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• High titers and low fucosylation of early phase anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG promote hyper-inflammation by alveolar macrophages

  We show that early phase anti-Spike IgG in serum of critically ill COVID-19 patients induces hyper-inflammatory responses by human alveolar macrophages. We identified that this excessive inflammatory response is dependent on two antibody features that are specific for severe COVID-19. First, inflammation is driven by high titers of anti-Spike IgG, a hallmark of severe disease. Second, we found that anti-Spike IgG from severely ill patients is intrinsically more pro-inflammatory because of different glycosylation of the Fc tail, particularly by low fucosylation. This dataset is linked with the following ArrayExpress Experiment: E-MTAB-10431 - 2020_COVID19_FCGR_MIL10_IgGfucosylation

  Study EGAS00001005206

• Botensilimab, an Fc-enhanced Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody, is Effective Against Tumors Poorly Responsive to Conventional Immunotherapy

  This study explores the genomic landscape associated with a novel Fc-engineered anti-CTLA-4 antibody (botensilimab) in advanced solid tumors. We seek to understand if enhancing the Fc-region affinity of anti-CTLA-4 antibodies can improve anti-tumor efficacy and expand clinical benefit to tumors poorly responsive to conventional immunotherapy. As part of an ongoing open-label, Phase 1, multicenter study, we conducted an exploratory sub-analysis of genomics data. The primary study evaluates the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of botensilimab monotherapy and in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody (balstilimab) in participants with advanced solid tumors. RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor biopsies and matched normal blood samples were isolated and subjected to RNA-sequencing using the Personalis ImmunoID NeXT Platform. We demonstrated that anti-CTLA-4 engineered for enhanced FcγR affinity leverages FcγR-dependent mechanisms to potentiate T cell responsiveness, reduce intratumoral Tregs, and enhance antigen presenting cell activation. This genomic analysis contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying patient responses to Fc-engineered anti-CTLA-4 therapy and may inform future strategies to expand the clinical benefit of immune checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy.

  Study phs003704

• Fgl2 Regulates FcγRIIB+ CD8+ T Cell Responses during Infection

  While the inhibitory receptor FcγRIIB has been shown to be upregulated on activated CD8+ T cells in both mice and humans, its impact on T cell fate during infection has not been fully elucidated. We identified an increase in FcγRIIB-expressing CD8+ T cells in COVID patients relative to healthy controls, and in mouse models of viral infection. Despite its well-known role as an Fc receptor, FcγRIIB also ligates the immunosuppressive cytokine Fgl2, resulting in CD8+ T cell apoptosis. Both chronic LCMV infection in mice and COVID in humans resulted in a significant increase in plasma Fgl2. Further, plasma Fgl2 was directly proportional to CD8+ T cell lymphopenia in COVID patients. To further understand the association of Fgl2 and CD8+ T cell lymphopenia following COVID infection, we assessed the transcriptomic profiles of PBMCs with high (≥ 9.153 ng/ml) vs low (defined as

  Study phs003870

• Data Access Committee KCL FC

  Dac EGAC00001000386

• Guiding Evidence Based Therapy Using Biomarker Intensified Treatment in Heart Failure (GUIDE-IT-BioLINCC)

  Accessing Data: Please refer to “Authorized Access” below regarding accessing data through the BioData Catalyst ecosystem. The data from this accession is not available for download through dbGaP.Objective: To determine whether an amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP)-guided treatment strategy improves clinical outcomes vs usual care in high-risk patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).Background: Heart failure is a common disorder. Standard treatment for HF includes diuretics to control fluid, and drugs called "neurohormonal antagonists" (such as beta-blockers and ACE-inhibitors) to help the heart work more efficiently. The natriuretic peptides, specifically NT-pro-BNP, are biomarkers that reflect HF severity and are significantly associated with adverse outcomes in HF. Smaller studies have evaluated adjusting HF therapy based on natriuretic peptide levels (“guided therapy”) with inconsistent results.Participants: A total of 894 participants were enrolled at 45 sites in the United States and Canada, with 446 randomized to the NT-pro-BNP-guided strategy treatment group and 448 randomized to the usual care treatment group.Design: GUIDE-IT was a multicenter randomized clinical trial with participants randomized to either the NT-pro-BNP-guided therapy strategy or usual care. Given the nature of the study intervention, treatment assignment was not blinded. For participants randomized to the NT-pro-BNP-guided strategy, clinicians were instructed to titrate HF therapy to target an NT-pro-BNP level After an initial visit at 2 and 6 weeks, visits occurred every 3 months throughout the remainder of the study. After therapy adjustment for HF (whether driven by NT-pro-BNP levels or clinical reasons), participants had a 2-week follow-up visit for reassessment. All participants in either group also had blinded NT-pro-BNP concentrations measured in a core laboratory at each study visit. The primary end point was the composite of time-to-first HF hospitalization or cardiovascular mortality. Secondary end points included all-cause mortality, total hospitalizations for HF, days alive and not hospitalized for cardiovascular reasons, the individual components on the primary end point, and adverse events. Conclusions: The guided strategy intervention was stopped in July of 2016 (median follow-up of 15 months) after the study met prespecified inefficacy criteria. Compared to usual care, a strategy of NT-pro-BNP-guided therapy was not more effective in improving time-to-first HF hospitalization or cardiovascular mortality in high-risk participants with HFrEF.

  Study phs003621

• Anti-TIGIT antibody tiragolumab improves PD-L1 blockade via myeloid and Treg cells

  Tiragolumab, an anti-TIGIT antibody with an active IgG1/kappa Fc, demonstrated improved outcomes in the phase 2 CITYSCAPE trial (NCT03563716) when combined with atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1) versus atezolizumab alone1. However, there remains little consensus on the mechanism(s) of response with this combination2. We found that high baseline intratumoral macrophages and Tregs were associated with better outcomes in patients treated with atezolizumab plus tiragolumab but not with atezolizumab alone. Serum sample analysis revealed that macrophage activation was associated with clinical benefit in patients receiving the combination treatment. In mouse tumor models, tiragolumab surrogate antibodies inflamed tumor-associated macrophages, monocytes, and dendritic cells through Fc gamma receptors (FcɣR), in turn driving anti-tumor CD8+ T cells from an exhausted effector-like state to a more memory-like one. These results uncover a mechanism of action by which TIGIT checkpoint inhibitors can remodel immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and suggest that FcɣR engagement is an important consideration in anti-TIGIT antibody development.

  Study EGAS50000000251

• Characterization of a human iPSC-derived endocrine pancreas model

  Directed differentiation of stem cells offers a scalable solution to the need for human cell models recapitulating islet biology and T2D pathogenesis. We profiled mRNA expression at six stages of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model of endocrine pancreas development from two donors, and characterized the distinct transcriptomic profiles associated with each stage. Established regulators of endodermal lineage commitment, such as SOX17 (log2 fold change [FC] compared to iPSCs=14.2, p-value=4.9x10-5) and the pancreatic agenesis gene GATA6 (log2 FC=12.1, p-value=8.6x10-5), showed transcriptional variation consistent with their known developmental roles. However, these analyses highlighted many other genes with stage-specific expression patterns, some of which may be novel drivers or markers of islet development. For example, the leptin receptor gene, LEPR, was most highly expressed in published data from in vivo-matured cells compared to our endocrine pancreas-like cells (log2 FC=5.5, p-value=2.0x10-12), suggesting a role for the leptin pathway in the maturation process. Endocrine pancreas-like cells showed significant stage-selective expression of adult islet genes, including INS, ABCC8, and GLP1R, and enrichment of relevant GO-terms (e.g. "insulin secretion"; odds ratio=4.2, p-value=1.9x10-3): however, principal component analysis indicated that in vitro-differentiated cells were more immature than adult islets. Integration of the stage-specific expression information with genetic data from T2D genome-wide association studies revealed that 46 of 82 T2D-associated loci harbor genes present in at least one developmental stage, facilitating refinement of potential effector transcripts. Together, these data show that expression profiling in an iPSC islet development model can further understanding of islet biology and T2D pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001001803

• MCF10A 12h IL6 classical signaling

  Gene expression after cell culture, 12h IL6+sgp130-Fc stimulated

  Dataset EGAD00010001970

• MCF10A 24h IL6 classical signaling

  Gene expression after cell culture, 24h IL6+sgp130-Fc stimulated

  Dataset EGAD00010001963

• Expression profiling of a human endocrine pancreas iPSC model

  Directed differentiation of stem cells offers a scalable solution to the need for human cell models recapitulating islet biology and T2D pathogenesis. We profiled mRNA expression at six stages of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model of endocrine pancreas development from two donors, and characterized the distinct transcriptomic profiles associated with each stage. Established regulators of endodermal lineage commitment, such as SOX17 (log2 fold change [FC] compared to iPSCs=14.2, p-value=4.9x10-5) and the pancreatic agenesis gene GATA6 (log2 FC=12.1, p-value=8.6x10-5), showed transcriptional variation consistent with their known developmental roles. However, these analyses highlighted many other genes with stage-specific expression patterns, some of which may be novel drivers or markers of islet development. For example, the leptin receptor gene, LEPR, was most highly expressed in published data from in vivo-matured cells compared to the endocrine pancreas-like cells (log2 FC=5.5, p-value=2.0x10-12), suggesting a role for the leptin pathway in the maturation process. Endocrine pancreas-like cells showed significant stage-selective expression of adult islet genes, including INS, ABCC8, and GLP1R, and enrichment of relevant GO-terms (e.g. “insulin secretion”; odds ratio=4.2, p-value=1.9x10-3): however, principal component analysis indicated that in vitro-differentiated cells were more immature than adult islets. Integration of the stage-specific expression information with genetic data from T2D genome-wide association studies revealed that 46 of 82 T2D-associated loci harbor genes present in at least one developmental stage, facilitating refinement of potential effector transcripts. Together, these data show that expression profiling in an iPSC islet development model can further understanding of islet biology and T2D pathogenesis.

  Dataset EGAD00001002148

• Ribo-depleted RNA-sequencing of II.3, III.1, and III.3

  This datasets contains the Ribo-depleted RNA-sequencing of patients II.3, III.1, and III.3. Libraries were sequenced to a minimum depth of 195 million read pairs (2x75nts) on an Illumina NextSeq500 Midoutput FC.

  Dataset EGAD50000002364

• Characterizing the cell-free transcriptome in a humanized DLBCL patient-derived tumor xenograft model for RNA-based liquid biopsy in a preclinical setting

  This study explores the cell-free transcriptome in a humanized DLBCL patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. Blood plasma samples (n=171) derived from a DLBCL PDTX model including 27 humanized (HIS) PDTX, 8 HIS non-PDTX and 21 non-HIS PDTX NOD-scid IL2Rgnull mice were collected during humanization, xenografting, treatment, and sacrifice. The mice were treated with either R-CHOP, huCD20-Fc-AFN-CHOP, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). RNA was extracted using the miRNeasy serum/plasma kit and sequenced on the NovaSeq 6000 platform using the SMARTer Stranded Total RNA-seq pico v3 kit.

  Study EGAS50000000566

• A Dose Escalation Study of Efmarodocokin Alfa (UTTR1147A) in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

  Background: The interleukin-22 cytokine (IL-22) has demonstrated efficacy in nonclinical colitis models with a non-immunosuppressive mechanism-of-action. Efmarodocokin alfa (UTTR1147A) is a fusion protein agonist that links IL-22 to the crystallizable fragment (Fc) of human immunoglobulin (IgG4) for improved pharmacokinetic characteristics, but with a mutation to minimize Fc effector functions. Methods: This randomized, phase 1b study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of repeat intravenous dosing of efmarodocokin alfa in healthy volunteers (HVs; n=32) and patients with ulcerative colitis (UC; n=24) at 30–90 µg/kg doses given biweekly (Q2W) or monthly (Q4W) (6:2 active:placebo per cohort). Results: The most common adverse events (AEs) were on-target dermatological effects (dry skin, erythema, and pruritus) that were reversible. Dose-limiting non-serious dermatological AEs (severe dry skin, erythema, exfoliation, and discomfort) were seen in two HVs and one patient at 90 ug/kg Q2W. Pharmacokinetics were generally dose-proportional across the dose levels tested, but patients demonstrated lower drug exposures relative to HVs at the same dose. IL-22 serum biomarkers and IL-22 responsive genes in colon biopsies were induced with active treatment. Patients demonstrated changes in microbiota composition following active treatment, thereby reversing baseline dysbiosis. Clinical response was observed in 7/18 active- and 1/6 placebo-treated patients; clinical remission was observed in 5/18 active- and 0/6 placebo-treated patients.

