Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Genomic Analysis of Paired Endometrial Cancer Primaries and Metastases

Formation of metastases is the major cause of cancer related deaths. Recent studies have sequenced primary endometrial carcinomas yielding data for a single entity in the progression from the birth of a progenitor tumor cell to metastatic disease. However, the progression of these tumors to metastases has not been characterized. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 98 tumor biopsies including complex atypical hyperplasias, primary tumors and paired abdominopelvic metastases to survey the evolutionary landscape of endometrial cancer. We expanded and reanalyzed TCGA-data, identifying novel recurrent alterations in primary tumors, including mutations in the estrogen receptor cofactor NRIP1 in 12% of patients. We found that likely driver events tended to be shared by primary and metastatic tissue-samples, with notable exceptions such as ARID1A mutations. Phylogenetic analyses in cases with multiple metastases indicated these metastases typically arose from one lineage of the primary tumor. These data indicate extensive genetic heterogeneity within endometrial cancers and relative homogeneity across metastatic sites.

Study phs001127

Functional Dynamics of the Elderly Gut Microbiome During Probiotic Consumption

A mechanistic understanding of the health benefits conferred by consumption of probiotic bacteria has been limited by our knowledge of the resident gut microbiota and its interaction with the host. We used fecal samples from a study of twelve healthy individuals aged 65-80 to characterize the structure and functional dynamics of the gut microbiota associated with consumption of the single-organism probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 (LGG). Samples were collected prior to probiotic consumption (day 0), on day 28 immediately after consuming 10^10 CFU of LGG twice daily for 28 days and day 56, one month after stopping LGG consumption. Our integrative approach incorporated bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing, whole-community expression profiling using RNA-seq, and metagenomic sequencing. We highlight the value of combinatorial 'omics methods and concomitant high-resolution informatics to probe the role that probiotics may play on the structure and function of the resident microbiota.

Study phs000896

National Institute of Environmental Health (NIEHS) Sciences Study of Somatic Mutation Load in Clones of Single Human Cells

Accumulation of genetic changes with time and proliferation of cells is inevitable. We report here the genome-wide magnitude and spectra of mutations accrued in skin fibroblasts over the lifetime of healthy humans. We found that every cell contains at least one somatic chromosomal rearrangement and 600 - 13,000 base substitutions, similar to the median mutation load in human cancers. The mutation spectra and correlation of changes with epigenomic features also resemble many human cancers. Interestingly, the magnitude of ultraviolet light-characteristic mutations, representative of environmental mutagenesis, in sun-exposed skin was comparable to the number of mutations attributed to endogenous DNA damage estimated in unexposed cells. Our methodology allows delineating the precise contributions of environmental and endogenous factors to the accrual of genetic changes in the human body. This is fundamental to understanding the etiology, and improving the prognosis and prevention of cancers and other genetic diseases.

Study phs001182

Integrative Somatic and Germline Computational Biology to Redefine Clinical Actionability in Solid Tumors

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare cancers that arise in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. The fundamental mechanisms driving gastroenteropancreatic NETs (GEP-NETs) growth remain incompletely elucidated; however, the heterogeneous clinical behavior of GEP-NETs suggests that both cellular lineage dynamics and tumor microenvironment influence tumor pathophysiology. Here, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of fresh resections of GEP-NETs, including four pancreatic NETs, three small intestinal NETs, and one perigastric NET. We used single-cell sequencing to investigate the tumor and immune cellular landscapes of GEP-NET patients. Malignant GEP-NET gene and regulon expression was compared with normal, gastrointestinal endocrine cell differentiation and fate determination stages. We further characterized immune-immune and immune-tumor interaction networks within GEP-NETs, identifying novel therapeutic opportunities in the myeloid compartment of the microenvironment. Our findings highlight the transcriptomic heterogeneity that distinguishes the cellular landscapes of GEP-NET anatomic subtypes and reveal potential avenues for future precision medicine therapeutics.

Study phs003141

Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals Discrete Tumor Microenvironments and Autocrine Loops Within Ovarian Cancer Subclones

Ovarian masses from patients with high grade serous ovarian carcinoma undergoing debulking surgery were subjected to spatial transcriptomics profiling using the 10x Genomics Visium (fresh frozen) platform. Copy number inference using inferCNV predicted the presence of subclones with mutually exclusive copy number alterations (CNAs) in 5 of the 8 patient samples studied. In one patient, 3 subclones were predicted. For this patient sample, a serial section of the same tumor was used to microdissect regions corresponding to each of these subclones, and a 'normal' region predicted to contain only fibroblasts and no tumor cells. These microdissected regions were processed for low pass whole genome sequencing (WGS) and CNAs recorded using ichorCNA. An oral biopsy lacking tumor cells from an unrelated donor was used as a negative control for CNA inference. The CNAs predicted by inferCNV for the three subclones were validated by the low pass WGS and no CNAs were observed in the normal region containing fibroblasts.

Study phs003561

Type I Interferon Exacerbates Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Induced Human Macrophage Death

In this study, we tested whether type I interferons (IFN-I), namely IFN-alpha and IFN-beta, may promote Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) pathogenesis by exacerbating cell death of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) infected with Mtb. We differentiated the MDM under two different published methods (see Document Method.pdf for Table 1 of Methods). To determine if MDM infected with Mtb upregulates IFN-I transcripts, signaling factors, or IFN-I stimulated genes (ISGs), the MDM were infected with Mtb or treated with an activator of stimulator of IFN genes (STING), diamidobenzimidazole (di-ABZI). STING activation acted as a positive control for IFN-I induction and ISG upregulation. Indeed, di-ABZI treated MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs 24 hpi. At 24 hour post treatment, MDM differentiated under one method, but not under another method, upregulated ISGs, such as ISG15, IFITM3, and CXCL10, upon Mtb infection. MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs upon di-ABZI treatment.

Study phs003607

KDM6A Loss Triggers an Epigenetic Switch that Disrupts Urothelial Identity and Drives Cell Proliferation in Bladder Cancer

Disruption of KDM6A, a histone lysine demethylase, is one of the most common somatic alternations in bladder cancer. How mutations of this chromatin modifier impact the epigenetic landscape to promote carcinogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that KDM6A loss triggers an epigenomic switch that disrupts urothelial identity and induces a neoplastic state characterized by increased cell proliferation. In bladder cancer cells with intact KDM6A, FOXA1 binds KDM6A at enhancers to activate genes instructing urothelial differentiation. In KDM6A-deficient cells, we observed simultaneous loss of FOXA1 target binding and genome-wide redistribution of the bZIP transcription factor ATF3, which in turn represses FOXA1 target genes and activates cell-cycle progression genes. Importantly, ATF3 depletion reverses the cell proliferation phenotype. These data establish that KDM6A loss creates an epigenetic state that drives tumor growth in an ATF3-dependent manner, forging a molecular vulnerability that can be targeted by novel therapeutic strategies.

