Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

National Eye Institute (NEI) Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2)

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) was a multi-center, randomized Phase III clinical trial designed to assess the effects of oral supplementation of high doses of lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) in reducing the risk of progression to late age-related macular degeneration (AMD), progression to cataract surgery, and/or progression to moderate vision loss in high-risk participants. The effect of the study supplements on cardiovascular outcomes and cognitive function were also examined. Other study goals included evaluation of eliminating beta-carotene and/or reducing zinc in the original AREDS formulation on the progression and development of late AMD. AREDS2 sought to validate the AREDS AMD scale developed from the photographic data obtained from AREDS, (Study Accession: phs000001).Eighty-two clinical sites across the United States enrolled 4,203 participants aged 50 to 85 (mean age 74 years) between October 2006 and September 2008. Enrollment was restricted to people at high risk of progression to late AMD with either bilateral large drusen or large drusen in 1 eye and late AMD in the fellow eye. Follow-up assessments in the clinic occurred on an annual basis for an average of 5 years, with telephone calls every six months during each year. Blood or saliva samples were also collected from 2,000+ AREDS2 participants for genetic research. Of these, samples from 1,800+ AREDS2 participants were included in the International Age-Related Macular Degeneration Genomics Consortium - Exome Chip Experiment, and have exome chip data available in the dbGaP (Study Accession: phs001039). In addition, samples from 1300+ AREDS2 participants were included in the International Age-Related Macular Degeneration Genomics Consortium - Whole Genome Sequencing Study in the dbGaP (Study Accession: TBD). Of 1363 AREDS2 participants with whole genome sequencing, 488 previously participated in AREDS.Please see "The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Research Group" document for a full list of AREDS2 study contributors.

Study phs002015

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Sporadic ALS in an Irish Population (SIALS) and Sequencing and Analysis of an Irish Human Genome

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons. Epidemiological studies indicate that 2-5% of cases are familial, usually with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. For a portion of these, causative genes have been identified. The remaining 95% of ALS cases are described as sporadic, and believed to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This study utilized samples from Irish patients with sporadic ALS and Irish control individuals. The aim of the study was to identify susceptibility alleles for ALS in the Irish population. Genome-wide, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was undertaken using Illumina 550K version 3 chips. Genotyping data are available on 221 SALS patients and 211 controls. Future work will aim to examine ALS genetic risk at individual sequence level. As an initial step, as of September 2010 we have made available the human genome sequence from a single anonymous male control individual from the SIALS collection. Recent studies generating complete human sequences from Asian, African and European subgroupings have revealed population specific variation and illuminated disease susceptibility loci. The Irish population is of interest because of its location at the periphery of Europe and also the impact its emigrants have had on the genetics of populations in a number of other countries. We have identified sequence variants that may be specific to this population and have identified potentially novel disease associated variants. We describe a novel method for improving SNP calling accuracy at low genome coverage using haplotype information. Overall we demonstrate utility in generating whole genome sequences to test general principles and reveal specific instances of human biology. With increasing access to low cost sequencing we would predict that similar studies will emerge.

Study phs000127

NEI CIDR Methylation Profiling of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma in GLAUGEN Samples

This is a case-control study of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). POAG is a progressive optic neuropathy that eventually leads to blindness. More than 30 million people worldwide have Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), of which greater than 3 million are blind. Gene expression changes in the retina have been observed for POAG. Several recent studies, including the GLAUGEN (Glaucoma Gene Environment) initiative have used GWAS to identify correlative regions of the genome. Despite this, the genetic basis of Glaucoma is not well understood. Epigenetic variation may account for low heritability and environmental effects on human disease. Despite the significant advances being made in understanding the role of epigenetics in gene regulation in other fields, little is known about the relationship between DNA methylation patterns, retinal gene expression, and retinal disease. The goal of this study is to identify differentially methylated regions in the peripheral blood of patients with POAG. The case identification is as per the GLAUGEN description: Cases and controls were recruited from ophthalmology clinics and were examined by ophthalmologists. For cases the clinical exam included intraocular pressure measurements, optic nerve assessment and visual field evaluation. Controls had no family history of glaucoma, normal intraocular pressure and normal optic nerves. POAG and control samples come from Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI). These samples were collected and genotyped as part of the GLAUGEN study. From the MEEI, 50 patients were selected from POAG pedigrees, to include all the probands genotyped by CIDR and are currently undergoing exome sequencing, and to include additional genotyped probands who belong to pedigrees of sufficient size and structure that parent of origin effects could be evaluated. Additional individual-level phenotype and genotype data may be obtained through the authorized access portal of phs000308 (Geneva - Glaugen GWAS Study).

Study phs000461

Clonal Evolution and Heterogeneity of Osimertinib Acquired Resistance Mechanisms in EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer

Current understanding of acquired resistance to osimertinib in EGFR-mutant lung cancer is largely based on the use of targeted sequencing platforms and cell-free DNA. In this study we examined the clonal evolution and heterogeneity of acquired resistance mechanisms to osimertinib through whole exome and RNA-sequencing of prospectively collected pre-and post-osimertinib resistant tumors and metastases at rapid autopsy. We enrolled 34 patients with histologically confirmed EGFR mutant advanced lung adenocarcinoma in a prospective Phase II clinical trial to evaluate osimertinib treatment and the use of local ablative therapy (LAT) for oligoprogressive disease (NCT02759835) in EGFR mutant NSCLC from April 2016 until data cutoff in September 2019. Patients were not selected based on oligometastatic status, rather 32/34 patients had multiple organ involvement, including lung, liver, adrenal, brain and bone. Biopsies or surgeries were performed pre-osimertinib treatment and at first progression on osimertinib. A subset of patients also underwent biopsies at second progression on osimertinib, and following end of life in-patient hospice and rapid autopsy upon death. 63% (n=15/24) of first-line osimertinib and 50% (n=5/10) of second-line osimertinib treated patients had RECIST defined partial response. Overall, 21 patients had RECIST defined first progression on osimertinib. Two patients on this trial discontinued treatment and were lost to follow up. Of the 21 patients who had RECIST defined progression, 14 patients underwent LAT (8 first-line and 6 second-line). Twelve patients had paired pre- and post-osimertinib resistant tumors and three had post-osimertinib resistant tumors available for analysis. Four patients (LAT002, LAT006, LAT014 and LAT021) consented for a rapid autopsy protocol and underwent rapid autopsy after deatH. To elucidate acquired osimertinib resistance mechanisms, we performed whole-exome (WES), targeted sequencing and RNA-seq on 66 tumors and matched germline DNA from tumor tissue obtained from a total of 15 patients.

