8224 results for "canc*"

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• Serafini et al., Nuclear localization of the glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase QARS reveals its role in DNA damage response in ovarian cancer

  Uncovering novel mechanisms controlling DNA damage response (DDR) is essential to better understand the molecular features of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC), which remain a clinical challenge. Here, we demonstrate that the glutaminyl-tRNA-synthetase QARS is a new key player in DDR. We show that QARS is regulated at translational level by the MAPK pathway in HGSOC and controls homologous recombination (HR) through a translation-independent mechanism. Analyses combining RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, proteomic data and functional assays from HGSOC patient cohorts and relevant cellular models reveal that QARS promotes DNA repair via the HR pathway. Interestingly, we uncover that QARS is located in the nucleus and is enriched at chromatin upon DNA damage. Nuclear QARS controls HR by interacting with the nuclear autoantigen SP100, a major component of PML-nuclear bodies (PML-NB), that are regulatory hubs for DNA repair proteins. Our data highlight novel nuclear functions and mechanisms for QARS involving SP100, PML-NB and MRE11 that enhance HR in HGSOC.

  Study EGAS50000001968

• Fragmentomics Uncover Non-Mutational HRD Features

  Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is a key biomarker in prostate cancer (PCa), predicting response to PARP inhibitors and platinum-based therapies. However, current diagnostics often rely solely on BRCA1/2 mutations or genomic scars, missing cases driven by other mechanisms. Tissue-based testing is further limited by tumor heterogeneity and biopsy challenges in metastatic bone disease. Here, we applied a comprehensive multimodal approach to assess HRD in 106 advanced PCa patients using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). This included targeted sequencing of homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes, low-pass WGS for genomic instability (sHRD), WES for mutational signatures, and cfDNA fragmentomics and chromatin accessibility profiling. BRCA2 was the most frequently altered gene, often co-occurring with PTEN loss. High sHRD scores correlated with BRCA2/RB1 loss, somatic copy number alterations, and poor survival. HRD tumors showed enrichment of SBS3/ID6 signatures, altered fragment lengths, and reduced accessibility at zinc finger transcription factor sites. These results support ctDNA-based multimodal profiling as a non-invasive strategy for HRD detection and stratification.

  Study EGAS00001008190

• A targetable dependency on nonsense-mediated decay for cellular homeostasis and immune control in small cell lung cancer

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, characterized by rapid metastatic dissemination and poor overall survival. Despite harboring one of the highest tumor mutational burden (TMB), expectedly resulting in immunogenic neoantigens, patients with SCLC remain largely refractory to immunotherapy. We found abundant frameshift mutations in SCLC, regarded as highly immunogenic, counterbalanced by a hyperactive nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway, responsible for frameshift-mRNA degradation. NMD activity correlated with tumor mutational burden (TMB) across cancers, suggesting that SCLC and other TMB-high cancers may depend on NMD to limit the accumulation of mutation-derived byproducts in order to maintain cellular homeostasis and evade immune recognition. In TMB-high SCLC models, inhibition of NMD impaired cell proliferation and induced ER stress-dependent apoptosis due to the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Genetic and pharmacological NMD inhibition in vivo effectively controlled TMB-high tumor growth without overt toxicity. By integrating genome and transcriptome sequencing with MHC-I immunopeptidomics and functional in vitro and in vivo assays, we identified that NMD inhibition boosted neoantigen expression and presentation by tumor cells and increased T cell recognition, thus enhancing overall tumor immunogenicity and further improving immunotherapy efficacy in vivo. Our work shows that SCLC – as a TMB-high cancer – relies on NMD for survival and immune escape, uncovering a novel TMB-dependent tractable vulnerability for this devastating disease.

  Study EGAS50000002061

• PTEN homozygous deletion is a negative prognostic factor in Tumor Treating Fields-treated glioblastoma, IDH wildtype patients

  This study investigates genomic determinants of outcome in glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in addition to standard radiochemotherapy. Tumor tissue from primary glioblastoma at initial diagnosis was profiled using the Illumina TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) targeted sequencing panel to characterise somatic alterations. The overarching goal is to provide exploration of genomic determinants of survival and treatment response in TTFields-treated glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype.

  Study EGAS50000001469

• Whole-exome sequencing and RNA-seq data of paired normal-tumour samples from MMR-proficient early-onset colorectal cancer patients

  This study aims to identify novel hereditary colorectal cancer predisposition genes by performing whole-exome sequencing and RNA-seq of paired normal colonic mucosa and colorectal cancer samples from 19 patients diagnosed with MMR-proficient colorectal cancer at an age of 50 years or younger. Both whole-exome and RNA sequencing were performed on the Illumina platform.

