10968 results for "fc 26 best way to get coins Visit Buyfc26coins.com Gyors és hatékony szolgáltatás. Hamarosan visszatérek több FC 26 érmeért..4w1a"

in 60.98 milliseconds.

• Blepharospasm in a Multiplex African-American Pedigree

  Blepharospasm (BSP) is a late-onset focal dystonia characterized by involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscles. Genetics plays an important role on the pathogenesis of BSP, especially in hereditary BSP families. In this project, a large African-American pedigree with BSP was phenotypically characterized and its relationship with known common dystonia genes was investigated with Sanger sequencing on dystonia genes such as THAP1, TOR1A and GNAL. And whole-exome sequencing (EXOME) of the proband was performed to identify all other dystonia-associated genes for potentially pathogenic SVs. A novel THAP1 SV (c.314T>C, p.L105S) was identified in the family, however, this SV did not co-segregate with blepharospasm in the pedigree. No pathogenic or likely pathogenic SVs in other dystonia-associated genes were identified with whole-exome sequencing. The current study makes available phenotype data and summary genotype data of n=12 family members (mutation absent/heterozygous for THAP1); whole exome sequencing data of one (het) subject are available through public SRA.

  Study phs001206

• Discovery of Novel Melanoma Predisposing Mutations by Exome Sequencing

  Melanoma risk shows clear heritability, but the inherited genetic factors remain largely unknown. Rare high risk mutations in CDKN2A, CDK4, BAP1 and TERT have been described but these variants, in aggregate, account for less than 50% of the kindreds reporting a family history of melanoma. This project will seek to identify new genes which may confer melanoma susceptibility. Identifying melanoma predisposing mutations can provide new biological insights and may impact important clinical decision making regarding treatment, surveillance and preventive approaches. Hereditary melanoma patients (defined as those individuals with multiple primary melanomas and those patients with a family history of melanoma) were collected from melanoma clinics at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the A. Sygrous Hospital in Athens, Greece. All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon Kit v2 and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 or 2500.

  Study phs000823

• The Genetic Basis of Hypodiploid ALL

  The genetic basis of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a subtype of ALL characterized by aneuploidy and poor outcome, is unknown. Genomic profiling of 124 hypodiploid ALL cases, including whole-genome and exome sequencing of 40 cases, identified two subtypes that differ in the severity of aneuploidy, transcriptional profiles and submicroscopic genetic alterations. Near-haploid ALL with 24-31 chromosomes harbor alterations targeting receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and Ras signaling (71%) and the lymphoid transcription factor gene IKZF3 (encoding AIOLOS; 13%). In contrast, low-hypodiploid ALL with 32-39 chromosomes are characterized by alterations in TP53 (91.2%) that are commonly present in nontumor cells, IKZF2 (encoding HELIOS; 53%) and RB1 (41%). Both near-haploid and low-hypodiploid leukemic cells show activation of Ras-signaling and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-signaling pathways and are sensitive to PI3K inhibitors, indicating that these drugs should be explored as a new therapeutic strategy for this aggressive form of leukemia.

  Study phs000341

• Single-cell Profiling of an In Vitro Model of Human Interneuron Development Reveals Temporal Dynamics of Cell Type Production and Maturation

  GABAergic interneurons are essential for neural circuit function and their loss or dysfunction is implicated in human neuropsychiatric disease. In vitro methods for interneuron generation hold promise for studying human cellular and functional properties and ultimately therapeutic cell replacement. We used a protocol for generating cortical interneurons from hESCs and analyzed the properties and maturation timecourse of cell types using single-cell RNAseq (data available at GEO under: GSE93802 on March 10 2017). Transcriptomic profiles of the hESC-derived interneurons were compared to several different populations of cells from mid-gestation human neocortex that showed differing levels of PAX6 and SOX2 expression. For this study, 104 samples of 100 human neocortical cells each, have been sorted based on SOX2 and PAX6 expression, mRNA recovered from the fixed cells by FRISCR, and transcriptomic profiles generated by SmartSeq2. The RNA-seq data from the 104 100-cell samples is included in this dbGaP study.

  Study phs001276

• Human Liver Cohort (HLC)

  The Human Liver Cohort (HLC) study aimed to characterize the genetic architecture of gene expression in human liver using genotyping, gene expression profiling, and enzyme activity measurements of Cytochrom P450. The HLC was assembled from a total of 780 liver samples screened. DNA samples were genotyped on the Affymetrix 500K SNP and Illumina 650Y SNP genotyping arrays. Only data from those samples which were collected postmortem are accessible through this submission. These 228 samples represent a subset of the 427 samples included in the Human Liver Cohort Publication (Schadt, Molony et al. 2008, PMID: 18462017). RNA samples were profiled on a custom Agilent 44,000 feature microarray composed of 39,280 oligonucleotide probes targeting transcripts representing 34,266 known and predicted genes, including high-confidence, noncoding RNA sequences. Gene Expression data for the samples from which it could be obtained is available in GEO under accession number GSE9588. Results and networks will be made available for download from Sage Bionetworks.

  Study phs000253

• Genetic Studies in the Hutterites

  We conducted genetic studies of disease-associated quantitative phenotypes, including microbiome and gene expression studies, and common diseases, such as asthma and Alzheimer's disease, by genotyping and/or sequencing in the Hutterites, a founder population of European descent. The Hutterites who have participated in our studies live on communal farms in South Dakota and are related to each other through multiple lines of descent in a 3,657-person, 13-generation pedigree with 64 founders. The small number of founding genomes reduces genetic heterogeneity whereas their communal lifestyle ensures that non-genetic factors are remarkably uniform between individuals. Our sample includes >1,600 subjects who have participated in our studies of fertility (since 1982), asthma, cardiovascular disease and other complex phenotypes (since 1993), microbiome studies (since 2011), and/or immune response (since 2012). The variable 'Total number of consented subjects' reflects the count of subjects with individual level phenotype and genotype data in dbGaP.

  Study phs000185

• L1-Seq and Genome-Wide SNP Genotyping in a Multiethnic Asian Population

  Insertions of the human-specific subfamily of LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposon are highly polymorphic across individuals and can critically influence the human transcriptome. We hypothesized that L1 insertions could represent genetic variants determining important human phenotypic traits, and performed an integrated analysis of L1 elements and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in several human populations. We found that a large fraction of L1s were in high linkage disequilibrium (LD) with their surrounding genomic regions and that they were well-tagged by SNPs. However, L1 variants were only partially captured by SNPs on standard SNP arrays, so that their potential phenotypic impact would be frequently missed by SNP array-based genome-wide association studies. We next identified potential phenotypic effects of L1s by looking for signatures of natural selection linked to L1 insertions; significant extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH) was detected around several L1 insertions. This suggests that some of these L1 insertions may have been the target of recent positive selection.

  Study phs000732

• DNA Methylation Studies in CREW Cohorts (URECA and COAST)

  Children's Respiratory Environment Workgroup (CREW) is an NIH-funded project consisting of 12 individual U.S. cohorts and three scientific centers working together to identify phenotypes and causes of childhood asthma. CREW includes data from a large number of children and their families, with broad diversity in terms of ethnicity, family characteristics, neighborhoods and geographic locations. In this study, we identified differentially methylated regions from whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) in nasal epithelial cells from 39 children of European or African ancestries, and with or without allergic asthma. Study participants were from two of the CREW cohorts: the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) cohort and the Childhood Origins of Asthma (COAST) cohort.The URECA children are also participants of a larger genetic study, in which DNA samples are derived from blood. That data is presented in the "Whole Genome Sequencing in the Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC) Cohorts - phs002921" study.

  Study phs003321

• Unraveling the Genetic Architecture of Diabetic Retinopathy in South India

  This study aims to understand the genetic architecture of diabetic retinopathy in the South Indian population by examining participants with South Indian ancestry and type 2 diabetes (T2D) from two sources: the Sankara Nethralaya-Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Study (SN-DREAMS) and prospective recruitment at Sankara Nethralaya affiliates. A total of 2393 patients were recruited and included in the genetic analysis, with 1588 patients having no diabetic retinopathy (DR) serving as the controls and 805 patients with any level of DR serving as the cases. Enrolled individuals had genome-wide genotyping from DNA extracted from blood samples. In addition, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 31 members from 2 families. Clinical data, such as age, duration of diabetes, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) were recorded for study participants. Diabetic retinopathy was assessed by clinical exam and/or fundus photography. The grading of diabetic retinopathy followed the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale.

  Study phs002116

• Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms on Human Immune Cell Gene Expression

  While many genetic variants have been associated with risk for human diseases, how these variants affect gene expression in various cell types remains largely unknown. To address this gap, the DICE [Database of Immune Cell Expression, Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and Epigenomics] project was established. Considering all human immune cell types and conditions studied, we identified cis-eQTLs for a total of 12,254 unique genes, which represent 61% of all protein-coding genes expressed in these cell types. Strikingly, a large fraction (41%) of these genes showed a strong cis-association with genotype only in a single cell type. We also found that biological sex is associated with major differences in immune cell gene expression in a highly cell-specific manner. These datasets will help reveal the effects of disease risk-associated genetic polymorphisms on specific immune cell types, providing mechanistic insights into how they might influence pathogenesis.

  Study phs001703

• Type I Interferon Exacerbates Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Induced Human Macrophage Death

  In this study, we tested whether type I interferons (IFN-I), namely IFN-alpha and IFN-beta, may promote Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) pathogenesis by exacerbating cell death of human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) infected with Mtb. We differentiated the MDM under two different published methods (see Document Method.pdf for Table 1 of Methods). To determine if MDM infected with Mtb upregulates IFN-I transcripts, signaling factors, or IFN-I stimulated genes (ISGs), the MDM were infected with Mtb or treated with an activator of stimulator of IFN genes (STING), diamidobenzimidazole (di-ABZI). STING activation acted as a positive control for IFN-I induction and ISG upregulation. Indeed, di-ABZI treated MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs 24 hpi. At 24 hour post treatment, MDM differentiated under one method, but not under another method, upregulated ISGs, such as ISG15, IFITM3, and CXCL10, upon Mtb infection. MDM differentiated under both methods upregulated ISGs upon di-ABZI treatment.

  Study phs003607

• Homopolymer switches mediate adaptive mutability in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer

  Mismatch repair (MMR) deficient cancer evolves through the continuous erosion of coding homopolymers in target genes. Curiously, the MMR genes MSH6 and MSH3 also contain coding homopolymers and these are frequent mutational targets in MMR-deficient cancers. The impact of incremental MMR mutations on MMR-deficient colorectal cancer evolution is unknown. We show that microsatellite instability modulates DNA repair by toggling hypermutable mononucleotide homopolymer runs in MSH6 and MSH3 through stochastic frameshift switching. Spontaneous mutation and reversion modulates subclonal mutation rate, mutation bias, and clonal HLA and neoantigen diversity. Patient-derived organoids corroborate these observations and show that in the absence of immune selection MMR homopolymer sequences drift back into reading frame, suggesting a fitness cost of elevated mutation rates. Combined experimental and simulation studies demonstrate that subclonal immune selection favours incremental MMR mutations. Overall, our data demonstrate that MMR-deficient colorectal cancers fuel intratumour heterogeneity by adapting subclonal mutation rate and diversity to immune selection.

  Study EGAS50000000297

• Spatially resolved niche and tumor microenvironmental alterations in gastric cancer peritoneal metastases

  Peritoneal metastases (PM) in gastric cancer (GC) portend a poor prognosis, yet our understanding of tumor microenvironmental (TME) characteristics associated with GCPM remain limited. Here, we analyzed intrinsic genomic alterations and transcriptomic programs predictive of GCPM in a prospective cohort of 248 patients, identifying CDH1, PIGR, and ELF3 mutations as predictors. By inspecting the spatial dynamics of the TME, we find that tumor compartment infiltration of pro-tumorigenic cell types such as inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) predict peritoneal recurrence. Next, in a cross-sectional study of 205 samples from 55 patients, distinct pathways and immune compositions in GCPM relative to liver metastases highlight the TME's significance in transcoelomic metastases. Notably, several putative therapeutic targets exhibited distinct expression patterns between PTs and PMs. Our findings highlight transcriptomic variations and niche reprogramming in the GCPM peritoneal environment, revealing roles of myeloid dendritic cells, effector memory CD8+ T cells, and CAFs in metastatic progression.