Study phs002801

Plasma mutation profile of precursor lesions and colorectal cancer using the Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Early detection of precursor lesions or early-stage cancer could hamper cancer development or improve survival rates. Liquid biopsy, which detects tumor biomarkers, such as mutations, in blood, is a promising avenue for cancer screening. To assess the presence of genetic variants in plasma cell-free tumor DNA from patients with precursor lesions and colorectal cancer using the commercial Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples from the blood plasma of 52 Brazilian patients were analyzed. Eight patients did not have any significant lesions (five normal colonoscopies and three hyperplastic polyps), 24 exhibited precursor lesions (13 nonadvanced adenomas, ten advanced adenomas, and one sessile serrated lesion), and 20 patients with cancer (CRC). The mutation profile of 14 CRC-associated genes were determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS) using the Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay in the Ion Torrent PGM/S5 sequencer.

Study EGAS50000000471

MP2PRT: Genomic and Molecular Characterization of Biomarkers Associated with Tumor Angiogenesis, DNA Repair, and Immunologic Tolerance using Samples from the NRG Oncology Phase 3 Randomized Trial, GOG-0240 (NCT00803062)

The Molecular Profiling to Predict Response to Treatment (MP2PRT) program is part of the NCI's Cancer Moonshot Initiative. The aim of this program is the retrospective characterization and analysis of biospecimens collected from completed NCI-sponsored trials of the National Clinical Trials Network and the NCI Community Oncology Research Program. This study is one of the selected studies under this program. For this study, genomic characterization (WGS, WXS, Total RNAseq, miRNAseq) has been performed on cervical tumor tissue from patients with advanced disease (persistent, recurrent, and metastatic) and matching germline samples. It is hypothesized that the characterization of these tissues using next generation sequencing will lead to the identification of relevant novel genetic aberrations within the immunologic, DNA repair, and tumor angiogenesis domains that dichotomize the study population into exceptional responders and non-responders to systemic therapy, with a spectrum of response manifesting between the two extremes.

Study phs002293

California Teachers Study (CTS): Whole Genome Sequences From Under-Represented Populations

The California Teachers Study (CTS) is a prospective observational cohort of N=133,477 adult women who have been followed since 1995. Participants completed up to six surveys and have been linked with cancer, hospitalization, and mortality data. In 2013-2016, over 14,000 CTS participants donated blood samples for future research. For this project, DNA was extracted in 2023 from 1694 buffy coats and 56 blood clots from N=1750 CTS participants whose self-reported race/ethnicity was Asian (398), Asian or Pacific Islander (18), Black or African American (189), Native American (128), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (66), White Hispanic (719), or more than one race (232). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed at CIDR in 2023-2024. WGS data and accompanying phenotype data are available through dbGaP. In addition, all CTS data are available to the research community via the CTS Researcher Platform (www.calteachersstudy.org), a secure cloud-based environment that includes data, software, documentation, and collaboration workspaces.

Study phs002918

Multi-Omic Investigation of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome Hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common malignant liver tumor diagnosed in children under 5 years of age. One of the most common HB predisposition syndromes is Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS, OMIM 130650), which affects approximately 1/10,000 live births. In this study, we perform Whole Exome Sequencing (WES), DNA methylation array, messenger RNA-Sequencing (mRNA-Seq), and microRNA-Sequencing (miRNA-Seq) to examine the genomic, methylomic, and transcriptomic signature of BWS HB. We analyzed five tumor-normal paired samples, two BWS tumor only samples, and five non-BWS control samples to identify a predisposition and oncogenic signature of BWS HB development. To further understand the new impact of 11p15 changes, specifically in the liver, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (snATAC-seq) to generate paired, cell-type-specific transcriptional and chromatin accessibility profiles of both BWS-liver and nonBWS-liver nontumorous and tumor tissues.

Study phs002614

Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI): NCI-COG Pediatric MATCH Precision Medicine Clinical Trial

The National Cancer Institute-Children's Oncology Group (NCI-COG) Pediatric Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (MATCH) trial provides a framework for biomarker-driven early phase trials of targeted therapies in pediatric and young adult cancer patients across the United States. Pediatric MATCH enrolled more than 1,300 patients with treatment-refractory cancers, offering access to molecular screening and investigational targeted therapies. To further advance this, matched diagnostic, refractory tumor, and normal samples from Pediatric MATCH cases were molecularly characterized, creating one of the largest comprehensive data sets available for childhood cancers. This analysis has the potential to provide novel insights into the genetics of refractory pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers, as well as inform potential therapeutic strategies. The following molecular characterization assays were performed: Tumor whole exome sequencing (WES) Tumor whole genome sequencing (WGS) Tumor RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) Blood whole exome sequencing (WES) Blood whole genome sequencing (WGS)

Study phs002883

High Resolution Maps of the HeLa 3D Genome Using Hi-C

We use in situ Hi-C to probe the three-dimensional architecture of genomes, constructing haploid and diploid maps of nine cell types (including HeLa). The densest, in human lymphoblastoid cells, contains 4.9 billion contacts, achieving 1-kilobase resolution. We find that genomes are partitioned into contact domains (median length, 185kb), which are associated with distinct patterns of histone marks and segregate into six subcompartments. We identify ~10,000 loops. These loops frequently link promoters and enhancers, correlate with gene activation, and show conservation across cell types and species. Loop anchors typically occur at domain boundaries and bind CTCF. CTCF sites at loop anchors occur predominantly (>90%) in a convergent orientation, with the asymmetric motifs 'facing' one another. The inactive X-chromosome splits into two massive domains and contains large loops anchored at CTCF-binding repeats. The data for the other (non-HeLa) cell types has been uploaded to GEO.

Study phs001010

Dynamic human admixture histories over the past ~1,300 years at the northern Himalayan frontier

Archaeological and paleogenomic evidence from the Tibetan Plateau and high-altitude Central Himalayas suggest biocultural connections with each other and with lowland East, Central, and South Asia. However, genetic histories at the northern frontier of the Indian Himalayas, which is geographically more proximal to Central and lowland South Asia, remain underexplored. We analyzed genome-wide data from 7 ancient (~2300 to 100 years old) and 10 present-day individuals from the northern Indian Himalayas and one ~3370-year-old individual from the Central Himalayas in Nepal. Ancient and present-day individuals from the northern Himalayas predominantly have Tibetan-related genetic ancestry, likely the source of high-altitude adaptive variants in these individuals, with substantial Steppe-related genetic ancestry that is observed in all individuals dating between ~1300 years and present day. In addition, some present-day individuals have lowland South Asian admixture. Our analyses reveal a dynamic interplay between genetic admixture and continuity in the northern Himalayas.

