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• Multi-Layered Molecular Profiling Informs the Diagnosis and Targeted Therapy of Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor

  Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an ultra-rare soft tissue sarcoma with dismal prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Here, we identified individual therapeutic targets in a cohort of 30 DSRCT patients by use of multilayered molecular profiling (genomic, transcriptomic, and (phospho-)proteomic analyses) within the DKFZ NCT DKTK MASTER program. 28 of the 30 patients received at least one personalized treatment recommendation. In line with the observation that DSRCTs are an entity with a low mutational load, most of the treatment recommendations were based on target gene or -protein expression. 13 patients received a recommended therapy, resulting in four partial responses, four stable diseases, and five progressive diseases. Eight of 13 patients received the multi tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib, with mixed response. Based on high ERBB2 expression levels, two patients received the antibody drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), showed exceptional, long-lasting responses and are currently (8/2024) still on treatment and progression-free. We detected high ERBB2 protein expression in all DSRCT samples with proteome data (n = 9), which suggests that ERBB2 may be a particularly useful therapeutic target for DSRCT patients. For one of the two exceptional responders we did not detect a substantial ERBB2/HER2 overexpression, which may indicate that T-DXd could also be efficacious in DSRCT patients with low levels of HER2, as also described for breast cancer patients. In conclusion, multi-omic molecular profiling revealed personalized therapeutic targets in patients with DSRCT with HER2 targeting, with T-DXd as a promising therapeutic option for this ultra-rare and difficult-to-treat tumor entity.

  Study EGAS00001007934

• Tumor-specific expression of let-7i and miR-192 is associated with resistance to cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in patients with larynx and hypopharynx cancer

  Background: The majority of patients with locally advanced larynx or hypopharynx squamous cell carcinoma are treated with organ preserving chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Clinical outcome following CRT varies greatly. We hypothesized tumor microRNA (miRNA) expression is predictive for outcome following CRT. Methods: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) miRNA profiling was performed on 37 formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumor samples. Patients with a recurrence free survival (RFS) of less than 2 years (“poor outcome”) and patients without recurrence within 2 years (“good outcome”) were compared by differential expression analysis. Tumor-specific miRNAs were selected based on normal mucosa miRNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. A model was constructed to predict outcome using group-regularized penalized logistic ridge regression. Candidate miRNAs were validated in the initial sample set by RT-qPCR as well as in 46 additional tumor samples.Results: 1,938 known mature miRNAs were detected. Thirteen miRNAs were differentially expressed (p<0.05, FDR<0.1) according to outcome group. Initial class prediction in the NGS cohort (n=37) resulted in a model combining five miRNAs and disease stage, able to predict CRT outcome with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82. In the RT-qPCR cohort (n=83), 25 patients (30%) experienced early recurrence (median RFS 8 months; median follow-up 42 months). Class prediction resulted in a model combining let-7i-5p and miR-192-5p and disease stage, able to discriminate with an AUC of 0.80 patients with good versus poor clinical outcome.Conclusion: The combined miRNA expression and disease stage prediction model is superior to using either factor alone. ¬¬¬This study indicates NGS miRNA profiling using FFPE specimens is feasible, resulting in clinically relevant biomarkers.

  Study EGAS00001004001

• TB-DAR Whole Genome Sequencing Study

  116 Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) samples from the TB-DAR study, based on a cohort of adult pulmonary tuberculosis patients recruited in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. WGS was performed at the Health2030 Genome Center in Geneva on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 instrument (Illumina Inc, San Diego CA, USA), starting from1μg of whole blood genomic DNA and using Illumina TruSeq DNA PCR-Free reagents for library preparation and the 150nt paired-end sequencing configuration. Average coverage was above 30X for 75 samples, between 10X and 30Xfor 40 samples, and approximately 8X for a single sample. Sequencing reads were aligned to the GRCh38 (GCA_000001405.15) reference genome using bwa (Version 0.7.17).

  Dataset EGAD00001008400

• Circulating cell-free DNA analysis in Small Cell Lung Cancer

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for ~250,000 deaths worldwide each year. Acquisition of adequate tumour biopsies is challenging and liquid biopsies present the best option for patient stratification and response monitoring. We present genome-wide and targeted plasma DNA sequencing data that identifies tumour related changes in 91% of limited (LS-SCLC) and 100% of extensive stage (ES-SCLC) patients. Parallel analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs, by CellSearch) based on ≥ 1 CTC/7.5ml blood increased tumour detection frequencies to 98% patients (95% for LS-SCLC) where CTC count and plasma DNA readouts correlated with disease stage and overall survival (OS). Targeted plasma DNA sequencing identified potential therapeutic targets in >50% of patients. This approach will support trials of targeted therapies where improved patients outcomes are urgently required.

  Study EGAS00001003110

• A Study to Assess the Cardiovascular, Cognitive, and Subjective Effects of Atomoxetine in Combination with Intravenous Methamphetamine

