Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Data upcycling, powered by EGA

In 2012 a collaborative effort headed by the teams of Carlos Caldas in Cambridge, UK and Samuel Aparicio, Canada, produced a pivotal study aimed at defining the mutational landscape of breast cancer. They gathered a collection of over 2000 breast cancer samples (METABRIC) associated with long-term clinical follow-up. They delineated an array of inherited and somatically acquired genetic variants and associated them to gene expression. This led to the identification of putative cancer-driving events and improved stratification of breast cancer patients. The study elicited huge attention and was tackled as herculean effort by fellow researchers. Cristina Curtis and her colleagues deposited the data in the EGA archive (EGAS00000000083). What they probably could not foresee is that their data would be reused more than 100 times, becoming one of the most downloaded datasets at EGA. In 2015, Frederik S. Varn and colleagues accessed the above-mentioned data from the New Hampshire, USA, to correlate it to transcriptional programs of hematopoietic cells infiltrated in breast tumours and found that those can influence patients' prognosis. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, improved the understanding of the interplay between immune system and cancer. Again, in 2017 the dataset was downloaded by an Italian/Polish collaboration and used to corroborate their mechanistic study that demonstrate how a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is aberrantly localized into the chromatin, where it modulates oncogenic isoforms expression, thus contributing to breast cancer. To date, the METABRIC dataset has been reused to contribute to 147 publications. Its impact on breast cancer research is incalculable, and it even spread beyond that, with recent contributions to the understanding of pan-cancer mechanisms and features. Some of the publications are translating into improvements in diagnosis and treatment of different types of breast cancer. This is just an example of how data upcycling can amplify the potential of any dataset, well past the scope of its creation, the imagination of its owners and any geographical border. At EGA, we are proud to empower such fruitful worldwide cycles of knowledge, providing a platform that enables safe sharing of sensitive genetic data.

Blog data-upcycling-powered-by-ega

Youth-GEMs, the project using data to define the mental health trajectories of young people

Mental health trajectories are shaped by genetic, cognitive, social, and environmental factors that are particularly influential during human development. How exactly the interplay between these factors is impacting mental health, however, is yet unknown. The project “Gene Environment interactions in Mental health trajectories of Youth (Youth-GEMs)”, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, aims to help reducing mental suffering among European youth. How do Youth-GEMs contribute to bettering mental health in young people? Youth-GEMs aims to identify specific neurological, (epi)genetic and environmental drivers on mental health trajectories of young people. To do so, the project is working on a public knowledge base on functional genomics of the developing human brain, between birth and 24 years old. Reliable predictive models for trajectories of onset and course of mental illness in young people of the general population in Europe will be developed. Additionally, a secure and FAIR data infrastructure in mental health is being produced. Engaging and empowering young people Youth-GEMs is also working on the engagement of young people in the scientific field of Psychiatry. For that, the project is developing initiatives such as Science Café, intended to create a learning community where ideas and stories are shared. The 10th Science Café will take place today, with the participation of Lauren Fromont from the EGA. How do the EGA contribute to Youth-GEMs? The contributions require careful data management and harmonisation: we are dealing with an extraordinary amount of data types, sources, and time points (since the studies are longitudinal). To analyse them together and to determine which factors and interactions are truly key to account for mental health trajectories, the variables need to be transformed in a common “language”, i.e., harmonised under a common data model. Further, to guarantee FAIRness of data storage and sharing for future projects that will further advance our knowledge in the mental health field, we are ensuring that data are processed securely but can also be discovered easily. Find out more information about the project in the Youth-GEMs website.