Study EGAS50000001342

Common origin and somatic mutation patterns of composite lymphomas and leukemias

When two lymphomas occur concurrently or sequentially in a patient, it is a major question whether they derive from the same lymphocyte or hematopoietic precursor cell or developed independently. We studied four composite classic Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and other mature B-cell lymphomas, and two composite mature B- and T-cell neoplasias by whole exome sequencing (WES) and analyzed shared somatic mutations in the lymphomas of these clonally related composite lymphomas, indicating their derivation from a common, pre-malignant precursor. Most identified mutations were restricted to one or the other of these lymphomas, likely explaining how distinct lymphomas developed from a common ancestral B cell. In the two B-cell/T-cell lymphoma cases, and a composite clonally unrelated HL/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the lymphoma partners did not share any somatic mutations. In three cases, we identified potentially oncogenic variants also in cells serving as constitutional controls.

Study EGAS50000001017

Control iPSC lines with clinically annotated genetic variants for versatile multi-lineage differentiation

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) derived from healthy individuals are important controls for disease modeling studies. To create a resource of genetically annotated iPSC, we reprogrammed footprint-free lines from four volunteers in the Personal Genome Project Canada (PGPC). Multilineage directed differentiation efficiently produced functional cortical neurons, cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes. Pilot users further demonstrated line versatility by generating kidney organoids, T-cells and sensory neurons. A frameshift knockout was introduced into MYBPC3 and these cardiomyocytes exhibited a hypertrophic phenotype as expected. WGS annotation of PGPC lines revealed on average 20 coding variants. Importantly, nearly all annotated PGPC and HipSci lines harboured at least one pre-existing or acquired variant with cardiac, neurological or other disease associations. Overall, PGPC lines were efficiently differentiated by multiple users into cell types found in six tissues for disease modelling, and clinical annotation highlighted variant-preferred lines for use as unaffected controls in specific disease settings.

Study EGAS00001003684

Early evolutionary branching across spatial domains predisposes to clonal replacement under chemotherapy in neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most lethal childhood cancers due its propensity to treatment resistance. By spatial mapping of subclone geographies before and after chemotherapy across 89 tumor regions from 12 NBs, we find that densely packed territories of closely related subclones present at diagnosis are replaced under effective treatment by islands of distantly related survivor subclones, originating from a different most recent ancestor compared to lineages dominating before treatment. Conversely, in tumors that progressed under treatment, ancestors of subclones dominating later in disease are present already at diagnosis. Chemotherapy treated xenografts and cell culture models replicates these two contrasting scenarios and shows branching evolution to be a constant feature of proliferating NB cells. Phylogenies based on whole genome sequencing of 505 individual NB cells indicate that a rich repertoire of parallel subclones, emerges already with the first oncogenic mutations and lays the foundation for clonal replacement under treatment.

Study EGAS00001007650

Serial assessment of measurable residual disease in medulloblastoma liquid biopsies

Nearly one-third of children with medulloblastoma, a malignant embryonal tumor of the cerebellum, succumb to their disease. Conventional response monitoring by imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology remains challenging and a marker for measurable residual disease (MRD) is lacking. Here, we show the clinical utility of CSF-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as a biomarker of MRD in serial samples collected from children with medulloblastoma (123 patients, 476 samples) enrolled on a prospective trial. Using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing, tumor-associated copy-number variations (CNVs) in CSF-derived cfDNA are investigated as an MRD surrogate. MRD is detected at baseline in 85% and 54% of patients with metastatic and localized disease, respectively. The number of MRD-positive patients decline with therapy, yet those with persistent MRD have significantly higher risk of progression. Importantly, MRD detection precedes radiographic progression in half who relapse. Our findings advocate for the prospective assessment of CSF-derived liquid biopsies in future trials for medulloblastoma.

Study EGAS00001005592

Tracking the origins and drivers of subclonal metastatic expansion in prostate cancer

Tumour heterogeneity in primary prostate cancer is a well-established phenomenon. However, how the subclonal diversity of tumours changes during metastasis and progression to lethality is poorly understood. Here we reveal the precise direction of metastatic spread across four lethal prostate cancer patients using whole-genome and ultra-deep targeted sequencing of longitudinally collected primary and metastatic tumours. We find one case of metastatic spread to the surgical bed causing local recurrence, and another case of cross-metastatic site seeding combining with dynamic remoulding of subclonal mixtures in response to therapy. By ultra-deep sequencing end-stage blood, we detect both metastatic and primary tumour clones, even years after removal of the prostate. Analysis of mutations associated with metastasis reveals an enrichment of TP53 mutations, and additional sequencing of metastases from 19 patients demonstrates that acquisition of TP53 mutations is linked with the expansion of subclones with metastatic potential which we can detect in the blood.

Study EGAS00001000942

Translation of non-canonical open reading frames as a cancer cell survival mechanism in childhood medulloblastoma

A hallmark of high-risk childhood medulloblastoma is the dysregulation of RNA translation. Currently, it is unknown whether medulloblastoma dysregulates the translation of putatively oncogenic non-canonical open reading frames. To address this question, we performed ribosome profiling of 32 medulloblastoma tissues and cell lines and observed widespread non-canonical ORF translation. We then developed a step-wise approach to employ multiple CRISPR-Cas9 screens to elucidate functional non-canonical ORFs implicated in medulloblastoma cell survival. We determined that multiple lncRNA-ORFs and upstream open reading frames (uORFs) exhibited selective functionality independent of the main coding sequence. One of these, ASNSD1-uORF or ASDURF, was upregulated, associated with the MYC family oncogenes, and was required for medulloblastoma cell survival through engagement with the prefoldin-like chaperone complex. Our findings underscore the fundamental importance of non-canonical ORF translation in medulloblastoma and provide a rationale to include these ORFs in future cancer genomics studies seeking to define new cancer targets.