  The Study to Assess the Cardiovascular, Cognitive, and Subjective Effects of Atomoxetine in Combination with Intravenous Methamphetamine started in 2007 and ended in 2011. It was a small pilot study that included methamphetamine abusing individuals and healthy control participants aged 18-50 years. Participants who qualified over the telephone were scheduled to visit the London Laboratory at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior for the In-Person Screening Phase. The screening procedures, usually scheduled over two visits, determined if participants were eligible to complete the subsequent study visits. Both groups completed identical screening procedures, including a SCID diagnostic interview to rule out any major psychiatric disorders. Methamphetamine users also answered questionnaires specific to their drug use. Urine toxicology for marijuana, opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepines were monitored at the beginning and throughout the study. Additionally, participants had blood samples to test for Rapid Plasma Reagin (exposure to syphilis), purified protein derivative (PPD), HIV and Hepatitis-C (HCV). Positive test results were relayed by a study physician and resulted in termination from continuing in the study. The inpatient portion of the study lasted a total of 24 days. To confirm compliance with abstinence from illicit and prescription drug use for the duration of the study, urine and breath alcohol testing was performed for both inpatient (methamphetamine users) and outpatient (healthy control) groups. Each subject was randomized to receive either atomoxetine (80 mg daily) or placebo. During inpatient days of the study, a study physician oversaw research subjects daily and experimental procedures were conducted in the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC). During drug administration sessions, heart rate and blood pressure were assessed at frequent intervals. Experimental sessions lasted around three hours and were conducted at approximately the same time of day for a given participant. Lunch was provided to participants at 11:30am with the prohibition of caffeine on study days involving methamphetamine administration. Participants were provided with smoke breaks as needed to assure that acute nicotine withdrawal did not negatively impact performance on cognitive testing. The following outlines the day to day procedures for a methamphetamine inpatient: Phase I Inpatient Study (15 days total) Days 1-3: On the day of admission, participants received blood tests and an EKG in order to determine that they had no occult medical conditions which would make their participation in the study medically contraindicated. A three day washout period was provided at the beginning of the study to establish an appropriate methamphetamine-free baseline for testing. Days 4-6: Participants completed cognitive test batteries to assess inhibitory control including self-report measures and cognitive testing, as well as up to three MRI scanning sessions. Day 7: On day 7, at 9AM and 1PM, participants received methamphetamine in a single-blinded condition. It was administered as two IV infusions of 15mg separated by a 60min break. The total dose of IV methamphetamine was 30mg. Participants were clinically evaluated by continuous cardiac telemetry, serial EKG and measurement of vital signs, during and after infusions, in order to determine the medical safety of methamphetamine infusion in the absence of study medication. Day 8: On day 8 we evaluated the safety and residual effects of the methamphetamine administered on the previous day. Days 9-10: After demonstrating medical and psychiatric stability of the initial methamphetamine infusion, participants were then randomized to receive placebo or atomoxetine (0 or 40mg) under double-blind conditions, which would be given at 8AM on both study days. Days 11-12: On days 11 and 12, participants remained in the GCRC and took two doses of test compound atomoxetine (0 or 40mg) at 8AM and 8PM. On the morning of day 12, participants completed a series of cognitive testing. Day 13: On day 13, participants remained in the GCRC, and took two doses of the test compound atomoxetine (0 or 40mg) at 8AM and 8PM. At 9AM and noon, they received methamphetamine under double-blind conditions administered non-contingently as two infusions of 0 or 15mg by IV (intravenously), with each infusion separated by 60min. The total dose of IV methamphetamine that each participant received was 30mg. As before, participants were clinically evaluated by continuous cardiac telemetry, serial EKG and measurement of vital signs, during and after infusions, in order to determine the medical safety of methamphetamine infusion in those participants receiving study medication. Day 14: On day 14 at 8AM, participants received their final dosing of the first test compound (atomoxetine 0 or 40mg). At 9AM and 1PM, participants selected between methamphetamine infusion or money using double-blind conditions in a multiple-choice self-administration paradigm. Participants were able to take up to two infusions of 0 or 15mg of methamphetamine, separated by 60min. The total dose of IV methamphetamine that each participant received on day 14 was 30mg. Participants were clinically evaluated by continuous cardiac telemetry, serial EKG and measurement of vital signs, during and after infusions, in order to determine the medical safety of methamphetamine infusion in those participants receiving study medication. At 5pm on day 14 discharge laboratory studies were drawn. Day 15: On day 15, a final EKG was performed as well as a review of discharge laboratory studies, including review of the EKG and continued medical and psychiatric stability. Upon clearance from a physician, participants were discharged on day 15. Participants spent at least 2 weeks (14 days) out of the hospital prior to returning to the UCLA GCRC for inpatient Phase II. Phase II Inpatient Study (9 days total) Day 1-2: On the day of re-admission, participants received blood tests and an EKG. A two day washout period was provided at the beginning of the study to establish an appropriate methamphetamine free condition for safe administration of the second test compound condition. Days 3-4: On days 3 and 4, given medical stability, participants were then switched to the opposite test compound (atomoxetine 0 or 40mg) under double-blind conditions, in the same manner as in Days 9-10 in Phase I. Days 5-6: Same procedure as in Days 11-12 in Phase I but with opposite medication condition. Day 7: Same procedure as in Day13 in Phase I but with opposite medication condition. Day 8: Same procedure as in Day14 in Phase I but with opposite medication condition. Day 9: Same procedure as in Day14 in Phase I but with opposite medication condition. For healthy control participants, the study consisted of 30 days or fewer of out-patient testing. Healthy control participants had an extensive screening, including a history and physical exam performed by a study physician, an EKG, and laboratory studies performed to assess for medical or psychiatric conditions. Control participants meeting criteria were invited back to UCLA to undergo cognitive testing, and some participants received fMRI scans. Participants were required to refrain from illicit and prescription drug use for the duration of the study, which was confirmed with urine toxicology and breath alcohol level testing on examination days. Caffeine was restricted on study days for least 2 hours prior to cognitive testing and MRI scans. Participants were permitted to drink their normal daily intake of caffeine, given the caveat above. On study days, cigarette smoking was permitted to match conditions used with methamphetamine users. The incorporation of smoke breaks during the test day assured that acute nicotine withdrawal did not negatively impact performance on cognitive tests or neuroimaging. The following outlines procedures for healthy control participants: For normal controls, participation involved one day of outpatient screening, and one day of baseline cognitive testing and possible MRI scans. After these procedures were completed, participants were randomized to the first test compound (atomoxetine 40mg or placebo), to be taken once daily in the morning for 2 days. It was then increased to twice daily for the next 3 days, followed by a final dose (40mg or placebo) on the sixth day of study medication. Participants were also asked to bring their pill packages to assess compliance with the study medication. Additionally, control participants completed a series of repeated-measures cognitive testing (on placebo or atomoxetine, respectively) and possibly two fMRI sessions (separated by a short break). After at least a four-day washout period, control participants were instructed to start the opposite test compound (atomoxetine 40mg or placebo), again to be taken once daily in the morning for two days, then twice daily for 3 days, reaching the final dose (40mg or placebo) of the second test compound in the morning. Participants were again asked to bring their pill packages to assess compliance and had blood drawn to assess atomoxetine levels. Control participants then completed another series of cognitive testing and fMRI testing sessions. They were subsequently discharged from the study. Normal control participants returned two weeks after completion of both study phases in order to complete assessments to their physical and psychological status following treatment.

