In this study, we selected 34 candidate genes for KC based on previous Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and the literature, and resequenced them in 745 KC patients and 810 ethnically matched controls. Data analysis was performed using the single variant association test as well as gene-based mutation burden and variance components tests. In our study, we detected enrichment of genetic variation across multiple gene-based tests for the genes COL2A1, COL5A1, TNXB, ZEB1 and ZNF469. The top hit in the Fisher’s exact test was obtained for a common variant in the COL12A1 gene. Interestingly, COL5A1, TNXB, ZNF469 and COL12A1 are all known Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) genes. Though the co-occurrence of KC and EDS has been reported previously, this study is the first to demonstrate a consistent role of genetic variants in EDS genes in the etiology of KC. In conclusion, our data show a shared genetic etiology between KC and EDS, and clearly confirm the currently disputed role of ZNF469 in disease susceptibility for KC. Besides the role for EDS genes, we also confirm the previously reported involvement of genetic variation in ZEB1 in KC.
To elucidate the timing and mechanism of the clonal expansion of somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes in the normal endometrium, we conducted target sequencing of 112 genes for 1,298 endometrial glands and matched blood samples from 36 women. By collecting endometrial glands from different parts of the endometrium, we showed that multiple glands with the same somatic mutations occupied substantial areas of the endometrium. The 112 genes are as follows: ABCC1, ACRC, ANK3, ARHGAP35, ARID1A, ARID5B, ATCAY, ATM, ATR, BARD1, BCOR, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRD4, BRIP1, CAMTA1, CDC23, CDYL, CFAP54, CHD4, CHEK1, CHEK2, CTCF, CTNNB1, CUX1, DGKA, DISP2, DYNC2H1, EMSY, FAAP24, FAM135B, FAM175A, FAM65C, FANCA, FANCB, FANCC, FANCD2, FANCE, FANCF, FANCG, FANCI, FANCL, FANCM, FAT1, FAT3, FBN2, FBXW7, FGFR2, FRG1, GPR50, HEATR1, HIST1H4B, HNRNPCL1, HOOK3, KIAA1109, KIF26A, KMT2B, KMT2C, KRAS, LAMA2, LRP1B, MLH1, MON2, MRE11A, MSH2, MSH6, MTOR, NBN, PALB2, PHEX, PIK3CA, PIK3R1, PLXNB2, PLXND1, PMS2, POLE, POLR3B, PPP2R1A, PTEN, PTPN13, RAD50, RAD51, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, RAD52, RAD54B, RAD54L, RICTOR, SACS, SIGLEC9, SLC19A1, SLX4, SPEG, STT3A, TAF1, TAF2, TAS2R31, TFAP2C, TNC, TONSL, TP53, TTC6, UBA7, VNN1, WT1, XIRP2, ZBED6, ZC3H13, ZFHX3, ZFHX4, ZMYM4.
Helios, encoded by IKZF2, is a member of the Ikaros family of transcription factors with pivotal roles in T-follicular helper, NK- and T-regulatory cell physiology. Somatic IKZF2 mutations are frequently found in lymphoid malignancies. Although germline mutations in IKZF1 and IKZF3, encoding Ikaros and Aiolos, have recently been identified in patients with phenotypically similar immunodeficiency syndromes, the effect of germline mutations in IKZF2 on human hematopoiesis and immunity remains enigmatic. We identified germline IKZF2 mutations (one nonsense (p.R291X)- and 4 distinct missense variants) in six patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, immune thrombocytopenia or EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Patients exhibited hypogammaglobulinemia, decreased number of T-follicular helper and NKcells. Single-cell RNA sequencing of PBMCs from the patient carrying the R291X variant revealed upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes associated with T-cell receptor activation and T-cell exhaustion. Functional assays revealed the inability of HeliosR291X to homodimerize and bind target DNA as dimers. Moreover, proteomic analysis by proximity-dependent Biotin Identification revealed aberrant interaction of 3/5 Helios mutants with core components of the NuRD complex conveying HELIOS mediated epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulation.
Fusion genes arising from cancer-associated somatic mutations are a potential rich source for highly immunogenic neo-antigens. However, their exploitation as targets for personalized cancer immunotherapy is currently limited by the lack of computational tools allowing transcriptome-wide identification of unique fusion genes in an accurate and sensitive manner. Here, we present EasyFuse, a computational pipeline, to detect individual and cancer-specific fusion genes in next-generation-sequencing transcriptome data obtained from human cancer samples. Using machine learning, EasyFuse predicts personal fusion genes with high precision and sensitivity and outperforms previously described approaches as qualified by an unprecedented ground-truth dataset of >1500 verification experiments in relevant patient samples. By testing immunogenicity with autologous blood lymphocytes from cancer patients we detected pre-established CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses for 10 of 21 (48%), and for 1 of 30 (3%) of identified fusion genes, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrate accurate detection of cancer-specific fusion genes. The high frequency of T cell responses detected in cancer patients support the relevance of private fusion genes as neo-antigens for personalized immunotherapies, especially for tumors with low point mutation burdens.
Immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor T cells for pediatric solid and brain tumors is constrained by available targetable antigens. Cancer-specific exons present a promising reservoir of targets; however, these have not been explored and validated systematically in a pan-cancer fashion. To identify cancer specific exon targets, we analyze 1,532 RNA-seq datasets from 16 types of pediatric solid and brain tumors for comparison with normal tissues using a newly developed workflow. We find 2,933 exons in 157 genes encoding proteins of the surfaceome or matrisome with high cancer specificity either at the gene (n=148) or the alternatively spliced isoform (n=9) level. Expression of selected alternatively spliced targets, including the EDB domain of fibronectin 1, and gene targets, such as COL11A1, are validated in pediatric patient derived xenograft tumors. We generate T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors specific for the EDB domain or COL11A1 and demonstrate that these have antitumor activity. The full target list, explorable via an interactive web portal (https://cseminer.stjude.org/), provides a rich resource for developing immunotherapy of pediatric solid and brain tumors using gene or AS targets with high expression specificity in cancer.
This cohort comprises a subset of pateints enrolled in the Genomic Advances in Sepsis (GAinS) study, an established biobank of adult sepsis patients. Patients with sepsis due to community acquired pneumonia or faecal peritonitis were recruited from 35 hospitals across the UK from 2005-2018, with samples for functional genomics and detailed clinical information collected over the first five days of ICU admission. DNA was extracted from buffy coat or whole blood samples using the Qiagen DNA extraction protocol, the automated Maxwell Blood purification kit (Promega), or the QIAamp Blood Midi kit protocol (Qiagen). Genotyping data were generated using the Illumina HumanOmniExpress BeadChip (295 patients), the Infinium CoreExome BeadChip (655 patients), and the Infinium Global Screening Array BeadChip (307 patients). Genotyping QC and imputation into the Haplotype Reference Consortium was perfomed within each batch. The datasets were combined and following post-imputation filtering data were available on 1168 samples. 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/
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by poly-Q expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) protein. Here, we delineate elevated mutant HTT (mHTT) levels in patient-derived cells including fibroblasts and iPSC derived cortical neurons using a GLP approved HTT assay. HD patients’ fibroblasts and cortical neurons recapitulate aberrant alternative splicing as a molecular fingerprint of HD. Branaplam is a splicing modulator currently tested in a phase II study in HD (NCT05111249). The drug lowers total HTT (tHTT) and mHTT levels in fibroblasts, iPSC, cortical progenitors, and neurons in a dose dependent manner at an IC50 consistently below 10nm without inducing cellular toxicity. Branaplam promotes inclusion of non-annotated novel exons. Amongst, a 115bp frameshift-inducing exon in the HTT transcript in Branaplam treated cells from Ctrl and HD patients leading to a profound reduction of HTT RNA and protein levels. Importantly, Branaplam ameliorates aberrant alternative splicing in HD patients’ fibroblasts and cortical neurons. These findings highlight the applicability of splicing modulators in the treatment of CAG repeat disorders and decipher their molecular effects associated with the pharmacokinetic and -dynamic properties in patient-derived cellular models.
Genome-wide DNA Methylation Data from Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC arrays for whole blood samples from 403 healthy individuals. Additional raw data (IDAT files) and associated phenotype information are available for all individuals included in this study (n=570) directly from CIBMTR. Data are available under controlled access release upon reasonable request and execution of a data use agreement. Requests should be submitted to CIBMTR at info-request@mcw.edu and include the study reference IB17-04
We studied the genomic signatures of progression in breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) as it progresses towards triple negative invasive breast cancer (TNBC). Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) was performed on the C3Tag genetically engineered mouse model that forms human breast-like DCIS and TNBC. Bulk RNA sequencing was performed on RNA harvested from archival formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) pairs comprising of estrogen receptor (ER) positive (ER+) and negative (ER-) subsets of DCIS.
Data generated through single nuclei ATAC sequencing on whole ganglionic eminences from 3 human fetuses (two of 16 and one of 17 gestational weeks). Tissue was acquired from the MRC-Wellcome Trust Human Developmental Biology Resource with ethical approval. snATAC-Seq libraries were prepared from ~8,000 nuclei per sample using Chromium Next GEM Single Cell ATAC (v1.1) reagents (10X Genomics). Quality control of libraries was performed using the Agilent 5200 Fragment Analyzer before sequencing on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 to a depth of at least 617 million read pairs per library. Raw sequencing data were converted into FASTQ files. For a full description of data generation, please see Cameron et al, Schizophrenia Bulletin 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbae083. Please note that 10X generated BAM files, rather than FASTQ files, have been uploded. FASTQ files can be regenerated using the 10X Genomics bamtofastq tool. https://support.10xgenomics.com/docs/bamtofastq