  Study EGAS50000000501

• Neoadjuvant nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab in early-stage triple negative breast cancer: phase 2 adaptive BELLINI trial. WES

  The adaptive BELLINI trial explored whether short combination ICI induces immune activation (primary endpoint: two-fold increase in CD8+ T cells or IFNG), providing rationale for neoadjuvant ICI without chemotherapy. In window of opportunity cohorts A (4 weeks anti-PD1) and B (4 weeks anti-PD1 + anti-CTLA4), we observed immune activation in 53% (8/15) and 60% (9/15) of patients, respectively. High tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlated with response. Based on these data, we opened cohort C for patients with high TILs (≥50%) who received 6 weeks neoadjuvant anti-PD1 + anti-CTLA4 followed by surgery (primary endpoint: pathological complete response, pCR). 53% (8/15) of patients had major pathological response (< 10% viable tumor) at resection, with 33% (5/15) having pCR. All cohorts met Simon’s two-stage threshold for expansion to stage II. In conclusion, neoadjuvant immunotherapy without chemotherapy demonstrates potential efficacy and warrants further investigation in patients with early TNBC.

  Study EGAS50000000568

• Neoadjuvant nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab in early-stage triple negative breast cancer: phase 2 adaptive BELLINI trial. RNA-Seq

  The adaptive BELLINI trial explored whether short combination ICI induces immune activation (primary endpoint: two-fold increase in CD8+ T cells or IFNG), providing rationale for neoadjuvant ICI without chemotherapy. In window of opportunity cohorts A (4 weeks anti-PD1) and B (4 weeks anti-PD1 + anti-CTLA4), we observed immune activation in 53% (8/15) and 60% (9/15) of patients, respectively. High tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlated with response. Based on these data, we opened cohort C for patients with high TILs (≥50%) who received 6 weeks neoadjuvant anti-PD1 + anti-CTLA4 followed by surgery (primary endpoint: pathological complete response, pCR). 53% (8/15) of patients had major pathological response (< 10% viable tumor) at resection, with 33% (5/15) having pCR. All cohorts met Simon’s two-stage threshold for expansion to stage II. In conclusion, neoadjuvant immunotherapy without chemotherapy demonstrates potential efficacy and warrants further investigation in patients with early TNBC.

  Study EGAS50000000567

• ROCHE PD 92 Multiome dataset

  This dataset contains 10X Multiome data generated on post-mortem brain from 92 individuals (70 PD, 22 controls). For the Roche_PD dataset, nuclei were isolated using Nuclei Pure Prep Nuclei Isolation Kit (Sigma Aldrich) with the following modifications. The tissue was lysed in Nuclei Pure Lysis Solution with 0.1% Triton X, 1mM DTT and 0.4U/ul SUPERase-In™ RNase Inhibitor (ThermoFisher Scientific) freshly added before use and homogenized with the help first of a 23G and then of a 29G syringe. Cold 1.8M Sucrose Cushion Solution, prepared immediately before use with the addition of1mM DTT and 0.4U/ul RNase Inhibitor, was added to the suspensions before they were filtered through a 30μm strainer. The lysates were then carefully and slowly layered on top of 1.8M Sucrose Cushion Solution previously added in new Eppendorf tubes. Samples were centrifuged for 45 minutes at 16000xg at 4°C. Pellets were re-suspended in Nuclei Storage Buffer with RNase Inhibitor, transferred in new Eppendorf tubes and centrifuged twice for 5 minutes at 500xg at 4°C. Finally purified nuclei were re-suspended in Nuclei Storage Buffer with RNase Inhibitor, stained with trypan blue and counted using Countess II (Life technology). After count, nuclei permeabilization was carried out following the demonstrated protocol for single cell multiome ATAC + Gene Expression sequencing from 10x Genomics. A total of 12,000 estimated nuclei from each sample was used for the transposition step and then loaded on the Chromium Next GEM Single Cell Chip J. ATAC library and gene expression library construction was performed using the Chromium Next GEM Single Cell Multiome ATAC + Gene Expression kit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Libraries were sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 System and NovaSeq 6000 S2 Reagent Kit v1.5 (100 cycles), aiming at a minimum sequencing depth of 30K reads/nucleus. Genotype was generated as previously described (Bryois et al, Nature Neuroscience, 2022).

  Dataset EGAD50000000964

• Epstein-Barr Virus status drives morphological and molecular intra-tumour heterogeneity in gastric cancer: insights from a case report and literature review

  This case report describes a rare case of bi-phenotypic gastric cancer with two distinct, but clonally related, histological components. The first component, associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, exhibited the morphological features of gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma, suggesting that EBV, as an effective immunogenic factor, may trigger a prominent immune response within the tumour microenvironment. The second component, which was EBV-negative, displayed tubular/papillary morphology and features of increased biological aggressiveness, such as high-grade areas and lymphatic invasion. Immunohistochemical and molecular studies confirmed that, despite the differing morphologies and immunophenotypes, both components were clonally related, with especially the EBV-negative area showing more complex DNA aberrations, reminiscent of Chromosomally instable (CIN) lesions. This case describes clonally related EBV-positive and negative components within a single gastric cancer, contributing to a better understanding of EBV role in tumour heterogeneity and progression and highlighting the impact of EBV loss on tumour behaviour.

  Study EGAS50000000706

• Plasma mutation profile of precursor lesions and colorectal cancer using the Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Early detection of precursor lesions or early-stage cancer could hamper cancer development or improve survival rates. Liquid biopsy, which detects tumor biomarkers, such as mutations, in blood, is a promising avenue for cancer screening. To assess the presence of genetic variants in plasma cell-free tumor DNA from patients with precursor lesions and colorectal cancer using the commercial Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples from the blood plasma of 52 Brazilian patients were analyzed. Eight patients did not have any significant lesions (five normal colonoscopies and three hyperplastic polyps), 24 exhibited precursor lesions (13 nonadvanced adenomas, ten advanced adenomas, and one sessile serrated lesion), and 20 patients with cancer (CRC). The mutation profile of 14 CRC-associated genes were determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS) using the Oncomine Colon cfDNA Assay in the Ion Torrent PGM/S5 sequencer.

  Study EGAS50000000471

• International Cancer Proteogenome Consortium (ICPC): Proteogenomics of Early Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma in Taiwan

  Lung cancer in East Asia is characterized by a high percentage of never-smokers with early-onset adenocarcinoma, predominantly with EGFR mutations. To provide an insight into the molecular phenotype of this demographically distinct disease, we have performed a proteogenomics study on a prospectively collected cohort representing early stage lung adenocarcinoma in Taiwan. The distinct mutational profile revealed a high prevalence of the APOBEC mutational signature in early-onset females, implicating differential regulation of APOBEC enzymes and DNA damage pathways, as well as enrichment of mutational signatures congruent with environmental carcinogens over-represented in the genomic location of EGFR. We delineate the proteogenomic hallmarks of tumor progression and propose a proteomics-informed classification that resolves the EGFR mutation heterogeneity associated with survival within the early stages. Functional annotation of the molecular subtypes by protein network analysis highlights candidate biomarkers for patient stratification. Our integrative analysis reveals the molecular architecture of lung cancer in East Asia and enables the path for precision medicine.

  Study phs001954

• DNA methylation and transposable element landscapes define human regulatory T cells in tissues and identify their blood recirculating counterpart

  Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in tissues can perform immunoregulatory and tissue-regenerative functions. Despite these important tasks, human-tissue Treg cells lack understanding, specifically, the epigenetic basis of their differentiation as well as re-circulating tissue-Treg cells are incompletely understood. Here, we performed genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of human Treg cells from skin and blood and embedded this in a multi-omic epigenetic framework including chromatin accessibility and gene-expression. We thereby revealed novel epigenetic programs defining human skin Treg cell differentiation and delineated how these are present on the different epigenetic levels. We discovered that transposable elements are an integral constituent of the demethylation landscape in skin Treg cells. Based on TCR-sequencing and DNA demethylation homologies, our data unveil that blood CCR8+ Treg cells are recirculatory human tissue-Treg cells. Our data provide novel insights in human tissue-Treg biology, required to harness these cells for therapeutic avenues.

  Study EGAS50000000738

• Transcriptome alterations underlying metabolic dysfunction and liver disease in myotonic dystrophy type 1

  Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystem disorder affecting various organs, including the skeletal muscles, eyes, heart, central nervous system, and endocrine system. Liver dysfunction and lipid metabolism abnormalities are frequently observed in DM1 but are not fully understood. To explore the molecular basis of these abnormalities, transcriptome analysis was performed on postmortem liver samples from DM1 patients DM1 patients (n = 11) and disease control patients (n = 9) using bulkRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on the MGI DNBSEQ-G400RS. Differential gene expression and alternative splicing analyses revealed significant transcriptomic changes associated with lipid metabolism, liver fibrosis, and glucose homeostasis. Interestingly, transcriptome changes in DM1 livers also revealed partial resolution of sexual dimorphism in gene expression, along with unique sex-specific pathway alterations. A correlation between serum GGT levels and splicing abnormalities in DM1 patients was identified, suggesting a link between transcriptomic changes and clinical outcomes. This dataset provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying DM1-related liver dysfunction and metabolic abnormalities.

  Study JGAS000814

• Parent-of-origin dependent DNA methylation and gene expression in the human placenta

  DNA methylation is globally reprogrammed after fertilization and the parental genomes have similar DNA methylation profiles after implantation except at the germline differentially methylated regions (gDMRs). We, and others, have previously shown that there are a large number of transient gDMRs in human blastocysts, whose differential methylation is lost in embryonic tissues after implantation. In this study we employed genome-wide allelic DNA methylation analyses of highly purified trophoblast cells from human placentas. ~40% of the transient-in-embryo gDMRs maintained their parent-of-origin-dependent biased allelic methylation. RNA sequencing-based allelic expression analyses revealed that some of the placental-specific gDMRs were associated with novel imprinted genes. This approach identified the first examples of X-linked gDMRs specific to the placenta. These findings highlight the unique regulation of allelic DNA methylation in the human placenta, which is important for understanding normal placental development and the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications.

  Study JGAS000038

• Recurrent COPA mutation drives R-spondin-independent Wnt activation in intestinal tumors

  The majority of intestinal tumors harbor mutations in canonical Wnt pathway genes such as APC, whereas the lack of such alterations in a subset of tumors implies alternative tumorigenic routes. Here, we identify recurrent in-frame deletion in COPA, frequently co-occurring with USP9X truncating mutation, in small intestinal adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Patient-derived and CRISPR-engineered small intestinal organoids carrying COPA in-frame deletions exhibit R-spondin-independent yet Wnt ligand-dependent growth, maintaining LGR5 expression without canonical Wnt drivers. Mechanistically, COPA mutation stabilizes frizzled co-receptor LRP6 irrespective of R-spondin, sustaining Wnt pathway activation under growth factor-restricted conditions. USP9X loss further potentiates this phenotype. Unlike canonical Wnt pathway members, COPA encodes the alpha-subunit of coatomer complex I, which engages in vesicle trafficking with little prior linkage to intestinal tumorigenesis. Our findings establish COPA mutation as a novel and atypical intestinal tumor driver and implicate USP9X loss as a cooperating lesion.

  Study JGAS000868

• Common origin and somatic mutation patterns of composite lymphomas and leukemias

  When two lymphomas occur concurrently or sequentially in a patient, it is a major question whether they derive from the same lymphocyte or hematopoietic precursor cell or developed independently. We studied four composite classic Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and other mature B-cell lymphomas, and two composite mature B- and T-cell neoplasias by whole exome sequencing (WES) and analyzed shared somatic mutations in the lymphomas of these clonally related composite lymphomas, indicating their derivation from a common, pre-malignant precursor. Most identified mutations were restricted to one or the other of these lymphomas, likely explaining how distinct lymphomas developed from a common ancestral B cell. In the two B-cell/T-cell lymphoma cases, and a composite clonally unrelated HL/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the lymphoma partners did not share any somatic mutations. In three cases, we identified potentially oncogenic variants also in cells serving as constitutional controls.

  Study EGAS50000001017

• Transcriptome changes in circulating immune cells of critical COVID-19 patients predict a specific metabolic and epigenetic imprint

  The progression to severe COVID-19 arises predominantly from a dysregulated host immune response, although the underlying regulatory mechanisms still remain partially elusive. This limits a prompt prediction of disease progression and restrains our understanding of “long COVID”. Here, we analyzed the transcriptomes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from COVID-19 patients experiencing different degrees of the disease and control patients. In critical COVID-19 patients, we found an altered regulatory network involving microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and coding genes that control mRNA translation-related genes, epigenetics, and metabolism. We also observed an upregulation of tRNA aminoacylation genes and increased expression of coding genes enriched for the cognate amino acids. Collectively, our findings indicate a broad perturbation of the gene expression landscape that characterizes the aberrant host immune response in critical COVID-19 patients and is potentially coordinated by alterations in microRNA expression and tRNA metabolism.

