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• Search for Susceptibility Genes for Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 1 Diabetes (GoKinD study participants), GAIN

  Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes (GoKinD) study is an initiative aimed at identifying susceptibility genes for diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes. A large number of individuals with type 1 diabetes were screened to identify two subsets, one with clear-cut kidney disease and another with normal renal status despite long-term diabetes. Those who met additional entry criteria and consented to participate were enrolled. When possible, both parents were also enrolled to form family trios. Altogether, GoKinD includes 3043 participants comprising 931 cases, 944 singletons, 268 pairs of parents of cases, and 316 pairs of parents of control. Accessible as a GAIN database are 905 of the cases, 890 of the controls, 10 pairs of parents of cases and 10 pairs of parents of controls. The other parents and the remaining cases and controls are available by a separate application process through NIDDK (dbGaP phs000088 Search for Susceptibility Genes for Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 1 Diabetes (GoKinD study participants and parents), NIDDK). Interested investigators may request the DNA collection and corresponding clinical data for GoKinD participants using the instructions and application form available at Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Consent groups and participant set Diabetic complications only (DCO): 1825 (904 cases, 881 controls, 40 others)

  Study phs000018

• Tandem DNA Repeats Activate hTERT Gene Transcription

  Multiple independent sequence variants of the hTERT locus have been associated with telomere length and cancer risks in genome-wide association studies. Here, we identified an intronic variable number tandem repeat, VNTR2-1, as an enhancer-like element, which activated hTERT transcription in a cell and chromatin-dependent manner. VNTR2-1, consisting of 42-bp repeats with an array of E-boxes, cooperated with the proximal promoter in hTERT regulation by bHLH transcription factors and maintained hTERT expression during embryonic stem cell differentiation. Genomic deletion of VNTR2-1 in MelJuSo melanoma cells markedly reduced hTERT transcription, leading to telomere shortening, cellular senescence, and impairment of xenograft tumor growth. Interestingly, VNTR2-1 lengths varied widely in human populations.  To assess the genetic polymorphism of VNTR2-1 in human populations, we analyzed genomic DNA samples of Caucasian Americans and African Americans enrolled in the Georgia Centenarian Study.  VNTR2-1 in these genomic DNA samples were PCR amplified and subjected to sequencing analysis usinb the PacBio® SMRT method. The result showed that all VNTR2-1 alleles in Caucasian Americans contained 76 or more 42-bp repeats, whereas 32% of VNTR2-1 alleles in African Americans had fewer than 76 repeats.  

  Study phs002428

• NextGen Consortium: Globin Gene Expression in Sickle Cell Genotype-Specific iPS Cells

  Implement an efficient, highly reproducible and 'scalable' system for the production of large numbers of sickle cell anemia-specific iPS cells (iPSC). Derive and characterize a novel, in vitro system for the production of an unlimited supply of erythroid lineage cells from the directed differentiation of 'clinical grade' transgene-free iPS cells; use this system to recapitulate erythroid-lineage ontogeny in vitro with the sequential development of primitive and definitive erythropoiesis, accompanied by the appropriate expression of stage-specific globin genes. Identify developmental gene expression profile differences between erythroid precursors that produce primarily HbF and those that produce primarily HbA or HbS. Determine the effects of the three known HbF major quantitative trait loci (QTL) on globin gene expression in disease-specific iPS cells during in vitro erythropoiesis. Search for novel HbF genetic modifiers associated with markedly elevated HbF levels found in sickle cell anemia patients naturally, or in response to hydroxyurea treatment, by examining gene expression profiles and mRNA sequence of their iPSC-derived erythroid cells. Develop and use a CRISPR-based gene editing platform to study the effect of novel HbF genetic modifiers, explore globin switching, and correct the HbS mutation in sickle iPSC lines.

  Study phs001212

• Whole Genome Association Study of Visceral Adiposity in the Health Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study

  The Health Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study is a NIA-sponsored cohort study of the factors that contribute to incident disability and the decline in function of healthier older persons, with a particular emphasis on changes in body composition in old age. Between 4/15/97 and 6/5/98 the Health ABC study has recruited 3,075 70-79 year old community-dwelling adults (41% African-American), who were initially free of mobility and activities of daily living disability. The key components of Health ABC include a baseline exam, annual follow-up clinical exams, and phone contacts every 6 months to identify major health events and document functional status between clinic visits. The core yearly examination for HEALTH ABC includes measurement of body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptio-metry (DXA), walking ability, strength, an interview that includes self-report of limitations, and a medication survey, weight. At baseline, visceral adiposity was measured by computerized tomography (CT). Provision has been made for banking of blood specimens and extracted DNA (HealthABC repository). The overall goal of this project is to identify genetic determinants of visceral adiposity. Genetic samples from 2932 unrelated participants were evaluated with a genome-wide scan.

  Study phs000169

• Profiling RNA Translation in Pediatric Medulloblastoma

  This study provides RNA-sequencing and ribosome profiling data for patient-derived cell lines and patient tissue samples for children with medulloblastoma. Ribosome profiling is a variant protocol of RNA-sequencing that directly sequences ribosome-bound RNA fragments only. Associated RNA-seq and Ribo-seq data obtained separately for some cancer cell lines can be found on the NCBI SRA as PRJNA957428. Samples were processed for poly-A mRNA sequencing using the Roche Kapa Kit. Ribosome profiling was performed as described in the manuscript referenced below (Hofman et al.) and based on the article by McGlincy et al., Methods (2017). Ribo-seq data were analyzed for sample quality using RiboseQC (Calviello, Nat Struct Mol Biol, 2020). These data were used to quantify P-sites of open reading frames. RNAseq and ribo-seq data were integrated and compared to determine translational efficiency values using TPM (Ribo-seq) over TPM (RNA-seq) as the metric. Ribo-seq data on 14 samples and RNAseq data on 21 samples derived from 16 fresh-frozen surgical samples for medulloblastoma and 5 autopsy samples are available through dbGaP. A second cohort of 4 medulloblastoma samples (RNAseq, Ribo-seq) related to this study can be found on the EGA at EGAS00001007426.

  Study phs003446

• Precision Medicine for Dilated Cardiomyopathy in European and African Ancestry

  The DCM Precision Medicine Study is a multi-site consortium-based cross-sectional study of families with an embedded open-label randomized controlled trial. The aims of the study are to test the hypothesis that dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has a substantial genetic basis and to evaluate the effectiveness of a family communication intervention in improving the uptake of preventive screening and surveillance in at-risk first-degree relatives. The Study goal was to recruit 1,300 individuals (600 non-Hispanic African ancestry, 600 non-Hispanic European ancestry, and 100 Hispanic; 50% female) meeting rigorous diagnostic criteria for idiopathic DCM (probands) and 2,600 of their relatives. The probands were inpatients or outpatients identified by heart failure and cardiac transplant cardiovascular physicians and clinical research personnel in heart failure/heart transplant programs at sites in the DCM Consortium. The DCM phenotype was selected for this study because of its prevalence and its prior inclusion in the development of virtually all pharmacotherapy for non-ischemic heart failure from reduced ejection fraction. Study procedures included obtaining family history, cardiac history, medical record review, surveys, and blood sample collection. Exome data from 1219 idiopathic DCM probands and 127 idiopathic DCM relatives are included in dbGaP.

  Study phs002641

• DEMENTIA-SEQ: WGS in Lewy Body Dementia and Frontotemporal Dementia

  Lewy body dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia, and multiple system atrophy are age-related, neurodegenerative syndromes that are poorly understood. Delineating the genetic risk that is driving the pathophysiology of these neurological diseases is fundamental for understanding disease mechanisms and for developing disease-modifying treatments. In version 1 of the study/dbGaP deposition, we performed a whole-genome sequencing study consisting of 7,403 total samples, including 2,633 genomes from patients with Lewy body dementia, 2,641 frontotemporal dementia patients, and 1,980 neurologically healthy controls. Of these, 6,907 were uploaded to dbGaP as the basis of the DementiaSeq, phs001963 dataset. The data relating to these samples are available on dbGaP. In version 2 of this study/dbGaP deposition, we made much of these data available on Anvil. More specifically, data for 6,254 of these samples were also uploaded to the ALS Compute platform on AnVIL. The data for the remaining 653 samples are only available on dbGaP. The dbGaP/AnVIL Table lists the availability of dbGaP and AnVIL for each individual sample: phd008475.In version 3 of the study/dbGaP deposition, we added whole-genome sequence data generated using DNA samples obtained from 683 patients diagnosed with multiple system atrophy.

