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• ARID1A Mutations in Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Carcinomas

  We have sequenced the whole transcriptomes of 18 ovarian clear-cell carcinomas and 1 ovarian clear-cell carcinoma cell line and found somatic mutations in ARID1A (the AT-rich interactive domain 1A [SWI-like] gene) in 6 of the samples. ARID1A encodes BAF250a, a key component of the SWI–SNF chromatin remodeling complex. We sequenced ARID1A in an additional 210 ovarian carcinomas and a second ovarian clear-cell carcinoma cell line and measured BAF250a expression by means of immunohistochemical analysis in an additional 455 ovarian carcinomas

  Study EGAS00000000075

• A Genome-Wide Association Study for Post-bronchodilator Lung Function in Children with Asthma

  In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of post-bronchodilator (BD) FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) and FEV1/FVC (forced vital capacity) in Puerto Rican children with asthma. From September 2003 to June 2010, we recruited 618 Puerto Rican children with asthma, which was defined as physician diagnosed asthma and at least one episode of wheezing in the previous year. The recruited children include 267 from public schools in Hartford, Connecticut and 351 from randomly selected households in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

  Study phs001216

• scRNA-seq of human follicular lymphoma and lymph node

  Cryopreserved cells from human nodal follicular lymphoma and lymph node samples were thawed and processed for scRNA-seq analysis. CD3+ CD19− 7-AAD− live T cells (six FL samples from the Original cohort) or 7-AAD− whole live hematopoietic cells (five lymph node and nine FL samples from Validation cohort 1) were sorted using a FACS Aria II or III instrument (BD Biosciences). To generate single-cell emulsions, 6,000–10,000 live cells were loaded into the 10X Genomics Chromium Controller for single-cell partitioning, along with the reverse transcriptase reagent mixture and 3' or 5' gel beads. Sorted T or whole hematopoietic cells were converted to barcoded scRNA-seq libraries using 10X Genomics Chromium single cell 3' reagent kits (v3) for the Validation cohort 1, 5' reagent kits (v1) for the Original cohort, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The libraries were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq X Ten or NovaSeq X Plus system, mapped to the human genome (build GRCh38), and demultiplexed using CellRanger pipelines (v3.1.0, 10x Genomics).

  Dataset EGAD50000001143

• Childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia genomic and transcriptomic data

  The aim of the two studies was: 1) to genetically characterise childhood leukemia patients that lacked established cytogenetic abnormalities (termed B-other leukemia) and assess the clinical features of recurrent genetic abnormalities. 2) Assess the accuracy of whole genome sequencing as a diagnostic genetic test in childhood leukemia, relative to other traditional methods (karyotyping, FISH, MLPA) and whole transcriptome sequencing. As a result, this study includes targeted DNA-sequencing, whole genome sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing data on childhood leukemia patients enrolled on UK clinical trials (UKALL2003 and UKALL2011).

  Study EGAS00001006863

• Gene expression data of 2D duodenum organoids with or without continuous flow

  We developed a monolayer culture system for small intestinal organoids, and then placed the culture plate on a rotator to generate a constant flow in the overlay medium. This mechanical stimulation facilitated the formation of villus-like structures from the monolayer of small intestinal organoids. We analyzed gene expression of 2D normal duodenum organoids with or without medium rotation. Total RNA was extracted from organoids with or without a four-day medium rotation, and after 0, 1, 2 or 4 days of medium rotation, and sequenced with HiSeq X Ten (Illumina).

  Study JGAS000256

• The DIRECT study: A roadmap for ctDNA-based risk prediction, molecular profiling and MRD detection in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

  DIRECT was a prospective, multisite study assessing the feasibility and utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in 188 patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma using capture panel sequencing and an open-source computational pipeline. The aims of the study were 1)baseline risk stratification, 2)genetic profiling and 3)ultrasensitive minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment. This study highlighted the considerable potential, but also the caveats and limitations, of ctDNA technology when applied to aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

  Study EGAS50000000968

• Single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the human hematopoietic stem cell compartment (CD34+CD38-CD45RA-)

  To identify a trajectory of human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activation single cell gene expression profiling of RNA from human HSC was performed by flow cytometry-based single cell deposition of CD34+CD38—CD45RA—cells from G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood from 3 individual donors and 1 bone marrow donor in concert with single cell index-sorting (signals indexed: CD34, CD38, CD45RA, CD90, CD49f) and followed by SMARTseq2 based protocol. We show that INKA1 and CDK6/PAK4 expressing single cells segregate across alternative states of quiescence.

