Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Targeting the p53 pathway to treat Malignant Rhabdoid and High-Risk Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors

Rhabdoid tumors (RTs) predominantly affect young children and are among the deadliest pediatric solid tumors. Despite multimodal therapy consisting of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, children with these tumors have median survival of less than one year. RTs can arise throughout the body, including the central nervous system (CNS) where they are called atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (AT/RTs), and in extra-CNS locations such as the kidneys and other soft tissues where they are designated malignant RTs (MRTs). We previously identified MDM2 and MDM4 as therapeutic vulnerabilities in RTs and showed that treatment with the MDM2 inhibitor idasanutlin increased survival in mice bearing MRT xenografts. However, the therapeutic potential of idasanutlin in CNS RT tumors is unknown. Single agent therapies are prone to resistance and show limited clinical benefit on their own. Therefore, we sought to identify combination strategies incorporating idasanutlin that would be effective in both CNS and extra-CNS RTs. Here, we show that the XPO1 inhibitor selinexor increased nuclear retention of p53 and potentiated idasanutlin-induced p53 pathway activation and cytotoxicity in AT/RT and MRT cell lines in vitro. Importantly, combination therapy limited acquired resistance through TP53 mutation. In vivo, combination therapy was well-tolerated, reduced tumor burden, and increased survival in orthotopic models of both AT/RT and MRT. Our results demonstrate that combining idasanutlin with selinexor is a promising therapeutic strategy for children with rhabdoid tumors.

Study EGAS00001007680

Assessing mitochondrial bioenergetics in coronary artery disease: A translational left ventricular tissue study in humans (The AMBITION study).

Severe or recurrent myocardial ischemia can lead to long-term left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and heart failure in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we assessed for chronic metabolomic and transcriptomic adaptations within LV myocardium of patients with evidence of preoperative inducible ischemia undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During surgery, paired transmural LV biopsies were acquired on the beating heart from a region of inducible ischemia (determined by stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance), and a remote LV segment. From 33 patients, 63 LV biopsies were acquired on the beating heart during CABG, comparing to analysis of LV samples from 11 donor hearts. The global myocardial ATP/ADP ratio was reduced in CAD patients as compared to donor LV tissue with increased expression of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes encoding the electron transport chain complexes across multiple cell types. Paired analyses of biopsies obtained during CABG from LV segments with or without inducible ischemia revealed no significant difference in the ATP/ADP ratio, broader metabolic profile or expression of ventricular cardiomyocyte genes implicated in OXPHOS. Finally, differential metabolite analysis suggested dysregulation of several intermediates in patients with impaired LVEF; this notably included the tricyclic acid cycle metabolite, succinate. Overall, our results suggest that viable human myocardium in patients with stable CAD has global alterations in bioenergetic and transcriptional profile without large regional differences between areas with or without inducible ischemia.

Study EGAS00001007351

Differentially methylated CpGs in response to growth hormone administration in children with idiopathic short stature

Background: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has shown a great growth-promoting potential in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). However, the response to rhGH differs across individuals, largely due to genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity. Since epigenetic marks on the methylome can be dynamically influenced by GH, we performed a comprehensive pharmaco-epigenomics analysis of DNA methylation changes associated with long-term rhGH administration in children with ISS. Results: We measured DNA methylation profiles before and after GH treatment (with a duration of ~18 months in average) on 47 healthy children using customized methylC-seq capture sequencing. Their changes were compared and associated with changes in plasma IGF1 by adjusting sex, age, treatment duration, and estimated blood proportions. We observed a considerable inter-individual heterogeneity of DNA methylation changes responding to GH treatment. We identified 267 response-associated differentially methylated cytosines (DMC) that were enriched in promoter regions, CpG islands and blood cell-type specific regulatory elements. Furthermore, the genes associated with these DMCs were enriched in the biology process of "cell development", "neuron differentiation" and "developmental growth", and in the TGF-beta signaling pathway, PPAR Alpha pathway, endoderm differentiation pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway as well as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and cAMP signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our study provides a first insight in DNA methylation changes associated with rhGH administration, which may help understand mechanisms of epigenetic regulation on GH-responsive genes.

Study EGAS00001006115

Surgery in combination with immune checkpoint therapy as an effective treatment for patients with metastatic cancer.

Abstract Surgical removal of primary tumors was shown to reverse tumor-mediated immune suppression in pre-clinical models with metastatic disease. However, how cytoreductive surgery in the metastatic setting modulates the immune responses in patients, especially in the context of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT)-containing treatments is not understood. Here, we report the first prospective, non-comparative clinical trial (N=104) using three different ICT-containing strategies plus cytoreductive or “debulking” surgery to remove the primary tumor-bearing kidney or a metastatic lesion as a treatment for patients (N=43) with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC). For those patients (N=61) who were not candidates for cytoreductive surgery, a biopsy was obtained instead for correlative biological studies. Our data demonstrated that the combination of ICT with cytoreductive surgery was safe and feasible in patients with mccRCC. The 2-year overall survival was 84% with a median OS of 54.7 months for patients who received ICT containing regimens plus surgery. Immune-monitoring studies with co-detection by indexing (CODEX) identified distinct tumor spatial conformation of cellular subsets as a novel and improved predictor of response to ICT. Importantly, single-cell RNA-sequencing data demonstrated that surgical removal of the tumor increased antigen-presenting dendritic cell population with a concurrent reduction in KDM6B expressing immune-suppressive myeloid cells in the peripheral blood. Together, this study highlighted the feasibility of combining ICT with cytoreductive surgery in a metastatic setting and demonstrated potential enhancement of immune responses following ICT plus cytoreductive surgery in patients with metastatic disease.

Study EGAS00001005667

Circumventing intratumoral heterogeneity to identify potential therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma. Details please contact lifuqiang@genomics and zhaoxin@genomics.cn.

