22929 results for "ega"

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• Whole-exome ultra-high throughput sequencing in brain samples of suicide victims who had suffered from major depressive disorder and control subjects who had died from other causes.

  We carried out whole-exome ultra-high throughput sequencing in brain samples of suicide victims who had suffered from major depressive disorder and control subjects who had died from other causes. This study aimed to reveal the selective accumulation of rare variants in the coding and the UTR sequences within the genes of suicide victims. We also analysed the potential effect of STR and CNV variations, as well as the infection of the brain with neurovirulent viruses in this behavioural disorder. As a result, we have identified several candidate genes, among others three calcium channel genes that may potentially contribute to completed suicide. We also explored the potential implication of the TGF-β signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of suicidal behaviour. To our best knowledge, this is the first study that uses whole-exome sequencing for the investigation of suicide.

  Study EGAS00001003081

• CTCF-dependent enhancer hijacking by the EVI1 oncogene in leukemia

  Chromosomal rearrangements are a frequent cause of oncogene deregulation in human malignancies. Overexpression of EVI1 is found in a subgroup of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 3q26 chromosomal rearrangements which are often therapy resistant. In a cohort of primary t(3;8)(q26;q24) AML samples we observed the translocation of a MYC super-enhancer to EVI1. We generated a patient-based t(3;8)(q26;q24) model in vitro using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and demonstrated hyper-activation of EVI1 by the hijacked MYC super-enhancer. One MYC super-enhancer element in particular, which recruits early hematopoietic regulators, is critical for EVI1 expression and enhancer-promoter interaction. This interaction is facilitated by a CTCF-bound motif upstream of the EVI1 promoter that acts as an enhancer-docking site in t(3;8) AML. Genomic analyses of 3q26-rearranged AML samples point to a common mechanism by which EVI1 uses this CTCF-bound enhancer-docking site to hijack early hematopoietic enhancers.

  Study EGAS00001004808

• DIME study: Safety, dose-response and efficacy of treatment with Anaerobutyricum soehgenii on glucose metabolism in human subjects with metabolic syndrome

  The intestinal microbiota has been implicated in insulin resistance, although evidence regarding causality in humans is scarce. We herefore performed a phase I/II dose-finding and safety study on the effect of oral intake of the anaerobic butyrogenic Anaerobutyricum soehgenii on glucose metabolism in subjects with metabolic syndrome. We found that treatment with A. soehgenii was safe and observed an overall significant and dose-dependent increase in insulin sensitivity after 4 weeks in all treated subjects. This was accompanied by an altered microbiota composition and a change in bile acid metabolism. Finally, we show that metabolic response upon administration of A. soehgenii (defined as improved insulin sensitivity 4 weeks after A. soehgenii intake) is dependent on microbiota composition at baseline. These data in humans are promising and additional studies are needed to study long-term effects as well as modes of delivery.

  Study EGAS00001003498

• Feasibility and safety of a multi-cancer blood test for screening and intervention

  We evaluated the feasibility and safety of blood testing for cancer in an interventional study of 10,006 women. Positive tests for DNA or protein were independently confirmed and diagnostic PET-CT imaging was used to localize disease. During the study, 26 cancers were first detected by blood testing, 24 more by standard-of-care screening, and 46 by neither approach. Surgicalexcision of the primary tumors was performed on 12 cancers first detected by blood testing.1.0% of participants underwent PET-CT imaging based on false positive blood tests, and 0.22% underwent a futile invasive diagnostic procedure. These data demonstrate that multi-cancer blood testing, when followed by PET-CT localization, can be safely incorporated into routineclinical care, in some cases leading to surgery with intent to cure. Further studies will be required to determine the clinical validity and utility of multi-cancer blood testing.

  Study EGAS00001004372

• Comparison of 3 protocols for deriving pancreatic progenitors from hPSC with RNA-seq and ATAC-seq

  Several distinct differentiation protocols for deriving pancreatic progenitors (PP) from human pluripotent stem cells have been described but it remains to be shown how similar the PP are across protocols, and how well they resemble their in vivo counterparts. Here we evaluated three differentiation protocols; performed RNA and ATAC-seq on isolated PP derived with these, and compared them to fetal human pancreas populations. This enabled us to define a shared transcriptional and epigenomic signature of the PP, including several genes not previously implicated in pancreas development. Furthermore, we identified a significant and previously unappreciated cross-protocol variation of the PP through multi-omics analysis and demonstrate how such information can be applied to refine differentiation protocols for derivation of insulin-producing beta-like cells. Together, our study highlights the importance of a detailed characterization of defined cell populations derived from distinct differentiation protocols, and provides a valuable resource for exploring human pancreatic development.

