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• scRNA-seq of HSPC treated with gemcitabine and carbplatin

  The study used cryopreserved hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) harvested from one patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The cells were thawed and acclimatized for 48 hours in StemMACS HSC Expansion Media XF (Miltenyi Biotec) supplemented with StemMACS HSC Expansion Cocktail (Miltenyi Biotec) at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO2. 4 samples of 2000000 HSPCs in 2 ml media each were then prepared and treated for 24 hours: carboplatin-high: 150 µg/ml carboplatin carboplatin-low: 18.75 µg/ml carboplatin gemcitabine: 25 ng/ml gemcitabine control: no drug Single-cells were subsequently extracted using the ddSEQ™ Single-Cell Isolator (Bio-Rad) and later sequenced using the SureCell™ Whole Transcriptome Analysis 3' Library Prep Kit (Illumina) on the NextSeq 500 System (Illumina) using the NextSeq 500/550 High Output Kit v2.5 150 Cycles (Illumina) all following the manufacturer's instructions. FASTQ-files were then processed following the ddSeeker (Romagnoli, D., et al., BMC Genomics 2018, doi:10.1186/s12864-018-5249-x) and Drop-seq (Macosko, E.Z., et al., Cell 2015, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.05.002) protocols for processing scRNA-seq data to yield the final digital gene expression for each cell.

  Study EGAS00001004381

• Distinct portrayal of lesions in synchronous multifocal lung adenocarcinoma revealed by genome sequencing

  Distinguishing multiple primary lung cancers in the synchronous multifocal intrapulmonary lesions has important significance on clinical staging and therapeutic decision. To investigate genomic aberration profiles, we applied whole genome and whole exome sequencing, and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization on 15 intrapulmonary tumors derived from six patients with synchronous multifocal lung cancers having similar histological diagnosis. Any pair of intrapulmonary tumors in a single patient, which shared the identical genetic background and environment, showed an extinctive heterogeneity between each other. Phylogenetic relationship analysis indicated an independently branched evolution among all the tumors, suggesting they were multiple primary lung cancers. EGFR or KRAS mutations were found in 7 or 3 out of the 15 tumors, from 3 or 2 patients, respectively. Somatic mutational heterogeneity of these two genes in a single patient was also observed. Our analysis indicates genomic aberration profiling is valuable for identification of multiple primary lung cancer, especially when high histopathological concordance was observed between lesions. We also suggest a thoroughly molecular diagnosis against therapeutic target genes should be taken for each accessible nodule before making a plan for adjuvant therapy.

  Study EGAS00001001572

• Transcriptomes of human CD4+ T lymphocytes - Metabolic project

  Human CD4+ T cells are essential mediators of immune responses. By altering the mitochondrial and metabolic states, we defined metabolic requirements of human CD4+ T cells for in vitro activation, expansion, and effector function. T cell activation and proliferation were reduced by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation, while early cytokine production was maintained by either OXPHOS or glycolytic activity. Glucose deprivation in the presence of mild mitochondrial stress markedly reduced all three T cell functions, contrasting the exposure to resveratrol, an antioxidant and sirtuin-1 activator, which specifically inhibited cytokine production and T cell proliferation, but not T cell activation. Conditions that inhibited T cell activation were associated with the downregulation of 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase genes via interferon response pathways. Our findings indicate that T cell function is grossly impaired by stressors combined with nutrient deprivation, suggesting that correcting nutrient availability, metabolic stress and/or the function of T cells in these conditions will improve the efficacy of T cell-based therapies.

