13305 results for ""pdc"+"heritage+language"+census+study"

in 39.03 milliseconds.

• Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis of Kaposi Sarcoma

  Summary: Single-cell transcriptome analysis of skin and blood samples from individuals with Kaposi's sarcoma Aims: Elucidate the cellular composition and gene expression profiles of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) infected cells and non-infected tumor infiltrating cells, and peripheral blood samples from the same individuals, with or without specific therapies, such as antiretroviral therapy for HIV, immunotherapies (such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and immune modulator drugs like pomalidomide), or angiogenesis inhibitory agents. Population: Age 18 and older, both genders, including individuals from North America and other areas of the world (including Africa). Individuals with or without HIV are included. Molecular Technologies: Single-cell RNAseq using 10x Genomics Principal Findings: Two distinct populations of endothelial cells were found infected with KSHV, one CD34+ and one CD34-Both clusters include lytic and latent KSHV gene expressionThe KSHV infected cell clusters differ in expression of housekeeping genes, proliferative markers, ribosomal and secretory vesicle genesBiomarkers of KSHV infected cells were identified, including sodium channel SCN9A Changes in cell composition with therapy are noted Clonal amplification of TCR+ T-cells were noted in the skin and blood Data Available through dbGaP: scRNA-seq data

  Study phs003800

• Somatic Mutations in Individual Skin Cells

  Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary cause of melanoma through the acquisition of driver mutations in melanocytes. It also plays a significant role in oncogenesis in other skin cells, such as keratinocytes. However, the mutational profiles vary widely among different skin cancers, and the early mutational processes in different cell types from the same skin, is not well understood. Additionally, our preliminary studies also suggest that the mutation burden in different skin cells vary significantly based on risk factors such as the anatomical site and the use of tanning beds. To explore this, we employed innovative Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) tools to perform a site-matched comparison of the genomic landscapes of melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. From 20 biopsies of physiologically normal skin, collected from various anatomical sites across 16 donors, we have performed DNA-sequencing on 106 melanocytes, 78 keratinocytes and 13 fibroblasts. Of these samples, we have also simultaneously performed RNA-sequencing on 78 melanocytes, 46 keratinocytes and 9 fibroblasts. For normal bulk DNA, we also performed targeted (UCSF500; n=9) or exome sequencing (n=8) of skin or saliva samples from the donors.

  Study phs003683

• Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer Project 2

  Understanding the relationship between tumor and peripheral immune environments could allow longitudinal immune monitoring in cancer. Here, we examined whether T cells that share the same TCRab and are found in both tumor and blood can be interrogated to gain insight into the ongoing tumor T cell response. Paired transcriptome and TCRab repertoire of circulating and tumor-infiltrating T cells were analyzed at the single cell level from matched tumor and blood from patients with metastatic melanoma. The data shared here consist of gene expression matrix and fastq files obtained from sequencing single-cell libraries generated with the Chromium (TM) 5' technique. For each of 18 immunotherapy naive and 11 previously treated melanoma patients, T cells (Live/CD45+/TcRab+) were FACS-sorted from PBMCs and freshly resected tumors. Metadata associated with each individual cell consist of Patient I.D., biological sex, immunotherapy status, amino acid and nucleotide CDR3 sequence of the TCR alpha and beta chain (obtained from matched VDJ region enriched libraries), and sequencing batch. Further details about previous treatment history and other clinical parameters can be found in the associated manuscripts (Lucca et al., 2021: PMID: 33651881; Lu et al., PMID: 39609626).

  Study phs002289

• Blood Group Genotypes and Phenotypes in Omani Blood Donors and Its Links With Susceptibility to Malaria

  The Omani population experienced endemic malaria prior to eradication in the late 1990's. Since malaria is known to be a strong selective pressure on the human genome, particularly at blood group associated loci, we aimed to understand how selective pressures from malaria may be affecting genetic variation at blood group loci. Blood samples were collected from 100 healthy, Omani blood donors. Serology testing for 10 clinically relevant blood groups and whole genome sequencing (WGS) to an average coverage of 16X were performed on all samples. Additionally, using the WGS data, genetic variants (SNPs and INDELs) were called for chromosomes 1 - 22 using GRCh38. We find signals of selection at the Plasmodium vivax associated locus, ACKR1 (the Duffy blood group), but not at any Plasmodium falciparum associated loci. We also characterized several previously undescribed blood group alleles in the Omani population affecting antigenic expression, mostly at the RHD, RHCE, and GYPB loci. The data available from this project include BAM files from 100 Omani samples aligned to GRCh38, per chromosome VCF files, and results from the serology tests for all 10 blood groups.