  Study phs001963

• Joint-Specific TF Regulation in RA

  The mechanisms responsible for the distribution and severity of joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not known. To explore whether site-specific fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) biology might be associated with location-specific synovitis and explain the predilection for hand (wrist/metacarpal phalangeal joints) involvement in RA, we generated bulk, whole-genome transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility data from FLS. Samples were matched in age, sex, and were homogeneous in that all had significant joint damage with longstanding disease requiring surgical intervention. Analysis revealed joint-specific patterns of FLS phenotypes, with proliferative, migratory, proinflammatory, and matrix-degrading characteristics observed in resting FLS derived from the hand joints compared with hip or knee. TNF-stimulation amplified these differences, with greater enrichment of proinflammatory and proliferative genes in hand FLS compared with hip and knee FLS. Hand FLS also had the greatest expression of markers associated with an ‘activated' state relative to the ‘resting' state, with the greatest cytokine and MMP expression in TNF-stimulated hand FLS. Predicted differences in proliferation and migration were biologically validated with hand FLS exhibiting greater migration and cell growth than hip or knee FLS. Distinctive joint-specific FLS biology associated with a more aggressive inflammatory response might contribute to the distribution and severity of joint involvement in RA.

  Study phs003633

• Molecular Characterization of Prostate Cancer Specimens by Bulk and Single Cell Analysis

  Version 1: We performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of fresh biopsies from metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. Additionally, where available, we performed matched bulk whole exome sequencing (WXS; tumor and normal paired) and whole transcriptome sequencing for the same individuals. We also performed bulk whole exome (WXS) and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) from FFPE pre-treatment biopsies from patients with clinically localized high-risk prostate cancer.Version 2: We added data from a randomized phase 2 trial of radium-223 with or without pembrolizumab in patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) to bone. After enrollment, study participants underwent bone biopsy and were randomized 2:1 to receive radium-223 at 55 kBq/kg every 4 weeks + pembrolizumab at 200 mg every 3 weeks (Arm A, R223+P) or radium-223 at 55 kBq/kg every 4 weeks alone (Arm B, R223). Stratification factors were alkaline phosphatase ≥220 vs. Data generated includes bulk whole exome sequencing (WXS), ultra-low pass whole genome sequencing (WGS) at 0.1X coverage, and targeted-capture sequencing. The ultra-low pass sequencing was used as part of the selection criteria for the target capture sequencing. Note: Two subjects in this study are linked to phs001577 and phs000915 respectively.

  Study phs001988

• Early Detection of Malignant and Pre-Malignant Peripheral Nerve Tumors Using Cell-Free DNA Fragmentomics

  Early detection of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) informs clinical decision-making, potentially averting deadly outcomes. Here, we describe a cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentomic approach which distinguishes non-malignant, pre-malignant and malignant forms of NF1 PNST. Using plasma samples from a novel cohort of 101 NF1 patients and 21 healthy controls, we validated that our previous cfDNA copy number alteration (CNA)-based approach identifies malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) but cannot distinguish among benign and premalignant states. We therefore investigated the ability of fragment-based cfDNA features to differentiate NF1-associated tumors including binned genome-wide fragment length ratios, end motif analysis, and non-negative matrix factorization deconvolution of fragment lengths. Fragmentomic methods were able to differentiate pre-malignant states including atypical neurofibromas (AN). Fragmentomics also adjudicated AN cases suspicious for MPNST, correctly diagnosing samples noninvasively, which could have informed clinical management. Overall, this study pioneers the early detection of malignant and premalignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors in NF1 patients using plasma cfDNA fragmentomics. In addition to screening applications, this novel approach distinguishes atypical neurofibromas from benign plexiform neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, enabling more precise clinical diagnosis and management.

  Study phs003712

• Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) - Imaging

  The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) is a prospective study of risk factors for development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in people aged 65 years and older. The 5,888 study participants were recruited from four U.S. communities and have undergone extensive clinic examinations for evaluation of markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease. The original cohort, enrolled in 1989-90, totaled 5,201 participants. A supplemental cohort of 687 predominantly African-American participants was enrolled in 1992-93. Clinic examinations were performed at study baseline and at annual visits through 1998-1999, and again in 2005-2006. Examination components included medical and personal history, medication inventory, ECG, blood pressure, anthropometry, assessment of physical and cognitive function, and depression screening. Other components done less frequently included phlebotomy, spirometry, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, measurement of ankle-brachial index and retinal exam. Participants were contacted by telephone annually between exams to collect information about hospitalizations and potential cardiovascular events. Since 1999, participants have been contacted every six months by phone, primarily to identify cardiovascular events and to assess physical and cognitive health. Standard protocols for the identification and adjudication of events were implemented during follow-up. The adjudicated events are myocardial infarction, angina, heart failure (HF), stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), claudication, and mortality.

  Study phs003639

• Pre-Existing Skin-Resident CD8 and γδ T Cell Circuits Mediate Immune Response in Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Predict Immunotherapy Efficacy

  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer with a ~50% response rate to immunotherapy. Here, we attempted to identify novel predictive biomarkers of response through extensive and deep multi-omics interrogation of 186 samples from 116 patients. We collectively integrated bulk RNAseq, single-cell RNAseq, multiplex immunofluorescence, and spatial transcriptomics. Importantly, we were also able to study 14 matched pairs of tissue samples from pre- and post-immunotherapy. In non-responders, tumors show evidence of increased tumor cell cycling, expression of neuronal stem cell markers, and IL-1α/β. Responders have evidence of increased type I/II interferon signatures and evidence of pre-existing tissue resident (Trm) CD8 or Vδ1 γδ T cells that functionally converge with overlapping antigen-specific transcriptional programs and clonal expansion of multiple T cell receptors. Spatial transcriptomics demonstrated higher co-localization of T cells with B and dendritic cells in responders, with evidence of expression of chemokines important for co-stimulation. Finally, immunotherapy increased clonal expansion or recruitment of Trm and Vδ1 cells in tumors in responders, further underscoring their therapeutic importance. These data identify potential novel actionable biomarkers and therapeutic targets for MCC.

  Study phs003629

• A neoadjuvant, phase II trial demonstrates efficacy and tolerability of Talimogene laherparepvec in cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (NeoBCC trial)

  We present a single arm, phase II neoadjuvant trial with the oncolytic virus Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) in 18 patients with difficult-to-resect basal cell carcinomas. Six cycles of T-VEC were applied intralesionally. The primary endpoint of the study, defined as the proportion of the patients, who after six cycles of T-VEC (13 weeks) at the time point of surgery, become resectable with primary wound closure without the need for plastic reconstructive surgery like skin flaps or skin grafts, was achieved (9/18 patients; 50.0%). Secondary endpoints also included the relapse free survival rate (100%), overall survival (100%) and biological read outs in the tumor samples. T-VEC led to a significant increase of cytotoxic T cells, B cells and myeloid cells, and a decrease of Tregs within the tumor microenvironment. We observed a potent induction of antitumoral and antiviral T cell clones, as well as a strong humoral immune response. The objective response rate was 55.6% and the complete pathological response rate was 33.3%. Only mild adverse events occurred. Together, neoadjuvant T-VEC represents a viable treatment option for patients with difficult-to-resect BCCs (EudraCT Number 2018-002165-19).