Study EGAS00001007426

Data from the paper Context-specific Effects of TGFβ/SMAD3 in Cancer Are Modulated by the Epigenome. Tufegdzic et al, Cell Reports 2015

The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling pathway exerts opposing effects on cancer cells, acting either as a tumor-promoter or as a tumor-suppressor. Here we show these opposing effects are a result of the synergy between SMAD3, a downstream effector of TGFβ signalling, and the distinct epigenomes of breast tumor initiating cells (BTICs). These effects of TGFβ are associated with distinct gene expression programs, but genomic SMAD3 binding patterns are highly similar in the BTIC-promoting and BTIC- suppressing contexts. Our data show cell type-specific epigenetic configurations provide a modulatory layer by determining accessibility of genes to regulation by TGFβ/SMAD3. LBH, one such context-specific target gene, is regulated according to its DNA methylation status, and is crucial for TGFβ-dependent promotion of BTICs. Overall, these results reveal that the epigenome plays a central and previously overlooked role in shaping the context-specific effects of TGFβ in cancer.

Study EGAS00001001570

The spatial organization of intratumor heterogeneity andevolutionary trajectories of metastases in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has one of the poorest survival amongst cancers. Using multi-regional sampling of nine resected HCC with different etiologies, we find that phylogenetic relationships of these sectors show diverse levels of genetic sharing spanning early to late diversification. Unlike the variegated pattern found in colorectal cancers, a large proportion of HCC display a clear Isolation-By-Distance pattern where spatially closer sectors are genetically more similar. Two resected intra-hepatic metastases showed genetic divergence occurring before and after primary tumor diversification respectively. Interestingly, metastatic tumors had much higher variability than their primary tumors, suggesting that intra-hepatic metastasis is accompanied by rapid diversification at the distant location. The presence of co-existing mutations offers the possibility of drug repositioning for HCC treatment. Taken together, these insights into intra-tumor heterogeneity allow for a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary trajectories of HCC and suggest novel avenues for personalized therapy.

Study EGAS00001001603

X chromosomal genetic variants are associated with childhood obesity

Current genetic association studies are usually focused on autosomal variants only, and the sex chromosomes are often neglected. In recent years, a number of statistical techniques and strategies have been widely described making much easier overcoming X-chromosome technical hurdles and including this region within genetic studies. Tenomodulin (TNMD) is a Xq22 chromosome anti angiogenic locus which has been recently linked to different obesity-related phenotypes. These results have not been replicated to date. Given these facts, we have conducted a genetic association analysis in Spanish children population including seven TNMD SNPs as potential candidate markers for obesity and metabolic dysfunctions. Additionally genotypes for another locus located in the X chromosome, the SLC6A14, have been included in the dataset. A total of 915 DNA samples from 258 normal weight, 177 overweight and 480 obese Spanish children (438 males, 477 females) were genotyped for seven TNMD SNPs and one SLC6A14 SNP. Associations with anthropometric measurements and glucose metabolism were investigated.

Study EGAS00001002738

Exome_sequencing_of_blastic_plasmacytoid_dendritic_cell_neoplasms

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive haematological malignancy derived from precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Due to the rarity of BPDCNs our knowledge of their molecular pathogenesis was until recently confined to observations describing reccurent chromosomal deletions involving chromosomes 5q, 12p, 13q, 6q, 15q and 9. A recent publication went on to delineate the common deleted regions using aCGH and demonstrated that these centred around known tumour suppressor genes including CDKN2A/B (9p21.3), RB1 (12p13.2-14.3), CDKN1B (13q11-q12) and IKZF1 (7p12.2).These mutations are found recurrently in several different cancers and in most cases are thought to be involved in tumour progression rather than initiation. However, the well-defined nature and cellular ontogeny of these neoplasms suggests strongly that they share one or a few characteristic mutations as has been demonstrated for other uncommon but well-defined neoplasms such as Hairy Cell Leukemia (BRAF) and ovarian Granulosa Cell tumours (FOXL2).

Study EGAS00001000171

Spatial Transcriptomics on prostate cancer heterogeneity

Intratumor heterogeneity is one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment today. Here we investigate tissue-wide gene expression heterogeneity throughout a multifocal prostate cancer using the spatial transcriptomics (ST) technology. Utilizing a novel approach for deconvolution, we analyze the transcriptomes of nearly 6750 tissue regions and extract distinct expression profiles for the different tissue components, such as stroma, normal and PIN glands, immune cells and cancer. We distinguish healthy and diseased areas and thereby provide insight into gene expression changes during the progression of prostate cancer. Compared to pathologist annotations, we delineate the extent of cancer foci more accurately, interestingly without link to histological changes. We identify gene expression gradients in stroma adjacent to tumor regions that allow for re-stratification of the tumor microenvironment. The establishment of these profiles is the first step towards an unbiased view of prostate cancer and can serve as a dictionary for future studies.

Study EGAS00001003001

A Genomics-Based Classification of Human Lung Tumors

We characterized genome alterations in 1255 clinically annotated lung tumors of all histological subgroups to identify genetically defined and clinically relevant subtypes. More than 55% of all cases had at least one oncogenic genome alteration potentially amenable to specific therapeutic intervention, including several personalized treatment approaches that are already in clinical evaluation. Marked differences in the pattern of genomic alterations existed between and within histological subtypes, thus challenging the original histomorphological diagnosis. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed many of these reassigned subtypes. The reassignment eliminated almost all cases of large cell carcinomas, some of which had therapeutically relevant alterations. Prospective testing of our genomics-based diagnostic algorithm in 5145 lung cancer patients enabled a genome-based diagnosis in 3863 (75%) patients, confirmed the feasibility of rational reassignments of large cell lung cancer, and led to improvement in overall survival in patients with EGFR-mutant or ALK-rearranged cancers. Thus, our findings provide support for broad implementation of genome-based diagnosis of lung cancer.

Study EGAS00001000647

Germline and somatic SMARCA4 mutations characterize small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type.

Small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is the most common undifferentiated ovarian malignancy in women under 40 years1. We sequenced the exomes of six individuals from three SCCOHT families. After discovering segregating deleterious germline mutations in SMARCA4 in all three families, we tested DNA from a fourth family, which also possessed a segregating SMARCA4 germline mutation. All familial tumors sequenced harboured either a somatic mutation or loss of the wild-type allele. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of these and additional familial and non-familial cases showed loss of the SMARCA4 protein (BRG1) in 38/40 tumors overall. Sequencing of cases with available DNA revealed at least one germline or somatic deleterious SMARCA4 mutation in 30/32 cases. Additionally, the SCCOHT cell line BIN-67 contained bi-allelic deleterious mutations in SMARCA4. Our findings identify alterations in SMARCA4 as the major cause of SCCOHT, which could lead to genetic counseling and new treatment approaches.