  Study phs001195

• Clonal Evolution and Heterogeneity of Osimertinib Acquired Resistance Mechanisms in EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer

  Current understanding of acquired resistance to osimertinib in EGFR-mutant lung cancer is largely based on the use of targeted sequencing platforms and cell-free DNA. In this study we examined the clonal evolution and heterogeneity of acquired resistance mechanisms to osimertinib through whole exome and RNA-sequencing of prospectively collected pre-and post-osimertinib resistant tumors and metastases at rapid autopsy. We enrolled 34 patients with histologically confirmed EGFR mutant advanced lung adenocarcinoma in a prospective Phase II clinical trial to evaluate osimertinib treatment and the use of local ablative therapy (LAT) for oligoprogressive disease (NCT02759835) in EGFR mutant NSCLC from April 2016 until data cutoff in September 2019. Patients were not selected based on oligometastatic status, rather 32/34 patients had multiple organ involvement, including lung, liver, adrenal, brain and bone. Biopsies or surgeries were performed pre-osimertinib treatment and at first progression on osimertinib. A subset of patients also underwent biopsies at second progression on osimertinib, and following end of life in-patient hospice and rapid autopsy upon death. 63% (n=15/24) of first-line osimertinib and 50% (n=5/10) of second-line osimertinib treated patients had RECIST defined partial response. Overall, 21 patients had RECIST defined first progression on osimertinib. Two patients on this trial discontinued treatment and were lost to follow up. Of the 21 patients who had RECIST defined progression, 14 patients underwent LAT (8 first-line and 6 second-line). Twelve patients had paired pre- and post-osimertinib resistant tumors and three had post-osimertinib resistant tumors available for analysis. Four patients (LAT002, LAT006, LAT014 and LAT021) consented for a rapid autopsy protocol and underwent rapid autopsy after deatH. To elucidate acquired osimertinib resistance mechanisms, we performed whole-exome (WES), targeted sequencing and RNA-seq on 66 tumors and matched germline DNA from tumor tissue obtained from a total of 15 patients.

  Study phs002001

• RNA sequencing of periprostatic fat after a 6 month deep androgen deprivation therapy

  Androgen deprivation therapy treated patients (n=11) were recruited from an open label neoadjuvant phase II study in which patients with high-risk disease received a ‘supercastration’ regimen consisting of degarelix 240/80 mg subcutaneously every four weeks; abiraterone acetate 500 mg orally daily titrating upwards every two weeks by 250 mg to a final dose of 1000 mg daily; bicalutamide 50 mg orally daily; and prednisolone 5 mg orally twice daily for a total of 6 months (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry 12612000772842). Untreated patients with similar pre-treatment characteristics were obtained from a prospective prostatectomy biorepository22,23. Prior to ligation of the dorsal venous complex and prostate pedicles, the anterior prostate was defatted and the specimen was removed immediately, placed in a sterile container and transferred on ice for long-term storage in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen. A total of 50–100 µg of adipose tissue was separated from fresh frozen samples stored at −160°C. RNA was isolated using the Qiagen RNeasy Lipid Tissue Mini Kit and eluted in 35 µL nuclease-free water. 0.5–1 µg of total RNA was used as the input for cDNA library synthesis using TruSeq RNA Sample Prep Kit v2 (Illumina), and libraries were constructed according to manufacturer’s instructions. Samples were sequenced on a HiSeq 2500 (Illumina) using 101 base paired-end chemistry, aiming for 50 million mapped paired-end reads per sample.

  Dataset EGAD00001004971

• Whole-genome sequencing of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) tumours and matched normals from long-term survivors.

  Whole-genome sequencing of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) tumours and matched normals from long-term survivors performed as part of the Multidisciplinary Ovarian Cancer Outcomes Group (MOCOG) study. The dataset includes fastq files from 58 HGSC tumours (53 primary tumours and 5 recurrent tumours) and 53 matched normals from 53 long-term survivor patients. Sequence libraries were generated from tumour and matched normal genomic DNA using the KAPA HyperPrep PCR-free library preparation kit (Roche) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Sequencing was carried out by the Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics Sequencing Laboratory (Sydney, Australia) on the HiSeq X Ten System (Illumina) to a minimum base coverage of 30-fold for normal DNA and 60-fold for tumour DNA samples.

  Dataset EGAD00001009398

• Repurposing azacitidine and carboplatin to prime immune checkpoint blockade-resistant melanoma for anti-PD-L1 re-challenge

  Purpose: Drug repurposing offers the opportunity for chemotherapy to be used to re-establish sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Here we investigated the clinical and translational aspects of an early phase II study of azacitidine and carboplatin priming for anti-PDL1 immunotherapy (Avelumab) in patients with advanced ICB-resistant melanoma. Experimental Design: 20 participants with ICB resistant metastatic melanoma received 2 x 4-week cycles of azacitidine and carboplatin followed by ICB re-challenge with anti-PD-L1 avelumab. The primary objective was overall response rate after priming and ICB re-challenge. Secondary objectives were Clinical benefit rate (CBR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Translational correlation analysis of HLA-A and PD-L1 expression, RNA-seq and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) of biopsies at baseline, after priming and after 6 cycles of avelmuab was performed. Results: The ORR determined after azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 10% (2/20) with 2 partial responses (PR). The ORR determined after priming followed by 6 cycles of avelumab (week 22) was 10%, with 2/20 participants achieving iPR. The CBR for azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 65% (13/20) and after priming followed by 6 cycles of avelumab CBR was 35% (n = 7/20). The median PFS was 18.0 weeks (95% CI: 14.87 – 21.13 weeks) and the median OS was 47.86 weeks (95% CI: 9.67 – 86.06 weeks). Translational correlation analysis confirmed HLA-A generally increased after priming with azacitidine and carboplatin, particularly if it was absent at the start of treatment. Average methylation of CpGs across the HLA-A locus was decreased after priming and T-cells, in particular CD8+, showed the greatest increase in infiltration. Conclusions: Priming with azacitidine and carboplatin can induce disease stabilization and re-sensitisation to ICB for metastatic melanoma.