  Study EGAS50000000965

• GEenetic landscape of hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Hypodiploid acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive leukemia characterized by aneuploidy and poor outcome. The genetic basis of hypodiploid ALL is unknown. Here, using complementary genome-wide profiling approaches, we show that hypodiploid ALL comprises two subtypes that differ in the severity of aneuploidy, transcriptional profile and submicroscopic genetic alterations. Near haploid cases with 24-31 chromosomes frequently harbor alterations targeting receptor tyrosine kinase- and Ras signaling (71%) and IKZF3 (AIOLOS; 13%). In contrast, low hypodiploid ALL cases with 32-39 chromosomes are characterized by TP53 alterations, almost half of which are present in non-tumor cells, and have alterations of IKZF2 (HELIOS; 53%) and RB1 (41%). Both near haploid and low hypodiploid tumors exhibit activation of Ras and PI3K signaling pathways, and are sensitive to PI3K inhibition, indicating that these drugs should be explored as a new therapeutic strategy for this frequently lethal form of leukemia.

  Study EGAS00001000380

• Adult granulosa cell tumor WGS data cohort with corresponding reference germline WGS data

  Adult granulosa cell tumors (AGCTs) harbor a somatic FOXL2 c.402C&gt;G mutation in ~95% of cases and are mainly surgically removed due to limited systemic treatment effect. In this study, potentially targetable genomic alterations in AGCTs were investigated by whole genome sequencing on 46 tumor samples and matched normal DNA. Copy number variant (CNV) analysis confirmed gain  of chromosome 12 and 14, and loss of 22. Pathogenic TP53 mutations were identified in three patients with highest tumor mutational burden and mitotic activity, defining a high-grade AGCT subgroup. Within-patient tumor comparisons showed 29-80% unique somatic mutations per sample, suggesting tumor heterogeneity. FOXL2-wildtype AGCTs had DICER1, TERT(C228T) and TP53 mutations and similar CNV profiles as FOXL2-mutant tumors. Our study confirms that absence of the FOXL2 c.402C&gt;G mutation does not exclude AGCT diagnosis. The lack of overlapping variants in targetable cancer genes, indicates the need for personalized treatment for AGCT patients 

  Study EGAS00001004249

• Serial assessment of measurable residual disease in medulloblastoma liquid biopsies

  Nearly one-third of children with medulloblastoma, a malignant embryonal tumor of the cerebellum, succumb to their disease. Conventional response monitoring by imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology remains challenging and a marker for measurable residual disease (MRD) is lacking. Here, we show the clinical utility of CSF-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as a biomarker of MRD in serial samples collected from children with medulloblastoma (123 patients, 476 samples) enrolled on a prospective trial. Using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing, tumor-associated copy-number variations (CNVs) in CSF-derived cfDNA are investigated as an MRD surrogate. MRD is detected at baseline in 85% and 54% of patients with metastatic and localized disease, respectively. The number of MRD-positive patients decline with therapy, yet those with persistent MRD have significantly higher risk of progression. Importantly, MRD detection precedes radiographic progression in half who relapse. Our findings advocate for the prospective assessment of CSF-derived liquid biopsies in future trials for medulloblastoma.

  Study EGAS00001005592

• Human induced pluripotent stem cells display a similar mutation burden as embryonic pluripotent cells in vivo

  Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine, but genetic instability is a major concern. Embryonic pluripotent cells also accumulate mutations during early development, but how this relates to the mutation burden in iPSCs remains unknown. Here, we directly compared the mutation burden of cultured iPSCs with their isogenic embryonic cells during human embryogenesis. We generated developmental lineage trees of human fetuses by phylogenetic inference from somatic mutations in the genomes of multiple stem cells, which were derived from different germ layers. Using this approach, we characterized the mutations acquired pre-gastrulation and found a rate of 1.65 mutations per cell division. When cultured in hypoxic conditions, iPSCs generated from fetal stem cells of the assessed fetuses displayed a similar mutation rate and spectrum. Our results show that iPSCs maintain a genomic integrity during culture at a similar degree as their pluripotent counterparts do in vivo.

  Study EGAS00001005939

• Origins and functional consequence of somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations

  Recent sequencing studies have extensively explored the somatic alterations present in the nuclear genomes of cancers. Although mitochondria control energy metabolism and apoptosis, the origins and impact of cancer-associated mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are unclear. Here, we analysed somatic alterations in mtDNA from 1,675 tumors across 31 histologies. We identified 1,907 somatic substitutions, which exhibited dramatic replicative strand bias, predominantly C&gt;T and A&gt;G on the mitochondrial heavy strand. This strand-asymmetric signature differs from those found in nuclear cancer genomes but matches the inferred germline process shaping primate mtDNA sequence content. Numbers of mtDNA mutations showed considerable heterogeneity across tumor types. Missense mutations were selectively neutral and often gradually drifted towards homoplasmy over time. In contrast, mutations resulting in protein truncation undergo negative selection and were almost exclusively heteroplasmic. Our findings indicate that the endogenous mutational mechanism has far greater impact than any other external mutagens in mitochondria, and is fundamentally linked to mtDNA replication.

  Study EGAS00001000968

• Epigenomic alterations define lethal CIMP-positive ependymomas of infancy

  Ependymomas are common childhood brain tumours that occur throughout the nervous system, but are most common in the paediatric hindbrain. Current standard therapy comprises surgery and radiation, but not cytotoxic chemotherapy as it does not further increase survival. Whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing of 47 hindbrain ependymomas reveals an extremely low mutation rate, and zero significant recurrent somatic single nucleotide variants. Although devoid of recurrent single nucleotide variants and focal copy number aberrations, poor-prognosis hindbrain ependymomas exhibit a CpG island methylator phenotype. Transcriptional silencing driven by CpG methylation converges exclusively on targets of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 which represses expression of differentiation genes through trimethylation of H3K27. CpG island methylator phenotype-positive hindbrain ependymomas are responsive to clinical drugs that target either DNA or H3K27 methylation both in vitro and in vivo. We conclude that epigenetic modifiers are the first rational therapeutic candidates for this deadly malignancy, which is epigenetically deregulated but genetically bland.

  Study EGAS00001000443

• Biallelic DICER1 mutations in sporadic pleuropulmonary blastoma

  Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is an extremely rare pediatric malignancy in the lung, whose pathogenesis is poorly understood, except for recent reports of frequent germline heterozygous DICER1 mutations. To investigate the genetic basis of PPB, we performed whole-exome sequencing in 7 representative PPB cases, followed by targeted deep sequencing in 12 cases with PPB. DICER1 mutations were found in 11/12 cases. Biallelic DICER1 mutations were common in PPB, in which RNase IIIb domain mutations were found in all cases with or without nonsense/frameshift mutations and were somatic in all evaluable cases. A majority of cases had mutated DICER1 alleles in germline with or without an additional somatic mutation in the remaining allele, while other cases had exclusively somatic mutations involving the RNase IIIb domain. TP53 deletions/mutations were detected in 8/12 cases. Our results highlight a unique role of the RNase IIIb domain mutations and TP53 inactivation in PPB pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001000662

• Gain of function DNMT3A mutations cause microcephalic dwarfism and hypermethylation of Polycomb-regulated regions

  DNA methylation and Polycomb are key factors in the establishment of vertebrate cellular identity and fate. Here we report de novo missense mutations in DNMT3A, encoding the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A, that cause microcephalic dwarfism, a hypocellular disorder of extreme global growth failure. Substitutions in the PWWP domain abrogate binding to the histone modifications H3K36me2/3, and alter DNA methylation in patient cells. Polycomb-associated DNA methylation canyons/valleys, hypomethylated domains encompassing developmental genes, become methylated with concomitant depletion of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 bivalent marks. Such de novo DNA methylation occurs during differentiation of Dnmt3aW326R pluripotent cells in vitro, and is also evident in Dnmt3aW326R/+ dwarf mice. We therefore propose that the interaction of the DNMT3A PWWP domain with H3K36me2/3 normally limits DNA methylation of polycomb-marked regions. Our findings implicate the interplay between DNA methylation and polycomb at key developmental regulators as a determinant of organism size in mammals.

  Study EGAS00001003231

• Inferring expressed genes by whole-genome sequencing of plasma DNA

  The analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in plasma represents a rapidly advancing field in medicine. cfDNA consists predominantly of nucleosome-protected DNA shed into the bloodstream by cells undergoing apoptosis. We performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of plasma DNA and identified two discrete regions at transcription start sites (TSS) where the nucleosome occupancy results in different read-depth coverage patterns in expressed and silent genes. By employing machine learning for gene classification we found that the plasma DNA read depth patterns from healthy donors reflected the expression signature of hematopoietic cells. In cancer patients with metastatic disease, we were able to classify expressed cancer driver genes in regions with somatic copy number gains with high accuracy. We could even determine the expressed isoform of genes with several TSSs as confirmed by RNA-Seq of the matching primary tumor. Our analyses provide functional information about the cells releasing their DNA into the circulation.

  Study EGAS00001001754

• A Genomic History of Aboriginal Australia

  The population history of Aboriginal Australians remains largely uncharacterised. We generated high-coverage genomes for 83 Aboriginal Australians (speakers of Pama-Nyungan languages) and 25 Papuans from the New Guinea Highlands. We find that Papuan and Aboriginal Australian ancestors diversified 25-40 thousand years ago (kya), suggesting early population structure in the ancient continent of Sahul (Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania). However, all studied Aboriginal Australians descend from a single founding population that differentiated ~10-32 kya. We infer a population expansion in northeast Australia during the Holocene (past c.10 kya) associated with limited gene flow from this region to the rest of Australia consistent with the spread of the Pama-Nyungan languages. We estimate that Aboriginal Australians and Papuans diverged from Eurasians 51-72 kya, following a single out of Africa dispersal, and subsequently admixed with different archaic populations. Finally, we report evidence of selection in Aboriginal Australians potentially associated with living in the desert.

  Study EGAS00001001766

• Control iPSC lines with clinically annotated genetic variants for versatile multi-lineage differentiation

  Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) derived from healthy individuals are important controls for disease modeling studies. To create a resource of genetically annotated iPSC, we reprogrammed footprint-free lines from four volunteers in the Personal Genome Project Canada (PGPC). Multilineage directed differentiation efficiently produced functional cortical neurons, cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes. Pilot users further demonstrated line versatility by generating kidney organoids, T-cells and sensory neurons. A frameshift knockout was introduced into MYBPC3 and these cardiomyocytes exhibited a hypertrophic phenotype as expected. WGS annotation of PGPC lines revealed on average 20 coding variants. Importantly, nearly all annotated PGPC and HipSci lines harboured at least one pre-existing or acquired variant with cardiac, neurological or other disease associations. Overall, PGPC lines were efficiently differentiated by multiple users into cell types found in six tissues for disease modelling, and clinical annotation highlighted variant-preferred lines for use as unaffected controls in specific disease settings.

  Study EGAS00001003684

• Epigenomics and Single-cell Sequencing Define a Developmental Hierarchy in Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

  Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare neoplasm predominantly affecting children. It occupies a hybrid position between cancers and inflammatory diseases, and it provides an attractive model for studying cancer development. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of LCH and its characteristic clinical heterogeneity, we investigated the transcriptomic and epigenomic diversity in primary LCH lesions. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we identified multiple recurrent types of LCH cells within these biopsies, including putative LCH progenitor cells and several subsets of differentiated LCH cells. We confirmed the presence of proliferative LCH cells in all analysed biopsies using immunohistochemistry, and we defined an epigenomic and gene-regulatory basis of the different LCH cell subsets by chromatin accessibility profiling. In summary, our single-cell analysis of LCH uncovered an unexpected degree of cellular, transcriptomic, and epigenomic heterogeneity among LCH cells, indicative of complex developmental hierarchies in LCH lesions.

  Study EGAS00001003822

• Inactivation of TGFβ receptors in stem cells drives cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma - 30 whole exomes

  Melanoma patients treated with oncogenic BRAF inhibitors can develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) within weeks of treatment, driven by paradoxical RAS/RAF/MAPK pathway activation. Here, we identify frequent TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 mutations in human vemurafenib-induced skin lesions and in sporadic cSCC. Functional analysis reveals these mutations ablate canonical TGFβ Smad signaling which is localised to bulge stem cells in both normal human and murine skin. MAPK pathway hyperactivation (through BrafV600E or KrasG12D knockin) and TGFβ signaling ablation (through Tgfbr1 deletion) in LGR5+ve stem cells enables rapid cSCC development in the mouse. Mutation of Tp53 (which is commonly mutated in sporadic cSCC) coupled with Tgfbr1 deletion in LGR5+ve cells also results in cSCC development. These findings indicate that LGR5+ve stem cells can act as cells of origin for cSCC and that RAS/RAF/MAPK pathway hyperactivation or Tp53 mutation, coupled with loss of TGFβ signaling, are driving events of skin tumorigenesis.

