9931 results for "cancer rna-seq"

in 49.28 milliseconds.

• The impact of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 on adaptive and innate immune responses

  The mRNA-based BNT162b2 protects against severe disease and mortality caused by SARS-CoV-2 through induction of specific antibody and T-cell responses. Much less is known about its broad effects on immune responses against other pathogens. In the present study, we investigated the specific adaptive immune responses induced by BNT162b2 vaccination against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as its effects on the responsiveness of human immune cells upon stimulation with heterologous viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. BNT162b2 vaccination induced effective humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 that started to wane after six months. We also observed long-term transcriptional changes in immune cells after vaccination, as assessed by RNA sequencing. Additionally, vaccination with BNT162b2 modulated innate immune responses as measured by the production of inflammatory cytokines when stimulated with various microbial stimuli other than SARS-CoV-2, including higher IL-1/IL-6 release and decreased production of IFN-α. Altogether, these data expand our knowledge regarding the overall immunological effects of this new class of vaccines and underline the need of additional studies to elucidate their effects on both innate and adaptive immune responses.

  Study EGAS00001006818

• Targeted therapy of advanced parathyroid carcinoma guided by genomic and transcriptomic profiling (hipo_021)

  Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an orphan malignancy with a high risk of recurrence after surgery. Tumor-directed systemic treatments for PC are not established. We used whole-genome and RNA sequencing in four patients with advanced PC to identify molecular alterations that could guide clinical management. In two cases, the genomic and transcriptomic profiles provided targets for experimental therapies that resulted in biochemical response and prolonged disease stabilization: (i) immune checkpoint inhibition with pembrolizumab based on high tumor mutational burden and a single-base substitution signature associated with APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like) overactivation; (ii) multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition with lenvatinib due to overexpression of FGFR1 and RET and, later in the course of disease, PARP inhibition with olaparib prompted by signs of defective homologous recombination DNA repair. In addition, our data provided new insights into the molecular landscape of PC with respect to the genome-wide footprints of specific mutational processes and pathogenic germline alterations. These data underscore the potential of comprehensive molecular analyses to improve care for patients with ultra-rare cancers based on insight into disease biology.

  Study EGAS00001006747

• Biased allelic expression in human primary fibroblast single cells.

  The study of gene expression in mammalian single cells using genomic technologies now provides the possibility to investigate the patterns of allelic gene expression. We have used single-cell RNA sequencing to detect the allele-specific mRNA level in 203 single human primary fibroblast cells over 133,633 unique heterozygous single nucleotide variants (hetSNVs). We have observed that at the snapshot of analyses each cell contains mostly transcripts from one allele from the majority of genes; indeed 76.4% of the hetSNVs display stochastic monoallelic expression in single cells. Remarkably, adjacent hetSNVs exhibit haplotype consistent allelic ratio; in contrast distant sites located in two different genes are independent of the haplotype structure. Moreover, the allele-specific expression in single cells correlated with the abundance of the cellular transcript. We observed that genes expressing both alleles in majority of the single cells at a given time point are rare and enriched in highly expressed genes. The relative abundance of each allele in a cell is controlled by some regulatory mechanisms since we observed related single-cell allelic profiles according to genes. Overall, these results have direct implications in cellular phenotypic variability.

  Study EGAS00001001009

• Genome‐wide postnatal changes in immunity following fetal inflammatory response

  The fetal inflammatory response (FIR) increases the risk of perinatal brain injury, particularly in extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs, < 28 weeks of gestation). One of the mechanisms contributing to such a risk is a postnatal intermittent or sustained systemic inflammation (ISSI) following FIR. The link between prenatal and postnatal systemic inflammation is supported by the presence of well‐established inflammatory biomarkers in the umbilical cord and peripheral blood. However, the extent of molecular changes contributing to this association is unknown. Using RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry proteomics, we profiled the transcriptome and proteome of archived neonatal dried blood spot (DBS) specimens from 21 ELGANs. Comparing FIR‐affected and unaffected ELGANs, we identified 782 gene and 27 protein expression changes of 50% magnitude or more, and an experiment‐wide significance level below 5% false discovery rate. These expression changes confirm the robust postnatal activation of the innate immune system in FIR‐affected ELGANs and reveal for the first time an impairment of their adaptive immunity. In turn, the altered pathways provide clues about the molecular mechanisms triggering ISSI after FIR, and the onset of perinatal brain injury.

  Study EGAS00001003635

• SINGLE-CELL RNA SEQUENCING Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on 13 ‘mild-moderate’ and 10 ‘critical’ COVID19 PBMC samples

  Summary Epidemiological and clinical reports have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 virulence hinges upon the triggering of an aberrant host immune response, more so than on direct virus-induced cellular damage. To elucidate the immunopathology underlying COVID-19 severity, we performed cytokine and multiplex immune profiling in mild-moderate and critically ill COVID-19 patients. Hypercytokinemia in COVID-19 differed from the IFN-γ-driven cytokine storm in macrophage activation syndrome, and was more pronounced in critical versus mild-moderate COVID-19. Systems modelling of cytokine levels paired with deep-immune profiling showed that classical monocytes drive this hyper-inflammatory phenotype and that a reduction in T-lymphocytes correlates with disease severity, with CD8+ cells being disproportionately affected. Expression of antigen presenting machinery was also reduced in critical disease. Furthermore, we found that neutrophils contributed to disease severity and local tissue damage by amplification of hypercytokinemia and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. Together these findings suggest a myeloid-driven immunopathology, in which hyperactivated neutrophils and an ineffective adaptive immune system act as mediators of COVID-19 disease severity.