  Study EGAS00001006172

• In vitro reconstitution of epigenetic reprogramming in the human germ line

  Epigenetic reprogramming resets parental epigenetic memories and differentiates primordial germ cells (PGCs) into mitotic pro-spermatogonia or oogonia, ensuring sexually dimorphic germ-cell development for totipotency. In vitro reconstitution of epigenetic reprogramming in humans remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we establish a robust strategy for inducing epigenetic reprogramming and differentiation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived human PGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) into mitotic pro-spermatogonia or oogonia, coupled with their extensive amplification (~>1010-fold). Strikingly, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling is a key driver of these processes: BMP-driven hPGCLC differentiation involves an attenuation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway and both de novo and maintenance DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activities, likely promoting replication-coupled, passive DNA demethylation. On the other hand, hPGCLCs deficient in tens-eleven translocation (TET) 1, an active DNA demethylase abundant in human germ cells, differentiate into extraembryonic cells, including amnion, with de-repression of key genes bearing bivalent promoters; these cells fail to fully activate genes vital for spermatogenesis and oogenesis, with their promoters remaining methylated. Our study elucidates the framework of epigenetic reprogramming in humans, making a fundamental advance in human biology, and through the generation of abundant mitotic pro-spermatogonia and oogonia-like cells, represents a milestone for human in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) research and its potential translation into reproductive medicine.

  Study JGAS000690

• scRNAseq of co-culture of human organoids with polarized pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory macrophages

  In order to know if the mechanisms we identified in mice – demonstrating that macrophages are able to orchestrate the intestinal regenerative process – are conserved in humans we develop a co-culture system with human intestinal organoids and human polarized macrophages. We co-culture human organoids with pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory macrophages for 48h. On day 3 cells were collected to perform single cell RNA sequencing.

  Dataset EGAD50000000675

• Single cell RNA sequencing of co-culture of human organoids with polarized pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages

  In order to know if the mechanisms we identified in mice – demonstrating that macrophages are able to orchestrate the intestinal regenerative process – are conserved in humans we develop a co-culture system with human intestinal organoids and human polarized macrophages. We co-culture human organoids with pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory macrophages for 48h. On day 3 cells were collected to perform single cell RNA sequencing.

  Dac EGAC50000000270

• Single-cell transcriptomics identifies pathogenic T-helper 17.1 cells and pro-inflammatory monocytes in ICI-related pneumonitis

  ICI-pneumonitis is a frequent serious adverse event of cancer immunotherapy hinging on a cell-mediated immune response, though the exact pathophysiology is currently unknown. Using single-cell transcriptomics, an enrichment of pathogenic (TBX21, RORC, IFNG, IL17A, CSF2 expressing) T-helper 17.1 cells and pro-inflammatory (TNF, IL1B, IL6, IL23A expressing) monocytes was identified in ICI-pneumonitis bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, putatively engaging in a feedforward inflammatory loop. This finding yields several novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of ICI-pneumonitis. Most notably repurposing anti-IL-23 merits further research as a potential efficacious and safe treatment for ICI-pneumonitis.

  Study EGAS00001006762

• 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

• Single cell RNA sequencing of co-culture of human organoids with polarized pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages

  Human intestinal organoids co-cultured with pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) human macrophages for 48 hours. 3 days after the co-culture alive cells were sorted and processed for single cell RNA sequencing

  Study EGAS50000000467

• Spatially resolved single-nucleus RNA sequencing of Choroid Plexus Tumours reveals clinically relevant hypoxia- and stress-driven dedifferentiation programs that sculpt an immunosuppressive and pro-angiogenic microenvironment

  Our study leverages single-nucleus RNA sequencing (~124,500 nuclei) and spatial transcriptomics (~40,650 spots) to dissect the molecular architecture of CPTs. We generated a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of 45 CPT samples spanning all three methylation groups and a reference cohort of 16 non-neoplastic choroid plexus (ChP) samples, spanning foetal, paediatric and adult specimens. Key discoveries from this investigation include that paediatric B tumorus exhibit a dedifferentiated state and enrichment of stress-related metaprograms, including hypoxia, TGFß signaling, Interferon I signaling and early stress response, that correlate with poor clinical outcome and antagonise multiciliogenesis. On a spatial level, these stress-linked programs co-localise with immunosuppressive, pro-angiogenic microenvironment, suggesting a link between developmental arrest, microenvironmental remodelling and aggressive behaviour.

  Study EGAS50000001617

• Drug-induced epigenomic plasticity reprograms circadian rhythm regulation to drive prostate cancer towards androgen-independence (RNA-seq)

  Understanding how prostate cancer cells adapt to AR-targeted interventions is critical for identifying novel drug targets to improve the clinical management of treatment-resistant disease. Our study revealed an enzalutamide-induced epigenetic plasticity towards pro-survival signaling, and uncovered circadian regulator ARNTL as an acquired vulnerability after AR inhibition, presenting a novel clinical lead for therapeutic development.

  Study EGAS00001006016

• Drug-induced epigenomic plasticity reprograms circadian rhythm regulation to drive prostate cancer towards androgen-independence (ChIP-seq)

  Understanding how prostate cancer cells adapt to AR-targeted interventions is critical for identifying novel drug targets to improve the clinical management of treatment-resistant disease. Our study revealed an enzalutamide-induced epigenetic plasticity towards pro-survival signaling, and uncovered circadian regulator ARNTL as an acquired vulnerability after AR inhibition, presenting a novel clinical lead for therapeutic development.

  Study EGAS00001006017

• Whole exome sequencing of endometriod ovarian cancer tumours

  Whole Exome sequencing data of tumour samples for 112 patients with endometrioid ovarian carcinoma in FASTQ format. Data was derived as summarized below: Library Preparation: Libraries were prepared from each DNA sample using the Illumina TruSeq Exome Library Prep kit (#FC-150-1002) according to the provided protocol using modifications for working with FFPE sourced material. Libraries were quantified using the Qubit 2.0 Fluorometer and the Qubit DNA HS assay (#Q32854) and the size distribution of fragments was assessed using the Agilent Bioanalyser with the DNA HS Kit (#5067-4626). Library QC: Exome-captured sequencing library pools were quantified using the Qubit 2.0 Fluorometer and the Qubit DNA HS assay (#Q32854) and the size distribution of fragments was assessed using the Agilent Bioanalyser with the DNA HS Kit (#5067-4626). Fragment size and quantity measurements were used to calculate molarity for each library pool. Sequencing: Sequencing was performed using the NextSeq 500/550 High-Output v2 (150 cycle) Kit (# FC-404-2002) on the NextSeq 550 platform (Illumina Inc, #SY-415-1002).

  Dataset EGAD00001006389

• Epigenetic memory of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in monocyte-derived macrophages

  Immune memory is key to effective antimicrobial responses, but the impact of mRNA vaccines on this process is not fully understood. Our research shows that SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines alter the epigenetic profile of human macrophages, specifically enhancing histone acetylation, which is linked to immune training. Significant epigenetic changes, along with increased cytokine release, require two vaccine doses. However, these effects diminish over time but can be restored with a booster dose six months later, maintaining a strong pro-inflammatory response.

  Study EGAS50000000341

• pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma exomes in study: Pro-immunogenic Impact of MEK inhibition combined with an anti-CD40 immunostimulatory antibody

  This dataset contains 3 pairs of exomes, germline (from whole blood) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX), from human pancreatic durctal adenocarcinoma patients. The data is referred to in the publication: "Pro-immunogenic impact of MEK inhibition synergizes with agonist anti-CD40 immunostimulatory antibodies in tumor therapy" (Nature Communications, 2020) Abstract: Cancer types with lower mutational load and a non-permissive tumor microenvironment are intrinsically resistant to immune checkpoint blockade. While the combination of cytostatic drugs and immunostimulatory antibodies constitutes an attractive concept for overcoming this refractoriness, suppression of immune cell function by cytostatic drugs may limit therapeutic efficacy. Here we show that targeted inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) does not impair dendritic cell-mediated T-cell priming and activation. Accordingly, combining MEK inhibitors (MEKi) with agonist antibodies (Abs) targeting the immunostimulatory CD40 receptor resulted in potent synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. Detailed analysis of the mechanism of action of MEKi GDC-0623 by means of flow cytometric analysis of the tumor immune infiltrate and whole tumor transcriptomics showed that, in addition to its cytostatic impact on tumor cells, this drug exerts multiple pro-immunogenic effects, including the suppression of M2-type macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells and CD4+ T-regulatory cells. In addition, MEKi was found to induce tumor-cell intrinsic interferon signaling, which contributed to antigen presentation by tumor cells. Finally, the tumoridical impact of MEKi involves the activation of multiple pro-inflammatory pathways involved in immune cell effector function in the tumor microenvironment. Our data therefore indicate that the combination of MEK inhibition with agonist anti-CD40 Ab is a promising therapeutic concept, especially for the treatment of mutant Kras-driven tumors such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

  Dataset EGAD00001005938

• Phenotype information

  This study explores the cell-free transcriptome in a humanized DLBCL patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. Blood plasma samples (n=171) derived from a DLBCL PDTX model in-cluding 27 humanized (HIS) PDTX, 8 HIS non-PDTX and 21 non-HIS PDTX non-obese diabetic (NOD)-scid IL2Rgnull (NSG) mice were collected during humanization, xenografting, treatment, and sacrifice. The mice were treated with either rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincris-tine, and prednisone (R-CHOP), CD20-targeted human IFNα2-based AcTaferon combined with CHOP (huCD20-Fc-AFN-CHOP), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). RNA was extracted using the miRNeasy serum/plasma kit and sequenced on the NovaSeq 6000 platform using the using the SMARTer Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit v3.

  Dataset EGAD50000000806

• A Prospective Study of the Oral Microbiome and Pancreatic Cancer

  Two prospective cohort studies - the Black Women's Health Study and the Southern Community Cohort Study - were used to investigate the oral microbiome in relation to pancreatic cancer risk. Using a nested case-control study design, 148 cases and 510 matched controls were included (122 Black American pancreatic cancer cases and 409 matched controls). DNA was extracted from oral wash samples, using the PowerSoil Pro kit. Paired-end whole metagenomic shotgun sequencing was performed, using the Illumina HiSeq2000 platform with a read length of 100 bp (insert size 350 bp).

