14662 results for "PLOS+ONE+Pennsylvania+German+ACS+language+code+pdc+open+access+study"

in 46.50 milliseconds.

• Matched_Ovarian_Cancer_Sequencing

  Genomic libraries (500 bps) will be generated from total genomic DNA derived from 15 ovarian cancer samples and subjected to total of eight lanes of 37 bp, paired end sequencing on the llumina GA. Paired reads will be mapped to build 37 of the human reference genome to facilitate the generation of genome wide copy number information, and the identification of novel rearranged cancer genes and gene fusions.

  Study EGAS00001000155

• Chondrosarcoma_Validation_Study

  Agilent whole exome hybridisation capture was performed on genomic DNA derived from Chondrosarcoma cancer and matched normal DNA from the same patients. Next Generation sequencing performed on the resulting exome libraries and mapped to build 37 of the human reference genome to facilitate the identification of novel cancer genes. Now we aim to re find and validate the findings of those exome libraries using bespoke pulldown methods and sequencing the products.

  Study EGAS00001000181

• Acute_Myeloid_Leukemia_Sequencing

  Genomic libraries (500 bps) will be generated from total genomic DNA derived from 25 acute myeloid leukemia samples and subjected to total of eight lanes of 37 bp, paired end sequencing on the llumina GA. Paired reads will be mapped to build 37 of the human reference genome to facilitate the generation of genome wide copy number information, and the identification of novel rearranged cancer genes and gene fusions.

  Study EGAS00001000209

• Analysis of tumor periphery and center-specific mutations in renal cell carcinoma

  Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a genomically heterogeneous tumor. In the present project, the question whether intratumoral heterogeneity follows a zonal pattern indicating spatial niches was addressed. Whole exome sequencing of 16 paired samples from tumor periphery and center revealed a number of region-specific functional SNVs and Indels. Therefore, RCCs are not composed of evenly admixed tumor cells but show topological differences in their clonal composition.

  Study EGAS00001001784

• Mutation_analysis_in_human_iPS_cells_

  PCR products were obtained from each target loci using genomic DNA from human iPS cells. Subsequently, PCR products are pooled and subjected to Illumina library preparation. The library will be sequenced by MiSeq. 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 EGAS00001000359

• QSEA – modelling of genome-wide DNA methylation from sequencing enrichment experiments

  We describe a new method, QSEA, for analyzing methylation enrichment data. We generated a benchmark experiment consisting of MeDIP-seq enrichment data, targeted BS-seq validation data, and RNA-seq data on five pairs of tumor and adjacent normal samples of non-small cell lung cancer patients. Details of the method and its performance on the data have been described in Lienhard et al. (2016).

  Study EGAS00001001822

• To reveal the spectrum of gene mutations in grade II/III gliomas, whole exome sequencing of 52 samples including 4 multi-regional and 10 multi-time points sampling cases and 291 SNP-array were performed.

  To reveal the spectrum of gene mutations in grade II/III gliomas, whole exome sequencing of 52 samples including 4 multi-regional and 10 multi-time points sampling cases and 291 SNP-array were performed. Our analysis revealed high degrees of temporal/spatial heterogeneity generated during tumor expansion and relapse.

  Study EGAS00001001044

• Single cell transcriptomes of of primary tumors and normal endometrial derived organoids treated with DBZ

  Endometrial carcinoma, the most common gynecologic cancer, develops from endometrial epithelium which is composed of secretory and ciliated cells. Pathologic classification is unreliable and there is a need for prognostic tools. We used single cell sequencing to study organoid model systems derived from normal endometrial endometrium to discover novel markers specific for endometrial ciliated or secretory cells. We performed single cell sequencing on endometrial and ovarian tumours, and on organoids both treated with DBZ and normal and found both secretory-like and ciliated-like tumour cells.

  Dataset EGAD00001006280

• Gene expression by RNAseq in bronchial biopsies of asthmatics, asthma in remission and healthy subjects

  The study focus was differential expression in bronchial biopsies between persistent asthma, asthma in remission and healthy controls using RNAseq. There were 184 samples that passed QC. RNA samples were processed using the TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA), using an automated procedure in a Caliper Sciclone NGS Workstation (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA). In this procedure, all cytoplasmic and mitochondria rRNA was removed (RiboZero Gold kit). The obtained cDNA fragment libraries were loaded in pools of multiple samples unto an Illumina HiSeq2500 sequencer using default parameters for paired-end sequencing (2 × 100 bp). Data are available as 221 pairs of FASTQ-files. Note that several samples are associated with multiple sequence runs.

  Dataset EGAD00001005112

• Whole exome sequencing data of tumor/normal pairs for the study "TGF-β attenuates tumour response to PD-L1 blockade by contributing to exclusion of T cells"

  Tumor DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tumors of a large cohort of bladder cancer patients before treatment with anti-PD-L1. Normal DNA was extracted from matched PBMCs. Whole exome sequencing was performed. This is a subset of patients for which RNA sequencing is also provided (with more detailed phenotypic information).

  Dataset EGAD00001004218

• Whole Genome Sequencing of Liver Cancers

  Genomic alterations driving tumorigenesis result from the interaction of environmental exposures and endogeneous cellular processes. With a diversity of risk factors including viral infection, carcinogenic exposures and metabolic diseases, liver cancer is an ideal model to study these interactions. Whole genome sequencing of liver tumors identified 10 mutational signatures showing distinct relationships with environmental exposures, replication and transcription. Transcription-coupled damage was specifically associated with the liver-specific signature 16 and alcohol intake. Flood of indels were identified in very highly expressed hepato-specific genes, likely resulting from replication-transcription collisions. Reconstruction of sub-clonal architecture revealed mutational signature evolution during tumor development exemplified by the vanishing of aflatoxin-B1 signature in African migrants. These findings shed new light on the natural history of liver cancers.

  Dataset EGAD00001003281

• Genomic characterization of germ-cell tumors in childhood

  Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare neoplasms affecting approximately 3.5% of pediatric patients, with diverse histological subtypes. Despite their low mutational burden, prevalent alterations in KIT, KRAS, and NRAS genes are observed, but molecular understanding of pediatric GCTs lags behind adult counterparts. We aimed to elucidate the genomic landscape of 16 pediatric GCT patients via whole exome sequencing (WES), which revealed somatic alterations resembling those in adult GCTs.

  Study EGAS50000000619

• WES of sorted B lineage cells from patients with plasma cell neoplasms

  Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was conducted on cell populations isolated from each patient—diagnosed with either multiple myeloma (MM) or light-chain amyloidosis (AL) —including CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitors, B-cell precursors, mature B cells, normal plasma cells, and clonal plasma cells. In the control cohort of healthy adults, the same target cell populations were analyzed, with the exception of clonal plasma cells, which were absent.

  Study EGAS50000001498

• Novel manifestations of immune dysregulation and granule defects in gray platelet syndrome

  Gray Platelet Syndrome (GPS) is a rare recessive bleeding disorder resulting from biallelic variants in NBEAL2. As part of a comprehensive evaluation of the phenotype and genotype in 47 patients with GPS, four different blood cell-types (platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, and CD4-lymphocytes) were evaluated using bulk RNA-seq in five patients and five controls. These data are deposited in this archive in FASTQ format.

  Study EGAS00001004216

• Single-cell transcriptome landscape of developing fetal gonads defines somatic cell lineage specification in humans

  We present the comprehensive transcriptional dynamics of cell types populating the male and female developing gonads at a single-cell level. We recovered the gene expression programs of around 128,000 single cells derived from 17 fetal testes and 16 fetal ovaries from 5 to 12 postconceptional weeks. The resulting dataset provides an unprecedented overview of this key period in sex determination and gonadal development.

  Study EGAS00001006568

• Characterization of a novel MEF2D-BCL9 fusion positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line WXS derived

  The lack of a well-characterized model system for many subtypes of leukemia hinders the development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. A novel in-house-made pediatric MEF2D-BCL9 fusion positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line was characterized. This cell line is highly presentative for the major clone of the original material and thus a valuable resource to examine novel therapeutic for MEF2D fused patients.

  Study EGAS00001006801

• RNAseq of Follicular Lymphoma

  RNAseq analysis of 28 Follicular Lymphoma (FL) criopreserved samples was performed using ribosomal-depleted total RNA to analyze long non-coding RNA and coding transcript expression profiles comparing two different histological groups of FL tumors (FL1-3A versus FL3B/DLBCL). These comparisons were performed either in a subset of tumor purified cell samples (N=12) as in unpurified tumor samples including normal cells for the lymph node microenvironment (N=16).

  Study EGAS00001002980

• Pseudotime_ordering_of_cell_cycle_state

  We will be using G&T method to sequence single cell genome and transcriptome derived from FS13B iPSCs cell line. The cell cycle state of each of the single cells is known. Hence, we will be analysing the genome and transcriptome of single cells from each of the cell cycle state to generate a copy number profile and transcriptome profile per given cell cycle stage: G1, S, G2, S.

  Study EGAS00001003293

• SLC9A3R1 variant associated with age-related hearing loss

  Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common sensory impairment in the elderly affecting millions of people worldwide. To shed light on the genetics of ARHL, a large cohort of 464 Italian patients has been deeply analyzed at clinical and molecular level. A missense variant in SLC9A3R1 has been identified in two unrelated ARHL patients. A knock-in zebrafish model confirmed the pathogenic effect of the variant.

  Study EGAS00001003072

• MM samples for epigenomic translocation of H3K4me3 broad domains following super-enhancer hijacking

  Chromosomal translocations are important drivers of haematological malignancies whereby proto-oncogenes are activated by juxtaposition with super-enhancers, often called enhancer hijacking. To examine this phenomenon we used ChipSeq based on a combination of six histone modifications as follows: H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K9me3, H3K27me3, H3K27Ac and H3K36me3. Samples are patient-derived xenografts generated by passaging primary patient CD138+ selected cells through the SCID-rab myeloma mouse model.

  Study EGAS00001005684

• Modeling glioblastoma invasion using human brain organoids and single-cell transcriptomics

  We performed scRNA-seq of patient-derived glioblastoma cells alone or after co-culture with human iPSC-derived cerebral organoid cells. Transcriptional changes implicated in the invasion process that are coherent across patient samples indicate that GBM cells reactively upregulate genes required for their dispersion. Potential interactions between GBM and organoid cells identified by an in silico receptor-ligand pairing screen suggest functional therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS00001003852

• The_impact_of_the_human_leukaemia_virus_HTLV_1_on_host_gene_expression

  PBMCs were purified from blood samples of 8 HTLV-1 infected individuals, and cryo-preserved in fetal calf serum containing 10% DMSO. DNA from each samples was extracted using Qiagen Blood & Tissue kit according to the manufacturer's protocol. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001002259

• 46 patients primary malignant glioma cohort in Chinese population

  We recruited 46 Chinese patients with primary malignant glioma. All the patients were analyzed with whole-exome sequencing (WES) and 27 of them were analyzed with RNA-seq. We compared the molecular features between patients in different WHO grades. We used six-month progression-free survival (PFS6) status to group glioblastoma (GBM) patients to a good and a poor survival compared two groups genomic profiles.

  Study EGAS00001005583

• IBD_Whole_Genome_Sequencing

  We will sequence at 15X coverage the genomes of 1536 IBD patients. These samples are currently onsite at Sanger and made available for sequencing via our collaboration with the UK IBD Genetics consortium. 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 EGAS00001002238

• Genetic characterization patients affected by Cancer of Unknown Primary

  The genetic changes sustaining the development of human Cancers of Unknown Primary (CUP) remain elusive. Here we report the genomic profiling of 14 rigorously selected CUP samples. Although no specific recurring mutation in known driver genes was found, a comparison of the mutational landscape of CUPs with that of most other human tumor types revealed a consistent change in diverse genes belonging to the axon guidance KEGG pathway.

  Study EGAS00001006621

• SDH_deficient_renal_tumours___RNA_

  Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) deficient renal cancers are a rare and understudied subtype of renal cancer. As such they represent an unmet need in kidney cancer research. Here, we seek to describe the genomics and transcriptomics of SDH deficient renal cancers by sequencing five such tumours. We document their mutational burden, define driver mutations, demonstrate typical patterns of structural variants, and estimate the cell of origin and cellular composition.

  Study EGAS00001004103

• Longitudinal therapy monitoring of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (copy number, cell-free DNA)

  Clinical courses of non-small cell lung cancer patients with ALK rearrangements (ALK+ NSCLC) vary widely. We analyzed 271 longitudinal plasma samples from 73 patients with advanced ALK+ NSCLC treated with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors by combined hybrid-capture-based targeted sequencing (average 4,100x coverage) for mutation analysis and shallow whole genome sequencing (0.5x coverage) for global copy number profiling from cfDNA.