  Study EGAS00001005039

• Germline biallelic mutation affecting the transcription factor Helios causes pleiotropic defects of immunity

  We studied a patient with recurrent respiratory infections and hypogammaglobulinemia and identified a germline homozygous missense mutation in IKZF2 encoding Helios (p.Ile325Val). We show that HeliosI325V retains DNA-binding and dimerization properties, but loses interaction with several partners, including epigenetic remodelers HDAC1, HDAC3 and the ATAC complex. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed gene expression signatures indicative of a shift towards pro-inflammatory, effector-like status in the patient’s T cells. We observed an upregulation of the anti-inflammatory gene, TSC22D3, encoding the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), whose expression was reported to increase upon IL-2 deprivation. We validated this finding in primary T cells, where we observed a pronounced reduction in IL-2 production upon their stimulation, together with a defect in their ability to proliferate, rendering them more anergic. Collectively, we identify a novel germline-encoded inborn error of immunity and define a role for Helios in conventional T cells, whereby interactions with specific binding partners is necessary to mediate the transcriptional programs that enable T-cell homeostasis in health and disease.

  Study EGAS00001005675

• BARIA baseline first 100 individuals transcriptomes

  Prevalence of obesity and associated diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are increasing. Underlying mechanisms, especially in humans, are unclear. Bariatric surgery provides the unique opportunity to obtain biopsies and portal vein blood-samples. Methods The BARIA Study aims to assess how microbiota and their metabolites affect transcription in key tissues and clinical outcome in obese subjects and how baseline anthropometric and metabolic characteristics determine weight loss and glucose homeostasis after bariatric surgery. We phenotype patients undergoing bariatric surgery (predominantly laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass), before weight loss, with biometrics, dietary and psychological questionnaires, mixed meal test (MMT) and collect fecal-samples and intra-operative biopsies from liver, adipose tissues and jejunum. We aim to include 1500 patients. A subset (approximately 25%) will undergo intra-operative portal vein blood-sampling. Fecal-samples are analyzed with shotgun metagenomics and targeted metabolomics, fasted and postprandial plasma-samples are subjected to metabolomics, and RNA is extracted from the tissues for RNAseq-analyses. Data will be integrated using state-of-the-art neuronal networks and metabolic modeling. Patient follow-up will be ten years.

  Study EGAS00001005704

• Identification of Germline Monoallelic Mutations in IKZF2 in Patients with Immune Dysregulation.

  Helios, encoded by IKZF2, is a member of the Ikaros family of transcription factors with pivotal roles in T-follicular helper, NK- and T-regulatory cell physiology. Somatic IKZF2 mutations are frequently found in lymphoid malignancies. Although germline mutations in IKZF1 and IKZF3, encoding Ikaros and Aiolos, have recently been identified in patients with phenotypically similar immunodeficiency syndromes, the effect of germline mutations in IKZF2 on human hematopoiesis and immunity remains enigmatic. We identified germline IKZF2 mutations (one nonsense (p.R291X)- and 4 distinct missense variants) in six patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, immune thrombocytopenia or EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Patients exhibited hypogammaglobulinemia, decreased number of T-follicular helper and NKcells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of PBMCs from the patient carrying the R291X variant revealed upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes associated with T-cell receptor activation and T-cell exhaustion. Functional assays revealed the inability of HeliosR291X to homodimerize and bind target DNA as dimers. Moreover, proteomic analysis by proximity-dependent Biotin Identification revealed aberrant interaction of 3/5 Helios mutants with core components of the NuRD complex conveying HELIOS mediated epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulation.

  Study EGAS00001005874

• An alternative splicing modulator decreases mutant HTT and improves the molecular fingerprint in Huntington’s disease patient neurons

  Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by poly-Q expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) protein. Here, we delineate elevated mutant HTT (mHTT) levels in patient-derived cells including fibroblasts and iPSC derived cortical neurons using a GLP approved HTT assay. HD patients’ fibroblasts and cortical neurons recapitulate aberrant alternative splicing as a molecular fingerprint of HD. Branaplam is a splicing modulator currently tested in a phase II study in HD (NCT05111249). The drug lowers total HTT (tHTT) and mHTT levels in fibroblasts, iPSC, cortical progenitors, and neurons in a dose dependent manner at an IC50 consistently below 10nm without inducing cellular toxicity. Branaplam promotes inclusion of non-annotated novel exons. Amongst, a 115bp frameshift-inducing exon in the HTT transcript in Branaplam treated cells from Ctrl and HD patients leading to a profound reduction of HTT RNA and protein levels. Importantly, Branaplam ameliorates aberrant alternative splicing in HD patients’ fibroblasts and cortical neurons. These findings highlight the applicability of splicing modulators in the treatment of CAG repeat disorders and decipher their molecular effects associated with the pharmacokinetic and -dynamic properties in patient-derived cellular models.