  Study EGAS00001001892

• Searching for variants associated with endometriosis

  We explored regulatory mechanism of a SNP on chromosome 9p21 associated with endometriosis by leveraging “allele-specific” functional genomic approaches. By re-sequencing 1.29 Mb of 9p21 region and scrutinizing DNase-seq data from the ENCODE project, we prioritized rs17761446 as a candidate functional variant that was in perfect linkage disequilibrium with the original GWAS SNP (rs10965235) and located on DNase I hypersensitive site. Chromosome conformation capture followed by high-throughput sequencing revealed that the protective G allele of rs17761446 exerted stronger chromatin interaction with ANRIL promoter. We demonstrated that the protective allele exhibited preferential binding affinities to TCF7L2 and EP300 by bioinformatics and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses. ChIP assays for histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation and RNA polymerase II reinforced the enhancer activity of the SNP site. The allele specific expression analysis for eutopic endometrial tissues and endometrial carcinoma cell lines showed that rs17761446 was a cis-regulatory variant where G allele was associated with increased ANRIL expression.

  Study EGAS00001001741

• HCA_Gonads_Foetal_EU_H2020_HUGODECA_RNA

  Cell Atlas of human fetal gonads The HUGODECA consortium brings together leading European academic and industrial experts (from 5 different EU countries). It includes active contributors and executives of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) which will ensure complementarity with other ongoing HCA efforts. The overall HUGODECA concept is grounded on the integration of multiple synergistic expertise and technologies: Single cell profiling, spatial transcriptomic, 2D Mass cytometry and cyclic immunofluorescence and 3D imaging of optically cleared gonads. HUGODECA will implement novel tools, analytical and computational methods to process and integrate multidimensional OMICS and image data across different platforms. It will evaluate the accuracy of ex vivo culture models of human gonadal development and assess consequences of altering key signalling pathways. 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 EGAS00001004723

• Single-cell chromatin accessibility landscape identifies tissue repair program in human regulatory T cells

  Studies over the past decade characterized murine regulatory T cells (Tregs) with the capacity to promote tissue regeneration. In humans, such a population of tissue-repair Treg cells has not been discovered yet. Using single-cell chromatin accessibility profiles of murine and human tissue Treg cells, we defined a species-conserved and microbiota-independent repair Treg signature, with a prevailing footprint of the transcription factor BATF. Combining this signature with gene expression profiling and TCR fate mapping, we identified a population of tissue-like Treg cells in peripheral blood, characterized by the expression of BATF, CCR8 and HLA-DR. Human BATF+CCR8+ Treg cells from normal skin and adipose tissue shared features with tumor-resident Treg and tissue T-follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Inducing a Tfh-like differentiation program in naive Treg cells partially recapitulated human tissue Treg characteristics, including enhanced wound healing potential

  Study EGAS00001004900

• A novel subset of human CD33+ haematopoietic stem cells characterized at single-cell resolution

  Elucidation of the identity and diversity of mechanisms that sustain long-term human blood cell production remains an important challenge. Previous studies indicate that, in adult mice, this property is ultimately vested in cells uniquely identified by their ability to clonally regenerate detectable levels of mature blood cells in serially transplanted recipients. We now present a combined multi-parameter analysis of the molecular features of very primitive human cord blood cells that display different cell output activities in vitro and in vivo. These analyses identified a new, prospectively separable, but still functionally heterogeneous, subset of long-term human blood-forming cells. Single-cell measurements of their transcriptional, DNA methylation and 40-protein content and of closely related phenotypes revealed numerous subtle, but consistent differences both within and between each subset analyzed. These results suggest that multiple regulatory mechanisms underlie the functional heterogeneity exhibited by clonally tracked human blood cell precursors with long-term output abilities.

  Study EGAS00001002826

• Human Pancreatic Beta Cell lncRNAs Control Cell-Specific Regulatory Networks

  Recent studies have uncovered thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in human pancreatic β cells. β cell lncRNAs are often cell type specific and exhibit dynamic regulation during differentiation or upon changing glucose concentrations. Although these features hint at a role of lncRNAs in β cell gene regulation and diabetes, the function of β cell lncRNAs remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the function of β cell-specific lncRNAs and transcription factors using transcript knockdowns and co-expression network analysis. This revealed lncRNAs that function in concert with transcription factors to regulate β cell-specific transcriptional networks. We further demonstrate that the lncRNA PLUTO affects local 3D chromatin structure and transcription of PDX1, encoding a key β cell transcription factor, and that both PLUTO and PDX1 are downregulated in islets from donors with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. These results implicate lncRNAs in the regulation of β cell-specific transcription factor networks.

  Study EGAS00001002865

• The spatial organization of intratumor heterogeneity andevolutionary trajectories of metastases in hepatocellular carcinoma

  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has one of the poorest survival amongst cancers. Using multi-regional sampling of nine resected HCC with different etiologies, we find that phylogenetic relationships of these sectors show diverse levels of genetic sharing spanning early to late diversification. Unlike the variegated pattern found in colorectal cancers, a large proportion of HCC display a clear Isolation-By-Distance pattern where spatially closer sectors are genetically more similar. Two resected intra-hepatic metastases showed genetic divergence occurring before and after primary tumor diversification respectively. Interestingly, metastatic tumors had much higher variability than their primary tumors, suggesting that intra-hepatic metastasis is accompanied by rapid diversification at the distant location. The presence of co-existing mutations offers the possibility of drug repositioning for HCC treatment. Taken together, these insights into intra-tumor heterogeneity allow for a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary trajectories of HCC and suggest novel avenues for personalized therapy.

  Study EGAS00001001603

• Tracking the genomic evolution of esophageal adenocarcinoma through neoadjuvant chemotherapy

  Esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) are associated with dismal prognosis. Deciphering the evolutionary histories of this disease may shed light on therapeutically tractable targets and reveal changing mutational processes during the disease course and following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We exome sequenced 40 tumor regions from 8 patients with operable EACs both before and after platinum-containing NAC. This revealed the evolutionary genomic landscape of EACs with the presence of heterogeneous driver mutations, parallel evolution, early genome doubling events and an association between high intratumor heterogeneity and poor response to NAC. Multi-region sequencing demonstrated a significant reduction in T&gt;G mutations within a CTT context when comparing early and late mutational processes and the presence of a platinum signature with enrichment of C&gt;A mutations within a CpC context following NAC. EACs are characterized by the presence of amplifications containing targetable oncogenes present before and after chemotherapy that may provide a rationale for future therapeutic approaches.

  Study EGAS00001001254

• The genomic landscape of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma from immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients reveals common drivers and a novel mutational signature associated with chronic azathioprine exposure

  Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) has a high tumour mutational burden (50 mutations per megabase DNA pair). Combining whole exome analyses from 40 primary cSCC tumours, comprising 20 well differentiated and 20 moderately/poorly differentiated tumours, with accompanying clinical data from a longitudinal study of immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients, coupled with integration of independent gene expression studies has allowed the identification of commonly mutated genes and altered pathways and processes. Mutational signature analysis revealed the presence of a novel signature (signature 32), which was found exclusively in the tumours from immunosuppressed patients who had been exposed to azathioprine. Characterisation of a panel of 15 keratinocyte cancer cell lines derived from tumours from immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients reveals that they accurately reflect the mutational signatures and genomic alterations of primary tumours and provide a resource for the validation of tumour drivers and therapeutic targets.

  Study EGAS00001002612

• RNA-seq profiling of NKX6.1 reporter iPSC lines for isolation and analysis of functionally relevant neuronal and pancreas populations

  We generated human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines with a GFP reporter inserted in the endogenous NKX6.1 locus. Characterisation of the reporter lines demonstrated faithful GFP labelling of NKX6.1 expression during pancreas and motor neuron differentiation. We performed three independent in vitro differentiations towards the pancreatic endocrine lineage. We FACS-purified GFP positive and negative cells from stage 7 cultures, and generated Smart-Seq2 RNA-sequencing libraries for the pre-sorted cells, as well as the two GFP-sorted cell populations. Gene expression profiling by RNA-sequencing reveals that the NKX6.1-positive population closely resembles mature human beta cells and the functional evaluation of purified populations shows that the glucose-responsive beta-like cells are enriched within the NKX6.1-positive population. These reporter lines provide a valuable resource to the scientific community for the derivation of functional relevant pancreas and neuronal cell subtypes.

  Study EGAS00001002802

• The interface of malignant and immunologic clonal dynamics in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

  High-grade serous ovarian cancer exhibits extensive intratumoral heterogeneity coupled with widespread intraperitoneal disease. Despite this, metastatic spread of tumor clones is non-random, implying the existence of local microenvironmental factors that shape tumor progression. We interrogated the molecular interface between tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and cancer cells in 143 samples from 21 patients using whole-genome sequencing, immunohistochemistry, histologic image analysis, gene expression profiling, and T- and B-cell receptor sequencing. We identify 3 immunologic response categories, which frequently co-exist within individual patients. Furthermore, epithelial CD8+ TIL were inversely associated with malignant cell diversity, evidenced by subclonal neoepitope elimination and spatial tracking between tumor and T-cell clones. Intersecting mutational signatures and immune analysis showed that foldback inversion genomic aberrations lead to worse outcomes even in the presence of cytotoxic TIL (n=433). Thus, regional variation in immune contexture mirrors the pattern of intraperitoneal malignant spread, provoking new perspectives for treatment of this challenging disease.

  Study EGAS00001002839

• Exome and RNA sequencing data from 32 ocular and extraocular sebaceous carcinomas

  Sebaceous carcinomas (SeC) are cutaneous malignancies that, in rare cases, metastasize and prove fatal. Here we report whole exome sequencing on 32 SeC, revealing distinct mutational classes that explain both cancer ontogeny and clinical course. A UV-damage signature predominated 10/32 samples, while 9 were instead defined by microsatellite instability (MSI) mutations. UV-damage SeC exhibited poorly differentiated, infiltrative histopathologycompared to MSI signature SeC (p = 0.003), features previously associated with dissemination. Strikingly, UV-damage SeC transcriptomes and anatomic distributionclosely resembling those of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), implicating sun-exposed keratinocytes as a cell of origin. Like SCC, this UV-damage subclass harbors a high somatic mutation burden with &gt;50 mutations/Mb, predicting immunotherapeutic response. In contrast, ocular SeC acquire far fewer mutations without a dominant signature, but show frequent truncating mutations in the ZNF750 epidermal differentiation regulator. Our data exemplify how different mutational processes convergently drive histopathologically related but clinically distinct cancers.

  Study EGAS00001002869

• CTCF/cohesin-binding sites are frequently mutated in cancer

  Cohesin is present in almost all active enhancer regions, where it is associated with transcription factors. Cohesin frequently colocalizes with CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor), affecting genomic stability, expression and epigenetic homeostasis. Cohesin subunits are mutated in cancer, but CTCF/cohesin-binding sites (CBSs) in DNA have not been examined for mutations. Here we report frequent mutations at CBSs in cancers displaying a mutational signature where mutations in A•T base pairs predominate. Integration of whole-genome sequencing data from 213 colorectal cancer (CRC) samples and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-exo) data identified frequent point mutations at CBSs. In contrast, CRCs showing an ultramutator phenotype caused by defects in the exonuclease domain of DNA polymerase ɛ (POLE) displayed significantly fewer mutations at and adjacent to CBSs. Analysis of public data showed that multiple cancer types accumulate CBS mutations. CBSs are a major mutational hotspot in the noncoding cancer genome.

  Study EGAS00001003010

• FBSeq: RNA sequencing of human fetal brain.

  RNA sequencing of 120 human fetal brains (aged 12-19 post-conception weeks) was performed as part of a Medical Research Council (U.K.) funded project (MR/L010674/2) to investigate genetic effects on gene expression in the developing human brain and their role in neuropsychiatric disorders. Human fetal brain tissue from elective terminations of pregnancy was provided by the Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR) (http://www.hdbr.org), with ethical approval (#08/H0712/34), and with consent for use of fetal material for medical research provided by female donors. Total RNA was extracted from half of the available brain tissue from each fetus using Tri-Reagent and treated with TURBO DNase. RNA-Seq libraries were prepared using 1µg of purified total RNA and the Illumina TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Library Prep kit, following ribosomal RNA depletion. Libraries were sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 or HiSeq 4000 systems, generating at least 50 million read pairs per sample.