  Study EGAS00001003513

• Comparative analysis of somatic variant calling on matched FF and FFPE WGS samples

  This study aims at assessing whether FFPE material can be used for cohort analysis. To this end, we performed an in-depth comparison of somatic SNVs called on matching FF and FFPE whole genome sequences samples extracted from the same metastatic prostate tumor. Four variant callers were used to call somatic variants on both the FF and the FFPE samples. An heuristic was developed to maximize the overlap between the FF and its FFPE counterparts. Then, the extent to which intra-tumor heterogeneity explains discrepancies in variants called between the FF and the FFPE samples was assessed by comparing the clonal and subclonal somatic variants. This study illustrates that when using the correct variant calling strategy, the majority of clonal SNVs can be recovered in an FFPE sample with high precision and sensitivity. These results suggest that somatic variants derived from WGS of FFPE material can be used in cohort studies.

  Study EGAS00001004456

• Whole exome sequencing of long-term, never relapse exceptional responders of trastuzumab-treated HER2+ metastatic breast cancer

  Trastuzumab has significantly improved the overall survival of patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, outcomes can vary, with patients progressing within 1-year of treatment or exceptional cases of complete response to trastuzumab for ≥ 10 years. Identification of the underlying genomic aberrations of “exceptional responders (ExRs)” compared to “rapid non-responders (NR)” increases our understanding of the mechanisms involved in MBC progression and identification of biomarkers of trastuzumab response and resistance. Whole exome sequencing was performed on six ExRs compared to five NR. The overall fraction of genome copy number alteration (CNA) burden was higher in NR patients (P=0.07), while more significantly pronounced in copy number gains (P=0.03) in NR compared to ExRs. Delineation of the distribution of CNA burden across the genome identified a greater degree of CNA burden in NR within chr8 (P=0.02) and in chr17 (P=0.06) and conferred a statistically significant benefit in overall survival.

  Study EGAS00001004486

• MutWP5__CRUK_Mutographs_of_Cancer__Breast__Reduction_Mammoplasty___Exome__Novaseq_

  Cancer is a genetic disease caused by an accumulation of mutations, however many of these mutations have been identified in pathologically normal tissue. We aim to use laser-capture microscopy (LCM) to sample individual clones from breast tissue to identify whether cancer-associated mutations appear in this normal tissue, assess the mutational burden present, and identify the mutational processes causing these mutations. We will sample from a wide age range of individuals (<20 to >60 years old) to determine whether these processes differ in pre- and post-menopausal women. We will also be comparing the tissue from healthy individuals (samples from breast reduction surgery) to those at elevated risk of breast cancer (mastectomy from BRCA1/2 patients) and those who have breast cancer (adjacent normal, distal normal, and tumour tissue from mastectomy). This will allow us to determine how these processes are different between these groups of individuals, and gain insight into the earliest stages of tumor development.

  Study EGAS00001003527

• MGMT genomic rearrangements contribute to chemotherapy resistance in gliomas

  Temozolomide (TMZ) is an oral alkylating agent used for the treatment of glioblastoma and is now becoming a chemotherapeutic option in patients diagnosed with high-risk low-grade gliomas1. The O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is responsible for the direct repair of the main TMZ-induced toxic DNA adduct, the O6-Methylguanine lesion. MGMT promoter hypermethylation is currently the only known biomarker for TMZ response in glioblastoma patients2. Here we show that a subset of recurrent gliomas carry MGMT genomic rearrangements that lead to MGMT overexpression, independently from changes in its promoter methylation. By leveraging the CRISPR/Cas9 technology we generated some of these MGMT rearrangements in glioma cells and demonstrated that they lead to TMZ resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Lastly we showed that such fusions can be detected in tumor-derived exosomes and could potentially represent an early detection marker of tumor recurrence in a subset of patients treated with TMZ.

  Study EGAS00001004544

• Super enhancers define regulatory subtypes and cell identity in neuroblastoma

  Half of the children diagnosed with neuroblastoma have high-risk disease, disproportionately contributing to overall childhood cancer-related deaths. In addition to recurrent gene mutations, there is increasing evidence supporting the role of epigenetic deregulation in disease pathogenesis. Yet, comprehensive cis-regulatory network descriptions from neuroblastoma tissues are lacking. Here, using genome-wide H3K27ac profiles across 60 neuroblastomas, covering the different clinical and molecular subtypes, we identified four major super enhancer-driven epigenetic subtypes and their underlying master regulatory networks. Three of these subtypes recapitulated known clinical groups, namely MYCN amplified, MYCN non-amplified high-risk and MYCN non-amplified low-risk neuroblastomas. The fourth subtype, exhibiting mesenchymal characteristics, shared features with multipotent Schwann cell precursors, was induced by RAS activation and enriched in relapsed disease. Notably, CCND1, a disease essential gene, was regulated by both mesenchymal and adrenergic regulatory networks converging on distinct super-enhancer modules. Together, this reveals subtype-specific super-enhancer regulation in neuroblastoma.