  Study EGAS00001006289

• T cell landscape definition by multi-omics identifies galectin-9 as novel immunotherapy target in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

  Failure of immunotherapy after applying checkpoint inhibitors or CAR-T cells is linked to T cell exhaustion. Here, we explored the T cell landscape in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) by single-cell omics analyses of blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples of patients and spleen samples of a CLL mouse model. By single-cell RNA- sequencing, mass cytometry (CyTOF), and multiplex image analysis of tissue microarrays, we defined the spectrum of phenotypes and transcriptional programs of T cells and and their differentiation state trajectories. We identified disease-specific accumulation of distinct regulatory T cell subsets and T cells harboring an exhausted phenotype exclusively in the CLL lymph node tissue. Integration of TCR data revealed a clonal expansion of CD8+ precursor exhausted T cells, suggesting their reactivity for CLL cells. Interactome analyses identified the TIM3 ligand Galectin-9 as novel immunoregulatory molecule in CLL. Blocking of Galectin-9 in CLL-bearing mice slowed down disease development and reduced the number of TIM3 expressing T cells. Galectin-9 expression correlated with shorter survival of CLL patients. Thus, Galectin-9 contributes to immune escape in CLL and represents a novel target for immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001006864

• Oncoprint GSCCs

  Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most malignant primary brain tumor, with a median survival rarely exceeding 2 years. Tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive microenvironment are key factors contributing to the poor response rates of current therapeutic approaches. GBM-associated macrophages (GAMs) often exhibit immunosuppressive features that promote tumor progression. However, their dynamic interactions with GBM tumor cells remain poorly understood. Here, we used patient-derived GBM stem cell cultures and combined single-cell RNA sequencing of GAM-GBM co-cultures and real-time in vivo monitoring of GAM-GBM interactions in orthotopic zebrafish xenograft models to provide insight into the cellular, molecular, and spatial heterogeneity. Our analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity across GBM patients in GBM-induced GAM polarization and the ability to attract and activate GAMs – features that correlated with patient survival. Differential gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry on original tumor samples, and knock-out experiments in zebrafish subsequently identified LGALS1 as a primary regulator of immunosuppression. Overall, our work highlights that GAM-GBM interactions can be studied in a clinically relevant way using co-cultures and avatar models, while offering new opportunities to identify promising immune-modulating targets.

  Study EGAS00001007481

• Single-cell profiling of co-cultures of GSCCs and macrophages

  Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most malignant primary brain tumor, with a median survival rarely exceeding 2 years. Tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive microenvironment are key factors contributing to the poor response rates of current therapeutic approaches. GBM-associated macrophages (GAMs) often exhibit immunosuppressive features that promote tumor progression. However, their dynamic interactions with GBM tumor cells remain poorly understood. Here, we used patient-derived GBM stem cell cultures and combined single-cell RNA sequencing of GAM-GBM co-cultures and real-time in vivo monitoring of GAM-GBM interactions in orthotopic zebrafish xenograft models to provide insight into the cellular, molecular, and spatial heterogeneity. Our analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity across GBM patients in GBM-induced GAM polarization and the ability to attract and activate GAMs – features that correlated with patient survival. Differential gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry on original tumor samples, and knock-out experiments in zebrafish subsequently identified LGALS1 as a primary regulator of immunosuppression. Overall, our work highlights that GAM-GBM interactions can be studied in a clinically relevant way using co-cultures and avatar models, while offering new opportunities to identify promising immune-modulating targets.

  Study EGAS00001007482

• Studies in the Natural History and Pathogenesis of Childhood-Onset and Adult-Onset Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

  The present study compares transcript and protein regulation in peripheral blood of adult and juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) patients vs. healthy control subjects to identify novel pathways in active patients under treatment. Whole blood data is submitted representing transcript and protein expression, including 14 adult DM and 11 juvenile DM (JDM) patients, and 11 healthy pediatric controls. Whole blood RNA was examined using Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2.0, and whole blood protein measurements were obtained using SOMAscan Assay v3.2 aptamer-based DNA probes.Expression of 1,124 gene loci were significantly altered at the transcript or protein levels across DM or JDM, with 70 genes shared. A subset of interferon-stimulated genes was elevated. Innate immune markers specific to neutrophil granules and neutrophil extracellular traps were up-regulated in both DM and JDM. Pathway analysis revealed up-regulation of PI3K/AKT, ERK, and p38 MAPK signaling. Up-regulated components shared by DM and JDM included: cytokine:receptor pairs LGALS9:HAVCR2, LTF/NAMPT/S100A8/HSPA1A:TLR4, CSF2:CSF2RA, EPO:EPOR, FGF2/FGF8:FGFR; several Bcl-2 components; and numerous glycolytic enzymes. Pathways unique to DM included sirtuin signaling, aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling, protein ubiquitination, and granzyme B signaling.

  Study phs003270

• Whole Exome and Transcriptome Sequencing in Sporadic ALS

  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal and devastating neurodegenerative disorder that causes the progressive death of upper and lower motor neurons. Although many efforts have been done to elucidate molecular factors involved in the onset and progression of the disorder, the causes of ALS are yet unknown and undefined. Transcriptome studies, based mostly on microarrays, have revealed multiple perturbations of the motor neuron function, supporting the current idea that several cellular events contribute to the pathobiology of the disease, including mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced apoptosis, glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, free radical injury, protein misfolding, abnormal calcium metabolism and altered axonal transport. In the present study, we have deeply sequenced the whole transcriptome of ventral horns of the human lumbar spinal cord from matched control and ALS post-mortem donors. Whole exome sequencing from the same donors has also been performed to exclude known genetic variants associated to the familiar form of ALS. In addition, to characterize the ALS transcriptome we have sequenced the RNA fraction at low molecular weight in the same tissues and individuals. Genomic and transcriptomic reads have been generated using the Illumina HiSeq2000 sequencer.