Study phs002001

Investigating Genetics of Human Natural Short Sleepers (IGHNSS)

Sleep is essential for life. A good night's sleep is pleasurable and sleep deprivation is stressful. Prolonged sleep loss impairs temperature control, metabolism, immunity, and ultimately leads to death. Extensive observational and epidemiological evidence indicates that optimal sleep duration of 8 hours is associated with the maintenance of good health. In our society, however, most people only get 6.5 - 7 hours. Suboptimal sleep duration has a strong association with mortality and morbidity. Lack of sleep has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and other health/cognition conditions. It is clear that the biological need for sleep varies dramatically among humans. Sleep and circadian disorders can include Familial Advanced Sleep Phase (FASP), Delayed Sleep Phase (DSP), Advanced Sleep Phase (ASP), Natural Short Sleepers (NSS) or Long Sleeping. In example, Natural Short Sleepers (NSS) have a lifelong tendency to sleep only 4 - 6 hours per night and to awaken refreshed and energetic. Natural Long Sleepers biologically require 9 - 10 hours/night to feel well rested. The 'Sleep and Circadian Disorders Study' (SACDS) at the University of California San Francisco, set out to investigate the mechanisms involved in regulating sleep duration, patterns and sleep quality regulation by identifying and characterization of individuals and families with unusual sleep and circadian rhythm behavior patterns. SACDS participants were screened with a "General Sleep Questionnaire" that inquired about multiple aspects of sleep, including habitual work-day versus non-work day sleep-wake schedules, permits calculation of subjective habitual initial sleep onset, final sleep offset, and number of awakenings. There was an additional screening process including demographic data, sleep, mood, behavioral and general medical questionnaires, plus the study consent. After the extensive screening of 117 participants, blood samples were collected from 38 individuals and of those 10 samples were chosen for whole exome sequencing analysis.

Study phs001270

Functional Significance of Prostate Cancer Risk-SNPs

Prostate Cancer (PrCa), the most frequently diagnosed solid tumor in men in the U.S., results in ~192,000 new cases and ~27,000 deaths per year. Although the variation of PrCa incidence is likely to be the result of several factors, there is a large body of literature that strongly implicates a genetic etiology. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have emerged as the most widely used contemporary approach to identify genetic variants (in particular SNPs) that are associated with increased risk of human disease. For PrCa, at least five GWAS have now been performed yielding a substantial number of well-validated SNPs that are associated with an increased risk of PrCa, and that number continues to grow. A significant problem for many of the PrCa risk-SNPs identified so far, however, is that they do not lie within or near a known gene and they have no obvious functional properties. These findings suggest that many (if not most) of these risk-SNPs will be located in regulatory regions that control gene expression rather than in coding regions that may directly affect protein function. Therefore, in order to define the functional role of currently known risk-SNPs, the target genes must first be identified. A promising strategy to address this problem involves the use of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis. Unfortunately, most of the publically available SNP-Transcript eQTL datasets utilize lymphoblastoid cells with only a handful using tissue from target organs. Although useful, these datasets alone are unlikely to be sufficient. Recent studies have demonstrated that gene expression and gene regulation occur in both a tissue-specific and tissue independent fashion and suggest that a complete repertoire of regulatory SNPs can only be uncovered in the context of cell type specificity. To date, such a tissue-specific dataset for normal prostate tissue does not exist. In this study, we have constructed a normal prostate tissue specific eQTL data set.

Study phs000985

Mechanism and Response of Thymoglobulin in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

In people with MDS, the bone marrow stops making healthy blood cells and instead produces poorly functioning, malformed, and immature blood cells. This can lead to anemia resulting from too few healthy red blood cells, infection resulting from too few healthy white blood cells, and bleeding resulting from too few healthy platelets. The exact cause of MDS remains unknown, but it may be caused by abnormal autoimmune activity in which activated T cells, a type of white blood cell, prevent normal bone marrow production. ATG, a medication that inhibits immune function, can restore normal blood production in some people with MDS, but it is not known how this happens and why it does not happen in all MDS patients. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of ATG in adults with MDS and to determine which individuals with MDS are most likely to benefit from treatment with ATG. Based on disease severity and likely disease progression, participants will be separated into either a high-risk group or a low-risk group. Participants will be hospitalized for a 4-day period during which they will receive daily infusions of ATG. Oral prednisone will be given 2 days before hospitalization, throughout hospitalization, and then for 14 days after hospitalization to limit the side effects of ATG. Antihistamines and acetaminophen will also be given during hospitalization to reduce the chances of an allergic reaction to ATG. After discharge, all participants will attend monthly study visits that will include blood collection, review of disease symptoms, and evaluation of medication response. At Week 16, participants in the high-risk group will undergo additional blood collection, a bone marrow biopsy, and a thorough evaluation of disease progression and the effects of MDS on daily living abilities. Participants in the low-risk group will undergo these same procedures at Week 24. Follow-up for all participants may last up to 2 years.

Study phs000697

Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC)

The ARRA Autism Sequencing Collaboration was created in 2010 bringing together expert large-scale sequencing center (at the Baylor College of Medicine, PI Richard Gibbs and the Board Institute of MIT and Harvard, PI Mark J. Daly) and a collaborative network of research labs focused on the genetics of autism (brought together by the Autism Genome Project and the Autism Consortium). These groups worked together to utilize dramatic new advances in DNA sequencing technology to reveal the genetic architecture of autism through comprehensive examination of the exotic sequence of all genes. The Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC) was founded by Joseph D. Buxbaum and colleagues as an international group of scientists who share autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples and genetic data. The PIs are Drs. Joseph D. Buxbaum (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Mark J. Daly (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard), Bernie Devlin (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), Kathryn Roeder (Carnegie Mellon University, Matthew State and Stephan Sanders (University of California, San Francisco). The rationale for the ASC is described in Buxbaum et al. 2012, and this paper should be cited when referencing the data set. All shared data and analysis is hosted at a single site, which enables joint analysis of large-scale data from many groups. The ASC was first supported by a cooperative agreement grant to four lead sites funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (U01MH100233, U01MH100209, U01MH100229, U01MH100239), with additional support from the National Human Genome Research Institute. The NIMH recently renewed their support with a second grant (U01MH111661, U01MH111660, U01MH111658 and U01MH111662) to expand the project from 29,000 genomes to more than 50,000 exomes over the next 5 years. NHGRI provides ongoing sequencing support for the ASD through the Broad Center for Common Disease Genomics (UM1HG008895, Mark Daly, PI).