  Study EGAS00001006419

• Repurposing azacitidine and carboplatin to prime immune checkpoint blockade-resistant melanoma for anti-PD-L1 re-challenge

  Purpose: Drug repurposing offers the opportunity for chemotherapy to be used to re-establish sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Here we investigated the clinical and translational aspects of an early phase II study of azacitidine and carboplatin priming for anti-PDL1 immunotherapy (Avelumab) in patients with advanced ICB-resistant melanoma. Experimental Design: 20 participants with ICB resistant metastatic melanoma received 2 x 4-week cycles of azacitidine and carboplatin followed by ICB re-challenge with anti-PD-L1 avelumab. The primary objective was overall response rate after priming and ICB re-challenge. Secondary objectives were Clinical benefit rate (CBR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Translational correlation analysis of HLA-A and PD-L1 expression, RNA-seq and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) of biopsies at baseline, after priming and after 6 cycles of avelmuab was performed. Results: The ORR determined after azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 10% (2/20) with 2 partial responses (PR). The ORR determined after priming followed by 6 cycles of avelumab (week 22) was 10%, with 2/20 participants achieving iPR. The CBR for azacitidine and carboplatin priming was 65% (13/20) and after priming followed by 6 cycles of avelumab CBR was 35% (n = 7/20). The median PFS was 18.0 weeks (95% CI: 14.87 – 21.13 weeks) and the median OS was 47.86 weeks (95% CI: 9.67 – 86.06 weeks). Translational correlation analysis confirmed HLA-A generally increased after priming with azacitidine and carboplatin, particularly if it was absent at the start of treatment. Average methylation of CpGs across the HLA-A locus was decreased after priming and T-cells, in particular CD8+, showed the greatest increase in infiltration. Conclusions: Priming with azacitidine and carboplatin can induce disease stabilization and re-sensitisation to ICB for metastatic melanoma.

  Study EGAS00001006420

• ctDNA quantification in Ewing sarcoma patients

  Background. Treatment stratification and response assessment in pediatric sarcomas has relied on imaging studies and surgical/histopathological evidence of vital tumor cells. Such studies and evidence collection processes often involve radiation and/or general anesthesia in children. Cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection in blood plasma is one available method of so-called liquid biopsies that has been shown to correlate qualitatively and quantitatively to some extent with the existence of vital tumor cells in the body. Our clinical observational study focused on the utility and feasibility of ctDNA detection in pediatric Ewing sarcoma (EWS) as a marker of minimal residual disease (MRD). Patients and Methods. We performed whole genome sequencing to identify the exact breakpoints in tumors known to carry the EWS-FLI1 fusion gene. Patient-specific fusion breakpoints were tracked in peripheral blood plasma using digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) before, during, and after therapy in six consecutive children and young adults with EWS. Presence and levels of fusion breakpoints were correlated with clinical disease courses. The genetic changes in the tumors were defined, and inter- and intra-individual changes in the tumor DNA copy loads were observed over time. Results. We show that the detection of ctDNA in the peripheral blood of EWS patients i) is feasible in the clinical routine and ii) allows for the longitudinal real-time monitoring of MRD activity in children and young adults. Although changing ctDNA levels correlated well with clinical outcome within patients, between patients, a high variability was observed (inter-individually) for the six patients described here. Conclusions. ctDNA detection by ddPCR is a highly sensitive, specific, feasible, and highly accurate method that can be applied in EWS for follow-up assessments as an additional surrogate parameter for clinical MRD monitoring and, potentially, also for treatment stratification in the near future.

  Study EGAS00001006433

• Characterization and clinical relevance of the genomic alterations defining invasive lobular breast cancer

  Background: Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILBC) is the second most common histological subtype after ductal breast cancer (IDBC). In spite of significant clinical and pathological differences, ILBC is still treated as IDBC. Here, we aimed at identifying recurrent genomic alterations in ILBC with potential clinical implications.Methods: Starting from 630 ILBC primary tumors with a median follow up of 10 years, we interrogated oncogenic substitutions and indels of 360 cancer genes and genome-wide copy number alterations in 413 and 170 ILBC samples, respectively, and correlated those findings with clinical, pathological, and outcome features. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used for comparison of frequency estimates.Results: Besides the high mutation frequency of CDH1 in 65% of the tumors, alterations in one of the three key genes of the PI3K pathway, PIK3CA, PTEN and AKT1, were present in more than half of the cases. ERBB2 and ERBB3 were mutated in 5.1 and 3.6% of the tumors. FOXA1 mutations and ESR1 copy number gains were detected in 9% and 25% of the samples. All these alterations were more frequent in ILBC than IDBC. The histological diversity of ILBC was associated with specific genomic alterations, such as enrichment for ERBB2 mutations in the mixed, non-classic subtype, and for ARID1A mutations and ESR1 gains in the solid subtype. Finally, ERBB2 and AKT1 mutations were associated with short-term risk of relapse, and chromosome 1q and 11p gain with increased and decreased breast cancer free survival, respectively.Conclusion: ERBB2, ERBB3 and AKT1 mutations represent high prevalence therapeutic targets in ILBC. FOXA1 mutations and ESR1 gains urgently deserve dedicated clinical investigation, especially in the context of endocrine treatment.