  Study EGAS00001004769

• RNASeq of PDX and CDX tumours treated with ADC

  Enapotamab vedotin (EnaV), an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting AXL, effectively targets tumors that display insensitivity to immunotherapy and/or tumor-specific T cells in several melanoma and lung cancer models. Mechanistically, EnaV treatment induced an inflammatory response and immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, and promoted induction of a memory-like phenotype in cytotoxic T cells. Combining EnaV with tumor-specific T cells proved superior to any treatment alone in models of melanoma and lung cancer, and increased ICB benefit in models otherwise insensitive to anti-PD-1 treatment.

  Study EGAS00001004562

• MARS-seq dataset of five obese human subjects and a lean human subject

  Biopsies from visceral adipose tissue from the omental depot (OAT) were obtained from five obese individuals and one lean donor with participant informed consent obtained after the nature and possible consequences of the studies were explained under protocols approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, or the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The obese donors underwent bariatric surgery, the lean donor underwent cholecystectomy. OAT samples were placed in 1 mL of DMEM, and finely minced under sterile conditions before digestion in 50 mL of DMEM with 3 mg/1 mL collagenase IV (Gibco). Samples were incubated at 37°C in a rotating oven for 20-60 min. Adipocyte and stromal vascular fractions (SVF) were separated by centrifugation, and red blood cells (RBCs) were removed from the SVF by histopaque gradient (Sigma). Single-cell RNA-sequencing libraries were prepared using the MARS-seq pipeline, and sequenced on the MiSeq 500 or HiSeq 2500 Sequencing System (Illumina).

  Dataset EGAD00001005100

• FASTQ files of the polyA+ (oligo-dT) RNA-Seq dataset from the POPS SGA (Small for Gestational Age) samples and their matched controls.

  FASTQ files of the polyA+ (oligo-dT) RNA-Seq dataset from the POPS SGA (Small for Gestational Age) samples and their matched controls. The POP study placental biopsies were collected within 30 minutes of birth and flash frozen in RNAlater (ThermoFisher). For each biopsy, total placental RNA was extracted from approximately 5 mg of tissue using the “mirVana miRNA Isolation Kit” (Ambion) followed by DNase treatment (“DNA-free DNA Removal Kit”, Ambion). RNA quality was assessed with the Agilent Bioanalyzer and all the samples with RIN values ≥ 7.0 were used in the downstream experiments. RNA-libraries were prepared from 1g of total placental RNA with the TruSeq Stranded mRNA Library Prep Kit (Illumina) which captures polyA-tailed transcripts by oligo-dT beads, then pooled and sequenced (single-end, 50bp) using a Single End V4 cluster kit and Illumina HiSeq2500

  Dataset EGAD00001006304

• RNAseq of circulating monocytes of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) patients before and after treatment, and healthy controls.

  RNAseq of circulating monocytes of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) patients before and after treatment, and healthy controls. Please cite original paper: Monocyte and macrophage lipid accumulation results in downregulated type-I interferon responses. Willemsen et al. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022) Familial hypercholesterolemic patients (n=10) and healthy subjects (n=9): the study population, design, and further processing of these human study subjects and their samples have been extensively described (Stiekema et al., 2021). Briefly, untreated FH patients who indicated to start lipid-lowering therapy (statin, PCSK9 antibody, and/or ezetimibe) according to their treating physician were included. The healthy controls were age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) matched with the FH patients. After inclusion, FH patients fasted for at least 9 hours before blood samples were drawn for lipid measurements and monocyte isolation. This was repeated after 12 weeks of lipid-lowering therapy. RNA-seq was performed on circulating monocytes. V1 = visit 1. V2 = visit 2.

  Dataset EGAD00001008967

• RNA-sequencing of ex vivo exhausted human antigen-specific T cells

  Tumor-specific T cells are frequently exhausted by chronic antigenic stimulation. To explore new pathways for reinvigoration of anti-tumor immune functions, we developed a human ex vivo exhaustion model by repetitive antigenic stimulation of primary CD8 T cells. This results in T cells that resemble patient-derived T cells in tumors on a phenotypic and transcriptional level. Four human healhy donor CD8+ T cells were isolated, transduced with an NY-ESO-1 TCR lentivirus construct, stimulated in four different conditions (Trested, Ttumor, Tex, Teff) with T2 tumor cells and specific peptides over 12 days. Cells were then sorted for TCR Vbeta 13.1+ (NY-ESO-1 TCR) CD8+ CD3+ CD56- CD4- DAPI- cells. RNA-seq TruSeq libraries were generated from polyA-enriched mRNA isolated from the samples, and sequenced in paired-end mode (2x51bp) on 2 lanes of an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 flow-cell. FASTQ sequence files were generated with the Illumina RTA version 3.4.4 and Base-calling Version bcl2fastq-2.20.0.422.