Blog youth-gems-mental-health

From research to data sharing: exploring EGA user's experiences

The Cell Plasticity and Regeneration Group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL focuses on the process of recruitment of macrophages that takes place in the small intestine during injury and healing. They recently published a paper titled “Mucosal Macrophages Govern Intestinal Regeneration in Response to Injury" in Gastroenterology Journal. As part of the research, some experiments were conducted using human intestinal organoid lines. These cells were processed for RNA sequencing, and the sequencing data were deposited at the EGA to be made available to the scientific community. When dealing with human genomic information, repositories must ensure the availability of the datasets while ensuring data protection. In this context, the European Genome-phenome Archive stands as a service for secure archiving and sharing of genetic, phenotypic and clinical data resulting from biomedical research. Following the recent publication of their paper, we took the opportunity to talk to Ilias Moraitis, first author, and Jordi Guiu, group leader, to find out about their experience with data sharing. Could you explain the focus of your research? In the lab, we study intestinal regeneration and how immune cells participate in this process. We use several techniques: engineered mouse models, image tracing, as well as mouse and human cells intestinal organoids. What challenges do you face regarding data management? We didn’t have a lot of problems. Always the informatic part, the data analysis, can give problems. But everything was smooth and working. We think it’s very important to deposit the data in repositories. For the mouse data it is very straightforward, but for us it was the first time depositing human data, which is sensitive because it comes from patients, and this is legally regulated. That’s why we thought about the EGA, and it was our first time. Why do you think it is important to submit data to repositories such as EGA? Because we think data is important for the science. Nowadays, we are sequencing a lot everywhere worldwide and having these resources shared with the scientific community it’s not only good for science, but it is also saving money and reducing costs. And there is so much data in there that can be used for other projects and for other questions. And it saves time! How was the process of submitting the data to the EGA? The communication worked very well but it was slower than we would like. But I think this is something we learn on the way. People usually wait until the last minute to do this before publication but if you know it in advance, you can start the process earlier. If you had to repeat the process, would you do anything differently? It’s like everything, isn’t it? For the first time you don’t know, you aren’t sure, but for the second time you know the steps, you know what to do and it’s faster. Of course, we would to do it earlier. Also, there were some things related to the control access that we didn’t know how to manage, but it was something more internal to us. Who is going to receive the communications and when, is our ethical committee going to evaluate this? All these technicalities that we didn’t know before starting this process, so we had to think about all these things. Next time it will be faster on our side. Do you have any suggestions for us to improve the submission process? Maybe we’ll need to ask our bioinformatician who did it! He was in charge of this part. Besides that, we think if the process were faster, it would be better for everyone. Also, in science a lot of times you have to do a lot of things at the very last minute, because of the nature of the experiments, or the need to accomplish for submitting a paper. Being faster in the process would be a plus. On your side, we went through the process and were able to find some information, but there were aspects we weren't aware of and weren't sure how to handle. I'm not sure if other institutes have different protocols for managing data requests or how they handle these internally. We believe the main issue lies in how the forms are filled out. Do you have any recommendations for other submitters? The main advice is to do this with enough time. Submit the data when you have the sequences, and don’t wait until the last minute. And then it can be under embargo, so you don’t need to make it public at that moment. As soon as you sequence, upload it and then it will be there for whenever you need to publish. How do you think we could encourage other researchers to submit their data? There are different layers here. One is that it is mandatory. You have to do this. The other is that we belong to a research community, to the same community and sharing this is making our research community stronger and more efficient. And then, also because this gives you visibility. The data is there, other people can analyse your data, and this also will bring citations to your papers. It has many advantages.

Blog from-research-to-data-sharing

Multi-omic analysis of Down Syndrome in thyroid

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal disorder characterized by trisomy of chromosome 21 and is associated with various health problems. Congenital thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine abnormality in DS, but its exact cause remains unknown. This work aimed at studying the etiology of congenital thyroid dysfunction in DS. Methods: Thyroid tissue of fetuses with DS (n=4) and fetuses without a genetic/developmental abnormality (n=5) were analyzed using histopathological evaluation, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and DNA methylation (DNAm) profiling. Results: Histological examination showed abnormally developed DS thyroid tissue compared to non-DS/healthy tissue. RNA-seq analysis showed numerous differences in gene expression between DS and healthy thyroid tissue, including significant downregulation of thyroid genes FOXE1, IYD and DIO2. Gene set enrichment analysis showed disruption of vital cellular processes and functions in DS fetal thyroid tissue. Analysis of DNAm and expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM) analysis identified functional and biologically relevant associations, that can be linked to plausible disrupted pathways in DS. Conclusions: Based on these observations, we conclude that congenital non-autoimmune thyroid dysfunction in DS is probably a DS-specific form of thyroid dysfunction, characterized by abnormal thyroid development, altered expression of genes that regulate thyroid development and hormone production, and altered expression and DNAm of genes pertaining to numerous vital pathways leading to significant metabolic disturbances. The disturbances as investigated by multi-omics analyses (RNA-seq, DNAm and eQTM analyses) are widely spread over the genome, and presumably caused by the direct and downstream effects of overexpressed chromosome 21 genes (dosage effect), and (epi)genomic disturbances.

Study EGAS00001007677

Epigenetics Imagine Arrays

Dac EGAC00001003633

McGill Cancer Genetics Predisposition Data Access Committee

Dac EGAC50000000954

Androgen activity in the normal male embryonic hindbrain drives lethal PFA ependymoma

PFA ependymoma is an unusual infantile brain tumor with few somatic mutations, thought to be driven by epigenetic mechanisms. PFA ependymomas have a markedly higher incidence, and a worse prognosis in males as compared to female infants. Here we show that the cellular hierarchy of male PFA is less differentiated than female PFA. Androgen supplementation promotes the growth of PFA ependymoma. We conclude that androgen signaling in both the normal developing hindbrain, and PFA ependymoma are both necessary and sufficient to promote growth and delay differentiation.