Study phs000298

Gene Environment Association Studies (GENEVA): Genetics of Early Onset Stroke (GEOS) Study

The Genetics of Early Onset Stroke (GEOS) Study is a population-based case-control study designed to identify genes associated with early-onset ischemic stroke and to characterize interactions of identified stroke genes and/or SNPs with environmental risk factors such as smoking and oral contraceptive use. The GEOS study consists of 921 ischemic stroke cases with age of first stroke 16-50 years and a similar number of controls, identified from the Baltimore-Washington area. Cases and controls were recruited in 3 different time periods: Stroke Prevention in Young Women-1 (SPYW-1) conducted from 1992-1996, Stroke Prevention in Young Women-2 (SPYW-2) conducted from 2001-2003, and Stroke Prevention in Young Men (SPYM) conducted from 2003-2007. The overall GEOS sample includes 477 cases who self-reported their race as "white" and 396 cases who self-reported their race as "African American." Traditional stroke risk factors and other study variables, including age, ethnicity, and history of hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction (MI), current smoking status, and current oral contraceptive use (both defined as use within one month prior to event for cases and at a comparable reference time for controls), were also collected during standardized interview and were included as covariates in our analyses. This study is part of the Gene Environment Association Studies initiative (GENEVA, http://www.genevastudy.org) funded by the trans-NIH Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative (GEI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to early-onset ischemic stroke through large-scale genome-wide association studies of cases and controls of European and African descent from the Baltimore-Washington area. Genotyping was performed at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data cleaning and harmonization were done at the GEI-funded GENEVA Coordinating Center at the University of Washington.

Study phs000292

The National Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) Study

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are the most common cause of adult bone marrow failure in the US and occur predominantly in people over the age of 60. Much of the morbidity and mortality for MDS is due to complications from low blood counts (e.g., infections and bleeding). MDS is caused by acquired DNA mutations that occur in a patient's blood cells as they grow older. Accumulating evidence suggests that MDS patients may traverse through a series of antecedent hematopoietic conditions defined by, i) clonal hematopoiesis (i.e., detectable somatic mutations in a person's blood cells) without low blood counts, a condition that affects up to 10% of individuals 70 years old and is termed Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP), or ii) clonal hematopoiesis with low blood counts (i.e., cytopenias) but no evidence of bone marrow dysplasia, termed Clonal Cytopenia of Undetermined Significance (CCUS). Nearly all CCUS patients will develop MDS over a ten year period, highlighting the prognostic importance of this disease. A better understanding of the genetic mutations, including non-coding and structural variants (SVs), occurring in CCUS and MDS could provide valuable insight into the natural history of MDS development. The NHLBI is conducting a longitudinal, observational study to create a standardized clinical dataset linked to a prospectively collected, consistently processed, and well-characterized biospecimen repository derived from approximately 1750 participants with suspected or newly diagnosed MDS or MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) overlap. These volunteers will donate biological specimens (like bone marrow and blood) and medical information, including details of their symptoms, how they perceive their quality of life, the treatments they receive, and what their doctor says about the severity of their illness over time. This information will be collected at pre-determined time points for the duration of the study. Study participants may be followed for life.

Study phs002714

Light at Night and Prostate Cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) is a prospective cohort study of men designed to evaluate hypotheses about men's health related to diet and lifestyle to the incidence of serious illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and other vascular diseases. It consisted of 51,529 U.S. male health professionals who were 40-75 years old at baseline in 1986 and completed a mailed six-page baseline questionnaire. Information on age, height, weight, ancestry, medications, disease history, physical activity, lifestyle factors, and diet were gathered, with follow-up questionnaires sent biennially to update information and record health outcomes with every four years to update their diet. Light at Night and Prostate Cancer project uses HPFS participants to conduct research assessing the impact of light at night on prostate cancer incidence, with follow-up from baseline in 1986 to 2016. Average annual outdoor light at night (exposure) was derived from satellite imagery data from the US Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth Observation Group). Prostate cancer cases (outcome) were self-reported by study participants, and then confirmed by the HPFS team through medical record and pathology report review. The data for this project are arranged in a long format, meaning that there are multiple rows for each subject ID. The various rows correspond to different questionnaire periods. Because the exposure in this dataset, light at night, and several important covariates are time-varying variables, the format of this dataset captures the variation in exposure status by questionnaire period. The outcome variables are incidence of prostate cancer, including incidence of prostate cancer clinical subtypes, such as advanced, aggressive, high- and low-grade prostate cancer. For the published study, please see Chowdhury-Paulino et al.'s 2023 publication in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention entitled, “Association between Outdoor Light at Night and Prostate Cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” (PMID: 37462694).