Background and aims: Intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) challenges identifying mutations with target therapy potential whereas circulating cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) could reflect nearly the entire mutation spectrum in given tumors. We investigated how to minimize the limit of ITH for profiling hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: Thirty-two multi-regional HCC samples from five patients were subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES) and targeted deep sequencing (TDS). ITH extent was measured by the average percentage of non-ubiquitous mutations (present in parts of tumor regions). Matched cfDNAs were also analyzed by WES and TDS. Profiling efficiencies of single tumor specimen and cfDNA were compared and the one better depicted mutational landscape was selected to screen therapeutic targets.Results: We found variable extents of ITH in HCCs and observed branched and parallel evolution patterns. ITH level decreased at higher sequencing depth of TDS than that measured by WES (28.1% vs 34.9%, P < 0.01) but it remained unchanged upon additional samples analyzed. TDS of single tumor specimen detected an average of 70% the total mutations in HCC. Although more mutations were detected in cfDNA under TDS than WES, an average of 47.2% total HCC mutations uncovered by cfDNA suggested tissue outperform cfDNA and the latter may serve as alternative in profiling HCC genome. Consequently, TDS of single tumor tissue in 66 patients and cfDNAs in four unresectable HCCs identified 38.6% (26/66 and 1/4) patients bearing therapeutic targets.Conclusions: TDS of single tumor specimen could largely circumvent ITH to uncover mutations indicative of target therapy in HCC.

Study EGAS00001002207

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis exome sequencing in a consanguineous family

Identify the causative gene defect in three affected patients with JIA.

Study EGAS00001003510

PROGRESS/ELEMENT DNA Methylation Study

An extension to the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) birth cohort of Mexico City, the Programming Research in Obesity, GRowth, Environment and Social Stress (PROGRESS) Cohort is an ongoing longitudinal pre-birth cohort, established in 2006 in Mexico City, partnering Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with Harvard University and the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico, which was designed to study the effects of prenatal exposure to toxic metals, air pollution, phthalates, and stress on childhood development. Pregnant women of 18 years of age and older, pregnant for less than 20 weeks of gestation, had no documentation of heart or kidney disease, no use of steroids or anti-epilepsy drugs, no daily alcohol consumption, had telephone access, and planned to live in Mexico city for the following 3 years, and receiving care through the Mexican Social Security System were initially enrolled (n=1,054). In addition to clinical, demographic and exposure data collected, cord blood was collected to interrogate DNA methylation across the genome for over 300 mother-child dyads. Clinical assessments and exposures were captured during several life stages, including prenatal, infant (0-1 year), youth (1-18 years), and adulthood (mother). The PROGRESS cohort added well-documented phenotyping of children for obesity, metabolic dysfunction, respiratory outcomes, and cardiovascular outcomes, as well as measures of air pollutant, personal care/consumer product, non-chemical stress, and metal mixture exposures. No clinical trials were conducted in this cohort. The data collected in this study should provide a unique resource to investigate DNA methylation as it relates to several environmental exposures and adverse cardiometabolic and neurocognitive health in mothers and children from a prospective birthing cohort. For access to demographic, clinical, and exposure data please directly contact study principal investigators.

Study phs002754

Peripheral Blood Transcriptome Analysis of ALS Patients

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are neurodegenerative disorders which overlap in their clinical presentation, pathology, and genetic origin. An over-representation of autoimmune disorders exists in both ALS and FTD, but this remains an unexplained epidemiologic observation. Expansions of a hexanucleotide repeat (GGGGCC) in the C9orf72 gene (GeneID:203228) are the most common cause of familial ALS and FTD (C9-ALS/FTD), leading to both repeat containing RNA and dipeptide accumulation coupled with decreased C9orf72 protein expression in brain and peripheral blood cells. Here we show that loss of C9orf72 in myeloid cells is sufficient to recapitulate the age dependent lymphoid hypertrophy and autoinflammation seen in complete C9orf72-/- mice. Dendritic cells isolated from C9orf72-/- mice showed marked early activation of the type I interferon response, and C9orf72-/- myeloid cells were primarily hyperresponsive to activators of stimulator of interferon gene (STING1 GeneID:340061), a key regulator of the innate immune response to cytosolic DNA. STING degradation through the autolysosomal pathway was diminished in C9orf72-/- mice myeloid cells, and blocking STING suppressed hyperactive type I interferon responses in C9orf72-/- myeloid cells and splenomegaly and inflammation in C9orf72-/- mice. Additionally, mice lacking one or both copies of C9orf72 were more susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalitis, mirroring the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases seen in C9-ALS/FTD patients. Finally, we found that blood derived macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes, and brain tissue from C9-ALS/FTD patients all showed a hyperactive type I interferon signature compared to sporadic ALS/FTD subjects. Collectively, our results indicate that C9-ALS/FTD patients have an altered immunophenotype due to loss of C9orf72 regulation of STING mediated type I interferon activation.

Study phs002055

Low mutation burden and frequent loss of CDKN2A/B and SMARCA2, but not PRC2, define pre-malignant neurofibromatosis type 1-associated atypical neurofibromas

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a tumor-predisposition disorder caused by germline mutations in NF1. NF1 patients have an 8-16% lifetime risk of developing a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), a highly aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma, often arising from pre-existing benign plexiform neurofibromas (PN) and atypical neurofibromas (ANF). ANF are distinct from both PN and MPNST, representing an intermediate step in malignant transformation. In the first comprehensive genomic analysis of ANF, we performed tumor/normal exome sequencing (ES) of 16 ANFs. In addition, we conducted ES of three MPNSTs, copy-number meta-analysis of 26 ANF and 28 MPNST, and whole transcriptome RNA-seq analysis of five ANF and five MPNST. We identified low mutation burden (median 1, range 0-5) in the exomes of ANF (only NF1 somatic mutations were recurrent), and frequent deletions of CDKN2A/CDKN2B (69%) and SMARCA2(42%) loci. We determined that polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2) genes EED or SUZ12 were frequently mutated, deleted or downregulated in MPNST but not in ANF. Our gene expression study revealed upregulated NRAS, MDM2, CCND1/CCND2/CCND3 and CDK4/CDK6 in both ANF and MPNST, and overexpression of EZH2 in MPNST only. We conclude that the PN-ANF transition is primarily driven by the deletion of CDKN2A/CDKN2B in addition to already present inactivated NF1. Further progression from ANF to MPNST likely involves broad chromosomal rearrangements and frequent inactivation of the PRC2 genes, loss of the DNA repair genes, and copy-number increase of signal transduction, cell cycle and pluripotency self-renewal genes.