Study EGAS50000000507

DAC for "H3K27me3-mediated epigenetic repression regulates neuroblastoma development and contributes to biological heterogeneity"

Dac EGAC00001003620

Target bisulfite sequencing of endometrial cancer

This study aims to investigate epigenetic alterations in the HLA-A locus in endometrial cancer. Targeted bisulfite sequencing was performed to evaluate DNA methylation status of the HLA-A region in a cohort of endometrial cancer samples. The resulting data were used to assess the association between HLA-A methylation and tumor immune microenvironment. These findings contribute to understanding the role of epigenetic regulation of antigen presentation in endometrial cancer.

Study JGAS000897

Genetic variants associated with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the Japanese population

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is often asymptomatic, making early-stage diagnosis difficult using routine clinical examinations alone. The genetic factors underlying PAF and the predictive utility of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for PAF in Asian populations remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we aim to explore genetic variants associated with PAF in a Japanese cohort and to evaluate the predictive performance of PAF-specific PRSs. We analyze Japanese participants genotyped with the Illumina Infinium Asian Screening Array and perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) after sample and variant quality control and genotype imputation based on the GRCh37 reference genome. Using the GWAS results, we construct multiple PRS models and assess their predictive ability both alone and in combination with clinical risk factors. These efforts are intended to provide a basis for personalized prevention and early detection strategies for PAF in the Japanese population.

Study JGAS000866

Bulk ATAC-Seq on sorted cord blood hematopoietic populations

Study EGAS00001004742

Carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity reactions in Europeans

An antiepileptic drug carbamazepine is well tolerated by the majority of patients, but can cause severe and potentialy fatal hypersensitivity reactions in a small number of individuals. The aim of this study was to identify genetic predictors of hypersensitivity reactions to carbamazepine. We undertook a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 22 patients of European ancestry with carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (HSS) and compared our data with genotypes from a healthy population within the WTCCC. We performed imputation of classical HLA alleles according to a recently described method (Science. 2010 Dec 10;330(6010):1551-7. Epub 2010 Nov 4). GWAS statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression with an additive model of inheritance.

Study EGAS00000000037

Fluctuating DNA methylation tracks cancer evolution at clinical scale

Long-read Nanopore data of fCpGs from Gabbutt & Duran-Ferrer (2025) for developing the EVOFLUx method to study cancer evolution via DNA methylation fluctuations.

Study EGAS50000001192

The Genetic Analysis of multiple sclerosis

We created these data in order to identify genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Cases from many parts of the world were genotyped with the Illumina 660 chip along with Swedish controls. In our analysis we also used control data from the WTCCC2 common UK controls and from other published studies.

Study EGAS00000000101

Genetic landscape of pediatric ETV6-RUNX1 acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract in preparation

Study EGAS00001001315

DHODH is a synthetic-lethal vulnerability in BCOR-deficient acute myeloid leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains challenging to treat, especially in cases with mutations in the BCL-6 co- repressor (BCOR), which are associated with poor prognosis and chemo-resistance. In this study, we reveal a synthetic lethal interaction between BCOR and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). We demonstrate that BCOR-deficient cells have a heightened sensitivity to DHODH inhibitors such as brequinar and leflunomide, that are already in clinical use. We confirm that DHODH inhibition selectively induces cell death in BCOR-mutant cells in multiple cellular models, in malignant and non-malignant cells, through chemical and genetic manipulation. Interestingly, we find that the dependency on DHODH does not stem from its role in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis disruption. Rather, DHODH’s role in the electron transport chain, essential for mitigating reactive oxygen species, may be the physiological vulnerability that pushes BCOR-mutant cells toward cell death when DHODH is inhibited. DHODH inhibitors could be repurposed as targeted therapies for BCOR-mutant tumors, offering a promising strategy for precision medicine in AML and other cancers.

Study EGAS50000001060

The Haemgen RBC study

Anaemia is a major determinant of global ill-health. To refine our understanding of the genetic factors influencing red blood cell formation and function, we carried out a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for six red blood cell traits: haemoglobin (HB), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean cell volume (MCV), packed cell volume (PCV) and red blood cell count (RBC). We provide genome-wide association results for 62,553 people of European ancestry using up to 2,644,161 autosomal SNPs. Participants with extreme measurements (>+/-3SD from mean) were excluded on a per phenotype basis. Imputation was done using haplotypes from HapMap Phase 2. SNP associations with each phenotype were tested by linear regression using an additive genetic model. Associations were tested separately in each cohort, with principal components and other study specific factors as covariates to account of population substructure. We then carried out meta-analysis of results from the individual cohorts using z-scores weighted by square root of sample size. SNPs with MAF<1% (weighted average across cohorts) were removed, as were SNPs with weight <50% of phenotype sample size. Anaemia is a major determinant of global ill-health. To refine our understanding of the genetic factors influencing red blood cell formation and function, we carried out a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for six red blood cell traits: haemoglobin (HB), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean cell volume (MCV), packed cell volume (PCV) and red blood cell count (RBC). We provide genome-wide association results for 62,553 people of European ancestry using up to 2,644,161 autosomal SNPs. Participants with extreme measurements (>+/-3SD from mean) were excluded on a per phenotype basis. Imputation was done using haplotypes from HapMap Phase 2. SNP associations with each phenotype were tested by linear regression using an additive genetic model. Associations were tested separately in each cohort, with principal components and other study specific factors as covariates to account of population substructure. We then carried out meta-analysis of results from the individual cohorts using z-scores weighted by square root of sample size. SNPs with MAF<1% (weighted average across cohorts) were removed, as were SNPs with weight <50% of phenotype sample size.

