revealed that the majority of expression changes in the metastasis reflect an expression signature reminiscent of benign liver epithelial cells. Cellular processes adapting to the liver environment include basic cellular functions such as energy metabolism, as well as tissue-specific pathways such as the regulation of lipid metabolism by PPAR-α. These adaptations potentially increase the pathogenicity of the metastatic cells and may provide new therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS50000000817

• Comprehensive analyses of somatic TP53 mutation in tumors with variable mutant allele frequency

  Somatic mutation of the tumor suppressor gene TP53 is reported in at least 50% of human malignancies. Most high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSC) have a mutant TP53 allele. Accurate detection of these mutants in heterogeneous tumor tissue is paramount as therapies emerge to target mutant p53. We used a Fluidigm Access Array™ System with Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) to analyze DNA extracted from 76 serous ovarian tumors. This dataset has been made available to researchers through the European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA). Herein, we present detailed analyses of this dataset using HaplotypeCaller and MuTect2 through the Broad Institute’s Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK). We also present comparisons of the ability to detect TP53 mutation by MPS and Sanger sequencing in these tumors. We anticipate that this TP53 mutation dataset will be useful to researchers developing and testing new software to accurately determine high and low frequency variant alleles in heterogeneous aneuploid tumor tissue. Further, the analysis pipeline we present provides a valuable framework for determining somatic variants more broadly in tumor tissue.

  Study EGAS00001002200

• ABO: a 3D stroma-supported culture platform enabling full human B lymphopoiesis for disease modeling and gene therapy development

  Defective B-cell development underlies a large proportion of inborn errors of immunity, but progress in understanding disease mechanisms and of developing therapies has been limited by inadequate human in vitro models. Here, we establish a 3D aggregate culture platform composed of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and mouse bone marrow stromal cells as an assay for efficient B-cell output (the ABO platform). ABOs supported progression through pro-B, pre-B, immature, and transitional B-cell stages, with a transcriptional profile and B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoire diversity closely resembling human bone marrow B-cell ontogeny. ABO-derived B cells exhibited functional signaling and differentiated into class-switched memory and antibody-secreting B cells following CD40-mediated stimulation. The ABO platform reproduced the arrest in B-cell development observed in RAG1-SCID patient–derived HSPCs, which was corrected by lentiviral RAG1 gene therapy. Thus, ABOs provide a clinically relevant platform for modeling B-cell immunodeficiencies and evaluating therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS50000001693

• HIV-phyloTSI: Subtype-independent estimation of time since HIV-1 infection for cross-sectional measures of population incidence using deep sequence data

  Estimating the time since HIV infection (TSI) at population level is essential for tracking changes in the global HIV epidemic. Most methods for determining TSI give a binary classification of infections as recent or non-recent within a window of several months, and cannot assess the cumulative impact of an intervention. We developed a Random Forest Regression model, HIV-phyloTSI, which combines measures of within-host diversity and divergence to generate continuous TSI estimates directly from viral deep-sequencing data, with no need for additional variables. HIV-phyloTSI provides a continuous measure of TSI up to 9 years, with a mean absolute error of less than 12 months overall and less than 5 months for infections with a TSI of up to a year. It performs equally well for all major HIV subtypes based on data from African and European cohorts. We demonstrate how HIV-phyloTSI can be used for incidence estimates on a population level.

  Study EGAS50000000895

• Human liver cholangiocyte organoids capture the heterogeneity of in vivo human liver ductal epithelium

  Human liver ductal epithelium is morphologically, functionally and transcriptionally heterogeneous. However, understanding the dynamics within human biliary/ductal epithelium has been hampered by the absence of an in vitro system that fully mimics its complex cellular heterogeneity. Here, we found that the human liver cholangiocyte (ductal-cell) organoids we previously published (Huch et al., 2015) are fairly homogenous and do not retain the cellular heterogeneity of the in vivo human biliary/ductal epithelium. Inspired by the knowledge of the in vivo niche, we refined our previous organoid culture medium to fully capture the cellular heterogeneity of the human ductal epithelium. We employed this refined system to analyse the interactions and relationships between the different human biliary epithelial cell states and discovered that acquiring a bipotent ductal cell state is necessary for differentiating the human ductal epithelium into functional hepatocyte-like cells. Our improved cholangiocyte organoid model represents a new platform to investigate cell plasticity and duct-to-hepatocyte differentiation in human liver.