Study phs003538

Parallel CRISPR Editing of Familial ALS Mutations

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a modeling system for human disease within the critical context of the human genome. CRISPR editing of iPSCs allows the construction of isogenic pairs where the cells have nearly identical genomes except for the desired edited change. Here, we used CRISPR editing on a healthy control line to generate three new isogenic iPSC lines that each contains a different familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) mutation (TARDBP[G298S/+], SOD1[G85R/+], and PFN1[G118V/+]). As controls for each mutation, we retained iPSC lines that went through the editing process but did not have the desired heterozygous mutation. We have also performed editing in a patient cell line with a hexanucleotide repeat in C9ORF72. This edit mutates a non-canonical start codon upstream of the hexanucleotide repeat. These edited lines have been used in three different studies:(1) In “Human sensorimotor organoids derived from healthy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis stem cells form neuromuscular junctions” (PMID: 34362895), we performed exome sequencing to confirm the absence of off-target CRISPR events. We also performed single-cell sequencing on sensorimotor organoids from a second healthy control iPSC line, which is deposited alongside the exome sequencing data.(2) In “iPSC motor neurons, but not other derived cell types, capture gene expression changes in postmortem sporadic ALS motor neurons (PMID: 37651231), we differentiated these isogenic lines into motor neurons, sensory neurons, cortical neurons, and astrocytes and then performed bulk RNA-sequencing. We then assessed similarities between fALS mutations, differences between cell types, and the capacity of iPSC modeling to capture differentially expressed genes in postmortem sporadic ALS motor neurons.(3) In "Blocking RAN translation without altering RNA foci rescues C9ORF72-related ALS/FTD phenotypes" (Jiang et al. 2025), we mutate a non-canonical start codon upstream of a hexanucleotide repeat in C9ORF72. This mitigates several phenotypes related to neurodegeneration.

Study phs002440

Genomic features of Helicobacter pylori-na��ve diffuse-type gastric cancer.

Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a major etiologic driver of diffuse-type gastric cancer (DGC). However, improvements in hygiene have led to an increase in the prevalence of HP-na��ve DGC; that is, DGC that occurs independent of HP. Although multiple genomic cohort studies for gastric cancer have been conducted, including studies for DGC, distinctive genomic differences between HP-exposed and HP-na��ve DGC remain largely unknown. Here, we employed exome and RNA sequencing with immunohistochemical analyses to perform binary comparisons between 36 HP-exposed and 27 HP-na��ve DGCs from sporadic, early-stage, and intramucosal or submucosal tumor samples. Among the samples, 33 HP-exposed and 17 HP-na��ve samples had been preserved as fresh-frozen samples. HP infection status was determined using stringent criteria. HP-exposed DGCs exhibited an increased single nucleotide variant burden (HP- exposed DGCs; 1.97 [0.48��7.19] and HP-na��ve DGCs; 1.09 [0.38��3.68] per megabase; p=0.0003) and a higher prevalence of chromosome arm-level aneuploidies (p<0.0001). CDH1 was mutated at similar frequencies in both groups, whereas RHOA��ARHGAP pathway misregulation was exclusive to HP-exposed DGCs (p=0.0167). HP-exposed DGCs showed gains in chromosome arms 8p/8q (p<0.0001), 7p (p=0.0035) and 7q (p=0.0354), and losses in 16q (p=0.0167). Immunohistochemical analyses revealed a higher expression of intestinal markers such as CD10 (p<0.0001) and CDX2 (p=0.0002) and a lower expression of the gastric marker, MUC5AC (p=0.0305) among HP-exposed DGCs. HP-na��ve DGCs, on the other hand, had a purely gastric marker phenotype. This work reveals that HP-na��ve and HP-exposed DGCs develop along different molecular pathways, which provide a basis for early detection strategies in high incidence settings.

Study JGAS000575

Integrated copy number and expression analysis identifies profiles of whole-arm chromosomal alterations and subgroups with favorable outcome in ovarian clear cell carcinomas

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCC) is generally associated with chemoresistance and poor clinical outcome, even with early diagnosis; whereas high-grade serous carcinomas (SCs) and endometrioid carcinomas (ECs) are commonly chemosensitive at advanced stages. Although an integrated genomic analysis of SC has been performed, conclusive views on copy number and expression profiles for CCC are still limited. In this study, we performed single nucleotide polymorphism arrays in 57 (31 CCCs, 14 SCs, and 12 ECs) and expression microarrays in 55 epithelial ovarian cancers (25 CCCs, 16 SCs, and 14 ECs), and then evaluated PIK3CA mutations and ARID1A expression in CCCs. SNP array analysis classified 13% of CCCs into a cluster with high frequency and focal range of copy number alterations (CNAs), significantly lower than for SCs (93%, P < 0.01) and ECs (50%, P = 0.017). The ratio of whole-arm to all CNAs was higher in CCCs (46.9%) than SCs (21.7%) (P < 0.0001). SCs with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of BRCA1 (85%) also had LOH of NF1 and TP53, and LOH of BRCA2 (62%) coexisted with LOH of RB1 and TP53. Microarray analysis classified CCCs into three clusters. One cluster (CCC-2, n = 10) showed more favorable prognosis than the others (CCC-1and CCC-3) (P = 0.041). Coexistent alterations of PIK3CA and ARID1A were more common in CCC-1 and CCC-3 (7/11, 64%) than in CCC-2 (0/10, 0%) (P < 0.01). Being in cluster CCC-2 was an independent favorable prognostic factor in CCC. In conclusion, CCC was characterized by a high ratio of whole-arm CNAs; whereas CNAs in SC were mainly focal, but preferentially caused LOH of well-known tumor suppressor genes. As such, expression profiles might be useful for sub-classification of CCC, and might provide useful information on prognosis.

Study JGAS000022

RNAseq data to study PRPF6 regulated splice forms in colon cancer cell lines

Alternative splicing plays critical roles in differentiation, development, and cancer (Pettigrew et al., 2008; Chen and Manley, 2009). The recent identification of specific spliceosome inhibitors has generated interest in the therapeutic potential of targeting this cellular process (van Alphen et al., 2009). Using an integrated genomic approach, we have identified PRPF6, an RNA binding component of the pre-mRNA spliceosome, as an essential driver of oncogenesis in colon cancer. Importantly, PRPF6 is both amplified and overexpressed in colon cancer, and only colon cancer cells with high PRPF6 levels are sensitive to its loss. Our data clearly point to an important role for PRPF6 in colon cancer growth and suggest that a better understanding of its role in alternative splicing in colon cancer is warranted. To determine the specific alternative splice forms that PRPF6 regulates in colon cancer, we plan three experiments: 1. The first involves knocking down expression of PRPF6 in two different cancer cell lines with 3 different siRNAs, and then completing RNA-seq to determine the gene expression changes that occur relative to a non-targeting control siRNA. Because of the role for PRPF6 in pre-mRNA splicing, we especially want to quantify the changes in splice-specific forms of all genes genome-wide to identify genes whose splicing is altered upon PRPF6 knockdown. 2. The second involves immunoprecipitating PRPF6 from two different cancer cell lines and isolating any RNA that is bound to PRPF6, since PRPF6 is an RNA-binding protein. We then want to carry out RNA-seq to identify which RNA molecules co-immunoprecipitated with PRPF6. This will help us determine possible functions for PRPF6 in regulating colon cancer growth. 3. The third involves overexpressing PRPF6 in cell lines and then carrying out RNA-seq to identify any changes in splice-specific gene expression. This will allow us to determine whether increased PRPF6 expression is sufficient to drive alternative splicing changes.