  Study EGAS00001005565

• Single-nucleus transcriptomic profiling of aging Down Syndrome brains

  Down syndrome (DS) – trisomy of human chromosome 21 (HSA21) – is characterized by lifelong cognitive impairments and development of neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The cellular and molecular modifications responsible for these effects are not understood. Here we performed single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) employing both short (Illumina) and long-read (Pacific Biosciences) sequencing technologies on a total of 29 DS and non-DS control prefrontal cortex samples. In DS, the ratio of inhibitory-to-excitatory neurons was significantly increased, which was not observed in previous reports examining sporadic AD. DS microglial transcriptomes displayed AD-related aging and activation signatures in advance of AD neuropathology, with increased microglial expression of C1q complement genes (associated with dendritic pruning) and the HSA21 transcription factor gene RUNX1. Long-read sequencing detected vast RNA isoform diversity within and amongst specific cell types including numerous novel sequences that differed between DS and normal brains. Notably, over 8,000 genes produced RNAs containing intra-exonic junctions (IEJs), including APP that had previously been associated with somatic gene recombination. These and related results illuminate large-scale cellular and transcriptomic alterations as novel features of the aging DS brain.

  Study EGAS00001005691

• The DNA methylation landscape of glioblastoma disease progression shows extensive heterogeneity in time and space

  Glioblastoma is characterized by widespread genetic and transcriptional heterogeneity, yet little is known about the role of the epigenome in glioblastoma disease progression. Here, we present genome-scale maps of DNA methylation in matched primary and recurring glioblastoma tumors, using data from a highly annotated clinical cohort that was selected through a national patient registry. We demonstrate the feasibility of DNA methylation mapping in a large set of routinely collected FFPE samples, and we validate bisulfite sequencing as a multipurpose assay that allowed us to infer a range of different genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional characteristics of the profiled tumor samples. On the basis of these data, we identified subtle differences between primary and recurring tumors, links between DNA methylation and the tumor microenvironment, and an association of epigenetic tumor heterogeneity with patient survival. In summary, this study establishes an open resource for dissecting DNA methylation heterogeneity in a genetically diverse and heterogeneous cancer, and it demonstrates the feasibility of integrating epigenomics, radiology, and digital pathology for a national cohort, thereby leveraging existing samples and data collected as part of routine clinical practice.

  Study EGAS00001002538

• Cross-tissue transcriptomic analysis of human secondary lymphoid organ residing ILC3 reveals a default quiescent state in the absence of inflammation

  A cross tissue transcriptional comparison of human ILC3 isolated from non-inflamed lymph nodes (LN) and spleens, inflamed tonsils and the peripheral blood (PB). Using uniform gating and high-purity cell-sorting, ILC3 were sorted as Lineage(CD3,CD19,CD34,CD14,CD94)-CD45intCD127+CRTH2-CD117+. From LN, spleen, tonsils and PB, NKp44- ILC3 were isolated and, in addition, NKp44+ ILC3 were sorted from spleen and tonsils. RNA quality was measured on a RNA 6000 Pico Kit (Agilent Technologies) using a 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies). 100 pg high-quality RNA was isolated and cDNA was generated using the SMART-Seq (v3) Ultra Low Input RNA Kit (Clontech) with 15 cycles of amplification. Amplified and Covaris-fragmented cDNA was quality-checked on a High Sensitivity DNA chip (Agilent Technologies) and further processed according the TruSeq Nano DNA Library Preparation Kit (Illumina). Data was processed as follows: SMARTer adapters were trimmed with cutadapt and the resulting sequences were aligned to the human RefSeq transcriptome using 14 TopHat2 (Kim et al., 2013). Normalization and quantification was performed using Cufflinks (Trapnell et al., 2012). FPKM counts were determined per gene with HTSeq-count.

  Study EGAS00001002636

• Single-cell multidimensional profiling of tumor cell heterogeneity in supratentorial ependymomas

  Supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPNs) are aggressive and treatment-resistant pediatric brain tumors that form along the human cortex, with suspected origin from radial glia cells. Although histologically similar, ST-EPNs are molecularly classified into six distinct subgroups, many of them remaining understudied. Here, we integrated molecular cell states and spatial architecture to resolve the cellular origins and aberrant differentiation trajectories of ST-EPNs at single-cell resolution. We show that, while all ST-EPNs display a unified origin from neuroepithelial cells, different subgroups harbor highly diverse cell states and differentiation potential associated with neural or ependymal differentiation. Spatial mapping uncovered a higher-order structural tumor organization driven by presence of the mesenchymal state, and refines classical histological features based on detailed molecular resolution. By benchmarking a morpho-molecular cell-state classification system in different disease models and human tumors, we identified four cellular subtypes defined by the architecture of neurite-like extensions that mediate either self-renewal or fast, saltatory invasive phenotypes reminiscent of neurons during neurodevelopment. Collectively, our study provides a comprehensive framework for the study of ST-EPN cellular states, and reveals biologically relevant tumor compartmentalization with potential clinical implication.