Study EGAS00001000721

65 prostate cancer cases WGS and transcriptome sequencing project

We obtained whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing of tumor-benign pairs from 65 Asian prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Taken together with the TCGA PCa cohort, our integration analysis provides the first comprehensive mutational landscape of PCas across major ethnics worldwide and reveals potential novel role of frequent altered chromatin remodeler genes in PCas without androgen receptor (AR) alteration and complex rearrangements derived from Chromoplexy. In addition, we identified 5 putative tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) chains including one on chromosome 13q with novel findings of PCDH9 (deletions in 15/65 tumors) which was implicated in aggressive progression of prostate cancer. Finally, the integrative pathway and co-expression network analysis followed by the functional study indicated the frequent altered genes, particularly focal amplifications of PLXNA1 (11/65), in semaphoring signaling of axon guidance pathway may interact with PI3K/AKT and AR signaling and also contribute to the aggressiveness and progression of prostate cancer.

Study EGAS00001000888

CTCF-dependent enhancer hijacking by the EVI1 oncogene in leukemia

Chromosomal rearrangements are a frequent cause of oncogene deregulation in human malignancies. Overexpression of EVI1 is found in a subgroup of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 3q26 chromosomal rearrangements which are often therapy resistant. In a cohort of primary t(3;8)(q26;q24) AML samples we observed the translocation of a MYC super-enhancer to EVI1. We generated a patient-based t(3;8)(q26;q24) model in vitro using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and demonstrated hyper-activation of EVI1 by the hijacked MYC super-enhancer. One MYC super-enhancer element in particular, which recruits early hematopoietic regulators, is critical for EVI1 expression and enhancer-promoter interaction. This interaction is facilitated by a CTCF-bound motif upstream of the EVI1 promoter that acts as an enhancer-docking site in t(3;8) AML. Genomic analyses of 3q26-rearranged AML samples point to a common mechanism by which EVI1 uses this CTCF-bound enhancer-docking site to hijack early hematopoietic enhancers.

Study EGAS00001004808

Recurrent mTORC1-activating RRAGC mutations in follicular lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an incurable B-cell malignancy characterized by the t(14;18) and mutations in one or more components of the epigenome. Whilst frequent gene mutations in signaling pathways, including JAK-STAT, NOTCH and NF-κB, have also been defined, the spectrum of these mutations typically overlap with the closely-related diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A combination of discovery exome and extended targeted sequencing revealed recurrent somatic mutations in RRAGC uniquely enriched in FL patients (17%). More than half of the mutations preferentially co-occurred with ATP6V1B2 and ATP6AP1 mutations, components of the vacuolar H+-adenosine triphosphate ATPase (v-ATPase) known to be necessary for amino acid-dependent mTORC1 activation. RagC mutants increased raptor binding whilst rendering mTORC1 signaling resistant to amino acid deprivation through nucleotide-independent mechanisms. Collectively, the activating nature of the RRAGC mutations, their existence within the dominant clone and stability during disease progression supports their potential as an excellent candidate to be therapeutically exploited.

Study EGAS00001001190

A novel TP53-KPNA3 translocation defines a de novo treatment-resistant clone in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer. It can be cured by aggressive surgery and chemotherapy, but outcomes for metastatic or chemoresistant disease remain dismal. Cancer sequencing studies have shown that the p53 pathway is dysregulated in nearly every case, often by translocation; however, no studies of osteosarcoma evolution or intratumor heterogeneity have been done to date. We studied a patient with chemoresistant, metastatic disease over the course of three years. We performed exome sequencing on germline DNA and DNA collected from tumor at three separate timepoints. We compared variant calls and variant allele frequencies between different samples. We identified subclonal driver mutations in several different genes in the primary tumor sample and found that one particular subclone dominated subsequent tumor samples at relapse. This clone was marked by a novel TP53-KPNA3 translocation and loss of the opposite-strand wild-type TP53 allele. Future research must focus on functional significance of such clones and strategies to eliminate them.

Study EGAS00001001805

whole-genome sequencing in 17 ESCC cases and whole-exome sequencing in 71 cases

Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide1. Approximately 70% of the global esophageal cancers occur in China and over 90% histopathological forms of this disease are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)2-3. Currently, there are limited clinical approaches for early diagnosis and treatment for ESCC, resulting in a 10% 5-year survival rate for the patients. Meanwhile, the full repertoire of genomic events leading to the pathogenesis of ESCC remains unclear. Here we show a comprehensive genomic analysis in 158 ESCC cases, as part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) Research Projects (http://icgc.org/icgc/cgp/72/371/1001734). We conducted whole-genome sequencing in 17 ESCC cases and whole-exome sequencing in 71 cases, of which 53 cases and additional 70 ESCC cases were subjected to array comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) analysis.

Study EGAS00001000709

Single_Cell_RNAseq_at_various_stages_of_HiPSCs_differentiating_toward_definitive_endoderm_and_endoderm_derived_lineages

When comparing the differentiation capacities of pluripotent stem cell lines that have different genetic backgrounds, batch to batch experimental variablility poses a significant challenge, especially when trying to identify smaller effects. One way to address this issue is to differentiate several different lines in the same culture dish, thereby elimating experimental variation. In addition, it allows researchers to analyze many more lines with less experiments. Parallel single cell RNA-Seq exploits that individual cells are tagged and hence each cell can be reliably assigned to the donor of origin based on the genetic variants it contains. In addition, analyzing the genetic signature of single cells within a differentiating population can reveal differentation stages that are not easily detected in bulk RNAseq data. 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 EGAS00001002278

Real-time response profiling through serial plasma analyses during FOLFOX treatment in patients with colorectal cancer

Response evaluation of cancer therapeutics relies on the assessment of the change in tumor burden, which is performed in accordance with defined criteria every 8-12 weeks. However, predictive factors for response are not available for the majority of patients with advanced stage colorectal cancer. Here we show that measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels during one of the most commonly administered drug regimens, i.e. FOLFOX, allows an early, real-time assessment of treatment response. During the 48-hour FOLFOX application, we serially assessed plasma DNA and observed that ctDNA levels initially decreased during the first 23 hours. In patients with stable disease or partial response, ctDNA levels remained low, whereas in patients with progressive disease, ctDNA levels increased at the end of the treatment cycle predicting clinical and radiologic response correctly. Hence, ctDNA monitoring during treatment may contribute to an early outcome prediction with significant implications for the management of patients.