Study EGAS00000000132

Exome Sequencing of familial and sporadic Meniere disease patients

This study aims to characterize the genetic architecture of spanish patients diagnosed with Meniere disease (MD), focusing on both familial (FMD) and sporadic (SMD) forms, by analyzing coding variants. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on these patients, and variants were called and annotated using the nf-core/sarek bioinformatics pipeline, including alignment to the GRCh38 reference genome. The resulting data provide a curated resource for investigating the potential genetic contribution to the pathophysiology of MD. All data will be made available for reuse under controlled access.

Study EGAS50000001178

Whole-genome sequencing of two probands with hereditary spastic paraplegia reveals novel splice-donor region mutation and known pathogenic mutation in SPG11

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (SPG) are a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, which are often presented with overlapping phenotypes such as progressive paraparesis and spasticity. To assist the diagnosis of SPG subtypes, next-generation sequencing is often used to provide supporting evidence. In this study, we report the case of two probands from the same family with SPG symptoms, including bilateral lower limbs weakness, unsteady gait, cognitive decline, dysarthria and slurring of speech since age of 14. Subsequent whole-genome sequencing revealed that the patients are compound heterozygous for mutations in SPG11 gene, including the paternally inherited c.6856C>T (p.Arg2286*) mutation and the novel maternally inherited c.2316+5G>A splice donor region mutation. Mutations in SPG11 are the common cause of autosomal recessive Spastic Paraplegia type 11. According to the ClinVar database, there are already 101 reported pathogenic mutations in SPG11 that are associated with SPG. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SPG11 mutations in our local population. Novel splice mutation identified in this study would enrich the catalog of SPG11 mutations, potentially leading to better genetic diagnosis of SPG.

Study EGAS00001001849

Insights into BRCA1 and TP53 associated breast cancer development from integrated whole genome analysis of mouse model mammary tumors

Germline mutations in BRCA1 are a leading cause of hereditary breast cancer. We generated Brca1;Trp53 double conditional knockout (CKO) and Trp53 single CKO mouse models, both with either one or two copies of Trp53 deleted by Cre. We used whole-genome sequencing and optical genome mapping to interrogate the genomes of the resulting mammary tumors. Our comprehensive genomic analyses show that the Brca1;Trp53-CKO tumors recapitulate major genomic features of the human BRCA1 breast samples indicative of conserved fundamental mutational processes. This study also provides new insights into the genetic mechanisms of tumor development with potential implications for the treatment of BRCA1 cancers.

Study EGAS50000001402

Long-read whole genome sequencing of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant health challenge globally, with a particularly high incidence in Asia, including Singapore. Understanding the genomic landscape of normal gastric and the different GC subtypes along with its precursor lesions such as intestinal metaplasia (IM) as well as GC metastatic sites is crucial for advancing diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. Long-read sequencing technologies offer an opportunity to delve deeper into the genomic and epigenetic alterations underlying these conditions and to complement existing short-read omics data. By integrating these data with previously generated in-house multi-omics data (such as RNA sequencing and whole exome sequencing), we hope to better elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying GC initiation and progression.

Study EGAS50000001607

A conserved enhancer in ecDNA-containing Medulloblastoma

Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) fundamentally reshapes the regulatory landscape of cancer cells by providing a platform for massive oncogene amplification and heightened chromatin accessibility. This research investigates how ecDNA-resident enhancers operate within large-scale molecular hubs to drive potent, long-range transcriptional activation that transcends standard chromosomal boundaries. By analyzing the unique structural configurations of these elements, the work identifies key mechanisms that contribute to rapid tumor evolution and significant phenotypic plasticity. These findings highlight the critical role of non-chromosomal regulatory elements in maintaining oncogenic signaling and suggest new avenues for therapeutic intervention in aggressive, ecDNA-driven malignancies.