  Study EGAS00001003214

• Single-cell RNA-seq of immune cells sorted from human melanoma tumors

  Tumor immune cell compositions play a major role in response to immunotherapy but the heterogeneity and dynamics of immune infiltrates in human cancer lesions remain poorly characterized. Here we identify conserved intratumoral CD4 and CD8 T cell behaviors in scRNA-seq data from 25 melanoma patients. We discover a large population of CD8 T cells showing continuous progression from an early effector "transitional" into a dysfunctional T cell state. CD8 T cells that express a complete cytotoxic gene set are rare, and TCR sharing data suggest their independence from the transitional and dysfunctional cell states. Notably, we demonstrate that dysfunctional T cells are the major intratumoral proliferating immune cell compartment and that the intensity of the dysfunctional signature is associated with tumor-reactivity. Our data demonstrate that CD8 T cells previously defined as exhausted, are in fact a highly proliferating, clonal and dynamically differentiating cell population within the human tumor microenvironment.

  Study EGAS00001003363

• Germline and somatic SMARCA4 mutations characterize small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type.

  Small-cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is the most common undifferentiated ovarian malignancy in women under 40 years1. We sequenced the exomes of six individuals from three SCCOHT families. After discovering segregating deleterious germline mutations in SMARCA4 in all three families, we tested DNA from a fourth family, which also possessed a segregating SMARCA4 germline mutation. All familial tumors sequenced harboured either a somatic mutation or loss of the wild-type allele. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of these and additional familial and non-familial cases showed loss of the SMARCA4 protein (BRG1) in 38/40 tumors overall. Sequencing of cases with available DNA revealed at least one germline or somatic deleterious SMARCA4 mutation in 30/32 cases. Additionally, the SCCOHT cell line BIN-67 contained bi-allelic deleterious mutations in SMARCA4. Our findings identify alterations in SMARCA4 as the major cause of SCCOHT, which could lead to genetic counseling and new treatment approaches.

  Study EGAS00001000721

• 65 prostate cancer cases WGS and transcriptome sequencing project

  We obtained whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing of tumor-benign pairs from 65 Asian prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Taken together with the TCGA PCa cohort, our integration analysis provides the first comprehensive mutational landscape of PCas across major ethnics worldwide and reveals potential novel role of frequent altered chromatin remodeler genes in PCas without androgen receptor (AR) alteration and complex rearrangements derived from Chromoplexy. In addition, we identified 5 putative tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) chains including one on chromosome 13q with novel findings of PCDH9 (deletions in 15/65 tumors) which was implicated in aggressive progression of prostate cancer. Finally, the integrative pathway and co-expression network analysis followed by the functional study indicated the frequent altered genes, particularly focal amplifications of PLXNA1 (11/65), in semaphoring signaling of axon guidance pathway may interact with PI3K/AKT and AR signaling and also contribute to the aggressiveness and progression of prostate cancer.

  Study EGAS00001000888

• 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

• Whole-genome plasma sequencing reveals focal amplifications as a driving force in metastatic prostate cancer

  Genomic alterations in metastatic prostate cancer remain incompletely characterized. Here we analyze 493 prostate cancer cases from the TCGA database and perform whole-genome plasma sequencing on 95 plasma samples derived from 43 patients with metastatic prostate cancer. From these samples, we identify established driver aberrations in a cancer-related gene in nearly all cases (97.7%), including driver gene fusions (TMPRSS2:ERG), driver focal deletions (PTEN, RYBP, SHQ1), and driver amplifications (AR, MYC). In serial plasma analyses, we observe changes in focal amplifications in 40% of cases. The mean time interval between new amplifications was 26.4 weeks (range: 5-52 weeks), suggesting that they represent rapid adaptations to selection pressure. An increase in neuron-specific enolase is accompanied by clonal pattern changes in the tumor genome, most consistent with subclonal diversification of the tumor. Our findings suggest a high plasticity of prostate cancer genomes with newly occurring focal amplifications as a driving force in progression

  Study EGAS00001001018

• Barcoding reveals complex clonal dynamics of de novo transformed human mammary cells

  Most human breast cancers have already diversified genomically when they first become clinically evident, by which time extensive heterogeneous histopathologies, transcriptomes and growth patterns are also apparent. Accordingly, important initial events and the cellular context in which they occur have been difficult to characterize. Using DNA barcoding, we now demonstrate the high efficiency with which both purified basal and luminal cells isolated directly from normal adult human mammary tissue can be rapidly transformed by a single oncogene (KRASG12D) resulting in the production within 8 weeks in vivo of serially transplantable, polyclonal, invasive ductal carcinomas that are phenotypically heterogeneous and transcriptionally distinct from the initial cells transduced. Barcoding also revealed a consistent dramatic change in the clonal content of passaged tumours. This system thus provides a powerful new platform for examining early events in the genesis, evolution and treatment response of malignant human mammary cells generated using defined mutations.

  Study EGAS00001001310

• Elucidating the genomic architecture of Asian EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma through multi-region exome sequencing

  EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD) display diverse clinical trajectories and are characterized by rapid but short-lived responses to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Through sequencing of 79 spatially distinct regions from 16 early stage tumors, we show that despite low mutation burdens, EGFR-mutant Asian LUADs unexpectedly exhibit a complex genomic landscape with frequent and early whole genome doubling, aneuploidy and high clonal diversity. Multiple truncal alterations, including TP53 mutations and loss of CDKN2A and RB1, converge on cell cycle dysregulation, with late sector-specific high amplitude amplifications and deletions that potentially beget drug resistant clones. We highlight the association between genomic architecture and clinical phenotypes, such as co-occurring truncal drivers and primary TKI resistance. Through comparative analysis with published smoking-related LUAD, we postulate that the high intra-tumor heterogeneity observed in Asian EGFR-mutant LUAD may be contributed by an early dominant driver, genomic instability and low background mutation rates.

  Study EGAS00001001736

• 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

• Tissue and plasma RNA from esophageal cancer and precursor lesions

  In the past decades, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has increased dramatically in Western populations. Better understanding of disease etiology along with the identification of novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to improve the dismal survival probabilities. Here, we performed comprehensive RNA (both coding and non-coding) profiling in various samples from 17 patients diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma, high-grade dysplastic or non-dysplastic Barrett’s esophagus. Per patient, a blood plasma sample, and a healthy esophageal and disease tissue sample were included. In total, this comprehensive dataset consists of 102 RNA-seq libraries from 51 samples. This unique resource allows for discovery of novel biomarkers and disease mechanisms, comparison of tissue and liquid biopsy profiles, integration of coding and non-coding RNA patterns, and can serve as a validation dataset in other RNA landscaping studies. Moreover, structural RNA differences can be identified in this dataset, including protein coding mutations fusion genes, and circular RNAs.

  Study EGAS00001004939

• Hi-C dataset for testicular germ cell tumour GWAS risk loci, as described in the Oncoarray Litchfield et al. 2016 paper.

  Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have transformed our understanding of testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) susceptibility but much of the heritability remains unexplained. Here we report a new GWAS, a meta-analysis with previous GWAS and a replication series, totalling 7,319 TGCT cases and 23,082 controls. We identify 19 new TGCT risk loci, approximately doubling the number of known TGCT risk loci to 44. By performing in-situ Hi-C in TGCT cells, we establish a network of physical interactions between all 44 TGCT risk SNPs and candidate causal genes. Our findings reveal widespread disruption of developmental transcriptional regulators as a basis of disease susceptibility, consistent with failed primordial germ cell differentiation as an initiating step in TGCT oncogenesis1. Defective microtubule assembly and dysregulation of KIT-MAPK signalling also feature as recurrently disrupted pathways. Our findings support a polygenic model of disease risk and provide insight into the biological basis of TGCT.

  Study EGAS00001001930

• UK renal cancer samples genotyped on Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip

  Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cases comprised adult patients with histologically proven RCC were collected through two sources within the UK. First, 856 cases from SORCE, a MRC collection of surgically treated RCC cases ascertained through UK clinical oncology centres. Second, 189 RCC cases collected through the ICR and Royal Marsden NHS Hospitals Trust. Cases included 590 clear cell carcinomas (CCCs), 42 papillary carcinomas (PCs), 33 chromophobe carcinomas (CCs) and 19 mixed or other histological subtypes. DNA was extracted from EDTA-venous blood samples using the conventional methods and quantified using PicoGreen (Invitrogen). Cases were genotyped using the Human OmniExpress-12 BeadChip according to the manufacturer's recommendations (Illumina Inc, San Diego, CA, USA). After strict QC, 944 cases were retained. Data provided in plink format. Controls used were data from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) 1958 birth cohort and the UK Blood Service Control Group (available as EGAS00000000028).

  Study EGAS00001002336

• Longitudinal Single-Cell Profiling Reveals Molecular Heterogeneity and Tumor-Immune Evolution in Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma

  The mechanisms driving therapeutic resistance and poor outcomes of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are incompletely understood. We characterize the cellular and molecular heterogeneity within and across patients and delineate the dynamic evolution of tumor and immune cell compartments at single cell resolution in longitudinal specimens from ibrutinib-sensitive patients and non-responders. Temporal activation of multiple cancer hallmark pathways and acquisition of 17q are observed in a refractory MCL. Multi-platform validation is performed at genomic and cellular levels in PDX models and larger patient cohorts. We demonstrate that the molecular targeting of BIRC5/survivin, locates at 17q and upregulates in resistant MCL tumor cells, results in marked tumor inhibition in preclinical models. In addition, we discovere notable differences in the tumor microenvironment including progressive dampening of CD8+ T cells and aberrant cell-to-cell communication networks in refractory MCLs. This study reveales diverse and dynamic tumor and immune programs underlying therapy resistance in MCL.

  Study EGAS00001005019

• Real-time response profiling through serial plasma analyses during FOLFOX treatment in patients with colorectal cancer

  Response evaluation of cancer therapeutics relies on the assessment of the change in tumor burden, which is performed in accordance with defined criteria every 8-12 weeks. However, predictive factors for response are not available for the majority of patients with advanced stage colorectal cancer. Here we show that measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels during one of the most commonly administered drug regimens, i.e. FOLFOX, allows an early, real-time assessment of treatment response. During the 48-hour FOLFOX application, we serially assessed plasma DNA and observed that ctDNA levels initially decreased during the first 23 hours. In patients with stable disease or partial response, ctDNA levels remained low, whereas in patients with progressive disease, ctDNA levels increased at the end of the treatment cycle predicting clinical and radiologic response correctly. Hence, ctDNA monitoring during treatment may contribute to an early outcome prediction with significant implications for the management of patients.

  Study EGAS00001004213

• Robust detection of translocations in lymphoma FFPE samples using Targeted Locus Capture-based sequencing - NGS targeted capture control cohort

  In routine diagnostic pathology, cancer biopsies are preserved by Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedding (FFPE) procedures for examination of (intra-) cellular morphology. Such procedures inadvertently induce DNA fragmentation, which compromises sequencing-based analyses of chromosomal rearrangements. Yet, rearrangements drive many types of hematolymphoid malignancies and solid tumors, and their manifestation is instructive for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Here, we present FFPE-Targeted Locus Capture (FFPE-TLC) for targeted sequencing of proximity-ligation products formed in FFPE tissue blocks, and PLIER, a computational framework that allows automated identification and characterization of rearrangements involving selected, clinically-relevant, loci. FFPE-TLC, blindly applied to 149 lymphoma and control FFPE samples, identifies the known and novel rearrangement partners. It outperforms fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in sensitivity and specificity, and shows clear advantages over standard capture-NGS methods, finding rearrangements involving repetitive sequences which they typically miss. FFPE-TLC is therefore a powerful clinical diagnostics tool for accurate targeted rearrangement detection in FFPE specimens.

  Study EGAS00001005325

• Interethnic comparability in blood pressure GWAS

  We carried out a genome-wide association and replication study for blood pressure in a two-stage approach (max N = 289,038) with a discovery stage sample of 130,777 East Asian individuals, identifying 19 new genetic loci. We found a significant genetic heterogeneity between East Asian and European-descent populations at several blood pressure loci, conforming to “a common ancestry-specific variant association model”. At 6 unique loci, distinct non-rare (or common) ancestry-specific variants co-localized within the same linkage disequilibrium block despite the significantly discordant direction of effects for the proxy shared variants between the ethnic groups. The genome-wide transethnic correlation of causal-variant effect sizes is 0.898 and 0.851 for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. Some of the ancestry-specific association signals were also influenced by a selective sweep. Our results provide new evidence for the role of common ancestry-specific variants and natural selection in the occurrence of ethnic differences in complex traits such as blood pressure.