Study phs001993

Bladder cancer subtyping study across 4 atezo clinical trials

Checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction have revolutionized cancer therapy across many indications. In urothelial carcinoma (UC), several PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have been approved for treatment in localized and metastatic disease. While these agents provide durable clinical benefit in a number of patients, the majority do not respond. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying response and resistance is needed to tailor existing treatments and develop new therapeutics in UC. We profiled tumors from 2803 patients from four late-stage randomized clinical trials evaluating the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab in metastatic UC and muscle-invasive bladder cancer by RNA-seq, a targeted DNA panel, immunohistochemistry, and digital pathology. A machine learning algorithm identified four UC transcriptional subtypes, representing luminal desert, stromal, immune, and basal tumors. Overall survival benefit from atezolizumab over standard-of-care was observed in immune and basal tumors (45% of patients). Digital pathology showed enrichment of human interpretable features in specific molecular subtypes, and a self-supervised approach could classify molecular subtypes from H&E slides with high accuracy, suggesting that machine-based image interpretation could accelerate tumor molecular profiling. Somatic alterations showed limited capacity to identify responders. Finally, mechanisms of benefit with PD-L1 blockade appeared different in immune and basal tumors, with immune tumors benefiting from B/plasma cell enrichment, while basal tumors benefited from granulocyte enrichment. This study represents the largest integration of UC molecular and curated clinical data in randomized clinical trials to date, paving the way for prospective clinical studies tailoring treatment regimens to specific tumor molecular subtypes in UC and other indications.

Study EGAS50000000497

Effects of Metformin on Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiles in Breast Cancer Survivors Enrolled in the Randomized Placebo-Controlled MetBreCS Trial

Metformin reduces the incidence of breast cancer in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, our knowledge of the effects of metformin on breast cancer recurrence is limited. Within the randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase II trial MetBreCS, we examined changes in breast tissue from breast cancer survivors with BMI >25 kg/m2 after treatment with metformin. To identify metformin-regulated signaling pathways, we integrated the transcriptomic, metabolomic and steroid hormone profiles using bivariate and functional analyses. We identified MS4A1, HBA2, MT-RNR1 and MT-RNR2 expression to be differentially expressed in breast tissues from metformin-treated women. We also found metformin-associated down-regulation of EGFL6 and FDCSP in postmenopausal women. The integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles revealed down-regulation of immune response genes associated with reduced levels of arginine and citrulline in the metformin-treated group. The integration of transcriptomic and steroid hormone profiles showed an enrichment of steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism pathways with highly negatively correlated CYP11A1 and CYP1B1 expression in breast tissue from postmenopausal metformin-treated women. Our results indicate that breast cancer survivors treated with metformin have specific changes in breast tissue gene expression that may prevent the development of new tumors. Within the randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase II trial MetBreCS, we examined changes in breast tissue from breast cancer survivors with BMI >25 kg/m2 after treatment with metformin using bulk RNAseq (total mRNA sequencing), that is deposited in Federated EGA. The steroid hormones, and metabolomics and the insulin sensitivity serum biomarker data underlying this article may be shared upon reasonable request to the PI of the MetBreCS study (Dr. Bernardo Bonanni), following approval by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board at IEO, Milan.

Study EGAS50000000874

Genomic and epigenomic characterization of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML)

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is an aggressive myeloproliferative disorder of early childhood. While some cases show spontaneous remission, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only curative treatment option for the majority of patients, however, the 5-year event-free survival reaches only about 50%. Hyperactive RAS signaling is assumed to be the main driving event in JMML. It is caused by genetic alterations in CBL, KRAS, NF1, NRAS, or PTPN11 in about 90% of patients. So far, there is no clear understanding of how RAS pathway mutations relate to the heterogeneous disease biology and variable clinical outcome seen in JMML patients. As a consequence, established clinical and genetic markers fail to fully represent the observed disease heterogeneity. We hypothesized that DNA methylation profiling, either alone or in combination with genetic alterations, might provide a molecular basis for disease classification. Genome wide DNA methylation analysis using the HumanMethylation450 Bead Chip array was performed in a discovery cohort of 20 patients (19 JMML, 1 Noonan syndrome). The clinical relevance of our findings was assessed in an unselected sample set consisting of 147 consecutive patients with JMML (n=129) or Noonan syndrome (n=18) associated myeloproliferative disorder (n=18) registered in the EWOG-MDS 1998 & 2006 trials. Data integration was performed in a subset of patients with available exome sequencing (n=50) and expression profiling (n=15) data. This integrated approach identified three JMML subgroups characterized by distinct clinical and biological features. This analysis further suggested a molecular mechanism by which additional genetic events, presumably further activating the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway, mediate DNA hypermethylation via up-regulation of DNMTs in more aggressive JMML cases.

Study EGAS00001002511

Distinct evolutionary trajectories of primary high grade serous ovarian cancers revealed through spatial mutational profiling

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is characterized by poor outcome, often attributed to emergence of treatment-resistant sub-clones. We sought to measure the degree of genomic diversity within primary, untreated HGSC to examine the natural state of tumor evolution prior to therapy. We performed exome sequencing, copy number analysis, targeted amplicon deep sequencing and gene expression profiling on thirty-one spatially and temporally separated HGSC tumor specimens (six patients) including ovarian masses, distant metastases, and fallopian tube lesions. We found widespread intra-tumoral variation in mutation, copy number, and gene expression profiles, with key driver alterations in genes present in only a subset of samples (e.g. PIK3CA, CTNNB1, NF1). On average, only 51.5% of mutations were present in every sample of a given case (range: 10.2% to 91.4%), with TP53 as the only somatic mutation consistently present in all samples. Complex segmental aneuploidies, such as whole genome doubling, were present in a subset of samples from the same individual, with divergent copy number changes segregating independently of point mutation acquisition. Reconstruction of evolutionary histories showed one patient with mixed HGSC and endometrioid histology with common etiologic origin in the fallopian tube and subsequent selection of different driver mutations in the histologically distinct samples. In this patient, we observed mixed cell populations in the early fallopian tube lesion, indicating diversity arises at early stages of tumorigenesis. Our results reveal that HGSC exhibit highly individual evolutionary trajectories and diverse genomic tapestries prior to therapy, exposing an essential biological characteristic to inform future design of personalized therapeutic solutions and investigation of drug resistance mechanisms.