  Study EGAS50000001296

• E-cadherin inactivation shapes tumor microenvironment specificities in invasive lobular carcinoma

  Invasive lobular breast carcinoma (ILC) shows specific stromal features, T lymphocyte infiltration (TIL) being associated with poor prognosis. Here, we reveal the involved mechanism by performing single cell RNA sequencing, combined immunohistochemistry, deconvolution of bulk RNA sequencing from large retrospective ILC series, and functional assays using primary cells. We show that ILC accumulates FAP+ inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAF) through a previously undescribed mechanism mediated by E-cadherin/CDH1 on CAF plasticity. Indeed, CDH1 inactivation in ILC cancer cells prevents differentiation of iCAF into myofibroblastic CAF (myCAF), leading to iCAF accumulation. In turn, iCAF attract TILs into the tumor center and shape their spatial organization in ILC. Subsequently, CDH1-inactivated ILC cancer cells promote immune escape by lack of retention and activation of ITGAE-expressing resident memory CD8+ T lymphocytes (TRM). Hence, our study uncovers reciprocal interactions between CDH1-inactivated cancer cells, iCAF and CD8+ TRM, gaining insight into the underlying mechanism associated with the distinctive stromal reaction observed in ILC and revealing why and how TILs have a poor prognosis in ILC patients, a mechanism that can be generalized to other CDH1-inactivated cancer types.

  Study EGAS50000001760

• SCANDARE TNBC

  Prospective biobanking study in breast patients aiming at better understand the link between the molecular alterations of the tumor itself, its microenvironment and immune response.

  Study EGAS50000000970

• Clonotypic characterization defines B‐cell drivers of clonal expansion and intratumor heterogeneity in IgM monoclonal gammopathies

  Dataset accompanying the study entitled “Clonotypic characterization defines B‐cell drivers of clonal expansion and intratumor heterogeneity in IgM monoclonal gammopathies” (Moreno, Nadeu, et al. HemaSphere 2026), which includes genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic analyses of smoldering and symptomatic Waldenström macroglobulinemia (SWM and WM, respectively) as well as IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).

  Study EGAS50000002033

• The UVA-induced single-base mutational signature of CX5461 in human cells

  Drug-related UVA-induced photoreactions have been reported for several therapeutic compounds, including fluoroquinolones. CX5461 is a clinically relevant quinolone-derived anti-cancer small molecule with documented UVA-sensitising activity. Here we compared, by bulk and clonal whole genome sequencing (WGS) under light-protected conditions, the mutational signatures in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE1) exposed to UVA, CX5461, or co-exposed to UVA and CX5461. Treatment with CX5461 or UVA alone resulted in a low SNV burden and background-like mutational profiles. In contrast, bulk sequencing of human cells co-exposed to UVA and CX5461 had a markedly higher SNV burden characterized by T>A and T>C substitutions. Furthermore, single-cell clonal expansion and sequencing of CX5461 alone, UVA alone or CX5461+UVA treatments confirmed that the pattern was only observed when cells were exposed to both UVA and CX5461. The CX5461+UVA-associated SNV signature we report arises only when CX5461-treated cells are exposed to UVA, and is not observed when CX5461-treated cells are shielded from light. We do not observe strong single base mutagenic activity of CX5461 alone, under light protected conditions. Our data emphasise the need for appropriate controls and light-exposure precautions when studying base mutagenesis activity of known photosensitiser molecules.

  Study EGAS50000001145

• Single-nucleus profiling of postmortem diffuse midline gliomas identifies mitochondrial biogenesis as a resistance mechanism to imipridone therapy

  Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27-altered (DMG), remains a lethal pediatric brain tumor with limited therapeutic options, and imipridone therapy produces only temporary responses before recurrence. To investigate resistance mechanisms, we performed single-nucleus RNA and chromatin accessibility profiling on 22 postmortem DMG specimens treated with imipridones and/or standard care, alongside functional assays of imipridone sensitivity and mitochondrial activity in DMG cell lines. Imipridone-treated tumors showed reduced mesenchymal transition, decreased myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and downregulation of aberrant enhancer activity associated with H3 K27 alterations. Mechanistically, treatment selected for increased mitochondrial density, turnover, and membrane potential. Together, these findings identify mitochondrial biogenesis as a key marker and driver of imipridone resistance, providing a rationale for combination strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy.

  Study EGAS50000001447