  Study EGAS00001002991

• A living biobank of breast cancer organoids captures disease heterogeneity

  Breast Cancer (BC) comprises multiple distinct subtypes that differ genetically, pathologically, and clinically. Xeno-transplantation and direct culturing of tumor tissue are increasingly used in drug development and personalized medicine strategies. Here, we describe a robust protocol for long-term culturing of human mammary epithelial organoids. Using this protocol, 101 BC organoid lines were generated, broadly recapitulating the diversity of the disease. BC organoid morphologies typically matched the histopathology, hormone receptor-, and HER2 status of the original tumor. DNA copy number variations as well as sequence changes were consistent within tumor-organoid pairs and largely retained even after extended passaging. BC organoids furthermore populated all major gene expression-based classification groups and allowed drug screens in vitro and upon xenotransplantation. This study describes a representative collection of well-characterized BC organoids available for cancer research and drug development, as well as a strategy to assess in vitro drug response in a personalized fashion.

  Study EGAS00001002158

• Circulating tumor cells for comprehensive and multiregional non-invasive genetic characterization of multiple myeloma (arrays set)

  Multiple myeloma (MM) patients undergo repetitive bone marrow (BM) aspirates for genetic characterization. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are detectable in peripheral blood of virtually all MM cases and are prognostic, but their applicability for non-invasive screening has been poorly investigated. Here, we used next-generation flow cytometry to isolate matched CTCs and BM tumor cells from 42 patients and compare their genetic profile. In 8 cases, tumor cells from extramedullary plasmacytomas were also sorted and whole-exome sequencing performed in the three spatially-distributed clones. Noteworthy, ≥84% mutations present in BM and extramedullary clones were detectable in CTCs. Concordance between BM tumor cells and CTCs was high for chromosome arm-level copy-number alterations (≥94%) though not for translocations (43%). All high-risk genetic abnormalities except one t(4;14) were detected in CTCs whenever present in BM tumor cells. Altogether, these results support CTCs for non-invasive risk-stratification of MM patients based on their numbers and genetic profile.

  Study EGAS00001004314

• Ductal keratin 15+ luminal progenitors in normal breast exhibit a basal-like breast cancer transcriptomic signature

  Normal breast luminal epithelial progenitors have been implicated as cell of origin in basal-like breast cancer, but their anatomical localization remains understudied. Here, we combine micro-collection of uncultured organoids and single cell mRNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of FACS-sorted luminal epithelial cells with multicolor imaging to profile ducts and terminal ductal lobular units (TDLUs) and compare them with breast cancer subtypes. Unsupervised clustering reveals eleven distinct clusters and a differentiation trajectory starting with keratin 15+ (K15+) progenitors enriched in ducts. Spatial mapping of luminal progenitors is confirmed at the protein level by staining with critical duct markers. Comparison of the gene expression profiles of normal luminal cells with those of breast cancer subtypes reveals a strong correlation between normal breast K15+ ductal progenitors and basal-like breast cancer. We propose that K15+ basal-like breast cancers originate in ductal progenitors, which emphasizes the importance of not only lineages but also cellular position within the ductal-lobular tree.

  Study EGAS00001005963

• Gain of function DNMT3A mutations cause microcephalic dwarfism and hypermethylation of Polycomb-regulated regions

  DNA methylation and Polycomb are key factors in the establishment of vertebrate cellular identity and fate. Here we report de novo missense mutations in DNMT3A, encoding the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A, that cause microcephalic dwarfism, a hypocellular disorder of extreme global growth failure. Substitutions in the PWWP domain abrogate binding to the histone modifications H3K36me2/3, and alter DNA methylation in patient cells. Polycomb-associated DNA methylation canyons/valleys, hypomethylated domains encompassing developmental genes, become methylated with concomitant depletion of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 bivalent marks. Such de novo DNA methylation occurs during differentiation of Dnmt3aW326R pluripotent cells in vitro, and is also evident in Dnmt3aW326R/+ dwarf mice. We therefore propose that the interaction of the DNMT3A PWWP domain with H3K36me2/3 normally limits DNA methylation of polycomb-marked regions. Our findings implicate the interplay between DNA methylation and polycomb at key developmental regulators as a determinant of organism size in mammals.

  Study EGAS00001003232

• Fibroblast heterogeneity drives metastatic spread in breast cancer through distinct mechanisms

  The major cause of death among breast cancer patients is metastatic dissemination, suggesting that understanding the mechanisms driving this process remains an unmet medical need. Here, by concomitantly using 5 markers, we identify 4 Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF) subsets in primary tumors and corresponding metastatic lymph nodes (LN). Two CAF subsets, called CAF-S1 and CAF-S4, correlate with the proportion of cancer cells in invaded LN and exert distinct functions in tumor cell spread. CAF-S1 promote cancer cell migration and initiates an epithelial to mesenchymal transition through a CXCL12 / TGFb positive loop. For their part, the highly contractile CAF-S4 foster cancer cell motility and invasion in 3-dimensional matrix via Notch pathway activation. Finally, CAF-S1 and CAF-S4 accumulation in LN is a new prognostic factor at diagnostic, independent of breast cancer subtypes and LN status, strengthening the validity of our findings in human breast cancer pathophysiology.

  Study EGAS00001003238

• CCL22 chemokine mutations drive natural killer cell lymphoproliferative disease by biasing GPCR signaling

  Chronic lymphoproliferative disorder of natural killer cells (CLPD-NK) is characterized by clonal expansion of NK cells of incompletely understood genomic basis. Here, we report somatic mutations in the chemokine gene CCL22 as the hallmark of a distinct subset of CLPD-NK. CCL22 mutations were enriched at highly conserved residues, were mutually exclusive of STAT3 mutations, and were associated with gene expression similar to normal CD16dim/CD56bright NK cells. Mechanistically, the mutations resulted in ligand-biased chemokine receptor signaling, with decreased internalization of the G-protein-coupled receptor for CCL22, CCR4, via impaired β-arrestin recruitment. This resulted in increased cell chemotaxis in vitro, bidirectional crosstalk with the hematopoietic microenvironment, and enhanced NK cell proliferation in vivo in transgenic human IL-15 mice. Somatic CCL22 mutations illustrate a novel mechanism of tumor formation in which gain-of-function chemokine mutations promote tumorigenesis by biased G-protein-coupled receptor signaling and dysregulation of microenvironmental crosstalk.

  Study EGAS00001006009

• A Proteogenomic Analysis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Population

  Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common and aggressive subtype of renal cancer. Here we conduct a comprehensive proteogenomic analysis of 232 tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissue pairs from Chinese ccRCC patients. By comparing with tumor adjacent tissues, we find that ccRCC shows extensive metabolic dysregulation and an enhanced immune response. Molecular subtyping classifies ccRCC tumors into three subtypes (GP1–3), among which the most aggressive GP1 exhibits the strongest immune phenotype, increased metastasis, and metabolic imbalance, linking the multi-omics-derived phenotypes to clinical outcomes of ccRCC. Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), a one-carbon 38 metabolic enzyme, is identified as a potential marker of ccRCC and a drug target for GP1. We demonstrate that NNMT induces DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) homocysteinylation, increases DNA repair, and promotes ccRCC tumor growth. This study provides insights into the biological underpinnings and prognosis assessment of ccRCC, revealing targetable metabolic vulnerabilities.

  Study EGAS00001006005

• Molecular and functional profiling of plasmablastic lymphoma

  Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) represents a rare and aggressive lymphoma subtype frequently associated with immunosuppression. Clinically, patients with PBL are characterized by poor outcome. The current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis is limited. A hallmark of PBL represents its plasmacytic differentiation with loss of B-cell markers and, in 60% of cases, its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Roughly 50% of PBLs harbor a MYC translocation. Here, we provide a comprehensive integrated genomic analysis using whole exome sequencing (WES) and genome-wide copy number determination in a large cohort of 96 primary PBL samples. We identify alterations activating the RAS-RAF, JAK-STAT, and NOTCH pathways as well as frequent high-level amplifications in MCL1 and IRF4. The functional impact of these alterations is assessed using an unbiased shRNA screen in a PBL model. These analyses identify the IRF4 and JAK-STAT pathways as promising molecular targets to improve outcome of PBL patients.

  Study EGAS00001004659

• A comprehensive characterization of the cell-free transcriptome reveals tissue- and subtype-specific biomarkers for cancer detection

  Cell-free RNA (cfRNA) is a promising analyte for cancer detection. However, a comprehensive assessment of cfRNA in individuals with and without cancer has not been conducted. We performed the first transcriptome-wide characterization of cfRNA in cancer (stage III breast [n=46], lung [n=30]) and non-cancer (n=89) participants from the Circulating Cell-free Genome Atlas (NCT02889978). Of 57,820 annotated genes, 39,564 (68%) were not detected in cfRNA from non-cancer individuals. Within these low-noise regions, we identified tissue- and cancer-specific genes, defined as "dark channel biomarker" (DCB) genes, that were recurrently detected in individuals with cancer. DCB levels in plasma were correlated with tumor shedding rate and RNA expression in matched tissue, suggesting that DCBs with high expression in tumor tissue could enhance cancer detection in patients with low levels of circulating tumor DNA. Overall, cfRNA provides a unique opportunity to detect cancer, predict the tumor tissue of origin, and determine the cancer subtype.

  Study EGAS00001004704

• Genomic analysis of a hypermutated gliosarcoma

  Gliosarcoma is a variant of glioblastoma with equally poor prognosis and characterized by mixed glial and mesenchymal pathology. Metastasis is not uncommon but involvement of the spinal cord is rare, and comprehensive genetic characterization of spinal gliosarcoma is lacking. We describe a patient initially diagnosed with a low-grade brain glioma via biopsy, followed by adjuvant radiation and temozolomide treatment. Nearly two years after diagnosis, she developed neurological deficits from an intradural, extramedullary tumor anterior to the spinal cord at T4, which was resected and diagnosed as gliosarcoma. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) of this tumor revealed a hypermutated phenotype, characterized by somatic mutations in key DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway genes, an abundance of C&gt;T transitions within the identified somatic SNVs, and microsatellite stability, together consistent with temozolomide-mediated hypermutagenesis. This is the first report of a hypermutator phenotype in gliosarcoma, which may represent a novel genomic mechanism of progression from lower-grade glioma.

  Study EGAS00001004864

• RNA-seq on patient-derived, stage II, CRC cell lines

  The gut microbiome is a key player in the immunomodulatory and pro-tumorigenic microenvironment in colorectal cancer (CRC). It is well established that Fusobacterium’s virulence factors are responsible for its pro-tumorigenic properties, however the role of its metabolic cross-talk with the tumor remains unexplored. Here we use in vitro, in vivo, and in silico methods to describe a novel microbe-host interaction keystone: formate. Omics data reveals molecular signatures, linking a metabolically driven CRC phenotype with Fusobacteria. We observed a metabolic shift towards increased F. nucleatum formate secretion in gut-on-chip model co-cultures with patient-derived CRC cells, along with an accelerated cancer glutamine metabolism. We show that high formate levels trigger AhR signaling, increase cancer stemness and cellular invasion. Finally, we observed an expansion of Th17 cells accompanying F. nucleatum-induced tumorigenesis. Moving beyond observational studies, we applied new experimental approaches for gaining ecosystem-level mechanistic understanding of F. nucleatum’s role in cancer pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001005948

• Human genome-wide variations in the Massim region

  The Massim, a cultural region encompassing the southeastern tip of mainland Papua New Guinea (PNG) and nearby islands, is famous for the Kula trading network, in which different valuables circulate in different directions among the islands. To explore Massim genetic history, we generated genome-wide data from across the region and found variable levels of Papuan-related (indigenous) ancestry, including a novel ancestry associated with Rossel Island, and Austronesian-related ancestry that arrived later. We find genetic evidence for different patterns of contact across PNG, the Massim, and the Bismarck and Solomon Archipelagoes for Austronesian-related vs. Papuan-related ancestry, with more geographic restriction for the latter. Moreover, Kula-practicing groups share more genetic similarity than do other groups, and this likely predates the origin of Kula, suggesting that high between-group contact facilitated the formation of Kula. Our study provides the first comprehensive genome-wide assessment of Massim inhabitants and new insights into the fascinating Kula system.