  Study EGAS50000000252

• Single-Cell Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of the Aging Human Brain

  We studied human brain aging using single-cell whole genome sequencing and single-nucleus RNA sequencing of the pre-frontal cortex from 19 donors ranging in age from 0.4 years to 104 years. All donors were free of neuropathology and none received a clinical neurological diagnosis prior to death. snRNA-seq libraries were prepared in batches that always included old and young donors to mitigate batch effects in the preparations. Neurons for single-cell WGS were collected from the same tissue region as the snRNA-seq for each donor but represent independent cells. Multiplexed error-robust fluorescent in-situ hybridization (MERFISH) data was also collected from pre-frontal cortex samples of a subset of the 19 donors. Transcriptomic results identified infant-specific cell clusters, and common-down regulation of cell-essential genes involved in ribosomes, transport, homeostasis and metabolism during aging, across all cell types. scWGS identified two-age associated mutational signatures, as well as gene-length and expression-level dependent somatic mutation rates in neurons. Raw sequencing data in fastq format for single-nucleus RNA-seq and single-cell DNA-seq, as well as cell and gene count matrix, transcript metadata, and cell metadata for MERFISH will be available in dbGaP.

  Study phs003445

• Genome-Wide Association Study of the Taste and Hedonic Ratings of the Low-Calorie Sweetener Acesulfame Potassium

  Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is a low-calorie sweetener (LCS) widely used as an additive in foods and beverages and an excipient in pediatric medicines. Because genetic variants play a role in individual variation in the taste of Ace-K, we sought to identify genetic contributions to its taste using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). 141 adult panelists rated the taste of an aqueous solution of Ace-K using the general labelled magnitude scale (gLMS) and its palatability using the hedonic gLMS. Genotypes were assayed on the Infinium Global Screening Array. Imputation of genotypes was performed on the Michigan Imputation Server with 1000 Genomes Project phase 3 genotype data as reference. Linear regression was performed to test genetic associations between genotyped and imputed variants with three gLMS ratings (bitterness (square-root-transformed), hedonic, sweetness) of Ace-K using PLINK2, adjusting for standardized age, sex, and the first 10 principal components of genetic ancestry. We identified that a locus spanning several TAS2R (Taste receptor 2) genes was associated with bitterness ratings of Ace-K and a locus within the gene ELMO1 (Engulfment and Cell Motility Protein 1) was associated with hedonic ratings of Ace-K (p-values 40594245).

  Study phs004031

• Drug Development against Tumor Microtube Networks in Glioblastoma

  Glioblastomas are aggressive brain tumors that resist current therapies by hijacking neurodevelopmental programs to invade the brain and form resilient multicellular networks. Tumor Microtubes (TMs), neurite-like processes extended by cancer cells, drive this pathobiology, but TM-inhibiting drugs are lacking. Here we developed a comprehensive, combined in vitro and in vivo drug screening approach, including novel AI-based analysis tools of TM parameters. Two Protein Kinase C (PKC) activators, TPPB and PMA, exhibited robust inhibition of TM formation in cell-based assays. Since unconnected glioblastoma cells exhibit increased sensitivity to cytotoxic therapy in vivo, brain tumor-bearing mice received TPPB, the most consistent TM-inhibiting compound, in combination with radiotherapy. Long-term intravital 2-photon microscopy confirmed anti-TM and anti-tumor effects of the co-treatment. Mechanistically, TPPB treatment inhibited several key molecular and functional components of TM-related glioblastoma cell network communication and decreased the expression of TTYH1, a key driver of invasive TMs. By establishing a novel screening pipeline for anti-TM drug development, our study identifies a druggable TM master regulator pathway and a small molecule with robust anti-TM effects. It provides a proof-of-principle that disrupting TMs and disconnecting tumor networks is a pharmacologically feasible strategy to make therapies against glioblastoma more effective.

  Study EGAS50000000477

• Recurrent intra-tumour heterogeneity is a hallmark of metastatic prostate cancer

  The evolution of cancers from low grade to metastatic disease is a major determinant of cancer mortality. Cancer evolution involves a complex interplay between cell intrinsic genetics and transcriptional alterations and the extrinsic microenvironment. To define the key mechanisms underpinning metastatic development, we focused on the most lethal form of prostate cancer, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and employed single-cell multi-omics and whole-genome sequencing to deeply profile 34 metastatic lesions from 9 patients obtained from rapid autopsy. We found that intra-tumour heterogeneity is an indicator of key evolutionary processes, characterised by recurrent tumour populations acting as critical functional components of the tumour ecosystem, irrespective of clonal and microenvironmental backgrounds. Unexpectedly, microenvironments across metastatic sites played a limited role while clonal evolution primarily promoted transcriptional noise. Intra-patient functional convergence of tumour ecosystems was observed across metastatic sites, pointing towards system-level selection pressures that drive the heterogeneity landscape of mCRPC. Our findings reveal functional evolutionary convergence of metastatic disease into units of intra-tumour heterogeneity identifying critical determinants of metastatic progression for therapeutic targeting. Note: matched WGS for some tumour single-cell experiments, as well as germline WGS for patients CA0027, CA0034, CA0035, CA0043, and CA0076, can be found in EGAS00001006598.

  Study EGAS50000001312

• Bruno et al.: Interferon gamma rebalances immunopathological signatures in Chronic Granulomatous Disease through metabolic rewiring

  Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent life-threatening infections and hyperinflammatory complications. It is caused by mutations in the NADPH oxidase complex and the consequent loss of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Recombinant human interferon gamma (rIFN-γ) prophylaxis reduces the risk of severe infections, but the mechanisms behind its efficacy in CGD are still an open question, as it does not restore NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS production. Here, we show that myeloid innate immune cells of CGD patients are transcriptionally and functionally reprogrammed to a hyperactive inflammatory status, displaying an impaired in vitro induction of trained immunity. CGD monocytes have reduced intracellular amino acids concentrations and profound functional metabolic defects, both at the level of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration. Ex vivo and in vivo treatment with IFN-γ restored these metabolic defects and reduced excessive IL-1β and IL-6 production in response to fungal stimuli in CGD monocytes. These data suggest that prophylactic rIFNγ modulates the metabolic status of innate immune cells in CGD. These data shed light on the effects of NADPH-derived ROS deficiency to the metabolic programs of immune cells and pose the basis for targeting this immunometabolic axis, potentially beyond CGD, with IFN-γ immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001005463

• BHD-associated kidney cancer

  Background Birt-Hogg-Dub? (BHD) syndrome is a hereditary kidney cancer syndrome, which predisposes patients to develop kidney cancer, cutaneous fibrofolliculomas and pulmonary cysts. The responsible gene, FLCN is a tumor suppressor for kidney cancer which plays an important role for energy homeostasis through the regulation of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. However, how FLCN-deficiency leads to renal tumorigenesis is unclear. Results Whole-exome sequencing analysis of BHD-associated kidney cancer revealed that copy number variations (CNV) of BHD-associated kidney cancer are considerably different from those already reported in sporadic cases. Somatic mutation analysis revealed BHD-associated kidney cancer has quite few common mutations in specific genes; however, chromatin remodeling genes in total were frequently mutated in BHD-associated kidney cancer (17/29 tumors, 59%). Metabolite analysis revealed that glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway and lipid metabolism were upregulated whereas the rate of beta oxydation and TCA cycle is decreased in BHD-associated kidney cancer compared to normal adjacent kidney. Conclusions BHD-associated kidney cancer displays a unique molecular characteristics which is totally different from that of sporadic kidney cancer, providing the mechanistic insight into tumorigenesis under FLCN deficiency as well as the foundation for the development of novel therapeutics for kidney cancer.

  Study JGAS000115

• Emergence of oncofetal plasticity is ubiquitous in early colorectal cancers

  Metastasis formation is classically considered a late-stage event in colorectal cancer (CRC) evolution. Yet, the time and patterning by which metastatic competence is acquired remain poorly understood. Here, we show that metastasis-associated oncofetal cell states already emerge at the earliest stages of CRC, concurrent with invasive front formation. However, while necessary for metastasis, we detect them ubiquitously among early non-metastatic cancers, highlighting additional bottlenecks like immune evasion. To understand how oncofetal cells first emerge, we generated multiregional organoid models that reflect successive tumor progression stages within individual early-stage CRCs. Whole-genome sequencing and growth factor-dependency assays exclude tumor cell-intrinsic acquired traits. In contrast, single-cell spatial atlases of the tumor-microenvironment before and after malignant transformation revealed stereotypic patterning of fibroblast subtypes resembling normal tissue architecture, resulting in distinct regional microenvironments. At the onset of malignant growth into the submucosa, the first cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to appear strongly resemble submucosal trophocytes and colocalize with oncofetal cell states at invasive fronts. Functionally, fibroblast-organoid co-cultures confirm that these trophocyte-like CAFs induce plastic transitioning to oncofetal states. Thus, interactions between tumor and submucosal fibroblasts directly following malignant transformation dictate the timing and location at which oncofetal plasticity first occurs during CRC progression.