Study EGAS00001000547

The Genetic Landscape of BCL2 Break Negative Follicular Lymphoma

Background: 15% of high and 50% of low stage FL lack the t(14;18). Nevertheless, most of these cases express BCL2 by so far unknown mechanisms. Principals/Methodology: To find molecular mechanisms, triggering FL-pathogenesis in t(14;18)-negative FL, the exonic SNV-profiles of 33 FL with and 16 FL without t(14;18) were assessed by whole exome-sequencing and external SNV-data integration. The SNV-profile of the whole exome-sequenced FL was correlated with copy number, LOH and gene-expression data. Finally, the N-glycosylation status was assessed (LympTrack assay) in a separate validation cohort. Results: SNVs in FL with and without t(14;18) affected different genes, but accumulated in similar pathways, e.g. apoptosis, epigenetic processes and cell cycle/proliferation. Mutations in genes associated with immune-response were more prominently and those associated with NFkB and N-glycosylation selectively enriched in t(14;18)-negative FL. ~50% of mutated genes showed BCL2-asociation at high confidence in FL with and without t(14;18). Moreover, among the genes mutated in t(14;18)-negative FL 555 (~1/3) were affected by copy number alterations and/or copy-neutral LOH, 125 were differently expressed between FL with and without t(14;18) (p<0.01) and 62 were differentially expressed and affected by copy number alterations and/or copy-neutral LOH. N-glycosylation was strongly reduced in t(14;18)-negative FL as compared to results reported for historical FL cohorts. Conclusion: These results suggest a stronger crosstalk with the microenvironment that may compensate for the lack of N-glycosylation and a diverse portfolio of SNVs that may contribute to the upregulation of BCL2 and FL pathogenesis in t(14;18)-negative FL.

Study EGAS00001002164

European BestAgeing Study on microRNA candidates for cardiovascular disease

Background: Circulating miRNAs have emerged as promising biomarker candidates due to their stability and their role in regulating key pathological pathways in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Yet, large-scale, multicenter studies examining their diagnostic and prognostic potential are scarce. This study evaluates the potential of miRNA expression profiles to inform disease classification and risk stratification across major CVD phenotypes, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), in a large, multicenter European cohort. Methods: We assessed genome-wide miRNA expression profiles in a total of 1,209 cardiovascular patients and 848 controls in a uniform, standardized fashion, which renders this study one of the largest prospective miRNA studies. To focus on only the most biologically plausible miRNAs for clinical translation, we mined all original studies of miRNA candidates in CVD and performed differential miRNA expression and enrichment analysis. We then trained disease-specific binary classification models to evaluate the diagnostic potential of miRNA signatures. Finally, we evaluated prognosis and disease severity based on distinct miRNA levels. Results: 634 original abstracts were identified, detailing 166 ACS, 181 CAD, 56 DCM, and 182 ICM miRNAs. Without further optimization, the signatures of a priori miRNAs already yielded very good diagnostic performance with ROC AUC of 0.83 – 0.95. There was an improvement when considering additional miRNAs in a discovery setting. Interestingly, in ACS, CAD and DCM we observed a significantly worse prognosis in probands with higher scores in the miRNA signatures, indicating additional prognostic information. Conclusions: The European BestAgeing miRNA study reveals emerging associations of several miRNA signatures with cardiovascular disease discrimination and prognostication, providing a foundation for future external validation and potential clinical translation of this class of markers.

Study EGAS00001008346

Genomic Characterization of Meningiomas

Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumor in the US. Although the tumor suppressor gene NF2 is disrupted in approximately half of meningiomas, the complete spectrum of genetic changes in meningiomas remains poorly understood, particularly in the large subset of tumors without NF2 alterations. Therefore we performed whole-genome sequencing from 11 Grade I meningioma tumor-normal pairs and whole-exome sequencing from an additional 6 tumor-normal pairs to identify somatic mutations, insertions-deletions, copy-number alterations and rearrangements. We validated our results by performing focused sequencing across 48 additional meningiomas.

Study phs000552

Pharmacogenomic Analysis of Microtubule Targeting Agent Response and Toxicity

Microtubule targeting agents are commonly prescribed for early and metastatic breast cancer and other solid tumors. However, interindividual variability in microtubule targeting drug response and toxicity can cause limited therapeutic benefit and impact quality of life. In the present study, genome-wide analyses were performed to investigate how genetic factors can be used to increase prediction of treatment response and toxicity, identify genes or gene pathways associated with chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity, and inform further in vitro studies that may help isolate differences in response and toxicity of microtubule targeting agents.

Study phs002060

Splicing signature analysis of RNU4-2, RNU5A-1 and RNU5B-1

Pathogenic variants in the snRNA RNU4-2 were recently described as a frequent cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. In our study we further delineate the phenotype associated with RNU4-2 and we also identify pathogenic variants in RNU5A-A and RNU5B-1. Capture-based RNA-Seq were performed to compare splicing pattern between affected and control individuals. A strong signature based on alternative 5' splice site usage was found for RNU4-2 patients, and we suggest an either 5' or 3' signature depending on the variant's localiztion in U5 genes.

Study EGAS50000000889

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children produces endogenous T-cells targeting tumor associated antigens and neoantigens in peripheral blood

In this study we investigated the presence of endogenous T-cells recognizing private tumor-associated antigens and predicted neoantigens. To this end, HLA-I and HLA-II restricted tumor associated antigens (TAAs) and neoantigens were respectively identified and predicted from matched tumor and germline (PBMCs) in three acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Circulating T-cells targeting both Mass spectrometry (MS)-identified TAAs and predicted neoantigens were identified in virtually all pediatric BCP-ALL patients, extending up to two years on remission.