  Study phs002454

• Mevalonate Metabolism fuels pro-inflammatory function of Vd2 T cells

  Study EGAS00001007530

• HDAC inhibitors in synovial sarcoma cells

  Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition has been shown in previous studies to disrupt the synovial sarcoma oncoprotein complex, resulting in apoptosis. To understand the molecular effects of HDAC inhibition, RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis was undertaken in six human synovial sarcoma cell lines. HDAC inhibition induced pathways of cell cycle arrest, neuronal differentiation and response to oxygen-containing species, effects also observed in other cancers treated with this class of drugs. More specific to synovial sarcoma, polycomb-group targets were reactivated including tumor suppressor CDKN2A, and pro-apoptotic transcriptional patterns were induced. Functional analyses revealed that ROS-mediated FOXO activation and pro-apoptotic factors BIK, BIM and BMF were important to apoptosis induction following HDAC-inhibition in synovial sarcoma

  Study EGAS00001002637

• pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma exomes in study: Pro-immunogenic Impact of MEK inhibition combined with an anti-CD40 immunostimulatory antibody

  Cancer types with lower mutational load and a non-permissive tumor microenvironment are intrinsically resistant to immune checkpoint blockade. While the combination of cytostatic drugs and immunostimulatory antibodies constitutes an attractive concept for overcoming this refractoriness, suppression of immune cell function by cytostatic drugs may limit therapeutic efficacy. Here we show that targeted inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) does not impair dendritic cell-mediated T-cell priming and activation. Accordingly, combining MEK inhibitors (MEKi) with agonist antibodies (Abs) targeting the immunostimulatory CD40 receptor resulted in potent synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. Detailed analysis of the mechanism of action of MEKi GDC-0623 by means of flow cytometric analysis of the tumor immune infiltrate and whole tumor transcriptomics showed that, in addition to its cytostatic impact on tumor cells, this drug exerts multiple pro-immunogenic effects, including the suppression of M2-type macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells and CD4+ T-regulatory cells. In addition, MEKi was found to induce tumor-cell intrinsic interferon signaling, which contributed to antigen presentation by tumor cells. Finally, the tumoridical impact of MEKi involves the activation of multiple pro-inflammatory pathways involved in immune cell effector function in the tumor microenvironment. Our data therefore indicate that the combination of MEK inhibition with agonist anti-CD40 Ab is a promising therapeutic concept, especially for the treatment of mutant Kras-driven tumors such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma exomes were generated in the context of the Heidelberg Center for Personalized Oncology project HIPO-K28E.

  Study EGAS00001004196

• scRNA-seq of patient-derived PDAC organoids and matched CAFs

  We established direct three-dimensional (3D) co-cultures of primary PDAC organoids and patient-matched CAFs. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed for three organoid/CAF pairs in mono- and co-culture to uncover transcriptional changes induced by tumor-stroma interaction. Single-cell RNA sequencing data evidenced induction of a pro-inflammatory phenotype in CAFs in co-cultures. Organoids showed increased expression of genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in co-cultures and several potential receptor-ligand interactions related to EMT were identified, supporting a key role of CAF-driven induction of EMT in PDAC chemoresistance.

  Study EGAS00001006661

• ALPI deficiency and inflammatory bowel disease

  Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are complex and severe disorders ascribed to alterations in the dialogue between the microbiota and the host immune system (Bouma & Strober, 2003; Maloy & Powrie, 2011). By using whole‐exome sequencing (WES), we report the identification of compound heterozygous ALPI mutations in two unrelated patients displaying severe intestinal inflammation and autoimmunity. ALPI encodes the Intestinal alkaline phosphatase, a brush border metalloenzyme that catalyses phosphate hydrolysis of the lipid moiety of LPS and thereby drastically reduces LPS pro‐inflammatory activity (Schromm et al, 1998; Goldberg et al, 2008).

  Study EGAS00001002847

• Integrated Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Unique Characteristics of Hepatic Metastases and Pro-metastatic Role of Complement C1q in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

  Study EGAS00001004821

• Transcriptional_reprogramming_from_innate_immune_functions_to_a_pro_thrombotic_signature_upon_SARS_CoV_2_sensing_by_monocytes_in_COVID_19

  Alterations in the myeloid immune compartment have been observed in COVID-19, but the specific mechanisms underlying these impairments are not completely understood. Here we examined the functionality of classical CD14+ monocytes as a main myeloid cell component in well-defined cohorts of patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 during the acute phase of infection and compared them to that of healthy individuals. We found that ex vivo isolated CD14+ monocytes from mild and moderate COVID-19 patients display specific expression patterns of costimulatory and inhibitory receptors that clearly distinguish them from healthy monocytes, as well as an altered metabolic profile. In addition, decreased NFB activation in COVID-19 monocytes ex vivo is accompanied by an intact type I IFN antiviral response. Secondary pathogen sensing ex vivo led to a state of functional unresponsiveness characterized by a defect in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, NFB-driven cytokine responses and defective type I IFN response in moderate COVID-19 monocytes, together with defects in the metabolic reprogramming that innate immune cells usually undergo upon pathogen sensing. Transcriptionally and functionally, COVID-19 monocytes switched their gene expression signature from canonical innate immune functions to a pro-thrombotic phenotype characterized by enrichment of pathways involved in hemostasis, immunothrombosis, platelet aggregation and other accessory pathways to platelet activation, accumulation and clot formation, including extracellular matrix reorganization, integrin cell surface interactions and signaling by PDGF. These results provide a potential mechanism by which innate immune dysfunction in COVID-19 may contribute to disease pathology

  Study EGAS00001006788

• Human data for chromatin accessibility (ATAC-Seq and scATAC-Seq) and transcriptome (RNA-Seq and scRNA-Seq) in eight B-cell precursors, from HSC to Naive B cells

  We generated paired transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) and chromatin accessibility (ATAC-Seq) profiles from 8 immune cell populations representing the early lymphoid hematopoietic differentiation stages along the B cell lineage: HSC, CLP, pro-B, pre-B, Immature B, Transitional B, Naive B CD5-, Naive B CD5+. Cell populations were isolated from healthy adult human bone marrow precursors and peripheral blood (n=13) following a predefined sorting strategy. For each donor, a subset of different cell type populations was obtained. Additionally, to explore the continuous dynamic of RNA and ATAC, we generated a single-cell sample of human CD34+ B cell precursors.

  Study EGAS00001007296

• Identification and functional characterisation of a rare MTTP variant underlying familial non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

  We identified a rare causal variant in MTTP, c.1691T>C p.I564T (rs745447480) encoding microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) causing progressive non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma unrelated to metabolic syndrome, without manifestations of abetalipoproteinemia, in a four generation family with South Asian ancestry. Variant-expressing hepatocyte-like-cells (HLCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells generated from homozygous donor skin fibroblasts had lower lipoprotein ApoB secretion, compared to wild type cells. Cytoplasmic triglyceride accumulation in HLCs triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators, production of reactive oxygen species, delineating the progression of disease associated with homozygosity for MTTP p.I564T

  Study EGAS00001005254

• Characterization of the cellular microenvironment in fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease

  Crohn's disease (CD) is marked by recurring intestinal inflammation and tissue injury, often resulting in fibro-stenosis and bowel obstruction, necessitating surgical intervention with high recurrence rates. To elucidate to the mechanisms underlying fibro-stenosis in CD, we analysed the transcriptome of cells isolated from the transmural ileum of CD patients, including a trio of lesions from each patient: non-affected, inflamed, and stenotic ileum samples, and compared them with samples from non-CD patients. Our computational analysis revealed that pro-fibrotic signals from a subset of monocyte-derived cells induced a disease-specific fibroblast population, resulting in chronic inflammation and tissue fibrosis. Our findings suggest that the myeloid-stromal axis may offer a promising therapeutic target to prevent fibro-stenosis in CD.

  Study EGAS50000000382

• RNAseq SCLC Cell lines MYC

  RNAseq data set (Mollaoglu et al., MYC drives progression of small cell lung cancer to a variant neuroendocrine subtype with vulnerability to Aurora kinase inhibition) RNA isolation from primary tumors and healthy lungs was performed using RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen) with the standard protocol. RNA was subjected to library construction with the Illumina TruSeq Stranded mRNA Sample Preparation Kit (cat# RS-122-2101, RS-122-2102) according to manufacturer’s protocol. Chemically denatured sequencing libraries (25 pM) are applied to an Illumina HiSeq v4 single read flow cell using an Illumina cBot. Hybridized molecules were clonally amplified and annealed to sequencing primers with reagents from an Illumina HiSeq SR Cluster Kit v4-cBot (GD-401-4001). Following transfer of the flowcell to an Illumina HiSeq 2500 instrument (HCSv2.2.38 and RTA v1.18.61), a 50 cycle single-read sequence run was performed using HiSeq SBS Kit v4 sequencing reagents (FC-401-4002).

  Dataset EGAD00001003099

• Exome array analysis of adverse reactions to fluoropyrimidine-based therapy for gastrointestinal cancer

  Fluoropyrimidines, including 5-fluororacil (5FU) and its pro-drug Capecitabine, are the common treatment for colorectal, breast, neck and head cancers – either as monotherapy or in combination therapy. Adverse reactions (ADRs) to the treatment are common and often result in treatment discontinuation or dose reduction. Factors contributing to ADRs, including genetic variation, are poorly characterized. We performed exome array analysis to identify genetic variants that contribute to adverse reactions.Our final dataset consisted of 504 European ancestry individuals undergoing fluoropyrimidine-based therapy for gastrointestinal cancer. A subset of 254 of these were treated with Capecitabine. All individuals were genotyped on the Illumina HumanExome Array.

  Study EGAS00001002763

• Epigenetic memory of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in monocyte-derived macrophages

  Immune memory is key to effective antimicrobial responses, but the impact of mRNA vaccines on this process is not fully understood. Our research shows that SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines alter the epigenetic profile of human macrophages, specifically enhancing histone acetylation, which is linked to immune training. Significant epigenetic changes, along with increased cytokine release, require two vaccine doses. However, these effects diminish over time but can be restored with a booster dose six months later, maintaining a strong pro-inflammatory response.

  Dataset EGAD50000000495

• Sequence data to study genomic CNVs that drive apoptotic resistance and relapses on immune checkpoint inhibitors

  This project investigates the genomic mechanisms underlying acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) across tumor types, addressing the critical clinical problem of treatment relapses where the molecular basis remains poorly understood. Through integrative genomic analyses of longitudinal clinical melanomas, functional CRISPR-Cas9 screens, and human and murine melanoma models, the study demonstrates that copy-number variant (CNV)-driven subclonal evolution is a primary driver of clinical relapses. The research identifies resistance-driver genes targeted by CNVs, including pro-apoptotic gene deletions and anti-apoptotic gene amplifications, which collectively downregulate apoptotic priming in resistant cells. The findings establish that modulating the apoptotic threshold can prevent or reverse ICI resistance, positioning CNV evolution as a key driver of acquired resistance and identifying apoptotic regulation as a therapeutic target to combat resistance evolution.

  Study EGAS50000001055

• Exome_sequence_of_probands_in_Barrett_s_oesophagus_families

  Barrett?s oesophagus is common in the UK affecting 2 % of the population. Family history has beenrecorded among the 4000 Barrett's cases collected so far and have 241 families. Among them wehave assessed 6 multiplex families with proven Barrett?s and defined as having 1 pro band and atleast 3 affected first degree members. We propose to exome sequence the probands of these sixfamilies to assess the presence of pathogenic rare coding variants.

  Study EGAS00001000531

• IFN-γ and TNF-α drive a CXCL10+ CCL2+ Macrophage Phenotype Expanded in Severe COVID-19 Lungs and Inflammatory Diseases with Tissue Inflammation

  We explored how the human macrophages response to different inflammatory factors, focusing particularly on the effects of antiviral interferons (IFN-β and IFN-γ), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, and other mediators like IL-4. Co-cultured fibroblasts were a component in some conditions to generate factors produced by resident stroma. We used a single-cell antibody-based hashing strategy to multiplex samples from different stimulatory conditions in one sequencing run. This macrophage transcriptomic data reveals distinct macrophage activation states and polarizations shaped by different tissue-related inflammatory conditions at single-cell resolution. We further performed an unbiased integration between tissue-level macrophages and this stimulated human blood-derived macrophages, which pinpoint an IFN-γ and TNF-α synergistically driven inflammatory macrophage phenotype expanded in severe COVID-19 lungs and other inflamed disease tissues.