Study EGAS00001000761

Population Structure and Genetic Diversity in Argentinean populations

Argentina was one of the last places peopled when humans entered the Americas. Its earliest archeological sites are dated from 13,000 years BP, and throughout its history the region has exhibited broad cultural diversity, involving both hunter-gatherer and agro-pastoral societies, different linguistic families, the Southern expansion of the Inca Empire, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and slave trade from Africa. More recently, Argentina has had the highest proportion of influx of transoceanic migration between 1850 and 1940 of any Latin American country. Furthermore, the geographical distribution of immigrants was oriented towards the Pampa region of central-eastern Argentina and the Northeast, so different patterns of mixed ancestry throughout the country are expected. In this present work we aim to describe the history and structure of the Argentinean population. Thus far, we have collected DNA samples from 2904 participants from 15 dispersed regions in Argentina, from the Andean populations in the Northwest to the river lands of the Northeast. Our preliminary data includes genome-scale Illumina Exome Array 250K genotypes, plus next-generation sequencing data from uniformly spaced genomic regions targeted with a genotype-by- sequencing strategy (which covers 1.5% of the genome), for 375 participants from 9 of the 15 populations. We will identify proportions and patterns of European, African and Indigenous American ancestry in the Argentinean cohort via local ancestry inference. The first series of analyses will focus on genomic tracts of Indigenous American ancestry for fine-scale examination of sub-continental structure by comparing to a panel of 493 samples from 52 Indigenous American populations from throughout the Americas. Furthermore, this work will serve as a test of different low-cost strategies (exome genotype array vs. genotype-by-sequencing) for accurate inference of population structure in extant populations.

Study EGAS00001001663

UK10K COHORT ALSPAC

The UK10K project proposes a series of complementary genetic approaches to find new low-frequency/rare variants contributing to disease phenotypes. These will be based on obtaining the genome-wide sequence of 4000 samples from the TwinsUK and ALSPAC cohorts (at 6x sequence coverage), and the exome sequence (protein-coding regions and related conserved sequence) of 6000 samples selected for extreme phenotypes. Our studies will focus primarily on cardiovascular-related quantitative traits, obesity and related metabolic traits, neurodevelopmental disorders and a limited number of extreme clinical phenotypes that will provide proof-of-concept for future familial trait sequencing. We will directly analyse quantitative traits in the cohorts and the selected traits in the extreme samples, and also use imputation down to 0.1% allele frequency to extend the analyses to further sample sets with genome wide genotype data. In each case we will investigate indels and larger structural variants as well as SNPs, and use statistical methods that combine rare variants in a locus or pathway as well as single-variant approaches. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is a two-generation prospective study. Pregnant women living in one of three health districts in the former county of Avon with an expected delivery date between April 1991 and December 1992 were eligible to be enrolled in the study, and this formed the initial point of contact for the development of a large, family based resource. Information has been collected on the children and the mothers through retrieval of biological materials (e.g. antenatal blood samples, placentas), biological sampling (e.g. collection of cord blood, umbilical cord, milk teeth, hair, toenails, blood and urine), self-administered questionnaires, data extraction from medical notes, linkage to routine information systems and at repeat research clinics.

Study EGAS00001000090

Genetic_Heterogeneity_of_the_familial_gastric_neuroendocrine_tumors

Gastric neuroendocrine tumors (gNETs) occur with an estimated frequency of 2 per 100,000 in the general population. Type I gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent the 75% of gNTEs and arise from gastric enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells. They have late age of onset and usually benigh course. Classically, hypergastrinemia in patients who have autoimmune atrophic gastritis, causes hyperplasia of gastric ECL cells that progresses into type I gastric NETs and parietal cell (PC) destruction. The genetic bases in families with this disease are unknown. We performed an exome sequencing study of an atypical aggressive familial gNETs case (with early age onset, nodal infiltrations and gastric adenocarcinomas) that followed a recessive model. We identified a deleterious mutation in homozygosis in the ATP4A gene, which encodes the proton pump responsible for acid secretion by gastric parietal cells. This mutation lead to achlorhydria first, and hypergastrinemia and gNET developing as consequence (Calvete et al. 2014). Recently, two more families with gNETs, classical clinical traits and recessive model have been studies by WES but we didn't find any mutation in the ATP4a gene. However, putative mutations affecting genes that contribute to the development and the integrity of PC have been found suggesting that genetic alterations associated to this disorder target to a unique cell type (parietal cells). In order to cinfirm this hypothesis, it is necessary the search for new genes implicated in the gNETs, more familial cases are needed to be studied. We have identified four more new familial gNETs cases. Here, we propose their study by WES. The first family is formed by thress siblings with gNETs. The other families include two siblings with gNETs. 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 EGAS00001002273

Successful immune checkpoint blockade in a patient with advanced stage microsatellite unstable biliary tract cancer (H021)

Cancers acquire multiple somatic mutations that can lead to the generation of immunogenic mutation-induced neoantigens. These neoantigens can be recognized by the host’s immune system. However, continuous stimulation of immune cells against tumor antigens can lead to immune cell exhaustion, which allows uncontrolled outgrowth of tumor cells. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a novel approach to overcome immune cell exhaustion and re-activate anti-tumor immune responses. In particular, antibodies blocking the exhaustion-mediating programmed death receptor (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathway have shown clinical efficacy. The effects were particularly pronounced in tumors with DNA mismatch repair deficiency and a high mutational load, which typically occur in the colon and endometrium. Here, we report on a 24-year old woman diagnosed with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who showed strong and durable response to the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab, although treatment was initiated at an advanced stage of disease. The patient’s tumor displayed DNA mismatch repair deficiency and microsatellite instability (MSI), but lacked other features commonly discussed as predictors of response towards checkpoint blockade, such as PD-L1 expression or dense infiltration with cytotoxic T cells. Notably, high levels of HLA class I and II antigen expression were detected in the tumor, suggesting a potential causal relation between functionality of the tumor’s antigen presentation machinery and the success of immune checkpoint blockade. We suggest determining MSI status in combination with HLA class I and II antigen expression in tumors potentially eligible for immune checkpoint blockade even in the absence of conventional markers predictive for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and in entities not commonly linked to MSI phenotype. Further studies are required to determine the value of these markers for predicting the success of immune checkpoint blockade. (H021)