  Study EGAS50000001000

• Relation between transcriptome, karyotype and age in cases of sex chromosome aneuploidies.

  Why women live longer than men is still an open question in human biology. Sex chromosomes have been proposed to play a role in the observed sex gap in longevity, and the Y male chromosome has been suspected of having a potential toxic genomic impact on male longevity. It has been hypothesized that transposable element (TE) repression declines with age, potentially leading to detrimental effects such as somatic mutations and disrupted gene expression, which may accelerate the aging process. Given that the Y chromosome is rich in repeats, age-related increases in TE expression could be more pronounced in males, likely contributing to their reduced longevity compared to females. In this work, we first studied whether TE expression is associated with the number of sex chromosomes in humans. We analyzed blood transcriptomic data obtained from individuals of different karyotype compositions: 46,XX females (normal female karyotype), 46,XY males (normal male karyotype), as well as males with abnormal karyotypes, such as 47,XXY, and 47,XYY.

  Study EGAS50000001009

• Dynamics of Tumor Heterogeneity from Primary to Metastatic Dissemination in Prostate Cancer

  PRO-SPeCT: PROstate cancer heterogeneity deconvolution through Single cell Profiling of Chromatin accessibility and Transcriptomic output Identifying drivers of cancer progression to guide treatment selection is hindered by limited abilities to understand tumor heterogeneity’s impact on evolution. Here, we delineated the phenotypic variability across ~300,000 prostate tumor cells collected from multiple loci in primary and matched locoregional metastases. We found inter-patient heterogeneity to be confined to malignant populations. While malignant cell populations exhibit intra-locus heterogeneity, they maintain inter-loci phenotypic similarity within a patient’s prostate gland. In addition, the intra-locus heterogeneity between malignant cell populations is paired with a common clonal architecture. Lastly, we show that malignant cell populations disseminating to locoregional lymph nodes mirror the clonal architecture and phenotypic heterogeneity observed across primary tumor loci while showcasing cell state transition toward inflammatory phenotypes. These findings provide insights into distinct measures of tumor heterogeneity, revealing diverse evolutionary paths across patients converging to common phenotypic adaptations in early prostate cancer progression.

  Study EGAS50000000524

• Human Dicer is required for cell-intrinsic immunity to self-dsRNA

  Self-derived double-stranded RNAs (self-dsRNAs) can activate cell-intrinsic innate immune responses and contribute to autoinflammation. We uncover an essential role for human Dicer in innate immune responses to self-dsRNA. Loss of Dicer disrupts RIG-I-like receptor-dependent type I interferon (IFN-I) induction and activation of both the PKR and OAS1-3/RNAse L pathway in conditions where self-dsRNA accumulates, such as cells lacking ADAR1, PNPase, hnRNPC, or MPP8. In contrast, Dicer does not affect the IFN-I response triggered by exogenous dsRNA. Dicer interacts with LGP2, G3BP1, and Staufen1 and loss of these proteins similarly impairs IFN-I induction by self-dsRNAs. Depletion of Dicer and G3BP1 reduces the accumulation of immunostimulatory self-dsRNAs, while depletion of Dicer and Staufen1 prevents MDA5 oligomerization. We conclude that Dicer regulates self-dsRNA availability and sensing, aided by G3BP1 and Staufen1, respectively. Our findings highlight a non-canonical role for Dicer in innate immune activation by self-dsRNA and pinpoint new drug targets in autoinflammatory disorders.

  Study EGAS50000001409

• Sequencing of an organoid biobank for childhood kidney cancers that captures disease and tissue heterogeneity.