  Study phs003694

• Synovial Fibroblast Gene Expression in Response to Fibronectin Fragment

  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disease characterized by the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, hypertrophy of neighboring bone, and varying degrees of synovial inflammation. Recent research has highlighted the potential role of synovial fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of OA, particularly their inflammatory properties that disrupt cartilage homeostasis. Notably, degraded cartilage matrix components, such as fibronectin fragments (FN-f), have been identified in the synovial fluid of OA patients, suggesting that FN-f signaling influences the synovium where synovial fibroblasts reside. Despite affecting over 500 million individuals globally, our limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of OA has significantly impeded the development of effective treatment strategies. To investigate this, we obtained deidentified surgical waste material from individuals undergoing knee replacement for OA. Synovial tissue was used to isolate synovial fibroblasts for cell culture studies. We generated bulk RNA-seq data from primary synovial fibroblasts (N=5 individuals) treated at passage 3 with either Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS) as control or FN-f for 18h to model the OA synovial fibroblast phenotype. We identified differentially expressed genes at an adjusted p-value of

  Study phs003999

• Omic Studies in Children's Respiratory and Environmental Workgroup (CREW) Cohorts

  Children's Respiratory Research Workgroup (CREW) is an NIH-funded project consisting of multiple individual U.S. cohorts and three scientific centers working together to identify phenotypes and causes of childhood asthma. CREW will include data from a large number of children and their families, with broad diversity in terms of ethnicity, family characteristics, neighborhoods and geographic locations. One of the primary goals of CREW is to put together sets of data and samples of participating cohorts to identify phenotypes of childhood asthma (i.e. specific subtypes of asthma that can be distinguished by clinical features such as natural history, triggers, exacerbation frequency, concurrent allergies, lung function, sex, etc). Omics studies will include genotyping, methylation, and RNA sequencing. By integrating the DNA genotyping with the expression, immunologic and clinical data, we will identify eQTL, inflammation QTL, and lung function QTL, as well as QTL associated with other biomarkers. Analyses will identify genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional and protein/metabolite profiles that are associated with specific exposures or phenotypes. As we obtain mechanistic insights about personal and early life risk factors, we will connect asthma phenotypes with underlying causes and pathogenic mechanisms to define endotypes of childhood asthma.

  Study phs004036

• Biallelic loss of function PAX4 variants are a Novel Cause of Transient Neonatal Diabetes

  The identification of genes in which loss of function (LoF) variants cause neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) can provide unique insights into the development and function of human pancreatic beta cells. We describe the identification of biallelic PAX4 LoF variants in 2 unrelated individuals with transient NDM: one due to a homozygous p.(Arg126*) PAX4 stop gain variant and a second due to a homozygous c.-352_104del 2.65kb deletion affecting the first 4 exons and promoter of the PAX4 Matched Annotation from NCBI and EMBL-EBI select transcript. We confirmed reduced transcript expression due to nonsense mediated decay for the e p.(Arg126*) variant in CRISPR-edited iPSC-derived pancreatic endoderm cells. Analysis of PAX4 binding through integration of CUT&RUN and RNA-sequencing in PAX4 depleted endocrine cells identified genes directly regulated by PAX4 involved in both pancreatic islet development and glucose-sensitive insulin secretion. The remitting and relapsing diabetes in both probands demonstrates that in contrast to mice PAX4 is not essential for the development of pancreatic beta-cells and supports differences in the requirements of functional beta-cell mass across the life-course.