  Study EGAS00001004276

• Detecting and tracking circulating tumour DNA copy number profiles during first line chemotherapy in oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma

  DNA somatic copy number aberrations (SCNAs) are key drivers in oesophago-gastric adenocarcinoma (OGA). Whether minimally invasive SCNA analysis of circulating tumour (ct)DNA can predict treatment outcomes and reveal how SCNAs evolve during chemotherapy is unknown. We investigated this by low-coverage whole genome sequencing (lcWGS) of ctDNA from 30 patients with advanced OGA prior to first-line chemotherapy and on progression.

  Study EGAS00001003695

• Immunological hallmarks for clinical response to BCG in bladder cancer

  Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is an effective immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, recurrence and progression remain frequent warranting deeper insights into its mechanism. We herein comprehensively profiled blood and tissues obtained from NMIBC patients before, during and after BCG treatment using cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) and RNA sequencing to identify the key immune subsets crucial for anti-tumour activity.

  Study EGAS00001004764

• Spontaneous mutations in the single TTN gene represent high tumor mutation burden

  Tumor mutation burden (TMB) is an emerging biomarker, whose calculation requires targeted sequencing of many genes. We investigated if the measurement of mutation counts within a single gene is representative of TMB. Whole exome sequencing (WES) data from the pan-cancer cohort (n=10,224) of TCGA, and targeted sequencing (tNGS) and TTN gene sequencing from 24 colorectal cancer samples (AMC cohort) were analyzed.

  Study EGAS00001004009

• Targeted sequencing DDR genes in cancer stem cells

  Colorectal cancer stem cells (CSCs) show heterogeneous levels of constitutive replication stress leading distinct dependence on the replication stress response. The aim of the projects was to find genetic, epigenetic, phenotypic factors associated with the resistance of colorectal CSCs to inhibitors of the ATR/CHK1 pathway, which regulates of the replication stress response. Different pairs of colorectal CSCs sensitive and resistant to ATR or CHK1 inhibitors were analyzed

  Study EGAS00001004892

• The Landscape of Genetic Alterations in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, 88 matched HCC tumour/normal pairs WGS belongs to ICGC LICA-CN project

  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy of the liver. Genomic analysis is conducted to identify genetic alterations in driver genes which are all druggable targets for cancer therapy. Whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) and the landscaple of somatic mutations in 88 paired samples from HCC patients including tumors and matched adjacent normal tissues using Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform were performed.

  Study EGAS00001002218

• DNA sequencing for human normal endometrial glands

  To elucidate the timing and mechanism of the clonal expansion of somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes in the normal endometrium, we conducted whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing for 56 endometrial glands and matched blood samples from 4 women. By collecting endometrial glands from different parts of the endometrium, we showed that multiple glands with the same somatic mutations occupied substantial areas of the endometrium.

  Study EGAS00001005822

• Molecular characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

  Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are increasing globally, but their molecular traits are not well characterized. Our molecular characterization revealed higher rates of ACVR2A mutations (10%) – a potential tumour suppressor, presence of a novel mutational signature (MutSig-NASH-HCC), a more relevant role of Wnt/TGF-β proliferation subclass in tumours (42%) and immunosuppressive traits in the adjacent non-tumoral tissue.

  Study EGAS00001005222

• Molecular profile of IMFT for the identification of potential druggable targets and biomarkers predicting crizotinib response.

  The clinical phase II trial EORTC 90101 “CREATE” showed high anti-tumor activity of crizotinib, an ALK/ROS1 inhibitor, in IMFT patients. However, results suggested that other molecular targets in addition to ALK/ROS1 might also contribute to the sensitivity of this kinase inhibitor. We therefore characterized molecular profile of IMFT to identify alterations which could play a role in the response to crizotinib.

  Study EGAS00001005419

• Genomic abnormalities of TP53 define distinct risk groups of paediatric B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

  TP53 alterations are associated with adverse outcome in many malignancies; however, whilst common in paediatric B-NHL, their utility as a risk classifier in this setting is unknown. We evaluated the clinical significance of TP53 abnormalities (mutations, deletion and/or copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity) in a large UK paediatric B-NHL cohort (n=95) and determined their impact on survival.

  Study EGAS00001005617

• Somatic L1 retrotranspositions in normal human cells

  Genomic mutations accumulate in normal cells during lifetime; however, somatic mosaicism generated by mobilization of transposable elements is not well understood. Here, we explored whole-genome sequences of single-cell expanded clones to illustrate the mutational landscape produced by L1. In addition, we analyzed promoter DNA methylation status of retrotransposition-competent L1 and read-through RNA expression profiles to investigate the epigenetic regulation of L1 activity.

  Study EGAS00001006213

• Gene regulation of human stimulated and cultured CD4+ Treg cells

  This dataset maps gene expression regulation in human primary regulatory CD4+ T cells (Tregs) stimulated using PMA and ionomycin or cultured without stimulus for 18 hours. It includes whole genome sequence data for ChM-seq (18 H3K4me3, 20 H3K27ac and 3 inputs), ATAC-seq (42 samples) and whole transcriptome (39 samples). All individuals were genotyped using coreExome Illumina SNP chip array (included in EGAS00001003516).

  Study EGAS00001003515

• Exome and Whole-Genome Sequencing of Central African Hunter-Gatherers and Agriculturalists

  To investigate how human populations have adapted to the equatorial rainforest, we generated 266 high-coverage exomes, analyzed in combination with 300 published exomes, from 14 populations of African rainforest hunter-gatherers and farmers, together with 40 newly-generated, low-coverage genomes. Genome scans for positive selection and signatures of polygenic selection provide evidence for local adaptation of hunter-gatherers to the African rainforest.

  Study EGAS00001003722

• A single-cell transcriptional gradient in human cutaneous memory T cells restricts Th17/Tc17 identity

  We identified a gradated transcriptional program of coordinately regulated inflammation-suppressive genes in psoriatic resident memory T cells. This dataset includes bulk RNA-seq for CRISPR-based deactivation of two core components of this inflammation-suppressive program, ZFP36L2 and ZFP36, in human PBMCs. It also includes scRNA-seq of cutaneous immune cells from psoriasis patients before and during therapeutic IL-23 blockade.

  Study EGAS00001006716

• Population_based_analysis_of_POT1_variants_in_a_cutaneous_melanoma_case_control_cohort

  Pathogenic germline variants in the protection of telomeres 1 gene (POT1) have been associated with predisposition to a range of tumor types, including melanoma, glioma, leukemia and cardioangiosarcoma. We sequenced all coding exons of the POT1 gene in 2,929 European-descent melanoma cases and 3,298 controls, identifying 43 protein-changing genetic variants. We performed functional studies on each of these variants and explored their possible contribution to disease risk.

  Study EGAS00001006870

• COVID-19 Multiomics Atlas

  We provide a single-nuclei RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) dataset derived from four COVID-19 patients, generated using the 10x Chromium Next GEM Single Cell v3.1 kit. For our study, these were integrated with snRNA-seq data with 12 publicly available sc/snRNA-seq datasets, comprising organ donor lung samples (n=89) and COVID-19 lung tissue samples (n=51). Additionally, we provide a spatial transcriptomic dataset characterizing different histopathological stages of diffuse alveolar damage, across a cohort of 33 COVID-19 patients. This was generated using the Nanostring Whole Transcriptome Assay (WTA) with regions of interest (ROIs) sized 400 µm² each. This integrated multi-omics analysis of snRNA-seq, histology, and spatial transcriptomics data, is available for exploration and download via our web portal: https://covid19-multiomicatlas.cellgeni.sanger.ac.uk/.

  Dataset EGAD00001015404

• Evolutionary trajectories and clonal migration underlying tumor progression and lymph node metastasis in resectable lung cancer

  In this prospective study, targeted deep sequencing was performed on a total of 160 primary tumors (474 regions) and 112 lymph nodes from 125 patients with stage I-III lung cancer (LuCaTH). Progressive evolution at clonal divergence scale was observed while specific driver events were positively selected for clonal sweeps during tumor development. Between-region genetic divergence (BRGD) of tumors were assessed and positively correlated with tumor differentiation. A machine learning algorithm was employed to evaluate clinicopathological and molecular parameters of primary tumors underlying lymph node metastasis. By analyzing clonal lineages and metastatic trajectories across multiple nodal stations, we unraveled a common sequential LNM seeding pattern but with divergent modes of clonal spread.

  Dataset EGAD00001007587

• Single-cell RNA sequencing of human kidney transplant nephrectomies with chronic rejection or non-alloimmune graft injury

  This dataset contains raw single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data for five new kidney allograft nephrectomy samples used to construct the described in the following study: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.10.28.514222v2.full. The full description of processing is described in the manuscript. Briefly, samples were digested into a single cell suspension and run according to the 10X Genomics Chromium 5’ single cell kit (v2). Sequencing was performed using an Illumina Novaseq instrument. Samples were designated as TXN2 (EGAN00002519570, mycotic pseudoaneurysm, control dataset), TXN3 (EGAN00002235628, renal vein thrombus, control dataset), TXN5 (EGAN00002519573, chronic transplant rejection), TXN6 (EGAN00002519572, chronic pyelonephritis and renal artery stenosis, non-alloimmune graft injury dataset), TXN7 (EGAN00002519576, recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, non-alloimmune graft injury dataset).

  Dataset EGAD00001015631

• Single-cell Transcriptomic and TCR Repertoire Profiling of DENV-specific CD8+ T Cells Across Dengue Disease Severities

  This dataset contains single-cell RNA sequencing (Smart-seq2) and paired TCR repertoire data of sorted dengue virus (DENV)-specific CD8⁺ T cells from individuals with differing clinical outcomes: asymptomatic dengue (AD), dengue fever (DF), and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Samples were obtained from HLA-A11⁺ and HLA-A24⁺ individuals during acute and convalescent phases, with antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells isolated using HLA tetramers loaded with immunodominant DENV epitopes. The study identifies phenotypically distinct T cell subsets associated with disease severity, TCR avidity, and antigen reactivity to current or prior DENV serotypes. The dataset supports the understanding of CD8⁺ T cell heterogeneity, TCR features, and potential mechanisms of CD8⁺ T cell-mediated protection versus immunopathogenesis in dengue infection.

  Dataset EGAD00001015637

• Colorectal cancer organoid-stroma biobank cohort

  In colorectal cancers (CRC) the tumor microenvironment plays a key role for prognosis and therapy efficacy. Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) show enormous potential for preclinical testing, however, purely epithelial cultures features including the ‘consensus molecular subtypes’ (CMS) are largely eradicated. To better reflect the cell type heterogeneity, we established the CRC organoid-stroma biobank of matched PDTOs and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from 30 patients. Whole exome sequencing and transcriptome analysis in various in vitro and in vivo contexts was performed to study the influence of the TME on the CRC phenotype.

  Dataset EGAD00001011173

• sWGS of OV04 patient samples for ACN rascal study

  This dataset contains 142 .bam files of shallow WGS data (~0.1X) from OV04 patient samples. Sequencing reads were aligned to the 1000 Genomes Project GRCh37-derived reference genome using the BWA aligner (v.0.07.17; CRUK-CI alignment pipeline).

  Dataset EGAD00001008121

• Inherited MUTYH mutations cause elevated somatic mutation rates and distinctive mutational signatures in normal human cells

  Cellular DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species is repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway which includes the DNA glycosylase MUTYH. Inherited biallelic MUTYH mutations cause predisposition to colorectal adenomas and carcinoma. However, the mechanistic progression from germline MUTYH mutations to MUTYH-Associated Polyposis (MAP) is incompletely understood. Here, we sequenced normal cell DNAs from 10 individuals with MAP and study the somatic mutation burden and mutational signatures.

  Dataset EGAD00001007997

• Machine Learning Guided Signal Enrichment for Plasma Tumor-burden Monitoring Dataset

  Includes 4 Datasets: 1. 35 Control Plasma WGS samples sequenced on NovaSeq V1.0 Chemistry at the New York Genome Center. Denoted by CTRL-2XX naming scheme. 2. Plasma WGS from 17 patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer. Samples extracted at either Pretreatment or Postoperative at weeks 2 or 3. Denoted by SCLC-XX naming scheme. 3. Plasma WGS from a synthetic mixing study of a high-burden melanoma plasma sample with plasma bag, at estimated tumor concentrations of 10e-3, 10e-4, 10e-5, and 10e-6 for 2 replicates. Denoted by SM-repX naming scheme. 4. Assorted Plasma, Tumor, and Normal WGS from patients with NSCLC expressing high-burden for use in model training. Denoted by NSCLC-2XX naming scheme.

  Dataset EGAD00001011352

• Identification of rare variants associated with cardiovascular traits in Cilento isolates

  The aim of this project is to identify rare genetic variants of large effect implicated in complex diseases by focusing on the study of cardiovascular diseases and related quantitative traits in a well characterized isolated population in Cilento area, Italy. The reference panel has been selected carefully in order to maximize the imputation coverage and quality on the all population samples. The selected individuals should meet three criteria: selected individuals should be chip-genotyped and closely related to the maximum number of chip-genotyped individuals so as to maximize imputation coverage; relatedness between selected individuals should be minimal, so as to minimize redundancy in genetic information of the reference panel. We perform exome sequencing on samples from 250 individuals from the Campora and Gioi-Cardile populations.

