8213 results for "canc*"

in 23.09 milliseconds.

• Transcriptome sequencing of gingivo-buccal oral squamous cell carcinoma for integrative analysis: alterations in expression of genes attributable to methylation changes

  Gingivo-buccal oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC-GB) is the most common cancer among men in India and is associated with high mortality. Although OSCC-GB is known to be quite different from tongue cancer in its genomic presentation and its clinical behavior, it is treated identically as tongue cancer. Predictive markers of prognosis and therapy that are specific to OSCC-GB are, therefore, required. To achieve this, we have carried out transcriptome (n=72) profiling of paired tumor-normal tissues collected from OSCC-GB patients from India. RNA sequencing was performed on tumor and paired adjacent normal samples from 72 OSCC-GB patients. From each patient, total RNA was extracted from tumor and normal tissue samples using AllPrep DNA/RNA Mini Kit (QIAGEN). The quality and concentration of isolated total RNA were checked using Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer and NanoDrop 2000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The OD260/OD280 ratio was ≥ 2 and RNA Integrity Number (RIN) was ≥ 7.0 for all sequenced samples. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was removed from the RNA samples, using Ribo-Zero Magnetic Kit (Epicentre). Sequencing libraries were prepared from rRNA depleted samples using TrueSeq RNA Sample Preparation Kit (Illumina). Each triplex cDNA library pool was sequenced as 100bp paired-end on HiSeq-2000 or HiSeq-2500 (Illumina). Protocols suggested by the manufacturers were used for all assays.

  Study EGAS00001003893

• Epigenome wide DNA methylation assay of gingivo-buccal oral squamous cell carcinoma using single base resolution high throughput array

  Gingivo-buccal oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC-GB) is the most common cancer among men in India and is associated with high mortality. Although OSCC-GB is known to be quite different from tongue cancer in its genomic presentation and its clinical behavior, it is treated identically as tongue cancer. Predictive markers of prognosis and therapy that are specific to OSCC-GB are, therefore, required. To achieve this, we have carried out epigenomic (n=87) profiling of paired tumor-normal tissues collected from OSCC-GB patients from India and genome-wide DNA methylation assays were performed. DNA was isolated using DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit (Qiagen). The purity and concentration was estimated using NanoDrop 2000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Approximately 500 ng genomic DNA from each sample was used for sodium bisulfite conversion using the EZ DNA methylation Gold Kit (Zymo Research, USA). Genome-wide DNA methylation was assayed using iScan (Illumina), for paired tumour and adjacent normal samples of 25 patients using the Infinium Human Methylation450 BeadChip and of 62 patients using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip.

  Study EGAS00001003896

• Identification of hypermutation and defective mismatch repair in ctDNA from metastatic prostate cancer

  DNA mismatch repair defects (MMRd) and tumor hypermutation are rare and under-characterized in metastatic prostate cancer. Furthermore, since hypermutated MMRd prostate cancers can respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, there is an urgent need for practical detection tools. We analyzed cell-free DNA targeted sequencing data from 434 metastatic prostate cancer patients with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) purity above 2%. Samples with somatic hypermutation were subjected to 150x whole exome sequencing. These data allowed us to interrogate the salient genomic properties of this rare prostate cancer subtype and correlate findings with patient clinical outcomes.

  Study EGAS00001003899

• Cistrome-partitioning reveals convergence of somatic mutations and risk-variants on master transcription regulators in primary prostate tumors

  Thousands of noncoding somatic Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) of unknown function are reported in tumors. Partitioning the genome according to cistromes, reveals the enrichment of somatic SNVs in prostate tumors as opposed to adjacent normal tissue cistromes of master transcription regulators, including AR, FOXA1 and HOXB13. This parallels enrichment of prostate cancer genetic predispositions over these transcription regulators’ tumor cistromes, exemplified at the 8q24 locus harboring both risk-variants and somatic SNVs in cis-regulatory elements, upregulating MYC expression and altering the binding of transcription regulators to DNA. However, Massively-Parallel Reporter Assays reveal that few SNVs can alter the transactivation potential of individual CREs. Instead, SNVs accumulate, similarly to inherited riskvariants, in cistromes of master transcription regulators required for prostate cancer development. Difficulties in inferring the biological significance of noncoding mutations have limited their inclusion in precision genomics medicine pipelines. Most attempts to delineate a role for noncoding mutations relied on detecting evidence for positive selection within individual CREs, such as reported for the TERT gene promoter. By considering the enrichment of noncoding mutations in cistromes as opposed to individual CREs, we reveal their specificity towards master transcription regulators that promote prostate cancer development, a feature shared with inherited risk-variants. Overall, our work provides a blueprint for the functional interpretation of noncoding mutations in genomic tests relying on defining cis-regulatory units according to cistrome-partitioning to identify cancer driver transcription regulators.