  Dataset EGAD00001001395

• Intra-tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution patterns towards platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer

  Although many high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) patients are initially sensitive to the standard-of-care platinum-based therapy, intra-tumor heterogeneity may fuel selection towards platinum-resistant clones over subsequent lines of therapy. We performed whole-exome coupled to ultra-deep re-sequencing and copy number alteration (CNA) profiling on 31 matched diagnosis and relapse tumors from HGSOC patients treated with platinum. Genetic heterogeneity within tumor pairs varied extremely, with some recurrent tumors being identical and others completely different from the primary tumor. All primary tumors showed evidence of homologous recombination (HR)-deficiency, but none of them carried reactivating mutations in the HR pathway at relapse, also not when becoming resistant to subsequent lines of platinum. We did also not identify other mutations, CNAs or pathways that were enriched in platinum-resistant clones. However, a platinum score consisting of 13 CNAs correlated significantly with platinum-free interval (PFI) after first-line therapy in multiple cohorts of >450 primary HGSOCs. A relative increase of this score in the relapsed tumor correlated with a change in PFI during subsequent therapy. Clonal evolution under platinum therapy contributes to genetic heterogeneity within tumor pairs, implicating that genetic tests linked to targeted treatment options for recurrent HGSOC need to be performed on biopsies collected at relapse. Platinum resistance of an initially platinum-sensitive HR-deficient HGSOC at relapse is not caused by reactivation of the HR pathway, suggesting that these tumors are still responsive to PARP inhibitors, instead, several chromosomal aberrations contribute to a score predictive of disease outcome under platinum therapy, both in first and subsequent lines of platinum therapy.

  Study EGAS00001001244

• Genomic and epigenomic characterization of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML)

  Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is an aggressive myeloproliferative disorder of early childhood. While some cases show spontaneous remission, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only curative treatment option for the majority of patients, however, the 5-year event-free survival reaches only about 50%. Hyperactive RAS signaling is assumed to be the main driving event in JMML. It is caused by genetic alterations in CBL, KRAS, NF1, NRAS, or PTPN11 in about 90% of patients. So far, there is no clear understanding of how RAS pathway mutations relate to the heterogeneous disease biology and variable clinical outcome seen in JMML patients. As a consequence, established clinical and genetic markers fail to fully represent the observed disease heterogeneity. We hypothesized that DNA methylation profiling, either alone or in combination with genetic alterations, might provide a molecular basis for disease classification. Genome wide DNA methylation analysis using the HumanMethylation450 Bead Chip array was performed in a discovery cohort of 20 patients (19 JMML, 1 Noonan syndrome). The clinical relevance of our findings was assessed in an unselected sample set consisting of 147 consecutive patients with JMML (n=129) or Noonan syndrome (n=18) associated myeloproliferative disorder (n=18) registered in the EWOG-MDS 1998 & 2006 trials. Data integration was performed in a subset of patients with available exome sequencing (n=50) and expression profiling (n=15) data. This integrated approach identified three JMML subgroups characterized by distinct clinical and biological features. This analysis further suggested a molecular mechanism by which additional genetic events, presumably further activating the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway, mediate DNA hypermethylation via up-regulation of DNMTs in more aggressive JMML cases.

  Study EGAS00001002511

• Dynamics of multiple resistance mechanisms in plasma DNA and their clinical implications for NSCLC patients receiving EGFR-targeted therapies

  Background:The development of resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies is complicated by underlying tumour heterogeneity. When multiple resistance mechanisms co-exist, identifying the dominant driver(s) is critical for selection of treatment. Patients and methods:We studied the relative dynamics of multiple oncogenic drivers and resistance mechanisms in 50 patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), during treatment with gefitinib and hydroxychloroquine (NCT00809237). We performed digital PCR and targeted deep sequencing of cell-free DNA from longitudinal plasma samples from all patients, and shallow whole genome sequencing of serial samples from three patients who underwent histological transformation to small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). ResultsEGFR activating mutations were assessed in tumour samples and accurately identified in plasma samples of 95% of patients (41/43). We identified additional mutations including EGFR T790M (31/50, 62%), TP53 (23/50, 46%), PIK3CA (7/50, 14%), and PTEN (4/50, 8%), and tracked their relative levels in plasma. Patients with both TP53 and EGFR mutations detected in plasma pre-treatment tended to have worse overall survival than those where only EGFR was detected. The resistance-conferring EGFR T790M mutation was identified in 62% of the patients who progressed. Changes in relative levels of T790M and activating mutations in EGFR corresponded to clinical responses in two patients who were given sequential treatments. Patients who progressed without T790M detected in plasma had worse PFS during TKI continuation, and developed alternative resistance mechanisms, that could be identified in plasma DNA, including SCLC-associated copy number changes and TP53 mutations, that tracked with progression and response to subsequent therapies. Conclusion:Longitudinal analysis of multiple oncogenic drivers in ctDNA may help identifying dominant mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies, and highlight the importance of monitoring genetic events that are not direct drug targets but provide non-invasive molecular information that may guide clinical management.

  Study EGAS00001002908

• Genomics Define Malignant Transformation in Myeloma Precursor Conditions

  Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). While these precursor conditions are asymptomatic, they are not entirely benign and carry a lifelong risk of progression to MM. Unlike other cancers defined by pathology, malignant transformation from MGUS or SMM to MM has so far relied on demonstration of clinical end-organ damage as morphology and cytogenetics cannot reliably distinguish them. In this study, using genomic data from 374 patients with MGUS or SMM (277 training, 97 validation), to our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time the ability to identify malignant transformation in MGUS and SMM. We introduce the concept of genomic MM and genomic MGUS to differentiate the subsets of MGUS and SMM that are biologically malignant with genomic features indistinguishable from MM from the subset that is premalignant and unlikely to progress to malignancy. Importantly, we find that most SMM has biological features of malignant transformation indistinguishable from MM. As expected, this subset that we consider having genomic MM is associated with a high risk of progression to MM although some patients remained progression-free beyond 5 years. Conversely, 60% of MGUS and 10% of SMM have no evidence of malignant transformation (genomic MGUS), with no progression during follow-up. Integration of genomic features with the 2/20/20 International Myeloma Working Group model significantly improved the prediction of progression among genomic MM. These findings support the use of genomic criteria to refine the classification and the risk stratification in myeloma precursor conditions.