  Study EGAS50000000857

• Kids First: The Genomic Architecture of Hirschsprung Disease (HSCR)

  Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a male biased developmental disorder associated with a lack of innervation of the gastrointestinal tract. Genetic studies have been instrumental in understanding its multifactorial inheritance, high heritability, syndromic associations, and genetic heterogeneity with variable penetrance and expressivity. At least 24 genes and 9 loci with pathogenic alleles (PAs) are known to underlie HSCR pathogenesis and explain 62% of its population attributable risk (PAR). Despite this heterogeneity, there is functional unity in HSCR: ~53% of HSCR PAs disrupt RET and EDNRB signaling in the developing enteric nervous system (ENS) in which 11 genes comprising a gene regulatory network control RET and EDNRB gene expression. We propose to identify the remaining 30% PAR by studying 857 unrelated HSCR cases, their 125 affected and 1,446 unaffected firstdegree relatives by whole genome sequencing to increase statistical power of gene discovery through improved detection of all types of coding and regulatory PAs. HSCR arises from cell autonomous defects in enteric neural crest cell precursors (ENCCs) affecting their proliferation, differentiation and migration in the ENS, functional studies that will guide our detection of novel genes.

  Study phs003662

• A Therapeutic Vaccine for Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLC) is a rare form of liver cancer affecting 33 children and young adults that is driven by a chimeric protein, DNAJ-PKAc. We conducted a phase 1 clinical trial of a therapeutic vaccine targeting DNAJ-PKAc 38 (FLC-Vac), in combination with nivolumab and ipilimumab, in children and adults with advanced FLC. Among 16 patients enrolled, 12 completed the vaccine priming phase and were evaluable for both immunological and clinical endpoints. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events were reported by six patients (37.5%). DNAJ43 PKAc-specific T cell responses were detected in 9/12 patients after treatment. In the subset of patients who completed the initial priming phase the disease control rate (DCR) was 75% (9/12), with three partial responses (25%). All patients with clinical responses also had DNAJ-PKAc specific T cell responses, from which we identified multiple class II-restricted T cell receptors (TCRs) with specificity for DNAJ-PKAc. Correlates of response included both functional neoantigen reactivity and changes in TCR repertoire features over time. Immune escape in two patients corresponded with immune exhaustion rather than neoantigen escape or HLA loss.

  Study phs003970

• Establishing stable brain tumor stem cell lines and translational research for new treatments

  Choroid plexus carcinomas (CPCs) have dismal prognoses with limited clinical options. A lack of characterized cell lines has hindered the development of new treatment strategies. Here, we perform whole genome sequencing analyses of two cell lines established from CPCs. Whole genome sequencing (WGS),was performed in CCHE-45 and NGT131 cell lines. Both cell lines harbored pathogenic TP53 point mutations; CCHE-45 additionally displayed TP53 loss. Furthermore, alterations of the NOTCH and WNT pathways were also detected in both cell lines. Two protein-coding gene fusions, BZW2-URGCP, and CTTNBP2-ERBB4, mutations of two oncodrivers, GBP-4 and KRTAP-12-2, and several copy number alterations were observed in CCHE-45, but not NGT131. The discovered difference's importance and implications highlight the possible diversity of choroid plexus carcinoma and call for additional research to fully understand disease pathogenesis. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the two choroid plexus carcinoma cell lines shared TP53 mutations and other common pathway alterations and activation of NOTCH and WNT pathways. Noticeable differences were also observed. These cell lines can serve as valuable models to propose new treatments in these rare but deadly brain tumors.

  Study JGAS000657

• Effective screening strategy for deafness using a new-genetation sequencing platform: a consecutive analysis

  The diagnosis of the genetic etiology of deafness contributes to the clinical management of patients. We performed the following four genetic tests in three stages for 52 consecutive deafness subjects in one facility. We used the Invade assay and Sanger sequencing for the GJB2 gene or SLC26A4 gene in the first stage test, TaqMan genotyping assay in second stage test, and targeted exon sequencing using the massively parallel DNA sequencing in third stage test. Overall, we identified the genetic cause in 40% (21/52) of patients. The diagnostic rates of the first-, second- and third-stage genetic testing were 17%(9/52), 9%(4/43) and 21% (8/39), respectively. The combination approach using these genetic tests appears to be useful as a diagnostic tool for deafness patients. We recommended that genetic testing for the screening of common mutations in deafness genes using the Invader assay or TaqMan genotyping assay be performed as the initial evaluation. For the remaining undiagnosed cases, targeted exon sequencing using MPS is clinically and economically beneficial. This data set was MPS reads data (fastq) for 39 sensorineural hearing loss patients.