  Study EGAS00001003928

• Mutational signature in colorectal cancer induced by genotoxic pks+ E. coli

  Various species of the intestinal microbiota have been associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), yet a direct role of bacteria in the occurrence of oncogenic mutations has not been established. Escherichia coli can carry the pathogenicity island pks, which encodes a set of enzymes that synthesize colibactin. This compound alkylates DNA on adenine residues and induces double strand breaks in cultured cells. Here, we exposed human intestinal organoids to genotoxic pks+ Escherichia coli by repeated luminal injection over a period of 5 months. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of clonal organoids before and after this exposure reveals a distinct mutational signature, absent from organoids injected with isogenic pks-mutant bacteria. The same mutational signature is detected in a subset of 3668 human metastatic cancer genomes, predominantly in a subset of CRC cases. Our study describes a distinct mutational signature in CRC and implies that the underlying mutational process directly results from past exposure to bacteria carrying the colibactin-producing pks pathogenicity island.

  Study EGAS00001003934

• Targeted_sequencing_of_embryonic_variants___Warm_Autopsy

  Targeted sequencing of variants previously identified as embryonic from phylogenetic tree building of LCM WGS of PD28690.

  Study EGAS00001003952

• genome-wide cfDNA methylation analysis

  To characterise cfDNA methylome in metastatic prostate cancer

  Study EGAS00001003958

• Rapid identification of somatic genome rearrangements as personalized biomarkers for blood-based cancer monitoring

  Increasing evidence shows the value of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to detect cancer and monitor its progression. Somatic genomic structural variations (SVs) are promising personalized biomarkers for sensitive and specific detection of ctDNA in liquid biopsies. However, accurate, affordable, and fast identification of such SV biomarkers is challenging, which hinders routine use in the clinic. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach - termed SHARC - for rapid discovery of somatic SV breakpoints as personalized tumour biomarkers. SHARC combines low-coverage cancer genome sketching by using Oxford Nanopore portable sequencing with a random forest classification and a dedicated filtering pipeline to enrich for somatic SVs. Our method leverages the real-time and long-read capabilities of Nanopore sequencing to identify somatic SV breakpoints at nucleotide resolution from a tumour biopsy within two days. We applied SHARC to tumour samples of high-grade ovarian and prostate cancer and validated on average 10 somatic SVs per sample with the use of PCR mini-amplicons. Finally, we demonstrate that these somatic SV biomarkers can be used to detect tumour presence from liquid biopsies in a quantitative manner and we retrospectively monitored treatment response in patients with prostate cancer, demonstrating its potential benefit for clinical practice.

  Study EGAS00001003963

• Partner-independent fusion gene detection by multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 enrichment and long-read Nanopore sequencing

  Fusion genes are hallmarks of various cancer types and important determinants for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment possibilities. The promiscuity of fusion genes with respect to partner choice and exact breakpoint-positions restricts their detection in the diagnostic setting, even for known and recurrent fusion gene configurations. To accurately identify these gene fusions in an unbiased manner, we developed FUDGE: a FUsion gene Detection assay from Gene Enrichment. FUDGE couples target-selected and strand-specific CRISPR/Cas9 activity for enrichment and detection of fusion gene drivers (e.g. BRAF, EWSR1, KMT2A/MLL) - without prior knowledge of fusion partner or breakpoint-location - to long-read Nanopore sequencing. FUDGE encompasses a dedicated bioinformatics approach (NanoFG) to detect fusion genes from Nanopore sequencing data. Our strategy is flexible with respect to target choice and enables multiplexed enrichment for simultaneous analysis of several genes in multiple samples in a single sequencing run. We observe on average a 508-fold on-target enrichment and identify fusion breakpoints at nucleotide resolution - all within two days. We demonstrate that FUDGE effectively identifies fusion genes in cancer cell lines, tumor samples and on whole genome amplified DNA irrespective of partner gene or breakpoint-position in 100% of cases. Furthermore, we show that FUDGE is superior to routine diagnostic methods for fusion gene detection. In summary, we have developed a rapid and versatile fusion gene detection assay, providing an unparalleled opportunity for pan-cancer detection of fusion genes in routine diagnostics.

  Study EGAS00001003964

• SCLC ctDNA sequencing

  In this study we have sequenced the ctDNA of 28 Small Cell Lung Cancer patients in the TP53 gene, each sample has been sequenced twice.

  Study EGAS00001003984

• SCLC tumor sequencing

  In this study we have sequenced the tumor of 28 Small Cell Lung Cancer patients.

  Study EGAS00001003985

• MYO5B mutations in Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma promote cancer progression

  Identification of additional cancer-associated genes and secondary mutations driving the metastatic progression in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) is important. We recently reported novel recurrent nonsynonymous mutations in the MYO5B gene in metastatic PPGL. Here, we explored the functional impact of these MYO5B mutations, and analyzed MYO5B expression in primary PPGL tumor cases in relation to mutation status.Immunohistochemistry and mRNA expression analysis in 30 primary PPGL tumors revealed an increased MYO5B expression in metastatic compared to non-metastatic tumor cases. In addition, subcellular localization of MYO5B protein was altered from cytoplasmatic to membranous in some metastatic tumors, and the strongest and most abnormal expression pattern was observed in a PGL case harboring a MYO5B:p.G1611S mutation. Mutation analysis of additional PPGL tumors revealed additional, and hence recurrent, mutations in the paralog MYO5A. Three missense mutations in MYO5B were functionally studied using site directed mutagenesis and stable transfection into human neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-AS) and embryonic kidney cells (HEK293 cell line). Functional analysis of the mutants verified a significant increased proliferation rate in all MYO5B mutated clones (p.L587P, p.G1611S, and p.R1641C). The two somatically derived mutations p.L587P and p.G1611S were also found to increase the migration rate, and all three mutants affected intracellular transport by increased transferrin uptake. Downstream expression analysis of MYO5B mutants demonstrated a transcriptional activation of genes involved in glucose metabolism, proliferation, homeostasis, and migration. Our study validates the functional role of novel MYO5B mutations in proliferation and migration, and suggest the MYO5-pathway to be involved the malignant progression of PPGL tumors.