  Dataset EGAD00001002195

• Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) Proteogenomic Confirmatory Study of Breast, Colon, Lung, and Ovarian Tumors

  Recently, significant progress has been made in characterizing and sequencing the genomic alterations in statistically robust numbers of samples from several types of cancer. For example, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and other similar efforts are identifying genomic alterations associated with specific cancers (e.g., copy number aberrations, rearrangements, point mutations, epigenomic changes, etc.). The availability of these multi-dimensional data to the scientific community sets the stage for the development of new molecularly targeted cancer interventions. Understanding the comprehensive functional changes in cancer proteomes arising from genomic alterations and other factors is the next logical step in the development of high-value candidate protein biomarkers. Hence, proteomics can greatly advance the understanding of molecular mechanisms of disease pathology via the analysis of changes in protein expression, their modifications and variations, as well as protein-protein interaction, signaling pathways and networks responsible for cellular functions such as apoptosis and oncogenesis. Realizing this great potential, the NCI launched the second phase of the CPTC initiative in September 2011. Renamed the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, CPTAC is beginning to leverage its analytical outputs from Phase I to define cancer proteomes on genomically-characterized biospecimens. The purpose of this integrative approach is to provide the broad scientific community with knowledge that links genotype to proteotype and ultimately phenotype. The data contained in this dataset are derived from samples designed to confirm CPTAC findings from the TCGA samples. These confirmatory samples contain breast, ovarian, colon, and lung tumors collected via a protocol optimized for proteomics. Specifically, ischemic time of the sample was controlled and restricted to less than 30 minutes. ACGT, Inc. produced whole exome, mRNAseq, and miRNAseq for these samples. Corresponding proteomic data are available at: https://cptac-data-portal.georgetown.edu/cptacPublic/ The study design was to profile colon, breast, ovarian, and lung tumors both genomically and proteomically. Germline DNA was obtained from blood. Normal control samples for proteomics varied by organ site: adjacent colon tissue for colon cases, contralateral breast tissue for some breast cases, and Fallopian tube fimbria for some ovarian cases. Lung cases had no normal control for proteomic analysis. All cancer samples were derived from primary and untreated tumors.

  Study phs000892

• Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Project in Microtia in Hispanic Populations

  The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) is a trans-NIH effort initiated in response to the 2014 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act and supported by the NIH Common Fund. This program focuses on gene discovery in pediatric cancers and structural birth defects and the development of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Data Resource (Kids First Data Resource). All of the WGS and phenotypic data from this study are accessible through dbGaP and kidsfirstdrc.org, where other Kids First datasets can also be accessed. Microtia is a rare congenital deformity of the external ear, the pinna. The severity of microtia is variable and ranges from subtle deformities in the pinna to absence of the external ear. Microtia is often associated with closure of the external auditory ear canal causing significant hearing loss. Microtia can be an isolated, unilateral or bilateral malformation, or occur solely with ear canal deformities, or with additional craniofacial or syndromic manifestations. Earlier studies of identical twins with microtia demonstrated a significant genetic contribution. The molecular pathogenesis for most microtia remains unknown. We propose to leverage our clinical acumen in diagnosis and treatment of microtia (R.E.), our relationship to the microtia community (M.T.) and our collected DNA samples from microtia patients to identify genetic variant(s) that contribute to this congenital malformation. Microtia prevalence is much higher among Native Americans and some Latin Americans (17 per 10000 Ecuadorian births) than among individuals of European-descent (0.6 -1.6 per 10,000 births). To capitalize on this epidemiologic data, we have recruited microtia cohorts from Latin America and the U.S, including clinical data and DNA samples.

  Study phs002172

• Genomic Studies of Bipolar Disorder in a Large Cohort from The Netherlands

  The transcriptomes of whole blood samples of a large cohort of individuals from the Netherlands were assayed using RNA-seq. These whole blood samples included patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, family members of patients, and healthy controls. Within the whole blood dataset, about 600 of the samples were sequenced to an average of 13.9 million mapped reads per sample, while about 2,000 were sequenced to an average of 5.9 million mapped reads per sample, in order to assess changes in power to detect eQTLs based on sample size. We find that expression, defined as the log transcripts per million reads (TPMs), is highly correlated when comparing the moderate (13.9M) and lower (5.9M) coverage datasets. Additionally, a subset of about 150 individuals provided fibroblast cell lines which were assessed for the levels of gene expression using RNA-seq at an average of 50 million mapped reads per sample. We use downsampling techniques to generate synthetic datasets derived from this real fibroblast RNA-Seq data to explore the relationship between coverage and number individuals in an eQTL analysis. Corresponding individual-level genotypes for the samples included in the expression matrix are also made available. The genotypes were derived from multiple other project cohorts, each using different genotyping platforms including OmniExpress Exome, Global Screening Array, Illumina550, and PsychChip. A Plink file set of these cohorts is provided here after merging the separate project file sets and extracting only the individuals who have expression data also provided here; quality control for SNP-missingness is recommended. We demonstrate in this study that given a fixed budget, eQTL discovery power can be increased by lowering the sequencing depth per sample to allow for an a greater number of individuals sequenced. 

  Study phs002856

• 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

• Gene-Environment Interactions (GxE) and Complex Traits

  Functional variants associated with complex traits tend to fall in non-coding regions and affect regulatory mechanisms that are not yet well characterized. Furthermore, it is generally difficult to determine in which tissues and conditions they may have a functional impact. This is because the effect of a genetic variant on a molecular pathway, and ultimately on the individual's phenotype, may be modulated by "environmental" factors. We denominate such variants "gene-expression environment-specific quantitative trait nucleotides" GxE-QTNs. Achieving a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying GxE is a critical step in understanding the link between genotype and complex phenotype. It is also crucial to develop computationally efficient and statistically sound methods capable to integrate tissue/condition-specific functional genomics data to predict and validate when a sequence variant is functional. In this study we developed novel experimental and computational approaches to screen, analyze and functionally characterize genetic variants for complex traits modulated by environmental exposures. To identify and characterize genes with GxE, we analyzed allele specific gene expression in a panel of five relevant tissues (e.g. the vascular endothelium for cardiovascular diseases) under 50 controlled environmental conditions (e.g. glucocorticoids treatment, as a proxy for stress exposure). These data should be useful to develop computational tools that integrate different sources of evidence including data collected by ENCODE, RoadMap Epigenome and GTEx projects to functionally annotate GWAS variants. The experimental and computational tools developed by this project have widespread applicability, for example, can be used to tackle the functional basis of complex traits in other environmental contexts (e.g. other types of stress and hormonal levels) and genetic backgrounds. This resource represents the first comprehensive catalog of genetic variants that interact with environmental exposure in determining human complex traits.

  Study phs001176

• Aspirin and Inflammation: Mutations, Genes, Pathways and Prevention in Barrett's Esophagus

  Background: Use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been shown to protect against tetraploidy, aneuploidy, and chromosomal alterations in the metaplastic condition Barrett's esophagus (BE) and to lower the incidence and mortality of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). The esophagus is exposed to both intrinsic and extrinsic mutagens resulting from gastric reflux, chronic inflammation and exposure to environmental carcinogens such as those found in cigarettes. Here we test the hypothesis that NSAID use inhibits accumulation of point mutations/indels during somatic genomic evolution in BE. Methods: Whole exome sequences were generated from 82 purified epithelial biopsies and paired blood samples from a cross-sectional study of 41 NSAID users and 41 nonusers matched by sex, age, smoking, and continuous time using or not using NSAIDs. Results: NSAID use reduced overall frequency of point mutations across the spectrum of mutation types, lowered the frequency of mutations even when adjusted for both TP53 mutation and smoking status, and decreased the prevalence of clones with high variant allele frequency. Never smokers who consistently used NSAIDs had fewer point mutations in signature 17, which is commonly found in EA. NSAID users had on average a 50% reduction in functional gene mutations in nine cancer-associated pathways and also had less diversity in pathway mutational burden compared to nonusers. Conclusions: These results indicate NSAID use functions to limit overall mutations on which selection can act and supports a model in which specific mutant cell populations survive or expand better in the absence of NSAIDs. Galipeau PC, et al. Genome Med. 2018 Feb 27;10(1):17. PMID: 29486792.

  Study phs001654

• National Cancer Institute Clinical and Laboratory Analysis of Familial Cancer

  The purpose of this study is to continue the analysis begun on 09C0079 which was focused on identification of the genetic mutation associated with a new gastric polyposis syndrome, Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis of the Stomach (GAPPS). GAPPS, first described in 2012, is an autosomal dominant gastric polyposis syndrome that confers a substantial risk for gastric adenocarcinoma. The GAPPS phenotype consists of a carpeting of greater than 100 fundic gland polyps (FGPs) in the oxyntic mucosa of the gastric body and fundus, with antral sparing with some FGPs displaying high-grade dysplasia. This is in contrast to sporadic FGPs that are benign, most often are not associated with high-grade dysplasia though low-grade dysplasia has been reported, and are fewer in number. Gastric FGPs have been found to be associated with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP, which is an autosomal dominant condition associated with germ line mutations in APC which confers a phenotype consisting of multiple (>100) adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum developing after the first decade of life. FGPs are reported to occur in 12-84% of patients with FAP, whereas sporadic FGPs are identified in ~5% of patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastric adenocarcinoma arising from FGPs in individuals with FAP have been reported. Other manifestations of FAP and AFAP include polyps in the upper gastrointestinal tract, congenital hypertrophy of retinal pigment epithelium, osteomas and epidermoid cysts, supernumerary teeth, desmoid formation, and other malignancies such as thyroid, small bowel cancer, hepatoblastoma, and medulloblastoma. Thus far there are no reports in GAPPS of polyposis arising in the esophagus, gastric antrum, pylorus, small intestine, or colon.

  Study phs001935

• Analysis of Somatic Mutations in Pediatric AML FAB-M7 Subtype by Whole Transcriptome Sequencing

  High resolution analysis of DNA copy number abnormalities and loss-of-heterozygosity on acute myeloblastic leukemia samples utilizing SNP arrays has demonstrated that in contrast to pediatric ALL, de novo AML is characterized by a very low burden of genomic alterations (Radtke, et al., PNAS, 2009). Samples for this study represented a cross-section of the different subtypes of pediatric AML. The only AML subtype that was an outlier from the above observations was acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AML FAB-M7), with the majority of these cases being characterized by complex chromosomal rearrangements and a high number of copy number alterations. To more fully define the genomic landscape of this subtype, we performed transcriptome sequence analysis on 14 pediatric FAB-M7 cases and mutation recurrence screening in a panel of 62 adult and pediatric AML FAB-M7 samples using the Illumina platform. Our results identified chromosomal rearrangements resulting in the expression of novel fusion transcripts in 11/14 cases. Remarkably, in 7/14 cases we detected an inversion on chromosome 16 that results in the juxtaposition of the CBFA2T3 gene next to the GLIS2 gene resulting in a CBFA2T3-GLIS2 chimeric gene that encoded an in frame fusion protein. This fusion led to the acquisition or preservation of self-renewal in colony forming assays, providing functional evidence for a role in leukemogenesis. In addition to novel chimeric transcripts, we found mutations in genes previously identified to play a role in megakaryoblastic leukemia that carry a proliferative advantage to the cell, such as JAK2 and MPL. These data demonstrate that AML FAB-M7 is characterized by cooperating Class I and Class II mutations leading to leukemogenesis.

  Study phs000413

• Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC) Longitudinal Protocol for Takayasu's Arteritis

  The development and validation of accurate biological markers and predictors of disease activity and outcome for Takayasu's arteritis, a form of idiopathic vasculitis, would have a major positive impact on the clinical care of patients with this rare disease, be an important advance in the design of clinical trials and feasibility of new drug development, and provide important insight into the pathogenesis of this condition. Current measures of disease activity, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), while helpful in selected settings, are mostly considered highly flawed and markers whose poor correlation with disease flares makes them inadequate to help guide therapy. Similarly, ESR and CRP are clearly unhelpful as diagnostic tests for vasculitis. The current state of clinical investigation for vasculitis relies heavily upon determination of disease status solely by clinical presentation and investigator opinion. Thus, discovery and validation of more precise markers that quantifiably measure activity, predict disease course, and correlate with an important biological process, would be of great importance. Knowledge to be gained from this study could potentially be highly important. Discovery of effective biomarkers of vasculitis and assessment of long term disease course and complications by the collection of clinical and diagnostic imaging studies proposed could lead to better care and less toxic treatment regimens. Furthermore, insight into the pathophysiology of vasculitis could be gained and this might lead to better treatments and improved outcomes in terms of reduction of vascular and treatment related complications. Ideally, excellent biomarkers reflect a sophisticated understanding of the pathophysiology of a disease.