  Study EGAS50000001513

• Germline HAVCR2 mutations altering TIM-3 characterize subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphomas with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytic syndrome

  Sub-cutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphomas (SPTCL), a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, can be associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening immune activation which adversely impacts survival1,2. T-cell-immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3) is a modulator of immune responses expressed on subgroups of T- and innate immune cells. We identify in ~60% of SPTCL cases germline, loss-of-function, missense variants in highly conserved residues of TIM-3, c.245A>G(p.Y82C) and c.291A>G(p.I97M), each with specific geographic distribution. Y82C-TIM-3 occurs on a potential founder chromosome in patients with East Asian and Polynesian ancestry, while I97M-TIM-3 occurs in Caucasians. Both variants induce protein misfolding and abrogate TIM-3’s plasma-membrane expression leading to persistent immune activation, increased production of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1β, promoting HLH and SPTCL. Our findings highlight HLH/SPTCL as a new genetic entity and showcase TIM-3 mutations as the first causative genetic defect in SPTCL. While TIM-3-mutant HLH/SPTCL benefit from immunomodulation, therapeutic repression of the TIM-3 checkpoint may have adverse consequences.

  Study EGAS00001002765

• Whole genome sequencing of Ewings Sarcoma

  Sarcomas are cancers of the bone and soft tissue often defined by their gene fusions. However, the timing, context, and processes by which these pathogenic fusions arise are unknown. We explored this in Ewing sarcoma, a cancer driven by EWSR1-ETS fusions, with very few cooperating mutations. Combining whole-genome sequencing with enhanced informatics, we found that the EWSR1-ETS fusion arose from striking rearrangement clusters in 42% of cases (52/124). Notably, these were organized in loops that universally contained the fusion at their center, while also weaving up to 18 genes together with it. We found the same pattern of rearrangements in three additional types of sarcoma. From these data, we define a new signature for sarcoma fusions that precedes other somatic changes, in the earliest replicating DNA of the genome. This dramatic, sudden process impinges on many genes – generating multiple coding changes that profoundly affect the transcriptome, with the disease-defining gene fusion at its core. These rearrangement loops emerge in an early ES clone from which both the primary tumor and the lethal relapse emerged, and then evolved in parallel until clinically detected.

  Study EGAS00001003385

• Onco-exaptation of an Endogenous Retroviral LTR Drives IRF5 Expression in Hodgkin Lymphoma

  The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is upregulated in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and a key regulator of the aberrant transcriptome characteristic of this disease. Here we show that IRF5 upregulation in HL is driven by transcriptional activation of a normally dormant endogenous retroviral LOR1a long terminal repeat (LTR) upstream of IRF5. Specifically, through screening of RNA-seq libraries, we detected LTR-IRF5 chimeric transcripts in multiple HL cell lines but not in normal B-cell controls. In HL, the LTR was in an open and hypomethylated epigenetic state and we further show the LTR is the site of transcriptional initiation. Among HL cell lines, usage of the LTR promoter strongly correlates with overall levels of IRF5 mRNA and protein, indicating that LTR transcriptional awakening is a major contributor to IRF5 upregulation in HL. Taken together, oncogenic IRF5 overexpression in HL is the result of a specific LTR transcriptional activation. We propose that such LTR derepression is a distinct mechanism of oncogene activation (“onco-exaptation”) and that such a mechanism warrants further investigation in molecular and cancer research.