  Study phs002780

• CEBP-Beta/IL-1-Beta/ TNF-alpha Feedback Loop Drives Drug Resistance to BCL2 and MDM2 Inhibitors in Monocytic Leukemia Cells

  To uncover the mechanisms of MDM2 inhibitor resistance that are mediated by IL-1, we performed RNAseq on three primary AML patient cells treated with idasanutlin in the presence or absence of IL-1β. These three leukemia samples were chosen because they exhibit high blast counts and are protected by IL-1β when treated with idasanutlin, as determined by apoptosis assay. We observed that a majority of the major p53 pathway targets remained upregulated in the presence of IL-1β. We next performed differential expressed gene (DEG) analysis following IL-1β treatment with and without idasanutlin. IL-1β treatment upregulated 3295, 1353, and 680 genes with ≥1 Log2FC, in each of the three patient samples, and a significant majority of these genes (82%, 62.4%, and 47.6%) remained upregulated in the presence of idasanutlin. Pathway analysis showed that IL-1β upregulated genes were associated with NF-κB, Interleukin-1 family signaling pathways, immune and inflammatory associated genes and myeloid maturation markers. To identify downstream targets that contribute to the protective effect of IL-1β during idasanutlin treatment, we performed DEG analysis on IL-1β + idasanutlin treatment compared to idasanutlin treatment alone. Interestingly, IL-1β induces its own expression and other pro-survival cytokines including TNF, CSF2 (GMCSF), IL-6, CSF3 (GCSF), as well as their respective receptors and/or coactivators, including IL1RL1 and multiple TNF receptors. We verified that IL-1β and TNF-α induce the upregulation of their own membrane-bound forms, their corresponding receptors, CSF2RB, and monocytic markers, as determined by flow cytometry immunophenotyping. Furthermore, IL-1β upregulated a number of pro-inflammatory chemokines, including CXCL13, CXCL2, etc. These findings highlight a pleiotropic role of IL-1β. The RNA expression of these three samples in the presence and absence of IL-1β and idasanutlin treatment will be deposited in dbGaP.

  Study phs003479

• Basal-to-Inflammatory Transition Contributes to Basal Cell Carcinoma Therapy Resistance via Crosstalk with a Pro-Inflammatory Stromal Niche

  Overcoming tumor evolution and inducible resistance states remain the main challenge to creating successful anti-tumor therapies. The body's cancer-associated inflammatory response is a double-edged sword having ill-defined pro- and anti-tumor properties. Our group previously identified a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) tumor-intrinsic resistance pathway called basal to squamous cell carcinoma transition (BST). However, tumor resistance driven through the complex dynamics of tumor interactions with the inflammatory response remains poorly studied. Here, employing a multipronged approach combining human tumor single-cell transcriptomics, single-cell chromatin accessibility (scATAC-Seq) study, CODEX multiplexed imaging, spatial transcriptomic along with functional validation, we have identified a surprising inflammation-associated SMOi therapy enriched tumor epithelial cell state we term basal-to-inflammatory transition (BIT). Marked by CHI3L1, TAGLN, ITGAV, and VCAM1, BIT arises in spatially distinct neighborhoods from BST in a subset of naive BCCs. While BST tumor epithelium occurs within the central cores of tumor nodules, BIT tumor epithelium arises in a specialized inflammatory environment defined by a tumor associated TREM1 myeloid signature. IL1 and OSM secreted by TREM1 myeloid cells activate the inflammatory NF-kB family of transcription factors within the BIT tumor epithelium. Strikingly, IL1 and OSM ligands are sufficient not only in inducing the BIT tumor state in vitro and in vivo in a synergistic fashion but also in lowering the sensitivity of human BCC explant tumors to SMOi treatment. This work provides critical insights into the BIT-resistant state as a novel targetable tumor state driven by a specialized inflammatory microenvironment.

  Study phs003437

• Profiling_molecular_heterogeneity_in_human_primary_microglia

  In the brain the cells that control inflammation are called a type of white blood cell called microglia. Microglia are located throughout the brain and spinal cord and account for 10–15% of all cells found within the brain. As the resident white blood cells, they are the main active immune defence in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia are part of an important class of cells known as macrophages that have two main states: M1 and M2. M1 cells are pro- inflammatory, leading to more inflammation, while M2 are anti-inflammatory, and drive wound healing. In this study, we will collect primary microglia from surgical biospies of 100 individuals. 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 EGAS00001002494

• An IL-1β driven neutrophil-stromal cell axis fosters a BAFF-rich microenvironment in multiple myeloma

  The bone marrow is continuously occupied by high numbers of neutrophils, and a tumor-supportive bias of these cells could significantly impact bone marrow-confined malignancies. In multiple myeloma, the bone marrow is characterized by inflammatory stromal cells with the potential to influence neutrophils. Here, we investigated myeloma-associated alterations in marrow neutrophils and the impact of stromal inflammation on neutrophil function. Mature neutrophils in myeloma marrow are activated and tumor-supportive, transcribing increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, and myeloma cell survival factors, such as the BCMA-ligand BAFF. Neutrophils were re-activated after first-line treatment, while this regimen reduced, but did not normalize, stromal inflammation. Interactions with inflammatory stroma induced neutrophil activation, including BAFF secretion, in a STAT3-dependent manner and once activated, neutrophils gained the ability to reciprocally induce stromal activation. Combined, our data define the presence of a neutrophil-stromal cell feed-forward loop driving tumor-supportive inflammation that could impact disease recurrence.

  Study EGAS00001007038

• 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

• Modulation of macrophage inflammatory function through selective inhibition of the epigenetic reader protein SP140

  SP140 is a bromodomain-containing protein expressed predominantly in immune cells. Genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic modifications in the SP140 locus have been linked to Crohn’s disease (CD), suggesting a role in inflammation. We report the development of the first small molecule SP140 inhibitor (GSK761) and utilize this to elucidate SP140 function in macrophages. We show that SP140 is highly expressed in CD68+ CD mucosal macrophages and in in vitro-generated inflammatory macrophages. SP140 inhibition through GSK761 reduced monocyte differentiation into inflammatory macrophages and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory activation. SP140 preferentially occupies transcriptional start sites (TSS) in inflammatory macrophages, with enrichment at gene loci encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and inflammatory pathways. GSK761 specifically reduced SP140 binding and thereby expression of SP140-bound genes. GSK761 inhibited the spontaneous expression of cytokines, including TNF, by CD14+ macrophages isolated from CD intestinal-mucosa. This study identifies SP140 as a druggable epigenetic therapeutic target for CD.

  Study EGAS00001004460

• Whole genome sequencing of EBV Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

  Interplay between EBV infection and acquired genetic alterations during nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) development remains vague. Here we report a comprehensive genomic analysis of 70 NPCs, combining whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of microdissected tumor cells with EBV oncogene expression to reveal multiple aspects of cellular-viral co-operation in tumorigenesis. Genomic aberrations along with EBV-encoded LMP1 expression underpin constitutive NF-κB activation in 90% of NPCs. A similar spectrum of somatic aberrations and viral gene expression undermine innate immunity in 79% of cases and adaptive immunity in 47% of cases; mechanisms by which NPC may evade immune surveillance despite its pro inflammatory phenotype. Additionally, genomic changes impairing TGFBR2 promote oncogenesis and stabilize EBV infection in tumor cells. Fine-mapping of CDKN2A/CDKN2B deletion breakpoints reveals homozygous MTAP deletions in 32-34% of NPCs that confer marked sensitivity to MAT2A inhibition. Our work concludes that NPC is a homogeneously NF-κB-driven and immune-protected, yet potentially druggable, cancer.

  Study EGAS00001004705

• Bulk RNA-Seq

  Human data for transcriptome (bulk RNA-Seq) in eight B-cell precursors: HSC, CLP, pro-B, pre-B, Immature B, Transitional B, Naive B CD5-, Naive B CD5+ cells

  Dataset EGAD00001010906

• Monocyte and macrophage lipid accumulation results in downregulated type-I interferon responses

  Macrophages are critical components of atherosclerotic lesions and their pro- and anti-inflammatory responses influence atherogenesis. Type-I interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that play an essential role in antiviral responses and inflammatory activation and have been shown to promote atherosclerosis. Although the impact of type-I IFNs on macrophage foam cell formation is well-documented, the effect of lipid accumulation in monocytes and macrophages on type-I IFN responses remains unknown. Here we examined IFN stimulated (ISG) and non-ISG inflammatory gene expression in mouse and human macrophages that were loaded with acetylated LDL (acLDL), as a model for foam cell formation. We found that acLDL loading in mouse and human macrophages specifically suppressed expression of ISGs and IFN-β secretion, but not other pro-inflammatory genes. The downregulation of ISGs could be rescued by exogenous IFN-β supplementation. Activation of the cholesterol-sensing nuclear liver X receptor (LXR) recapitulated the cholesterol-initiated type-I IFN suppression. Additional analyses of murine in vitro and in vivo generated foam cells confirmed the suppressed IFN signalling pathways and suggest that this phenotype is mediated via downregulation of interferon regulatory factor binding at gene promoters. Finally, RNA-seq analysis of monocytes of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients also showed type-I IFN suppression which was restored by lipid-lowering therapy and not present in monocytes of healthy donors. Taken together, we define type-I IFN suppression as an athero-protective characteristic of foamy macrophages. These data provide new insights into the mechanisms that control inflammatory responses in hyperlipidaemic settings and can support future therapeutic approaches focusing on reprogramming of macrophages to reduce atherosclerotic plaque progression and improve stability.

  Study EGAS00001005955

• ABO: a 3D stroma-supported culture platform enabling full human B lymphopoiesis for disease modeling and gene therapy development

  Defective B-cell development underlies a large proportion of inborn errors of immunity, but progress in understanding disease mechanisms and of developing therapies has been limited by inadequate human in vitro models. Here, we establish a 3D aggregate culture platform composed of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and mouse bone marrow stromal cells as an assay for efficient B-cell output (the ABO platform). ABOs supported progression through pro-B, pre-B, immature, and transitional B-cell stages, with a transcriptional profile and B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoire diversity closely resembling human bone marrow B-cell ontogeny. ABO-derived B cells exhibited functional signaling and differentiated into class-switched memory and antibody-secreting B cells following CD40-mediated stimulation. The ABO platform reproduced the arrest in B-cell development observed in RAG1-SCID patient–derived HSPCs, which was corrected by lentiviral RAG1 gene therapy. Thus, ABOs provide a clinically relevant platform for modeling B-cell immunodeficiencies and evaluating therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS50000001693

• Evolving epigenomics of immune cells in type 1 diabetes at single nuclei resolution

  The appearance of diabetes-associated autoantibodies is the first detectable sign of the disease process leading to type 1 diabetes (T1D). Evidence suggests that T1D is a heterogenous disease, where the type of antibodies first formed imply subtypes. Here, we followed 49 children, who subsequently presented with T1D and 49 matched controls, profiling single-cell epigenomics at different time points of disease development. Quantitation of cell and nuclei populations as well as transcriptome and open-chromatin states indicated robust, early, replicable monocyte lineage differences between cases and controls, suggesting heightened pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion early among cases. The order of autoantibody emergence in cases showed variation across lymphoid and myeloid cells, potentially indicating cellular immune response divergence. The strong monocytic lineage representation in peripheral blood immune cells before seroconversion and the weaker differential coordination of these gene networks close to clinical diagnosis emphasizes the importance of early life as a critical phase in T1D development.

  Study EGAS50000000863

• Bulk ATAC-Seq Illumina NextSeq 500 (10M reads)

  Human data for chromatin accessibility (ATAC-Seq) in eight B-cell precursors: HSC, CLP, pro-B, pre-B, Immature B, Transitional B, Naive B CD5-, Naive B CD5+ cells

  Dataset EGAD00001010908

• DDX50 Cooperates With STAU1 to Effect Stabilization of Pro-Differentiation RNAs

  This study was undertaken to determine the role of DDX50 in epidermal homeostasis. Primary neonatal foreskin keratinocytes were obtained from discarded surgical samples at a California hospital. Samples were anonymous and not selected. DDX50, which was associated with STAU1, was found to promote epidermal differentiation and transcript stability using the methods of RNA-seq, CLIP-seq and DMS-MaP-seq.