  Dataset EGAD00001009754

• 10x dataset of an obese human subject

  Biopsies from visceral adipose tissue from the omental depot (OAT) were obtained from an obese individual with participant informed consent obtained after the nature and possible consequences of the studies were explained under protocols approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, or the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The obese donor underwent bariatric surgery, the lean donor underwent cholecystectomy. OAT samples were placed in 1 mL of DMEM, and finely minced under sterile conditions before digestion in 50 mL of DMEM with 3 mg/1 mL collagenase IV (Gibco). Samples were incubated at 37°C in a rotating oven for 20-60 min. Adipocyte and stromal vascular fractions (SVF) were separated by centrifugation, and red blood cells (RBCs) were removed from the SVF by histopaque gradient (Sigma). Single-cell RNA-sequencing libraries were prepared using the Chromium platform (10x genomics), and sequenced on the MiSeq 500 or HiSeq 2500 Sequencing System (Illumina).

  Dataset EGAD00001005101

• The patterns and dynamics of genomic instability in metastatic pancreatic cancer

  Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a five-year mortality of 97–98%, usually due to widespread metastatic disease. Previous studies indicate that this disease has a complex genomic landscape, with frequent copy number changes and point mutations, but genomic rearrangements have not been characterized in detail. Despite the clinical importance of metastasis, there remain fundamental questions about the clonal structures of metastatic tumours, including phylogenetic relationships among metastases, the scale of ongoing parallel evolution in metastatic and primary sites, and how the tumour disseminates. Here we harness advances in DNA sequencing to annotate genomic rearrangements in 13 patients with pancreatic cancer and explore clonal relationships among metastases. We find that pancreatic cancer acquires rearrangements indicative of telomere dysfunction and abnormal cell-cycle control, namely dysregulated G1-to-S-phase transition with intact G2–M checkpoint. These initiate amplification of cancer genes and occur predominantly in early cancer development rather than the later stages of the disease. Genomic instability frequently persists after cancer dissemination, resulting in ongoing, parallel and even convergent evolution among different metastases. We find evidence that there is genetic heterogeneity among metastasis-initiating cells, that seeding metastasis may require driver mutations beyond those required for primary tumours, and that phylogenetic trees across metastases show organ-specific branches. These data attest to the richness of genetic variation in cancer, brought about by the tandem forces of genomic instability and evolutionary selection.

  Study EGAS00000000064

• Phase II Therapeutic Trial of Mexiletine in Non-Dystrophic Myotonia (IND #77,021)

  Non-dystrophic myotonias are a group of rare muscle disorders caused by abnormalities in different muscle cell membrane proteins. Patients experience delayed muscle relaxation that causes impaired physical activity, stiffness, and pain. Mexiletine has been shown to be beneficial for symptoms of myotonia in case reports of patients with non-dystrophic myotonia, however, current management of these patients primarily depends on individual practitioners' preference. This study is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over treatment trial using mexiletine in non-dystrophic myotonias. The results, if positive, will permit the identification of mexiletine as an effective therapy for myotonia, making it a first-line therapy for patients with non-dystrophic myotonia. The specific aim of this proposal is to perform a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study to assess whether mexiletine improves both quantitative and qualitative measures of myotonia in patients with non-dystrophic myotonia. Given the rarity of non-dystrophic myotonia, large randomized controlled treatment trials in these disorders have not been feasible in the past. Primary Outcome Measure: Patient-assessed symptom: stiffness as measured by an Interactive Voice Response Diary (IVR). Secondary Outcome Measures: a) patient-assessed pain, weakness, and fatigue as measured by IVR; b) clinical myotonia assessment; c) quality of life as measured by INQoL, SF36; d) a quantitative measure of grip myotonia; e) measurement of CMAP after short and long exercise; f) grading of myotonia on needle EMG.