  Study phs000747

• Somatic Mutations in Individual Skin Cells

  Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary cause of melanoma through the acquisition of driver mutations in melanocytes. It also plays a significant role in oncogenesis in other skin cells, such as keratinocytes. However, the mutational profiles vary widely among different skin cancers, and the early mutational processes in different cell types from the same skin, is not well understood. Additionally, our preliminary studies also suggest that the mutation burden in different skin cells vary significantly based on risk factors such as the anatomical site and the use of tanning beds. To explore this, we employed innovative Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) tools to perform a site-matched comparison of the genomic landscapes of melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. From 20 biopsies of physiologically normal skin, collected from various anatomical sites across 16 donors, we have performed DNA-sequencing on 106 melanocytes, 78 keratinocytes and 13 fibroblasts. Of these samples, we have also simultaneously performed RNA-sequencing on 78 melanocytes, 46 keratinocytes and 9 fibroblasts. For normal bulk DNA, we also performed targeted (UCSF500; n=9) or exome sequencing (n=8) of skin or saliva samples from the donors.

  Study phs003683

• Ischemia Reperfusion Responses in Human Lung Transplants at the Single Cell Resolution

  Ischemia reperfusion is an unavoidable step of organ transplantation. Development of therapeutics for lung injury during transplantation has proved challenging; understanding lung injury from human data at the single cell resolution is required to accelerate the development of therapeutics. Donor lung biopsies from six human lung transplant cases were collected at the end of cold preservation and 2-hour reperfusion and underwent single cell RNA sequencing. Donor and recipient origin of cells from the reperfusion timepoint were deconvolved. Gene expression profiles were (1) compared between each donor cell type between timepoints and (2) compared between donor and recipient cells. Inflammatory responses from donor lung macrophages were found after reperfusion with upregulation of multiple cytokines and chemokines, especially IL-1 and IL-1. Significant inflammatory responses were found in alveolar epithelial cells (featured by CXCL8) and lung endothelial cells (featured by IL-6 upregulation). Different inflammatory responses were noted between donor and recipient monocytes and CD8+ T cells. The inflammatory signals and differences between donor and recipient cells observed provide insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ischemia reperfusion induced lung injury. Further investigations may lead to the development of novel targeted therapeutics.

  Study EGAS50000000490

• Harnessing Epigenetic Regulators to improve HSC-based lentiviral gene therapy

  Curative benefits of autologous and allogeneic transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been proven for various diseases. However, the low number of true HSCs that can be collected from patients and subsequently in vitro maintenance and expansion of true HSCs for genetic correction remain challenging. Addressing this issue, we here focused on optimizing culture conditions to improve the ex vivo expansion of true HSCs for gene therapy purposes. In particular, we explore the use of epigenetic regulators to enhance the effectiveness of HSC-based lentiviral (LV) gene therapy. The HDAC inhibitor Quisinostat and the bromodomain inhibitor CPI203 each promote ex vivo expansion of functional HSCs, as validated by xenotransplantation assays and single cell RNA-sequencing analysis. We confirmed the stealth effect of LV transduction on the loss of HSC numbers in commonly used culture protocols, while addition of Quisinostat or CPI203 improved expansion of HSCs in transduction protocols. Of note, we demonstrated that addition of Quisinostat improved LV transduction efficiency of HSCs and early progenitors. Our suggested culture conditions highlight the potential therapeutic effect of epigenetic regulators in hematopoietic stem cell biology and their clinical applications to advance HSC-based gene correction.

  Study EGAS50000000175

• Human_Colorectal_Cancer_Exome_Sequencing

  In this experiment we sequenced a collection of genes identified as being mutated in a Sleeping Beauty Screen in a mouse colorectal Cancer Model in human tumours collected from patients with germline mutations in APC and also other familial CRC predisposition syndromes. We also sequenced the germline of these patients allowing us to identify somatically mutated genes. 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 EGAS00001000077

• 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

• MutWP5__CRUK_Mutographs_of_Cancer__Lung__PD43291_Novaseq__Exome_

  Sequencing of LCM-derived microbiopsies from explanted lung from COPD patient. Goal to assess the mutational burden, spectrum, and clonal dynamics within the tissue. Deep sampling throughout multiple regions of the lung will determine whether there are differences in smoking-related mutaiton burden in different portions of the lung. Whole-genome sequencing will be conducted on samples identified as promising from the initial targeted data. Results from this poriton of the study will be compared to other individuals with smoking-related diseases (COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer), and normal, non-smoking lungs.

  Study EGAS00001003503

• DNA Methylation-based diagnostic biomarkers for ESCC in Han Chinese population

  DNA methylation-based biomarkers were suggested to be promising for early cancer diagnosis. However, DNA methylation-based biomarkers for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), especially in Chinese Han populations have not been identified and evaluated quantitatively. To identify the candidate DNA-methylation based biomarkers for ESCC diagnosis, we performed the targeted bisulfite sequencing analysis in this study. Based on these 94 pairs of ESCC tumors and adjacent normal tissues, we found out that ADHFE1, EOMES, SALL1 and TFPI2 could be an effective methylation-based assay for ESCC diagnosis.

  Study EGAS00001003158

• DO NOT USE - Whole genome sequencing of SI-NETs from six patients

  Small intestine neuroendocrine tumor (SI-NET), the most common cancer of the small bowel, often displays a curious multifocal phenotype with several intestinal tumors centered around a regional lymph node metastasis, yet the typical path of evolution of these lesions remains unclear. Here, we determined the complete genome sequences of 24 tumor and 3 adjacent normal tissue samples with their paired normal blood samples (totally 33 whole genomes) from 6 patients with multifocal SI-NETs, allowing elucidation of phylogenetic relationships between multiple intestinal tumors and metastases in individual patients.