  Kidney tumors are among the most common solid tumors in children, comprising several distinct subtypes differing in many aspects, including cell-of-origin, genetics, and pathology. Pre-clinical cell models capturing the disease heterogeneity are currently lacking. Here, we describe the first pediatric cancer organoid biobank. It contains tumor and matching normal organoids from over 50 children with different subtypes of kidney cancer, including Wilms tumors, malignant rhabdoid tumors, renal cell carcinomas, and congenital mesoblastic nephromas. The malignant rhabdoid tumor organoids represent the first organoid model for tumors of non-epithelial origin. The tumor organoids retain key properties of native tumors, useful for revealing patient specific drug vulnerabilities. We further demonstrate that organoid cultures derived from Wilms tumors consist of multiple different cell types, including epithelial, stromal and blastemal-like. Our organoid biobank captures the cellular heterogeneity of pediatric kidney tumors, providing a representative collection of well-characterized models for basic cancer research, drug-screening, and personalized medicine.

  Study EGAS00001003853

• Shifted assembly and function of mSWI/SNF family subcomplexes underlie targetable dependencies in endometriod carcinomas

  The mammalian SWI/SNF (mSWI/SNF) family of chromatin remodelers govern cell type-specific chromatin accessibility and gene expression and assemble as three distinct complexes: canonical BAF (cBAF), Polybromo-associated BAF (PBAF), and non-canonical BAF (ncBAF). ARID1A and ARID1B are paralog subunits that specifically nucleate the assembly of cBAF complexes and are frequently dual deleted in highly aggressive differentiated endometrial carcinomas (DECs). Here, in cellular models and primary human tumors, we find that ARID1A/B-mediated cBAF loss results in increased ncBAF and PBAF biochemical abundance and function genome-wide to maintain the DEC oncogenic signature. Further, treatment of ARID1A/1B-mutant cell lines and PDX models in vivo with a clinical-grade SMARCA4/2 ATPase inhibitor, FHD-286, markedly attenuates cell proliferation and tumor growth, and synergizes with carboplatin-based chemotherapy. Taken together, these findings reveal the oncogenic contributions of shifted of mSWI/SNF family complex abundance and chromatin-level gene regulatory functions and suggest therapeutic utility of mSWI/SNF complex small molecule inhibitors in dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma and other cBAF-disrupted cancer types.

  Study EGAS50000001004

• CD8+ T-cell exhaustion induced by leukemic cells drives progression in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

  In order to shed light on mechanisms that lead to CLL progression, we investigated longitudinal changes in both the genetic and immunological landscapes. For that, we analyzed paired samples obtained from CLL patients at diagnosis and progression before front-line treatment or at diagnosis and long-term asymptomatic follow-up. By whole-exome sequencing (WES), we found that CLL cells displayed limited genetic evolution at progression. Conversely, T cells from progressing patients showed significant immunophenotypical and transcriptional changes over time not observed in patients that did not progress. Specifically, we found that CD8+ T cells at progression were characterized by an increasing terminally exhausted effector phenotype (T-betdim/- Eomeshi PD1hi) with high co-expression of inhibitory receptors (PD1, CD244 and CD160). This exhausted status in CD8+ T cells was induced by progressing leukemic cells mainly through a mechanism dependent on soluble factors, including IL-10. Thus, we demonstrate that immunological changes are of paramount importance for CLL clinical progression, thereby providing a rationale for the use of early immunotherapeutic intervention in this disease.

  Study EGAS00001004116

• SNP array files, IDAT files, from 34 members of a Family with a high prevalence of psychosis

  We investigated the genetic causes of major mental disorders (MMDs) including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder I, major depressive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder, in a large family pedigree from Alpujarras, South of Spain, a region with a high prevalence of psychotic disorders. We applied a systematic genomic approach based on karyotyping (N=4), genotyping by genome-wide SNP array (N=33), whole-exome sequencing (N=4), and whole-genome sequencing (N=12). We performed genome-wide linkage analysis, family-based association analysis, and polygenic risk score estimates. Significant linkage was obtained at chromosome 9 (9q33.1-33.2, LOD score= 4.11), a suggestive region that contains five candidate genes ASTN2, BRINP1, C5, TLR4, and TRIM32, previously associated to MMDs. Comprehensive analysis associated the MMD phenotype with genes of the immune system with dual brain functions. Moreover, the psychotic phenotype was enriched for genes involved in synapsis. These results should be considered once studying the genetics of psychiatric disorders in other families, especially the ones from the same region, since founder effects may be related to the high prevalence.