  Study phs000589

• Exome Sequencing for Diseases of the Immune System: X-linked Immunodeficiency with Magnesium Defect, EBV Infection, and Neoplasia (XMEN)

  The etiologies of primary immunodeficiencies often yield novel insights about the immune system. Although a genetic etiology has been suspected for patients with abnormally low CD4+ T cells in the absence of HIV infection or any known causes of lymphopenia, no genetic mutation has been described to date for any case of primary CD4 lymphopenia. In this study, we characterized a non-consanguineous family with two non-HIV infected boys exhibiting an inverted CD4 to CD8 T cell ratio and a history of recurrent chronic viral infections since birth. Consistent with a decreased thymic output of CD4+ T cells, the percentage of CD31+ cells in the CD4+ naive population of these patients was decreased. In addition, the activation of T cells was significantly impaired in the patient upon TCR stimulation. Given the mother's T cells show completely skewed X chromosome inactivation, we suspected that the nature of this disease is X-linked. We performed X-chromosome exon-capture targeted single-end Solexa sequencing on two brothers and the mother and found a 10 base pair deletion at an intron-exon junction of Magnesium Transporter 1 (MAGT1), a Mg2+ specific transporter. We confirmed that this deletion leads to altered splicing, frameshift, early termination of the mRNA, and deficient protein expression in the lymphocytes of the two patients. Moreover, knockdown of this transporter in T cells isolated from healthy donors can recapitulate the observed T cell activation defect while its ectopic expression in the patients' lymphocytes can restore T cell stimulation. Our discovery highlights the significance of this transporter to T cell function.

  Study phs000365

• The Role of Germline Mutation and Parental Age in Autism Spectrum Disorders

  <p>We will apply whole genome sequencing of trio families to determine how patterns of germline mutation throughout the genome determine risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We will investigate the nature intrinsic hypermutability and the extrinsic forces, such as paternal age, that influence rates of germline mutation. We will accomplish these goals through the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1 will characterize germline de novo mutations (DNMs) by whole genome sequencing in families. These studies will identify and validate ~8,000 de novo point mutations and structural variants in trios and controls to determine the parent of origin of DNMs. Specific Aim 2 will identify hot spots for germline mutation based on the regional density of DNMs in the genome, and determine the effects of DNA sequence features on rates of mutation. We will determine the association of mutation hotspots with ASD in the discovery sample and in genomic datasets from an independent sample of 2700 cases and 2700 controls. Specific Aim 3 will characterize the effects of extrinsic factors, including parental age and environment, on genome-wide rates of mutation. We will quantify the effect of paternal age on pathogenic and neutral alleles in sperm and investigate whether some DNMs confer a germline selective advantage. The findings of this study will provide fundamental insights into the genetic basis of autism risk and the genetic mechanism of the observed parental age effects in ASD. We will identify genes that confer significant risk for autism, and we will determine how intrinsic properties of the genome interact with extrinsic forces to determining risk for disease in offspring.

  Study phs001164

• Discovery and Characterization of Genetic Risk Loci in Sjogren's Syndrome

  The Sjögren's Genetics Network (SGENE) is an international collaboration focused on identifying and understanding the genetic variations that influence Sjögren’s pathology. Collectively, SGENE collaborators from 26 different sites (5 in the United States; 21 in foreign countries) have recruited a large cohort of geographically diverse participants of European ancestry. Recruitment, sample collection, and genotyping were performed at unique SGENE sites in compliance with local institutional review board approval. High-density SNP genotyping data were collated by the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and used to perform a GWAS of Sjögren's of European ancestry. Participants underwent extensive medical assessment for Sjögren's Syndrome using internationally accepted American-European Consensus Group (AECG) classification criteria or the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria. Data quality control, GWAS imputation using the Haplotype Reference Consortium, panel version 1.1, and dbGaP preparation/posting were performed at the OMRF. To facilitate research focused on understanding the genetics of Sjögren's syndrome, the Genomic Summary Results from this GWAS are being made available herein using a total of n=3232 Sjögren's cases and n=17,481 controls. A total of n=8962 controls were obtained from our SGENE collaborators or from our previous study (Lessard, et al. Nature Genetics 2013. PMID: 24097067). To achieve adequate case-to-control ratios for the GWAS analyses, population-based control GWAS data were also obtained from dbGaP (phs000428.v2.p2; phs000672.v1.p1; phs000196.v3.p1; phs000187.v1.p1). In accordance with IRB approval, subject consents, and data sharing restrictions, we are also making available the individual-level genotyping data for a subset of Sjögren's cases (n=1,199) that were genotyped at the OMRF.

  Study phs002723

• NINDS Deep Sequencing for the Detection of Viral Sequences in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Brains

  Deep sequencing allows for a rapid, accurate characterization of microbial DNA and RNA sequences in many types of samples. Deep sequencing (also called next generation sequencing or NGS) is being developed to assist with the diagnosis of a wide variety of infectious diseases. In this study, seven frozen brain samples (n = 7) from deceased subjects with recent encephalitis were investigated. RNA from each sample was extracted, randomly reverse transcribed, and sequenced. The sequence analysis was performed in a blinded fashion and confirmed with pathogen-specific PCR. This analysis successfully identified measles virus sequences in two brain samples and herpes simplex virus type-1 sequences in three brain samples. No pathogen was identified in the other two brain specimens. These results were concordant with pathogen-specific PCR and partially concordant with prior neuropathological examinations, demonstrating that deep sequencing can accurately identify viral infections in frozen brain tissue (Chan et al., 2014). Data from the primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) brain specimens (n = 14) and Normal Control brain specimens (n = 14) are also submitted here. All the subjects studied here (encephalitis, PPMS, and controls) were selected from existing collections at the Rocky Mountain and UCLA brain banks. These selections were performed by the directors at the two centers (Dr. Corboy at RM and Nagra at UCLA) based on clinic information provided at the time of collection. All the specimens are from deidentified deceased individuals. The submitting investigators have no identifying information on any of these subjects. To avoid confusion, the dbGaP Subject IDs are identical to the brain bank identifying numbers.

  Study phs000715

• Binding of Epstein Barr Virus EBNA2 Unifies Multiple Sclerosis Genetic Mechanisms

  This study is focused on multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors; however, the mechanisms contributing to these factors remain poorly understood. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in particular is a well-established environmental risk factor for MS. We have created a computational algorithm that systematically searches for common molecular mechanisms that might be impacted at multiple MS-associated loci. Using this algorithm, we have discovered that over 40% of MS-associated loci contain MS genetic variants that fall within regions of the human genome occupied by the EBV-encoded EBNA2 protein. The same MS-associated variants also impact gene expression levels of MS-associated genes in EBV-infected B cell lines. Our hypothesis is that allele-dependent binding of EBNA2 and its co-factors explains the allele-dependent risk at many MS genetic loci. Importantly, this hypothesis links the genetic associations of MS to the known molecular roles played by EBV and Notch signaling in disease processes.Subjects with and without MS were recruited into an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved protocol through the Cincinnati Autoimmune Registry and Repository. From each subject, DNA from peripheral blood was isolated for whole genome sequencing (WGS). These data will be used to identify genotype-dependent transcriptional regulation in cells assessed from patients and controls. This WGS data was deposited before the full integration of sequence data with other functional genomic data types.From each subject, 90 mL of blood is drawn for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from which primary B and T cells will be isolated. For each B cell isolation, an EBV-transformed B cell line will be derived.

  Study phs003240

• Genomic Studies in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

  The various forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) comprise a genetically heterogeneous set of peripheral neuropathies. Currently, >90 different CMT genes have been identified; yet, for the axonal CMT2 subtype these genes explain only 30-40% of the genetic effect. In particular, the application of exome sequencing has led to an unprecedented pace in identifying about half of those genes in the past five years. We have been at the forefront of this development with 22+ published new gene identifications in the past seven years. This success was only possible through broad national and international collaborations, data sharing, and the development of advanced analysis tools and methods. We also learned that despite an accumulation of exome sequencing data, over 50% of axonal CMT patients remain undiagnosed, suggesting even more genes are involved; additionally, our preliminary data also support the existence of non-coding variations as Mendelian allele contributors. In this study, we will continue our highly impactful work in CMT family recruitment, exome sequencing and traditional gene identification. In addition, we will expand the genetic studies to whole genome sequencing with a focus on families already explored unsuccessfully in whole exome studies. We further plan to perform the first large rare variant burden analysis in the rare disorder CMT2. This is only possible through the exceptional clinical resources we have built over the past decade. Finally, with many CMT genes available, we will perform statistical network analyses on a CMT-ome to identify gene modules and pathways that will be the starting point of polypharmacology, and provide insight into pathophysiology of peripheral nerve degeneration. All data will be available in real-time to an existing network of CMT investigators worldwide, and deposited in dbGaP annually.

  Study phs003389

• Genetic Neuroscience: How Human Genes and Alleles Shape Neuronal Phenotypes

  The goal of this collaborative, interdisciplinary project is to develop powerful, generalizable approaches for discovering how risk variants for psychiatric disorders shape neurobiological processes at multiple levels of analysis, and to identify the processes whose dysregulation underlies disease.Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were used towards the development of these new experimental and inferential systems bridging gaps between human genetics and experimental biology. The largest publicly available collection of iPSCs (2607 lines) has been generated from 2184 donors by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). To expand our donor collection, an additional 44 iPSC donors from the McLean_Levy cohort were identified. We wish to share the available SNP data for 2167 CIRM lines and whole genome sequence data generated at the Broad Institute for 473 of the CIRM and 44 McLean_Levy iPSC donors. These data can be used to identify (for experiments) lines with specific genotypes of interest and lines from donors with high or low polygenic risk scores for phenotypes of interest. The data can also be used to identify acquired mutations in the iPSC lines. The CIRM iPSC lines are available through Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics iPSC Repository (https://www.fujifilmcdi.com/cirm-ipsc-products/). The McLean_Levy lines are available through the NIMH Repository & Genomics Resource (https://www.nimhgenetics.org/).Additional project data registered with the study includes data from an iPSC line derived from an SMA patient (n=1), as well as single-cell RNA sequence data and supplemental processed genomic datasets in support of project publications.Molecular DatasetsSingle-cell RNA-seq: 10X Genomics, Illumina NovaSeqSupplemental "cell village" pooled genomic sequence data: Illumina NextSeqWhole Genome Genotyping: Infinium Global Screening Array-24 Kit, Illumina HumanCore chipWhole Genome Sequencing: Illumina NovaSeq

  Study phs002032

• Aberrant Activation of Wound Healing Programs within the Metastatic Niche Facilitates Lung Colonization by Osteosarcoma Cells

  Lung metastasis is responsible for nearly all deaths caused by osteosarcoma, the most common pediatric bone tumor. How malignant bone cells coerce the lung microenvironment to support metastatic growth is unclear. This study delineates how osteosarcoma cells educate the lung microenvironment during metastatic progression.Using single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), we characterized genome– and tissue-wide molecular changes induced within lung tissues by disseminated osteosarcoma cells in both immunocompetent murine models of metastasis and patient samples. We confirmed transcriptomic findings at the protein level and determined spatial relationships with multi-parameter immunofluorescence. We evaluated the ability of nintedanib to impair metastatic colonization and prevent osteosarcoma-induced education of the lung microenvironment in both immunocompetent murine osteosarcoma and immunodeficient human xenograft models.Osteosarcoma cells induced acute alveolar epithelial injury upon lung dissemination. scRNA-seq demonstrated that the surrounding lung stroma adopts a chronic, non-resolving wound-healing phenotype similar to that seen in other models of lung injury. Accordingly, metastasis-associated lung demonstrated marked fibrosis, likely due to the accumulation of pathogenic, pro-fibrotic, partially-differentiated epithelial intermediates. Inhibition of fibrotic pathways with nintedanib prevented metastatic progression in multiple murine and human xenograft models. Our work demonstrates that osteosarcoma cells co-opt fibrosis to promote metastatic outgrowth. When harmonized with data from adult epithelial cancers, our results support a generalized model wherein aberrant mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are critical for promoting lung metastasis. Adult epithelial carcinomas induce fibrotic pathways in normal lung fibroblasts, whereas osteosarcoma, a pediatric mesenchymal tumor, exhibits fibrotic reprogramming in response to the aberrant wound-healing behaviors of an otherwise normal lung epithelium, which are induced by tumor cell interactions.