  Study EGAS50000001532

• Exome sequencing identifies mutation of the ribosome in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy and responds well to therapy in children, but not in adults. We used exome sequencing of 67 T-cell ALL (T- ALL) samples to gain insight in the mutational spectrum and age related differences of these leukemias. We detected protein-altering mutations in 508 genes, with an average of 8.2 mutations in pediatric and 21.0 in adult T-ALL. Based on stringent filtering, we predict 15 of these genes to be drivers, including 7 genes that were not previously implicated in T-ALL. We identify CNOT3 as a new tumor suppressor, as it is mutated in 12.2 % of adult T-ALLs and its knock-down causes de novo tumors in a sensitized drosophila eye tumor model. In addition, we identify mutations in RPL5 and RPL10, proteins of the 60S ribosomal complex2, in 18.2 % of pediatric T-ALLs. Mutation of arginine 98 in the X-linked RPL10 gene was most frequent. Yeast cells expressing the Rpl10 R98S mutant showed a clear ribosome biogenesis defect, excluding that this mutation is a passenger mutation. Our data provide insights in the mutational landscape of pediatric and adult T-ALL and identify the ribosome as a potential oncogenic factor in cancer.

  Study EGAS00001000296

• Allele Balance Bias Identifies Systematic Genotyping Errors and False Disease Associations

  In recent years, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has become a cornerstone of clinical genetics and diagnostics. Many clinical applications require high precision, especially if rare events such as somatic mutations in cancer or genetic variants causing rare diseases need to be identified. Although random sequencing errors can be modeled statistically and deep sequencing minimizes their impact, systematic errors remain a problem even at high depth of coverage. Understanding their source is crucial to increase precision of clinical NGS applications. In this work, we studied the relation between recurrent biases in allele balance (AB), systematic errors and false positive variant calls across a large cohort of human samples analyzed by whole exome sequencing (WES). We have modeled the allele balance distribution for biallelic genotypes in 987 WES samples in order to identify positions recurrently deviating significantly from the expectation, a phenomenon we termed allele balance bias (ABB). Furthermore, we have developed a genotype callability score based on ABB for all positions of the human exome, which detects false positive variant calls that passed state-of-the-art filters. Finally, we demonstrate the use of ABB for detection of false associations proposed by rare variant association studies (RVAS).

  Study EGAS00001003027

• Rare SNPs in receptor tyrosine kinases are negative outcome predictors in multiple myeloma

  Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder that is characterized by a great genetic heterogeneity. Recent next generation sequencing studies revealed an accumulation of tumor-associated mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) which may also contribute to the activation of survival pathways in MM. To investigate the clinical role of RTK-mutations in MM, we deep-sequenced the coding DNA-sequence of EGFR, EPHA2, ERBB3, IGF1R, NTRK1 and NTRK2 which were previously found to be mutated in MM, in 75 uniformly treated MM patients of the "Deutsche Studiengruppe Multiples Myelom". Subsequently, we correlated the detected mutations with common cytogenetic alterations and clinical parameters. We identified 11 novel non-synonymous SNVs or rare patient-specific SNPs, not listed in the SNP databases 1000 genomes and dbSNP, in 10 primary MM cases. The mutations predominantly affected the tyrosine-kinase and ligand-binding domains and no correlation with cytogenetic parameters was found. Interestingly, however, patients with RTK-mutations, specifically those with rare patient-specific SNPs, showed a significant lower overall, event-free and progression-free survival. This indicates that RTK SNVs and rare patient-specific RTK SNPs are of prognostic relevance and suggests that MM patients with RTK-mutations could potentially profit from treatment with RTK-inhibitors.

  Study EGAS00001001665

• Whole-Genome sequencing of hepatocellular carcinomas

  The French ICGC project on liver tumors is coordinated by Pr Jessica Zucman-Rossi and funded by Inca (French Institute for Cancer). The aim of the present project is to identify the catalog of somatic and germline mutations in liver tumors using whole genome and whole exome sequencing together with CGH-SNP, methylome and transcriptomic profiling. For this purpose, a series of 500 liver tumors are collected through the French National Liver Collection and these samples will be analyzed using the different omics technologies. The data will be deposited in the ICGC and EGA database to be publically available for the scientific community. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 90% of liver cancers, and is a major health problem. It is the 3rd cause of cancer-related mortality. Advances in genomic analyses have formed a comprehensive understanding of different underlying pathobiological layers resulting in hepatocarcinogenesis. Thus, the development of next-generation sequencing technologies has made it possible to generate more comprehensive catalogues of somatic alteration events (single nucleotide substitutions, structural variations, and epigenetic changes) in liver cancer genome than ever before. The dataset will include 50 whole genome sequencing tumor/germline pairs, of which 6 are deposited in February 2014.

  Study EGAS00001000706

• Comparison of structural variations from 10X Genomics linked-reads and conventional Illumina short-reads sequencing

  Structural variations (SVs) are large genomic rearrangements that can drive many diseases. Conventional short-reads whole genome sequencing (cWGS) allows their identification with base-pair resolution, but suffers from high false discovery rate. cWGS taps in short-range information from short-reads while linked-reads sequencing (10XWGS) utilizes long-range information. 10XWGS allows linkage of short-reads originating from the same large DNA molecule with a unique barcode captured in a gel bead in emulsion. This mitigates alignment-based artefacts from cWGS especially in repetitive regions. However, the false discovery rate of this technology is unclear. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of different type and size of SVs predicted from these two technologies. The SVs common between both technologies were found to be highly specific by PCR and Sanger sequencing while validation rate dropped for uncommon events. Further, we propose a novel enrichment approach for filtering out false positive calls from both the technologies independently. To this end, we trained a machine learning model for respective technologies and used it to characterise SVs from MCF7 cell line and a primary breast cancer tumor with high precision. This approach would be valuable in understanding true mechanisms driven by SVs in various diseases.

  Study EGAS00001004093

• Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement

  The possibility of voyaging contact between prehistoric Polynesian and Native American populations has long intrigued researchers. Proponents have pointed to the existence of New World crops, such as the sweet potato and bottle gourd, in the Polynesian archaeological record, but nowhere else outside the pre-Columbian Americas while critics have argued that these botanical dispersals need not have been human mediated. The Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl controversially suggested that prehistoric South American populations had an important role in the settlement of east Polynesia and particularly of Easter Island (Rapa Nui). Several limited molecular genetic studies have reached opposing conclusions, and the possibility continues to be as hotly contested today as it was when first suggested. Here we analyse genome-wide variation in individuals from islands across Polynesia for signs of Native American admixture, analysing 807 individuals from 17 island populations and 15 Pacific coast Native American groups. We find conclusive evidence for prehistoric contact of Polynesian individuals with Native American individuals (around AD 1200) contemporaneous with the settlement of remote Oceania. Our analyses suggest strongly that a single contact event occurred in eastern Polynesia, before the settlement of Rapa Nui, between Polynesian individuals and a Native American group most closely related to the indigenous inhabitants of present-day Colombia.

  Study EGAS00001004209

• Single cell transcriptomic landscape of pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: dissection of transcriptional heterogeneity and B-cell developmental state

  Introduction: Genomic analyses of bulk ALL samples have improved our understanding of the genetic basis and risk stratification of B-ALL, but do not directly examine intratumor heterogeneity or enable inference of leukemia developmental state and cell of origin. Methods: We profiled 89 B-ALL samples by single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) (10X Genomics 5’v2) and compared them to a scRNA-seq reference map of normal human B-cell development. Results: Analysis of heterogeneity of inferred DNA copy number alterations at single cell level showed that aneuploid ALL with near haploidy and hyperdiploid harbor chromosomal losses or gains in all blasts, consistent with early, synchronous origin rather than sequential accumulation. Intra-sample heterogeneity was driven by five gene expression signatures: cell cycle, metabolism, differentiation, inflammation, refining leukemic subtyping. An atlas of B cell development was established to map B-ALL samples to specific developmental states. Hyperdiploid samples resembled pro-B cells, while MEF2D-r and TCF3::PBX1 showed high pre-B abundance. Patients with high early lymphoid abundance had poorer outcomes. Conclusions: Understanding variation in transcriptional programs and developmental states of B-ALL blasts by sc transcriptome refines existing clinical and genomic classifications and provides novel prognostic markers.