  Study EGAS00001004592

• Hofer et al., A specific subpopulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes resistance to chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer by upregulating G0S2 protein

  Chemotherapy is the standard of care for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but the mechanisms of chemoresistance remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the chemotherapy response of TNBC, by combining in vivo analyses of TNBC patients with ex vivo cancer modeling, using tumor-on-chip (ToC) technology. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the proportion of a specific CAF population, the extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts (ECM-myCAFs), is reduced after chemotherapy in chemo-sensitive, but not in chemo-resistant TNBC patients. In ToC devices, primary ECM-myCAFs promoted TNBC cell survival under Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel treatment. The mechanism of chemoresistance was elucidated by using single-cell RNA sequencing, advanced cell imaging and functional assays: ECM-myCAFs upregulate the G0/G1 switch 2 (G0S2) protein in TNBC cells, via activation of SRC family kinases. Altogether, our work identifies G0S2 as a new player in CAF mediated chemotherapy resistance in TNBC.

  Study EGAS50000000886

• Spatial transcriptomics analysis of triple negative breast cancers

  While triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known to be heterogeneous at the genomic and transcriptomic levels, spatial information on tumor organization and cell composition is still lacking. Here, we investigated TNBC tumor architecture including its microenvironment using spatial transcriptomics on a series of 92 patients. We performed an in-depth characterization of tumor and stroma organization and composition using an integrative approach combining histomorphological and spatial transcriptomics. Furthermore, a detailed molecular characterization of tertiary lymphoid structures led to identify a gene signature strongly associated to disease outcome and response to immunotherapy in several tumor types beyond TNBC. A stepwise clustering analysis identified nine TNBC ecotypes, further validated in external datasets. Several ecotypes were associated with disease outcome and characterized by potentially actionable features. In this work, we provideThis is the largest TNBC series providing a comprehensive insight into the complexity of TNBC ecosystem with potential clinical relevance, opening avenues for treatment tailoring including immunotherapy. All the processed data needed to replicate the results from the publication (counts, images, clinical data, etc) are available on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/14204217

  Study EGAS50000000475

• Lineage-specific genome architecture links disease variants to target genes

  Long-range interactions between DNA regulatory elements and their target genes play major roles in gene regulation. The vast majority of interactions are uncharted, constituting a major missing link in understanding genome control. Here we use promoter capture Hi-C to identify interacting regions of 31,253 promoters in 17 human primary haematopoietic cell types. We show that long-range promoter interactions are highly cell-type specific, preferentially linking active promoters and enhancers. Patterns of promoter interactions reflect cell lineage relationships of the hematopoietic tree, consistent with dynamic remodeling of nuclear architecture during differentiation. Interacting regions are enriched for expression quantitative trait loci with effects on their interacting target genes. We exploit this rich resource of interactome maps to connect non-coding disease variants to their target promoters, identifying thousands of new disease-candidate genes, and implicating a number of gene pathways in disease susceptibility. Our results demonstrate the power of promoter interactomes from primary cells to reveal insights into genomic regulatory mechanisms underlying common diseases.

  Study EGAS00001001911

• DERMATLAS__SG_basal_cell_adenoma_and_adenocarcinoma_WES

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

  Study EGAS00001007745

• Pancreatic islets PISA RNA-seq samples

  GWAS have identified more than 700 genetic signals associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). To gain insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms, we created the Translational human pancreatic Islet Genotype tissue-Expression Resource (TIGER), aggregating >500 human islet RNA-seq and genotyping datasets. We imputed genotypes using 4 reference panels and meta-analyzed cohorts to improve coverage of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and developed a method to combine allele-specific expression across samples (cASE). We identified >1 million islet eQTLs (56% novel), of which 53 colocalize with T2D signals (60% novel). Among them, a low-frequency allele that reduces T2D risk by half increases CCND2 expression. We identified 8 novel cASE colocalizations, among which an SLC30A8 T2D associated variant. We make all the data available through the open-access TIGER portal (http://tiger.bsc.es), which represents a comprehensive human islet genomic data resource to elucidate how genetic variation affects islet function and translate this into therapeutic insight and precision medicine for T2D.