  Study EGAS00001005009

• Pediatric tumor in a single child of three large nuclear families

  We identify three nuclear families in which a pediatric tumor had been diagnosed in a single child and neither parent had been diagnosed with cancer. These families had 4, 5, and 7 children, respectively. Diagnoses included Wilms tumor, low-grade astrocytoma, and Burkitt’s lymphoma, respectively. We used whole-genome sequencing to profile normal cells from each family member and a linked-read technology for genomic phasing, which enabled us to identify compound-heterozygous and de novo variants in addition to simple-heterozygous and homozygous-alternate variants.

  Study EGAS00001005321

• The mutational landscape of normal human endometrial epithelium

  All normal somatic cells are thought to acquire mutations. However, characterisation of the patterns and consequences of somatic mutation in normal tissues is limited. Uterine endometrium is a dynamic tissue undergoing cyclical shedding and reconstitution lined by a gland-forming epithelium. Whole genome sequencing of normal endometrial glands showed that most are clonal cell populations derived from a recent common ancestor, with mutation burdens differing from other normal cell types and many fold lower than endometrial cancers. Mutational signatures found ubiquitously account for most mutations. Many, in some women all, endometrial glands are colonised by cell clones carrying driver mutations in cancer genes, often with multiple drivers. Total and driver mutation burdens increase with age, but are also influenced by other factors, including body mass index and parity, and clones with drivers often originate during early decades of life. The somatic mutational landscapes of normal cells differ between cell types and are revealing the procession of neoplastic change leading to cancer.

  Dataset EGAD00001004547

• Single cells of colorectal cancer organoids

  458 single cell samples of multiple colorectal cancer organoids

  Dataset EGAD00001007305

• The landscape of somatic mutation in normal colorectal epithelial cells

  The colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence has provided a paradigmatic framework for understanding the successive somatic genetic events and consequent clonal expansions leading to cancer. As for most cancer types, however, understanding of the earliest phases of colorectal neoplastic change, which may occur in morphologically normal tissue, is comparatively limited because of the difficulty of detecting somatic mutations in normal cells. Each colorectal crypt is a small clone of cells derived from a single recently-existing stem cell. Here, we sequenced hundreds of normal crypts from 42 individuals. Signatures of multiple mutational processes were revealed, some ubiquitous and continuous, others only found in some individuals, in some crypts or during some phases of the cell lineage from zygote to adult cell. Likely driver mutations were present in ~1% of normal colorectal crypts in middle-aged individuals, indicating that adenomas and carcinomas are rare outcomes of a pervasive process of neoplastic change across morphologically normal colorectal epithelium.

  Dataset EGAD00001004192

• Familial breast cancer targeted sequencing with ONT

  A large cohort of 600 cases with familial breast cancer as classified by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) Clinical Guidelines Update that were recruited during 6 years at Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer (Murcia, Spain) were retrospectively evaluated to select 16 cases with no positive finding in NGS analysis of 20 genes implicated in this disease. These 16 cases were selected for further investigation using nanopore sequencing. This method involved the use of adaptive sampling enrichment, targeting a panel of 18 human genome regions, which contained the 20 genes (PTEN, ATM, BRCA2, PALB2, CDH1, TP53, NF1, RAD51D, BRCA1, RAD51C ,BRIP1, STK11, CHEK2, EPCAM, MSH2, MSH6, BARD1, MLH1, PMS2, NBN). In 5 samples (P1, P2, P4, P15 and P16) no selection of long reads was performed. Additionally, in 3 samples (P7, P9 and P10), both procedures were performed in two independent runs, and for the second run of P7, the DNA was previously fragmented using g-TUBE Covaris® (ref 520079) according to the protocol for 6 kb fragments.

  Dataset EGAD00001011106

• Whole exome sequencing of pediatric soft tissue sarcoma PDX models

  Childhood cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in pediatric patients in Europe. Pediatric sarcomas, comprising soft tissue sarcomas and malignant bone tumors, are a heterogenous group of malignancies, with more than 50 subtypes (WHO classification). Due to low case numbers, studying pediatric sarcomas requires accurate and reliable preclinical models. Here, we established 18 soft tissues sarcoma PDX models, including Ewing Sarcoma, Rhabdmyosarcoma and Osteosarcoma. We characterized these models by Whole Exome Sequencing and assessd the response to a wide range of drugs.

  Study EGAS50000000048

• Oral Microbiome in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

  The purpose of our study was to assess the influence of oral microbiota on the development of esophageal cancer. Our preliminary case-control studies reported a global alteration of foregut microbiome in esophageal adenocarcinoma with the strongest changes found in the oral microbiome. We hypothesise that commensal oral bacteria are capable of activating or degrading carcinogens in cigarette smoke and therefore may contribute to esophageal carcinogenesis. We conducted a prospective study nested in two large US cohorts, to determine whether oral microbiota are associated with subsequent esophageal adenocarcinoma.

  Study phs001527

• Breakpoint detection using long insert whole genome sequencing

  In this study, we hypothesize that shallow long insert whole genome sequencing (LI-WGS) increases our power for detecting breakpoints compared to shallow short insert WGS. We performed a priori analyses to demonstrate the benefits of LI-WGS, developed a long insert library preparation protocol based off Illumina's protocol, and compared LI-WGS against short insert WGS on test samples. We then used long insert WGS to identify translocations and copy number changes in tumor and germline samples collected from cancer patients with different malignancies.