  Study phs003569

• Whole Exome Sequencing of Head and Neck Patients-Derived Tumor Organoids and Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tumor Tissue

  In this study, tissue specimens were procured from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients undergoing routine diagnostic procedures as part of their standard of care. For surgical cases, only excess tissue remaining after allocation for essential pathological diagnosis was utilized for research purposes. We aimed to validate the genomic fidelity of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) compared to their originating tumors. Whole exome sequencing was performed on four paired sets of PDOs and matched surgical specimens preserved as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. The objective was to demonstrate that the in vitro PDO models maintain the genomic profile of the patient-specific tumors, thus supporting their potential application in identifying efficacious personalized treatment regimens. Comparative analyses of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy number variants (CNVs) between matched PDO and FFPE pairs were conducted to assess global genomic similarity and shared HNSCC-relevant variants. The results indicated that the PDOs closely recapitulated the mutational landscape of the resected tumors from which they were derived. This finding supports the validity of the employed in vitro culture conditions for potential use in precision medicine approaches for HNSCC. The data submitted to dbGaP comprise eight whole exome sequencing profiles of matched pairs of HNSCC FFPE and PDO samples from four subjects. Novogene (Novogene Co., Ltd, CA, USA) generated these profiles from 1.0μg genomic DNA per sample, using the Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon kit (Agilent Technologies, CA, USA). Deposited files include raw BAM files of reads aligned to human genome Hg19 using BWA (v.0.7.8-r455), sorted with Samtools (v1.0), and filtered for duplicate reads using Picard (v1.111). Additionally, we've deposited VCF files of SNV variant calls from GATK (v3.8).

  Study phs003755

• 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

• Efficacy and Immune Effects of Anakinra Prophylaxis for Neurologic Toxicity and Cytokine Release Syndrome in Patients with Lymphoma Receiving Axicabtagene Ciloleucel

  Chimeric antigen receptor T cells have transformed the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies, but are limited in application due to treatment-related toxicities. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity (NT) are the primary toxicities associated with these therapies and are thought to be mediated by broad immune activation due to robust T-cell expansion. Current treatment of these toxicities utilize anti-IL-6 directed therapy and/or systemic glucocorticoids to mitigate the consequences of this complex inflammatory cascade. We sought to use anakinra, an IL-1R antagonist, as a prophylactic strategy to prevent clinically meaningful CRS/NT, defined as grade 2 or higher toxicity necessitating clinical intervention. Although our study, in line with others, demonstrated that IL-1R antagonism is insufficient to prevent such toxicities entirely, we were able to gain insight into the molecular immune signaling associated with breakthrough CRS & NT in the presence of anakinra prophylaxis using our scRNA dataset of patients treated with and without IL-1R antagonism. We demonstrate that IL-4 and IL-10 anti-inflammatory pathways in infused CAR-T products of both anakinra and non-anakinra cohorts were negatively associated with grade 2+ toxicities. We also found that expression of IFN-gamma pathways and ligand-receptor activities, as well as cytokine levels of IFN-gamma and CXCL10 in CD14+ monocytes, were significantly enriched in patients with breakthrough toxicity in the anakinra cohort. This correlated with an increase in IFN-gamma in the peripheral blood of patients with breakthrough toxicities, among other cytokines. These data identify IFN-gamma as a potential key mechanism in the development of CAR-T cell-associated toxcities and suggest that this pathway is also targetable and not inhibited by anakinra alone.

  Study phs003655

• Analysis of CD20 loss in patients treated with Mosunetuzumab

  CD20 is an established therapeutic target in B-cell malignancies. The CD20xCD3 bispecific antibody mosunetuzumab has significant efficacy in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Since target antigen loss is a recognized mechanism of resistance, we evaluated the contribution of CD20 expression to clinical response in patients with relapsed and/or refractory NHL in the phase 1/2 GO29781 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02500407) investigating mosunetuzumab monotherapy. CD20 was studied using immunohistochemistry (IHC), RNA sequencing, and whole-exome sequencing performed centrally in biopsies collected prior to treatment, or as paired samples at pre-dose and on-treatment, or at-progression. Prior to treatment, most patients exhibited a high proportion of tumor cells expressing CD20; however, the proportion of CD20+ tumor cells in 14/293 (6%) patients was <10%. Analyses of paired biopsies from patients during treatment revealed that CD20 levels were maintained in 29/30 (97%), vs patients with samples at-progression, in which 11/32 (34%) showed CD20 loss. Reduced transcription or acquisition of truncating mutations explained most but not all cases of CD20 loss. In vitro modeling confirmed the effect of CD20 variants identified in clinical samples on reduction of CD20 expression and confirmed missense mutations in the extracellular domain that could block mosunetuzumab binding. This study expands knowledge about the occurrence of target antigen loss after anti-CD20 therapeutics to CD20-targeting bispecific antibodies and elucidates the underlying mechanisms for reduced CD20 expression at disease progression that may be generalizable to other anti-CD20 targeting agents. These results also establish the utility of readily-available IHC staining for CD20 as a tool to inform clinical decisions.

  Study EGAS50000000151

• Center for Common Disease Genomics [CCDG] - Neuropsychiatric: Epilepsy: Epi25 Consortium

  Epilepsy genetics research is at an exciting stage where it is now feasible, with the power of a large cohort, to understand the more complex genetic components of epilepsy. The driving principle behind the Epi25 Consortium is collaboration and synergy - it is only possible to achieve this type of research by working together. The Epi25 Consortium was formed by the unification of various consortia, including Epi4K, EPIGEN, EuroEPINOMICS, the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project, EpiPGX, SANAD, and EpiCURE, and individual epilepsy investigators. The consortium's sample collection is the best resource in the world for this disease, both in terms of numbers of patients and quality of phenotypic information. As part of the NHGRI Centers for Common Disease Genomics (2016-2020), we aggregated a global sample collection from the various repositories for whole genome genotyping and whole exome sequencing (WES) at the Broad Institute (Cambridge, MA), initiating the largest and most ethnically diverse genetic study of epilepsy to date. The primary epilepsy phenotypes for Epi25 are based on strict standards agreed upon by the epilepsy community. The epilepsy cases contributed by Epi25 sites can be broadly defined as genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE), non-acquired focal epilepsy (NAFE), epileptic encephalopathies (EE), and lesional focal epilepsies. More information about eligibility criteria and phenotyping forms for Epi25, as well as the contributing centers, can be found here: epi-25.org The genomic data will be analyzed iteratively to identify genes and variants that explain these types of epilepsy. Summary clinical data compiled in the Epi25 clinical database will allow retrospective phenotypic analyses of groups of subjects with common genomic variant(s).

  Study phs001489

• Response to Hepatitis B vaccine

  Approximately 5-10% of individuals, who are vaccinated with a hepatitis B (HB) vaccine designed based on the HBV genotype C, fail to acquire protective levels of antibodies. Host genetic factors behind low immune response to the HB vaccine were investigated by GWAS and HLA association tests. GWAS and HLA association tests were carried out using a total of 1,193 Japanese individuals including 107 low responders (HBsAb ?10 mIU/mL), 351 intermediate responders (10 mIU/mL< HBsAb <100 mIU/mL), and 735 high responders (HBsAb ?100 mIU/mL). Classical HLA class II alleles were statistically imputed using the genome-wide SNP typing data. GWAS identified independent associations of HLA-DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes, HLA-DPB1 alleles and BTNL2 gene with immune response to the HB vaccine designed based on the HBV genotype C. Five HLA-DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes and two DPB1 alleles showed significant associations with response to the HB vaccine in a comparison of three groups of 1,193 HB vaccinated individuals. When frequencies of DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes and DPB1 alleles were compared between low immune responders and HBV patients, significant associations were identified for three DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes, and no association was identified for any of DPB1 alleles. In contrast, no association for DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes and DPB1 alleles was identified in a comparison between high immune responders and healthy individuals. The findings in this study clearly show the importance of HLA-DR-DQ (i.e. recognition of a HB vaccine related HBsAg by specific DR-DQ haplotypes) and BTNL2 molecules (i.e. high immune response to the HB vaccine) for response to a HB vaccine designed based on the HBV genotype C.

  Study JGAS000341

• Whole-exome Sequencing Combined with Functional Genomics Reveals Novel Candidate Driver Cancer Genes in Endometrial Cancer

  Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy, with more than 280,000 cases occurring annually worldwide. Although previous studies have identified important common somatic mutations in endometrial cancer, they have primarily focused on a small set of known cancer genes and have thus provided a limited view of the molecular basis underlying this disease. Here we developed an integrated systems biology approach to identifying novel cancer genes contributing to endometrial tumorigenesis. We first performed whole-exome sequencing on 13 endometrial cancers and matched normal samples, systematically identifying somatic alterations with high precision and sensitivity. We then combined bioinformatics prioritization with high-throughput screening (including both shRNA-mediated knockdown and expression of wild type and mutant constructs) in a highly sensitive cell viability assay. Our results revealed 12 potential driver cancer genes including 10 tumor suppressor candidates (ARID1A, INHBA, KMO, TTLL5, GRM8, IGFBP3, AKTIP, PHKA2, TRPS1 and WNT11) and two oncogene candidates (ERBB3 and RPS6KC1). The results in the “sensor” cell line were recapitulated by siRNA-mediated knockdown in endometrial cancer cell lines. Focusing on ARID1A, we integrated mutation profiles with functional proteomics in 222 endometrial cancer samples, demonstrating that ARID1A mutations frequently co-occur with mutations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway and are associated with PI3K pathway activation. siRNA knockdown in endometrial cancer cell lines increased AKT phosphorylation supporting ARID1A as a novel regulator of PI3K pathway activity. Our study presents the first unbiased view of somatic coding mutations in endometrial cancer and provides functional evidence for diverse driver genes and mutations in this disease.

  Study EGAS00001000318

• Genesis of Two Most Prevalent Variants Causing Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency in 21 Populations

  Two variants (c.[301_302delAG];[301_302delAG] and c.[150delA];[150delA]) in the PROP1 gene are the most common genetic causes of recessively inherited combined pituitary hormones deficiency (CPHD). Our objective was to analyze in detail the origin of the two most prevalent variants. In the multicentric study were included 237 patients with CPHD and their 15 relatives carrying c.[301_302delAG];[301_302delAG] or c.[150delA];[150delA] or c.[301_302delAG];[ 150delA]. They originated from 21 different countries worldwide. We genotyped 21 single nucleotide variant markers flanking the 9.6Mb region around the PROP1 gene that are not in mutual linkage disequilibrium in the general populations - a finding of a common haplotype would be indicative of ancestral origin of the variant. Haplotypes were reconstructed by Phase and Haploview software, and the variant age was estimated using an allelic association method. We demonstrated ancestral origin of both variants: c.[301_302delAG] was carried on 0.2Mb-long haplotype in a majority of European patients arising approximately 101 generations ago (confidence interval 90.1-116.4). Patients from the Iberian Peninsula displayed a different haplotype which was estimated to have emerged 23.3 (20.1-29.1) generations ago. Subsequently, the data indicated that both haplotypes were transmitted to Latin American patients approximately 13.8 (12.2-17.0) and 16.4 (14.4-20.1) generations ago, respectively. The c.[150delA] variant that was carried on a haplotype spanning about 0.3Mb was estimated to appear 43.7 (38.4-52.7) generations ago. We present strong evidence that the most frequent variants in the PROP1 gene are not a consequence of variant hot-spots as previously assumed, but are founder variants.

  Study EGAS00001001165

• Tracing the origin of disseminated tumor cells in breast cancer using single-cell sequencing

  Background Single-cell micro-metastases of solid tumors often occur in the bone marrow. These disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) may resist therapy and lay dormant or progress to cause overt bone and visceral metastases. The molecular nature of DTCs remains elusive, as well as when and from where in the tumor they originate. Here, we apply single-cell sequencing to identify and trace the origin of DTCs in breast cancer. Results We sequence the genomes of 63 single cells isolated from six non-metastatic breast cancer patients. By comparing the cells DNA copy number aberration (CNA) landscapes with those of the primary tumors and lymph node metastasis, we establish that 53% of the single cells morphologically classified as tumor cells are DTCs disseminating from the observed tumor. The remaining cells represent either non-aberrant ‘normal’ cells or aberrant cells of unknown origin that have CNA landscapes discordant from the tumor. Further analyses suggest that the prevalence of aberrant cells of unknown origin is age-dependent, and that at least a subset is hematopoietic in origin. Evolutionary reconstruction analysis of bulk tumor and DTC genomes enables ordering of CNA events in molecular pseudo-time and traced the origin of the DTCs to either the main tumor clone, primary tumor subclones, or subclones in an axillary lymph node metastasis. Conclusions Single-cell sequencing of bone marrow epithelial-like cells, in parallel with intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity profiling from bulk DNA, is a powerful approach to identify and study DTCs, yielding insight into metastatic processes. A heterogeneous population of CNA-positive cells is present in the bone marrow of non-metastatic breast cancer patients, only part of which are derived from the observed tumor lineages.

