Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

NextGen Consortium: GENESiPS Study: Identifying the Gene Networks of Insulin Resistance

Variability in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines remains a roadblock for disease modeling and regenerative medicine. Through linear mixed models we have described different sources of gene expression variability from RNA sequencing data in 317 human iPSC lines from 101 individuals. We found that ~50% of genome-wide expression variability is explained by variation across individuals and identified a set of expression quantitative trait loci that contribute to this variation. These analyses coupled with allele specific expression show that iPSCs retain a subject-specific gene expression pattern. Pathway enrichment and key driver analyses, based on predictive causal gene networks, found that Polycomb targets explain a significant part of the non-genetic variability present in iPSCs within and across individuals. These publically available iPSC lines and genetic datasets will be a resource to the scientific community and will open new avenues to reduce variability in iPSCs and improve their utility in disease modeling. SNP array data from individuals included in RNA-seq transcriptome profiling study of human induced pluripotent stem cells to characterize gene expression variation across individuals and within multiple iPSC lines from the same individual. Genotyping was performed on patient blood. Data availability: SNP-genotyping: dbGaP - current study RNA-seq counts: GEO - GSE79636 FASTQ files: SRA - SRP072417

Study phs001139

CIDR: Genome Wide Association Study in Familial Parkinson Disease (PD)

This proposal brings together the two largest NIH funded genetic studies focused on the identification of novel genes that influence the risk of PD. These two studies, PROGENI (PI: Tatiana Foroud; R01NS037167) and GenePD (PI: Richard Myers; R01NS036711) have been evaluating and recruiting families with two or more PD affected members for more than 8 years and represent the largest such cohorts world-wide. The combined sample has more than 1,000 PD families. Each study has used rigorous clinical criteria to assess their study participants. Unlike previous genome wide association studies (GWAS) in PD, all the PD cases in this proposal have a positive family history of disease. In the vast majority of these families, the index PD case has at least one sibling with the disease. Thus, the sample is unique for having substantial evidence for a genetic contribution to disease. The control group for this study consists of samples previously collected and maintained by the NINDS Repository. Genome-wide, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping services were provided by the Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data analyses will focus on the identification of SNPs associated with PD susceptibility and the age of onset of disease.

Study phs000126

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

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

Study phs000018

NIDDK IBD Genetics Consortium Repository Immunochip

The Immunochip is a custom Illumina Infinium chip comprising 196,524 SNPs and small indels selected primarily based on GWAS analysis of 12 autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The chip has two purposes: fine mapping of 289 established associations corresponding to 187 distinct loci, and deep replication of suggestive, but not yet proven, associations. Fine-mapping regions were defined as 0.2cM centered on GWAS hit SNPs, and all SNPs and short indels in these regions from the 1000 Genomes Project low coverage pilot CEU samples, as well as variants discovered in resequencing experiments conducted by groups collaborating in the chip design were selected for inclusion. Replication of autoimmune and inflammatory GWAS (including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) contributed the bulk of the remaining SNP lists. Approximately 25,000 SNPs were included as replication of unrelated diseases as part of the WTCCC2 project, which serve as useful null SNPs for these analyses. In total, approximately 240,000 SNPs were selected for inclusion, with an assay design success rate of ~80%. Reprinted from Jostins et al. (2012), with permission from Springer Nature (see https://www.nature.com/reprints/permission-requests.html). Jostins, L., et al. (2012) Host-microbe interactions have shaped the genetic architecture of inflammatory bowel disease. Nature, 491, 119-24. PMID: 23128233.