  Study EGAS00001001205

• The demographic history and mutational load of African hunter-gatherers and farmers

  The distribution of deleterious genetic variation across human populations is a key issue in evolutionary biology and medical genetics. However, the impact of different modes of subsistence on recent changes in population size, patterns of gene flow, and deleterious mutational load remains unclear. Here, we report high-coverage exomes from various populations of rainforest hunter-gatherers and farmers from central Africa. We find that the recent demographic histories of hunter-gatherers and farmers differed considerably, with population collapses for hunter-gatherers and expansions for farmers, accompanied by increased gene flow. We show that purifying selection against newly arising deleterious alleles is of similar efficiency across African populations, in contrast with Europeans where we detect weaker purifying selection. Furthermore, the per-individual mutation load of rainforest hunter-gatherers is similar to that of farmers, under both additive and recessive models. Our results indicate that differences in the cultural practices and demographic regimes of African populations have not resulted in large differences in mutational burden, and highlight the beneficial role of gene flow in reshaping the distribution of deleterious genetic variation across human populations.

  Study EGAS00001002457

• Japan PBC-GWAS Haplotype Study

  Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) susceptibility loci have largely been discovered through single SNP association testing. In this study, we report genic haplotype patterns associated with PBC risk genome-wide in two Japanese cohorts. Among the 74 genic PBC risk haplotype candidates we detected with a novel methodological approach in a discovery cohort of 1,937 Japanese, nearly two-thirds were replicated (49 haplotypes, Bonferroni-corrected P<6.8x10-4) in an independent Japanese cohort (N=949). Along with corroborating known PBC-associated loci (TNFSF15, HLA-DRA), risk haplotypes may potentially model cis-interactions that regulate gene expression. For example, one replicated haplotype association (9q32-9q33.1, OR=1.7, P=3.0x10-21) consists of intergenic SNPs outside of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region that overlap regulatory histone mark peaks in liver and blood cells, and are significantly associated with TNFSF8 expression in whole blood. We also replicated a novel haplotype association involving non-HLA SNPs mapped to UMAD1 (7p21.3; OR=15.2, P=3.9x10-9) that overlap enhancer peaks in liver and memory Th cells. Our analysis demonstrates the utility of haplotype association analyses in discovering and characterizing PBC susceptibility loci.

  Study EGAS00001002915

• The genomic basis of childhood T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a high-risk tumor that has eluded comprehensive genomic characterization, in part due to the high frequency of non-coding genomic alterations resulting in oncogenic dysregulation. Here we report integrated genome and transcriptome sequencing of T-ALL tumor and remission samples obtained from over 1300 uniformly treated children with T-ALL, coupled with epigenomic and single cell analysis of malignant and normal T cell precursors. Integrated analysis identified 15 subtypes with distinct genomic drivers, gene expression, developmental state and outcome. Integration with chromatin topology analyses enabled elucidation of multiple mechanisms of enhancer deregulation that involve enhancers and genes in a subtype-specific fashion. We show that the immunophenotypically-described, high-risk entity of early T-cell precursor ALL is superseded by a broader category of leukemias of variable immunophenotype with diverse genomic alterations of a core set of genes encoding regulators of hematopoietic stem cell development. Numerous genetic alterations and disease subtypes emerged as independent predictors of survival and treatment failure in univariable and multivariable outcome models. These findings provide a roadmap for the classification, risk stratification and mechanistic understanding of this disease.

  Study EGAS50000000016

• Ewings Sarcoma RNA-Seq

  Sarcomas are cancers of the bone and soft tissue often defined by their gene fusions. However, the timing, context, and processes by which these pathogenic fusions arise are unknown. We explored this in Ewing sarcoma, a cancer driven by EWSR1-ETS fusions, with very few cooperating mutations. Combining whole-genome sequencing with enhanced informatics, we found that the EWSR1-ETS fusion arose from striking rearrangement clusters in 42% of cases (52/124). Notably, these were organized in loops that universally contained the fusion at their center, while also weaving up to 18 genes together with it. We found the same pattern of rearrangements in three additional types of sarcoma. From these data, we define a new signature for sarcoma fusions that precedes other somatic changes, in the earliest replicating DNA of the genome. This dramatic, sudden process impinges on many genes – generating multiple coding changes that profoundly affect the transcriptome, with the disease-defining gene fusion at its core. These rearrangement loops emerge in an early ES clone from which both the primary tumor and the lethal relapse emerged, and then evolved in parallel until clinically detected.