Study EGAS00001004213

Familial adult myoclonic epilepsy in Sri Lankan and Indian families

Familial adult myoclonic epilepsy 1 (FAME1), first recognised in Japanese families, was recently shown to be caused by a TTTCA repeat insertion in intron 4 of SAMD12 on chromosome 8. We performed whole genome sequencing on two families with FAME, one of Sri Lankan origin and the other of Indian origin, and identified a TTTCA repeat insertion in SAMD12 in both families. Haplotype analysis revealed that both families shared the same core ancestral haplotype reported in Japanese and Chinese families with FAME1. Mutation dating, based on the length of shared haplotypes, estimated the age of the ancestral haplotype to be approximately 670 generations, or 17,000 years old. Our data extend the geographic range of this repeat expansion to Southern Asia and potentially implicate an even broader regional distribution given the age of the variant. This finding suggests patients of Asian ancestry with suspected FAME should be screened for the SAMD12 TTTCA expansion.

Study EGAS00001004012

Systematic comparative analysis of single-nucleotide variants detection methods from single-cell RNA sequencing data

Systematic interrogation of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) is one of the most promising approaches to delineate the cellular heterogeneity and phylogenetic relationships at the single cell level. While SNV detection from abundant single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data is applicable and cost-effective in identifying expressed variants, inferring sub-clones, and deciphering genotype-phenotype linkages, there is a lack of computational methods specifically developed for SNV calling in scRNA-seq. Although variant callers for bulk RNA-seq have been sporadically used in scRNA-seq, the performances of different tools have not been assessed. Here, we performed a systematic comparison of seven tools including SAMtools, the GATK pipeline, CTAT, FreeBayes, MuTect2, Strelka2 and VarScan2, using both simulation and scRNA-seq datasets, and identified multiple elements influencing their performance. Our study provided the first benchmarking to evaluate the performances of different SNV detection tools for scRNA-seq data.

Study EGAS00001003883

Exome sequencing of familial high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma reveals heterogeneity for rare candidate susceptibility genes

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) has a significant hereditary component, approximately half of which cannot be explained by known genes. To discover genes, we analyse germline exome sequencing data from 516 BRCA1/2-negative women with HGSOC, focusing on genes enriched with rare, protein-coding loss-of-function (LoF) variants. Overall, there is a significant enrichment of rare protein-coding LoF variants in the cases (p < 0.0001, chi-squared test). Only thirty-four (6.6%) have a pathogenic variant in a known or proposed predisposition gene. Few genes have LoF mutations in more than four individuals and the majority are detected in one individual only. Forty-three highly-ranked genes are identified with three or more LoF variants that are enriched by three-fold or more compared to GnomAD. These genes represent diverse functional pathways with relatively few involved in DNA repair, suggesting that much of the remaining heritability is explained by previously under-explored genes and pathways.

Study EGAS00001004235

Circulating tumor cells for comprehensive and multiregional non-invasive genetic characterization of multiple myeloma (arrays set)

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients undergo repetitive bone marrow (BM) aspirates for genetic characterization. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are detectable in peripheral blood of virtually all MM cases and are prognostic, but their applicability for non-invasive screening has been poorly investigated. Here, we used next-generation flow cytometry to isolate matched CTCs and BM tumor cells from 42 patients and compare their genetic profile. In 8 cases, tumor cells from extramedullary plasmacytomas were also sorted and whole-exome sequencing performed in the three spatially-distributed clones. Noteworthy, ≥84% mutations present in BM and extramedullary clones were detectable in CTCs. Concordance between BM tumor cells and CTCs was high for chromosome arm-level copy-number alterations (≥94%) though not for translocations (43%). All high-risk genetic abnormalities except one t(4;14) were detected in CTCs whenever present in BM tumor cells. Altogether, these results support CTCs for non-invasive risk-stratification of MM patients based on their numbers and genetic profile.

Study EGAS00001004314

A Proteogenomic Analysis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Population

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common and aggressive subtype of renal cancer. Here we conduct a comprehensive proteogenomic analysis of 232 tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissue pairs from Chinese ccRCC patients. By comparing with tumor adjacent tissues, we find that ccRCC shows extensive metabolic dysregulation and an enhanced immune response. Molecular subtyping classifies ccRCC tumors into three subtypes (GP1–3), among which the most aggressive GP1 exhibits the strongest immune phenotype, increased metastasis, and metabolic imbalance, linking the multi-omics-derived phenotypes to clinical outcomes of ccRCC. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), a one-carbon 38 metabolic enzyme, is identified as a potential marker of ccRCC and a drug target for GP1. We demonstrate that NNMT induces DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) homocysteinylation, increases DNA repair, and promotes ccRCC tumor growth. This study provides insights into the biological underpinnings and prognosis assessment of ccRCC, revealing targetable metabolic vulnerabilities.

Study EGAS00001006005

Oncogenic cooperation in a human de novo T-ALL model

We previously modelled T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) by over-expressing four oncogenes (activated NOTCH1, LMO2, TAL1, and BMI1) in healthy human umbilical cord blood cells through lentiviral transduction (Kusakabe et al, Nat Commun 10, 2913 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10510-8). We have now tested individual effects of the four oncogenes by transducing human cells with all possible combinations of one, two, three, and four oncogenes. We also tested the effects of additional known T-ALL oncogenes including HOXA9, LYL1, MEF2C, NXK2.1, TLX1, and TLX3. In addition to culture in vitro on OP9-DL1 feeders, we also injected transduced cells into immunodeficient NSG mice. We observed differing abilities of the various oncogene combinations to support growth in vitro and frank leukemia in vivo. This study includes RNA-seq data from samples of transduced cells cultured in vitro as well as cells harvested from clinically moribund mice after development of leukemia in vivo.

Study EGAS00001006055

The immunopeptidome landscape associated with T cell infiltration, inflammation and immune-editing in lung cancer

One key barrier for improving efficacy of cancer immunotherapy remains patient stratification. While patients with CD3+CD8+ T cell inflamed ‘hot’ tumors typically show better response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, it is still unknown if the repertoire of HLA bound peptides (HLAp) presented in ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ tumors is substantially different. We surveyed 61 tumor regions and adjacent non-malignant lung tissues from eight lung cancer patients and performed deep antigen discovery combining immunopeptidomics, genomics, bulk and spatial transcriptomics and explored the heterogenic expression and presentation of tumor (neo)antigens. We associated diverse immune cell populations with the immunopeptidome in CD3+CD8+ T cell excluded, infiltrated, hot and cold tumors and found evidence for lack of immune-editing and higher presentation efficiency of tumor antigens in cold and CD3+CD8+ T cell excluded tumors. This could have implications for the choice of combination therapies tailored to the patient’s mutanome and microenvironment.