Study phs001721

Discovery of Non-ETS Gene Fusions in Human Prostate Cancer using Next Generation RNA Sequencing

Half of prostate cancers harbor gene fusions between TMPRSS2 and members of the ETS transcription factor family. To date little is known about the presence of non-ETS fusion events in prostate cancer. We employed next-generation transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) in order to explore the whole transcriptome of 25 human prostate cancer samples for the presence of chimeric fusion transcripts. We generated more than 1 billion sequence reads and used a novel computational approach (FusionSeq) in order to identify novel gene fusion candidates with high confidence. In total, we discovered and characterized seven new cancer-specific gene fusions, two involving the ETS genes ETV1 and ERG, and five involving non-ETS genes such as CDKN1A (p21), CD9 and IKBKB (IKK-beta), genes known to exhibit key biological roles in cellular homeostasis or assumed to be critical in tumorigenesis of other tumor entities, as well as the oncogene PIGU and the tumor suppressor gene RSRC2. The novel gene fusions are found to be of low frequency but interestingly, the non-ETS fusions were all present in prostate cancer harboring the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion. Future work will focus on determining if the ETS rearrangements in prostate cancer are associated or directly predispose to a rearrangement prone phenotype.

Study phs000310

A Whole Genome Association Search for Type 2 Diabetes Genes in African Americans

Over 2.8 million African Americans have type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This represents approximately 13% of the African American population and a significant proportion of the 21 million Americans living with diabetes. On average, an African American individual is twice as likely to have T2DM as a European American peer. Our research group has been actively involved in the study of African American diabetes genetics for over 15 years. We hypothesize that genes contributing to the development of T2DM in African Americans exist and can be located using modern molecular genetic methods. With the exception of TCF7L2(Transcription factor 7-like 2) evidence to date suggests variants that contribute T2DM risk in European-derived populations are not significant contributors to African American T2DM risk. We have performed a SNP-based Whole Genome Association (WGA) analysis on the Affymetrix 6.0 in a case control population of over 1000 African American T2DM cases and over 1000 non-diabetic controls. The DNAs have been collected from participants using uniform criteria from North Carolina and neighboring states. Genotype data will be subjected to extensive genetic analysis with the goal of defining a priority list of SNPs for genotyping in independent populations for confirmation and further detailed analysis.

Study phs000140

Targeted MitoExome Sequencing of Mitochondrial OXPHOS Diseases (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Human disorders of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) represent a devastating collection of inherited diseases. These disorders impact at least 1:5000 live births, and are characterized by multi-organ system involvement. They are characterized by remarkable locus heterogeneity, with mutations in the mtDNA as well as in over 77 nuclear genes identified to date. It is estimated that additional genes may be mutated in these disorders. To discover the genetic causes of mitochondrial OXPHOS diseases, we performed targeted, deep sequencing of the entire mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and the coding exons of over 1000 nuclear genes encoding the mitochondrial proteome. We applied this 'MitoExome' sequencing to 124 unrelated patients with a wide range of OXPHOS disease presentations from the Massachusetts General Hospital Mitochondrial Disorders Clinic. The 2.3Mb targeted region was captured by hybrid selection and Illumina sequenced with paired 76bp reads. The total set of 1605 targeted nuclear genes included 1013 genes with strong evidence of mitochondrial localization from the MitoCarta database, 377 genes with weaker evidence of mitochondrial localization from the MitoP2 database and other sources, and 215 genes known to cause other inborn errors of metabolism. Approximately 88% of targeted bases were well-covered (>20X), with mean 200X coverage per targeted base.

Study phs000339

Generation of a Cellular Atlas of Human Adipose Tissue

White adipose tissue (WAT), once regarded as morphologically and functionally bland, is now recognized to be dynamic, plastic, heterogenous, and involved in a wide array of biological processes including energy homeostasis, glucose and lipid handling, blood pressure control, and host defense.  High fat feeding and other metabolic stressors cause dramatic changes in adipose morphology, physiology, and cellular composition, and alterations in adiposity are associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here we provide detailed cellular atlases of human and murine subcutaneous and visceral white fat at single-cell resolution across a range of body weight. We identify subpopulations of adipocytes, adipose stem and progenitor cells (ASPCs), vascular, and immune cells and demonstrate commonalities and differences across species and dietary conditions. We link specific cell types to increased risk of metabolic disease, and we provide an initial blueprint for a comprehensive set of interactions between individual cell types in the adipose niche in leanness and obesity. We also utilize bulk RNA sequencing data of enzymatically digested human adipocytes to scale these findings to a larger cohort. These data comprise an extensive resource for the exploration of genes, traits, and cell types in the function of WAT across species, depots, and nutritional conditions. 