Study EGAS50000000925

Whole-genome sequencing analysis for understanding of the stepwise progression of lung adenocarcinoma

In this study, we performed long and short read whole-genome sequencing analysis of lung adenocarcinoma from early to advanced stages to identify molecular events associated with the stepwise progression of lung adenocarcinoma. We particularly focused on very early stage of lung adenocarcinoma, such as adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA). In addition to the whole-genome sequencing analysis, we conducted transcriptome and epigenome analysis, multiplex fluorescence immunostaining. This study would enable us to understand important molecular events of pathogenesis in detail during lung adenocarcinoma progression.

Study JGAS000570

Metastatic Adult Pancreatoblastoma: Multimodal Treatment and Molecular Characterization of a Very Rare Disease (NCT MASTER)

Pancreatoblastoma is a rare malignant tumor that occurs predominantly in children. We identified four adult patients with metastasizing pancreatoblastoma at a high-volume German university cancer center which were treated with multimodal therapies between 2013 and 2018. In three cases, we performed a comprehensive molecular analysis that included whole-genome sequencing (WGS) or whole-exome sequencing (WES); transcriptome sequencing was performed in two cases, respectively. Subsequent recommendations of molecularly stratified treatment options were discussed within a dedicated molecular tumor board (MTB) embedded in a precision oncology program (NCT MASTER).

Study EGAS00001004157

ChIP-seq of GOF p53 mutants

Gain-of-function TP53 mutations were detected in 41.3% of cases, in which co-occurring del(17p) underscored a dominant effect in >25%. Missense mutations of TP53 clustered within the core DNA-binding domain, where R249S was most common. To explore the transcriptional effect of mutant p53(R249S), we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing in the HCC cell line HKCI-11, which has a p53(R249S) mutation, and the human hepatocyte line MIHA, which is p53(WT). The results revealed distinct binding profiles between wildtype p53 and p53 mutant.

Study EGAS00001002463

RNAseq data from human colon organoid infected by KP

The aim of this study is to identify the specific bacteria that are responsible for pathological bacterial translocation and subsequent Th17 priming in the liver in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). To clarify the mechanism of how microbiota interacts with the intestinal epithelial barrier, monolayered human intestinal organoids were cultured with the specific bacteria. Gene expression analysis using RNA sequencing in epithelial cells cultured with Klebsiella pneumoniae derived from a PSC patient (KP-P1) or commercially obtained Klebsiella pneumoniae strain (KP JCM1662) was performed in this study.

Study EGAS00001003332

The effect of freezing delay of cell-type specific transcriptome responses in human brain via snRNA-seq

In other analysis in the current manuscript, we find a similar gene signature (to dissociation based artifacts in mouse and human tissue) is present in post-mortem microglia and astrocytes, across all snRNA-seq datasets analyzed, although it is highly variable between subjects. Using acutely-resected neurosurgical tissue, we performed single-nucleus RNA-seq and reveal that a similar signature can be detected in microglia following prolonged exposure to room temperature. Tissue handling and methods details, as well as sequencing and analysis details) can be found in the methods section of related manuscript (Marsh et al., 2022). Together, these results suggest that the presence of this signature in post-mortem brain samples may be the result of a combination of acute pre-mortem (agonal state, cause of death, comorbidities, etc.) and post-mortem (post-mortem interval (PMI), storage time, RNA quality, etc.) variables and may not represent normally present cell state.

Dataset EGAD00001008541

WGS dataset of Characterization of UV DNA damage in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

We characterized B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) patients that present with the mutational signature SBS7a. We found clear subtype specificity, but presence of SBS7a did not seem linked to heterogeneity within subtypes. To further distinguish the incidence of SBS7a in pediatric cancer we analyzed a pan-cancer WGS cohort and identified frequent SBS7a in anaplastic large cell lymphomas. As SBS7a is commonly found in skin cancers and has been linked to UV-light induced DNA damage, we compared the features of UV-light induced DNA damage in skin cancer and SBS7a in ALL, and found high similarity. We found no defects in UV damage response pathways in SBS7a-positive samples, indicating no additional UV vulnerability. Additionally, transcriptomic data showed no differences between samples with and without SBS7a. Finally we looked into the moment of exposure to the source of SBS7a by deep sequencing of diagnosis-relapse pairs and single cell whole genome sequencing of diagnosis samples with high SBS7a.

Dataset EGAD00001015600

WGS data for ctDNA monitoring for NSCLC in TRACERx

Ultrasensitive circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) detection can stratify clinical risk in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we applied a whole-genome, tumour-informed approach to study ctDNA in more than 400 NSCLC of the TRACERx project

Study EGAS50000001187

Elevated circulating tumor cells reflect high proliferation and genomic complexity in multiple myeloma - RNA validation cohort

This reposiroty contains bulk RNA data generated by Blood Cancer Research Group (Ostrava, Czech Republic) as a part of publication named "Elevated circulating tumor cells reflect high proliferation and genomic complexity in multiple myeloma" published in Hemapshere.

Study EGAS50000001212

Elevated circulating tumor cells reflect high proliferation and genomic complexity in multiple myeloma - WGS validation cohort

This reposiroty contains bulk WGS data generated by Blood Cancer Research Group (Ostrava, Czech Republic) as a part of publication named "Elevated circulating tumor cells reflect high proliferation and genomic complexity in multiple myeloma" published in Hemapshere.

Study EGAS50000001211

A Novel APP p.V742L variant in a patient with ischemic small vessel disease enhances FE65 signalling

We identified a novel variant in the APP gene associated with cerebral ischemic strokes, which is not seen before with APP variants. This results in increased affinity of APP for FE65, APP’s most important intracellular interactor that regulates gene transcription.

Study EGAS50000001283

Transcriptome sequencing, DNA methylation analysis, and SNP array analysis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Down syndrome

Pathogenesis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Down syndrome (DS-ALL) is poorly understood. To investigate molecular basis of DS-ALL, we performed whole transcriptome sequencing, DNA methylation array, and SNP array analysis in 43 cases of DS-ALL.

Study JGAS000147

Target sequencing of 8 hereditary prostate cancer genes in Japanese

We performed a case control association study for variants in coding regions of 8 hereditary prostate cancer genes in 7,636 male unselected prostate cancer patients, 12,366 male controls of Japanese ancestry. The 8 genes were ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CHEK2, HOXB13, NBN, and PALB2.