Study EGAS50000001609

RBMX functional retrocopy safeguards brain development

Retrotransposition has generated thousands of intronless gene copies in mammalian genomes, yet their contribution to brain development and evolution remains largely unexplored. We investigated the role for RBMX retrocopy in shaping neurodevelopment and modulating disease. First, we reported 8 distinct pathogenic variants in RBMX, an X-linked splicing regulator, in 11 males presenting with intellectual disability, microcephaly, and cortical malformations. Then, we combined transcriptomic profiling, protein–protein and protein–RNA interaction studies both in human cellular models and mouse embryonic cortices to assess the functional redundancy between RBMX and its retrocopy RBMXL1. Finally, we use mouse genetics to dissect RBMX function and its compensation by RBMXL1 in corticogenesis. We show that RBMX pathogenic variants disrupt cortical development through both loss- and gain-of-function mechanisms. Surprisingly, despite severe phenotypes in humans, Rbmx-deficient mice display only mild cortical abnormalities, a discrepancy likely due to compensation by Rbmxl1, a retrocopy that arose independently in mice and humans. We demonstrate that RBMX and RBMXL1 share protein and RNA partners and act redundantly in brain development, with RBMXL1 buffering the impact of RBMX deficiency. Together, these findings establish that RBMXL1 functions as a functional paralog of RBMX safeguarding neurodevelopment by buffering deleterious variation. More broadly, these results identify retrocopies as active contributors to neurodevelopmental robustness and suggest that functional retrocopies may have facilitated the evolutionary diversification of the mammalian brain.

Study EGAS50000001650

Case Report: Pre-Clinical Combination Targeting VEGF and PI3K in a Rare, Aggressive Mixed Endometrial Carcinoma

We report a rare case of a young patient (VENUS 167) initially diagnosed with grade 1 endometrioid endometrial cancer, which, following endocrine treatment, presented with mixed aggressive carcinoma with three distinct histologic patterns: grade 1 endometrioid, large cell neuroendocrine, and undifferentiated carcinoma. The surgical specimen at the time of disease progression was used to establish OPTO.85, a patient-derived organoid (PDO), followed by a corresponding organoid-derived xenograft (ODX). Multi-omic analyses confirmed that OPTO.85 accurately reflected the patient’s tumor characteristics. WES analysis identified oncogenic alterations in PIK3CA, ARID1A, and CTNNB1. Further RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses revealed enrichment in VEGF and Wnt signaling pathways, suggesting therapeutic vulnerabilities. A high-throughput drug screen was conducted using ApexBio-Approved and Epigenetic Drug Libraries, along with Kinase Inhibitor and Tool Compound Libraries developed at the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research. The OPTO.85 PDO exhibited sensitivity to PI3K inhibitors and responsiveness to VEGF inhibition. Cediranib demonstrated synergy with BKM120, significantly reducing organoid growth. This combination also showed in vivo efficacy in the ODX model, where dual inhibitors significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to single compounds. This case exemplifies the impact of genomic profiling and patient-derived models in identifying actionable molecular changes in rare cancers with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. It highlights that high-throughput sequencing for individual patient tumors and generation of patient-derived models are feasible in endometrial cancer. This preclinical model may assist clinical decision and personalized therapy requiring validation in prospective studies.

Study EGAS50000001665

Recurrent somatic JAK-STAT mutations within a novel RUNX1-mutated pedigree

The acquisition of somatic mutations is an emerging field of investigation in familial leukemia. Currently, genetic profiles in familial MDS/AML are considered analogous to sporadic disease, although the patterns of clonal evolution within families are poorly defined. We performed whole exome profiling of tumour samples from a novel RUNX1 mutated family, to determine the stepwise evolution of MDS/AML across 4 young siblings. Three siblings developed monocytic AML/RAEB2 at 5 years of age, with hepatosplenomegaly and somatic mutations upregulating JAK-STAT signalling, the latter are typically detected in <5% of sporadic MDS/AML. Two siblings acquired the canonical JAK2 V617F mutation, while another acquired a unique missense mutation of SH2B3, a negative regulator of JAK2. Notably, 2/3 siblings demonstrated dosage amplification of these mutations due to acquired uniparental disomy of chromosomes 9p and 12q (encompassing JAK2 and SH2B3, respectively). All 4 siblings were heterozygous for the 46/1 JAK2 haplotype associated with predisposition to sporadic V617F myeloproliferative disorders, which likely influenced the acquisition of JAK2 mutations. Our findings provide further evidence that relatives with shared germline mutations may acquire somatic mutations in a non-random manner leading to convergent patterns of disease evolution.