  Study EGAS00001006010

• Arriba: accurate and efficient detection of gene fusions from RNA-Seq (H021)

  The identification of gene fusions from RNA sequencing data is a routine task in cancer research and precision oncology. However, despite the availability of many computational tools, fusion detection remains challenging. Existing methods suffer from poor prediction accuracy and are computationally demanding. We developed Arriba, a novel fusion detection algorithm with high sensitivity and short runtime. When applied to a large collection of published pancreatic cancer samples (n=803), Arriba identified a variety of driver fusions, many of which affected druggable proteins, including ALK, BRAF, FGFR2, NRG1, NTRK1, NTRK3, RET, and ROS1. The fusions were significantly associated with KRAS wild-type tumors and involved proteins stimulating the MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting that they substitute for activating mutations in KRAS. In addition, we confirmed the transforming potential of two novel fusions, RRBP1-RAF1 and RASGRP1-ATP1A1, in cellular assays. These results demonstrate Arriba’s utility in both basic cancer research and clinical translation.

  Study EGAS00001003554

• Molecular Profiling Reveals Unique Immune and Metabolic Features of Melanoma Brain Metastases

  There is a critical need to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of -melanoma brain metastases (MBM). Thus, we performed RNA sequencing on 88 resected MBMs and 42 patient-matched extracranial metastases; tumors with sufficient tissue also underwent whole-exome sequencing, T-cell receptor sequencing, and IHC. MBMs demonstrated heterogeneity of immune infiltrates that correlated with prior radiation and post-craniotomy survival. Comparison with patient-matched extracranial metastases identified significant immunosuppression and enrichment of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in MBMs. Gene-expression analysis of intracranial and subcutaneous xenografts, and a spontaneous MBM model, confirmed increased OXPHOS gene expression in MBMs, which was also detected by direct metabolite profiling and [U-13C]-glucose tracing in vivo IACS-010759, an OXPHOS inhibitor currently in early-phase clinical trials, improved survival of mice bearing MAPK inhibitor-resistant intracranial melanoma xenografts and inhibited MBM formation in the spontaneous MBM model. The results provide new insights into the pathogenesis and therapeutic resistance of MBMs.

  Study EGAS00001003672

• Multimodal Epigenetic Sequencing Analysis (MESA) of Cell-free DNA for Non-invasive Cancer Detection

  Multimodal characterization of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the blood can enable the sensitive and non-invasive detection of human cancers but remains technically challenging and costly. Here, we developed Multimodal Epigenetic Sequencing Analysis (MESA), a flexible and sensitive method of capturing and integrating multimodal epigenetic information of cfDNA using a single experimental assay, i.e., non-disruptive bisulfite-free methylation sequencing, such as Enzymatic Methyl-seq (EM-seq) and TET-assisted pyridine borane sequencing (TAPS). MESA can simultaneously infer cfDNA methylation, nucleosome occupancy, nucleosome fuzziness, and fragmentation profile for regions surrounding the promoters and polyadenylation sites (PASs). MESA’s integrated analysis of multimodal epigenetic features significantly improved the performance of cancer detection models compared to the usage of any single modality alone. MESA captures additional and highly complementary epigenetic information from cfDNA without additional experimental assays, highlighting the importance and clinical prospect of using multimodal epigenetic features for non-invasive cancer detection

  Study EGAS00001006462

• Adult human kidney organoids originate from CD24+ cells and represent an advanced model for adult polycystic kidney disease

  Adult kidney organoids have been described as strictly tubular epithelial and termed tubuloids. While the cellular origin of tubuloids has remained elusive, here we report that they originate from a distinct CD24+ epithelial subpopulation. Long-term-cultured CD24+-derived tubuloids represent a functional human kidney tubule. We show that kidney tubuloids can be used to model the most common inherited kidney disease, namely autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), reconstituting the phenotypic hallmark of this disease with cyst formation. Single-cell RNA sequencing of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited PKD1 and PKD2 knockout tubuloids and human ADPKD and control tissue show similarities in upregulation of disease-driving genes. Furthermore, in a proof of concept, we demonstrate that tolvaptan, the only approved drug for ADPKD, shows a significant effect on cyst size in tubuloids but no effect in a pluripotent-stem-cell-derived model. Thus, tubuloids derive from a tubular epithelial subpopulation and represent an advanced model for ADPKD disease modeling.

  Study EGAS00001006551

• GENOMIC MUTATION LANDSCAPE OF SKIN CANCERS FROM DNA REPAIR-DEFICIENT XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM PATIENTS

  Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in genes of the Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) pathway (groups A-G) or in Translesion Synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerase η (group V). XP is associated with an increased skin cancer risk, reaching, for some groups, several thousand-fold compared to the general population. Here, we analyzed 38 skin cancer genomes from five XP groups. We found that the activity of NER determines heterogeneity of the mutation rates across skin cancer genomes and that transcription-coupled NER extends beyond the gene boundaries reducing the intergenic mutation rate. Mutational profile in XP-V tumors revealed the role of polymerase η in the error-free bypass of (i) rare TpG and TpA DNA lesions, (ii) 3’ nucleotides in pyrimidine dimers, and (iii) TpT photodimers. Our study unravels the genetic basis of skin cancer risk in XP and provides insights into the mechanisms reducing UV-induced mutagenesis in the general population.

  Study EGAS00001006732

• Multi-omics identify falling LRRC15 as a COVID-19 severity marker and persistent pro-thrombotic signals in convalescence

  Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at high risk of severe COVID-19. Here, we perform longitudinal blood sampling of ESKD haemodialysis patients with COVID-19, collecting samples pre-infection, serially during infection, and after clinical recovery. Using plasma proteomics, and RNA-sequencing and flow cytometry of immune cells, we identify transcriptomic and proteomic signatures of COVID-19 severity, and find distinct temporal molecular profiles in patients with severe disease. Supervised learning reveals that the plasma proteome is a superior indicator of clinical severity than the PBMC transcriptome. We show that a decreasing trajectory of plasma LRRC15, a proposed co-receptor for SARS-CoV-2, is associated with a more severe clinical course. Strikingly, we observe that two months after the acute infection, patients still display dysregulated gene expression related to vascular, platelet and coagulation pathways, including PF4 (platelet factor 4), which may explain the prolonged thrombotic risk following COVID-19.

  Study EGAS00001006778

• The clinicopathologic spectrum and genomic landscape of de-/trans-differentiated melanoma

  De- and trans-differentiation is a rare and only poorly understood phenomenon in cutaneous melanoma. To study this disease more comprehensively we have retrieved 11 primary cutaneous melanomas from our pathology archives showing biphasic features characterized by a conventional melanoma and additional areas of de-/trans-differentiation as defined by a lack of immunohistochemical expression of all conventional melanocytic markers (S-100 protein, SOX10, Melan-A and HMB-45). The clinical, histologic and immunohistochemical findings were recorded and follow-up was obtained. The patients were mostly elderly (median: 81 years; range: 42-86 years) without significant gender predilection, and the sun-exposed skin of the head and neck area was most commonly affected. The tumors were deeply invasive with a mean tumor thickness of 7 mm (range: 4-80 mm). The dedifferentiated component showed atypical fibroxanthoma-like features in the majority (7), while additional rhabdomyosarcomatous and epithelial transdifferentiation was noted histologically and/or immunohistochemically in two tumors each. The background conventional melanoma component was of desmoplastic (4), superficial spreading (3), nodular (2), lentigo maligna (1) or spindle cell (1) types. For the 7 patients with available follow-up data (median follow-up period of 25 months; range: 8-36 months), 2 died from their disease and 3 developed metastases. Next-generation sequencing of the cohort revealed somatic mutation of established melanoma drivers including mainly NF1 mutations in the conventional component (5 cases), which were also detected in the corresponding de-/trans-differentiated components. In summary, the diagnosis of de-/trans-differentiated melanoma is challenging and depends on the morphologic identification of the conventional melanoma component. Molecular analysis is diagnostically helpful as the mutated gene profile is shared between the conventional and de-/trans-differentiated components. Importantly, de-/trans-differentiation does not appear to confer a more aggressive behavior.

  Dataset EGAD00001007033

• Fetal origins of malignant germ cell tumours

  Germ cell tumours (GCTs) are a collection of benign and malignant neoplasms derived from primordial germ cells (PGCs). They are uniquely able to generate embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, which in malignant GCTs carries prognostic and therapeutic significance. The developmental pathways underpinning GCT initiation and histogenesis are incompletely understood. Here, we studied the phylogenetic and transcriptional diversity of 15 malignant gonadal GCTs and four normal testis biopsies by sequencing 131 whole genomes and 416 transcriptomes from 14 gonadal histologies, excised by laser capture microdissection. Our findings demonstrate that tumours were initiated by whole genome duplication likely in embryogenesis, within ~5-8 cell divisions post-PGC specification, followed by chromosome 12p gains associated with invasive disease. Of note, 12p imbalances were not only generated through GCT-typical isochromosomes, but also through non-isochromosomic configurations. Whilst tumours developed along homogenous phylogenetic pathways, they spawned manifold tissues independent of genetic subclonal diversification. A key feature of GCT tissues was the expression of fetal-specific genes. The transcriptional diversity notwithstanding, we found universal transcriptional elements correlated with hallmark 12p gains. Overall, our study reveals stereotyped phylogenies and transcriptomes underpinning the development of GCT that originate in fetal life and may lend themselves to therapeutic manipulation.

  Dataset EGAD00001007037

• 1M-scBloodNL

  Here we present the 1M-scBloodNL study, in which we performed single-cell RNA-seq on 120 individuals of the Northern Netherlands population cohort Lifelines. For each individual peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were sequenced in an unstimulated condition, and after 3 and 24 hour in vitro stimulation with C. albicans (CA), M. tuberculosis (MTB) and P. aeruginosa (PA), totalling approximately 1.3 million cells. scRNA-seq was conducted with the 10X Genomics 3'-end v2 (72 libraries) and v3 (33 libraries) technology. In general, each library contains PBMCs from 8 donors and 2 different stimulation-timepoint combinations. Donors were demultiplexed using a combination of SoupOrCell (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-020-0820-1) and genotype information to assign the correct donor to a donor-specific cell cluster.

  Dataset EGAD00001007764

• The clinicopathologic spectrum and genomic landscape of de-/trans-differentiated melanoma

  De- and trans-differentiation is a rare and only poorly understood phenomenon in cutaneous melanoma. To study this disease more comprehensively we have retrieved 11 primary cutaneous melanomas from our pathology archives showing biphasic features characterized by a conventional melanoma and additional areas of de-/trans-differentiation as defined by a lack of immunohistochemical expression of all conventional melanocytic markers (S-100 protein, SOX10, Melan-A and HMB-45). The clinical, histologic and immunohistochemical findings were recorded and follow-up was obtained. The patients were mostly elderly (median: 81 years; range: 42-86 years) without significant gender predilection, and the sun-exposed skin of the head and neck area was most commonly affected. The tumors were deeply invasive with a mean tumor thickness of 7 mm (range: 4-80 mm). The dedifferentiated component showed atypical fibroxanthoma-like features in the majority (7), while additional rhabdomyosarcomatous and epithelial transdifferentiation was noted histologically and/or immunohistochemically in two tumors each. The background conventional melanoma component was of desmoplastic (4), superficial spreading (3), nodular (2), lentigo maligna (1) or spindle cell (1) types. For the 7 patients with available follow-up data (median follow-up period of 25 months; range: 8-36 months), 2 died from their disease and 3 developed metastases. Next-generation sequencing of the cohort revealed somatic mutation of established melanoma drivers including mainly NF1 mutations in the conventional component (5 cases), which were also detected in the corresponding de-/trans-differentiated components. In summary, the diagnosis of de-/trans-differentiated melanoma is challenging and depends on the morphologic identification of the conventional melanoma component. Molecular analysis is diagnostically helpful as the mutated gene profile is shared between the conventional and de-/trans-differentiated components. Importantly, de-/trans-differentiation does not appear to confer a more aggressive behavior.