Study JGAS000203

intratumor heterogeneity in colorectal adenoma and carcinoma

To investigate intratumor heterogeneity in precancerous lesions of colorectal cancers (PCRCs), we performed whole-exome sequencing of 53 tumor and 10 matched-normal samples from 10 laterally spreading tumors in the colon and rectum, which were histologically diagnosed as adenoma with/without adenocarcinoma.

Study JGAS000092

Mutations in PNPLA6 are linked to photoreceptor degeneration and various forms of childhood blindness

In this work, using exome sequencing, we identified biallelic PNLPA6 mutations in patients with childhood blindness due to severe photoreceptor death and clinical features of Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and, interestingly, also of the rare Oliver McFarlane Syndrome

Study EGAS00001001013

Mutational context and diverse clonal development in early and late bladder cancer

Bladder cancer shows multiple recurrences probably originating from a malignant field disease in the mucosa. Deep sequencing was used on a series of tumors to look into the clonal composition, mutational spectrum in non-aggressive tumors, and mutational context.

Study EGAS00001000641

A living biobank of patient-derived ductal carcinoma in situ Mouse-INtraDuctal xenografts identifies factors associated with risk of invasive progression

Create a living biobank of patient-derived ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) Mouse-INtraDuctal (MIND) xenografts to find factors explaining invasive growth. Samples exist of both primary and pdx samples. Invasive growth was scored in the pdx.

Study EGAS00001006554

A novel Patient-Derived 3D Model Recapitulates Mantle Cell Lymphoma Lymph Node Signaling, Immune Profile and in vivo Ibrutinib Responses

RNA-seq data from CD20+ sorted cells obtained from peripheral blood Mantle Cell Lymphoma patients. These samples were unstimulated after thawing or stimulated during 7 days in culture as described in Araujo-Ayala F et. al.

Study EGAS00001006964

Defining T cell States Associated with Response to Checkpoint Immunotherapy in Melanoma

Checkpoint blockade therapy using antibodies targeting CTLA4, PD1 or PDL1 have changed the way cancer patients with advanced disease are being treated, as evident by their FDA approval in a wide variety of malignancies, and their ability to induce high response rates when compared to conventional therapies (e.g. chemotherapy). However, even in melanoma, despite the high response rate, most patients are refractory to therapy or acquire resistance in 10-12 months. To identify key immunological elements coupled with response or resistance to checkpoint immunotherapy, we performed an unbiased analysis on 16,291 CD45+ immune cells from 32 patients (48 samples) treated with checkpoint therapy (anti-PD1=37; anti-PD1/CTLA4=11), using single cell transcriptomics. Initial unsupervised clustering of all CD45+ cells identified 11 clusters. When examining the association of these clusters with clinical outcome, we found that two clusters (B-cells, p=0.005; memory T-cells, p=0.03) were significantly enriched in responder lesions while 4 clusters (monocytes/macrophages, p=0.003; dendritic cells, p=0.015; exhausted CD8+ T-cells, p=0.005; and exhausted/cell-cycle lymphocytes, 1.3x10-5) are enriched in non-responder lesions. Next, by leveraging our unbiased single cell approach, we identified not only clusters but also specific markers associated with either responder lesions (PLAC8, LTB, LY9, SELL, TCF7, IGKC and CCR7) or non-responder ones (CCL3, CD38, HAVCR2, ENTPD1 and WARS), many of which were not previously reported to be associated with clinical outcome to checkpoint therapy. Due to the importance of CD8+ T-cells in controlling tumors, the significant association of T-cell states with clinical outcome, and their high abundance in melanoma tumors, we next focused our analysis on CD8+ T-cells and identified 2 main clusters CD8_G (with increased expression of genes linked to memory) and CD8_B (enriched for genes linked to cell dysfunction), that were significantly enriched in responder (CD8_G, p=1.4x10-6) and non-responder (CD8_B, p=0.005) lesions, respectively. Since cells with both states coexist in each of the responder and non-responder lesions, we decided to calculate the ratio between the number of cells in these 2 clusters and observed a significant separation between responders (CD8_G/CD8_B>1) and non-responders (CD8_G/CD8_B<1) when looking at all samples, baseline or post samples separately. Similar results were detected when looking at the expression of a single transcription factor, TCF7, in CD8 T-cells in an independent cohort (n=43) using a simple immunofluorescence assay. Additionally, we validated the identity and function of some of the newly identified cell states as well as their epigenetic landscape, and found that cells expressing the inhibitory molecules CD39 and TIM3, on top of being enriched in non-responder lesions, are likely to play a crucial role in T-cell exhaustion in melanoma. Collectively, our study provides extensive unbiased data in human tumors for discovery of predictors and therapeutic targets to checkpoint immunotherapy.

Study phs001680

Broccoli Sprouts Extracts Trial (BEST-COPD-BioLINCC)