Study EGAS00001002441

Genome_Diversity_in_Africa_Project__Uganda

Globally, human populations show structured genetic diversity as a result of geographical dispersion, selection and drift. Understanding this genetic variation can provide insights into the evolutionary processes that shape both human adaptation and variation in disease. Populations from SSA have the highest levels of genetic diversity. This characteristic, in addition to historical genetic admixture, can lead to complexities in the design of studies assessing the genetic determinants of disease and human variation. However, such studies of African populations are also likely to provide new opportunities to discover novel disease susceptibility loci and variants and refine gene–disease association signals. A systematic assessment of genetic diversity within SSA would facilitate genomic epidemiological studies in the region. The Genome Diversity in Africa Project (GDAP) aims to produce a comprehensive catalogue of human genetic variation in SSA, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural variants, and haplotypes. This resource will make a substantial contribution to understanding patterns of genetic diversity within and among populations in SSA, as well as providing a global resource to help design, implement and interpret genomic studies in SSA populations and studies comprising globally diverse populations, complementing existing genomic resources. Specifically, we plan to carry out high depth whole genome sequencing of up to 2000 individuals across Africa (25 individuals from each ethnolinguistic group). Our scientific objectives are to: 1) develop a resource that provides a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variation in populations from SSA accessible to the global scientific community; 2) characterise population genetic diversity, structure, gene flow and admixture across SSA; 3) develop a cost-efficient, next-generation genotype array for diverse populations across SSA; and 4) facilitate whole genome-sequencing association studies of complex traits and diseases by developing a reference panel for imputation and resource for enhancing fine-mapping disease susceptibility loci. These scientific objectives will be supported by cross-cutting operational activities, including network and management of the consortium, research ethics, and research capacity building in statistical genetics and bioinformatics

Study EGAS00001002523

The University of Hong Kong Colon Cancer GCV Study

Background: Ganciclovir (GCV) is widely used in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients for prophylaxis and treatment of cytomegalovirus. It has long been considered a mutagen and carcinogen. However, the contribution of GCV to cancer incidence and other factors that influence its mutagenicity remains unknown. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed genomics data for 121,771 patients who had undergone targeted sequencing compiled by the Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE) or Foundation Medicine (FM). A statistical approach was developed to identify patients with GCV-associated mutational signature (GCVsig) from targeted sequenced data of tumour samples. Cell line exposure models were further used to quantify mutation burden and DNA damage caused by GCV and other antiviral and immunosuppressive drugs. Results: Mutational profiles from 22 of 121,771 patient samples in the GENIE and FM cohorts showed evidence of GCVsig. A diverse range of cancers was represented. All patients with detailed clinical history available had previously undergone solid organ transplantation and received GCV and mycophenolate treatment. RAS hotspot mutations associated with GCVsig¬¬ were present in 9 of the 22 samples, with all samples harbouring multiple GCV-associated protein-altering mutations in cancer driver genes. In vitro testing in cell lines showed that elevated DNA damage response and GCV¬sig are uniquely associated with GCV but not acyclovir, a structurally similar antiviral. Combination treatment of GCV with the immunosuppressant, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), increased the misincorporation of GCV in genomic DNA and mutations attributed to GCVsig in cell lines and organoids. Conclusions: In summary, GCV can cause a diverse range of cancers. Its mutagenicity may be potentiated by other therapies, such as mycophenolate, commonly co-prescribed with GCV for post-transplant patients. Further investigation of the optimal use of these drugs could help reduce GCV-associated mutagenesis in post-transplant patients.

Study EGAS00001006707

Molecular features of adenomas predicting metachronous colorectal cancer: a nested-case control study

"Background & Aims: Current morphological features defining advanced adenomas (size ≥10 mm, high grade dysplasia or >25% villous component) cannot optimally distinguish individuals at high-risk or low-risk of metachronous colorectal cancer (me-CRC), which may result in suboptimal surveillance. Certain DNA copy number alterations are associated with adenoma-to-carcinoma progression (cancer-associated events; CAEs). We aimed to evaluate whether CAEs can better predict an individual’s risk of me-CRC than the morphological advanced adenoma features. Methods: In this nested case-control study, 529 individuals with a single adenoma at their first colonoscopy were selected from a Norwegian adenoma cohort. DNA copy number profiles were determined, by means of low-coverage whole genome sequencing. We assessed the prevalence of CAEs in advanced and non-advanced adenomas and its association with me-CRC. For the latter, cases (with CRC) were matched to controls (without CRC), with the same follow-up period as cases, as well as age and sex. Subsequently, odds ratios (OR) for the association of the presence of an advanced adenoma or a molecularly-defined high-risk adenoma with me-CRC were calculated. Results: Molecular high-risk features were observed in 85/267 (32%) of advanced adenomas and in 27/262 (10%) of non-advanced adenomas. Me-CRC was more strongly associated with advanced adenomas (OR 3.58; 95% CI 2.27-5.72) than with molecular high-risk adenomas (OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.14–3.16). After adjusting for other variables, only advanced adenoma remained significantly associated with me-CRC (OR 3.39; 95% CI 2.10–5.55). Conclusion: Molecularly-defined high-risk adenomas were associated with me-CRC, but the association of advanced adenoma with me-CRC was stronger. " Project goal: Evaluate the value of DNA copy numbers alterations detected in a baseline adenoma, in the prediction of risk of metachronous CRC