  Study EGAS00001005535

• DERMATLAS__Hidradenoma_papilliferum_WES

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

  Study EGAS00001005714

• DERMATLAS__Porocarcinoma_WES

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

  Study EGAS00001005720

• DERMATLAS__Poroma_RNAseq

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

  Study EGAS00001005759

• Extensive three-dimensional intratumor proteomic heterogeneity revealed by multiregion sampling in high-grade serous ovarian tumor specimens

  Enriched tumor epithelium, tumor-associated stroma, and whole tissue were collected by laser microdissection from thin sections across spatially separated levels of ten high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs) and analyzed by mass spectrometry, reverse phase protein arrays, and RNA sequencing. Unsupervised analyses of protein abundance data revealed independent clustering of an enriched stroma and enriched tumor epithelium, with whole tumor tissue clustering driven by overall tumor “purity.” Comparing these data to previously defined prognostic HGSOC molecular subtypes revealed protein and transcript expression from tumor epithelium correlated with the differentiated subtype, whereas stromal proteins (and transcripts) correlated with the mesenchymal subtype. Protein and transcript abundance in the tumor epithelium and stroma exhibited decreased correlation in samples collected just hundreds of microns apart. These data reveal substantial tumor microenvironment protein heterogeneity that directly bears on prognostic signatures, biomarker discovery, and cancer pathophysiology and underscore the need to enrich cellular subpopulations for expression profiling. (Companion proteomic data is available in the ProteomeXchange Consortium, PRIDE: PXD026570).

  Study EGAS00001005786

• CD36 defines CML cells less sensitive to imatinib

  Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly effective for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but very few patients are cured. Major drawbacks with TKIs are their low efficacy in eradicating the leukemic stem cells responsible for disease maintenance and relapse upon TKI cessation. Here, we performed RNA-sequencing of flow-sorted primitive (CD34+CD38low) and progenitor (CD34+CD38+) chronic phase CML cells and identified transcriptional upregulation of 32 cell surface molecules relative to corresponding normal bone marrow cells. Focusing on novel markers with increased expression on primitive CML cells, we confirmed upregulation of the scavenger receptor CD36 and the leptin receptor (LEPR) by flow cytometry. We also delineate a subpopulation of primitive CML cells expressing CD36 that is less sensitive to imatinib treatment. Using CD36 targeting antibodies, we show that the CD36 positive cells can be targeted and killed by antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). In summary, CD36 defines a subpopulation of primitive CML cells with decreased imatinib sensitivity that can be effectively targeted by ADCC using an anti-CD36 antibody.

  Study EGAS00001002421

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

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

  Study EGAS00001005945

• Biallelic HMBS Inactivation Defines a Homogenous Clinico-Molecular Subtype of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), caused by heterozygous germline mutations of the heme synthesis pathway enzyme HMBS (hydroxymethylbilane synthase), confers high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Yet, the role of HMBS in liver tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here we explore HMBS alterations in a large series of 758 HCC. We identify recurrent bi-allelic HMBS inactivation, both in AIP patients acquiring a second somatic HMBS mutation and in sporadic HCC with two somatic hits. HMBS alterations are enriched in truncative mutations, in particular in splice regions, leading to abnormal transcript structures. Bi-allelic HMBS inactivation results in a massive accumulation of its toxic substrate porphobilinogen and synergizes with CTNNB1 activating mutations, leading to the development of well differentiated tumors with a transcriptomic signature of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway activation and a DNA methylation signature related to ageing. HMBS-inactivated HCC mostly affect females, in absence of fibrosis and classical HCC risk factors. These data identify HMBS as a tumor suppressor gene whose bi-allelic inactivation defines a homogenous clinical and molecular HCC subtype.

  Study EGAS00001005986

• TGF-β attenuates tumour response to PD-L1 blockade by contributing to exclusion of T cells.