  Study phs003766

• M116 Microbiome data

  M116 stool was collected from 3 different days (3 biological replicates) and kept at -20ºC until DNA extraction (Biobanc IDIBGI and Goodgut®). Total genomic DNA was extracted from 150–200 mg of each stool sample after homogenisation using the DNeasy Powersoil Pro kit (Qiagen®) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Quality and quantity of DNA were evaluated using Qubit® BR kit on a Qubit®2.0 fluorimeter (ThermoFisher Scientific®) and on a Nanodrop ND-2000 UV-Vis spectrophotometer (ThermoFisher Scientific®). The v3-v4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced (paired-end 250-bp) following standard practices at external facilities (Novogene®) using previously described primers 515F. Files types included in this dataset are raw Fastq files.

  Dataset EGAD50000001288

• Germline biallelic mutation affecting the transcription factor Helios causes pleiotropic defects of immunity

  We studied a patient with recurrent respiratory infections and hypogammaglobulinemia and identified a germline homozygous missense mutation in IKZF2 encoding Helios (p.Ile325Val). We show that HeliosI325V retains DNA-binding and dimerization properties, but loses interaction with several partners, including epigenetic remodelers HDAC1, HDAC3 and the ATAC complex. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed gene expression signatures indicative of a shift towards pro-inflammatory, effector-like status in the patient’s T cells. We observed an upregulation of the anti-inflammatory gene, TSC22D3, encoding the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), whose expression was reported to increase upon IL-2 deprivation. We validated this finding in primary T cells, where we observed a pronounced reduction in IL-2 production upon their stimulation, together with a defect in their ability to proliferate, rendering them more anergic. Collectively, we identify a novel germline-encoded inborn error of immunity and define a role for Helios in conventional T cells, whereby interactions with specific binding partners is necessary to mediate the transcriptional programs that enable T-cell homeostasis in health and disease.

  Study EGAS00001005675

• PRO-SPeCT: PROstate cancer heterogeneity deconvolution through Single cell Profiling of Chromatin accessibility and Transcriptomic output

  38 prostate cancer specimens derived from five human patients with ISUP ≥ 3 pathology who underwent radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection at surgery as part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) late-onset cohort. Using single-cell multiome (expression and chromatin accessibility from RNA and ATAC, respectively) sequencing assay, we characterized 282,956 nuclei/cells, with a median of 6 primary tumor foci from the prostate gland and 3 locoregional lymph node metastases across all patients.

  Dataset EGAD50000000745

• Three-dimensional human alveolar stem cell culture models reveal infection response to SARS-CoV-2

  Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the cause of a present global pandemic, infects human lung alveolar type 2 (hAT2) cells. Characterizing pathogenesis is crucial for developing vaccines and therapeutics. However, the lack of models mirroring the cellular physiology and pathology of hAT2 cells limits the study. Here, we develop a feeder-free, long-term three-dimensional (3D) culture technique for hAT2 cells derived from primary human lung tissue, and investigate infection response to SARS-CoV-2. By imaging-based analysis and single-cell transcriptome profiling, we reveal rapid viral replication and the increased expression of interferon-associated genes and pro-inflammatory genes in infected hAT2 cells, indicating robust endogenous innate immune response. Further tracing of viral mutations acquired during transmission identifies full infection of individual cells effectively from a single viral entry. Our study provides deep insights into the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, and the application of defined 3D hAT2 cultures as models for respiratory diseases.

  Study EGAS00001004508

• Effective reprogramming of patient-derived M2-polarized glioblastoma-associated microglia/macrophages by treatment with GW2580

  Purpose: Targeting immunosuppressive and pro-tumorigenic glioblastoma-associated macrophages and microglial cells (GAMs) has great potential to improve patient outcomes. Colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) has emerged as a promising target for reprogramming anti-inflammatory M2-like GAMs. However, treatment data on patient-derived, tumor-educated GAMs and their influence on the adaptive immunity are lacking. Experimental Design: CD11b+-GAMs freshly isolated from patient tumors were treated with CSF1R-targeting drugs PLX3397, BLZ945, and GW2580. Phenotypical changes upon treatment were assessed using RNAseq. Changes in GAM activation were confirmed in a complex patient-derived 3D tumor organoid model serving as a tumor avatar. Results: The most effective reprogramming of GAMs was observed upon GW2580 treatment, which led to the downregulation of M2-related markers, IL-6, and IL-10, ERK1/2 and MAPK signaling pathways, while M1-like markers and gene set enrichment indicating activated MHC-II presentation were substantially increased. Moreover, treatment of patient-derived glioblastoma organoids with GW2580 confirmed successful reprogramming.

  Study EGAS00001007466

• Androgen deprivation therapy promotes an inflammatory and obesity-like microenvironment in periprostatic fat

  Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death and morbidity worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of management for advanced disease. The use of androgen deprivation therapies is associated with multiple side effects, including metabolic syndrome and truncal obesity. At the same time, obesity has been associated with both prostate cancer development and disease progression, linked to its effects on chronic inflammation at a tissue level. The connection between androgen deprivation therapy, obesity, inflammation, and prostate cancer progression is well-established in clinical settings; however, an understanding of the changes in adipose tissue at the molecular level induced by castrating therapies is missing. Here we investigated the transcriptional changes in periprostatic fat tissue induced by profound androgen deprivation therapy in a group of patients with high-risk tumours compared to a matching untreated cohort. We find that androgen deprivation therapy is associated with a pro-inflammatory and obesity-like adipose tissue microenvironment. This study suggests that the beneficial effect of androgen deprivation therapy may be partially counteracted by metabolic and inflammatory side effects in the adipose tissue surrounding the prostate.

  Study EGAS00001003286

• Transcriptional programming in whole blood reveals changes in pro-inflammatory phenotype explained by changed food and changed life style.

  We here focused on whole blood from paxgene tubes from healthy Tanzanians and the impact of urbanization and diet on innate immune responses. We performed RNA-sequencing of whole blood from paxgene tubes from healthy Tanzanians and investigate that transcriptional changes depend of diet and location.

  Dataset EGAD00001006051

• Dynamics of Tumor Heterogeneity from Primary to Metastatic Dissemination in Prostate Cancer

  PRO-SPeCT: PROstate cancer heterogeneity deconvolution through Single cell Profiling of Chromatin accessibility and Transcriptomic output Identifying drivers of cancer progression to guide treatment selection is hindered by limited abilities to understand tumor heterogeneity’s impact on evolution. Here, we delineated the phenotypic variability across ~300,000 prostate tumor cells collected from multiple loci in primary and matched locoregional metastases. We found inter-patient heterogeneity to be confined to malignant populations. While malignant cell populations exhibit intra-locus heterogeneity, they maintain inter-loci phenotypic similarity within a patient’s prostate gland. In addition, the intra-locus heterogeneity between malignant cell populations is paired with a common clonal architecture. Lastly, we show that malignant cell populations disseminating to locoregional lymph nodes mirror the clonal architecture and phenotypic heterogeneity observed across primary tumor loci while showcasing cell state transition toward inflammatory phenotypes. These findings provide insights into distinct measures of tumor heterogeneity, revealing diverse evolutionary paths across patients converging to common phenotypic adaptations in early prostate cancer progression.

  Study EGAS50000000524

• An instructive role for IL7RA in the development of human B-cell precursor leukemia

  Kinase signaling fuels growth of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Yet its role in leukemia initiation is unclear and has not been shown in primary human hematopoietic cells. We previously described activating mutations in interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL7RA) in poor-prognosis “ph-like” BCP-ALL. Here we show that expression of activated mutant IL7RA in human CD34+ hematopoietic cells creates a preleukemic state in transplanted NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγnull mice, characterized by persistence of self-renewing Pro-B cells with non-productive V(D)J gene rearrangements. Preleukemic CD34+CD10highCD19+ cells evolved to a BCP-ALL with spontaneously acquired CDKN2A deletions as commonly observed in primary human BCP-ALL. CRISPR mediated silencing of CDKN2A in primary human CD34+ cells transduced with activated IL7RA resulted in robust development of BCP-ALLs in-vivo. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that constitutive activation of IL7RA can initiate preleukemia in primary human hematopoietic progenitors and cooperates with CDKN2A silencing in progression into BCP-ALL.

  Study EGAS00001005347

• IL-17B uses IL-17RA and IL-17RB to induce Type-2 inflammation from human lymphocytes

  IL-17 family cytokines are critical to host defense responses at cutaneous and mucosal surfaces. Whereas IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-17C induce overlapping inflammatory cascades to promote neutrophil-mediated immunity, IL-17E/IL-25 drives type 2 immune pathways and eosinophil activity. Genetic and pharmacological studies reveal the significant contribution these cytokines play in antimicrobial and autoimmune mechanisms. However, little is known about the related family member, IL-17B, with contrasting reports of both pro- and anti-inflammatory function in rodents. We demonstrate that in the human immune system, IL-17B is functionally similar to IL-25 and elicits type 2 cytokine secretion from innate type 2 lymphocytes, NKT, and CD4+ CRTH2+ Th2 cells. Like IL-25, this activity is dependent on the IL-17RA and IL-17RB receptor subunits. Furthermore, IL-17B can augment IL-33–driven type 2 responses. These data position IL-17B as a novel component in the regulation of human type 2 immunity.

  Study EGAS50000000579

• Myeloid-specific KDM6B inhibition sensitizes Glioblastoma to PD1 blockade

  Glioblastoma (GBM) tumors are enriched in immune-suppressive myeloid cells and are refractory to immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). Targeting epigenetic pathways to reprogram the functional phenotype of immune-suppressive myeloid cells to overcome resistance to ICT remains unexplored. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses of human GBM tumors demonstrated high expression of an epigenetic enzyme - histone 3 lysine 27 demethylase (KDM6B) in intra-tumoral immune-suppressive myeloid cell subsets. Importantly, myeloid-cell specific Kdm6b deletion enhanced pro-inflammatory pathways and improved survival in GBM tumor-bearing mice. Mechanistic studies elucidated that the absence of Kdm6b enhances antigen-presentation, interferon response and phagocytosis in myeloid cells by inhibiting mediators of immune suppression including Mafb, Socs3 and Sirpa. Further, pharmacological inhibition of KDM6B mirrored the functional phenotype of Kdm6b deleted myeloid cells and enhanced anti-PD1 efficacy. Thus, this study identified KDM6B as an epigenetic regulator of the functional phenotype of myeloid cell subsets and a potential therapeutic target to improve response to ICT.

  Study EGAS00001007002

• Comparison of EGF and PDGF driven glioblastomas.

  Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor. Epidermal growth-factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth-factor (PDGF) receptors are frequently amplified and/or possess gain-of-function mutations in these tumors. Despite years of research into tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, clinical trials have shown disappointing efficacy. One of the underlying reasons is intra-tumor heterogeneity. To assess the effect of intra-tumor heterogeneity on gene expression, we derived a general approach to map single-cell expression profiles to sequentially-acquired mutations identified from exome sequencing. Using 288 single cells, we constructed high-resolution phylogenies of EGF-driven and PDGF-driven GBMs, modeling transcriptional kinetics during tumor evolution. A deletion in a PDGF-receptor domain involved in dimerization correlated to an up-regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in a proneural GBM, and ectopic expression of this mutant PDGFRA in vitro enhanced proliferation and invasiveness. Descending the phylogenetic tree of the PDGFR-driven tumor corresponded to a progressive induction of an oligodendrocyte progenitor-like cell type that expresses growth and angiogenic factors. In contrast, phylogenetic analysis of an EGFR-amplified tumor showed a gradual up-regulation of pro-invasive genes.