Study EGAS00001007039

Molecular characterization of Barrett’s esophagus at single cell resolution

Backgrounds & Aims: Patient with Barrett’s esophagus (BE) have an increased risk to develop esophageal adenocarcinoma and are under periodical endoscopic surveillance for malignant transformation. Pathologists distinguish between different BE stages to identify high-risk patients, but this process remains difficult as stage-specific markers are still missing. We established BE organoid cultures, applied single cell sequencing approaches to identify differences in gene expression and genomic alterations, and validated candidate genes for their predictive value on histological sections. Methods: We collected 43 epithelial biopsies from 21 patients, established organoids for the clonal expansion of matching healthy and diseased tissue from two patients to identify genomic alterations by whole genome sequencing (WGS). We performed single cell DNA-sequencing (scDNAseq) to analyse DNA alterations within biopsies from 8 patients and single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) to identify gene expression differences between BE stages from 19 patients. Candidate marker genes were then validated by RNA in situ hybridization experiments on histological resection specimen. Results: Most BE biopsies were chromosomal stable (CS) and their single base substitution (SBS) signatures were indistinguishable from the healthy control tissues. Dysplastic BE cells contained areas of chromosomal instabilities (CIN), which differed by the presence of the SBS17 signatures from biopsy-matching CS cells or patient-matching healthy control cells. Such CIN areas affected efficient clustering of the scRNAseq data. We identified two sets of marker genes (SLC5A5, PSCA, LIPF and ANPEP, CEACAM6, REG4), which distinguish columnar BE epithelium from non-dysplastic/dysplastic stages. CLDN2 allowed the distinction between dysplastic and more advanced stages as its expression level increased and spread in dysplastic BE glands. Conclusions: Molecular characterization of BE samples identified a correlation between the presence of CIN and COSMIC signature 17, and we report seven marker genes that help in distinguishing different BE stages.

Study EGAS00001005221

The Melbourne Urological Research Alliance (MURAL) Collection of Patient-Derived Models of Prostate Cancer

1. Low-Dose Carboplatin Modifies the Tumor Microenvironment to Augment CAR T Cell Efficacy in Human Prostate Cancer Models.Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed to analyze the transcriptional modifications in the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX). The analyzed PDX tumor was PDX-287R from the MURAL collection of PDXs (PMID: 34413304). Mice harboring PDX tumors were treated with the carboplatin chemotherapy, and tumors were harvested 3 weeks later. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to define immune and non-immune cell populations and anti-tumor innate immune signaling within the tumor microenvironment.To investigate the response of tumor cells to carboplatin treatment in more detail, RNA-Seq was performed on FACs-isolated tumor cells from PDX-287R at one week post-treatment. Gene set enrichment analysis showed an enrichment for apoptotic pathways, with significantly increased expression of the pro-apoptotic genes FAS, BAX, BBC3, IFI6, and JUN. Previously, carboplatin has been shown to activate the cGAS/STING pathway, and here we also found an increase in STING signaling, with an enrichment for the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway and increased expression of STING1, STAT1 and STAT2. There was also a significant increase in the expression of genes involved in T cell chemotaxis, including CXCL10, CXCL11, and CCL20. Collectively, carboplatin-induced cell death in tumor cells likely initiated a pro-inflammatory phenotype in prostate cancer PDXs.2. Co-Targeting BET, CREBBP, and EP300 Inhibits Neuroendocrine Signaling in Androgen Receptor-Null Prostate Cancer.The landscape of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is characterized by a multitude of phenotypes, among which neuroendocrine disease holds a prominent position, each displaying unique responses to therapeutic interventions. The efficacy of inhibitors targeting BET and CREBBP/EP300 in prostate cancer treatment is widely acknowledged, primarily due to their ability to attenuate androgen receptor (AR) signaling. However, the effectiveness of these inhibitors in prostate cancers devoid of AR remains uncertain.This investigation sought to elucidate the role of BRD4, CREBBP, and EP300, which are co-expressed in both AR-positive and AR-null prostate cancer. Our study revealed that a compound targeting all three proteins, NEO2734, exhibited efficacy in suppressing the growth of organoids from both AR-positive and AR-null tumors, as evidenced by alterations in viability, size, and cellular composition. Furthermore, NEO2734 treatment consistently led to transcriptional downregulation of cell cycle pathways across various models. In the context of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), NEO2734 demonstrated notable efficacy. Treatment with NEO2734 resulted in decreased expression of ASCL1 and other neuroendocrine markers (including SYP) , accompanied by a reduction in tumor growth in vivo. These findings collectively underscore the potential of epigenome-targeted inhibitors in impeding the growth of neuroendocrine prostate cancer, by disrupting lineage regulators in a phenotype-dependent manner. Consistent with the NEPC organoids and explants, NKX3-1 was upregulated in NEO2734-treated PDXs.In this study, we examined the impact of NEO2734 treatment on 6 organoids (treated for 24 hrs), 3 explants treated with JQ1 (for 48 hrs) and 2 PDXs (at two time points) using bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). These results are available through this dbGaP submission. The implications of these results warrant further exploration and development of compounds possessing similar activities for clinical applications. The ability of NEO2734 to mitigate the growth of both AR-positive and AR-null prostate cancer underscores its potential as a versatile therapeutic agent. Moreover, its efficacy in targeting neuroendocrine phenotypes offers promising avenues for addressing a subtype of CRPC that poses significant clinical challenges. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the intricate interplay between epigenetic regulators and prostate cancer phenotypes. The observed effects of NEO2734 on growth inhibition and phenotype-specific disruption highlight the importance of continued research into compounds with similar epigenome-targeting mechanisms for advancing precision medicine approaches in the treatment of prostate cancer.3. Defining Focal Neuroendocrine Differentiation as a Transcriptionally Distinct Form of Prostate Cancer Pathology Characterized by the Expression of Androgen ReceptorsThe study aimed to understand the transcriptional differences among different neuroendocrine pathologies of prostate cancer. The study hypothesized that the diverse neuroendocrine pathology observed in prostate might be attributable to differences in transcriptional level that remain hidden in bulk RNA-Seq data. To investigate, we employed scRNA-seq to generate gene expression profiles of 18,632 individual tumor cells from 9 PDX models representing five distinct neuroendocrine pathologies of prostate cancer. Our analysis identified 3-8 transcriptionally distinct sub-populations per PDX. The expression of key oncogenic signaling pathways and master regulator activity varied across in neuroendocrine pathologies, with each type of pathology displaying a unique set of transcriptional sub-populations. We discovered that, like the amphicrine pathology, focal neuroendocrine differentiation (focal NED) cells maintain androgen receptor (AR) signaling. However, the expression profiles of focal NED cells differed from the other pathologies, indicating it should be considered as a distinct type of neuroendocrine pathology in prostate cancer. Analysis of copy number alterations suggested little clonal divergence between focal NED cells and neighboring adenocarcinoma cells, emphasizing the transcriptional distinctiveness of focal NED.Overall, the findings suggest potential differences in treatment approaches for tumors from prostate cancer patients showing neuroendocrine pathology, especially focal NED.4. Reprogramming of Androgen Receptor Activity in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer is Shaped by Truncated Variants.Under the influence of treatments that target the androgen receptor (AR) axis, prostate cancer cells undergo various changes to the AR gene. This includes the production of truncated AR variants that lack the ligand binding domain and are constitutively active. However, the exact role of these truncated variants in shaping the AR signaling axis and their importance in therapy resistance is not yet fully understood. By examining the AR cistrome in a group of patient-derived prostate cancer models with different mechanisms of castration resistance, we observed diverse changes in AR activity in metastatic prostate cancer, including castration-resistant models. Specifically, we identified a unique subset of tumors characterized by the expression of ARv567es, a variant resulting from structural rearrangements of the AR gene. Tumors positive for ARv567es showed a distinct AR binding profile and epigenome compared to those without ARv567es, which was linked to an altered transcriptional profile. The presence of ARv567es is associated with poor responses to treatments, such as castration and bipolar androgen therapy (BAT), regardless of the presence of full-length AR. This involves disruption of the autoregulatory loop that controls AR gene transcription and reduced transcriptional responses to treatment. Overall, this study demonstrates that ARv567es can lead to transcriptional reprogramming in advanced prostate cancer and drive therapy resistance. 5. The MURAL Collection of Prostate Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts Enables Discovery Through Preclinical Models of Uro-Oncology.We created a comprehensive PDX resource for prostate cancer to facilitate the rapid and systematic evaluation of new therapies. This collection includes 59 tumors from 30 patients, gathered between 2012 and 2020, aligning with the availability of abiraterone and enzalutamide in the clinic. The PDXs cover the clinical, pathological, and genomic spectrum of prostate cancer, ranging from treatment-naïve primary tumors to castration-resistant metastases. We characterized heterogeneity in adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine phenotypes using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing. Additionally, organoids were cultured from PDXs, enhancing our preclinical study capabilities. Employing a 1x1x1 design, we quickly identified tumors with responses to combination therapies. To manage the distribution of PDXs, we established the Melbourne Urological Research Alliance (MURAL). This PDX collection significantly enhances our ability to test and prioritize effective treatments for future clinical trials in prostate cancer.6. Prostate Cancer Associated Fibroblasts Have Distinct Morpho-Mechanical Features That Are Associated With Patient Outcome.The tumor stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), has a crucial role in tumor progression. This study focused on the morphological and mechanical properties of CAFs and normal prostatic fibroblasts. The findings revealed that CAFs had distinct morphological and mechanical characteristics compared to normal fibroblasts, such as differences in nuclear size, shape, F-actin arrangement, cellular volumes, and elasticity. Additionally, the study correlated these biophysical properties with transcriptomic data, identifying pathways and cellular components linked to the observed changes. Overall, high-throughput assessments of biophysical properties in prostate cancer cells and stromal components may serve as predictive tools for patient outcomes and help identify new therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor stroma.