  Study JGAS000032

• High-coverage whole-genome sequencing reveals structural variations in triple-negative breast cancer

  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells do not express estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Currently, apart from poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, there are few effective therapeutic options for this cancer type. Here, we present a comprehensive characterization of genetic alterations in TNBC via high-coverage whole-genome sequencing along with transcriptomic and whole-exome sequencing. Silencing of BRCA1 gene impaired the homologous recombination (HR) pathway in a subset of TNBC, which exhibited similar phenotypes with tumors with BRCA1 mutations; they harbored many structural variations (SVs) with relative enrichment for tandem duplication. Clonal analysis suggested that TP53 mutations and methylation of CpG dinucleotides in the BRCA1 promoter were the early events of carcinogenesis. SVs were associated with driver oncogenic events such as amplification of MYC, NOTCH2 or NOTCH3 and impacted tumor suppressor genes including RB1, PTEN and KMT2C. We also identified a variety of oncogenes that could transform 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, suggesting that individual TNBC tumors may undergo a unique driver event that can be targetable. Thus, we revealed several features of TNBC that had important clinical implications.

  Study JGAS000095

• Induction of fetal meiotic oocytes from embryonic stem cells in cynomolgus monkeys

  Human in vitro oogenesis provides a framework for clarifying the mechanism of human oogenesis. To create its benchmark, it is vital to promote in vitro oogenesis using a model physiologically close to humans. Here, we establish a foundation for in vitro oogenesis in cynomolgus (cy) monkeys: cy female embryonic stem cells harboring one active and one inactive X chromosome (Xa and Xi, respectively) differentiate robustly into primordial germ cell-like cells, which in xenogeneic reconstituted ovaries develop efficiently into oogonia and, remarkably, further into meiotic oocytes at the zygotene stage. This differentiation entails a comprehensive epigenetic reprogramming, including Xi reprogramming, yet, as partly observed in vivo, Xa and Xi remain epigenetically asymmetric with incomplete Xi reactivation. In humans and monkeys, the Xi epigenome in pluripotent stem cells functions as an Xi-reprogramming determinant. We further show that developmental-pathway over-activations with suboptimal up-regulation of relevant meiotic genes impede in vitro meiotic progression. Cy in vitro oogenesis exhibits critical homology with the human system, including with respect to bottlenecks, providing a salient model for advancing human in vitro oogenesis.

  Study JGAS000573

• Error-corrected flow-based sequencing at whole genome scale and its application to circulating cell-free DNA profiling

  Differentiating sequencing errors from true variants is a central genomics challenge calling for error suppression strategies that balance costs when sparse material or ultra-rare variants require high-accuracy methods. For example, circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) sequencing for cancer monitoring is limited by sparsity of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), abundance of genomic material in samples, library preparation error rates and sequencing errors. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can overcome the low abundance of ccfDNA by integrating signal across the mutation landscape, but higher cost limits adoption compared with targeted panels, where ccfDNA abundance limits maximal coverage depths. Here we applied deep (~120x) lower-cost WGS (Ultima Genomics) with analytic error correction for tumor-informed ctDNA detection within the part-per-million range. We further developed high-coverage duplex error-corrected WGS of ccfDNA, achieving 7.7x10-8 error rates, to assess disease burden in melanoma and urothelial cancer patients without matched tumor sequencing. Together, we show that deeply sequenced error-corrected WGS accurately calls somatic variants, demonstrating the feasibility of WGS for tumor-informed and tumor-agnostic ctDNA detection.

  Study EGAS50000000844

• Vaccine-Expanded Plasmablast-like B Cells Are Associated with Response to Dendritic Cell Therapy in Metastatic Melanoma

  Dendritic cells (DCs), either monocyte-derived (moDCs) or naturally circulating, have been employed in cancer treatment across both metastatic and adjuvant settings. DC vaccines (DC Vax) are capable of inducing tumor-specific immune responses, yet clinical outcomes have thus far fallen short of expectations. Here, we performed a multi-omics analysis of the apheresis product, including CD14⁺ monocytes, and the final DCVax formulation. Among all the components analyzed, the most striking finding was the unexpected presence of CD19⁺ B cells within the DC Vax formulation, which distinguished Responders from Non-Responders to moDC vaccination in metastatic melanoma. The abundance of B cells in DC Vax correlated with their peripheral frequency; however, within the vaccine, these cells acquired a CD20lowCD27hiCD38hi plasmablast-like phenotype, distinct from their autologous circulating B-cell precursors. Notably, a parallel observation was made in Responders, whose pre-treatment lesions were enriched in B cells organized as Tertiary Lymphoid Structures. These results underscore the importance of B cells in both baseline immunity and DCVax formulation, hinting at unexplored mechanisms by which they may influence vaccine effectiveness.