  Dataset EGAD00001015768

• Somatic copy number alteration and fragmentation analysis in circulating tumor DNA for cancer screening and treatment monitoring in colorectal cancer patients

  Background: Analysis of circulating free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising tool for personalized management of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Untargeted cfDNA analysis using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) does not need a priori knowledge of the patient´s mutation profile. Methods: Here we established LIquid biopsy Fragmentation, Epigenetic signature and Copy Number Alteration analysis (LIFE-CNA) using WGS with ~6x coverage for detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in CRC patients as a marker for CRC detection and monitoring. Results: We describe the analytical validity and a clinical proof-of-concept of LIFE-CNA using a total of 259 plasma samples collected from 50 patients with stage I-IV CRC and 61 healthy controls. To reliably distinguish CRC patients from healthy controls, we determined cutoffs for the detection of ctDNA based on global and regional cfDNA fragmentation patterns, transcriptionally active chromatin sites, and SCNAs. We further combined global and regional fragmentation pattern into a machine learning classifier to accurately predict ctDNA for cancer detection. By following individual patients throughout their course of disease, we show that LIFE-CNA enables the reliable prediction of response or resistance to treatment up to 3.5 months before commonly used CEA. Conclusion: In summary, we developed and validated a sensitive and cost-effective method for untargeted ctDNA detection at diagnosis as well as for treatment monitoring of all CRC patients based on genetic as well as non-genetic tumor-specific cfDNA features. Thus, once sensitivity and specificity have been externally validated, LIFE-CNA has the potential to be implemented into clinical practice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to consider multiple genetic and non-genetic cfDNA features in combination with ML classifiers and to evaluate their potential in both cancer detection and treatment monitoring.

  Study EGAS00001006490

• A Scalable, GMP-Compatible, Autologous Organotypic Cell Therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

  Gene editing in induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has been hailed for enabling new cell therapies for various monogenetic diseases including dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). However, manufacturing, efficacy, and safety roadblocks have limited the development of genetically corrected, autologous iPS cell-based therapies. Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy (DEBCT), is a new generation, Good Manufacturing Practice-compatible (cGMP), reproducible, and scalable platform to produce autologous clinical-grade iPS cell-derived organotypic induced skin composite (iSC) grafts to treat incurable wounds of patients lacking type VII collagen (C7). DEBCT uses a single step, combined, high-efficiency reprogramming, and CRISPR-based genetic correction to generate genome scar-free, COL7A1 corrected clonal iPS cells from primary patient fibroblasts. Validated iPS cells are converted into epidermal, dermal, and melanocyte progenitors with a novel 2D organoid differentiation protocol, followed by CD49f enrichment and expansion to minimize maturation heterogeneity. iSC product characterization by single cell transcriptomics was followed by mouse xenografting for disease correcting activity at 1 month and toxicology analysis at 1-6 months. Culture-acquired mutations, potential CRISPR-off target effects, and cancer-driver variants were evaluated by targeted and whole genome sequencing. iPS cell-derived iSC grafts were reproducibly generated from four recessive DEB patients with different pathogenic mutations. Organotypic iSC grafts onto immune-compromised mice developed into stable stratified skin with functional C7 restoration. Single cell transcriptomic characterization of iSCs revealed prominent holoclone stem cell signatures in keratinocytes and the recently described Gibbin-dependent signature in dermal fibroblasts. The latter correlated with enhanced graftability. Multiple orthogonal sequencing and subsequent computational approaches identified random and non-oncogenic mutations introduced by the manufacturing process. Toxicology revealed no detectable tumors after 3-6 months in DEBCT-treated mice. In conclusion, DEBCT successfully overcomes previous roadblocks and establishes a robust, scalable, and safe cGMP manufacturing platform for the production of a CRISPR-corrected autologous organotypic skin graft to heal DEB patient wounds.

  Study phs003271

• Precision High Intensity Training Through Epigenetics (PHITE)

  Exercising regularly promotes health, but these benefits are complicated by acute inflammation induced by exercise. A potential source of exercise-induced inflammation is cell-free DNA (cfDNA), yet the cellular origins, molecular causes, and immune system interactions of exercise-induced cfDNA are unclear. To study these, 10 healthy individuals were randomized to a 12-week exercise program of either high-intensity tactical training (HITT) or traditional moderate-intensity training (TRAD). Blood plasma was collected pre- and post exercise at weeks 0 and 12 and after 4 week of detraining upon program completion. Whole-genome enzymatic methylation sequencing (EM-seq) with cell-type proportion deconvolution was applied to cfDNA obtained from the 50 plasma samples and paired to concentration measurements for 90 circulating cytokines. Acute exercise increased the release of cfDNA from neutrophils, dendritic cells (DCs), and macrophages proportional to exercise intensity (HITT > TRAD). Exercise training reduced cfDNA released in HITT participants but not TRAD and from DCs and macrophages but not neutrophils. For most participants, training lowered mitochondrial cfDNA at rest, even after detraining. Using a sequencing analysis approach we developed, we concluded that rapid extracellular traps (ETosis) was the likely source of cfDNA, demonstrated by enrichment of nuclear DNA. Further, several cytokines were induced by acute exercise, such as IL-6, IL-10, and IL-16, and training attenuated the induction of only IL-6 and IL-17F. Cytokine levels were not associated with cfDNA induction, suggesting that these cytokines are not the main cause of exercise-induced cfDNA. Overall, exercise intensity and training modulated cfDNA release and cytokine responses, contributing to the anti-inflammatory effects of regular exercise. One additional subject was also used in the methyl-seq data as a control for comparing bisulfite-sequencing to enzymatic methyl sequencing. DNA methylation for MPO gene was found to be significantly different as well, in line with interpretation that neutrophils are primarily undergoing ETosis.