  Study phs001311

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Postmortem Prefrontal Cortex eQTL and mQTL Study

  Mapping expression and methylation quantitative trait loci (eQTLs and mQTLs) using genome-wide genotype, transcriptome, and DNA methylome data can provide an unbiased approach to identify novel functional variants. One critical issue of the eQTL/mQTL analysis is that the role of genetic variants in regulating gene expression (or DNA methylation) can be tissue- or cell-specific. To unravel causal variants from disease-associated loci, it would be necessary to map eQTLs and mQTLs in both patients and controls. Those eQTLs and mQTLs in patients are more likely to be causal variants for the disease. Identification of disease- and tissue-specific eQTLs and mQTLs will help disentangle the role of the specific tissue in disease development as well. In the present study, we mapped eQTLs and mQTLs in postmortem prefrontal cortex of patients with alcoholism or alcohol use disorder (AUD) and matched control subjects by integrative analyses of genome-wide SNP genotype, mRNA transcriptome, and DNA methylome data. As AUD is comorbid with schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BIP), major depressive disorder (MDD), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we further examined the co-localization of PFC eQTLs/mQTLs and GWAS-identified SNPs (mainly noncoding SNPs) that were associated with AUD as well as comorbid SCZ, BIP, MDD, and ADHD. Our study demonstrated the enrichment of PFC eQTLs/mQTLs in the above psychiatric disorder-associated genetic variants identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

  Study phs001981

• A Phase I/II Study of Revlimid (lenalidomide) in Combination with Vidaza (azacitidine) in Patients with Advanced Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

  This single-arm study design has been selected to investigate the safety of combination therapy with Vidaza® (azacitidine) and Revlimid® (lenalidomide) in a population of 18 participants with advanced MDS for the Phase I portion, and 18 participants for the Phase II portion. The multi-center nature of the study should enhance the general applicability of the results. Participants with advanced MDS were chosen because it is expected that the combination of the two drugs will by myelosuppressive, which can be considered a necessary toxicity to effect improvements in PR and CR rates in this advanced population, akin to participants with AML. Finally, the combination was chosen to be studied because currently available therapies in this population, and their effectiveness, are limited, and single-agent Vidaza® (azacitidine), while effective at delaying transformation to AML or death, is not curative. The doses of Revlimid® (lenalidomide) in this study are similar to those that were demonstrated to have an effect and to be well-tolerated in participants with MDS. Doses for Vidaza® (azacitidine) are similar to those used in the pivotal trial, though for a 5-day treatment period instead of 7 to minimize toxicity for the first 3 blocks of participants, and then at a lower dose over a protracted period of time to explore the safety of a 10-day treatment course.

  Study phs001318

• University of Texas PDX Development and Trial Center Grant

  The goal for the University Texas PDX Development and Trial Center (UTPDTC) is to optimize personalized biomarker-based cancer therapy and identify effective targeted drugs based on the molecular characteristics of each tumor. Our short-term goals are to establish a biobank of clinically, and molecularly-annotated Patient-Derived Xenografts (PDXs) and to use PDXs as a platform for preclinical drug development and biomarker discovery. The primary goal for UTPDTC investigators will be to develop PDX trial strategies for preclinical testing of single agents and drug combinations. These models will allow the determination of the optimal treatments (single drugs or combinations) that should be tested in clinical trials in increasingly individualized, molecularly defined subsets of tumors. The goal of the Patient-Derived Xenograft Core is to provide high-quality clinically relevant and molecularly annotated PDX models for the research projects proposed in the University of Texas PDX Development and Trial Center (UTPDTC) grant application and to the research activity of the NCI PDX Development and Trial Centers Research Network (PDXNet) by leveraging PDX resources at our institutions and developing new PDX models from human cancer specimens using rigorous quality standards so that the models can be used to guide clinical trial development. The PDX models developed and/or characterized by the PDX Core will be available to other cancer researchers through the PDXNet and NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository (PDMR).

  Study phs001980

• Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis in a Family of Discordant Twins With Non-Syndromic Microtia and Hemifacial Microsomia: Identification of Novel Candidate Genes and Variants

  This research is a non-NIH effort to discover the pathogenesis of non-syndromic microtia and to detect potential candidate genes. Microtia (OMIM 600674, 612290, 251800) is a spectrum of congenital anomalies and facial abnormalities, 90% of the cases followed by hearing loss. Two types of the disease are described in terms of connection to the affected syndromes: anomalies (syndromic) and only clinical manifestation (non-syndromic) associated with other symptoms. Though the exact pathogenesis of microtia remains unknown, pathogenic genes of majority of the microtia syndromic types have been identified. However, the genetic mutation of the non-syndromic microtia has not been confirmed. In this study, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was utilized to screen mutations in monozygotic discordant twins of congenital microtia-atresia and their family members. One of the twins, along with her grandfather, was discordant for microtia-atresia. By bioinformatic analysis of the WGS data from monozygotic twins with microtia and their non-microtia relatives, we proposed that among 28 identified potential genes, 4 of them (CNOT1, ODAD4, TBX15, and GIPC3) could be more responsible for non-syndromic microtia development and phenotypic features. Interested investigators may request to access the DNA genomic sequencing data of the study participants via dbGaP authorized access. In addition to raw genomic sequencing data, datasets of germline mutations and candidate gene mutations may also be available for investigators to request.