  Study EGAS00001003991

• 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<0.05, FDR<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

• Single cell RNAseq of PBMC from bladder cancer patients

  Frozen PBMC samples containing at least 1 million cells were thawed for 1 minute at 37C and washed twice with RPMI complete media (10% FBS with glutamate and Pen/Strep). All of the samples had >80% viable cells. Sample processing for single-cell RNA-seq was done using Chromium Single Cell 3’ Library and Gel bead kit v2 (PN-120237) following manufacturer’s user guide (CG00052, 10x Genomics, Pleasanton, CA). The total cell density was used to impute the volume of single cell suspension needed in the reverse transcription (RT) master mix, aiming to achieve ~ 6,000 cells per sample. cDNAs and libraries were prepared following manufacturer’s user guide (10x Genomics). cDNA amplification and indexed libraries were prepared using 12 and 14 cycles of PCR, respectively. Libraries were profiled, quantified, and sequenced as 5’ single-cell gene expression libraries.

  Study EGAS00001004008

• 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

• Whole genome, exome and transcriptome analysis to guide individualized cancer interpretation

  Study Design: The Cancer Alliance study was a collaboration of nine academic medical institutions in the New York city area and led by the New York Genome Center. Tumor-normal paired samples were submitted by the institutions for whole genome, whole exome and transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis at New York Genome Center. Relevant clinical histories were also collected. Raw sequence files were available to all collaborators. Variant call files were analyzed both manually by interpreters at NYGC and by IBM Watson Genome Analytics. This study was approved by a central institutional review board (IRB), Biomedical Research Alliance of New York, and by local IRBs, including Stony Brook University and Northwell Health. The study was supported in part by a grant from the IBM corporation (IBM Watson Health) to the New York Genome Center, New York Genome Center philanthropic funds and Rockefeller University grant # UL1TR000043 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program. The principal investigator Robert B. Darnell MD, PhD., is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Results: Pending Publication of Analysis of Study Conclusions: Pending Publication of Analysis of Study

  Study EGAS00001004013

• Mapping the breast cancer metastatic cascade onto circulating tumour DNA using genetic and epigenetic clonal tracking

  Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) allows tracking the evolution of human cancers at high resolution, overcoming many limitations of tissue biopsies. However, exploiting ctDNA to determine how a patient’s cancer is evolving in order to aid clinical decisions remains difficult. This is because ctDNA is a mix of fragmented alleles, and the contribution of different cancer cell subpopulations from distinct lesions to ctDNA remains largely unknown. Profiling of ctDNA almost invariably requires prior knowledge of what genomic alterations to track. Here we leverage on a rapid autopsy programme to demonstrate that unbiased genomic characterisation of several metastatic sites and concomitant ctDNA profiling at whole-genome resolution reveals the extent to which ctDNA is representative of widespread disease. We also present a ctDNA methylation profiling method that allows tracking evolutionary changes in the cancer cell population at single-molecule resolution without prior knowledge. These results have critical implications for the use of liquid biopsies to monitor cancer evolution in humans and potentially guide treatment.

  Study EGAS00001004014

• Reconstruction of complex rearrangement patterns causing the initiation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

  The genomic hallmark of clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the loss of the short arm of chromosome three. This appears to be the earliest genomic event in the formation of these cancers. Often chromosome 3 is lost at the same time as part of chromosome 5 is duplicated via an unbalanced translocation, often with features consistent with focal chromothripsis. In this study, we sought to reconstruct the chromothriptic event that underlies the initiation of kidney cancer. We used long read sequencing (promethION, Oxford Nanopore Technologies) of patient tumour-derived DNA to elucidate how a single cell division error can generate cancer genome complexity.

  Study EGAS00001004015

• UCSF Pediatric Bithalamic Glioma Genome Project

  Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors of childhood, and the genetic drivers and optimal therapeutic strategies for many of the different subtypes remain unknown. We performed targeted next-generation sequencing of approximately 500 cancer-associated genes on a cohort of 13 pediatric bithalamic diffuse gliomas, a lethal brain tumor of childhood for which the genetic basis is largely unknown. We identified that bithalamic diffuse gliomas harbor frequent mutations in the EGFR oncogene in the absence of accompanying gene amplification and only rare histone H3 mutation. These EGFR mutations were either small in-frame insertions within exon 20 (intracellular tyrosine kinase domain) or missense mutations within exon 7 (extracellular ligand-binding domain). Accompanying alterations included frequent TP53 mutation, CDK6 amplification or CDKN2C mutation, and BCOR and BCORL1 mutation or deletion.