Study EGAS00001001862

Comparison of EGF and PDGF driven glioblastomas.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor. Epidermal growth-factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth-factor (PDGF) receptors are frequently amplified and/or possess gain-of-function mutations in these tumors. Despite years of research into tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, clinical trials have shown disappointing efficacy. One of the underlying reasons is intra-tumor heterogeneity. To assess the effect of intra-tumor heterogeneity on gene expression, we derived a general approach to map single-cell expression profiles to sequentially-acquired mutations identified from exome sequencing. Using 288 single cells, we constructed high-resolution phylogenies of EGF-driven and PDGF-driven GBMs, modeling transcriptional kinetics during tumor evolution. A deletion in a PDGF-receptor domain involved in dimerization correlated to an up-regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in a proneural GBM, and ectopic expression of this mutant PDGFRA in vitro enhanced proliferation and invasiveness. Descending the phylogenetic tree of the PDGFR-driven tumor corresponded to a progressive induction of an oligodendrocyte progenitor-like cell type that expresses growth and angiogenic factors. In contrast, phylogenetic analysis of an EGFR-amplified tumor showed a gradual up-regulation of pro-invasive genes.

Study EGAS00001001900

RNAseq profile of monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma and enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma

Background : Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) and monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL) are aggressive malignancies with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Our research on MEITL has uncovered its genetic portrait including hallmark SEDT2 mutations, expanded its pathological spectrum, and identified molecular biomarkers influencing patients’ outcome. In this study, we aimed to establish and clarify the similar and diverging features of EATL. Methods : A large combined cohort of patients with EATL (n=30) and MEITL (n=52) was assembled and tumor samples were used for whole-exome and RNA sequencing profiling.

Study EGAS50000001125

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

Understanding_the_development_of_resident_memory_T_cellsTrmin_the_human_small_intestine_using_integrative_multiomic_approaches__Adult_RNA

Animal studies have demonstrated that resident memory T (Trm) cells provide enhanced protective responses to a broad array of tissue-tropic pathogens, thus making Trm cells promising targets for novel vaccination strategies. However, the biological pathways that enable the long-term survival of Trm cells are poorly understood in humans. Here, we will employ a unique human intestinal transplantation setting that allows us to study the retention of persistent T cells in the grafts and the temporal development of resident T-cell populations from recruited recipient T cells. We will integrate high resolution transcriptomics, epigenetics, proteomics and immune repertoire single-cell data from purified intestinal T cells. These single-cell multiomics approaches will uncover the diversity and differentiation of the T cell populations in the human intestine, allowing us to temporally resolve the generation and maintenance of gut resident T cells.

Study EGAS00001008257

DNA methylation and the adverse metabolic outcomes of adiposity

Overweight and obesity affect ~1.5 billion people worldwide, and are major risk factors for type-2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease and related metabolic and inflammatory disturbances.1,2 Although the mechanisms linking adiposity to its clinical sequelae are poorly understood, recent studies suggest that adiposity may influence DNA methylation,3-6 a key regulator of gene expression and molecular phenotype.7 Here we use epigenome-wide association to show that body mass index (BMI, a key measure of adiposity) is associated with widespread changes in DNA methylation (187 genetic loci at P<1x10-7, range P=9.2x10-8 to 6.0x10-46; N=10,261 samples). Genetic association analyses demonstrate that the alterations in DNA methylation are predominantly the consequence of adiposity, rather than the cause. We find the methylation loci are enriched for functional genomic features in multiple tissues (P<0.05), and show that sentinel methylation markers identify gene expression signatures at 38 loci (P<9.0x10-6, range P=5.5x10-6 to 6.1x10-35, N=1,785 samples). The methylation loci identified highlight genes involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, substrate transport, and inflammatory pathways. Finally, we show that the disturbances in DNA methylation predict future type-2 diabetes (relative risk per 1SD increase in Methylation Risk Score: 2.3 [2.07-2.56]; P=1.1x10-54). Our results provide new insights into the biologic pathways influenced by adiposity, and may enable development of new strategies for prediction and prevention of type-2 diabetes and other adverse clinical consequences of obesity.

Study EGAS00001001922

InsPIRE islets

We explored the relationship between genetic variants influencing predisposition to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related glycemic traits, and human pancreatic islet transcription using RNA-Seq and genotyping data from 420 islet donors and 26 FAC sorted beta-cells.

Study EGAS00001003997

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

HipSci___Whole_Exome_sequencing___Congenital_hyperinsulinia

The HipSci project brings together diverse constituents in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and clinical genetics to create a UK national iPS cell resource and use it to carry out cellular genetic studies. In this sub-study we perform whole exome sequencing using Agilent whole exome pulldown method on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with congenital hyperinsulinia

Study EGAS00001001977

HipSci___Whole_Exome_sequencing___Kabuki

The HipSci project brings together diverse constituents in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and clinical genetics to create a UK national iPS cell resource and use it to carry out cellular genetic studies. In this sub-study we perform whole exome sequencing using Agilent whole exome pulldown method on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome

Study EGAS00001001981

Immunodeficiency syndrome caused by LCP1 mutations

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is characterized by neutropenia, recurrent infections and an increased leukemia risk. Multiple genetic defects underlying SCN have been identified, but a genetic diagnosis is still lacking in a significant proportion of patients. Here, we report three independent pedigrees with autosomal dominant variants in LCP1. Variants c.740-1G>T and c.740-20_744del resulted in the same alternatively spliced RNA product, causing an in-frame deletion (p.A247_E254del). Variant c.509C>T in the third pedigree resulted in p.S170L. Variant carriers suffer from neutropenia, poor or complete lack of response to G-CSF treatment, and variable degrees of lymphopenia. Patients with A247_E254del presented with tetraploid cells in the bone marrow, indicative of disturbed cytokinesis. In one of these kindreds, two individuals developed acute leukemia. G-CSF non-responsiveness and defective cell cycling were repaired upon correction of the LCP1 A247_E254del variant in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, supporting the monogenic origin of the disease. Indicative of their gain-of-function, both A247_E254del and S170L variants increased F-actin bundling and formation of abnormal protrusions. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of A247_E254del bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) showed deregulation of signaling pathways controlling mitosis in multi-lineage and lymphoid-primed HSPC subsets. We conclude that activating LCP1 variants cause a new autosomal dominant hematopoietic disorder. Depending on the consequences of the LCP1 variants for protein structure, patients may suffer from G-CSF refractory severe neutropenia, lymphopenia, defective cytokinesis and predisposition to leukemia.

Study EGAS00001008293

HipSci HumanExome BeadChip analysis - Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxias

The HipSci project brings together diverse constituents in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and clinical genetics to create a UK national iPS cell resource and use it to carry out cellular genetic studies. In this sub-study we performed Genotyping analysis using the Infinium HumanExome BeadChip on iPS cells generated from skin biopsies or blood samples from rare disease patients diagnosed with Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxias.

Study EGAS00001002005

Whole genome bisulfite sequencing of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma tumor and non-cancerous samples

To understand comprehensive epigenetic alterations in hepatitis B virus-associated HCC, we have conducted a whole genome bisulfite sequencing of 5 tumor samples and 3 non-cancerous samples (3 pairs and 2 tumors).

Study EGAS00001002230

Molecular_diagnosis_of_albinism

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

Study EGAS00001002068

Genomic characterization of retinoblastoma (targeted sequencing)

Retinoblastoma is the most frequent intraocular malignancy in children, originating from a maturing cone precursor in the developing retina. Little is known on the molecular basis underlying the biological and clinical behavior of this cancer. Here, using multi-omics data, we demonstrate the existence of two retinoblastoma subtypes. Subtype 1, of earlier onset, includes most of the heritable forms. It harbors few genetic alterations other than the initiating RB1 inactivation and corresponds to differentiated tumors expressing mature cone markers. By contrast, subtype 2 tumors harbor frequent recurrent genetic alterations including MYCN-amplification. They express markers of less differentiated cone together with neuronal/ganglion cell markers with marked inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity. The cone dedifferentiation in subtype 2 is associated with stemness features including low immune and interferon response, E2F and MYC/MYCN activation and a higher propensity for metastasis. The recognition of these two subtypes, one maintaining a cone-differentiated state, and the other, more aggressive, associated with cone dedifferentiation and expression of neuronal markers, opens up important biological and clinical perspectives for retinoblastomas. In this study, we performed targeted sequencing of the exonic regions of RB1, BCOR and ARID1A on 37 samples from the series of 102 retinoblastomas. Among them, 23 samples were not subjected to whole-exome sequencing, and 14 samples have the whole-exome sequencing data (deposited in EGAS00001005248).

Study EGAS00001005550

Immune cell atlas of environmental and ancestral diversity in Indonesia [scRNAseq]

Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) remains consistently underrepresented in large-scale human genomic resources despite its rich ancestral and lifestyle diversity. The region's complex population history and environmental/pathogen pressures could have shaped its populations' unique immune responses. Here, we generated single-cell PBMC profiles from 199 Indonesians sampled across four populations in the islands of Bali and New Guinea. The dataset consists of low-pass whole genome sequencing and pooled single-cell PBMC transcriptome sequencing. These groups capture diversity in regional genetic ancestries (West ISEA-like and Papuan-like) and lifestyle contrasts (urban versus rural communities in Bali; highland versus lowland communities in New Guinea), providing a window into how ancestry and environment jointly shape immune variation across ISEA. Together, this study provides the first large-scale single-cell immune atlas of ISEA, highlighting how ancestral and environmental diversity jointly shape human immunity in this globally important yet understudied region.

Study EGAS50000001656

Genomic and Epigenomic Features of Primary and Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinomas

Intratumor heterogeneity and divergent clonal lineages within and among primary and recurrent hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) produce challenges to patient management. We investigated genetic and epigenetic variations within liver tumors, among hepatic lesions, and between primary and relapsing tumors. We performed whole-genome, whole-exome, or targeted capture sequencing analyses HCC specimens collected from multiple tumor regions and matched initial and recurrent tumors to obtain a systematic evaluation of intra- and intertumor genetic heterogeneity in HCC samples and to identify genetic changes associated with tumor progression and recurrence.