  Study EGAS00001001900

• Aberrant (pro)renin receptor expression induces genomic instability by chromatin remodeler SMARCA5 disruption during the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

  The aim of the present study is to elucidate whether aberrant (P)RR expression induces genomic instability in human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cells, which are transforming into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

  Study JGAS000143

• Exome sequence of probands in Barrett's oesophagus families

  Barrett?s oesophagus is common in the UK affecting 2 % of the population. Family history has been recorded among the 4000 Barrett's cases collected so far and have 241 families. Among them we have assessed 6 multiplex families with proven Barrett?s and defined as having 1 pro band and at least 3 affected first degree members. We propose to exome sequence the probands of these six families to assess the presence of pathogenic rare coding variants.

  Dataset EGAD00001002181

• Hypertension delays viral clearance and exacerbates airway hyperinflammation in patients with COVID-19

  In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are major risk factors for critical disease progression. However, the underlying causes and the effects of the main anti-hypertensive therapies-angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)-remain unclear. Combining clinical data (n = 144) and single-cell sequencing data of airway samples (n = 48) with in vitro experiments, we observed a distinct inflammatory predisposition of immune cells in patients with hypertension that correlated with critical COVID-19 progression. ACEI treatment was associated with dampened COVID-19-related hyperinflammation and with increased cell intrinsic antiviral responses, whereas ARB treatment related to enhanced epithelial-immune cell interactions. Macrophages and neutrophils of patients with hypertension, in particular under ARB treatment, exhibited higher expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines CCL3 and CCL4 and the chemokine receptor CCR1. Although the limited size of our cohort does not allow us to establish clinical efficacy, our data suggest that the clinical benefits of ACEI treatment in patients with COVID-19 who have hypertension warrant further investigation.

  Study EGAS00001004772

• Genetic control of the transcriptomic response of monocytes to bacterial and viral stimuli assessed by RNA-seq in Africans and Europeans

  Humans differ in the outcome that follows exposure to life-threatening pathogens, yet the extent of population differences in immune responses, and their genetic and evolutionary determinants, remain undefined. Here, we characterized, using RNA-sequencing, the transcriptional response of primary monocytes from Africans and Europeans to bacterial and viral stimuli - ligands activating Toll-like receptors pathways (TLR1/2, TLR4 and TLR7/8) and influenza virus - and mapped expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). We identify multiple cis- and trans-eQTL that contribute to the marked differences in immune responses detected within and between populations, including a TLR1 master regulator that decreases expression of pro-inflammatory genes in Europeans only. We show that regulatory variants have been privileged targets of natural selection, uncovering evolutionarily advantageous mechanisms, such as attenuated inflammation. Finally, we demonstrate that admixture with Neandertals introduced regulatory variants into European genomes, affecting preferentially responses to viral challenges, and identify archaic haplotypes that contributed to population genetic adaptation.

  Study EGAS00001001895

• Bulk ATAC-Seq HiSeq2500 v4 reagents (100M reads)

  Human data for chromatin accessibility (ATAC-Seq) in eight B-cell precursors: HSC, CLP, pro-B, pre-B, Immature B, Transitional B, Naive B CD5-, Naive B CD5+ cells

  Dataset EGAD00001010909

• Profiling molecular heterogeneity in human primary microglia

  In the brain the cells that control inflammation are called a type of white blood cell called microglia. Microglia are located throughout the brain and spinal cord and account for 10–15% of all cells found within the brain. As the resident white blood cells, they are the main active immune defence in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia are part of an important class of cells known as macrophages that have two main states: M1 and M2. M1 cells are pro- inflammatory, leading to more inflammation, while M2 are anti-inflammatory, and drive wound healing. In this study, we will collect primary microglia from surgical biospies of 100 individuals. 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/

  Dataset EGAD00001005736

• A molecular signature for IL-10-producing Th1 cells in protozoan parasitic diseases

  Control of the intracellular parasites that cause malaria and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is dependent on the generation of pro-inflammatory, IFNγ+ Tbet+ CD4+ T (Th1) cells by infected hosts. Immunoregulatory IL-10 produced by Th1 cells serves to mitigate subsequent inflammation and related disease pathology. However, these IL-10-producing Th1 (Tr1) cells can also not only promote parasite persistence, but may impair immunity to re-infection and potential vaccine efficacy. Here, we identify molecular and phenotypic signatures that distinguish Th1 cells from Tr1 cells in both experimental VL, caused by infection of C57BL/6 mice with the human parasite Leishmania donovani, and in Plasmodium falciparum-infected humans participating in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) studies. Such characterisations allow for the better understanding of Tr1 cell development and function in the context of these parasitic diseases, and for the identification of targets for immune modulation to improve anti-parasitic immunity.

  Study EGAS00001004454

• Genetics of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in N08C1 and N08CB

  Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and potentially dose-limiting toxicity of chemotherapy treatment. CIPN severity varies widely between cancer patients, and previous studies had found evidence of genes and single nucleotide variants (SNV) being associated with CIPN. The goal of this study was to further identify genetic markers and pathways associated with CIPN severity using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of participants in two clinical studies which collected longitudinal patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of CIPN. NCCTG/Alliance study N08C1 was a prospective cohort study of the natural history of paclitaxel-associated acute pain syndrome (P-APS) and CIPN. NCCTG/Alliance trial N08CB was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of calcium and magnesium for prevention of oxaliplatin-induced sensory neuropathy in which the treatment had no significant effect on either acute pain or sensory neuropathy. Both N08C1 and N08CB collected patient assessments of CIPN symptoms before each cycle of chemotherapy using the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 instrument. For this study, CIPN cases were selected from each of N08C1 and N08CB as those patients with the most severe CIPN symptoms (assessed longitudinally). CIPN controls were selected as those with the least severe symptoms. WGS was obtained for N08C1 samples (WES had been obtained and analyzed previously), and WES was obtained for N08CB samples.

  Study phs001480

• Multimodal Immune Profiling to Determine Mechanisms of COVID-19 Clinical Trajectory in Uganda

  We conducted a prospective cohort study of adults (RESERVE-U-C19) admitted to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital (ERRH), a national COVID-19 referral center, across three viral variant-driven phases of the pandemic in Uganda. In this cohort, which reflects the entire spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we integrated clinical data with serum proteomics (N=306) and whole-blood transcriptomics (N=100) to determine a range of host responses associated with COVID-19 severity, SARS-CoV-2/HIV co-infection, and circulating viral variants. Beyond the prognostic importance of myeloid cell-driven immune activation and lymphopenia, we show that multifaceted impairment of host protein synthesis and extensive redox imbalance define core metabolic signatures of severe COVID-19, with central roles for IL-7, IL-15, and lymphotoxin-α in COVID-19 respiratory failure. While prognostic signatures were generally consistent in SARS-CoV-2/HIV-coinfection, type I interferon responses uniquely scaled with COVID-19 severity in persons living with HIV. Throughout the pandemic, COVID-19 severity peaked during phases dominated by A.23/A.23.1 and Delta B.1.617.2/AY variants, with Delta phase COVID-19 distinguished by exaggerated pro-inflammatory myeloid cell and inflammasome activation, NK and CD8+ T-cell depletion, impaired host protein synthesis, and upregulation of viral cell entry and trafficking pathways. Data from this study available through dbGaP include raw RNA-Seq data from whole-blood of adult participants (N=100).

  Study phs003246

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

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

  Study EGAS50000000973

• A novel breast cancer cell line derived from a metastatic bone lesion of a breast cancer patient

  Purpose: We sought to generate and characterize a novel cell line from a breast cancer bone metastasis in order to better study the progression of the disease.Methods: The cell line, P7731, was derived from a metastatic bone lesion of a breast cancer patient and assessed for marker expression. P7731 was analyzed for DNA copy number variation, somatic mutations and gene expression and compared to the primary tumor. Results: P7731 cells are negative for estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 (triple-negative), strongly express vimentin (100% of cells positive) and also express cytokeratins 8/18 and 19 but at lower frequencies. Flow cytometry indicates P7731 cells are predominantly CD44+/CD49f+/EpCAM-, consistent with a primitive, mesenchymal-like phenotype. The cell line is tumorigenic in immunocompromised mice. Exome sequencing identified a total of 45 and 76 somatic mutations in the primary tumor and cell line respectively, of which 32 were identified in both samples and included mutations in known driver genes PIK3CA, TP53 and ARID1A. P7731 retains the DNA copy number alterations present in the matching primary tumor. Homozygous deletions detected in the cell line and in the primary tumor were found in regions containing three known (CDKN2A, CDKN2B and CDKN1B) and 23 putative tumor suppressor genes. Cell line specific gene amplification coupled with mRNA expression analysis revealed genes and pathways with potential pro-metastatic functions.Conclusion: This novel human breast cancer-bone metastasis cell line will be a useful model to study aspects of breast cancer biology, particularly metastasis-related changes from breast to bone.

  Study EGAS00001002840

• DRIP-seq data for Molecular Characterization of ETMRs

  This dataset contains DRIP-seq data from 2 patients. DNA–RNA hybrids were extracted from tissue derived from ETMR patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models (BT183) that were treated using topotecan or saline as described previously27. Tumours were subsequently frozen and pelleted using ultracentrifugation. DNA–RNA hybrids were extracted as described previously using the same protocol that is applied for cultured cells21. DNA was extracted using proteinase K followed by phenol–chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. Subsequently the DNA was fragmented using the restriction enzymes HindIII, EcoRI, BsrGI, XbaI and SspI (New England Biolabs). Digested DNA was subsequently incubated with the anti-DNA–RNA hybrid anti- body S9.6 (Merck, MABE1095) and immunoprecipitated using agarose beads. Bound DNA–RNA hybrids were eluted and incubated with pro- teinase K and cleaned with an additional phenol–chloroform–ethanol extraction. The DNA was subsequently sonicated and sequenced using a Hiseq 2000 machine with a 50-bp single-read protocol. Each treat- ment condition was performed in duplicate and both RNase H and the input was included as negative controls resulting in 10 Fastq files.

  Dataset EGAD00001006219

• Identification of Germline Monoallelic Mutations in IKZF2 in Patients with Immune Dysregulation.

  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.

  Study EGAS00001005874

• whole genome sequence data of multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma

  Background & Aims: The differentiation of distinct multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): multicentric disease vs. intrahepatic metastases, in which the management and prognosis varies substantively, remains problematic. We aim to stratify multifocal HCC and identify novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers by performing whole genome and transcriptome sequencing, as part of a multi-omics strategy Methods: A complete collection of tumour and somatic specimens (intrahepatic HCC lesions, matched non-cancerous liver tissue and blood) were obtained from representative patientswith multifocal HCC exhibiting two distinct postsurgical courses. Whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing with genotyping were performed for each tissue specimen to con-trast genomic alterations, including hepatitis B virus integrations, somatic mutations, copy number variations, and structural variations. We then constructed a phylogenetic tree to visualise individual tumour evolution and performed functional enrichment analyses on select differentially expressed genes to elucidate biological processes involved in multifocal HCC development. Multi-omics data were integrated with detailed clinicopathological information to identify HCC biomarkers, which were further validated using a large cohort of HCC patients (n = 174).Results: The multi-omics pro?ling and tumour biomarkers could successfully distinguish the two multifocal HCC types, while accurately predicting clonality and aggressiveness. The dual speci?city protein kinase TTK, which is a key mitotic checkpoint regulator with links to p53 signaling, was further shown to be a promising overall prognostic marker for HCC in the large patient cohort.Conclusions: Comprehensive multi-omics characterisation of multifocal tumour evolution may improve clinical decision-making, facilitate personalised medicine, and expedite identi?cation of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in HCC.

  Study EGAS00001002338

• Comprehensive analysis of atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (ATRT) using genomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic techniques.