Study phs002766

Identification of Host Genetic Factors That Are Determinant for the Development of Severe Forms of COVID-19

We conducted whole exome sequencing (WXS) on 21 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) related to COVID-19 from Brazil. All patients who were hospitalized underwent serum (ELISA) and molecular (RT-PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2, and the main clinical symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected. During hospitalization, data on complications, medical interventions, and laboratory findings were also collected. Our results revealed in an unprecedented way the occurrence of several rare loss-of-function variants in the NLRP12 gene among the affected children, and three other SNVs, predicted to be highly pathogenic, were identified in the IL17RC gene. An additional nonsense variant, in the IFNA10 gene, was identified in a single patient. Through in vitro functional analysis, we unequivocally demonstrated that these mutations impact NF-kB activation. These findings are similar to those observed in NLRP12-associated systemic autoinflammatory disorders, characterized by altered innate immune response, with increased NF-κB activation and excessive production of inflammatory cytokines. To our knowledge, our study is the first to provide a plausible molecular mechanism for MIS-C involving inborn errors in NLRP12. We suggest that some patients with MIS-C may benefit from Interleukin (IL)-1 pathway blockade treatments.

Study phs003512

Profiling RNA Translation in Pediatric Medulloblastoma

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

Study phs003446

Genetic Predictors of Ibrutinib-Related Cardiovascular Side Effects in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The goal of this study was to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with ibrutinib-related cardiovascular side effects (CVSEs). This is an observational non-interventional pharmacogenomic study of 50 patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (NDCLL or RRCLL) receiving ibrutinib 420 mg for at least six months. The ibrutinib-related CVSEs included atrial fibrillation and hypertension, which occurred in 20% of patients. DNA obtained from buccal swabs was genotyped for 40 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GATA4, SGK1, KCNQ1, KCNA5, NPPA, and SCN5A using a customized next generation sequencing panel. It was found that GATA4 rs804280 AA (P =.043), KCNQ1 rs163182 GG (P =.036) and KCNQ1 rs2237895 AA (P =.023) were associated with the ibrutinib-related CVSEs. Patients with a high-risk score had at least two of the three significant risk genotypes identified in univariate analysis for GATA4 rs804280 A>C, KCNQ1 rs162182 G>C and KCNQ1 rs2237895 A>C, and patients with a low-risk score had either one or none of these genotypes. In multivariate analysis, 18 patients with at least two of the three high-risk genotypes had an 11.5-fold higher odds of CVSEs (P =.019; 1.79-119.73 at 95% CI).

Study phs003370

Genomics and Epigenomics of the Elderly Response to Pneumococcal Vaccines

Pneumococcal Vaccine Study: This is a study designed to develop a detailed transcriptional and cellular profile of the immune response to pneumococcal vaccination with conjugated and non-conjugated polysaccharide vaccines in the senescent immune system of older adults. In this study, 39 healthy adults ages 60 and older that have never received pneumococcal vaccination, have been randomized to receive Prevnar 13 (Pfizer), a conjugated 13-valent vaccine or Pneumovax 23 (Merck), a non-conjugated 23-valent vaccine. Four (4) study visits occurred over 70 days at Day -7 (baseline), day 1, day 10 and day 60 (± 5d) post vaccination.Bulk RNA-sequencing data are available on the 4 time points for 31 of the participants and 1 replicate. ATAC-Doublet Detector Study: We generated single nucleus ATAC-seq (snATAC-seq) data from PBMCs of 2 baseline blood samples from the pneumococcal study. Generated data was then used to benchmark a novel computational method for detecting multiplets in snATAC-seq data, namely, AMULET (https://github.com/UcarLab/AMULET). Multiplets confound downstream analyses by introducing combined epigenomic profiles from 2 or more cells/nuclei. AMULET detects multiplets by using unique snATAC-seq data features that allow it to reliably use read counts to detect multiplets for their removal from data analyses.