Study EGAS00001002094

RNAseq data of polyA+ RNA from Leukocytes from 624 individuals of the SardiNIA cohort.

We sequenced the polyA+ of the RNA of the leukocytes from 624 sardinian individuals with RNAseq (Illumina 2000, an average of round 60M reads per sample, 51 + 51 nt). Combining the genotype information of the same individuals (already available from the ProgeNIA project) with the transcriptome data we identified 21,183 independent expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and 6,768 independent splicing quantitative trait loci (sQTLs), including 619 novel QTLs that exhibit population-specific trait associations. Using family relationships, we identified 809 segregating expression outliers and provide a new approach to study large effect regulatory variants and their relevance to traits. Our results provide insight into the effects of regulatory variants and their relationship to population history and individual genetic risk.

Study EGAS00001002105

North American Brain Expression Consortium (NABEC) Exome Sequencing

A fundamental challenge in the post-genome era is to understand and annotate the consequences of genetic variation, particularly within the context of human tissues. We describe a set of integrated experiments designed to investigate the effects of common genetic variability on mRNA expression distinct human brain regions. We show that brain tissues may be readily distinguished based on expression profile. We find an abundance of genetic cis regulation mRNA expression. We observe that the largest magnitude effects occur across distinct brain regions. We believe these data, which we have made publicly available, will be useful in understanding the biological effects of genetic variation.

Study EGAS00001002110

GEenetic landscape of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive leukemia characterized by aneuploidy and poor outcome. The genetic basis of hypodiploid ALL is unknown. Here, using complementary genome-wide profiling approaches, we show that hypodiploid ALL comprises two subtypes that differ in the severity of aneuploidy, transcriptional profile and submicroscopic genetic alterations. Near haploid cases with 24-31 chromosomes frequently harbor alterations targeting receptor tyrosine kinase- and Ras signaling (71%) and IKZF3 (AIOLOS; 13%). In contrast, low hypodiploid ALL cases with 32-39 chromosomes are characterized by TP53 alterations, almost half of which are present in non-tumor cells, and have alterations of IKZF2 (HELIOS; 53%) and RB1 (41%). Both near haploid and low hypodiploid tumors exhibit activation of Ras and PI3K signaling pathways, and are sensitive to PI3K inhibition, indicating that these drugs should be explored as a new therapeutic strategy for this frequently lethal form of leukemia.

Study EGAS00001000380

Immune cell atlas of environmental and ancestral diversity in Indonesia [WGS]

Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) remains consistently underrepresented in large-scale human genomic resources despite its rich ancestral and lifestyle diversity. The region's complex population history and environmental/pathogen pressures could have shaped its populations' unique immune responses. Here, we generated single-cell PBMC profiles from 199 Indonesians sampled across four populations in the islands of Bali and New Guinea. The dataset consists of low-pass whole genome sequencing and pooled single-cell PBMC transcriptome sequencing, including T-cell receptor (TCR). These groups capture diversity in regional genetic ancestries (West ISEA-like and Papuan-like) and lifestyle contrasts (urban versus rural communities in Bali; highland versus lowland communities in New Guinea), providing a window into how ancestry and environment jointly shape immune variation across ISEA. Together, this study provides the first large-scale single-cell immune atlas of ISEA, highlighting how ancestral and environmental diversity jointly shape human immunity in this globally important yet understudied region.

Study EGAS50000001655

Human four week embryo head as reference for generating an enhancer compendium for neuronal and neural crest development using neural tube organoids.

This study has the aim of generating an enhancer code compendium of early human neuronal and neural crest development. For this purpose, we generated human neural tube organoids from single cells from two induced pluripotent stem cell lines. The organoids were subject to combined single cell multiomics at four time points of differentiation. To evaluate the biological relevance of the cell types and states obtained from the organoids, we compared with data obtained from 10XGenomics single cell multiomics on the head of a single four weeks post conception human embryo.

Study EGAS50000001031

GWAS study on arsenic-exposed population

Genetic analysis of women from the Andes Mountains that are exposed to arsenic in drinking water.

Study EGAS00001001168

Synthetic modeling reveals HOXB genes are critical for the initiation and maintenance of human leukemia

Study EGAS00001003627

The landscape of somatic mutations in epigenetic regulators across 1000 pediatric cancer genomes

To define the frequency and pattern of somatic mutations in epigenetic regulators in pediatric cancer, we sequenced 633 genes, encoding the majority of proteins involved in patterning the epigenome, in 1000 pediatric tumors spanning 21 different cancer subtypes. This analysis establishes an epigenetic landscape of pediatric cancer, which expands the knowledge for potential therapeutic targets and for developing personalized therapy.

Study EGAS00001000449

BLUEPRINT Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cell Methylomes

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

Study EGAS00001002070

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