  Study EGAS00001002102

• Molecular evolution of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma progressing under tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy (HIPO-045)

  Background:Acquired resistance to targeted drugs is largely due to intra-tumor molecular heterogeneity and clonal selection. Objective:The objective of this study was to determine molecular alterations and mediating resistant mechanisms and to suggest additional treatment options.Design, Setting, and Participants:Four patients were enrolled into the MORE (Molecular Renal Cancer Evolution) trial. We investigated the mutational spectra of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at baseline and compared them to those upon clonal evolution at progression on systemic therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.Outcome Measurements:DNA was isolated from tumor tissues after surgery, metastasis biopsies after progression on sunitinib or axitinib, and subjected to whole-exome sequencing (WES). In addition, the exomes of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from two patients were sequenced at baseline and at progression.Results and Limitations:Our data provide evidence for clonal evolution and various acquired resistance mechanisms of ccRCC with subclonal mutations in FLT4, MTOR, ITGA3/5, SETD2, and VHL on metastatic progression. The limited number of shared mutations in tissue and plasma biopsies indicates that both sources provide complementary information, possibly due to mutations present in metastatic lesions which were not amenable to tissue sampling but are represented in the ctDNA. Conclusion:Acquired resistance to targeted therapies in metastatic ccRCC is due to intra-tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution. Larger patient cohorts have to be studied to estimate the benefit of WES from biopsies and ctDNA for therapy decision in metastatic ccRCC.Patient Summary:We analyzed the molecular profiles of ccRCC patients in primary tissues and metastatic tissues upon progression on tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. Clinically relevant mutations upon progression were detected in the metastatic sites of all of four patients, suggesting that it might be possible to derive therapies based on sequencing the metastases.?HIPO-045

  Study EGAS00001001861

• Whole genome and transcriptome analysis of a sporadic and recurring parathyroid carcinoma

  Parathyroid carcinoma is an extremely rare endocrine malignancy with an estimated incidence of less than 1 per million population. Excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone, extremely high serum calcium level and the deleterious effects of hypercalcemia are the clinical manifestations of the disease. Up to 60% of patients develop multiple disease recurrences and although long-term survival is possible with palliative surgery, permanent remission is rarely achieved. Molecular drivers of sporadic parathyroid carcinoma have remained largely unknown. Previous studies, mostly based on familial cases of the disease, suggested a potential role for the tumor suppressor MEN1 and proto-oncogene RET in benign parathyroid tumorigenesis while the tumor suppressor HRPT2 and proto-oncogene CCND1 may also act as drivers in parathyroid cancer. Here, we report the complete genomic analysis of a sporadic and recurring parathyroid carcinoma. Mutational landscapes of the primary and recurrent tumor specimens were analyzed using high throughput sequencing technologies. Such molecular profiling allowed for identification of somatic mutations never previously identified in this malignancy. These included single nucleotide point mutations in well characterized cancer genes such as mTOR, MLL2, CDKN2C and PIK3CA. Comparison of acquired mutations in patient-matched primary and recurrent tumors revealed loss of PIK3CA activating mutation during the evolution of the tumor from the primary to the recurrence. Structural variations leading to gene fusions and regions of copy loss and gain were identified at a single-base resolution. Loss of short arm of chromosome 1 along with somatic mis-sense and truncating mutations in CDKN2C and THRAP3, respectively, provide new evidence for the potential role of these genes as tumor suppressors in parathyroid cancer. The key somatic mutations indentified in this study can serve as novel diagnostic markers as well as therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS00001000484

• Pharmacological and genomic profiling identifies NFκB-targeted treatment strategies for mantle cell lymphoma

  Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by poor prognosis, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic strategies1. In this study, we employed large-scale pharmacological profiling of 16 pathway inhibitors across more than 100 hematological cell line models to identify novel therapeutic approaches. This screen identified a subset of MCL cell lines that were highly sensitive to the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling inhibitors ibrutinib and sotrastaurin (STN), which are currently in clinical trials2, 3. Sensitive MCL models exhibited chronic activation of the CARD11-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) complex and dependency on downstream classical NFκB signaling. In contrast, insensitive cell lines displayed activation of the alternative NFκB pathway. Massively parallel transcriptome sequencing identified mutations in negative regulators of the alternative NFκB pathway in ibrutinib-insensitive cell lines. Notably, sequencing of 165 MCL patient samples revealed that components of the alternative NFκB pathway, particularly TRAF2 and BIRC3, are mutated in roughly 15% of MCL patients. Functional analyses of patient-derived BIRC3 mutant alleles indicated that these are loss-of-function mutants that constitutively activate alternative NFκB signaling. While being associated with insensitivity to ibrutinib, genetic lesions in the alternative pathway conferred dependence on NIK, a kinase that mediates signaling downstream of the TRAF2/3-BIRC2/3 complex. Thus, NIK represents a novel therapeutic target for MCL treatment, particularly for tumors refractory to BCR pathway inhibitors. Collectively, these findings reveal a pattern of mutually exclusive activation of the CBM-NFκB or alternative NIK-NFκB pathways in MCL and provide critical insights into patient stratification strategies for NFκB-pathway targeted agents.

  Study EGAS00001000622

• Prenatal lead exposure is associated with decreased cord blood DNA methylation of the glycoprotein VI gene involved in platelet activation and thrombus formation

  Early-life lead exposure impairs neurodevelopment and later exposure affects the cardiovascular system. Lead has been associated with reduced global 5-methylcytosine DNA methylation, suggesting that lead toxicity acts through epigenetic mechanisms. The objective of this study is to clarify how early life lead exposure alters DNA methylation of specific genes, using an epigenomic approach. We measured lead concentrations in urine (gestational week, GW, 8) and erythrocytes (GW 14), using ICP-MS, for 127 pregnant mothers recruited in the MINIMat food and supplementation cohort in rural Bangladesh. Cord blood DNA methylation was analyzed with the Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip and top sites were validated by methylation-sensitive high-resolution melt curve analysis. Maternal urinary lead concentrations (divided into quartiles) showed significant (after adjustment for FDR) inverse associations with methylation at nine CpGs. Three of these sites were in the 5’ end, including the promoter, of glycoprotein IV (GP6); cg18355337 (q=0.029, β=-0.30), cg25818583 (q=0.041, β=-0.18) and cg23796967 (q=0.047, β=-0.17). The methylation in another CpG site in GP6 was close to significant (cg05374025, q=0.057, β=-0.23). The erythrocyte lead concentrations (divided into quartiles) were also inversely associated with CpG methylation in GP6, although this was not statistically significant after FDR-adjustments. Eight CpG sites in GP6 constituted a differentially methylated region in relation to urinary lead (p=0.005, q=0.48) and erythrocyte lead (p=0.007, q=0.46). In conclusion, we found that moderate prenatal lead exposure appear to epigenetically affect GP6, a key component of platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, suggesting a novel link between early lead exposure and cardiovascular disease later in life.

  Study EGAS00001001575

• Whole-exome sequencing of human pancreatic cancers and characterization of genomic instability caused by MLH1 haploinsufficiency and complete deficiency

  Whole-exome sequencing (Exome-Seq) has been successfully applied in several recent studies. We here performed Exome-Seq of 15 pancreatic tumor-normal pairs. We captured 162,073 exons of 16,954 genes and sequenced the targeted regions to a mean coverage of 56 folds. This study identified a total of 1,517 somatic mutations and validated 934 of them by transcriptome sequencing. We detected recurrent mutations in 56 genes. Among them, 41 have not been described. The mutation rates varied widely among tumors. The diversity of mutation rates was significantly correlated with the distinct MLH1 copy-number status. Exome-Seq revealed intensive genomic instability in a tumor with MLH1 homozygous deletion, indicated by a dramatically elevated mutation rate of somatic substitutions, small insertions/deletions (indels), as well as indels presented at microsatellites. Notably, we detected MLH1 allelic loss in 4 tumors. MLH1 expression was decreased by nearly half in these cases. While they were negative in the conventional microsatellite instability assay, they showed a 10.5-fold increase in the mutation rate of somatic indels, e.g. truncating indels in TP53 and TGFBR2, indicating MLH1 haploinsufficiency in correction of DNA indel errors. We further analyzed the exomes of 15 renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and confirmed MLH1 haploinsufficiency. We observed a significant increase in the mutation rate of somatic indels in affected cases and identified recurrent truncating indels in several cancer genes such as VHL, PBRM1 and JARID1C. Together, our data suggest that MLH1 hemizygous deletion, through increasing the mutation rate of somatic indels, could drive the development and progression of sporadic cancers.

  Study EGAS00001000149

• Transcriptomics-driven classification of ALAL

  Acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL) is a rare, poor-prognosis subtype of acute leukemia that cannot be assigned to a single hematopoietic lineage. Although ALAL patients are typically treated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) regimens, optimal treatment choice is hindered by their lineage ambiguity. Therefore, we investigated the added value of transcriptomics for improving lineage assignment, currently based mainly on surface markers. First, we used an in-house pipeline to comprehensively detect genetic lesions in RNA-sequencing data (n=23) with a sensitivity &gt;90%, as confirmed by targeted DNA sequencing. Second, we compared ALAL gene expression profiles (GEPs) with representative AML (n=145), B-ALL (n=223) and T-ALL (n=85) cases. In a principal component analysis, ALALs did not form a separate group, but clustered with AML, B-ALL or T-ALL. Accordingly, a machine learning classifier trained with GEPs of acute leukemias segregated 20/23 ALALs into myeloid-, B- or T-lymphoid leukemia. These 20 cases harbored genetic abnormalities consistent with the classifier-assigned leukemia. Furthermore, ALAL GEPs were deconvoluted with single-cell transcriptional profiles of normal hematopoietic cells using CIBERSORTx, revealing enrichment for signatures of lineages corresponding to the leukemic type predicted by our algorithm. The classifier was validated on an external ALAL cohort (n=24), assigning 75% of the patients to a lineage matching their immunophenotypic and methylation profiles. In conclusion, integrative analysis of RNA-sequencing data can accurately classify most ALAL cases. The pipeline and classifier developed in our study are valuable tools to improve ALAL diagnosis and guide therapeutic decisions.

  Study EGAS00001007967

• Limited Association between HRR Gene Alterations and HRD in Molecular Tumor Board Cancer Samples: Who should be tested for HRD?

  Alterations in Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) Pathway genes have been found to be associated with HR-Deficiency (HRD), which is an approved biomarker for PARP Inhibitor (PARPi) treatment. The aim of a Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) is to identify molecular alterations in cancer patients with advanced tumors that may suggest off-label treatment options. So far, few studies have analyzed the presence of HRR gene mutations and their association with HRD outside of clinical studies. Currently, no data on HRD testing in the setting of a MTB have been published. For the present study, a cohort of 237 patients encompassing 24 different tumor entities was collected from the MTB of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN. We show that an elevated Genomic Instability Score (GIS ≥ 42) can occur in samples with and without mutations in HRR-related genes. Overall, 38.1% of cancer samples with BRCA1/2 mutations, 10.9% of tumors with alterations in HRR genes other than BRCA1/2, and 4.3% of cancer samples without HRR gene mutations harbored an elevated GIS. Notably, our data show that various inactivating BRCA1/2 mutations are not associated with an elevated GIS. Taken together, panCancer assessment of HRD in addition to BRCA1/2 and other HRR gene mutational analysis is recommended to guide decisions regarding PARPi treatment. Further studies are needed to establish thresholds for GIS in non-ovarian cancer entities. Finally, HRD can be observed in 4.3% of BRCA1/2 and other HRR gene wildtype cancer samples, and may emerge as an independent biomarker for PARPi in the future.