Study EGAS00001006298

The Proteogenomic Subtypes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer with poor prognosis. We report a comprehensive proteogenomic analysis of bone-marrow biopsies from 252 uniformly treated AML patients to elucidate the molecular pathophysiology of AML in order to inform future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In addition to in-depth quantitative proteomics, our analysis includes cytogenetic profiling and DNA/RNA sequencing. We identify five proteomic AML subtypes, each reflecting specific biological features spanning genomic boundaries. Two of these proteomic subtypes correlate with patient outcome, but none are exclusively associated with specific genomic aberrations. Remarkably, one subtype (Mito-AML), which is only captured in the proteome, is characterized by high expression of mitochondrial proteins and confers poor outcome, with reduced remission rate and shorter overall survival upon treatment with intensive induction chemotherapy. Functional analyses reveal that Mito-AML is metabolically wired towards stronger complex I dependent respiration and is more responsive to treatment with the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax.

Study EGAS00001005950

The landscape of chromothripsis across adult cancer types

Chromothripsis is a recently identified mutational phenomenon, by which a presumably single catastrophic event generates extensive genomic rearrangements of one or a few chromosome(s). Considered as an early event in tumour development, this form of genome instability plays a prominent role in tumour onset. Chromothripsis prevalence might have been underestimated when using low-resolution methods, and pan-cancer studies based on sequencing are rare. We analysed chromothripsis in 28 tumour types covering all major adult cancers (634 tumours, 316 whole-genome and 318 whole-exome sequences). We show that chromothripsis affects a substantial proportion of human cancers, with a prevalence of 49% across all cases. Chromothripsis generates entity-specific genomic alterations driving tumour development, including clinically relevant druggable fusions. Chromothripsis is linked with specific telomere patterns and univocal mutational signatures in distinct tumour entities. Longitudinal analysis of chromothriptic patterns in 24 matched tumour pairs reveals novel insights in the clonal evolution of tumours with chromothripsis. (H021)

Study EGAS00001004250

The Genetic Landscape of Ocular Adnexa MALT Lymphoma Reveals Frequent Aberrations in NFAT and MEF2B Signaling Pathways

A comprehensive constellation of somatic non-silent mutations and copy number (CN) variations in ocular adnexa marginal zone lymphoma (OAMZL) is unknown. By utilizing whole-exome sequencing in 69 tumors we define the genetic landscape of OAMZL. Mutations and CN changes in CABIN1 (30%), RHOA (26%), TBL1XR1 (22%), and CREBBP (17%) and inactivation of TNFAIP3 (26%) were among the most common aberrations. Candidate cancer driver genes cluster in the B-cell receptor (BCR), NFkB, NOTCH and NFAT signaling pathways. One of the most commonly altered genes is CABIN1, a calcineurin inhibitor acting as a negative regulator of the NFAT and MEF2B transcriptional activity. CABIN1 deletions enhance BCR-stimulated NFAT and MEF2B transcriptional activity, while CABIN1 mutations enhance only MEF2B transcriptional activity by impairing binding of mSin3a to CABIN1. Our data provide an unbiased identification of genetically altered genes that may play a role in the molecular pathogenesis of OAMZL and serve as therapeutic targets.

Study EGAS00001006631

Single-cell RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics data for the sarcoidosis baseline project

Granulomas are lumps of immune cells that can form in various organs. Most granulomas appear unstructured, yet they have some resemblance to lymphoid organ formation. To better understand granuloma formation, we performed single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics on granulomas from patients with sarcoidosis and bioinformatically reconstructed the underlying gene-regulatory networks. We discovered an immune stimulatory environment in granulomas that repurposed transcriptional programs associated with lymphoid organ development. Granuloma formation followed characteristic spatial patterns and involved genes linked to immunometabolism, cytokine and chemokine signaling, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Three cell types emerged as key players in granuloma formation: metabolically reprogrammed macrophages, cytokine-producing Th17.1 cells, and fibroblasts with inflammatory and tissue remodeling phenotypes. Pharmacological inhibition of one of the identified processes attenuated granuloma formation in a sarcoidosis mouse model. We show that human granulomas adopt characteristic aspects of normal lymphoid organ development in aberrant combinations, indicating that granulomas constitute aberrant lymphoid organs.

Study EGAS00001006970

Cross-species Comparison Reveals Therapeutic Vulnerabilities Halting Glioblastoma Progression

The growth of a tumor is tightly linked to the distribution of its cells along a continuum of activation states. Here, we systematically decode the activation state architecture (ASA) in a glioblastoma (GBM) patient cohort through comparison to adult murine neural stem cells. Modelling of these data forecast how tumor cells organize to sustain growth and identifies rate of activation as the main predictor of growth. Accordingly, patients with a higher quiescence fraction exhibit improved outcomes. Further, DNA methylation arrays enable ASA- related patient stratification. Comparison of healthy and malignant gene expression dynamics reveals dysregulation of the Wnt- antagonist SFRP1 at the quiescence to activation transition. SFRP1 overexpression renders GBM quiescent and increases overall survival of tumor-bearing mice. Surprisingly, it does so through reprogramming the tumor’s stem-like methylome into an astrocyte- like one. Our findings offer a framework for patient stratification with prognostic value, biomarker identification, and therapeutic avenues to halt GBM progression.

Study EGAS00001008155

Comprehensive cancer predisposition gene testing in an adult multiple primary tumor series shows a broad range of deleterious variants and atypical tumor phenotypes

Multiple primary tumors (MPT) affect a substantial proportion of cancer survivors and may result from various causes including inherited predisposition. Currently, germline genetic testing of MPT cases for cancer predisposition gene (CPG) variants is mostly targeted by tumor type. We ascertained pre-assessed MPT cases from genetics centers (defined as ≥2 primaries by age 60 years or ≥3 by 70) and performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) on 460 individuals from 440 families. Despite previous negative genetic assessment/molecular investigations, pathogenic variants in moderate and high-risk CPGs were detected in 67/440 (15.2%) of probands. WGS detected variants that would not be (or were not) detected by targeted resequencing strategies including structural variants at low frequency (6/440 (1.4%) of probands). In most individuals with a germline variant assessed as pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP), at least one of their tumor types was characteristic of variants in the relevant CPG. However, in 29 probands (42.2% of those with a P/LP variant) the tumor phenotype appeared discordant. The frequency of individuals with truncating or splice site CPG variants and at least one discordant tumor type was significantly higher than a control population (χ2=43.642 P=<0.0001). 2/67 (3%) of probands with P/LP variants had evidence of multiple inherited neoplasia allele syndrome (MINAS) with deleterious variants in two CPGs. Summing together variant detection rates from a similarly ascertained previous MPT case series, the present results suggest that first-line comprehensive CPG analysis in a clinical genetics referral-based MPT cohort would detect a deleterious variant in about a third of cases.