  Study phs003873

• National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Human Genetic Cell Repository Human Variation Panels including 100 African-Americans (HD100AA), 100 Caucasians (HD100CAU), 100 Han People of Los Angeles (HD100CHI) and 100 Mexican American Community of Los Angeles (HD100MEX)

  The Human Genetic Cell Repository is sponsored by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) with the mission of supplying scientists with the materials for accelerating disease gene discovery and functional studies. The resources available include highly-characterized, contaminant-free cell cultures and high quality, well-characterized DNA samples derived from these cultures, both subjected to rigorous quality control. The Repository was established in 1972 at Coriell and contains more than 9,500 cell lines, primarily fibroblasts and transformed lymphoblasts. The Repository has a major emphasis on inherited diseases and chromosomally aberrant cell lines. In addition, it contains a large collection dedicated to understanding human variation that includes samples from populations around the world, the CEPH collection, the Polymorphism Discovery Resource, Human Variation and many apparently healthy controls. The Human Variation collection provides cell lines and DNA samples from a variety of populations. The panels of African-Americans (HD100AA) and Caucasians (100CAU) used for this study are comprised of samples present in the Repository that were originally collected over the years from apparently healthy people to be used as "controls", for example, unaffected family members of persons with identified mono-genetic diseases. The samples for the Han people of Los Angeles (HD100CHI) and the Mexican American Community of Los Angeles (HD100MEX), however, were collected relatively recently from volunteers, identified as member of these communities, specifically for use in these panels. The Coriell Genotyping and Microarray Center in conjunction with the NIGMS repository used the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP 6.0 platform to genotype 400 samples from the NIGMS human variation panels. The populations genotyped included Americans of African, Caucasian, Mexican, and Han Chinese ancestry. The Affymetrix SNP 6.0 array detects approximately 940,000 SNPs and provides copy number information for more than 900,000 additional locations across the genome.

  Study phs000211

• GDAP___Genome_Diversity_in_Africa_Project

  The Genomic Diversity in Africa Project (GDAP) started with the plan to develop a genomic resource from African populations, characterise genomic diversity and population history, and facilitate clinical studies in Africa. Currently, 25 individuals from 24 ethnolinguistic groups have been whole-genome sequenced at high depth totalling 585 individuals. An additional 41 individuals have been sequenced with 10X Genomics libraries. At this stage, the initial curation of this dataset has been finished and we are performing the analysis in coordination with our collaborators. The current state of the GDAP represents a very diverse panel of African populations that maximizes geographical and ethnic variation and represents a great starting point to achieve the aforementioned goals. However, southern sub-Saharan countries, Bantu speakers and hunter gatherer groups are currently underrepresented, despite being crucial to understand the evolutionary history of the continent. After extensive effort to collate studies documentation, we finally have the opportunity to sequence 600 new individuals from these groups, including countries as Gabon, Rwanda and Zambia, and address these deficiencies. We aim to proceed with the same strategy: to sequence at high depth 25 individuals with standard PCR free libraries, with 2 additional individuals with 10X Genomics Chromium libraries per ethnolinguistic group. The former allows a good representation of variants down to low frequency in any given population, and the latter allows accurate phasing and the analysis of structural variation. By including these new populations, we want to investigate three crucial questions in African history in addition to the initial objectives: the Bantu expansion, the evolutionary history of hunter gatherers and the transatlantic slave trade. Additionally, the expanded dataset will help us better discover the genetic variation present in Africa and characterize the African pangenome. 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 EGAS00001003602

• Breast cancer women lack normal lifelong immune response after full-term pregnancies

  Immunological tolerance during pregnancy is necessary for women’s bodies to accept the semi-allogenic fetus. Interestingly, “immune evasion”, which consists of some similar immunological changes, was recently proposed as a hallmark of cancer. Looking at these results, it seems paradoxical that increasing number of full-term pregnancies (FTP) reduces the risk of breast cancer in women. Our aim was to use a systems epidemiology approach to investigate this paradox by modelling breast cancer incidence as a function of parity in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) cohort, then testing the mathematical model using gene expression from blood in a subcohort of these women: the NOWAC postgenome cohort. Lastly, we undertook a gene set enrichment analysis for immunological gene sets. A linear trend nicely fitted the dataset showing an 8% decrease in risk for each FTP, independent of stratification on other risk factors and lasting for decades after a woman’s last FTP. However, when we looked at gene expression we found that hundreds of genes showed linear trends in cancer-free controls, but this was not the case in /any/ of the samples from breast cancer cases. In the gene set enrichment analysis, samples consisted of human blood or cord blood and mouse bone marrow or spleen. We found more adaptive gene sets than expected in humans and more innate gene sets than expected in mice. None of the gene sets provided information about the long-term effects of immunological tolerance during pregnancy, but the lack of relevant reductionist experiments hampers our interpretation. We suggest that, after resolution at birth, the immunological tolerance induced by pregnancy augments immune response to cancer development.