  Study phs000646

• Pharmacogenomic Analysis of Microtubule Targeting Agent Response and Toxicity

  Microtubule targeting agents are commonly prescribed for early and metastatic breast cancer and other solid tumors. However, interindividual variability in microtubule targeting drug response and toxicity can cause limited therapeutic benefit and impact quality of life. In the present study, genome-wide analyses were performed to investigate how genetic factors can be used to increase prediction of treatment response and toxicity, identify genes or gene pathways associated with chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity, and inform further in vitro studies that may help isolate differences in response and toxicity of microtubule targeting agents.

  Study phs002060

• Genomic Analysis of Bevacizumab-induced Hypertension

  Bevacizumab use in the treatment of cancer can lead to the development of hypertension in some patients, and high-grade toxicity can limit therapy or lead to cardiovascular complications. The factors that contribute to interindividual variability in blood pressure rise during bevacizumab treatment are not well understood. In the present study, whole exomes and flanking regulatory regions of candidate genes associated with vasodilation and blood pressure were sequenced in bevacizumab-treated subjects with the objective of identifying genes harboring multiple variants associated with severe, early-onset bevacizumab-induced hypertension.

  Study phs001597

• Germline Genome Sequencing from Patients with Early-Onset Merkel Cell Carcinoma

  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer associated with advanced age. Approximately 5% of cases are early-onset MCC, occurring in individuals younger than 50 years. This study used genome sequencing to identify germline risk factors among patients with early-onset MCC. The available data in the database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP) includes genome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) DNA from 37 patients with early-onset MCC (age ATM = 2, BRCA1 = 2, BRCA2 = 1, TP53 = 1, and MAGT1 = 1).

  Study phs003485

• Targeted re-sequencing of multi-region sampled tumors in PDAC

  Multi-region tumor samples were cut from frozen sections or FFPEs and reviewed from microdissection and H&E staining in order to select ones with high cellularity. DNA extraction was done using DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kits for frozen samples following the manufacturer’s guideline. Extracted DNAs were processed on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 in a paired end mode (100x100) using a custom targeted panel based on the list of all unique somatic mutations from the original WES data by the Integrated Genomics Operation (IGO) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY).

  Study EGAS50000000239

• A Comprehensive Genomic Study of Pediatric Malignancy

  Malignancy remains the leading cause of disease-related death in children. DNA sequencing studies have shown a paucity of actionable genomic alterations and a low mutation burden across pediatric cancers at diagnosis. We perform a comprehensive genomic and epigenomic analysis of pediatric tumor and normal tissues using next-generation sequencing to identify molecular fingerprints and targets for diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel therapeutic methods. This study also represents one of the largest of its type to date and provides a rich genomic dataset for the pediatric cancer research community.

  Study phs001928

• High-resolution lung adenocarcinoma expression subtypes identify tumors with dependencies on MET, CDK4, CDK6, and PD-L1

  Lung adenocarcinoma is one of the most common cancer types with various treatment modalities. However, better biomarkers to predict therapeutic response are still needed to improve precision medicine. We utilized a consensus hierarchical clustering approach on 509 LUAD cases from TCGA to identify five robust LUAD expression subtypes. We then integrated genomic (patient and cell line) and proteomic data to help define biomarkers of response to targeted therapies and immunotherapies. This approach defined subtypes with unique proteogenomic and dependency profiles.

  Study EGAS00001006461

• Dynamics of genomic clones in breast cancer patient xenografts at single cell resolution

  Human cancers, including breast cancers, are comprised of clones differing in mutation content that evolve dynamically in space and time following principles of Darwinian evolution, underpinning important emergent features such as drug resistance and metastasis. Human breast cancer xenoengraftment is used as a means of capturing and studying tumour biology, and breast tumour xenografts are generally assumed to be reasonable models of the originating tumours. However the consequences and reproducibility of engraftment and propagation on the genomic clonal architecture of tumours has not been systematically examined at single cell resolution. Here we show by both deep genome and single cell sequencing methods, the clonal dynamics of initial engraftment and subsequent serial propagation of primary and metastatic human breast cancers in immunodeficient mice. In all cases examined, clonal selection on engraftment was observed in both primary and metastatic breast tumours, varying in degree from extreme selective engraftment of minor (<5% of starting population) clones to moderate, polyclonal engraftment. Furthermore, ongoing clonal dynamics during serial passaging is a feature of tumours experiencing modest initial selection. Through single cell sequencing, we show that major mutation clusters estimated from tumour population sequencing relate predictably to the most abundant clonal genotypes, even in clonally complex and rapidly evolving cases. Finally, we show that similar clonal expansion patterns can emerge in independent grafts of the same starting tumour population, indicating that genomic aberrations can be reproducible determinants of evolutionary trajectories. Our results show that measurement of genomically defined clonal population dynamics will be highly informative for functional studies utilizing patient-derived breast cancer xenoengraftment.