  Study EGAS00001008063

• Molecular subtypes of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors mutated in MEN1/DAXX/ ATRX explain biological variability

  Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PanNETs) most probably arise from the islets of Langerhans, although direct evidence is still lacking. About 40% of non-functioning (NF) PanNETs harbour mutations in MEN1, often in conjunction with alterations in DAXX/ATRX. Despite the homogeneous genetic background, the ADM (mutation in DAXX/ATRX and MEN1) group is heterogeneous regarding molecular features and response to treatment. To explore the molecular and clinical heterogeneity within this group, we integrated transcriptomic and DNA methylation data from 36 and 93 samples, respectively. Using a multi-omic approach we described a two-level hierarchy separating PanNET subtypes mutated in MEN1, DAXX and ATRX. First, DNA methylation discriminates ADM-PanNET from PanNET mutated in MEN1 only (α-like). Compared to α-like, all ADM tumors exhibit DNA methylation changes at enhancer and lowly methylated regions as well as at peri-centromeric and telomeric regions, associated with alternative lengthening of telomeres, increased chromosomal instability, and enhanced proliferative capacity. At a second level, transcriptomic analysis revealed three distinct ADM subtypes: ADM hypoxic, ADM NST (No Special Type), and ADM immunosuppressive. The ADM hypoxic subtype is characterized by strong hypoxia signature, likely regulated epigenetically. The ADM NST subtype appears to be primarily driven by epigenetic changes that promote proliferation. The ADM immunosuppressive is highly enriched in immune component and strong metastasis-like signature. While all the three subtypes are highly associated with liver metastasis formation and invasion, the ADM immunosuppressive are significantly smaller (&lt;2.5 cm p.value=0.023) despite displaying aggressive molecular features. By defining these three novel ADM subtypes, our study provides a refined framework for understanding PanNET heterogeneity. This classification underscores potential diagnostic markers and highlights distinct biological vulnerabilities that may inform the development of subtype-tailored therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS00001008272

• Multi-site tumor sampling highlights molecular intra-tumor heterogeneity in malignant pleural mesothelioma

  Background:Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a heterogeneous cancer. Better knowledge of molecular and cellular intra-tumor heterogeneity throughout the thoracic cavity is required to develop efficient therapies. This study focuses on molecular intra-tumor heterogeneity using the largest series to date in MPM and is the first to report on the multi-omics profiling of a substantial series of multi-site tumor samples. Methods:Intra-tumor heterogeneity was investigated in 16 patients from whom biopsies were taken at distinct anatomical sites. The paired biopsies collected from apex, side wall, costo-diaphragmatic or highest metabolic sites as well as 5 derived cell lines were screened using targeted sequencing. Whole exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and DNA methylation were performed on a subset of the cohort for deep characterization. Molecular classification, recently defined histo-molecular gradients, and cell populations of the tumor microenvironment were assessed. Results:Sequencing analysis identified heterogeneous variants notably in NF2, a key tumor suppressor gene of mesothelial carcinogenesis. Subclonal tumor populations were shared among paired biopsies, suggesting a polyclonal dissemination of the tumor. Transcriptome analysis highlighted dysregulation of cell adhesion and extracellular matrix pathways, linked to changes in histo-molecular gradient proportions between anatomic sites. Methylome analysis revealed contribution of epigenetic mechanisms in two patients. Finally, significant changes in the expression of immune mediators and genes related to immunological synapse, as well as differential infiltration of immune populations in the tumor environment were observed and led to a switch from a hot to a cold immune profile in three patients. Conclusions:This comprehensive analysis reveals patient-dependent spatial intra-tumor heterogeneity at the genetic, transcriptomic and epigenetic levels and in the immune landscape of the tumor microenvironment. Results support

  Study EGAS00001005328

• Whole genome sequencing of tumor samples from advanced pre-treated NSCLC patients recruited in a phase I/II single-arm trial utilising CVA21, an oncolytic coxsackie virus, in combination with pembrolizumab.

  Acquired or de novo resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors occurs in the majority of advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). There is an unmet need to improve outcomes for patients with this condition. Oncolytic viruses represent an attractive treatment approach due to their dual activity in inducing tumor cell lysis directly and potentially augmenting anti-tumor immunity. Here, we present the safety, efficacy and translational findings from a phase I/II single-arm trial utilising CVA21, an oncolytic coxsackie virus, in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced pre-treated NSCLC. We performed paired biopsies pre- and post-treatment in 10 patients who received intravenous CVA21 and pembrolizumab, 8 of whom had prior treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Whole genome sequencing and spatial proteomics were performed to comprehensively characterise the response to CVA21. Combination CVA21/pembrolizumab (anti PD-1) therapy was well tolerated with no serious treatment-related adverse events. Partial responses were seen in two patients with prior acquired anti-PD-1 resistance and disease stabilisation in 6 patients, giving a clinical benefit rate of 80%. High baseline tumor mutational burden and PD-L1 expression were observed in patients with better response to treatment. Interestingly, an increase in antigen presentation and CD8+ T cell infiltration was observed on treatment compared with baseline in patients with better progression-free survival. This study demonstrates the potential of CVA21 to modulate the immunogenicity of tumor cells and remodelling the tumor microenvironment, providing novel insights for patient selection for trials involving novel immunotherapeutic approaches.

  Study EGAS00001008258

• Sequencing of paediatric High Grade Gliomas and DIPG

  Paediatric high grade glioma (pHGG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) are a phenotypically diverse collection of tumours which molecular profiling studies have refined into age- and location-based subgroups driven by unique genetic and epigenetic alterations. Despite this, the rarity of these tumours means individual studies are underpowered to investigate subgroup-specific changes and to identify low frequency events recurrently targeting specific pathways. We have collated genomic data from 143 unpublished cases up to 30 years of age along with those from 18 previously published datasets in an integrated analysis comprising 1067 unique patients across all anatomical compartments of the CNS, with histone mutation status available for 893 cases (n=67 H3.3G34R/V, n=316 H3.3K27M, n=68 H3.1/H3.2K27M). Distinct clinicopathological and molecular subgroups are defined by these histone mutations, with several novel co-segregating mutations identified through these aggregated analyses, including loss of FBXW7 in H3.3G34R/V, TOP3A rearrangements in H3.3K27M, and BCOR mutations in H3.1K27M. Histone wild-type subgroups can be further refined by the presence of key oncogenic events (PDGFRA or EGFR amplification/mutations) or methylation profiles which molecularly more closely resemble pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma or other low grade gliomas. The burden of genomic aberrations decreases with age, highlighting the infant population as biologically and clinically distinct. Across the whole cohort, we identify novel previously unrecognised pathway dysregulation in small subsets of tumours (e.g. splicing, WNT, immune response) which make up the umbrella classification of paediatric diffusely infiltrating gliomas. The integrated dataset helps to further define the molecular diversity of the disease, opening up novel avenues for biological study and providing a basis for functionally defined future treatment stratification.

  Study EGAS00001002314

• Genomic diversity of the African-descent Makranis of Pakistan

  From the eighth century onward, the Indian Ocean was the scene of extensive trade of sub-Saharan African slaves, via sea routes controlled by Muslim Arab and Swahili traders. Several populations in present-day Pakistan and India are thought to be the descendants of such slaves, yet their genetic ancestries and history of admixture and natural selection remain largely undefined. Here we studied the genome-wide diversity of the African-descent Makranis, residing on the Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan, together with that of four neighboring Pakistani populations, to investigate the genetic legacy, population dynamics and tempo of the Indian Ocean slave trade. We show that the Makranis result from an admixture event between local Baluch tribes and Bantu-speaking populations from eastern/southeastern Africa, which we dated to ~300 years ago during the Omani Empire domination. Levels of inbreeding, measured through cumulative runs of homozygosity, were found to be similar across Pakistani populations, suggesting that the admixed Makranis rapidly adopted the traditional practice of endogamous marriages. Finally, we searched for signatures of post-admixture selection at several traits evolving under positive selection, including skin color, lactase persistence and resistance to malaria. We demonstrate that the African-specific Duffy-null blood group — believed to confer resistance against Plasmodium vivax infection — was recently introduced to Pakistan through the slave trade and evolved under positive selection in this vivax malaria-endemic region. Collectively, our study reconstructs the genetic and adaptive history of a neglected episode of the African Diaspora, and illustrates the impact of recent admixture on the diffusion of adaptive traits across human populations.

  Study EGAS00001002558

• Histone chaperone CHAF1A promotes proliferation and tumorigenicity in gastric cancer and impacts prognosis via context-depedent regulation of gene expression

  The histone chaperone CHAF1A is associated with some tumors, but its mechanisms in tumor biology remain elusive. Gastric cancer (GC) has significant heterogeneity among patients, and novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets may improve its outcomes. The role of CHAF1A in GC is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that CHAF1A was overexpressed in GC tissues accompanied by low expression of wild-type P53 and high expression of the proliferation marker MKI67. In vitro, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and promoted apoptosis, while CHAF1A overexpression had contrary effects. In vivo, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited tumorigenicity of GC cells. A microarray assay with CHAF1A inhibition and a PathScan signaling antibody array with CHAF1A overexpression showed that CHAF1A inhibited the P53 pathway, activated stress response and induced glycolytic metabolism. In 665 patients, the expression level of CHAF1A protein was an independent predictor for overall survival and disease-free survival in non-cardia GC and also had survival associations in patients with small or perineural invasion-negative tumors. Tumor mRNA analyses based on next-generation sequencing in patients indicated that CHAF1A promoted the Warburg effect by depressing oxidative phosphorylation and increasing glycolysis. Furthermore, the heterogeneous clinical significance of CHAF1A among patient subgroups was associated with its differential regulation of gene expression involved with glycolysis and cell proliferation and survival, indicating that the role of CHAF1A is depended on patient characteristics. These results reveal critical roles and clinical values for CHAF1A in GC. CHAF1A may have context-dependent effects in GC, which increases understandings for GC heterogeneity.

  Study EGAS00001003064

• Exome sequencing in bipolar disorder families

  Bipolar disorder (BD) is a major psychiatric disorder affecting around 1% of the global population. BD is characterized by recurrent manic and depressive episodes, and has an estimated heritability of around 70% Research has identified the first BD susceptibility genes. However, the underlying pathways and regulatory networks remain largely unknown. Since research has shown that the cumulative impact of common alleles with small effect appears to explain only around 25-38% of the phenotypic variance for BD, rare variants of high penetrance may also contribute to BD risk. The present study investigated the role of rare, nonsynonymous, and potentially functional variants via whole exome sequencing in 15 BD cases from two large, multiply affected families from Cuba. The high prevalence of BD in these pedigrees renders them promising in terms of the identification of genetic risk variants with large effect sizes. In addition, SNP array data were used to calculate polygenic risk scores for affected and unaffected family members. After correction for multiple testing, polygenic risk scores for common, BD-associated genetic variants were not significantly higher in BD cases than in healthy relatives. Exome sequencing identified a total of 17 rare and potentially damaging variants in 17 genes. The identified variants were shared by all investigated BD cases in the respective pedigree. The most promising variant was located in the gene SERPING1 (p.L349F), which has been reported as a genome-wide significant risk gene for schizophrenia. A further promising variant was located in CAPN2, which has been implicated in synaptic plasticity. The present data suggest novel candidate genes for BD susceptibility, and may facilitate the discovery of disease-relevant pathways and regulatory networks.

  Study EGAS00001003085

• Enhanced detection of circulating tumor DNA by fragment size analysis

  Existing methods to improve detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) have focused on sensitivity for detecting genomic alterations but have rarely considered the biological properties of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA). We hypothesized that differences in fragment lengths of circulating DNA could be exploited to enhance sensitivity for detecting the presence of ctDNA and for non-invasive genomic analysis of cancer. We surveyed ctDNA fragment sizes in 344 plasma samples from 200 cancer patients using low-pass whole-genome sequencing (0.4×). To establish the size distribution of mutant ctDNA, tumor-guided personalized deep sequencing was performed in 19 patients. We detected enrichment of ctDNA in fragment sizes between 90–150 bp, and developed methods for in vitro and in silico size selection of these fragments. Selecting fragments between 90–150 bp improved detection of tumor DNA, with more than 2-fold median enrichment in &amp;gt;95% of cases, and more than 4-fold enrichment in &amp;gt; 10% of cases. Analysis of size-selected cfDNA identified clinically actionable mutations and copy number alterations that were otherwise not detected. Identification of plasma samples from patients with advanced cancer was improved by predictive models integrating fragment length and copy number analysis of cfDNA, with AUC&amp;gt; 0.99 compared to AUC &amp;lt; 0.80 without fragmentation features. Increased identification of cfDNA from patients with glioma, renal, and pancreatic cancer was achieved with AUC &amp;gt; 0.91, compared to AUC &amp;lt; 0.5 without fragmentation features. Fragment size analysis and selective sequencing of specific fragment sizes can boost ctDNA detection. This could reduce the required depth of cfDNA sequencing for clinical applications, earlier diagnosis and study of tumor biology.

  Study EGAS00001003258

• Whole exome sequencing of cell-free DNA reveals temporo-spatial heterogeneity and identifies treatment-resistant clones in neuroblastoma

  Background: Neuroblastoma (NB) displays important clinical and genetic heterogeneity, with emergence of new mutations at tumor progression. Patients and Methods: To study clonal evolution during treatment and follow-up, an innovative method based on circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis by whole exome sequencing (WES) paired with target sequencing was realized in sequential liquid biopsy samples of 19 NB patients. Results: WES of the primary tumor and cfDNA at diagnosis showed overlap of Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) and Copy Number Alterations (CNAs), with 41% and 93% of all detected alterations common to the primary NB and cfDNA. CfDNA WES at a second time point indicated a mean of 22 new SNVs for patients with progressive disease. Relapse-specific alterations included genes of the MAPK pathway and targeted the protein kinase A signaling pathway. Deep coverage target sequencing of intermediate timepoints during treatment and follow-up identified distinct subclones. For 17 seemingly relapse-specific SNVs detected by sequencing detected these alterations in minor subclones, with relapse-emerging SNVs targeting genes of neuritogenesis and cell cycle. Furthermore a persisting, resistant clone with concomitant disappearance of other clones was identified by a mutation in the ubiquitin protein ligase HERC2. Conclusion: Modelisation of mutated allele fractions in cfDNA indicated distinct patterns of clonal evolution, with either a minor, treatment-resistant clone expanding to a major clone at relapse, or minor clones collaborating towards tumor progression. Identification of treatment-resistant clones will enable development of more efficient treatment strategies.cfDNA WES at relapse but not tumor or cfDNA WES at diagnosis, deep coverage target.