  Study EGAS00001003062

• Residual ANTXR1+ myofibroblasts after chemotherapy inhibit anti-tumor immunity via YAP1 signaling pathway

  Although cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity is well-established, the impact of chemotherapy on CAF populations remains poorly understood. We address this question in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), in which we previously identified 4 CAF populations. While the global content in stroma increases in HGSOC after chemotherapy, the proportion of FAP+ CAF (also called CAF-S1) decreases. Still, maintenance of high residual CAF-S1 content after chemotherapy is associated with reduced CD8+ T lymphocyte density and poor patient prognosis, emphasizing the importance of CAF-S1 reduction upon treatment. Single cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry reveal that the content in the ECM-producing ANTXR1+ CAF-S1 cluster (ECM-myCAF) is the most affected by chemotherapy. Moreover, functional assays demonstrate that ECM-myCAF isolated from HGSOC reduce CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity through a Yes Associated Protein 1 (YAP1)-dependent mechanism. Thus, efficient inhibition after treatment of YAP1-signaling pathway in the ECM-myCAF cluster is required to enhance CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Altogether, these data pave the way for novel therapy targeting YAP1 in ECM-myCAF in HGSOC.

  Study EGAS50000000136

• Pipeline Olympics: Continuous benchmarking of computational workflows for DNA methylation sequencing data

  DNA methylation is a widely studied epigenetic mark and a powerful biomarker of cell type, age, environmental exposure, and disease. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling is usually performed using whole-genome sequencing following selective conversion of unmethylated cytosines into thymines via bisulfite treatment or enzymatic methods. Numerous software tools facilitate processing of raw sequencing data for DNA methylation profiling, but a comprehensive benchmarking has been lacking. In this study, we systematically compared methods and tools for processing DNA methylation sequencing data. We established a dedicated benchmarking dataset comprising genome-wide DNA methylation profiling data for four reference samples using five experimental protocols each. The results of data processing were compared to highly quantitative locus-specific DNA methylation measurements available for 46 genomic loci. Based on this gold-standard reference dataset, we identified workflows that consistently demonstrated high performance. We present our results in an interactive application that provides a “living benchmark” ready for continuous updating as new workflows are proposed and require benchmarking against existing methods. In summary, our study provides guidance for any laboratory studying DNA methylation on a genome-wide scale.

  Study EGAS50000000541

• Whole Genome Sequencing of Neuroblastoma

  Neuroblastoma is a childhood tumour of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. The pathogenesis has for a long time been quite enigmatic, as only very few gene defects were identified in this often lethal tumour1. Frequently detected gene alterations are limited to MYCN amplification (20%) and ALK activations (7%)2-5. Here we present a whole genome sequence analysis of 87 neuroblastoma of all stages. Only few recurrent amino-acid changing mutations were found. In contrast, analysis of structural defects identified in 18% of high stage neuroblastoma a local shredding of chromosomes, known as chromothripsis6. These tumours are associated with a poor outcome. Structural alterations recurrently affected ODZ3, PTPRD and CSMD1, which are involved in neuronal growth cone stabilization7-9. In addition, ATRX, TIAM1 and a series of regulators of the Rac Rho pathway were mutated, further implicating defects in neuritogenesis in neuroblastoma. Most tumors with defects in these genes were aggressive high stage neuroblastoma, but did not carry MYCN amplifications. The genomic landscape of neuroblastoma therefore reveals two novel molecular defects, chromotripsis and neuritogenesis gene alterations, which frequently occur in high risk tumors.