  Study EGAS00001004033

• Uncovering tumor intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate hepatocellular carcinoma growth using patient derived xenograft assays

  Several major factors limit our understanding of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). First, human HCCs are infrequently biopsied for diagnosis and thus are not often biologically interrogated. Second, HCC initiation and progression are strongly influenced by the cirrhotic microenvironment, and the exact contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic tumor factors are unclear. A powerful approach to examine the personalized biology of liver cancers and the influence of host tissues is with patient derived xenograft (PDX) models. In Asia, HCCs from hepatitis B virus patients have been efficiently converted into PDXs, but few parallel efforts from the west have been reported. In a large-scale analysis, we implanted 93 HCCs and 8 cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) to systematically analyze host factors and to define an optimized platform for PDX development from both surgical and biopsy samples. NSG mice that had undergone partial hepatectomy (PHx) represented the best combination of engraftability, growth, and passageability, but overall rates were low and indicative of a unique intrinsic biology for HCCs in the US. PDX models preserved the histology and genetic features of parental tumors, and ultimately, 9 new models were usable for pre-clinical studies. Intriguingly, HCC PDXs were differentially sensitive to regorafenib and sorafenib and CCA PDXs were also highly sensitive to regorafenib. PDX models functionalize early and advanced stage HCCs and revealed unique biological features of liver cancers from the US.

  Study EGAS00001004020

• HCA_Thymus_Disease_DiGeorge_Transplant_RNA

  Single cell transcriptomics study of thymic transplant biopsies Allogeneic thymus transplantation is the only curative therapy for complete DiGeorge Syndrome (cDGS), a rare severe primary immunodeficiency characterised by athymia. GOSH is one of only two centres worldwide to offer this treatment. Despite a lack of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matching between donor and host, transplanted thymus becomes repopulated by recipient bone marrow derived precursor cells and supports development of functional T-cells. The mechanisms underlying thymopoiesis in this context are poorly understood, but over time we observe reconstitution of T-cell immunity, with the ability to produce host naïve T-cells showing a broad T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and to generate MHC-restricted T-cell proliferative responses. Although lifesaving, the achieved immunological reconstitution is typically not complete with circulating T-cell numbers usually remaining below the age related normal ranges. Additionally, we observe persistence of donor-derived T-cells of unknown clinical significance. To gain more insight into the mechanisms by which MHC-mismatched transplanted thymus supports T-cell development with self-tolerance, as well as into the basis of suboptimal T-cell immunity, we now aim to investigate immune reconstitution after thymus transplantation in further detail by using single-cell transcriptomics, applied to thymic transplant biopsies and peripheral blood samples collected during standard post-transplant patient care. By identifying which lineages of host- derived cells repopulate the thymic tissue after transplantation, we will be able to address the role of MHC in positive and negative T-cell selection during T-cell differentiation. We will also be able to clarify the exact ontogeny of the persistent donor T-cells, as well as their possible role. Understanding the mechanisms of action of HLA-mismatched transplanted thymus will contribute to treatment optimisation. Additionally, our research provides a unique opportunity to further investigate key immunological concepts, such as tolerance and autoimmunity, challenging existing paradigms in thymus immunology. 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 EGAS00001004025

• Whole exome sequencing from early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients at MDACC

  The purpose of the study is to evaluate the mutational landscape and tumor mutational burden in tumor from patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer. Mutational landscape was compared to the T cell repertoire to determine the relationship between somatic mutations and T cell response in early-stage NSCLC.

  Study EGAS00001004026

• Single-cell analysis reveals fibroblast clusters linked to immunotherapy resistance in cancer

  A subset of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF-S1) mediates immunosuppression in breast cancers (BC), but its heterogeneity and its impact on immunotherapy response remain unknown. Here, we identify 8 CAF-S1 clusters by analyzing more than 18000 single CAF-S1 fibroblasts from BC. We validate the 5 most abundant clusters by flow cytometry and in silico analyses in other cancer types, highlighting their relevance. Myofibroblasts from clusters 0 and 3, characterized by extra-cellular matrix proteins and TGF signaling respectively, are indicative of primary resistance to immunotherapies. Cluster 0 up-regulates PD-1 and CTLA-4 protein levels in regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs), which in turn increases CAF-S1 cluster 3 cellular content. Thus, our study highlights a positive feedback loop between specific CAF-S1 clusters and Tregs and uncovers their role in immunotherapy resistance.