Study phs003369

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Prematurity and Its Complications

Preterm labor resulting in the delivery of a premature child is a complex problem with an enormous impact on individuals, families and society. An estimated 500,000 children are born prematurely in the U.S. each year, and 5 million worldwide die annually of prematurity and its complications. Prematurity is also the single largest contributor to disability-adjusted life years, a measure of the lifetime impact of a disease. Despite the importance of the problem and its disproportionate occurrence in poor and minority populations, its underlying etiology (or etiologies) remains unknown; the single best predictor for preterm delivery is a previous preterm birth. The largest single cause of prematurity is spontaneous preterm labor, and suspected triggers for this include infection, stress, poor nutrition and genetic factors. Family and twin studies provide strong evidence that genetic factors underlie about 40% of the risk for prematurity. A major challenge in studying genetic factors in prematurity is maternal/uterine factors, fetal/placental factors, or both may influence risk. Thus, any approach to studying preterm birth should account for both infant and maternal risk, environmental covariates and interactions. The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) is a well-established, prospective cohort that enrolled women early in pregnancy, prior to any adverse pregnancy outcomes, to minimize bias in data collection and sampling. See details at: http://www.ssi.dk/English. The DNBC followed over 100,000 pregnancies beginning in the first trimester and has extensive biological material and epidemiologic data on health outcomes in both mother and child. The current study posted on dbGaP contains data from a genome-wide case/control study using approximately 1,000 preterm mother-child pairs from the DNBC most with spontaneous onset of labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), along with 1,000 control pairs where the child was born at ~40 weeks' gestation. After data cleaning some small changes in case/control status and other variables resulted in minor changes in numbers of cases or controls in certain categories. Environmental variables are being used as covariates in the analysis. To replicate positive findings, we are using additional mother-child pairs from the DNBC and from the general Danish population, as well as 2200 samples coming primarily from an African-American population known to have high rates of preterm labor and delivery. This group includes over 1000 mostly very low birthweight infants, over 500 infant term controls, 326 term mother/baby pairs and 180 preterm mother/baby pairs. The data from these additional cohorts will be available in separate dbGaP postings. The study is expected to yield a better understanding of the biology of parturition, identify common genetic factors that play a role in preterm birth and its complications and suggest environmental modifications that can prolong gestation, with the goal of improving both neonatal and adult outcomes. This study is part of the Gene Environment Association Studies initiative (GENEVA, http://www.genevastudy.org) funded by the trans-NIH Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative (GEI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to prematurity and its complications through large-scale genome-wide association studies of a well-characterized cohort of Danish mothers and babies. Genotyping was performed at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data cleaning and harmonization were done at the GEI-funded GENEVA Coordinating Center at the University of Washington.

Study phs000103

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