  Study EGAS00001004551

• Super enhancers define regulatory subtypes and cell identity in neuroblastoma - RNA-seq

  Half of the children diagnosed with neuroblastoma have high-risk disease, disproportionately contributing to overall childhood cancer-related deaths. In addition to recurrent gene mutations, there is increasing evidence supporting the role of epigenetic deregulation in disease pathogenesis. Yet, comprehensive cis-regulatory network descriptions from neuroblastoma tissues are lacking. Here, using genome-wide H3K27ac profiles across 60 neuroblastomas, covering the different clinical and molecular subtypes, we identified four major super enhancer-driven epigenetic subtypes and their underlying master regulatory networks. Three of these subtypes recapitulated known clinical groups, namely MYCN amplified, MYCN non-amplified high-risk and MYCN non-amplified low-risk neuroblastomas. The fourth subtype, exhibiting mesenchymal characteristics, shared features with multipotent Schwann cell precursors, was induced by RAS activation and enriched in relapsed disease. Notably, CCND1, a disease essential gene, was regulated by both mesenchymal and adrenergic regulatory networks converging on distinct super-enhancer modules. Together, this reveals subtype-specific super-enhancer regulation in neuroblastoma.

  Study EGAS00001004552

• Latency and interval therapy affect the evolution in metastatic colorectal cancer

  While comparison of primary tumor and metastases has highlighted genomic heterogeneity in colorectal cancer (CRC), previous studies have focused on a single metastatic site or limited genomic testing. Combining data from whole exome and ultra-deep targeted sequencing, we explored possible evolutionary trajectories beyond the status of these mutations, particularly among patient-matched metastatic tumors. Our findings confirm the persistence of known clinically-relevant mutations (e.g. those of RAS family of oncogenes) in CRC primary and metastases, yet reveal that latency and interval systemic therapy affect the course of evolutionary events within metastatic lesions. Specifically, our analysis of patient-matched primary and multiple metastatic lesions, developed over time, showed a similar genetic composition for liver metastatic tumors, which were 21-months apart. This genetic makeup was different from those identified in lung metastases developed before manifestation of the second liver metastasis. These results underscore the role of dormancy in the evolutionary path of metastatic CRC.

  Study EGAS00001003646

• A Universal Gut Metagenomic-Derived Signature Predicts Cirrhosis

  Dysregulation of the gut microbiome has been implicated in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. To determine the diagnostic capacity of this association, stool microbiomes were compared across 163 well-characterized participants encompassing non-NAFLD controls, NAFLD-cirrhosis patients and their first-degree relatives. Interrogation of shotgun metagenomic and untargeted metabolomic profiles using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm and differential abundance analysis identified discrete metagenomic and metabolomic signatures that were similarly effective in detecting cirrhosis (diagnostic accuracy 0.91, AUC). Combining the metagenomic signature with age and serum albumin levels accurately distinguished cirrhosis in etiologically and genetically distinct cohorts from geographically separated regions. Additional inclusion of serum aspartate aminotransferase levels, which are increased in cirrhosis patients, enabled discrimination of cirrhosis from earlier stages of fibrosis. These findings demonstrate that a core set of gut microbiome species may offer universal utility as a non-invasive diagnostic test for cirrhosis.

  Study EGAS00001004600

• Resident memory CD8 T cells persist for years in human small intestine

  Resident memory CD8 T cells (Trm) have been shown to provide effective protective responses in the small intestine (SI) in mice. A better understanding of the generation and persistence of SI CD8 Trm cells in humans may have implications for intestinal immune-mediated diseases and vaccine development. Analyzing normal and transplanted human SI we demonstrated that the majority of SI CD8 T cells were bona fide CD8 Trm cells that survived for over 1 year in the graft. Intraepithelial and lamina propria CD8 Trm cells showed a high clonal overlap and a repertoire dominated by expanded clones, conserved both spatially in the intestine and over time. Functionally, lamina propria CD8 Trm cells were potent cytokine-producers, exhibiting a polyfunctional (IFN-γ+ IL-2+ TNF-α+) profile, and efficiently expressed cytotoxic mediators after stimulation. These results suggest that SI CD8 Trm cells could be relevant targets for future oral vaccines and therapeutic strategies for gut disorders.