  Study EGAS50000001177

• Non-canonical NF-κB signaling skews B cells away from germinal center to low-affinity effector fate

  The non-canonical (NC) NF-κB pathway is a central regulator of B-cell development and survival, yet its role during B-cell mediated adaptive responses remains uncharted. Here, we uncover an unanticipated regulatory function for NC NF-κB in shaping humoral immunity. High-resolution mapping of NC NF-kB status in B cells from human lymphoid tissues revealed low activity in germinal center B-cells (GCB) than effector subsets, suggesting a selective attenuation. Consistently, mice model harboring B-cells with enforced NC NF-κB activation revealed near- complete loss of GCB and high-affinity antibodies, following vaccination. GCB loss was not driven by intrinsic defects in formation or expansion, but by an immune-niche dysregulation marked by regulatory T-cell expansion. Mechanistically, NC NF-κB activation promoted B-cell- derived IL-10, and blocking this axis normalize the niche and rescue GCB. Concurrently, NC NF- κB signaling boosted low-affinity antibody responses by transcriptionally priming follicular B- cells for plasmacytic differentiation. Together, these findings position NC NF-κB as a tunable rheostat linking B-cell signaling to immune-niche control and humoral immunity.

  Study EGAS50000001646

• Novel regional age-associated DNA methylation changes within human common disease-associated loci

  Background: Advancing age progressively impacts on risk and severity of chronic disease. It also modifies the epigenome, with changes in DNA methylation, due to both random drift and variation within specific functional loci. Results: In a discovery set of 2,238 peripheral-blood genome-wide DNA methylomes (MeDIP-seq) aged 19-82 years, we identified 71 age-associated Differentially Methylated Regions (a-DMRs, p < 1.85 x 10-8) within the Linkage Disequilibrium (LD) blocks of the NIH Catalogue of published GWAS SNPs. This included 52 novel regions, 29 within loci not covered by 450k or 27k Illumina array, and with marked enrichment for Poised Promoters and Enhancers across multiple cell types. In a replication set of 2,084 DNA methylomes, 95.7% of the a-DMRs showed the same direction of ageing effect, with 80.3% and 53.3% replicated to p < 0.05 and p < 1.85 x 10-8, respectively. Conclusion: By analysing the functionally enriched disease and trait-associated regions of the human genome, we identified novel epigenetic ageing changes, which could be useful biomarkers or provide mechanistic insights into age-related common diseases.

  Study EGAS00001001910

• Comprehensive molecular profiling identifies novel genetic drivers and subtypes underlying medulloblastoma

  Current therapies for medulloblastoma (MB), a highly malignant childhood brain tumor, impose debilitating effects on the developing child, warranting the development of molecularly targeted treatments with reduced toxicities. Prior studies have failed to disclose the full spectrum of driver genes and molecular processes operative in MB or adequately explain heterogeneity among molecular subgroups. Herein, we detail the somatic landscape across 491 sequenced MBs and molecular heterogeneity amongst 1,256 epigenetically analyzed cases, identifying subgroup-specific mutational signatures, driver genes, and pathway alterations including previously unappreciated actionable therapeutic targets. Integrative approaches for assigning driver genes to subgroups explained >65-70% of Group 3 and Group 4, doubling previous knowledge. Novel subtypes underlying Group 3 and Group 4 were differentially enriched for specific driver events, including hotspot in-frame indels targeting KBTBD4 and ‘enhancer hijacking’ driving activation of PRDM6. Thus, application of integrative genomics to an unprecedented cohort of clinical samples derived from a single childhood cancer entity has disclosed a series of new cancer genes and biologically relevant subtype diversity that represent attractive therapeutic targets for treating MB.