  Study EGAS00001007512

• Genomic Alterations in Gingivo-buccal Cancer: ICGC-India Project_YR02

  As a part of the ICGC, India has undertaken genomic studies on gingivobuccal cancer of the oral cavity, which is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India. There are various known environmental (life-style) correlates of this cancer, the most important of which are tobacco chewing and HPV infection. Paired DNA samples – isolated from the tumour tissue and from the blood of fifty six patients – have been analyzed to catalog germline and somatic mutations. Association between each observed genomic alteration and exposure to environmental risk factors is being explored.Detailed clinical characterization of the patients, collection of data on demographic and environmental exposures, and isolation of DNA samples from blood and tumour tissues collected from each patient are being done at the Advanced Centre for Research, Treatment and Education on Cancer, Mumbai. Exome capture and deep resequencing are being performed at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani. We have analyzed the exomes of paired blood and tumour DNA samples using exome capture by Illumina TrueSeq Exome Enrichment kit followed by sequencing on Illumina HiSeq-2000. Each exome is being sequenced at a mean depth of 70x for Tumour and 40x for Blood. In addition, we have used Illumina Omni 2.5 SNP-chips to generate genotype data.

  Study EGAS00001001028

• P647_Targeted_resequencing_project

  In collaboration with Dr Robert Semple we have identified a family harbouring an autosomal dominant variant, which leads to severe insulin resistance (SIR), short stature and facial dysmorphism. This family is unique within the SIR cohort in having normal lipid profiles, preserved adiponectin and normal INSR expression and phosphorylation. DNA is available for 7 affected and 7 unaffected family members across 3 generations. All 14 samples have been genotyped using microsatellites and the Affymetrix 6.0 SNP chip. Linkage analysis identified an 18.8Mb haplotype on chromosome 19 as a possible location of the causative variant. However, Exome sequencing of 3 affected and 1 unaffected family members has not identified the causative variant suggesting the possibility of an intronic or intergenic variant in this region or elsewhere in the genome. We propose to conduct whole genome sequencing of 5 members of the pedigree at a depth of 20X. The chosen samples are two sets of parents plus one member of an unaffected branch of the pedigree who shares the risk haplotype on chromosome 19. Sequencing of the two sets of parents will be used along with the genome-wide SNP data to impute 4 affected children giving an effect sample size of 6 affected individuals.

  Study EGAS00001000305

• Exploring the role of mtDNA variation in Multiple Sclerosis in a large cohort of discordant monozygotic twins

  Several lines of evidence indicate that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants might predispose to multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined this in 49 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs clinically discordant for MS at study entry. Since the nuclear DNA of MZ twins is identical, our study provides a unique setting to functionally associate unique mtDNA variants and skewed heteroplasmy with MS development. In order to identify mtDNA variants in the twin cohort, we deeply sequenced the mitochondrial genome in blood of all 49 MZ twin pairs using next generation sequencing (Illumina, HiSeq or MiSeq) with an average coverage depth of ~25,000 sequences per base. Heteroplasmic variants were validated using targeted deep sequencing (TDS) (Illumina, MiSeq) in DNA isolated from blood and buccal swabs. In addition, whole blood was also available of 5 additional MS-affected or healthy siblings and 1 dizygotic twin pair discordant for MS, comprising in total 6 non-identical sib pairs. Moreover, all cases were screened for pathogenic mtDNA polymerase gamma (POLG) mutations. The data provides valuable insights in the possible involvement of mtDNA variants in the pathogenesis of MS, and gives information on the segregation of heteroplasmic variants within MZ twins and non-identical siblings and across different tissues.

  Study EGAS00001001240

• A somatic reference standard for cancer genome sequencing with COLO829

  Identification of somatic alterations in cancer has become feasible with the massive adoption of next generation sequencing. However, due to variability in sequencing and informatics pipelines, a common somatic reference is needed. We thus performed paired whole genome sequencing of a metastatic melanoma cell line (COLO829) and a matched lymphoblastoid line (COLO829BL) across three institutions (TGen, Illumina, Genome Sciences Centre at the British Columbia Cancer Agency). We performed a meta-analysis of all data, in combination with the originally reported analysis of these cell lines by Pleasance et al (PMID: 20016485), and report a somatic reference standard based on consensus events. DNA extractions, library preparation, sequencing, and analysis were separately performed at each site. Results were compiled with sequence data previously generated for the cell lines to identify true positive variants, collectively representing a somatic reference standard. Overall, common somatic events include point mutations, small insertion/deletions, and genes affected by concurrent copy number changes. We additionally show divergence of somatic mutations in COLO829 associated with differences in cell line lineage. We present this reference to the community as a standard for enabling interpretation and identification of somatic mutations across institutions and analytical pipelines.

  Study EGAS00001001385

• The HLA-DQβ1 insertion is a strong achalasia risk factor and displays a geospatial north-south gradient among Europeans

  Idiopathic achalasia is a severe motility disorder of the esophagus and is characterized by a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax due to a loss of neurons in the myenteric plexus. Most recently, we identified an 8 amino acid insertion in the cytoplasmic tail of HLA-DQβ1 as strong achalasia risk factor in a sample set from Central Europe, Italy, and Spain. Here, we tested whether the HLA-DQβ1 insertion also confers achalasia risk in the Polish and Swedish population. We could replicate the initial findings and the insertion shows strong achalasia association in both samples (Poland P = 1.84×10-04, Sweden P = 7.44×10-05). Combining all five European data sets – Central Europe, Italy, Spain, Poland, and Sweden – the insertion is achalasia associated with Pcombined = 1.67×10-35. In addition, we observe that the frequency of the insertion shows a geospatial north-south gradient. The insertion is less common in northern (around 6-7% in patients and 2% in controls from Sweden and Poland) compared to southern Europeans (around 16% in patients and 8% in controls from Italy) and shows a stronger attributable risk (AR) in the southern European population. Our study provides evidence that the prevalence of achalasia may differ between populations.

  Study EGAS00001001515

• Large-scale viral genome analysis identifies novel clinical associations between hepatitis B virus and chronically infected patients

  Despite the high global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, datasets covering the whole hepatitis B viral genome from large patient cohorts are lacking, greatly limiting our understanding of the viral genetic factors involved in this deadly disease. We performed deep sequencing of viral samples from patients chronically infected with HBV to investigate the association between viral genome variation and patients’ clinical characteristics. We discovered novel viral variants strongly associated with viral load and HBeAg status. Patients with viral variants C1817T and A1838G had viral loads nearly three orders of magnitude lower than patients without those variants. These patients consequently experienced earlier viral suppression while on treatment. Furthermore, we identified novel variants that either independently or in combination with precore mutation G1896A were associated with the transition from HBeAg positive to negative phase of infection. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that mutation of the HBeAg open reading frame is an important factor driving CHB patient’s HBeAg status. This analysis provides a detailed picture of HBV genetic variation in the largest patient cohort to date and highlights the diversity of plausible molecular mechanisms through which viral variation affects clinical phenotype.

  Study EGAS00001003689

• Extreme phenotypes define epigenetic and metabolic signatures in cardiovascular diseases.