  Study EGAS00001000952

• Persistence of circulating tumor DNA in breast cancer patients during neoadjuvant treatment is a significant predictor of poor tumor response

  Purpose:Accurate assessment of response during neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) poses a major clinical challenge. Therefore, a minimally-invasive assessment of tumor response based on cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may be beneficial to guide treatment decisions.Experimental Design: We profiled 93 genes in tissue from 193 early breast cancer patients. Patient-specific assays were designed to track ctDNA during NST from 145 patients with available plasma. ctDNA presence and levels were correlated with complete pathological response (pCR) and residual cancer burden (RCB) as well as with clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumor to identify potential proxies for ctDNA release. Moreover, we tested the predictive value of driver events identified in the tumor.Results:At baseline, ctDNA could be detected in 63/145 (43.4%) patients and persisted in 25/63 (39.7%) patients at mid-therapy (MT) and 15/63 (23.8%) patients at the end of treatment. ctDNA detection at MT was significantly associated with higher RCB (OR 0.062, 95% CI 0.01-0.48, P=0.0077). Out of 31 patients with detectable ctDNA at MT, 30 patients (96.8%) were non-responders (RCB II, n=8; RCB III, n=22) and only one patient responded to the treatment (RCB I). Considering all 145 patients with baseline (BL) plasma, none of the patients with RCB 0 and only 6.7% of patients with RCB I had ctDNA detectable at MT, while 30.6% and 29.6% of patients with RCB II/III, respectively, had a positive ctDNA result. Conclusion:Overall, our results demonstrate that the detection and persistence of ctDNA at mid-therapy may have the potential to negatively predict response to neoadjuvant treatment and identify patients who will not achieve pCR or be classified with RCB II/III.

  Study EGAS00001005798

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

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

  Study EGAS00001004383

• Whole exome sequencing of small cell neuroendocrine cancer of the cervix

  In order to improve treatment selection for high grade neuroendocrine carcinomas of the cervix (NECC), we performed a comparative genomic analysis between this rare tumor type and other cervical cancer types, as well as extra-cervical neuroendocrine small cell carcinomas of the lung and bladder. We performed whole exome sequencing on fresh-frozen tissue from 15 NECCs and matched normal tissue. We then identified mutations and copy number variants using standard analysis pipelines. Published mutation tables from cervical cancers and extra-cervical small cell carcinomas were used for comparative analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were used and a two-sided threshold of P < .05 was used for significance. In the NECC cohort, we detected a median of 1.7 somatic mutations per megabase (range 1.0-20.9). PIK3CA p.E545K mutations were the most frequency observed oncogenic mutation (4/15 tumors, 27%). Activating MAPK pathway mutations in KRAS (p.G12D) and GNAS (p.R201C) co-occurred in two tumors (13%). In total we identified PI3-kinase or MAPK pathway activating mutations in 67% of NECC. When compared to NECC, lung and bladder small cell carcinomas exhibited a statistically significant higher rate of coding mutations (P < .001 for lung; P = .001 for bladder). Mutation of TP53 was uncommon in NECC (13%) and was more frequent in both lung (103 of 110 tumors [94%], P < .001) and bladder (18 of 19 tumors [95%], P < .001) small cell carcinoma. These comparative genomics data suggest that NECC may be genetically more similar to common cervical cancer subtypes than to extra-cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung and bladder. These results may have implications for the selection of cytotoxic and targeted therapy regimens for this rare disease.

  Study EGAS00001003142

• Yale SPORE in Skin Cancer Project 2

  Understanding the relationship between tumor and peripheral immune environments could allow longitudinal immune monitoring in cancer. Here, we examined whether T cells that share the same TCRab and are found in both tumor and blood can be interrogated to gain insight into the ongoing tumor T cell response. Paired transcriptome and TCRab repertoire of circulating and tumor-infiltrating T cells were analyzed at the single cell level from matched tumor and blood from patients with metastatic melanoma. We found that in circulating T cells matching clonally expanded tumor-infiltrating T cells (circulating TILs), gene signatures of effector functions, but not terminal exhaustion, reflect those observed in the tumor. In contrast, features of exhaustion are displayed predominantly by tumor-exclusive T cells. Finally, genes associated with a high degree of blood-tumor TCR sharing were overexpressed in tumor tissue after immunotherapy. These data demonstrate that circulating TILs have unique transcriptional patterns that may have utility for the interrogation of T cell function in cancer immunotherapy. (Reprinted from Lucca et al. in press in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, with permission from Rockefeller University Press).The data shared here consist of gene expression matrix and fastq files obtained from sequencing single-cell libraries generated with the Chromium (TM) 5' technique. For each of 2 immunotherapy naive and 11 previously treated melanoma patients, T cells (Live/CD45+/TcRab+) were FACS-sorted from PBMCs and freshly resected tumors. Metadata associated with each individual cell consist of Patient I.D., biological sex, immunotherapy status, amino acid and nucleotide CDR3 sequence of the TCR alpha and beta chain (obtained from matched VDJ region enriched libraries), and sequencing batch. Further details about previous treatment history and other clinical parameters can be found in the associated manuscript.

  Study phs002289

• Genomic Analyses of Germline and Somatic Variation in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

  The goal of this study was to identify and characterize germline and somatic genetic variation in women with high grade serous ovarian cancers treated at a single cancer center and their associations with relapse-free and overall survival. We conducted paired tumor/normal targeted next-generation sequencing of 577 genes in pathways of DNA repair, response to DNA damage, cell-cycle regulation, programmed cell death, MAPK, and P13K/AKT/MTOR signaling in 114 tumors from 71 women. In addition, we investigated single copy number alterations (SCNAs) and loss of heterozygosity in a subset of 61 tumors. We validated our results with data from ovarian tumors in TCGA. Our results were similar to other studies of high-grade serous carcinomas. As an example, we found that approximately one third of the tumors harbored loss of function variants in homologous recombination genes and that >90% had TP53 somatic mutations. Through GISTIC analysis of the OncoScan data on tumor DNA from 61 cases, we identified several regions of high copy number alterations including including NOTCH3 and PIK3R2 that were significantly associated with an increase in cancer recurrence and a reduction in overall survival. We identified few changes in mutation profiles where we had multiple tissues, either from multiple surgeries or from the primary site to metastatic sites within the same surgery. However, we did not investigate copy number alterations in multiple tissues from the same individuals, and so it may be that copy number alterations are more important. Data available through dbGAP will be the BAM files and the phenotypic data on the tumor samples, the age, race, ethnicity of the participants and their outcomes, and the Oncoscan OSCHP files.