  We examined tumours from a large cohort of patients with metastatic urothelial bladder cancer (mUC) treated with an anti–PD-L1 agent (atezolizumab) and identified major determinants of clinical response and immune escape. Whole transcriptome profiles were generated for 368 patients using TruSeq RNA Access technology (Illumina). Somatic mutations were determined via whole exome sequencing for a subset of these patients. - Response was associated with CD8+ T effector cell phenotype and, to an even greater extent, high neoantigen or tumour mutation burden (TMB). On the other hand, lack of response was associated with a transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signature, particularly in patients with CD8+ T cells preferentially residing in collagen-rich matrix surrounding tumours. Integration of these three independent biological features provided the best basis for understanding outcome in this setting. -

  Study EGAS00001002556

• Clonal hematopoiesis is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19

  Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is defined as the occurrence of an expanded proportion of mature blood cells derived from a mutant hematopoietic precursor without evidence of hematological malignancies. The principle behind this is that the somatic mutation confers a fitness advantage to the cell in which it arose. Different clinical consequences are linked with this expansion. Early evidence of an association with higher mortality risk was provided. This was not related to higher rates of cancer but was associated in particular with increased cardiovascular mortality. Mechanistically, inflammatory processes are not only related to the development of clonal hematopoiesis, but in turn it is also a driver of inflammation. Besides pulmonary symptoms, COVID-19 evokes complex extra-pulmonary manifestations driving the pathophysiology. Among them, both inflammatory and cardiac-associated mechanisms have been deciphered. With the aim of assessing the impact of clonal hematopoiesis on the pathophysiology of COVID-19, hospitalized patients with severe or critical course were evaluated for the presence of CHIP driver mutations and, more importantly, the association with the clinical picture.

  Study EGAS00001006218

• Mutational analysis reveals the origin and therapy-driven evolution of recurrent glioma

  Tumor recurrence is a leading cause of cancer mortality. Therapies for recurrent disease may fail, at least in part, because the genomic alterations driving the growth of recurrences are distinct from those in the initial tumor. To explore this hypothesis, we sequenced the exomes of 23 initial low-grade gliomas and recurrent tumors resected from the same patients. In 43% of cases, at least half of the mutations in the initial tumor were undetected at recurrence, including driver mutations inTP53, ATRX, SMARCA4, and BRAF; this suggests that recurrent tumors are often seeded by cells derived from the initial tumor at a very early stage of their evolution. Notably, tumors from 6 of 10 patients treated with the chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide (TMZ) followed an alternative evolutionary path to high-grade glioma. At recurrence, these tumors were hypermutated and harbored driver mutations in the RB (retinoblastoma) and Akt-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathways that bore the signature of TMZ-induced mutagenesis.

  Study EGAS00001000579

• Ancient tree-topologies and gene-flow processes among human lineages in Africa

  The deep history of human evolution in Africa remain intensely debated. We produced 73 novel high-quality whole genomes from 14 Central and Southern African populations with diverse cultural practices. With extensive simulations and machine-learning Approximate Bayesian Computation inferences, we reconstruct jointly their complex history of divergences and migrations. We find vast genome-wide diversity within and among populations, often uncorrelated with geography and cultural practices. This demonstrates the necessity to explicitly consider local genomic patterns, without merging samples indiscriminately into larger a priori categories, to reconstruct human evolutionary histories. We find that tree-like evolutions with long periods of drift between short periods of unidirectional gene-flow best explain the data, and that the lineage ancestral to Khoe-San populations diverged around 300,000 years ago from a lineage ancestral to rainforest hunter-gatherers and neighboring agriculturalists. We also find that short periods of ancient and recent gene-flow coincide with epochs of major ecological and cultural changes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  Study EGAS50000001072

• High MAPK Activity Leading to Reduced WNT Signaling Drives Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer

  Colorectal cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality due to distant metastases, is driven by activating mutations in the Wnt and MAPK pathways. Understanding the interplay between these crucial pathways during metastatic progression is essential for developing effective treatments. Here we developed an immunocompetent mouse model of metastatic colorectal cancer using in vivo orthotopic passaging. We demonstrate that highly metastatic tumor cells exhibit chromosomal amplifications in MAPK pathway genes, leading to increased MAPK activity, which in turn suppresses Wnt-associated transcriptional programs, including stem cell-associated genes. Inhibiting mutant KrasG12D effectively reversed this metastatic transcriptional state, reducing MAPK-driven gene expression and restoring Wnt activity. Notably, this treatment significantly curtailed lung metastases and reduced liver metastases during early seeding stages. Analysis of CRC patient data revealed that high MAPK activity and the associated metastatic gene signature correlated with poorer survival outcomes. These findings underscore that the plasticity of metastasis-initiating cells in CRC arises from the opposing roles of MAPK and Wnt signaling, despite their synergistic importance in colon tumor initiation.