  ATRTs (Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumours) represent one of the most aggressive pediatric brain cancers, but intriguingly exhibit few other recurrently mutated loci except for SMARCB1/hSNF5. We integrated whole genome (n=15), exome, copy number, gene expression and methylation analyses to comprehensively interrogate 64 ATRTs and observed that structural events were relatively frequent in the ATRT genome (~3 tumour). In addition to SMARCB1, which was targeted by structural events in a majority (49/64) of tumours, recurrent structural alterations targeting the LRP1B, CDH13, BCR and MKL1 loci were observed. We observed novel translocation events, including 2 targeting SMARCB1 which were detected only by NGS analyses. Significantly, integration of gene expression and methylation profiles with genomic analyses revealed ATRT comprise two sub-groups with distinct clinical and genetic features. Group 1 tumours were characterized by supra-tentorial brain location, focal intragenic alterations of SMARCB1 and a pro-neural gene expression signature with evidence of NOTCH pathway activation. While Group 2 ATRTs were characterized by infra-tentorial brain location, broad SMARCB1 alterations and an activation of the BMP signalling pathway. Our findings highlight epigenetic mechanisms as important determinants of ATRT tumour phenotypes, and demonstrate for the first time that ATRTs arising in different anatomical compartments comprise distinct molecular and therapeutic sub-groups.

  Study EGAS00001000506

• Transcriptional regulatory networks of tumor-associated macrophages that drive malignancy in mesenchymal glioblastoma

  Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a complex disease with extensive molecular and transcriptional heterogeneity. GBM can be subcategorized into four distinct subtypes; tumors that shift towards the mesenchymal phenotype upon recurrence are generally associated with treatment resistance, unfavorable prognosis, and the infiltration of pro-tumorigenic macrophages. Results: We explore the transcriptional regulatory networks of mesenchymal-associated tumor-associated macrophages (MA-TAMs), which drive the malignant phenotypic state of GBM, and identify macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) as the most highly differentially expressed gene. MARCOhigh TAMs induce a phenotypic shift towards mesenchymal cellular state of glioma stem cells, promoting both invasive and proliferative activities, as well as therapeutic resistance to irradiation. MARCOhigh TAMs also significantly accelerate tumor engraftment and growth in vivo. Moreover, both MA-TAM master regulators and their target genes are significantly correlated with poor clinical outcomes, and are often associated with genomic aberrations in neurofibromin 1 (NF1) and phosphoinositide 3-kinases/mammalian target of rapamycin/Akt pathway (PI3K-mTOR-AKT)-related genes. We further demonstrate origination of MA-TAMs from peripheral blood, as well as their potential association with tumor-induced polarization states and immunosuppressive environments. Conclusions: Collectively, our study characterizes the global transcriptional profile of TAMs driving mesenchymal GBM pathogenesis, providing potential therapeutic targets for improving the effectiveness of GBM immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001002443

• 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

• Integrating molecular imaging and transcriptomic profiling in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer receiving trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1): an analysis of the ZEPHIR clinical trial

  Purpose: The ZEPHIR clinical trial evaluated the role of [89Zr]trastuzumab-PET/CT (HER2-PET/CT) and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose PET/CT ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) in predicting outcomes in patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Here, we combined molecular/metabolic imaging and transcriptomic data to investigate the biological processes associated with [89Zr]trastuzumab and [18F]FDG uptake, and to dissect the mechanisms involved in T-DM1 resistance. Experimental design: RNA was extracted from metastasis biopsies obtained at study inclusion in the ZEPHIR trial. HER2-PET/CT and [18F]FDG-PET/CT imaging data of biopsied lesions were integrated with RNA sequencing data. Lesions were compared based on the level of [89Zr]trastuzumab uptake (dichotomized into high/low classes) as well as on the presence/absence of metabolic response, defined comparing baseline and on-treatment [18F]FDG-PET/CT. Results: We analyzed matched transcriptomic and molecular/metabolic imaging data for 24 metastases (one lesion/patient). Pathways involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, glycosylphosphatidylinositol synthesis, and collagen formation were enriched in lesions presenting low [89Zr]trastuzumab uptake. [18F]FDG uptake at baseline correlated with proliferation and immune-related processes. Hypoxia and ECM-related processes were enriched in lesions that showed no metabolic response to T-DM1. Interestingly, immune-related processes (e.g., Fc gamma receptor activation, complement cascade) were associated with high [89Zr]trastuzumab uptake and metabolic response. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study represents the first correlative analysis between [89Zr]trastuzumab tumor uptake and gene expression profiling in humans. Our findings point toward a role of ECM in impairing [89Zr]trastuzumab tumor uptake and T-DM1 metabolic response in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, and highlight the potential of molecular imaging to depict tumor microenvironment features.

  Study EGAS50000000470

• Single-cell Transcriptome Profiling of Treatment-naïve and Post-treatment Colorectal Cancer: Insights into Putative Mechanisms of Chemoresistance

  Drug resistance remains a major clinical challenge in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) with conventional chemotherapy. Investigation of cancer cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) following chemotherapy is critical for unraveling the mechanisms of resistance. In this study, we analyzed scRNA-Seq data from 56 CRCs including treatment-naïve tumors (25 microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors and 7 tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI)); and tumors treated with standard chemotherapy with the known response status (18 responders and 6 progressors). We observed in treatment-naïve MSS CRC that right-sided tumors are more immunogenic with higher numbers of B cells and CD8+ T memory effector cells than left-sided tumors. MSI CRC were even more immunogenic then MSS CRC and were characterized by elevated Tregs in their TME. In the post-treatment CRC there was a high prevalence of dendritic cells (DC) in the TME in the response group. The DC-derived signature was associated with better survival in a large CRC cohort from the TCGA. We also observed two fibroblast subtypes in CRC, one of which was enriched in progressors and was associated with poor survival in a CRC-TCGA cohort. Progressors also showed elevated exhausted CD8+ T memory cells and monocytes suggesting a pro-inflammatory TME. In tumor cells in progressor group we identified specific expression of chemo-protective markers MTRNR2L1 and CDX1; and their co-expression with stemness-related marker CD24. In summary, scRNA-Seq provides a valuable information for the discovery of prognostic markers, and reveals distinct features of CRC based on location, metastasis status, MSI status and treatment response status.

  Study EGAS50000000830

• Mayo Clinic - Fecal Microbiota and Adenomas

  Background: Adenomatous polyps are the most common precursor to colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. We sought to learn more about early events of carcinogenesis by investigating shifts in the gut microbiota of patients with adenomas. Methods: We analyzed 16S rRNA gene sequences from the fecal microbiota of patients with adenomas (n=233) and without (n=547). Results: Multiple taxa were significantly more abundant in patients with adenomas, including Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the genus Mogibacterium, and multiple Bacteroidetes species. Patients without adenomas had greater abundances of Veillonella, Firmicutes (Order Clostridia), and Actinobacteria (family Bifidobacteriales). Many of our findings were consistent with previously reported shifts in the gut microbiota of CRC patients. Importantly, the altered adenoma profile is predicted to increase primary and secondary bile acid production, as well as starch, sucrose, lipid, and phenylpropanoid metabolism. Conclusions: These data suggest that diets rich in refined sugar, protein, and lipids may lead to increased bile acid production, creating a colonic environment that promotes the growth of bile-tolerant microbes such as Bilophilia and Desulfovibrio. In turn, these microbes may produce genotoxic or inflammatory metabolites such as H2S and secondary bile acids, catalyzing adenoma development and eventually CRC. Impact: This study suggests a plausible biological mechanism to explain the links between diet, shifts in the microbiota, and CRC. This represents a first step toward resolving the complex interactions that shape the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of CRC and may facilitate personalized therapeutics focused on the microbiota.

  Study phs001204

• Transcriptome profiling of megakaryocytes and platelets: application to GP9- and IKZF5-related thrombocytopenia

  Platelets are anucleate cells produced in the bone marrow and derived from large progenitor cells called megakaryocytes (MKs). Platelets receive RNA transcripts from their progenitorial MKs during thrombopoiesis. However, the correspondence between platelet and MK transcriptomes is poorly understood, particularly in the context of germline mutations that cause platelet formation defects or thrombocytopenia. We have studied the effects of two such mutations on MK and platelet transcriptomes. We generated immortalized MK cell line (imMKCL)-based models of Bernard-Soulier syndrome and IKZF5-related thrombocytopenia. MKs derived from imMKCLs with either a homozygous deletion of GP9 (GP9-/-) or a heterozygous Y121F variant in IKZF5 (IKZF5WT/Y121F) exhibited reduced proplatelet formation (reductions of 96% and 57%, respectively). Platelets from patients with either GP9-/- or IKZF5WT/Y121F genotypes had broad transcriptomic dysregulation, suggesting that (pro)platelet formation defects due to mutations in glycoprotein receptor and transcription factor genes such as GP9 and IKZF5 affect the trafficking of transcripts from MKs into platelets. RNA-seq data from MKs at four stages of differentiation revealed widespread but distinct changes in expression over time between the GP9-/- and the IKZF5WT/Y121F genotypes. Dysregulated genes in GP9-/- MKs were enriched for RNA metabolism and actin/tubulin folding pathways while those in IKZF5WT/Y121F MKs were enriched for cell cycle pathways. Most of these genes were also dysregulated in the platelets of patients with the corresponding diseases. Our results suggest that patients with inherited forms of thrombocytopenia present with a transcript trafficking defect during platelet formation.

  Study EGAS50000001276

• Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is the histological hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hypoxia and inflammation (i.e., interleukin (IL)-1β signalling) are independent mediators of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. However, the physiological response of human kidney tubular cells to IL-1β/IL-1RI signalling under the hypoxic conditions of CKD is poorly understood and remains a clinical imperative for therapeutic targeting. This study reports that hypoxia and IL-1β act in synergy to trigger cell cycle arrest/cellular senescence of ex vivo patient-derived primary proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs).

  Hypoxia and interleukin (IL)-1β are independent mediators of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, the histological hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, we examine how hypoxia and IL-1β act in synergy to augment maladaptive proximal tubular epithelial cell (PTEC) repair in human CKD. Ex vivo patient-derived PTECs were cultured under normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (1% O2) conditions in the absence or presence of IL-1β and examined for maladaptive repair signatures. Hypoxic PTECs incubated with IL-1β displayed a discrete transcriptomic profile distinct from PTECs cultured under hypoxia alone, IL-1β alone or under normoxia. Hypoxia+IL-1β-treated PTECs had 692 ‘unique’ differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to normoxic PTECs, with ‘cell cycle’ the most significantly enriched KEGG pathway based on ‘unique’ down-regulated DEGs (including CCNA2, CCNB1 and CCNB2). Hypoxia+IL-1β-treated PTECs displayed signatures of cellular senescence, with reduced proliferation, G2/M cell cycle arrest, elevated senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity and increased production of pro-inflammatory/fibrotic senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors compared to normoxic conditions. Treatment of Hypoxia+IL-1β-treated PTECs with either a senolytic drug combination, quercetin+dasatinib, or a type I IL-1 receptor (IL-1RI) neutralizing antibody attenuated senescent cell burden. Our data identify a mechanism whereby hypoxia in combination with IL-1β/IL-1RI signalling trigger PTEC senescence, providing novel therapeutic and diagnostic check-points for restoring tubular regeneration in human CKD.