  Study EGAS00001003676

• Uterine_Atlas_Endometriosis

  Uterine Atlas Endometriosis Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by oestrogen, affecting around 10% of women of child-bearing again world-wide. It is described by the presence of endometrium-like tissue outside of the uterus (ectopic endometriosis tissue) and debilitating chronic pain. There is a lack of understanding of endometriosis pathogenesis, as well as cellular composition of both the eutopic endometrium and ectopic endometriosis tissue of endometriosis patients.There are therefore two main aims for this study. Using single cell genomics and spatial methods we aim to: I) characterise endometrial cellular census in women with and without endometriosis II) characterise cellular census of ectopic endometriosis tissue Furthermore, we aim to establish endometrial organoids and endometriosis organoids from the samples collected and characterise these using single cell genomics and spatial methods. 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 EGAS00001004725

• DNA Methylation loss coupled with mitotic cell division promotes immune evasion of tumours with high mutation load

  Mitotic cell division increases tumour mutation burden and copy number load with a positive and inverse correlation, respectively, with the clinical benefit of immunotherapy. Markers of cell division correlate also with genomic demethylation involving methylation loss in late-replicating partial methylation domains. Here we find that immunomodulatory pathway genes are concentrated in these domains and transcriptionally repressed in demethylated tumours with CpG island promoter hypermethylation. Global methylation loss correlated with immune evasion signatures independently of mutation burden and aneuploidy. Methylome data of our cohort (n = 60) and a published cohort (n = 81) in lung cancer and a melanoma cohort (n = 40) consistently demonstrated that genomic methylation alterations counteract the contribution of high mutation burden and increase immunotherapeutic resistance. Higher predictive power was observed for methylation loss than mutation burden. We also found that genomic hypomethylation correlates with the immune escape signatures of aneuploid tumours. Hence, DNA methylation alterations implicate epigenetic modulation as a combination regimens for precision immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001003731

• Single nucleus and in situ RNA sequencing reveals cell topographies in the human pancreas

  Molecular evidence of cellular heterogeneity in the human exocrine pancreas has not been established, due to the local concentration of hydrolytic enzymes that can rapidly degrade cells and RNA upon resection. Here we innovated single-nucleus RNA sequencing protocols, and profiled more than 120,000 cells from adult and neonatal human donors to create the first comprehensive atlas of human pancreas cells, including epithelial and non-epithelial constituents. Adult and neonatal pancreata shared common features, including the presence of previously undetected acinar subtypes, but also showed marked differences in the composition of the endocrine, endothelial, and immune compartments. Spatial cartography, including cell proximity mapping through in situ sequencing, revealed dynamic developmental cell topographies in the endocrine and exocrine pancreas. Our human pancreas cell atlas can be interrogated to understand pancreatic cell biology, and provides a crucial reference set for future comparisons with diseased tissue samples to map the cellular foundations of pancreatic diseases.

  Study EGAS00001004653

• HSC_colony_many_years_post_allogeneic_bone_marrow_transplant_TGS

  This study looks at human donors and recipients of allogeneic blood & marrow marrow transplantation. Each transplant "pair" (donor & recipient) underwent the transplant procedure 10 -30 years prior to sampling - the majority for an underlying diagnosis of leukemia. We will perform whole-genome sequencing on tens to hundreds of single HSPC (haematopoietic stem and progenitor cell)-derived colonies per individual. We will infer the phylogeny of these cells (those from both donor & recipient within a pair) by analysing the somatically acquired mutations within each cell. The structure of the phylogeny will allow estimates of hitherto unknown parameters such as the number of HSCs that engraft long-term, the dynamics of the engraftment process on the HSC level, and the additional mutation burden acquired through the arduous transplant procedure. This TGS part of the study is used for assessing the contribution of clones to mature blood subsets, and better timing mutations relative to transplantation.

  Study EGAS00001005298

• RNA-seq from human embryonic tissues (additional samples 2018)

  How the genome activates or silences transcriptional programmes governs organ formation. Little is known about this in human post-implantation embryos undermining our ability to benchmark the fidelity of in vitro stem cell differentiation or cell programming, or interpret noncoding variation as potential causes of disease. Here, by studying histone modification we identified genome-wide open chromatin states and active repression across thirteen tissues during human organogenesis. We integrated the data with transcription to build the first view of how promoter states from nearly 20,000 genes differentially regulate alternative organ fates, arguing against bivalency during human organogenesis. The data illustrate tissue-specific as well as complex patterns of enhancer activity functional in zebrafish and impute master transcription factors. Overlaying 739 noncoding de novo mutations in patients allowed phenotypic correlation of developmental disorders to unanticipated target genes. Taken together, the data provide a comprehensive genomic framework for understanding normal and abnormal human development.