Data Access NOTE: Please refer to the “Authorized Access” section below for information about how access to the data from this accession differs from many other dbGaP accessions. Objectives: To establish a safe and tolerable dose of sulforaphane that effects in vivo antioxidants via Nrf2 for development as a potential novel treatment for participants with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), caused primarily by smoking, is the third leading cause of death in the United States and world-wide. Surprisingly, there are few treatments available to address the pathobiology of COPD other than cessation of smoking. The development and progression of COPD are associated with increased inflammatory response(s) and increased oxidative stress in the lung. Thus, one approach to the development of novel therapies is the stimulation of endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms.Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2/Nrf2) is a transcription factor activated by oxidative stress. Nrf2 activity promotes anti-oxidant enzymes, and anti-oxidant enzymes play key roles in cellular defenses. Sulforaphane, a derivative of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to stimulate Nrf2 activity in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. For example, activation of Nrf2 protected mice from developing emphysema after chronic smoke exposure and decreased oxidative stress. Similarly, activation of Nrf2 in human COPD lung cells resulted in decreased oxidative stress. Therefore, this study was designed to assess whether daily ingestion of sulforaphane by COPD participants for four weeks increased Nrf2 activity in alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells. Participants: There were a total of 89 participants randomized to one of three treatment arms. Of these, 31 participants were randomized to the placebo arm, and 29 participants were randomized to the each of the sulforaphane arms. One participant withdrew from the placebo arm, therefore, a total of 88 participants completed the study.Design: Participants were assigned to receive sulforaphane at 25 micromoles (4.4mg), sulforaphane at 150 micromoles (26.6 mg), or placebo (microcellulose) once daily by mouth. Computer-generated treatment assignments were blinded to participants, clinical staff, and study staff. Doses were back-filled with methylcellulose and presented in similar capsules to compensate for appearance and weight differences in sulforaphane and placebo treatments arms.There were a total of five study visits over the six-week study period. Prior to randomization, participants were assessed for eligibility, which included baseline data collection. Participants provided medical histories, underwent a physical examination, pre-and-post bronchodilator spirometry, lung volume measurements, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO), and pulse oximetry over the six-week study period. Follow up data and biospecimens were collected at the final visit, which was targeted for four weeks after randomization. Two fiberoptic bronchoscopies were performed under sedation to collect endobronchial brushings and bronchoalveolar lavage used to isolate alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells. The first bronchoscopy was performed on the day of randomization, and the second bronchoscopy was performed the day after the final visit. In addition, nasal brushings were obtained prior to bronchoscopy to isolate nasal epithelial cells. The primary outcomes were changes in Nrf2 target gene expression at four weeks in alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells. The target genes for the primary outcome were NQ01, H01, AKR1C1, and AKR1C3. Secondary outcomes included the evaluation of: expression of other genes in the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway (e.g. Nrf2/NFE2L2, KEAP1, and SLPI), markers of oxidative stress (e.g., isoprostane and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) in plasma and expired breath condensate, and cytokine profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Conclusions: Sulforaphane administered at four weeks doses of 25umoles and 150umoles to participants with COPD did not significantly increase Nrf2 target gene expression in alveolar macrophages or bronchial epithelial cells. In addition, changes in oxidative stress markers and the expression of other genes in the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway were not statistically significant between the treatment groups.Wise RA, Holbrook JT, Criner G, et al. Lack of Effect of Oral Sulforaphane Administration on Nrf2 Expression in COPD: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial. Vij N, ed. PLoS ONE. 2016; 11(11):e0163716. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163716 (PMID: 27832073; PMID: 28350841).

Study phs004022

Mutant p53 confers gain-of-function transcriptional activity in liver cancer

Study EGAS00001005779

Monocyte Spike-in RNASeq

Please see our related publication, 'Tumor monocyte content predicts immunochemotherapy outcomes in esophageal adenocarcinoma'.

Study EGAS00001007197

Identification of intronic sequences promoting natural skipping of ABCA4 exon 15 using long-read transcriptomics and midigene assays

Stargardt disease is an inherited retinal disease that leads to progressive loss of vision, and is caused by biallelic variants in the ABCA4 gene. A significant proportion of ABCA4 variants of variable penetrance affect pre-mRNA splicing. Previously, we observed the exclusion of certain ABCA4 exons into the final transcript in the absence of any disease-causing variants. In this study, we explored this phenomenon that we coined natural exon skipping (NES) for the entire ABCA4 transcript, using targeted RT-PCR analysis as well as long-read transcriptome sequencing of control retina samples. For the most abundant NES event, which is skipping of ABCA4 exon 15, overlapping ABCA4 deletion constructs were employed to identify responsible cis-regulatory sequence motifs. Subsequently, antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) were designed and tested to reverse NES and restore fully-spliced ABCA4 mRNA. We identified intronic regions on each side of exon 15 that, when deleted, increased the inclusion of exon 15 in the final transcripts. Interestingly, these motifs appear to work in a synergistic manner. Further fine-mapping of these regions revealed several cis-regulatory motifs that may be responsible for inducing NES, on each side of the exon. AONs targeting these motifs unfortunately did not decrease the skipping of exon 15. In conclusion, we discovered an intriguing phenomenon that, in the absence of disease-causing variants, results in the skipping of one or more exons in the ABCA4 transcript. These NES events appear to be regulated by cis-regulatory motifs within the flanking introns. This work captured the extend of NES throughout ABCA4 transcript and the role of cis-regulatory motifs in pre-mRNA splicing.. The use of AONs targeting cis-regulatory motifs is an innovative strategy for splicing modulation, suitable for complementing future variant-specific splicing modulation therapies in ABCA4 retinopathies.

Study EGAS50000000071

Genomic Profiling of Pediatric Tumors by Cell Free DNA Sequencing

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

Study EGAS50000000072

Intra-tumor heterogeneity of localized lung adenocarcinomas defined by multi-region sequencing

Background: Intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) may have profound impacts on biopsy strategy, characterization of actionable targets, treatment planning, and drug resistance. ITH of lung cancers has not been well studied. Methods: We performed multi-region whole exome sequencing (average sequencing depth 277x) on 48 tumor regions from 11 resected lung adenocarcinomas (8 stage I, 2 stage II and one stage III tumors) followed by deep sequencing validation (average sequencing depth 863x). Results: All tumors showed clear evidence of spatial ITH. On average, 76% of all mutations and 20/21 known cancer gene mutations were present in all regions of individual tumors (trunk mutations). Copy number analysis did not show substantial difference in large-scale chromosome aberrations. A canonical KRAS p.G12C mutation was detected in only 1 of 4 tumor regions (branch mutations) at exome depth but detected in all four tumor regions (trunk mutations) at increased sequencing depth. In addition, many heterogeneous branch mutations defined by exome sequencing were detectable in all regions of individual tumors with increasing sequencing depth. Significant differences in mutational spectrum were observed in 6 tumors indicating that specific mutational processes were likely operative at different times during development of these tumors. With a median follow up of 21 months post surgery, 3 patients have relapsed and all 3 patients presented with significantly larger fractions of subclonal mutations in their primary tumors. Conclusions: Although multi-region sampling is still required to fully assess ITH complexity, single biopsy analysis at appropriate depth might be sufficient to identify the majority of known cancer gene mutations in localized lung adenocarcinomas. Larger subclonal mutation fractions may be associated with increased likelihood of postsurgical relapse in patients with localized lung adenocarcinomas. Studies on larger cohort, ideally with comprehensive clinical annotation and repeat biopsy at relapse are needed to fully understand the clinical impact of ITH.