  Study EGAS00001000222

• Risk and modifying factors in Frontotemporal Dementia

  Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is essential for the development of successful therapies. Here, we present Phase 1 of a multi-omics, multi-model data resource for FTD research which will allows in-depth molecular research into these mechanisms. We have integrated and analysed data from the frontal lobe of FTD patients with mutations in MAPT, GRN and C9orf72 and detected common and distinct dysregulated cellular pathways. Our results highlight that excitatory neurons are the most vulnerable neuronal cell type and that vascular aberrations are a common hallmark in FTD. Via integration of multi-omics data, we detected several transcription factors and pathways which regulate the strong neuroinflammation observed in FTD-GRN. Finally, using small RNA-seq data and verification experiments in cellular models, we identified several up-regulated miRNAs that inhibit cellular trafficking pathways in FTD and lead to microglial activation. In this work we shed light on novel mechanistic and pathophysiological hallmarks of FTD. In addition, we believe that this comprehensive, multi-omics data resource will further mechanistic FTD research by the community.

  Study EGAS00001004895

• Single cell RNA sequencing of synovial B cells in early Rheumatoid Arthritis

  Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints and occurence of autoantibodies, i.e. Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), in circulation. Previous studies have shown that there are memory B cells and autoantibody producing plasma cells present in the joint tissue of patients with long-standing RA. However, it has remained unclear, whether these B cell populations are already present in the joint tissue of patients at the disease onset and whether these are autoreactive. Here, we used a single cell RNA sequencing approach to dissect the B cell repertoire at this early timepoint. We found evidence for B and T cell interaction and presence of memory and plasma cell pools in ACPA- and ACPA+ RA. Our results demonstrated clonal relationships between the memory and plasma cell compartments and autoreactivity within the plasma cell pool. These findings challenge our understanding of the local adaptive immune response in the joints of ACPA- and ACPA+ RA patients with direct implications for B and T cell targeting therapy in both patient subgroups.

  Study EGAS00001005144

• Monitoring of leukemia clones in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at diagnosis and during treatment by single-cell DNA amplicon sequencing

  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by the presence of chromosomal changes, including numerical changes, translocations and deletions, which are often associated with additional single nucleotide mutations. In this study we used single-cell targeted DNA sequencing to determine the clonal heterogeneity of B-cell ALL at diagnosis and during chemotherapy treatment. With a customly designed DNA amplicon library targeting the most common mutations (in 110 genes) present in ALL, we analyzed bone marrow samples and/or blood samples from 12 B-ALL cases at diagnosis. For 4 cases where we detected multiple mutational clones at diagnosis, we also studied blood samples during the first weeks of chemotherapy treatment. This study shows that B-ALL cases with either a ETV6-RUNX1 or a BCR-ABL1 fusion have a low mutational burden, while cases with PAX5 alterations or hyperdyploidy have multiple clones at diagnosis, often with mutations in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and the RAS signaling pathway. As expected, it can be observed that these clones disappear during treatment of the leukemia with almost no mutated cells left after two weeks of treatment.

  Study EGAS00001005029

• Mutational bias in spermatogonia impacts the anatomy of regulatory sites in the human genome

  Mutation in the germline is the ultimate source of genetic variation, but little is known about the influence of germline chromatin structure on mutational processes. Using ATAC-seq, we profile the open chromatin landscape of human spermatogonia, the most proliferative cell-type of the germline, identifying transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) and PRDM9-binding sites, a subset of which will initiate meiotic recombination. We observe an increase in rare structural variant (SV) breakpoints at PRDM9-bound sites, implicating meiotic recombination in the generation of structural variation. Many germline TFBSs, such as NRF, are also associated with increased rates of SV breakpoints, apparently independent of recombination. Singleton short insertions (>=5 bp) are highly enriched at TFBSs, particularly at sites bound by testis active TFs, and their rates correlate with those of structural variant breakpoints. Short insertions often duplicate the TFBS motif, leading to clustering of motif sites near regulatory regions in this male-driven evolutionary process. Increased mutation loads at germline TFBSs disproportionately affect neural enhancers with activity in spermatogonia, potentially altering neurodevelopmental regulatory architecture. Local chromatin structure in spermatogonia is thus pervasive in shaping both evolution and disease.