  Study EGAS00001004030

• Neoantigen responses to Immunotherapy in Prostate Cancer

  To determine whether antigen-specific T cell responses can be elicited following treatment with ICT in cancers that have a low TMB, a clinical trial with ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) was conducted in 30 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We identified 2 distinct groups of patients divided by clinical outcomes, which consisted of a cohort with Favorable and Unfavorable outcomes. Compared to the Unfavorable cohort, the patients in the Favorable cohort were more likely to have higher intratumoral CD8 T cell density and/or IFN-γ response gene signature, including five patients who had antigen-specific T cell responses that were only detectable after ipilimumab therapy. Three patients had T cell responses against tumor-associated antigens (PSMA and PAP). Importantly, two patients with a relatively low TMB had T cell responses against unique neoantigens. Collectively, our data indicate that a subset of patients with metastatic prostate cancer benefit from ICTs, particularly those who have immunological biomarkers associated with effector T cell responses. Publication: Sumit K. Subudhi, Luis Vence, Hao Zhao, Jorge Blando, Shalini S. Yadav, Qing Xiong, Alexandre Reuben, Ana Aparicio, Paul G. Corn, Brian F. Chapin, Louis L. Pisters, Patricia Troncoso, Rebecca Slack Tidwell, Peter Thall, Chang-Jiun Wu, Jianhua Zhang, Christopher L. Logothetis, Andrew Futreal, James P. Allison and Padmanee Sharma, 2020, Neoantigen responses, immune correlates, and favorable outcomes after ipilimumab treatment of patients with prostate cancer. Science Translational Medicine, 01 Apr 2020:Vol. 12, Issue 537, eaaz3577DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaz3577. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32238575/

  Study EGAS00001004050

• Oesophageal_Adenocarcinoma_Organoids_Iso_Seq

  RNA Sequencing of 5 patient derived organoid cell models. Each model was derived from a piece of patient tumour taken following surgical rescetion of the tumour. All model derivations took place with the CGaP facility in Sanger. This PacBio RNA data will be combined with other sequencing data in order to generate accurate reference cancer genomes and study how structural variants affect gene expression

  Study EGAS00001004051

• Organoid cultures of early-onset colorectal cancers reveal distinct and rare genetic profiles

  Sporadic early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) has bad prognosis, yet is poorly represented by cell line models. We examine the key mutational and transcriptomic alterations in an organoid biobank enriched in EOCRCs. We established paired cancer (n=32) and normal organoids (n=18) from 20 patients enriched in microsatellite-stable EOCRC. Exome and transcriptome analysis was performed. We observed a striking diversity of molecular phenotypes, including PTPRK-RSPO3 fusions. Transcriptionally, RSPO fusion organoids resembled normal colon organoids and were distinct from APC mutant organoids, with high BMP2 and low PTK7 expression. Single cell transcriptome analysis confirmed the similarity between RSPO fusion organoids and normal organoids, with a propensity for maturation on Wnt withdrawal, whereas the APC mutant organoids were locked in progenitor stages. CRISPR/Cas9 engineered mutation of APC in normal human colon organoids led to upregulation of PTK7 protein and suppression of BMP2, but less so with an engineered RNF43 mutation. The frequent co-occurrence of RSPO fusions with SMAD4 or BMPR1A mutation was confirmed in TCGA database searches. RNF43 mutation was found in organoid from a leukaemia survivor with a novel mutational signature; and organoids with POLE proofreading mutation displayed ultramutation. The cancer organoid genomes were stable over long culture periods, while normal human colon organoids tended to be subject to clonal dominance over time. These organoid models enriched in EOCRCs with linked genomic data fill a gap in existing CRC models and reveal distinct genetic profiles and novel pathway cooperativity.

  Study EGAS00001004063

• Heterogeneous metabolic signatures are linked to cancer cell differentiation in colorectal cancer

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by functional intratumor heterogeneity that shares many similarites with the hierarchical organization of the normal intestinal epithelium. In order to relate transcriptional subtypes to functional tumor cell heterogeneity we applied scRNA-seq to 12 patient-derived CRC spheroid cultures. We identified shared expression programs that relate to intestinal lineages and revealed metabolic signatures that are linked to cancer cell differentiation. In addition, we validated and complemented sequencing results by quantitative microscopy using live-dyes and multiplexed RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, thereby revealing metabolic compartmentalization and potential cell-cell interactions. FInally, we demonstrate functional differences between metabolically distinct lineage subtypes that might have strong implications for future treatment strategies of CRC.

  Study EGAS00001004064

• Bottleneck_Sequencing_Of_Human_Tissue__Wgs_

  Bottleneck sequencing of human tissue including neurons, cord blood, sperm 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 EGAS00001004066

• Single-cell RNA sequencing of 22 Hodgkin lymphoma tumors and 5 reactive lymph nodes

  Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is characterized by an extensively dominant tumor microenvironment (TME) composed of different types of non-cancerous immune cells with rare malignant cells. Characterization of the cellular components and their spatial relationship is crucial to understanding crosstalk and therapeutic targeting in the TME. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of more than 127,000 cells from 22 HL tissue specimens and 5 reactive lymph nodes, profiling for the first time the phenotype of the HL-specific immune microenvironment at single-cell resolution. Library preparation was performed using the 10x Genomics Chromium system, and Illumina sequencing was used to generate 3' gene expression data for every cell. Downstream analysis was performed in R to identify HL-specific microenvironment patterns and identify novel cell populations.