  Study EGAS00001002616

• TRACERx NSCLC, multiregion sequencing of the first 100 tumors

  BACKGROUND TRACERx (TRAcking Cancer Evolution through therapy (Rx)) is a prospective cohort study designed to investigate intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) in relation to clinical outcome, and to determine the clonal nature of driver events and evolutionary processes in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS Multiregion high-depth whole-exome sequencing (M-seq) was performed on 100 early stage NSCLC tumors resected prior to systemic therapy. A total of 327 tumor regions were sequenced and analyzed to define evolutionary histories, obtain a census of clonal and subclonal events, and assess the relationship between ITH and recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS Widespread ITH was observed for both somatic copy number alterations (median 48% [0.03-88%]) and mutations (median 30% [0.5-93%]). Driver mutations in EGFR, MET, BRAF and TP53 were almost always clonal. However, heterogeneous driver alterations occurring later in evolution were found in over 75% of tumors and were common in PIK3CA, NF1 and genes involved in chromatin modification and DNA response and repair. Genome doubling and ongoing dynamic chromosomal instability (CIN), illustrated by mirrored subclonal allelic imbalance, were identified as causes of ITH resulting in parallel evolution of driver copy number events, including amplifications of CDK4, FOXA1, and BCL11A. Elevated copy number heterogeneity was associated with shorter RFS (HR=4.9, P=0.00044), which remained significant in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS ITH mediated through CIN, rather than point mutational heterogeneity, was associated with increased risk of relapse, supporting its value as a prognostic predictor, and the need to target this high-risk phenotype.

  Dataset EGAD00001003206

• Single Cell Analysis Program - Transcriptome (SCAP-T)

  This initiative is part of the Single Cell Analysis Program (SCAP) and is funded through the NIH Common Fund (See http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/), which supports cross-cutting programs that are expected to have exceptionally high impact. Common Fund initiatives address key roadblocks in biomedical research that impede basic scientific discovery and its translation into improved human health. In addition, these programs capitalize on emerging opportunities to catalyze progress across multiple biomedical fields. Single cell analysis has recently emerged as an important field of research because technologies have improved in sensitivity and throughput sufficiently to begin measuring and understanding heterogeneity in complex biological systems and correlating it with changes in biological function and disease processes. By profiling individual cells it is possible to resolve rare cells, transient cell states, and the influence of organization and environment on such cells and states, which cannot be described by ensemble measurements. The long-term goal of the SCAP is to accelerate this move towards personalizing health to the cellular level by understanding the link between cell heterogeneity, tissue function and emergence of disease through the discovery, development and translation of innovative approaches which will dramatically change the way cells are characterized. The SCAP will focus on research, which will systematically measure, analyze and model cell-to-cell variation, and identify crucial differences and rare biological states, which may have important functional consequences. Under SCAP, there are three studies to evaluate the cellular heterogeneity using transcriptional profiling of single cells (U01): University of Pennsylvania: Role of single cell mRNA variation in systems associated electrically excitable cells University of Southern California: Evaluation of cellular heterogeneity using patchclamp and RNA-seq of single cells University of California at San Diego: Single cell sequencing and in situ mapping of RNA transcripts in human brains The SCAP has been designed as a five-year program with several components: (1) the collection, analysis and sharing of comprehensive expression datasets to understand the role of heterogeneity in tissues and systemically and identify critical parameters and states; (2) the discovery of new, innovative tools for spatiotemporal imaging, manipulation, analysis and modeling of a biologically relevant population of cells with minimal perturbation; (3) milestone-driven validation and translation of technologies for characterizing single cells in situ meeting the needs of end-users; and (4) development and coordination of a multidisciplinary research community through workshops and other collective endeavors. Further details about the NIH SCAP-T program can be found here http://commonfund.nih.gov/singlecell/. The SCAP-T data sets include the detailed phenotype information, experimental protocols, QC information, RNA-sequencing data and NGS results from human heart and human brain cells. The first data release includes 697 single cells from human brain and heart. The second data release includes an additional 978 single cells from human brain and heart. The third data release includes an additional 1631 single cells from human brain and heart. The fourth data release is a correction to this study, but adds no new cells. The fifth data release includes an additional 2984 single cells from human brain and heart. The sixth data release includes an additional 944 single cells from human brain and heart. The seventh data release includes an additional 1977 single cells from human brain and heart. The SCAP-T data portal provides a customized interface for users to quickly identify and retrieve files by phenotypes, and data properties such as sequencing facility or coverage for all of these 9231 single cells. For more information about the SCAP-T study and the data portal, please visit http://www.scap-t.org.

  Study phs000833

• CaBagE: a Cas9-Based Background Elimination Strategy for Targeted, Long-Read DNA Sequencing

  While repeat-expansion polymorphisms are known to underlie several developmental and neurological disorders, technological limitations have inhibited the ability to resolve accurate genotypes for these variants. A pertinent example is the (CCCCGG)n repeat expansion in C9orf72 that segregates with up to 40% of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases. There is a clear relationship between this repeat expansion and neurodegeneration. However, widely-used short-read sequencing is ill-suited to characterize the C9orf72 repeat expansion due to polymerase slippage over low complexity sequences and the inherently limited mapping/haplotype resolution of redundant short sequences. Consequently, researchers and physicians must rely on crude variant characterization methods (e.g. Southern blots), which limit direct genotype-phenotype associations and create challenges for the diagnosis of disease in patients with atypical clinical presentation. In contrast, ultra-long (e.g., 10-150kb) sequencing reads generated by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) enable direct measurement of loci containing complex structures without being subject to amplification or alignment bias. We are therefore developed a molecular and computational framework for targeted sequencing and quantification of pathogenic repeat expansions by combining Cas9 and amplification-free sequence capture methods with Nanopore long-read sequencing technology. First, extracted high molecular weight DNA is bound by Cas9 on either side of a DNA target. Bound Cas9 protects the target DNA from challenge by processive exonucleases. Unprotected (off-target) DNA is degraded with exonucleases and the remaining sample is sequenced using the ONT MinION sequencer. Then, base-called reads are aligned to the target locus and repeat copy number genotypes are estimated using a Gaussian Mixture Model. We applied this molecular and computational framework to 2 ALS patients with C9orf72 repeat expansions with biospecimens available from the NINDS collection from Coriell. Genotype estimates produced with CaBagE were commensurate with genotypes derived from repeat-primed PCR for each individual.

  Study phs002368