  Dataset EGAD00001007034

• Recurrent DNMT3B gene rearrangements are associated with unfavorable outcome in dicentric (9;20)-positive pediatric BCP-ALL

  We provide clinical data sets of Array CGH, targeted RNA-seq, total RNA-seq, whole genome bisulfite (WGBS) and whole genome DNA sequencing (WGS) obtained from bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells of 57 pediatric patients with dicentric chromosome dic(9;20) positive Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), from which in 6 cases DNMT3B gene rearrangement was identified. This data is complemented by total RNA-seq and WGBS of samples from 4 additional ALL patients with a t(12;21) translocation and ETV6-RUNX1 gene fusion. DNA was isolated from BM or PB B-lymphocytes using Qiagen QIAamp DNA Blood Midi Kit to perform i) Array CGH of 58 dic(9;20) positive samples by hybridizing 500ng DNA using a Agilent 400K SurePrint G3 Custom CGH Human Genome Microarray (e-Array design 84704) ii) WGBS of 6 DNMT3B rearrangement positive samples and 4 ETV6-RUNX1 positive samples using Tecan TrueMethyl oxBS-Seq module for library preparation and Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform to run 2x151 cycles iii) WGS of DNMT3B rearrangement positive samples using Illumina Lotus DNA Library Prep Kit followed by sequencing running 2x160 cycles on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. RNA was isolated from PB B-lymphocytes using the PerkinElmer Chemagic 360 instrument, followed by i) targeted RNA-seq of 56 dic(9;20) positive samples prepared using Illumina TruSight RNA Pan-Cancer Panel and sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform running 2x75 cycles ii) total RNA-seq of 6 DNMT3B rearrangement positive samples and 4 ETV6-RUNX1 positive samples utilizing TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Library Prep Gold kit and running 2x100 cycles on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform.

  Dataset EGAD00001011122

• Preferential infiltration of unique Vγ9Jγ2‐Vδ2 T cells into glioblastoma multiforme

  Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is clinically highly aggressive as a result of evolutionary dynamics induced by cross-talk between cancer cells and a heterogeneous group of immune cells in tumor microenvironment. The brain harbors limited numbers of immune cells with few lymphocytes and macrophages; thus, innate‐like lymphocytes, such as γδ T cells, have important roles in antitumor immunity. Here, we characterized GBM‐infiltrating γδ T cells, which may have roles in regulating the GBM tumor microenvironment and cancer cell gene expression. V(D)J repertoires of tumor‐infiltrating and blood‐circulating γδ T cells from four patients were analyzed by next-generation sequencing-based T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing in addition to mutation and immune profiles in four GBM cases. In all tumor tissues, abundant innate and effector/memory lymphocytes were detected, accompanied by large numbers of tumor‐associated macrophages and closely located tumor‐infiltrating γδ T cells, which appear to have anti-tumor activity. The immune-related gene expression analysis using the TCGA database showed that the signature gene expression extent of γδ T cells were more associated with those of cytotoxic T and Th1 cells and M1 macrophages than those of Th2 cells and M2 macrophages. Although the most abundant γδ T cells were Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in both tumor tissues and blood, the repertoire of intratumoral Vγ9Vδ2 T cells was distinct from that of peripheral blood Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and was dominated by Vγ9Jγ2 sequences, not by canonical Vγ9JγP sequences that are mostly commonly found in blood γδ T cells. Collectively, unique GBM‐specific TCR clonotypes were identified by comparing TCR repertoires of peripheral blood and intra‐tumoral γδ T cells. These findings will be helpful for the elucidation of tumor-specific antigens and development of anticancer immunotherapies using tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells.

  Dataset EGAD00001004862

• Transcriptomic classes of BCR-ABL1 lymphoblastic leukemia

  In BCR-ABL1 lymphoblastic leukemia, treatment heterogeneity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), especially in the absence of kinase domain mutations in BCR-ABL1, is poorly understood. Through deep molecular profiling, we uncovered three transcriptomic subtypes of BCR-ABL1 lymphoblastic leukemia, each representing a maturation arrest at a stage of B-cell progenitor differentiation. An earlier arrest was associated with lineage promiscuity, treatment refractoriness, and poor patient outcomes. A later arrest was associated with lineage fidelity, deep and durable leukemia remissions, and improved patient outcomes. Each maturation arrest was marked by specific genomic events that control different transition points in B-cell development. Interestingly, these events were absent in BCR-ABL1+ pre-leukemic stem cells isolated from patients regardless of subtype, which supports that transcriptomic phenotypes are determined downstream of the leukemia-initialing event. Overall, our data indicate that treatment response and TKI-efficacy is an unexpected outcome of the differentiation stage at which this leukemia transforms.

  Study EGAS00001007167

• Whole genome sequencing of patients with or at risk for HCC

  Liver cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Screening individuals at high risk, including those with cirrhosis and viral hepatitis, provides an avenue for improved survival, but current screening methods are inadequate. In this study, we used whole-genome cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentome analyses to evaluate 724 individuals from the United States, the European Union, or Hong Kong with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or who were at average or high-risk for HCC. Using a machine learning model that incorporated multifeature fragmentome data, the sensitivity for detecting cancer was 88% in an average-risk population at 98% specificity and 85% among high-risk individuals at 80% specificity. We validated these results in an independent population. cfDNA fragmentation changes reflected genomic and chromatin changes in liver cancer, including from transcription factor binding sites. These findings provide a biological basis for changes in cfDNA fragmentation in patients with liver cancer and provide an accessible approach for noninvasive cancer detection.

  Study EGAS00001007249

• Mutational Mechanisms in Multiply Relapsed Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is marked by low mutational load at initial diagnosis, which increases at relapse. To determine which processes are active in (relapsed) ALL and how they behave during disease progression before and after therapy, we performed whole genome sequencing on tumor samples of 29 multiply relapsed ALL patients. Mutational load increased upon relapse in 28 patients and every subsequent relapse in 22 patients, with UV-like damage, APOBEC activity, reactive oxygen species, thiopurine-associated damage and an unknown therapy component driving mutagenesis. Thiopurines were the most prominent source of new mutations in relapse, affecting over half of the studied patients and causing potential relapse-driving mutations in multiple patients. Mutational processes often affected patients over longer time periods, but could also occur in isolated events, suggesting the requirement of additional triggers. Our data pose mutational processes as prominent secondary drivers with an important role in ALL development and progression.

  Study EGAS00001007900

• Mapping the human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell hierarchy through integrated single-cell proteomics and transcriptomics

  Single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq) has enabled the characterization of cell state heterogeneity and recapitulation of differentiation trajectories. However, since proteins are the main functional entities in cells, the exclusive use of mRNA measurements comes at the risk of missing important biological information. Here we leverage recent technological advances in single-cell proteomics by Mass Spectrometry (scp-MS) to generate the first scp-MS dataset of an in vivo differentiation hierarchy encompassing over 2,500 human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Through integration with scRNA-seq, we identify proteins that are important for stem cell quiescence, which were not indicated by their mRNA transcripts, and demonstrate functional expression covariance during differentiation that is only detectable on protein level. Finally, we show that modeling translation dynamics can infer cell progression during differentiation and explain 45% more protein variation from mRNA than linear correlation. Our work serves as a framework for future single-cell multi-omics studies across biological systems.

  Study EGAS00001007930

• The genomic landscape of relapsed infant and childhood KMT2A-rearranged acute leukemia

  To study the mechanisms of relapse in KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we performed whole-genome and exome sequencing of infants and children with relapsed ALL/AML (n=36), and longitudinal deep-sequencing of 257 samples in 30 patients. Somatic alterations in drug-response genes, most commonly in TP53 and IKZF1 (64%), were highly enriched in early relapse ALL (79%, 9-36 months after diagnosis), but rare in very early relapse ALL (&lt;9 months, 9%). A marked chemotherapy-exposure signature was detected for mutations in early relapse ALL but not in very early ALL or AML relapse, in line with different mechanisms of relapse. Longitudinal analyses could track residual leukemia cells, clonal drug responses, and the upcoming relapse. These results highlight that KMT2A-r ALL and AML evade therapy differently and provide new insights into the mechanisms of relapse in this highly lethal form of pediatric acute leukemia.

  Study EGAS00001008197

• An isogenic human iPSC model unravels neurodevelopmental abnormalities in SMA

  Whether neurodevelopmental defects underlie the selective neuronal death that characterizes neurodegenerative diseases is becoming an intriguing question. To address it, we focused on the motor neuron (MN) disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), caused by reduced levels of the ubiquitous protein SMN. Taking advantage of the first isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived SMA model that we have generated and a spinal cord organoid system, here we report that the relative and temporal expression of early neural progenitor and MN markers is altered in SMA. Furthermore, the corrected isogenic controls only partially reverse these abnormalities. These findings raise the relevant clinical implication that SMN-increasing treatments might not fully amend SMA pathological phenotypes. The approach we have taken demonstrates that the discovery of new disease mechanisms is greatly improved by using human isogenic models. Moreover, our study implies that SMA has a developmental component that might trigger the MN degeneration.

  Study EGAS00001007259

• High-resolution, patient-level dissection of IL-23 blockade in cutaneous psoriasis

  Psoriasis vulgaris and other chronic inflammatory diseases improve markedly with therapeutic blockade of IL-23 signaling in T cells, but the genetic mechanisms of response remain poorly understood. We single-cell transcriptomically profiled CD45+ immune cells isolated from lesional psoriatic skin before and after IL-23 blockade. In clinically responsive patients, a psoriatic transcriptional signature in skin-resident memory T cells was sharply attenuated. In contrast, poorly responsive patients were distinguished by enduring T17 cell activation, a mechanism distinct from alternative cytokine signaling or downstream resistance. Spatial transcriptomic analysis suggests that successful IL-23 blockade requires dampening of &gt; 90% of IL-17-induced signaling in lymphocyte-adjacent keratinocytes, an unexpectedly high threshold. We also detected a subset of persistent, disease-specific T17 abnormalities in responsive patients, revealing an irreversible cell identity that may necessitate ongoing IL-23 inhibition. Collectively, our data establishes a patient-level paradigm for dissecting response to immunomodulatory treatments.

  Study EGAS00001007373

• A clinically applicable connectivity signature for glioblastoma includes the tumor network driver CHI3L1

  Tumor microtubes (TMs) connect glioma cells to a network with considerable relevance for tumor progression and therapy resistance. The determination of TM-interconnectivity in individual tumors has been challenging and the impact on patient survival unresolved. Here, a connectivity signature from single-cell RNA-sequenced (scRNA-Seq) xenografted primary glioblastoma (GB) cells has been established using a dye uptake methodology, confirmed with recording of cellular calcium epochs and validated with clinical correlations. Astrocyte-like and mesenchymal-like GB cells have the highest connectivity signature scores in scRNA-sequenced patient-derived xenografts and patient samples. In large GB cohorts, network connectivity correlated with the mesenchymal subtype and dismal patient survival. CHI3L1 has been identified and validated as a robust molecular marker of connectivity with functional relevance. The connectivity signature allows novel insights into brain tumor biology, provides a proof-of-principle that tumor cell TM-connectivity is relevant for patients’ prognosis, and serves as a robust prognostic biomarker.

  Study EGAS00001007611

• Unraveling mutagenic processes influencing the tumor mutational patterns of individuals with Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency

  Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD), caused by bi-allelic germline variants in one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes, is a childhood cancer predisposition syndrome that often results in the development of multiple tumors early in life. A better understanding of mutational processes driving subsequent CMMRD tumors could advance optimal treatment. Therefore, we performed a genomic characterization of 41 tumors from 17 individuals with CMMRD. Mutational patterns in these tumors were found to be influenced by multiple factors, including the affected MMR genes, tumor types and somatic polymerase proofreading mutations. Temozolomide treatment left prominent mutational signatures in two second primary hematologic malignancies. Furthermore, a novel indel signature was found in 54% of the tumors, characterized by one base pair cytosine insertions in cytosine homopolymers. In conclusion, the analysis of sequential tumors in individuals with CMMRD reveals diverse mutational patterns influenced by the underlying mutated MMR gene, tumor type and treatment history.

  Study EGAS00001007660

• Disease specific alterations in the olfactory mucosa of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

  OOlfactory dysfunction manifests early in several neurodegenerative disorders. Olfaction is orchestrated by olfactory mucosal cells located in the upper nasal cavity. However, it is unclear how this tissue reflects key neurodegenerative features in Alzheimer’s disease. Here we report that Alzheimer´s disease olfactory mucosal cells secrete toxic amyloid-beta. We detail cell-type-specific gene expression patterns, unveiling 147 differentially expressed disease-associated genes compared to the cognitively healthy controls, and 5 distinct populations in globose basal cell -, myofibroblast-, and fibroblast/ stromal – like cells in vitro. Overall, coordinated alteration of RNA and protein metabolism, inflammatory processes and signal transduction were observed in multiple cell populations, suggesting a key role in pathophysiology. Our results demonstrate the potential of olfactory cell cultures in modelling Alzheimer´s disease. Moreover, for the first time we provide single cell data on olfactory mucosa in Alzheimer´s disease for investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with the disease.

  Study EGAS00001006019