  Study EGAS00001004085

• Whole exome sequencing of advanced gastric cancer

  To define the cellular characteristics of malignant ascites of advanced gastric cancer patients and search for therapeutic strategies, we obtained 5 malignant ascites and 1 cerebrospinal fluid from five patients with gastric cancer. We analyzed 180 cells from 4 malignant ascites and 1 cerebrospinal fluid metastasis. The results indicate that the anti-inflammatory characteristics of the tumor associated macrophages are concocted by the tumor cells. By constructing reference transcriptomes for M1 and M2 type macrophages, we found a strong non-inflammatory property of macrophages recovered from the malignant ascites of gastric cancer.

  Study EGAS00001004086

• Rapid response of APC/TP53/KRAS mutated stage IV colorectal cancer under FOLFIRI + Bevacizumab detected by liquid biopsy: a case report

  In our non-interventional liquid biopsy study, a male patient in his fifties diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer and polytope liver metastases rapidly progressed after completing chemotherapy and deceased 8 months after diagnosis. Retrospective cell free DNA testing showed that the APC/TP53/KRAS major clone responded quickly after 3 cycles of FOLFIRI + Bevacizumab. Retrospective exome sequencing of pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy tissue samples including metastases confirmed that the APC/TP53/KRAS and other major clonal mutations (GPR50, SLC5A, ZIC3, SF3A1 and others) were present in all samples. After the last chemotherapy cycle,

  Study EGAS00001004088

• Comparison of structural variations from 10X Genomics linked-reads and conventional Illumina short-reads sequencing

  Structural variations (SVs) are large genomic rearrangements that can drive many diseases. Conventional short-reads whole genome sequencing (cWGS) allows their identification with base-pair resolution, but suffers from high false discovery rate. cWGS taps in short-range information from short-reads while linked-reads sequencing (10XWGS) utilizes long-range information. 10XWGS allows linkage of short-reads originating from the same large DNA molecule with a unique barcode captured in a gel bead in emulsion. This mitigates alignment-based artefacts from cWGS especially in repetitive regions. However, the false discovery rate of this technology is unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of different type and size of SVs predicted from these two technologies. The SVs common between both technologies were found to be highly specific by PCR and Sanger sequencing while validation rate dropped for uncommon events. Further, we propose a novel enrichment approach for filtering out false positive calls from both the technologies independently. To this end, we trained a machine learning model for respective technologies and used it to characterise SVs from MCF7 cell line and a primary breast cancer tumor with high precision. This approach would be valuable in understanding true mechanisms driven by SVs in various diseases.

  Study EGAS00001004093

• Evolutionary Origins of Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer

  Surgery is the only curative option for patients with Stage I/II pancreatic cancer, nonetheless most patients will recur after surgery and die of their disease. To identify novel opportunities for management of recurrent pancreatic cancer we performed whole exome or targeted sequencing of 10 resected primary cancers and their matched intrapancreatic recurrences or distant metastases. We identified that recurrent disease develops from a monophyletic or polyphyletic origin, and this distinction has potential clinical relevance. In all patients, treatment induced genetic bottlenecks led to a modified genetic landscape and subclonal heterogeneity for driver gene alterations in part due to intermetastatic seeding. In one patient what was believed to be recurrent disease was an independent (second) primary tumor. These findings strongly advocate for routine post-treatment sampling in the management of recurrent pancreatic cancer.

  Study EGAS00001004097

• SDH_deficient_renal_tumours___WGS_

  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 EGAS00001004102

• 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

• Chromatin run-on and RNA sequencing of fibrolamellar carcinoma

  Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare, therapeutically intractable liver cancer that disproportionately affects youth. Here we used chromatin run-on sequencing to characterize the enhancer landscape in FLC and RNA sequencing to identify dysregulated genes in FLC.

  Study EGAS00001004169

• Comprehensive pharmacogenomic characterization of gastric cancer

  Gastric cancer is among the most lethal human malignancies. Previous studies have identified molecular aberrations that constitute dynamic biological networks and genomic complexities of gastric tumors. However, the clinical translation of molecular-guided targeted therapy is hampered by challenges. Notably, solid tumors often harbor multiple genetic alterations, complicating the development of effective treatments. To address such challenges, we established a comprehensive dataset of molecularly annotated patient derivatives coupled with pharmacological profiles for 60 targeted agents to explore dynamic pharmacogenomic interactions in gastric cancers. We identified lineage-specific drug sensitivities based on histopathological and molecular subclassification, including substantial sensitivities toward VEGFR and EGFR inhibition therapies in diffuse- and signet ring-type gastric tumors, respectively. We identified potential therapeutic opportunities for WNT pathway inhibitors in ALK-mutant tumors, a significant association between PIK3CA-E542K mutation and AZD5363 response, and transcriptome expression of RNF11 as a potential predictor of response to gefitinib. Collectively, our results demonstrate the feasibility of drug screening combined with tumor molecular characterization to facilitate personalized therapeutic regimens for gastric tumors.

  Study EGAS00001004106

• 54 metastatic colorectal cancer patients from Schleswig-Holstein in North Germany

  Personalized treatment vs standard of care is much debated, especially in clinical practice. Here we investigated whether overall survival differences in metastatic colorectal cancer patients are explained by their tumor mutation profiles or by their treatment differences in real clinical practice.