  Study phs003216

• Small Intestine Neuroendocrine Tumors (Carcinoid Tumors)

  The diagnosed incidence of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is increasing. While patients with localized disease can be treated surgically, those with metastatic disease currently have few treatment options. The success of biologically targeted therapies in other malignancies has led to interest in the molecular alterations underlying the pathogenesis of these NETs. To identify genetic aberrations in small intestine NETs, we generated copy number profiles from 31 primary and metastatic tumors and performed whole-exome sequencing on a subset of 29 primary small intestine NETs and 24 metastatic NETs in parallel with normal blood DNA. Whole-genome sequencing data was generated on 15 tumor/normal pairs and 5 primary/metastasis/normal trios. The global genetic landscape of small bowel NETs is relatively quiet. Consistent with previous studies, the overwhelming majority of tumors were characterized by loss of chromosome 18 and, to a lesser extent, other chromosome arm gains and losses. In stark contrast to arm-level alterations, recurrent high-level focal amplifications and deletions were much less prevalent in these tumors. High-throughput mutation screening and exome sequencing revealed similarly low rates of somatic mutation in NETs (median of 0.77 non-silent mutations per megabase (Mb) of coding DNA) compared to other recent cancer exome sequencing efforts. Our analysis of this cohort identified only a single, statistically significant recurrent somatic mutation targeting the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor gene, CDKN1B, encoding p27.

  Study phs000579

• The Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes Consortium (GoT2D): Low-Pass Sequencing and High-Density SNP Genotyping for Type 2 Diabetes

  The Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes Consortium (GoT2D) is a collaboration between the University of Michigan, the Broad Institute and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. The overall aim is to extend upon recent efforts, such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and large scale meta-analyses. While they have proved successful at mapping genomic loci that influence human diseases, like type 2 diabetes, much of the heritability remains unexplained. In this study, we use next generation sequencing and genotyping technologies to query for lower frequency variants in the human genome. Thereby, allowing a deeper characterization of the spectrum of alleles associated with type 2 diabetes risk, and a better assessment of the genes that play a role in the etiology of type 2 diabetes development. We studied 1,326 T2D cases and 1,331 normoglycemic controls from Northern and Central Europe (Sweden, Finland, UK, and Germany). To efficiently characterize the entire genome sequence of each individual, we performed low-coverage (~5x) whole-genome sequencing, augmented by deep coverage (~100x) sequencing of the exome (Fuchsberger et al, 2016), and dense (2.5M) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using the HumanOmni2.5 array. The data deposited in dbGaP will include all the Swedish, Finnish, and UK samples, but the German data will be deposited in the European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA), by virtue of the project specific funding requirements.

  Study phs000840

• Uncovering Inversion Formation in the Human Genome and its Impact to Disease

  The relevance of inversions for disease causation, speciation and adaptation is broadly recognized, although the prevalence of inversions is unknown. In humans, de novo inversions are associated with congenital anomalies in approximately 9.6% of patients. Yet, despite the biological relevance of inversions, their molecular features, formation mechanism, impact to the genomic structure of carriers, as well as their contribution to clinical phenotypes, have not been further explored. Inversions are typically classified as balanced reciprocal events generated by ectopic recombination, although recent studies reveal a distinct picture whereby inversions originate from mechanisms that concomitantly generate copy number variants (CNVs). Surprisingly, those complex inversions underlie as much as 30% of neurodevelopmental-associated CNVs. The hypothesis of this project are: inversions are often generated de novo by mechanisms other than ectopic recombination a relevant fraction of inversions are associated with complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs), often overlooked in sporadic diseases, and inversions are a "hidden" type of structural variation for which contribution to a clinical phenotypes has been under assessed due to the lack of appropriate detection tools. A combined strategy using multiple genomic tools will be applied to characterize inversions and associated genomic alterations in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and controls: whole genome sequencing (WGS) with short-and long-reads; genome mapping; classical cytogenetics; and array CGH. This project will establish common ground to bridge studies of rare and common diseases, human evolution, and population genetics.