  Study phs003198

• Investigating the Role of Neddylation in the Repair of Topoisomerase I-Mediated DNA Damage in Colorectal Cancer

  Colorectal cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. First-line chemotherapy for metastatic CRC (mCRC) entails a combination of irinotecan with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFIRI). Irinotecan is a prodrug that is converted within the cell to its active metabolite SN38, a potent TOP1 inhibitor. TOP1 relieves DNA torsional strain arising from DNA metabolism by cleaving one strand of the DNA duplex and forming an enzyme-DNA covalent intermediate that can be trapped by inhibitors. The resulting TOP1 DNA-protein crosslinks (TOP1-DPCs) interfere with replication and transcription and induce cell death if left unrepaired. I have established the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in TOP1-DPC repair, but it remains unknown how ubiquitylation is activated. One possibility is that collision between advancing replication forks and the DPCs triggers a specific ubiquitin ligase to target DPCs for degradation. The DDB1-CUL4 (Cullin 4)-RBX1 (CRL4) ubiquitin ligase complex performs a salient role in both replication and DNA repair upon its activation by auto-NEDD8 modification (neddylation), but it is unknown whether it plays a role for TOP1-DPC repair. We plan to define the role of neddylation for TOP1-DPC repair during replication and examine irinotecan plus pevonedistat (PEV), a NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor in multiple clinical trials, in CRC patient-derived preclinical models including 3D organoids. The three in-house organoids, from which samples have been submitted to dbGaP, were sequenced as a means of verifying their identity as colon cancer organoids, to allow us to investigate the combination of TOP1 inhibitors and PEV and the molecular mechanisms underlying this drug combination in these organoids.

  Study phs003257

• Clinical and Molecular Features of Acquired Resistance to Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

  PD-(L)1 blockade has been shown to promote durable responses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and has been rapidly incorporated into the treatment regimens for many with advanced disease. Despite this, mechanisms of acquired resistance (AR) to PD-(L)1 have not been well understood. To address the clinical and molecular landscape of AR to PD-(L)1 blockade in NSCLC patients, a large clinical cohort of AR to PD-(L)1 blockade in lung cancer was examined. In conjunction, a systematic genomic and transcriptomic analysis in a subset of patients (n = 29) with available tissue samples was conducted. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of AR to PD-1 blockade from pre- and/or post-treatment tumors, microarray-based whole transcriptome expression data for 29 tumor samples, and whole exome sequencing (WES) data from 34 tumor samples was generated from this subset. Microarray data was uploaded to the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Most AR tumors showed retained or increased inflammatory characteristics with significant upregulation of IFNγ which was suggestive of persistent albeit insufficient anti-tumor immune response. This finding expounds upon the prior pre-clinical and translational data supporting the intricate role of IFNγ in sensitivity and resistance to immunotherapy. Whereas initial IFNγ exposure may be fundamental to T cell activation (a hallmark of immune response), persistent IFNγ related effects and upregulation may potentially signal immune dysfunction and IFNγ insensitivity in contrast. The inflammatory phenotypes identified have implications for future rational development of new immunotherapy strategies for patients with AR.

  Study phs002834

• Myeloma_Targeted_Follow_up_Study

  390 samples, perform WGA, and send the WGA’d DNA to core for pre-capture library and tagging, pulldown with ELID 631172 (16 samples per reaction tube), and sequencing (24 samples per lane)

  Study EGAS00001000880

• Role_of_HPV_and_Interferon_in_APOBEC_mutational_signature

  The aim of this project is to test whether HPV oncogenes and /or interferon induce the APOBEC mutational signature in vitro, and to test the role of APOBEC3A in this process.

  Study EGAS00001002988

• Evaluation of size selection on cancer specific sequencing libraries

  A couple of previously characterized and sequenced libraries will be repeated using a couple of differing size selection criteria and skim sequenced using an Illumina HiSeq. The resulting sequence will be analyzed to determine the optimal DNA library size for our specific downstream analysis.

  Dataset EGAD00001000301

• Ewings Sarcoma Rearrangement Screen

  Cancer is driven by mutations in the genome. We will uncover the mutations that give rise to Ewing's sarcoma, a bone tumour that largely affects children. We will use second generation Illumina massively parallel sequencing, and bespoke software, to characterise the genomes and transcriptomes of Ewing's sarcoma tumours.

  Dataset EGAD00001000389

• RNAseq of patients with Ewings sarcoma

  Cancer is driven my mutations in the genome. We will uncover the mutations that give rise to Ewing's sarcoma, a bone tumour that largely affects children. We will use second generation Illumina massively parallel sequencing, and bespoke software, to characterise the genomes and transcriptomes of Ewing's sarcoma tumours.

  Dataset EGAD00001000444

• SPECTA: NGS Screening Program for Efficient Clinical Trial Access

  SPECTA comprises a network of participating European clinical sites and NGS screening platforms that can screen individual patients for multiple molecular targets and potentially allow the design of trials that will match the specific biology of the diseases affecting specific patients with cancer.

  Dataset EGAD00001000894