  Study EGAS50000001231

• DNA methylation atlas of normal human cell types

  DNA methylation is a fundamental epigenetic mark that governs chromatin organization, cell identity, and gene expression. Here we describe a human methylome atlas, based on deep whole-genome bisulfite sequencing allowing fragment-level analysis across thousands of unique markers for 39 cell types sorted from 205 healthy tissue samples. Replicates of the same cell-type are >99.5% identical, demonstrating robustness of cell identity programs to genetic variation and environmental perturbation. Unsupervised clustering of the atlas recapitulates key elements of tissue ontogeny, and identifies methylation patterns retained since gastrulation. Loci uniquely unmethylated in an individual cell type often reside in transcriptional enhancers and contain DNA binding sites for tissue-specific transcriptional regulators. Uniquely hyper-methylated loci are rare and are enriched for CpG islands, polycomb targets, and CTCF binding sites, suggesting a novel role in shaping cell type-specific chromatin looping. The atlas provides an essential resource for interpretation of disease-associated genetic variants, and a wealth of potential tissue-specific biomarkers for use in liquid biopsies.

  Study EGAS00001006791

• Ovarian cancer organoid biobank

  Ovarian cancer (OC) is a heterogeneous disease usually diagnosed at a late stage. Experimental in vitro models that faithfully capture the hallmarks and tumor heterogeneity of OC are limited and hard to establish. We present a novel protocol that enables efficient derivation and long-term expansion of OC organoids. Utilizing this protocol, we have established 56 organoid lines from 32 patients, representing the spectrum of ovarian neoplasms, including non-malignant borderline tumors, as well as mucinous, clear-cell, endometrioid, low- and high-grade serous carcinomas. OC organoids recapitulate histological and genomic features of the pertinent lesion from which they were derived, illustrating intra- and inter-patient heterogeneity, and can be genetically modified. We show that OC organoids can be used for drug screening assays and capture different tumor subtype responses to the gold standard platinum-based chemotherapy, including acquisition of chemoresistance in recurrent disease. Finally, OC organoids can be xenografted, enabling in vivo drug sensitivity assays. Taken together, this demonstrates their potential application for research and personalized medicine.

  Study EGAS00001003073

• The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with dementia

  Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is frequently comorbid with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular brain endothelial cells (BECs) are enriched for the expression of genes associated with AD genetic risk. However, the gene regulatory landscapes of neurovascular cells and their intersection with genetic risk for disease remains unexplored. Here we have generated gene regulomes for human BECs, mural cells and other brain cell types to show that AD heritability is primarily immune-related and that it shows modest enrichment in BECs. By contrast, genetic risk for SVD is enriched across cells of the neurovascular unit, including astrocytes. Enhancer-to-gene interactomes implicate amyloid processes in both AD and SVD, though the risk genes are mostly distinct for the two disorders. Motifs for putative partners of lineage transcription factors in microglia and BECs were enriched for AD and SVD variants at genes linked to disease pathways. Gene prioritization and enrichment analyses further identified potential repurposable drugs for AD. Our findings highlight novel regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets within the neurovascular system.

  Study EGAS50000001160

• RTEL1 mutation as a modifier of Dyskeratosis Congenita in a family with a Telomerase RNA (hTR) template mutation and variant telomeric repeats

  Vertebrate telomeres, the sequences protecting the end of linear chromosomes, are composed of conserved hexameric GGTTAG repeats. Here we present a C50>A telomerase RNA template mutation that results in the incorporation of the variant telomeric repeat GTTTAG in a family with dyskeratosis congenita primarily presenting as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The mutant telomerase is characterized by decreased processivity in direct telomerase activity assays and in vivo based on data from Illumina next-generation whole genome sequencing and Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read telomere sequencing. The latter provided positional mutant repeat information that revealed the inheritance and maintenance of proximal mutant repeats in individuals who did not inherit the template mutation. Additionally, we describe an RTEL1 nonsense mutation that is associated with very short telomeres in progeny harboring wild-type telomerase and inherited mutant telomeric repeats in the absence of overt clinical phenotypes. In contrast, co-inheritance of the RTEL1 nonsense and TERC r.C50>A mutations coincided with severe early-onset DC phenotypes in two individuals.