  Study EGAS00001005366

• Resequencing (MIPS) of candidate genes for Keratoconus (2020)

  In this study, we selected 34 candidate genes for KC based on previous Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and the literature, and resequenced them in 745 KC patients and 810 ethnically matched controls. Data analysis was performed using the single variant association test as well as gene-based mutation burden and variance components tests. In our study, we detected enrichment of genetic variation across multiple gene-based tests for the genes COL2A1, COL5A1, TNXB, ZEB1 and ZNF469. The top hit in the Fisher’s exact test was obtained for a common variant in the COL12A1 gene. Interestingly, COL5A1, TNXB, ZNF469 and COL12A1 are all known Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) genes. Though the co-occurrence of KC and EDS has been reported previously, this study is the first to demonstrate a consistent role of genetic variants in EDS genes in the etiology of KC. In conclusion, our data show a shared genetic etiology between KC and EDS, and clearly confirm the currently disputed role of ZNF469 in disease susceptibility for KC. Besides the role for EDS genes, we also confirm the previously reported involvement of genetic variation in ZEB1 in KC.

  Study EGAS00001004267

• Target gene sequencing for human normal endometrial glands

  To elucidate the timing and mechanism of the clonal expansion of somatic mutations in cancer-associated genes in the normal endometrium, we conducted target sequencing of 112 genes for 1,298 endometrial glands and matched blood samples from 36 women. By collecting endometrial glands from different parts of the endometrium, we showed that multiple glands with the same somatic mutations occupied substantial areas of the endometrium. The 112 genes are as follows: ABCC1, ACRC, ANK3, ARHGAP35, ARID1A, ARID5B, ATCAY, ATM, ATR, BARD1, BCOR, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRD4, BRIP1, CAMTA1, CDC23, CDYL, CFAP54, CHD4, CHEK1, CHEK2, CTCF, CTNNB1, CUX1, DGKA, DISP2, DYNC2H1, EMSY, FAAP24, FAM135B, FAM175A, FAM65C, FANCA, FANCB, FANCC, FANCD2, FANCE, FANCF, FANCG, FANCI, FANCL, FANCM, FAT1, FAT3, FBN2, FBXW7, FGFR2, FRG1, GPR50, HEATR1, HIST1H4B, HNRNPCL1, HOOK3, KIAA1109, KIF26A, KMT2B, KMT2C, KRAS, LAMA2, LRP1B, MLH1, MON2, MRE11A, MSH2, MSH6, MTOR, NBN, PALB2, PHEX, PIK3CA, PIK3R1, PLXNB2, PLXND1, PMS2, POLE, POLR3B, PPP2R1A, PTEN, PTPN13, RAD50, RAD51, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, RAD52, RAD54B, RAD54L, RICTOR, SACS, SIGLEC9, SLC19A1, SLX4, SPEG, STT3A, TAF1, TAF2, TAS2R31, TFAP2C, TNC, TONSL, TP53, TTC6, UBA7, VNN1, WT1, XIRP2, ZBED6, ZC3H13, ZFHX3, ZFHX4, ZMYM4.

  Study EGAS00001005914

• 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

• Accurate detection of tumor-specific fusion genes reveals strongly immunogenic personal neo-antigens

  Fusion genes arising from cancer-associated somatic mutations are a potential rich source for highly immunogenic neo-antigens. However, their exploitation as targets for personalized cancer immunotherapy is currently limited by the lack of computational tools allowing transcriptome-wide identification of unique fusion genes in an accurate and sensitive manner. Here, we present EasyFuse, a computational pipeline, to detect individual and cancer-specific fusion genes in next-generation-sequencing transcriptome data obtained from human cancer samples. Using machine learning, EasyFuse predicts personal fusion genes with high precision and sensitivity and outperforms previously described approaches as qualified by an unprecedented ground-truth dataset of >1500 verification experiments in relevant patient samples. By testing immunogenicity with autologous blood lymphocytes from cancer patients we detected pre-established CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses for 10 of 21 (48%), and for 1 of 30 (3%) of identified fusion genes, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrate accurate detection of cancer-specific fusion genes. The high frequency of T cell responses detected in cancer patients support the relevance of private fusion genes as neo-antigens for personalized immunotherapies, especially for tumors with low point mutation burdens.

  Study EGAS00001004877