  Study EGAS00001004108

• White blood cell and cell-free DNA analyses for detection of residual disease in gastric cancer

  Liquid biopsies are providing new opportunities for detection of residual disease in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) after surgery but may be confounded through identification of alterations arising from clonal hematopoiesis. Here, we identify circulating tumor-derived DNA alterations (ctDNA) through ultrasensitive targeted sequencing analyses of matched cfDNA and white blood cells from the same patient. We apply this approach to analyze samples from patients in the CRITICS trial, a phase III randomized controlled study of perioperative chemotherapy in patients with operable gastric cancer. After filtering alterations derived from matched white-blood cells, the presence of ctDNA predicts recurrence when analyzed within nine weeks after preoperative treatment and after surgery in patients eligible for multimodal treatment. These analyses provide a facile method for distinguishing ctDNA from other cfDNA alterations and highlight the utility of ctDNA as a predictive biomarker of patient outcome to perioperative cancer therapy and surgical resection in patients with gastric cancer.

  Study EGAS00001004114

• Genomic landscape of inflammatory breast cancer by whole-genome sequencing

  Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer, characterized by a highly invasive and metastatic phenotype, but little is known about its genetic drivers. Here we report whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 20 newly diagnosed IBC biopsies to characterize for the first time the entire genomic landscape of this disease.

  Study EGAS00001004117

• Imaging metabolic heterogeneity in breast cancer using hyperpolarized 13C-MRI

  Higher 13C-lactate labeling was seen in the more aggressive tumors, including all triple negative breast cancers. There was a significant correlation between lactate labeling and expression of the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT1), which mediates tumor cell pyruvate uptake, and a weaker correlation with expression of LDHA, which catalyzes label exchange between the injected pyruvate and the endogenous lactate pool.

  Study EGAS00001004118

• Exploring_the_landscape_of_somatic_mutations_in_normal_tissue___GI___MAP___WGS

  Somatic mutations (burdens and signatures) and clonal dynamics in normal human tissues from the gastrointestinal tract of individuals with tumour predisposition syndromes and DNA damage repair defects.

  Study EGAS00001004122

• Genomic_characterisation_of_MGUS__

  he hematological malignancy multiple myeloma (MM), also called Kahler’s disease or plasma cell (PC) myeloma, is characterized by a clonal expansion of PCs originating in the bone marrow (BM). The expansion of these cells leads to an overproduction of antibodies and results in typical symptoms such as anemia, renal failure and bone lesions. All cases of MM are preceded by the asymptomatic, non-malignant pre-stage monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Of all MGUS patients, only 1% per year will progress to MM. Despite efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the MGUS-to-MM progression, its pathogenesis still remains largely unknown. Additionally, the genetic profiles of MGUS patients have only been limitedly investigated due to the only incidental finding of MGUS, the difficulties in BM sampling and isolating a sufficient number of aberrant PCs from the BM aspirates of MGUS patients. Consequently, reliable biomarkers to individually predict which MGUS patients will progress to MM and which will not, are lacking. Therefore, it is highly required to study the molecular pathogenesis of MGUS and the role of genetic events in relation to the malignant transformation to MM.

  Study EGAS00001004124

• Germline elongator mutations in sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma

  Cancer genomics has illuminated a wide spectrum of genes and core molecular processes contributing to human malignancy. Still, the genetic and molecular basis of many cancers remains only partially explained. Genetic predisposition accounts for 5-10% of cancer diagnoses and genetic events cooperating with known somatic driver events are poorly understood. Analyzing established cancer predisposition genes in medulloblastoma (MB), a malignant childhood brain tumor, we recently identified pathogenic germline variants that account for 5% of all MB patients. Here, by extending our previous analysis to include all protein-coding genes, we discovered and replicated rare germline loss-of-function (LoF) variants across Elongator Complex Protein 1 (ELP1) on 9q31.3 in 15% of pediatric MBSHH cases, thus implicating ELP1 as the most common MB predisposition gene and increasing genetic predisposition to 40% for pediatric MBSHH. Inheritance was verified based on parent-offspring and pedigree analysis, which identified two families with a history of pediatric MB. ELP1-associated MBs were restricted to the molecular SHHa subtype and were characterized by universal biallelic inactivation of ELP1 due to somatic loss of chromosome 9q. The majority of ELP1-associated MBs exhibited co-occurring somatic PTCH1 (9q22.32) alterations, suggesting that ELP1-deficiency predisposes to tumor development in combination with constitutive activation of SHH signaling. ELP1 is an essential subunit of the evolutionary conserved Elongator complex, whose primary function is to enable efficient translational elongation through tRNAs modifications at the wobble (U34) position. Biochemical, transcriptional, and proteomic analyses revealed that ELP1-associated MBSHH are characterized by a destabilized core Elongator complex, loss of Elongator-dependent tRNA modifications, codon-dependent translational reprogramming, and induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR), consistent with deregulation of protein homeostasis due to Elongator-deficiency in model systems. Our findings suggest that genetic predisposition to proteome instability is a previously underappreciated determinant in the pathogenesis of pediatric brain cancer. These results provide strong rationale for further investigating the role of protein homeostasis in other pediatric and adult cancer types and potential opportunities for novel therapeutic interference.