  Study phs002999

• Genomic and Phenotypic Profile of Sickle Cell Disease in Human Population in Cameroon

  Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a biallelic single nucleotide substitution in the beta-globin gene (HBB), resulting in an amino acid substitution, Glu7Val, formerly known as Glu6Val. An estimated 300,000 babies with SCD are born worldwide each year, with nearly 75% of these births being in sub-Saharan Africa. In Africa, at least 30-50% of children with untreated SCD die before the age of 5 years. Therefore, accelerating the path for novel therapies for SCD through genomics research on fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is critical. Variants in the currently known HbF‐modulating genes/loci, i.e., BCL11A, HBS1L-MYB, and XmnI-HBG2, explain only 10-20% of the variation of HbF levels in African individuals with SCD, compared with nearly 50% of the variation in HbF levels among Europeans. Expanding genomic research in populations of African ancestry could uncover the missing heritability of HbF-promoting loci. This study used the Human Heredity and Health (H3Africa) consortium SNP genotyping array developed from whole genome enriched for common variants in sub-Saharan Africans to investigate genomic variations associated with HbF levels in individuals with sickle cell anemia of the HbSS genotype from Cameroon. Two of the previously described loci, BCL11A and HBS1L-MYB were replicated, while a novel locus on chromosome 13 mapping to FLT1 was uncovered. The study therefore opens up a novel avenue for exploring SCD gene therapy.

  Study phs003748

• Biopsy-Derived Organoids in Personalised Early Breast Cancer Care: Challenges of Tumour Purity and Normal Cell Overgrowth Cap Their Practical Utility

  The ability to establish organoids composed exclusively of tumour rather than healthy cells is essential for their implementation into clinical practice. Organoids have in recent years emerged as a powerful tool to expand patient material in culture and generate modifiable 3D models derived from humans or animal models. For translational research, they enable the creation of model systems for an ever-increasing number of cell types and diseases. And in personalised medicine, they potentially allow for functional drug testing with high predictive power in certain settings. We found that using biopsy material from untreated, early-stage primary breast cancer patients poses significant challenges for consistently culturing tumour cells as organoids. Specifically, we observed frequent outgrowth of genetically normal, non-cancerous epithelial cells. We analysed >100 biopsy samples from early-stage breast cancer and present our large collection of >70 organoid lines. We also show methods of assessing successful tumour cell culture in a time and cost-efficient manner, proving a high rate (>85%) of normal cell overgrowth in early-stage breast cancer organoids. Finally, we show a number of successful attempts to culture cancer organoids from mastectomy-derived tissue of advanced, metastatic breast cancer. We conclude that the usefulness of organoids from early breast cancer for translational research and personalised medicine, especially guidance of adjuvant or post-surgical maintenance therapy, is strongly limited by the low success rate of culturing cancerous cells under organoid conditions.

  Study EGAS50000000605

• Multi-omics bulk and single-cell profiling of epithelioid sarcoma

  Epithelioid sarcoma (EpS) is an aggressive sarcoma, characterized by the loss of SMARCB1 expression. EpS is traditionally classified as distal or proximal according to clinicopathological features, but its molecular characteristics remain largely unknown. To establish an EpS molecular classification and uncover determinants of inter- and intra-patient heterogeneity in EpS, we used multi-omics profiling and integrated the genomic, transcriptional and methylome landscapes with single-cell RNA sequencing on fresh samples as well as spatial transcriptomics. We identified two molecular subtypes of EpS: “distal-like” and “proximal-like”, which were distinct from the histological subtypes. Distal-like tumors include all morphological distal subtypes and a subset of proximal and hybrid EpS. They express a specific molecular single-cell derived epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition signature, which associates with improved patient survival and includes Desmoglein 2 (DSG2), which we identify as a potential routine immunohistochemical biomarker to improve diagnosis. Distal-like EpS also display increased peri-tumoral CD8+ T cell infiltrates and specific tumor-immune cell interactions. Conversely, proximal-like EpS harbor a higher inter-tumoral molecular heterogeneity with some cases resembling other SMARCB1-deficient tumors by DNA methylation profiling, and increased intra-tumoral pro-tumoral macrophage infiltrates. Our study introduces a novel molecular classification of EpS with prognostic value, associated diagnostic biomarkers and distinct tumor immune microenvironments, which extends beyond traditional clinicopathological classification. This paves the way for precision medicine-based therapeutic strategies for patients with EpS.

  Study EGAS50000000973