  Study EGAS00001001953

• Field_effect_of_healthy_and_diseased_livers_WGS

  Recent work in the Campbell group has revealed somatic mutations present in normal, non-cancerous human skin. A subset of the mutations conferred selective advantages to the host cells, leading to clonal expansions and raising the risk for future cancer development. Capturing such somatic mutations in normal tissue is important to advance our understanding about carcinogenesis and could provide prospective medical insights. In this project, our goal is to detect somatic mutations in normal (pre-cancerous) liver tissue. Using Laser Microdissection technology, we will dissect individual liver lobules from patient samples and submit these to sequencing. For each patient sample, we aim to sequence multiple lobules to characterise the mutagenic burden. Samples will be taken from patients with different liver disease aetiologies, including alcoholism and obesity, with a view on distinguishing the prevalent mutation types occurring in each disease context. We will perform both whole genome and targeted sequencing, initially using the WTSI cancer panel. Later we aim to use a novel bait set that captures both cancer genes as well as genes relevant to the non-cancerous samples (ie. genes implicated in hereditary disorders, immune sequences).

  Study EGAS00001002413

• Adaptive Therapy Exploits Fitness Deficits in Chemotherapy-Resistant Ovarian Cancer to Achieve Long-Term Tumor Control Open Access

  Drug resistance results in poor outcomes for cancer patients. Adaptive therapy is a potential strategy to address drug resistance that exploits competitive interactions between sensitive and resistant subclones. Here, we showed that adapting carboplatin dose according to tumor response (adaptive therapy) significantly prolonged survival of murine ovarian cancer models compared to standard carboplatin dosing, without increasing mean daily drug dose or toxicity. Platinum resistant ovarian cancer cells exhibited diminished fitness when drug was absent in vitro and in vivo, which caused selective decline of resistant populations due to reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis. Conversely fitter, sensitive cells re-grew when drug was withdrawn. Using a bioinformatics pipeline that exploits copy number changes to quantify the emergence of treatment resistance, analysis of cell‐free DNA obtained longitudinally from ovarian cancer patients during treatment showed subclonal selection through therapy, and measurements of resistant population growth correlated strongly with disease burden. These preclinical findings pave the way for future clinical testing of personalized adaptive therapy regimens tailored to the evolution of carboplatin resistance in individual ovarian cancer patients.

  Study EGAS50000001142

• MATISSE WES and bulk RNA-sequencing data

  High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is frequently seen in frail, elderly patients and often requires mutilating surgical treatment and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). The MATISSE trial (NCT04620200) was conducted to improve clinical prospects in CSCC patients eligible for extensive curative surgery, and evaluated early treatment response and immune dynamics following ultra-short neoadjuvant immunotherapy prior to standard of care surgery with or without radiotherapy. Fifty patients were randomized to receive two courses of nivolumab 3 mg/kg (NIVO, weeks 0&2) or nivolumab 3 mg/kg (weeks 0&2) and one course of ipilimumab 1 mg/kg (week 0 only, NIVO/IPI before surgery at week 4, with the primary objective being histopathological response based on residual viable tumor cells in the surgical specimen. Ten patients choose not to undergo surgery, of whom nine reached a clinical complete response during follow up, and were disease-free at median 34 months follow up. Serial tumor and blood samples at baseline, week 1, week 2 and week 4, enabled to investigate dynamical changes through bulk WES and RNA sequencing to potentially aid future de-escalation trials.

  Study EGAS50000001003

• Final results and ctDNA analyses from the randomized phase 3 IMpassion031 trial evaluating peri-operative atezolizumab for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer

  In IMpassion031, adding atezolizumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved pathologic complete response (pCR) rate (primary endpoint) for stage II/III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Patients with stage II/III TNBC were randomized 1:1 to neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus peri-operative atezolizumab or pre-operative placebo. Descriptive secondary endpoints included event-free, disease-free, and overall survival. Long-term outcomes favored the atezolizumab group (event-free survival HR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.47–1.21). Among patients without pCR, 14/70 (20%) atezolizumab-treated and 33/99 (33%) placebo-treated patients received additional adjuvant therapy, frequently capecitabine. In exploratory analyses, pCR was prognostic for long-term outcome. Patients with baseline ctDNA-negative status (6%) had excellent long-term outcomes. Most patients (87%) had cleared ctDNA at surgery. ctDNA-positive status at surgery identified a subset of non-pCR patients with poorest prognosis. Long-term safety was consistent with primary results. Adding atezolizumab to chemotherapy for stage II/III TNBC is associated with more favorable long-term outcomes. ctDNA dynamics provide prognostic value beyond pCR. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03197935