  Improving the understanding of cardiometabolic syndrome pathophysiology and its relationship with thrombosis are ongoing healthcare challenges. Using plasma biomarkers analysis coupled with the transcriptional and epigenetic characterisation of cell types involved in thrombosis, obtained from two extreme phenotype groups (obese and lipodystrophy) and comparing these to lean individuals and blood donors, the present study identifies the molecular mechanisms at play, highlighting patterns of abnormal activation in innate immune phagocytic cells and shows that extreme phenotype groups could be distinguished from lean individuals, and from each other, across all data layers. The characterisation of the same obese group, six months after bariatric surgery shows the loss of the patterns of abnormal activation of innate immune cells previously observed. However, rather than reverting to the gene expression landscape of lean individuals, this occurs via the establishment of novel gene expression landscapes. Netosis and its control mechanisms emerge amongst the pathways that show an improvement after surgical intervention. Taken together, by integrating across data layers, the observed molecular and metabolic differences form a disease signature that is able to discriminate, amongst the blood donors, those individuals with a higher likelihood of having cardiometabolic syndrome, even when not presenting with the classic features.

  Study EGAS00001003780

• A Protein Neddylation Inhibitor MLN4924 Suppresses Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Cells via Inhibition of ERK and AKT Signaling

  Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and lethal brain tumor, with limited treatment options. Abnormal activation of the neddylation pathway is observed in glioblastoma, and the NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor, MLN4924 was previously shown to be effective in glioblastoma cell line models. However, its effect has not been tested in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells. Immunohistochemistry and public data were analyzed to determine whether NEDD8 pathway proteins are important in glioblastoma development and patient survival. The effects of MLN4924 were evaluated in 4 glioblastoma cell lines and 15 patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells using high content analysis. Immunoblot analysis assessed the NEDD8 pathway proteins and biomarkers. Whole transcriptome analysis identified pathways associated with MLN4924 sensitivity. NAE1 and UBA3 levels increased in glioblastoma patients; high NEDD8 levels were associated with poor clinical outcomes. Glioblastoma cell lines and patient-derived stem cells were highly susceptible to MLN4924, while normal human astrocytes were resistant. Genomic analyses indicated that MLN4924 sensitive cells exhibited enrichment of ERK and AKT signaling. We verified that MLN4924 inhibits ERK and AKT phosphorylation in MLN4924 sensitive cells. Our findings suggest that patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells in the context of ERK and AKT activation are sensitive and highly regulated by neddylation inhibition.

  Study EGAS00001004018

• Adult-type Granulosa Cell Tumour of the Ovary

  A recurrent mutation in FOXL2 (c.402C>G; p.C134W) is present in over 95% of adult-type granulosa cell tumours (AGCTs). In contrast, various loss-of-function mutations in FOXL2 lead to the development of blepharophimosis, ptosis and epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES). BPES is characterized by an eyelid malformation often accompanied with primary ovarian insufficiency but not granulosa cell tumours. Two recent studies suggest that FOXL2 C402G is a gain or change-of-function mutation with altered DNA-binding specificity. Another study proposes that FOXL2 C402G is selectively targeted for degradation inducing somatic haploinsufficiency suggesting its role as a tumour suppressor. The latter study relies on data indicative of an FOXL2 allelic imbalance in AGCTs. Here we present RNA-seq data as genetic evidence that no real allelic imbalance is observed at the transcriptomic level in AGCTs. Additionally, there is no loss of protein expression in tumours harboring the mutated allele. These data and other features of this mutation as compared to other oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes argue strongly against FOXL2 being a tumour suppressor in this context. Given the likelihood that FOXL2 C402G is oncogenic, targeting the variant protein or its downstream consequences is the most viable path forward to identifying an effective treatment for this cancer.

  Study EGAS00001005414

• Comprehensive Genomic Characterization of Refractory Multiple Myeloma Reveals a Complex Mutational and Structural Landscape Associated with Drug Resistance (H067)

  Outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) refractory to immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PIs) is still very poor. To elucidate the genetic landscape of relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) we performed whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of 39 heavily pretreated RRMM patients with at least double refractoriness revealing complex structural changes and a high mutational load (H067/K08K). We found a median of 67 structural variants and 116 nonsynonymous exonic mutations per patient. Assessment of oncogenic drivers showed NRAS, BRAF, TP53, KRAS, SLC4A7, FAM46C, DIS3, RB1, KMT2C, MLLT4, EWSR1, HCFC2, and COPS3 as significantly mutated. We found multiple genomic regions with bi-allelic events affecting known tumor suppressor genes, most frequently TP53, RB1, and TRAF3. Supervised analysis of mutational signatures showed a major contribution of Cosmic signature 6 associated with deficiency in DNA mismatch repair and the ‘BRCAness’ signature which coincided with mutations in genes known to confer PARP inhibitor sensitivity. Recurrently mutated gene networks included genes with relevance for PI and IMiD activity, the latter including in particular members of the Cereblon and the COP9 signalosome complex. In conclusion, this comprehensive genomic characterization revealed a complex mutational and structural landscape in RRMM and highlights potential implications for therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS00001004363

• The malaria-protective human glycophorin structural variant DUP4 shows somatic mosaicism and association with hemoglobin levels

  Glycophorin A and glycophorin B are red blood cell surface proteins that are both receptors for the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which is the principal cause of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. DUP4 is a complex structural genomic variant that carries extra copies of a glycophorin A - glycophorin B fusion gene, and has a dramatic effect on malaria risk by reducing the risk of severe malaria by up to 40% Using fiber-FISH and Illumina sequencing, we validate the structural arrangement of the glycophorin locus in the DUP4 variant, and reveal somatic variation in copy number of the glycophorin A- glycophorin B fusion gene. By developing a simple, specific, PCR-based assay for DUP4 we show the DUP4 variant reaches a frequency of 13% in a malaria-endemic village in south-eastern Tanzania. We genotype a substantial proportion of that village and demonstrate an association of DUP4 genotype with hemoglobin levels, a phenotype related to malaria, using a family-based association test. Taken together, we show that DUP4 is a complex structural variant that may be susceptible to somatic variation, and show that it is associated with a malarial-related phenotype in a non-hospitalizedlongitudinally-followed population.

  Study EGAS00001003239

• Multi-omics integration reveals only minor long-term molecular and functional sequelae in immune cells of individuals recovered from COVID-19

  The majority of COVID-19 patients experience mild to moderate disease course and recover within a few weeks. An increasing number of studies characterized the long-term changes in the specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses, but how COVID-19 shapes the innate and heterologous adaptive immune system after recovery is less well known. To comprehensively investigate the post-SARS-CoV-2 infection sequelae on the immune system, we performed a multi-omics study by integrating single-cell RNA-sequencing, single-cell ATAC-sequencing, genome-wide DNA methylation profiling, and functional validation experiments in convalescent COVID-19 and healthy individuals. We showed that immune responses generally recover without major sequelae after COVID-19. However, subtle differences persist at the transcriptomic level in monocytes, with downregulation of the interferon pathway, while DNA methylation also displays moderate changes in convalescent COVID-19 individuals. However, these differences did not affect the cytokine production capacity of PBMCs upon different bacterial, viral, and fungal stimuli, although baseline release of IL-1RA and IFN?? was higher in convalescent individuals. In conclusion, despite minor differences in epigenetic and transcriptional programs, the immune system of convalescent COVID-19 patients largely recovers to the homeostatic level of healthy individuals.

  Study EGAS00001005529

• Regulatory T cell transcriptomic reprogramming characterizes adverse events by checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumors

  Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), which target immune regulatory pathways to unleash antitumor responses, have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. Despite the remarkable success of ICI immunotherapy, a significant proportion of patients whose tumors respond to these treatments develop immune-related adverse events (irAEs) resembling autoimmune diseases. Although the clinical spectrum of irAEs is well characterized, their successful management remains empiric. This is in part because the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the break-down of peripheral tolerance and induction of irAEs remain elusive. Herein, we focused on regulatory T cells (Tregs) in individuals with irAEs because these cells are vital for maintenance of peripheral tolerance, appear expanded in the peripheral blood of individuals with cancer and abundantly express checkpoint molecules, hence representing direct targets of ICI immunotherapy. Our data demonstrate an intense transcriptomic reprogramming of CD4+CD25+CD127– Tregs in the blood of individuals with advanced metastatic melanoma who develop irAEs following ICI immunotherapy, with a characteristic inflammatory, apoptotic and metabolic signature. This inflammatory signature was shared by Tregs from individuals with different types of cancer developing irAEs and individuals with autoimmune diseases. Our findings propose an inflammatory Treg reprogramming as a feature of immunotherapy-induced irAEs, that may facilitate translational approaches aiming to induce robust antitumor immunity without disturbing peripheral tolerance.