  Study EGAS00001004126

• Comparison of 133/144bp dominant phenotype vs 166bp dominant phenotype.

  Background: Previous studies found that cell-free DNA (cfDNA) generated from tumors was shorter than that from healthy cells, and selecting short cfDNA could enrich for tumor cfDNA and improve its usage in early cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring; however, the underlying mechanism of shortened tumor cfDNA was still unknown, which potentially limits its further clinical application.Results: Using targeted sequencing of cfDNA in a large cohort of solid tumor patient, sequencing reads harboring tumor-specific somatic mutations were isolated to examine the exact size distribution of tumor cfDNA. For the majority of studied cases, 166bp remained as the peak size of tumor cfDNA, with tumor cfDNA showing an increased proportion of short fragments (100-150bp). Less than 1% of cfDNA samples were found to be peaked at 134/144bp and independent of tumor cfDNA purity. Using whole-genome sequencing of cfDNA, we discovered a positive correlation between cfDNA shortening and the magnitude of chromatin inaccessibility, as measured by transcription, DNase I hypersensitivity, and histone modifications. Tumor cfDNA shortening occurred simultaneously at both 5’ and 3’ ends of the DNA wrapped around nucleosomes. Conclusions: Tumor cfDNA shortening exhibited two distinctive modes. Tumor cfDNA purity and chromatin inaccessibility were contributing factors but insufficient to trigger a global transition from 166bp dominant to 134/144bp dominant phenotype.

  Study EGAS00001004135

• Cancer immune control needs senescence induction by Stat1 dependent cell cycle regulator pathways in tumours

  Immune checkpoint bloackade (ICB)-based or natural cancer immune responses largely eliminate tumours. Yet, they require additional mechanisms to arrest those cancer cells that are not rejected. Cytokine-induced senescence (CIS) can stably arrest cancer cells, suggesting that interferon-dependent induction of senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators is needed to control those cancer cells that escape from killing. Here we report in two different cancers sensitive to T cell-mediated rejection, we show that deletion of the senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators p16Ink4a/p19Arf (Cdkn2a) or p21Cip1 (Cdkn1a) in the tumour cells abrogated both, the natural and the ICB-induced cancer immune control. Also in humans, melanoma metastases that progressed rapidly during ICB have losses of senescence-inducing genes and amplifications of senescence inhibitors. Metastatic cells also resist CIS. Such genetic and functional alterations are infrequent in metastatic melanomas regressing during ICB. Thus, activation of tumour-intrinsic, senescence-inducing cell cycle regulators is required to stably arrest those cancer cells that escape from eradication.

  Study EGAS00001004151

• The miR-185/PAK6 Axis Predicts Therapy Response and Regulates Survival of Drug-Resistant Leukemic Stem Cells in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

  Overcoming drug resistance and targeting cancer stem cells remain challenges for curative cancer treatment. To investigate the role of miRNAs in regulating drug resistance and leukemic stem cell (LSCs) fate, we performed global transcriptome profiling in treatment-naïve chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem/progenitor cells and identified that miR-185 levels anticipate their response to ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). miR-185 functions as a tumor suppressor; its restored expression impaired survival of drug-resistant cells, sensitized them to TKIs in vitro, and markedly eliminated long-term repopulating LSCs and infiltrating blast cells, conferring a survival advantage in pre-clinical xenotransplantation models. Integrative analysis with mRNA profiles uncovered PAK6 as a crucial target of miR-185 and pharmacological inhibition of PAK6 perturbed the RAS/MAPK pathway and mitochondrial activity, sensitizing therapy-resistant cells to TKIs. Thus, miR-185 presents as a potential predictive biomarker, and dual targeting of miR-185-mediated PAK6 activity and BCR-ABL may provide a valuable strategy for overcoming drug resistance in patients.

  Study EGAS00001004153

• 16 Year Life History and Genomic Evolution of an ER+ HER2- Breast Cancer

  We reconstructed the genomic evolution through the sixteen year history of an ER+ HER2- breast cancer patient to investigate molecular mechanisms of disease relapse and treatment resistance after long term exposure to hormonal therapy. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling was performed on primary breast tumor (2002), initial recurrence (2012) and liver metastasis (2015) tumor samples. Cell free DNA analysis was performed at eleven timepoints (2015-2017).This phylogenetic reconstruction of the life history of a single patient's cancer as well as monitoring tumor progression through liquid biopsies with the detection of a resistant clone harboring a de-novo ESR1 E380Q mutation allowed for uncovering the molecular mechanisms leading to initial relapse, metastatic spread and treatment resistance.

  Study EGAS00001004624

• FAM50A_Disruption_in_TOV21G_Cells___RNAseq

  In this project we aimed to assess the transcriptional consequences of disrupting FAM50A in TOV21G cells in vivo. To do this we generated a dox inducible FAM50A gRNA allele such that we could conditionally inactivate FAM50A by feeding mice a diet containing doxycycline. Tumour masses were harvested from mice when they reached the ethical limit and RNA was extracted for RNA-Seq analysis.

  Study EGAS00001004156

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

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

  Study EGAS00001004157