  Study EGAS00001007904

• Multi-omics profiling identifies two epithelioid sarcoma molecular subtypes with distinct signaling and immune characteristics

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

  Dac EGAC50000000552

• Investigating Delayed-Onset Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions Prospectively

  Delayed-type drug hypersensitivity reactions (dtDHR) are significant causes of morbidity and mortality, but the origin, phenotype and function of pathogenic T cells across the spectrum of severity are unknown. Research has been hampered by several barriers. We leveraged recent technical advancements to study skin-resident memory T cells (TRM) versus recruited T cell subsets in the pathogenesis of severe systemic forms of disease, Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and skin-limited disease, morbilliform drug eruption (MDE). As part of the overarching study, we used single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with CITE sequencing and TCR sequencing on prospectively collected skin and blood samples from patients with SJS/TEN and MDE patients. We compared this to healthy controls obtained from discarded skin from surgeries and discarded blood collars from a blood donation center. These data are included here in dbGaP database. The overarching study also performed bulk transcriptional profiling and microscopic analysis of clinical skin samples, as well as a mouse model of MDE (PMID: 39042477). Together, the data supported clonal expansion and recruitment of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (identified using the mean normalized expression of NKG7, GNLY, GZMA, GZMB, and PRF1) from circulation into skin, along with both expanded and non-expanded cytotoxic CD8+ skin TRM in SJS/TEN whereas MDE displayed a cytotoxic T cell profile without expansion or recruitment of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells from circulation implicating TRM as the potential cause of disease. Concurrently, MDE displayed a pro-Treg signature, highlighted by CCR8 and TNFRSF4 (OX40), which promotes Treg survival compared to SJS/TEN.

  Study phs003344

• Aberrant Activation of Wound Healing Programs within the Metastatic Niche Facilitates Lung Colonization by Osteosarcoma Cells

  Lung metastasis is responsible for nearly all deaths caused by osteosarcoma, the most common pediatric bone tumor. How malignant bone cells coerce the lung microenvironment to support metastatic growth is unclear. This study delineates how osteosarcoma cells educate the lung microenvironment during metastatic progression.Using single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), we characterized genome– and tissue-wide molecular changes induced within lung tissues by disseminated osteosarcoma cells in both immunocompetent murine models of metastasis and patient samples. We confirmed transcriptomic findings at the protein level and determined spatial relationships with multi-parameter immunofluorescence. We evaluated the ability of nintedanib to impair metastatic colonization and prevent osteosarcoma-induced education of the lung microenvironment in both immunocompetent murine osteosarcoma and immunodeficient human xenograft models.Osteosarcoma cells induced acute alveolar epithelial injury upon lung dissemination. scRNA-seq demonstrated that the surrounding lung stroma adopts a chronic, non-resolving wound-healing phenotype similar to that seen in other models of lung injury. Accordingly, metastasis-associated lung demonstrated marked fibrosis, likely due to the accumulation of pathogenic, pro-fibrotic, partially-differentiated epithelial intermediates. Inhibition of fibrotic pathways with nintedanib prevented metastatic progression in multiple murine and human xenograft models. Our work demonstrates that osteosarcoma cells co-opt fibrosis to promote metastatic outgrowth. When harmonized with data from adult epithelial cancers, our results support a generalized model wherein aberrant mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are critical for promoting lung metastasis. Adult epithelial carcinomas induce fibrotic pathways in normal lung fibroblasts, whereas osteosarcoma, a pediatric mesenchymal tumor, exhibits fibrotic reprogramming in response to the aberrant wound-healing behaviors of an otherwise normal lung epithelium, which are induced by tumor cell interactions.

  Study phs003569

• Combined MEK and BCL-2/XL inhibition is effective in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patient-derived xenograft models and BIM levels are predictive of responsiveness

  Most patients with late stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) initially respond to chemotherapy but inevitably relapse and develop resistance, highlighting the need for novel therapies to improve patient outcomes. The MEK/ERK pathway is activated in a large subset of HGSOC, thus making it an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we systematically evaluated the extent of MEK/ERK pathway activation and efficacy of pathway inhibition in a large panel of well-annotated HGSOC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. The vast majority of models were nonresponsive to the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib (GDC-0973) despite effective pathway inhibition. Proteomic analyses of adaptive responses to GDC-0973 revealed that GDC-0973 upregulated the pro-apoptotic protein BIM, thus priming the cells for apoptosis regulated by BCL2-family proteins. Indeed, combination of both MEK inhibitor and dual BCL-2/XL inhibitor (ABT-263) significantly reduced cell number, increased cell death and displayed synergy in vitro in most models. In vivo, the GDC-0973 and ABT-263 combination was well tolerated and resulted in greater tumor growth inhibition than single agents. Detailed proteomic and correlation analyses identified two subsets of responsive models – those with high BIM at baseline that was increased with MEK inhibition and those with low basal Bim and high pERK levels. Models with low BIM and low pERK were non-responsive. Our findings demonstrate that combined MEK and BCL-2/XL inhibition has therapeutic activity in HGSOC models and provide a mechanistic rationale for clinical evaluation of this drug combination as well as the assessment of the extent to which BIM and/or pERK levels predict drug combination effectiveness in chemoresistant HGSOC.

  Study EGAS00001003427

• Hypertension delays viral clearance and exacerbates airway hyperinflammation in patients with COVID-19

  In Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are major risk factors for critical disease progression. However, the underlying reasons and the effect of the main anti-hypertensive therapies—angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)—remain unclear. Combining clinical data (n = 144) and single-cell sequencing data of airway samples (n = 48) with in vitro experiments, we observed a distinct inflammatory predisposition of immune cells in patients with hypertension that correlated with critical disease progression. ACEI treatment associated with dampened COVID-19-related hyperinflammation and with increased cell intrinsic anti-viral responses, whereas ARB treatment related to enhanced epithelial–immune cell interactions. Macrophages and neutrophils of patients with hypertension, in particular under ARB treatment, exhibited higher expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines CCL3 and CCL4 and the chemokine receptor CCR1. Although the limited size of our cohort does not allow us to establish clinical efficacy, our data suggest that the clinical benefits of ACEI treatment in patients with COVID-19 who have hypertension warrant further investigation.

  Dataset EGAD00001006828

• MicroRNAs, Hypertension and End Organ Damage in Humans

  Study 1) Profiling of microRNAs in plasma of patients with hypertension complicated or not by metabolic syndrome or chronic kidney disease Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure is associated with subclinical target organ damage such as cardiac, vascular and kidney injury, which may lead to complications and death. In this study, we investigated circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of target organ damage in HTN patients. We profiled circulating microRNAs by RNA sequencing in platelet-poor plasma of normotensive subjects and patients with HTN complicated or not by metabolic syndrome (MetS) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n=15 each group). Differentially expressed microRNAs were identified with a threshold of false discovery rate <0.1. Differentially expressed microRNAs were identified uniquely to associate with HTN (8), MetS (1) or CKD (13), and 8 were similarly differentially expressed in different groups. This study identified the association of differentially expressed circulating microRNAs with target organ damage in HTN patients, which could have some pathophysiological and therapeutic implications. Study 2) Profiling of microRNAs in gluteal subcutaneous small arteries of patients with hypertension complicated or not by chronic kidney disease Hypertension (HTN) is associated with vascular damage characterized by endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling and stiffening, which contributes to kidney injury leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs which repress/degrade target mRNAs. The microRNA role in vascular injury in HTN remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify differentially expressed microRNAs in small arteries of patients with HTN associated or not with CKD, in order to shed light on the pathophysiological molecular mechanisms. Normotensive subjects and HTN patients associated or not with CKD grades 3-4 were studied (n=15-16). Small arteries were isolated from subcutaneous gluteal biopsies, RNAs were extracted, and small and total RNA sequencing was performed by Illumina HiSeq-2500. Differentially expressed genes were identified with a P<0.05 and fold change (FC) >1.3. Differentially expressed microRNAs and mRNAs were identified uniquely to associate with HTN (microRNAs: 10, mRNAs: 68), CKD (microRNAs: 68, mRNAs: 395), and both groups (microRNAs: 2, mRNAs: 32). This study identified differentially expressed microRNAs and mRNAs in small arteries with target organ damage in HTN, which could have some pathophysiological and therapeutic implications.

  Study phs002389

• Comprehensive spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer

  Although immunosuppressive and pro-metastatic functions of FAP+ Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF) are well-established, their plasticity and spatial distribution remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze trajectory inference, deconvolute spatial transcriptomics at single-cell level and perform functional assays to generate an integrative high-resolution map of breast cancer (BC), focusing particularly on the different subpopulations within inflammatory and myofibroblastic (iCAF/myCAF) FAP+ CAF. We identify 10 spatially-organized FAP+ CAF-related cellular niches, called EcoCellTypes, which are precisely localized within tumors. Consistent with their spatial organization, we identify DPP4- and YAP1-dependent mechanisms, by which cancer cells drive the transition of the detoxification-associated inflammatory FAP+ CAF cluster (Detox-iCAF) towards immunosuppressive extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts (ECM-myCAF). In turn, ECM-myCAF polarize TREM2+ macrophages and regulatory NK cells to induce immunosuppressive EcoCellTypes. FAP+ CAF subpopulations accumulate differently depending on the invasive BC status and predict invasive recurrence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which could help in identifying low-risk DCIS patients eligible for therapeutic de-escalation.

  Study EGAS50000000220

• Genomic Copy-Number Variants Drive Apoptotic Resistance and Relapses on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

  We investigated the genomic mechanisms underlying acquired resistance (AR) to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) across tumor types, specifically by examining how copy number variant (CNV)-driven subclonal evolution contributes to clinical relapses in melanoma patients. We analyzed longitudinal clinical melanoma samples from patients who experienced relapses on ICI therapy, complemented by isogenic human melanoma cell line models (M486) and murine melanoma tumor systems. Single-cell whole-genome sequencing (scWGS) was employed to resolve subclonal CNV patterns in AR tumors. The scWGS data revealed that AR-dominant subclones systematically deleted pro-apoptotic genes while amplifying anti-apoptotic genes and innate resistance pathway components. Notably, shared and private AR subclonal CNVs preexisted selective pressure, with convergent evolution targeting apoptosis-regulatory pathways and resulting in downregulated apoptotic/mitochondrial priming that enables ICI resistance. scWGS datasets from isogenic human melanoma cell lines, patient-matched tumor samples, and murine melanoma models will be made available through dbGaP, enabling researchers to access high-resolution subclonal CNV profiles that define the genomic landscape of acquired ICI resistance evolution.

  Study phs004102

• Genome-wide analysis of genetic risk factors for rheumatic heart disease in Aboriginal Australians provides support for pathogenic molecular mimicry

  Background. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) following Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections is heritable and prevalent in Indigenous populations. Molecular mimicry between human and GAS proteins triggers pro-inflammatory cardiac valve-reactive T-cells. Methods. Genome-wide genetic analysis was undertaken in 1263 Aboriginal Australians (398 RHD cases; 865 controls). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using Illumina HumanCoreExome BeadChips. Direct typing and imputation was used to fine-map the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. Epitope binding affinities were mapped for human cross-reactive GAS proteins, including M5 and M6. Results. The strongest genetic association was intronic to HLA-DQA1 (rs9272622; P=1.86x10-7). Conditional analyses showed rs9272622 and/or DQA1*AA16 account for the HLA signal. HLA-DQA1*0101_DQB1*0503 (OR 1.44, 95%CI 1.09-1.90, P=9.56x10-3) and HLA-DQA1*0103_DQB1*0601 (OR 1.27, 95%CI 1.07-1.52, P=7.15x10-3) were risk haplotypes; HLA_DQA1*0301-DQB1*0402 (OR 0.30, 95%CI 0.14-0.65, P=2.36x10-3) was protective. Human myosin cross-reactive N-terminal and B repeat epitopes of GAS M5/M6 bind with higher affinity to DQA1/DQB1 alpha/beta dimers for the two risk haplotypes than the protective haplotype. Conclusions. Variation at HLA_DQA1-DQB1 is the major genetic risk factor for RHD in Aboriginal Australians studied here. Cross-reactive epitopes bind with higher affinity to alpha/beta dimers formed by risk haplotypes, supporting molecular mimicry as the key mechanism of RHD pathogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001002678

• 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