  Study EGAS00001004694

• Proteogenomics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

  Cancer heterogeneity at the proteome level may explain differences in therapy response and prognosis beyond the currently established genomic and transcriptomic based diagnostics. The relevance of proteomics for disease classifications remains to be established in clinically heterogeneous cancer entities such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Here, we characterized the proteome and transcriptome in-depth alongside genetic and ex-vivo drug response profiling in a clinically well annotated CLL discovery cohort (n= 68). Unsupervised clustering of the proteome data revealed six subgroups. Five of these proteomic groups were associated with genetic features, while one group was only detectable at the proteome level. This new group was characterized by accelerated disease progression, high spliceosomal protein abundances associated with aberrant splicing, and low B cell receptor signaling protein abundances (ASB-CLL). We developed classifiers to identify ASB-CLL based on its characteristic proteome or splicing signature in two independent cohorts (n= 165, n= 169) and confirmed that ASB-CLL comprises about 20 % of CLL patients. The inferior overall survival observed in ASB-CLL was independent of both TP53- and IGHV mutation status. Our multi-omics analysis refines the classification of CLL and highlights the potential of proteomics to improve cancer patient stratification beyond genetic and transcriptomic profiling. This is the transcriptomics data of the discovery cohort.

  Study EGAS00001005746

• Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the mesangial identity and species diversity of glomerular cell transcriptomes

  Molecular characterization of the individual cell types in human kidney as well as model organisms are critical in defining organ function and understanding translational aspects of biomedical research. Previous studies have uncovered gene expression profiles of several kidney glomerular cell types, however, important cells, including mesangial (MCs) and glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PECs), were missing or incompletely described, and a systematic comparison between mouse and human kidney is lacking. To this end, we used Smart-seq2 to profile 4332 individual glomerulus-associated cells isolated from human living donor renal biopsies and mouse kidney. The analysis revealed genetic programs for all four glomerular cell types (podocytes, glomerular endothelial cells, MCs and PECs) as well as rare glomerulus-associated macula densa cells (MDCs). Importantly, we detected heterogeneity in glomerulus-associated Pdgfrb-expressing cells, including bona fide intraglomerular MCs with the functionally active phagocytic molecular machinery, as well as a unique mural cell type located in the central stalk region of the glomerulus tuft. Furthermore, we observed remarkable species differences in the individual gene expression profiles of defined glomerular cell types that highlight translational challenges in the field and provide a guide to design translational studies.

  Study EGAS00001004943

• Host pathogen interaction long read transcriptome

  Our incomplete knowledge of the human transcriptome impairs the detection of disease-causing variants, in particular in transcripts only expressed under certain conditions. These transcripts are often lacking from reference transcript sets, such as Ensembl/GENCODE and RefSeq, and could be relevant for establishing genetic diagnoses. We present SUsPECT (Solving Unsolved Patient Exomes/gEnomes using Custom Transcriptomes), a pipeline based on the Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor (VEP) to predict variant impact on custom transcript sets, such as those generated by long-read RNA-sequencing, for downstream prioritization. Our pipeline predicts the functional consequence and likely deleteriousness scores for missense variants in the context of novel open reading frames predicted from any transcriptome. We demonstrate the utility of SUsPECT by uncovering potential mutational mechanisms of pathogenic variants in ClinVar that are predicted to be benign using the reference transcript annotation. In further support of SUsPECT’s utility, we identified an enrichment of immune-related variants predicted to have a more severe molecular consequence when annotating with a newly generated transcriptome from stimulated immune cells instead of the reference transcriptome. Our pipeline outputs crucial information for further prioritization of potentially disease-causing variants for any disease and will become increasingly useful as more long-read RNA sequencing datasets become available.

  Study EGAS00001006779

• Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumoroids reveal subgroup-specific drug vulnerabilities WGS

  Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRTs) represent a rare, but aggressive pediatric brain tumor entity. They are genetically uniquely defined by alterations in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex members SMARCB1 or SMARCA4. ATRTs can be further classified in different molecular subgroups based on their epigenetic profiles. Although recent studies suggest that the different subgroups have distinct clinical features, subgroup-specific treatment regimens have not been developed thus far. This is hampered by the lack of pre-clinical in vitro models representative of the different molecular subgroups. Here, we describe the establishment of ATRT tumoroid models from the ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. We demonstrate that ATRT tumoroids retain subgroup-specific epigenetic and gene expression profiles. High throughput drug screens on our ATRT tumoroids revealed distinct drug sensitivities between and within ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. Whereas ATRT-MYC universally displayed high sensitivity to multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, ATRT-SHH showed a more heterogeneous response with a subset showing high sensitivity to Notch inhibitors, which corresponded to high expression of Notch receptors. Our ATRT tumoroids represent the first pediatric brain tumor organoid model, providing a representative pre-clinical model which enables the development of subgroup-specific therapies.

  Study EGAS00001006865

• Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumoroids reveal subgroup-specific drug vulnerabilities RNA-Seq

  Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRTs) represent a rare, but aggressive pediatric brain tumor entity. They are genetically uniquely defined by alterations in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex members SMARCB1 or SMARCA4. ATRTs can be further classified in different molecular subgroups based on their epigenetic profiles. Although recent studies suggest that the different subgroups have distinct clinical features, subgroup-specific treatment regimens have not been developed thus far. This is hampered by the lack of pre-clinical in vitro models representative of the different molecular subgroups. Here, we describe the establishment of ATRT tumoroid models from the ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. We demonstrate that ATRT tumoroids retain subgroup-specific epigenetic and gene expression profiles. High throughput drug screens on our ATRT tumoroids revealed distinct drug sensitivities between and within ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. Whereas ATRT-MYC universally displayed high sensitivity to multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, ATRT-SHH showed a more heterogeneous response with a subset showing high sensitivity to Notch inhibitors, which corresponded to high expression of Notch receptors. Our ATRT tumoroids represent the first pediatric brain tumor organoid model, providing a representative pre-clinical model which enables the development of subgroup-specific therapies.

  Study EGAS00001006866

• Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumoroids reveal subgroup-specific drug vulnerabilities DNA-Methylation

  Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRTs) represent a rare, but aggressive pediatric brain tumor entity. They are genetically uniquely defined by alterations in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex members SMARCB1 or SMARCA4. ATRTs can be further classified in different molecular subgroups based on their epigenetic profiles. Although recent studies suggest that the different subgroups have distinct clinical features, subgroup-specific treatment regimens have not been developed thus far. This is hampered by the lack of pre-clinical in vitro models representative of the different molecular subgroups. Here, we describe the establishment of ATRT tumoroid models from the ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. We demonstrate that ATRT tumoroids retain subgroup-specific epigenetic and gene expression profiles. High throughput drug screens on our ATRT tumoroids revealed distinct drug sensitivities between and within ATRT-MYC and ATRT-SHH subgroups. Whereas ATRT-MYC universally displayed high sensitivity to multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, ATRT-SHH showed a more heterogeneous response with a subset showing high sensitivity to Notch inhibitors, which corresponded to high expression of Notch receptors. Our ATRT tumoroids represent the first pediatric brain tumor organoid model, providing a representative pre-clinical model which enables the development of subgroup-specific therapies.