  Study EGAS50000001644

• Inference of transcription factor binding from cell-free DNA enables tumor subtype prediction and early detection

  Deregulation of transcription factors (TFs) is an important driver of tumorigenesis, but non-invasive assays for assessing transcription factor activity are lacking. We Here we developed and validated a minimally invasive method for assessing TF activity based on cell-free DNA sequencing and nucleosome footprint analysis. We analyzed whole genome sequencing data for >1,000 cell-free DNA samples from cancer patients and healthy controls using a newly developed bioinformatics pipeline developed by us that infers accessibility of TF binding sites from cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns. We observe patient-specific as well as tumor-specific patterns, including accurate prediction of tumor subtypes in prostate cancer, with important clinical implications for the management of patients. Furthermore, we show that cell-free DNA TF profiling is capable of detection of early-stage colorectal carcinomas. Our approach for mapping tumor-specific transcription factor binding in vivo based on blood samples makes a key part of the noncoding genome amenable to clinical analysis.

  Study EGAS00001003206

• Integrated genomic analyses identify ARID1A and ARID1B alterations in the childhood cancer neuroblastoma

  Neuroblastomas are tumors of peripheral sympathetic neurons and are the most common solid tumor in children. To determine the genetic basis for neuroblastoma we performed whole-genome sequencing (6 cases), exome sequencing (16 cases), genome-wide rearrangement analyses (32 cases), and targeted analyses of specific genomic loci (40 cases) using massively parallel sequencing. On average each tumor had 19 somatic alterations in coding genes (range, 3-70). Among genes not previously known to be involved in neuroblastoma, chromosomal deletions and sequence alterations of chromatin remodeling genes, ARID1A and ARID1B, were identified in 8 of 71 tumors (11%) and were associated with early treatment failure and decreased survival. Using tumor-specific structural alterations, we developed an approach to identify rearranged DNA fragments in sera, providing personalized biomarkers for minimal residual disease detection and monitoring. These results highlight dysregulation of chromatin remodeling in pediatric tumorigenesis and provide new approaches for the management of neuroblastoma patients.Data Provider: Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC)

  Study EGAS00001000369

• Plasma cell‐Free transcriptome profiling in chronic liver disease

  Chronic liver disease (CLD) encompasses a wide range of hepatic disorders that progressively compromise liver function. In order to support the development of non-invasive diagnostic tools and improve patient stratification, we generated a high-throughput extracellular RNA sequencing dataset from blood plasma samples collected from patients at various stages of liver disease. Samples were obtained from two independent cohorts of 112 (cohort 1) and 489 (cohort 2) patients using standardized collection and processing protocols, and profiled using total RNA sequencing (SMARTer Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit v3 - Pico Input Mammalian), resulting in 112 and 820 extracellular transcriptomic profiles for cohort 1 and 2, respectively. This dataset is provided with full documentation of the preprocessing analysis pipeline and accompanying metadata, enabling its use as an independent validation cohort for biomarker discovery and as a complementary resource for integrative multi-omics studies, even in cases with incomplete data modalities. The publicly available resource is intended to facilitate reproducibility and foster further research in the field of liver disease diagnostics

  Study EGAS50000000545

• HCA_Adrenal_Foetal_WSSS_RNA_SB

  The Human Cell Atlas initiative is an ambitious global research effort which aims to describe every cell in the human body across all developmental stages to generate a reference map to accelerate progress in science and medicine particularly relating to human development and disease. The initiative is led by investigators based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and funding support from the Wellcome and NIH. This specific project will assess human development. We aim to interrogate the cellular composition and molecular regulators underpinning development and maturation through single cell RNA-sequencing/spatial transcriptomics and computational algorithms to predict cellular developmental trajectories and cell-cell interactions. We will subsequent validate these findings in situ using allied imaging technologies e.g. immunohistochemistry and RNAscope and in vitro culture of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001004089