Dataset EGAD00001004088

Exome sequencing reveals pathogenic variants in known and novel candidate genes for severe sperm motility disorders

STUDY QUESTION: What are the causative genetic variants in patients with male infertility due to severe sperm motility disorders? SUMMARY ANSWER: We identified high confidence disease-causing variants in multiple genes previously associated with severe sperm motility disorders in 9 out of 21 patients (43%). We also identified variants in novel candidate genes in 8 additional patients (38%). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Severe sperm motility disorders are a form of male infertility characterised by vital, but immotile sperm often in combination with a spectrum of structural abnormalities of the sperm flagellum. Examples of this spectrum of disorders include dysplasia of the fibrous sheath / multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (DFS-MMAF) and severe forms of asthenozoospermia associated to non-specific structural defects. These disorders frequently recur in families and may include chronic respiratory disease. As such, genetic causes are suspected and many genes have recently been reported. Currently, depending on the clinical sub-categorisation, up to 50% of causality in patients with severe sperm motility disorders can be explained by pathogenic variants in at least 21 known genes. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We performed exome sequencing in patients with severe sperm motility disorders from two different clinics, aiming to identify the underlying genetic defects and establishing a diagnostic yield in both. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD: Two groups of infertile men, one from Argentina (n= 9) and one from Australia (n=12), with clinically defined sperm motility disorders were included. All patients in the Argentine cohort were diagnosed with DFS-MMAF, based on transmission electron microscopy. Exome sequencing was performed in all 21 patients and variants with an allele frequency of <1% in the gnomAD population were prioritised and interpreted. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE: In 9/21 patients (43%), we identified pathogenic variants in known sperm motility disorder genes: CFAP43 (3 patients); CFAP44 (2 patients), QRICH2 (2 patients), DNAH1 (1 patient) and DNAH6 (1 patient). The diagnostic rate did not differ markedly between the Argentinian and the Australian cohort (44% and 42%, respectively). Furthermore, we identified patients with variants in the novel candidate sperm motility genes CFAP58, DNAH12, DRC1, MDC1, PACRG, SSPL2C and TPTE2. One patient presented with two possibly damaging variants in four candidate genes and it remains unclear which variants were responsible for the severe sperm motility defect in this patient. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: In this study, we described patients with potential bi-allelic variants in known and novel candidate genes for severe sperm motility disorders. Due to unavailability of parental DNA, we have not assessed de novo or maternally inherited dominant variants and could not phase the mutations to establish in all cases that the mutations occur on both alleles. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our results confirm an important role for five known genes for sperm motility and we demonstrate that exome sequencing is an effective method to diagnose patients with severe sperm motility defects (9/21 diagnosed; 43%). Furthermore, our analysis revealed seven novel candidate genes for severe sperm motility disorders. Genome-wide sequencing of additional patient cohorts and re-analysis of exome data of currently unsolved cases may reveal additional variants in these novel candidate genes.

Study EGAS00001005018

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young Study (TEDDY)

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) Study investigates genetic and genetic-environmental interactions, including gestational infection or other gestational events, childhood infections and other environmental factors after birth, in relation to the development of pre-diabetic islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Beginning in 2002, a consortium of six centers assembled to participate in the development and implementation of studies to identify environmental factors that trigger the development of islet autoimmunity and T1D in genetically susceptible individuals. The TEDDY study screened around 400,000 newborns and recruited 7,749 neonates from the general population with a pre-determined T1D risk of 3% and 919 neonates with first degree relatives who have T1D and who have a pre-determined T1D risk of 10%. Thus, TEDDY proposes to follow over 8,000 participants across six clinical centers worldwide (Finland, Germany, Sweden and three in the United States) until the age of 15. Participants are followed every three months for islet autoantibody measurements with blood sampling until four years of age and then at least every six months until the age of 15. After the age of four, autoantibody positive subjects continue to be followed at 3 month intervals and autoantibody negative subjects are followed at six month intervals. In addition to the analysis of autoantibodies, additional data and sample collection is performed at each visit. The parents collect monthly stool samples in early childhood. The parents also fill out questionnaires at regular intervals in connection with study visits and record information about diet and health status in the child's TEDDY Book between visits. Continued long-term follow-up of the currently active TEDDY participants will provide important scientific information on early childhood diet, reported and measured infections, vaccinations, and psychosocial stressors that may contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes and islet autoimmunity. DNA extracted from the 9-month TEDDY blood sample was used for SNP genotyping. Samples were available for 7,082 participants. SNPs were genotyped by the Center for Public Health Genomics at the University of Virginia, using the Illumina ImmunoChip SNP microarray of around 196,000 SNPs selected from 186 regions associated with 12 autoimmune diseases (including T1D) (Hadley et al., 2015). "Data quality control (QC) steps included eliminating subjects with a low call rate (> 5% SNPs missing) and discrepancies between reported gender and prior genotyping at the HLA laboratory. Secondly, SNPs were removed from analysis due to low call rate, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium P value < 10-6, except for chromosome 6 due to HLA eligibility requirements)" (Törn et al., 2015). QC resulted in a total of 7,023 subjects with data on 176,586 SNPs. Additional information on the TEDDY study are available in the following articles: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) Study. TEDDY Study Group. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 2008 and TEDDY - The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young - An Observational Clinical Trial. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 2006 Details of the TEDDY protocol can be found in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY): Genetic Criteria and International Diabetes Risk Screening of 421,000 infants. Pediatric Diabetes, 2011

Study phs001037

HiDEF-seq single-molecule sequencing of single-strand mismatches and damage

Our study sought to resolve, with single-molecule fidelity, the mismatches and damage events that precede DNA mutations. Using a novel single-molecule, long-read sequencing method (HiDEF-seq) we detect base substitutions when present in either one or both DNA strands. We also detect cytosine deamination, a common type of DNA damage, with single-molecule fidelity. This study profiled 134 samples from diverse tissues, including from individuals with cancer predisposition syndromes. These samples revealed single-strand mismatch and damage signatures. Since double-strand DNA mutations are only the endpoint of the mutation process, our approach enables new studies of how mutations arise in a variety of contexts, especially in cancer and aging.

Dataset EGAD50000000460

1567 results for "Sweden+NDA+enforceability+one+party+signed"

in 19.63 milliseconds.