  Study EGAS00001002705

• The Human Phenotype Project (HPP) is a large-scale deep-phenotype prospective longitudinal and ethnically diverse cohort

  The Human Phenotype Project (HPP) is a large-scale deep-phenotype prospective longitudinal and ethnically diverse cohort and biobank that we established. To date, approximately 28,000 participants have enrolled in the study, with over 13,000 having completed their initial visit. The project is aimed at identifying novel molecular signatures with diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value, and at developing AI-based predictive models for disease onset and progression. A unique feature of the HPP is its deep and longitudinal profiling that includes medical history, lifestyle and nutritional habits, vital signs, anthropometrics, blood tests, continuous glucose and sleep monitoring, imaging modalities and molecular profiling of the transcriptome, genetics, gut, vaginal and oral microbiome, metabolome and immune system. For several of these modalities, the HPP is the first or largest cohort of its kind. Our analyses of this data provide novel insights into the variation of phenotypes with age and ethnicity, highlighting the importance of having ethnically diverse cohorts and the need for establishing age-dependent norms. We demonstrate how the HPP can be used to unravel personalized molecular signatures of disease by comparison to patient-specific and disease-specific matched healthy controls. Leveraging the extensive dietary and lifestyle HPP data, we systematically identify associations between lifestyle factors and health outcomes. Finally, we present a multi-modal foundation AI model that is trained using self-supervised learning on diet and CGM data and outperforms existing methods in predicting future onset of disease. We extend this AI framework to integrate all data modalities of each subject as a continuous sequence of diverse medical events, creating a digital twin that can simulate interventions and predict health trajectories and outcomes.

  Study EGAS00001008040

• Accurate detection and classification of pediatric sarcomas based on cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns

  Sequencing of cell-free DNA in the blood of cancer patients (“liquid biopsy”) provides attractive opportunities not only for early diagnosis, but also for minimally invasive monitoring of treatment response and disease courses. To unlock liquid biopsy analysis for pediatric tumors with few genetic aberrations, we developed an integrated genetic/epigenetic analysis method and applied it to 241 deep whole-genome sequencing profiles of 95 patients with Ewing sarcoma and 31 patients with other pediatric sarcomas. We achieved sensitive detection and classification of circulating tumor DNA in peripheral blood independent of any genetic alterations. We evaluated different metrics for cell-free DNA fragmentation analysis and developed LIQUORICE, a bioinformatic tool for detecting circulating tumor DNA based on tumor-specific chromatin structure. Using machine learning methods, we combined several fragmentation-based metrics into an integrated approach for liquid biopsy analysis tailored to cancers with low mutation rates but widespread epigenetic deregulation. Clinical associations highlighted the potential value of cfDNA fragmentation patterns as prognostic biomarkers in Ewing sarcoma. Additionally, we performed low coverage whole-genome-sequencing on 43 tumor biopsy samples from patients with Ewing sarcoma, in order to compare copy number aberrations detected in cell-free DNA and biopsy samples of the same patients. For validation of the epigenetic signatures inferred from cell-free DNA, we further performed reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) on 38 matched biopsy samples from patients with Ewing sarcoma. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of circulating tumor DNA beyond recurrent somatic mutations, and it renders the benefits of liquid biopsy more readily accessible for childhood cancers.

  Study EGAS00001005127

• Matching of actionable mutations with therapies in cancer patients: comparison of three commercial decision support platforms

  Purpose: In oncology, precision medicine centers on tailoring the most appropriate therapy to a patient according to their tumor molecular profile. We addressed the question whether there is a consensus in the classification of actionability of somatic variants and their alignment to treatment recommendations. To this end, we evaluated three commercial clinical decision support tools to assess their variant classification and drug matching strategies.Methods: In this two centers study 48 patients with metastatic breast (n=12), colorectal (n=17) or non-small cell lung cancer (n=19) were recruited based on circulating tumor DNA levels in peripheral blood. In individual patients’ plasma samples, we established somatic copy number alterations and somatic mutations across a 77 cancer-associated gene panel and exposed the obtained molecular profiles to the decision support packages NAVIFY Mutation Profiler (NMP; Roche), Qiagen Clinical Insight (QCI) Interpret (Qiagen) and CureMatch Bionov (CureMatch).Results: In the plasma samples, altogether 492 somatic alterations were assessed. Each decision support platform varied in their format of data input, mode of variant classification and strategies for identifying druggable targets and clinical trials, which resulted in discrepancies in tier classification as well as designations of actionability. The frequency of concordant actionable events for tier I-A or tier I-B classifications, i.e. those with the strongest clinical evidence, was only 4.3%, 9.5% and 28.4% when comparing NMP with QCI, NMP with CureMatch, and CureMatch with QCI, respectively. As a consequence, the obtained treatment recommendations differed drastically, and alignment of treatment recommendations was limited to established predictive markers.Conclusions: The lack of standards for the extraction of treatment recommendations from comprehensive tumor molecular profiling data challenge the promising concepts of precision oncology.

  Study EGAS00001004383

• Tumor-specific expression of let-7i and miR-192 is associated with resistance to cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in patients with larynx and hypopharynx cancer

  Background: The majority of patients with locally advanced larynx or hypopharynx squamous cell carcinoma are treated with organ preserving chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Clinical outcome following CRT varies greatly. We hypothesized tumor microRNA (miRNA) expression is predictive for outcome following CRT. Methods: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) miRNA profiling was performed on 37 formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor samples. Patients with a recurrence free survival (RFS) of less than 2 years (“poor outcome”) and patients without recurrence within 2 years (“good outcome”) were compared by differential expression analysis. Tumor-specific miRNAs were selected based on normal mucosa miRNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. A model was constructed to predict outcome using group-regularized penalized logistic ridge regression. Candidate miRNAs were validated in the initial sample set by RT-qPCR as well as in 46 additional tumor samples.Results: 1,938 known mature miRNAs were detected. Thirteen miRNAs were differentially expressed (p&lt;0.05, FDR&lt;0.1) according to outcome group. Initial class prediction in the NGS cohort (n=37) resulted in a model combining five miRNAs and disease stage, able to predict CRT outcome with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82. In the RT-qPCR cohort (n=83), 25 patients (30%) experienced early recurrence (median RFS 8 months; median follow-up 42 months). Class prediction resulted in a model combining let-7i-5p and miR-192-5p and disease stage, able to discriminate with an AUC of 0.80 patients with good versus poor clinical outcome.Conclusion: The combined miRNA expression and disease stage prediction model is superior to using either factor alone. ¬¬¬This study indicates NGS miRNA profiling using FFPE specimens is feasible, resulting in clinically relevant biomarkers.

  Study EGAS00001004001

• Immune microenvironment and lineage tracing help deciphering Rosette-forming GlioNeuronal Tumors: a multi-omic analysis of 9 cases

  Rosette-forming GlioNeuronal Tumor (RGNT) is a rare central nervous system neoplasm containing two components, glial and neuronal. The delineation of histological diagnosis of RGNT from similar low-grade tumors such as pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) and ganglioglioma (GG) may be challenging. We performed here a comprehensive molecular analysis of a cohort of tumors with same histology features to identify molecular characteristics of RGNT. A cohort of 9 rosette-forming tumors histologically-diagnosed were analyzed at molecular level using multimodal approaches as Whole Exome Sequencing (WES), RNAseq and methylome. In our cohort, 3 tumors were plotted within the Methylation Class-RGNT (MC-RGNT) characterized by FGFR1 mutation associated with PIK3CA or NF1 mutations. Transcriptome analysis was performed in 7 cases. RNAseq identified a “Hot” and a “Cold” transcriptomic group; the latter includes the 3 MC-RGNT and 1 MC-Pilocytic Astrocytoma and exhibited a “Cold” immune tumor microenvironment in comparison with the “Hot” group. The distinct immune cell content of both groups was confirmed by quantitative immunostainings. Get Set Enrichment Analysis showed that the “Cold” group had upregulated NOTCH pathway and mainly oligodendrocyte precursor cell and neuronal phenotypes while the “Hot” group exhibited predominantly astrocytic and neural stem cell phenotypes. In silico deconvolution identified the cerebellar granule cell lineage as a putative origin and as the cell context to understand the effects of genetic alterations and NOTCH signaling. Histological diagnosis of rosette-forming tumors encompasses heterogeneous tumor entities. Our study identified distinct tumor cell contexts and microenvironments as key features to better understand and manage these neoplasms.

  Study EGAS00001006502

• T-cell receptor sequencing of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in breast cancer

  The spatial distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) predicts breast cancer outcome and response to systemic therapy, highlighting the importance of an intact tissue structure for characterizing patients’ tumors. Here, we present ST-FFPE, a spatial transcriptomics method for the analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples, which opens the possibility of interrogating widely available archival tissue. The method involves extraction, exome capture and sequencing of RNA from different tumor compartments microdissected by laser-capture, and can be used to study the cellular composition of various tumor environments. Focusing on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), we characterized T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, fibroblasts and endothelial cells in both stromal and intra-epithelial compartments. We found a highly variable spatial distribution of immune cell subsets among tumors. This analysis revealed that the immune repertoires of intra-epithelial T and B cells were consistently less diverse than those of stromal T and B cells. T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing confirmed a reduced diversity and revealed higher clonality of intra-epithelial T cells relative to the corresponding stromal T cells. Analysis of the top ten dominant clonotypes in the two compartments showed a majority of shared but also some unique clonotypes both in stromal and intra-epithelial T cells. Hyperexpanded clonotypes were more abundant among intra-epithelial than stromal T cells. These findings validate the ST-FFPE method and suggest an accumulation of antigen-specific T cells within tumor core. Because ST-FFPE is readily applicable for analysis of previously collected tissue samples, it could be useful for rapid assessment of intratumoral cellular heterogeneity in multiple disease and treatment settings.

  Study EGAS00001007125

• cfDNA dataset from the urine supernatant of ovarian cancer patients and healthy controls

  Background Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy worldwide, due to frequent diagnosis at advanced stage. Simple and non-invasive methods for earlier and accurate detection are urgently needed. Here, the presence of tumor-derived DNA in home-collected urine, cervicovaginal self-samples and clinician-taken cervical scrapes of ovarian cancer patients was explored by DNA methylation and copy number analysis. Methods A total of 428 samples (urine, cervicovaginal self-samples, and clinician-taken cervical scrapes) of 110 healthy controls and 54 patients with benign (n=25) or malignant (n=29) ovarian masses were analyzed. Different urine fractions were examined (full void urine, urine supernatant, and urine sediment). All samples were tested for 12 methylation markers by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. Shallow whole-genome sequencing was performed to detect copy number aberrations and verify the presence of tumor-derived DNA. Results Full void urine was most discriminatory between healthy controls and ovarian cancer patients (C2CD4D, p=0.008; CDO1, p=0.022; MAL, p=0.008), followed by cervical scrapes (C2CD4D, p=0.001; CDO1, p=0.004). A significant difference between benign and malignant ovarian masses was only observed for GHSR in the urine sediment (p=0.024). Methylation levels in cervicovaginal self-samples did not discriminate between healthy controls, benign and malignant ovarian masses. Copy number changes were identified in 17% of urine supernatant samples and smaller fragment sizes were seen in urine supernatant samples with a high tumor fraction. Conclusions This study demonstrates the presence of ovarian cancer-derived DNA in home-collected urine. Additional studies are warranted to further explore the clinical applicability of this approach.

  Study EGAS00001007238

• Regenerative effects of MSC treatment on busulfan-induced small intestine damaged organoids.

  Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative treatment for leukemia and a range of non-malignant disorders. The success of the therapy is hampered by occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD); an inflammatory response damaging recipient organs, with gut, liver, and skin being the most susceptible. Intestinal GvHD injury is often a life-threatening complication in patients unresponsive to steroid treatment. Second-line available therapies are immunosuppressants or mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) infusions. Data from our institution and others demonstrate rescue of approximately 40-50% of patients suffering from aGvHD with mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) and minor side effects. Although promising, the better understanding of MSC mode of action and patient response to MSC-based therapy is essential to improve this lifesaving treatment. Here, we developed a novel 3D co-culture model of human small intestinal organoids and MSCs, which allows to study the regenerative effects of MSCs on intestinal epithelium in a more physiologically relevant setting than existing in vitro systems. Using this model we mimicked chemotherapy-mediated damage of the intestinal epithelium. The treatment with busulfan, the chemotherapeutic commonly used as conditioning regiment before the HSCT, affected pathways regulating EMT, proliferation, and apoptosis in small intestinal organoids, as shown by transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. The co-culture of busulfan treated intestinal organoids with MSCs reversed the effects of busulfan on the transcriptome and proteome of intestinal epithelium, which we also confirmed by functional evaluation of proliferation and apoptosis. Collectively, we demonstrate that our novel in vitro co-culture system is a new valuable tool to facilitate the investigation of the molecular mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of MSCs on damaged intestinal epithelium.

  Study EGAS00001007432