Study EGAS00001000930

A circulating biomarker for severity of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a prevalent, incurable skeletal myopathy. Clinical trials for FSHD are hindered by heterogeneous biomarkers poorly associated with clinical severity, requiring invasive muscle biopsy. Macroscopically FSHD presents with slow fatty replacement of muscle, rapidly accelerated by inflammation. Mis-expression of the transcription factor DUX4 is currently accepted to underlie FSHD pathogenesis and mechanisms including PAX7 target gene repression have been proposed. Here we perform RNA-sequencing on MRI guided inflamed (n=24) and isogenic non-inflamed (n=24) muscle biopsies from the same clinically characterised FSHD patients, alongside isogenic peripheral blood mononucleated cells from a subset of patients (n=13), and unaffected controls. We employ multivariate models to evaluate the clinical associations of 5 published FSHD transcriptomic biomarkers. We demonstrate that PAX7 target gene repression can discriminate control, inflamed and non-inflamed FSHD muscle independently of age and sex (p<0.013), while the discriminatory power of DUX4 target genes is limited to distinguishing FSHD muscle from control. Importantly, the level of PAX7 target gene repression in non-inflamed muscle associates with clinical assessments of FSHD severity (p=0.04). DUX4 target gene biomarkers in FSHD muscle show associations with lower limb fat fraction and D4Z4 array length, but not clinical assessment. Lastly, PAX7 target gene repression in FSHD muscle correlates with the level in isogenic peripheral blood mononucleated cells (p=0.002). A refined PAX7 target gene biomarker comprising 143/601 PAX7 target genes computed in peripheral blood (the FSHD muscle-blood biomarker) associates with clinical severity in FSHD patients (p<0.036). Our new circulating biomarker validates as a classifier of clinical severity in an independent data set of 54 FSHD patient blood samples, with improved power in older patients (p=0.03). In summary, we present the minimally invasive FSHD muscle-blood biomarker of FSHD clinical severity valid in patient muscle and blood, with potential utility in routine disease monitoring and clinical trials.

Study EGAS00001007350

Loss of IFN-gamma Signaling in Tumor Cells Associates with Primary Resistance to Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy

Antibody blockade of the inhibitory CTLA-4 pathway has led to clinical benefit in a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma. Anti-CTLA-4 enhances T cell responses, including production of IFN-γ, which is a critical cytokine for host immune responses. However, the role of IFN-γ signaling in tumor cells in the setting of anti-CTLA-4 therapy remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that, based upon exome sequencing data, patients identified as non-responders to anti-CTLA-4 (ipilimumab) harbor a much higher genomic defects in the IFN-γ pathway genes than melanoma patients who had clinical response to ipilimumab therapy.

Study phs001257

Lysosomal Disease Network (LDN6719) Immune Response to Intrathecal Enzyme Therapy in Mucopolysaccharidosis 1 Patients

In this study we characterized the immune response to intrathecal (IT) recombinant human alpha-L-iduronidase (rhIDU) in mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) subjects with spinal cord compression who had been previously treated with intravenous rhIDU. Concentrations of specific antibodies and cytokines were measured in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected before monthly IT rhIDU infusions. These serologic findings were compared with clinical adverse event (AE) reports to establish temporal correlations with clinical symptoms. We found that IT rhIDU was generally well tolerated in the subjects studied although one subject had moderate to severe clinical symptoms and serologic abnormalities consistent with an immune response.

Study phs000862

Genome-Wide Environment Interaction Study on Neurodevelopment in Children from Mexico and Bangladesh

Cognitive development is known to be highly heritable, but various genome wide association studies (GWAS) have failed to find common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which can explain a large proportion of the variance in cognitive ability. We hypothesized that an interaction between genes and exposure to potentially toxic metals may account for some proportion of this missing heritability. We genotyped 749 infants in Mexico and 636 infants in Bangladesh. Criteria for inclusion into the study are given below. We then performed a Genome Wide Environmental Interaction Study (GWEIS) with neurodevelopment outcomes. There were 552,487 SNPs in common between the two cohorts.

Study phs000996

The Genetics of Food Cue Reactivity in Children

This study aimed to investigate genetic factors related to appetite, eating in the absence of hunger and brain reward response to food cues in a convenience sample of pre-adolescent children taken through two studies (A and B). The study involved genome-wide genotyping using the Illumina Global Screening Array. The study found an obesity polygenic risk score related to parent-reported appetitive traits in children, The study also found that FTO was related to eating in the absence of hunger and brain reward response to food cues. Available data include genotypes, measured height and weight, appetitive traits, consumption, brain reward response to food cues, and sociodemographic variables.

Study phs003550

Mitochondrial DNA mosaicism in human somatic cells

Genomic alterations accumulate in the somatic cells throughout an individual’s lifetime. Recent sequencing studies have documented widespread mutations in the nuclear genome and the frequent clonal competition of normal cells carrying mutations. However, the landscape of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy in normal human tissues is poorly understood. This study investigated the whole genome sequences (WGSs) of 2,096 clones established from non-neoplastic healthy single cells obtained from 31 donors. In addition, we analyzed 31 WGSs of neoplastic cells, including 12 clones established from adenomatous polyps from one individual with MUTYH-associated polyposis and 19 matched colorectal carcinomas from individuals who donated normal colorectal clones.

Study EGAS50000000254

Whole Exome Sequencing and RNA Sequencing of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer in Black and White Patients

In this study, we generated new RNA and whole exome sequencing data from high-grade serous ovarian cancer tumor samples of self-identified Black and White individuals. Our RNA-Seq analysis revealed that, while the prevalence of subtypes varied across racial groups, the cluster-specific gene expression patterns were consistent. Despite these differences in subtype prevalence, the subtype-specific survival rates were similar across racial groups. Additionally, we used the WES-Seq data to characterize mutational signatures and their underlying causes in Black high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) cases, and compared the prevalence and distribution of these signatures with those in White TCGA cases.

Study phs003632

12277 results for ""statistically+reactive"+taxa+in+microbial+community"

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