  Study EGAS50000000974

• Duplexseq_of_the_interstrand_crosslinks_WGS

  One of the most dangerous forms of DNA damage are interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), which covalently crosslink the two strands of the DNA double helix. The repair of these lesions is crucial for cellular survival due to their ability to block transcription and DNA replication. Initially, the major pathway that has been described in ICL repair involves a network of 22 genes that are mutated in a severe human genetic disease known as Fanconi Anemia (FA). Using synthetic lethality screens in the near-haploid human HAP1 cell line, we recently identified two potentially novel regulators of ICL repair, C1orf112 and THAP12. Loss of C1orf112 and THAP12 causes hypersensitivity to ICL-inducing DNA damaging agents, such as Mitomycin C (MMC). Additionally, C1orf112-depleted cells show elevated levels of micronuclei and accumulation of DNA damage in S-phase. To better understand how C1orf112 and THAP12 mediate the repair of ICLs, we want to perform mutational signature analysis, using the BotSeq method. Therefore, WT, C1orf112 and THAP12 knockout cells were cultured in vehicle or MMC treated conditions for 10 days and the genomic DNA was isolated. FANCA and FANCD2 knockout cells are taken along as controls in this experimental setting.

  Study EGAS00001006545

• SHANK2 mutations associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder cause hyperconnectivity of human neurons

  Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the synaptic scaffolding gene SHANK2 are strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To investigate their effect on synaptic connectivity, we generated cortical neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from neurotypic and ASD-affected donors. We developed Sparse coculture for Connectivity (SparCon) assays where SHANK2 and control neurons were differentially labeled and sparsely seeded together on a lawn of unlabeled control neurons. We observed striking increases in dendrite length, dendrite complexity, total synapse number, and frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents. These findings were phenocopied in gene-edited homozygous SHANK2 knockout cells and rescued by gene correction of an ASD SHANK2 muation, supporting a role for SHANK2 as a regulator of connectivity in developing human neurons. Dendrite length increases were exacerbated by IGF1, TG003, or BDNF, and suppressed by DHPG treatment. The transcriptome in these isogenic SHANK2 neurons was deeply perturbed in synapse, plasticity, and neuronal morphogenesis gene sets and ASD gene modules, and activity-dependent dendrite extension was impaired. Our unexpected findings provide evidence for hyperconnectivity and profoundly altered transcriptome in SHANK2 neurons derived from ASD subjects.

  Study EGAS00001003436

• Development and first-in-human CAR T therapy targeting the pathognomonic MiT-fusion driven protein GPNMB

  Summary: CAR T therapy for solid tumors is constrained by the scarcity of safe, uniformly expressed cell-surface targets. Here we identify GPNMB, a MiT fusion-driven protein, as highly, homogeneously, and stably expressed in primary and relapsed translocation-positive alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) and renal cell carcinoma (tRCC). We develop a GPNMB-directed CAR T cell product, GCAR1, which demonstrates potent activity against patient-matched cells, organoids and xenograft models. In a first-in-human treatment of two patients with relapsed/refractory, metastatic ASPS, GCAR1 is well tolerated and induces stable disease for up to 6 months, accompanied by resolution of many non-target lesions. GCAR1 T cells expand in peripheral blood as a polyclonal population and remain detectable for up to 6 months. Spatial transcriptomics identify multiple immunosuppressive niches adjacent to T cells infiltrating treatment-resistant lesions; biological PDL1 blockade or PD1 and TIGIT double knockout overcomes this resistance and shows synergistic activity with GCAR1 in xenograft models. Taken together, these data provide clinical proof-of-concept for treating solid tumors with CAR T cells targeting a surface antigen driven by an oncogenic gene fusion.

  Study EGAS50000001696