  Study EGAS00001003738

• Comprehensive Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Rare Cancers for Guiding of Therapy (H021)

  Here we analyzed the molecular profiles and clinical outcomes of 1,310 patients (proportion of rare cancers, 75%) enrolled in a prospective observational study by the German Cancer Consortium that applies whole-genome/exome and RNA sequencing to inform the care of adults with incurable cancers. Based on 472 single and six composite biomarkers, a cross-institutional molecular tumor board provided evidence-based management recommendations, including diagnostic reevaluation, genetic counseling, and experimental treatment, in 88% of cases. Recommended therapies were administered in 362 of 1,138 patients (31.8%) and resulted in significantly improved response and disease control rates (23.9% and 55.3%, respectively) compared to previous therapies, translating into a progression-free survival ratio >1.3 in 35.7% of patients.

  Study EGAS00001004813

• Physiological and genetic adaptations to diving in Sea Nomads

  Understanding the physiology and genetics of human hypoxia tolerance has important medical implications, but this phenomenon has thus far only been investigated in high-altitude human populations. Another system, yet to be explored, is humans who engage in breath-hold diving. The indigenous Bajau people (“Sea Nomads”) of Southeast Asia live a subsistence lifestyle based on breath-hold diving and are renowned for their extraordinary breath holding abilities. However, it is unknown whether this has a genetic basis. Using a comparative genomic study, we show that natural selection on genetic variants in the PDE10A gene have increased spleen size in the Bajau, providing them with a larger reservoir of oxygenated red blood cells. We also find evidence of strong natural selection specific to the Bajau on BDKRB2, a gene affecting the human diving reflex. Thus, the Bajau, and possibly other natural diving populations, provide a new opportunity to study human adaptation to hypoxia tolerance.

  Study EGAS00001002823

• Immune trajectory of response and adverse effect in immunotherapy-treated hepatocellular carcinoma

  Whilst anti-PD1 immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionised treatment for many cancers, its response rates in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain modest, coupled with common incidences of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). To identify biomarkers and decipher the mechanisms for response and irAEs, we performed multi-dimensional immunoprofiling on peripheral blood and tissue collected before and during anti-PD1 ICB treatment from HCC patients. Single-cell analyses enabled us to identify peripheral biomarkers, in particular, CD11c+ antigen-presenting cells with varying degrees of HLA-DR expression and CD8 effector memory (EM) T cells with CXCR3 tissue-homing capability that are associated with both response and irAEs. We also dissected the mechanisms behind how these immune subsets interface between response and toxicity, showing their intersecting yet diverging trajectories leading to these distinct clinical fates. This study offers new insights on the mechanisms and potentially novel strategies to enhance response and ameliorate irAEs in cancer immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001004843

• The Acquisition of Molecular Drivers in Pediatric Therapy-Related Myeloid Neoplasms

  Pediatric therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (tMN) occur in children after exposure to cytotoxic therapy and have a dismal prognosis1-4. The somatic and germline genomic alterations that drive these myeloid neoplasms in children and how they arise have yet to be comprehensively described. We use whole exome, whole genome, and/or RNA sequencing to characterize the genomic profile of 85 pediatric tMN cases (tMDS: n=29, tAML: n=56). Our data show that Ras/MAPK pathway mutations, alterations in RUNX1 or TP53, and KMT2A rearrangements are frequent somatic drivers, and we identify cases with aberrant MECOM expression secondary to enhancer hijacking. Unlike adults with tMN5-7, we find no evidence of pre-existing minor tMN clones (including those with TP53 mutations), but rather the majority of cases were unrelated clones arising as a consequence of cytotoxic therapy. These studies also uncover rare cases of lineage switch disease rather than true secondary neoplasms.

  Study EGAS00001004850

• Single_Cell_RNAseq_at_various_stages_of_HiPSCs_differentiating_toward_definitive_endoderm_and_endoderm_derived_lineages

  When comparing the differentiation capacities of pluripotent stem cell lines that have different genetic backgrounds, batch to batch experimental variablility poses a significant challenge, especially when trying to identify smaller effects. One way to address this issue is to differentiate several different lines in the same culture dish, thereby elimating experimental variation. In addition, it allows researchers to analyze many more lines with less experiments. Parallel single cell RNA-Seq exploits that individual cells are tagged and hence each cell can be reliably assigned to the donor of origin based on the genetic variants it contains. In addition, analyzing the genetic signature of single cells within a differentiating population can reveal differentation stages that are not easily detected in bulk RNAseq data. 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 EGAS00001002278