  Study EGAS00001006881

• Diverse_outcomes_of_controlled_human_malaria_infection_originate_from_host_intrinsic_immune_variation_and_not_var_gene_switching

  Falciparum malaria is clinically heterogeneous and the relative contribution of parasite and host factors in shaping disease severity remains unclear. We set out to explore the interaction between host inflammation and parasite variant surface antigen (VSA) expression, asking whether this relationship underpins the variation observed in controlled human malaria infection. We uncovered marked heterogeneity in the response of naive hosts to blood challenge with some volunteers maintaining a state of immune quiescence, others triggering interferon-stimulated inflammation and a small group showing transcriptional evidence of myeloid cell suppression. Significantly, only inflammatory volunteers experienced hallmark symptoms of clinical malaria. When we then tracked temporal changes in parasite VSA expression to ask whether variants associated with severe disease preferentially expand in naive hosts (as predicted by current theory) we found that var gene profiles were essentially unchanged after 10-days of blood-stage infection. These data therefore show that the diverse clinical outcomes of CHMI largely originate from host-intrinsic variation and there is no evidence for switching or selection of var genes in naïve hosts. 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 EGAS00001003766

• RNA-Seq of vocal fold fibroblasts in Reinke’s edema and control subjects

  The voice disorder Reinke’s edema (RE) is a smoking- and voice-abuse associated benign lesion of the vocal folds, defined by an edema of the Reinke space, accompanied with pathological microvasculature changes and immune cell infiltration. Vocal fold fibroblasts (VFF) are the main cell type of the lamina propria and play a key role in the disease progression. Current therapy is restricted to symptomatic treatment. Hence, there is an urgent need for a better understanding of the molecular causes of the disease. In the present study, we investigated differential expression profiles of RE and control VFF by means of RNA sequencing. In addition, fast gene set enrichment analysis (FGSEA) was performed in order to obtain involved biological processes, mRNA and protein levels of targets of interest were further evaluated. We identified 74 differentially regulated genes in total, 19 of which were upregulated and 55 downregulated. Differential expression analysis and FGSEA revealed upregulated genes and pathways involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, inflammation and fibrosis. Downregulated genes and pathways were involved in ECM degradation, cell cycle control and proliferation. The current study addressed for the first time a direct comparison of VFF from RE to control and evaluated immediate functional consequences.

  Study EGAS00001005130

• ProHealth: Kaiser Permanente Genome-wide Association Study of Prostate Cancer

  A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of prostate cancer (PCa) was conducted in Kaiser Permanente (KP) Northern California health plan members (7,783 cases, 38,595 controls; 80.3% non-Hispanic white, 4.9% African-American, 7.0% East Asian, and 7.8% Latino) [PMID: 26034056]. The data for these members were drawn from three KP cohort studies: Research Program in Genes, Environment and Health (RPGEH) ProHealth, and California Men's Health Study (CMHS) (described further under Study History). Four custom arrays were designed for genotyping, one for each of the four major race-ethnicity groups in the RPGEH cohort: African Americans, East Asians, Latinos, and Non-Hispanic Whites. The number of SNPs and SNP content varied by array, with SNP content designed to maximize the genome-wide coverage of low frequency and more common variants specific to the different race-ethnicity groups, including newly identified SNPs from sequencing projects, and SNPs with established associations with disease phenotypes and risk factors [PMIDs: 21565264, 21903159]. Within the total study cohort, n=34,736 completed a consent which permitted deposition of data to NIH. Genotyping followed the same general procedure described in [PMIDs: 26092718, plus additional quality control (QC) steps for the additional men, in order to control for potential batch and kit effects, described in [PMID: 26034056. Briefly, we first repeated the filters described in [PMID: 26092718] for all four arrays (EUR, LAT, EAS, AFR). Then, on an array-wise basis, we removed SNPs with MAF<0.01, with a call rate<95%, or with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) p-value in homogeneous groups<1x10ˆ-5. Furthermore, on the EUR array, to adjust for potential kit effect, we conducted a GWAS of kit, and removed those kit associated SNPs with p<1x10ˆ-6; we also re-genotyped each of the new samples (those not genotyped with the original GERA data) with some of the original GERA data, and removed SNPs with >13/1,268 (1%) mismatches. For the AFR array, to adjust potential plate batch issues, we conducted a GWAS of whether an individual was in the original GERA data vs. in the newly genotyped data and removed those batch-associated SNPs with p<0.05 (we used a stronger threshold than that used for the EUR array because there were fewer individuals on the AFR array); we also re-genotyped each of the new samples with the original GERA data and removed SNPs with >2/78 (2.6%). After the QC described above, imputation was performed as described in [PMID: 26034056]. Imputation was performed on an array-wise basis, pre-phasing with SHAPE-IT v2.5 [PMID: 22138821], and imputing from the 1000 Genomes Project October 2014 release as a cosmopolitan reference panel with IMPUTE2 [PMID: 22384356]. In addition to the GWAS described above, a nested exome-wide association study (EWAS) of PCa was also conducted (7,489 cases, 7,323 controls; 78% non-Hispanic white, 9% African-American, 3% East Asian, 6% Latino, 4% Other). A custom EWAS array primarily focused on rare variants was designed for genotyping that complemented the GWAS arrays [PMID: 26034056]. The EWAS array content included missense and loss-of-function mutations, and rare exonic mutations from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and dbGaP prostate cancer tumor exomes [PMID: 26544944; PMID: 26544944]. Much of the EWAS array design content overlapped with the probesets on the UK Biobank Affymetrix Axiom array [PMID: 30305743]. Genotyping and QC steps taken to filter out samples exhibiting low quality and variants with low call rates are described in Emami et al., 2020 [biorXiv]. The resulting EWAS array genotypes are provided here.

  Study phs001221

• Kids First: Genomics of Orofacial Cleft Birth Defects in Latin American Families

  The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program) (Kids First) is a trans-NIH effort initiated in response to the 2014 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act and supported by the NIH Common Fund. This program focuses on gene discovery in pediatric cancers and structural birth defects and the development of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Data Resource (Kids First Data Resource). Both childhood cancers and structural birth defects are critical and costly conditions associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Elucidating the underlying genetic etiology of these diseases has the potential to profoundly improve preventative measures, diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions. All of the WGS and phenotypic data from this study are accessible through dbGaP and https://kidsfirstdrc.org, where other Kids First datasets can also be accessed. The Kids First study of nonsyndromic orofacial cleft (OFC) birth defects in Latin American families is a whole genome sequencing study of 283 Latin-American parent-case trios drawn from ongoing collaborations led by Dr. Mary L. Marazita of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, and including a collaboration with Dr. Lina Moreno Uribe and Dr. Andrew Lidral of the University of Iowa. All families were ascertained through the Clinica Noel where patients with OFCs receive care from the Antioquia University School of Dentistry in Medellin, Colombia (key on-site colleagues included Dr. Luz Consuelo Valencia-Ramirez and Dr. Mauricio Arcos-Burgos). Genetic studies have shown that this population is comprised of an admixture of immigrant male Caucasians (mainly Spaniards and Basques) and native Amerindian females. Every subject has had a genetic evaluation, including a pedigree analysis for a family history of clefting and other birth defects, a pregnancy history for environmental exposures, and a complete physical exam to rule out suspected or known syndromes or environmental phenocopies. Sequencing was done by the Broad Institute sequencing center funded by the Kids First program (grant number U24-HD090743). The case in each of the Kids First OFC trios has cleft lip (CL, Figure A below), cleft palate (CP, Figure B), or both (CL+CP, Figure C): OFCs are genetically complex structural birth defects caused by genetic factors, environmental exposures, and their interactions. OFCs are the most common craniofacial anomalies in humans, affecting approximately 1 in 700 newborns, and are one of the most common structural birth defects worldwide. On average a child with an OFC initially faces feeding difficulties, undergoes 6 surgeries, spends 30 days in hospital, receives 5 years of orthodontic treatment, and participates in ongoing speech therapy, leading to an estimated total lifetime treatment cost of about $200,000. Further, individuals born with an OFC have higher infant mortality, higher mortality rates at all other stages of life, increased incidence of mental health problems, and higher risk for other disorders (notably including breast, brain, and colon cancers). Prior genome-wide linkage and association studies have now identified at least 18 genomic regions likely to contribute to the risk for nonsyndromic OFCs. Despite this substantial progress, the functional/pathogenic variants at OFC-associated regions are mostly still unknown. Because previous OFC genomic studies (genome-wide linkage, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and targeted sequencing) are based on relatively sparse genotyping data, they cannot distinguish between causal variants and variants in linkage disequilibrium with unobserved causal variants. Moreover, it is unknown whether the association or linkage signals are due to single common variants, haplotypes of multiple common variants, clusters of multiple rare variants, or some combination. Finally, we cannot yet attribute specific genetic risk to individual cases and case families. Therefore, the goal of the current study is identify specific OFC risk variants in Latin American families by performing whole genome sequencing of parent-case trios.

  Study phs001420