Study phs002361

Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) - Imaging

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

Study phs003639

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

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

Study phs003629

Cell type mapping of inflammatory muscle diseases highlights selective myofiber vulnerability in inclusion body myositis

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most prevalent inflammatory muscle disease in older adults with no effective therapy available. In contrast to other inflammatory myopathies like subacute immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), IBM follows a chronic disease course with both inflammatory and degenerative features of pathology. Moreover, causal factors and molecular drivers of IBM progression are largely unknown. Therefore, we paired single-nucleus RNA sequencing with spatial transcriptomics from patient muscle biopsies to map cell type-specific drivers underlying IBM pathogenesis compared to IMNM muscles and non-inflammatory skeletal muscle samples. In IBM muscles, we observed a selective loss of type 2 myonuclei paralleled by increased levels of cytotoxic T and cDC1 cells. IBM myofibers were either characterized by upregulation of cell stress markers featuring GADD45A and NORAD, or protein degradation markers including RNF7 associated with p62 aggregates. GADD45A upregulation was preferentially seen in type 2A myofibers associated with severe tissue inflammation. We also noted IBM-specific upregulation of ACHE encoding acetylcholinesterase, which can be regulated by NORAD activity and result in functional denervation of myofibers. Our results provide promising insights into possible mechanisms of myofiber degeneration in IBM and suggest a selective type 2 fiber vulnerability linked to genomic stress and denervation pathways.

Study EGAS50000000310

Reconstructing oral cavity tumor evolution through brush biopsy

Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) with genomic alterations have a heightened risk of evolving into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Currently, genomic data are typically obtained through invasive tissue biopsy. However, brush biopsy is a non-invasive method that has been utilized for identifying dysplastic cells in OPMD but its effectiveness in reflecting the genomic landscape of OPMDs remains uncertain. This pilot study investigates the potential of brush biopsy samples in accurately reconstructing the genomic profile and tumor evolution in a patient with both OPMD and OSCC. We analyzed single nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number aberrations (CNAs), and subclonal architectures in paired tissue and brush biopsy samples. The results showed that brush biopsy effectively captured 90% of SNVs and had similar CNA profiles as those seen in its paired tissue biopsies in all lesions. It was specific, as normal buccal mucosa did not share these genomic alterations. Interestingly, brush biopsy revealed shared SNVs and CNAs between the distinct OPMD and OSCC lesions from the same patient, indicating a common ancestral origin. Subclonal reconstruction confirmed this shared ancestry, followed by divergent evolution of the lesions. These findings highlight the potential of brush biopsies in accurately representing the genomic profile of OPL and OSCC, proving insight into reconstructing tumor evolution.

Study EGAS50000000602

IMPRESS: Improved methylation profiling using restriction enzymes and smMIP sequencing, combined with a new biomarker panel, creating a multi-cancer detection assay

Background Despite the worldwide progress in cancer diagnostics, more sensitive diagnostic biomarkers are needed. The methylome has been extensively investigated in the last decades, but a low-cost, bisulfite-free detection method for multiplex analysis is still lacking. Methods We developed a methylation detection technique called IMPRESS, which combines methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and single-molecule Molecular Inversion Probes. We used this technique for the development of a multi-cancer detection assay for eight of the most lethal cancer types worldwide. We selected 1791 CpG sites that can distinguish tumor from normal tissue based on DNA methylation. These sites were analysed with IMPRESS in 35 blood, 111 tumor and 114 normal samples. Finally, a classifier model was built. Results We present the successful development of IMPRESS and validated it with ddPCR. The final classifier model discriminating tumor from normal samples was built with 358 CpG target sites and reached a sensitivity of 0.95 and a specificity of 0.91. Moreover, we provide data that highlight IMPRESS’s potential for liquid biopsies. Conclusions We successfully created an innovative DNA methylation detection technique. By combining this method with a new multi-cancer biomarker panel, we developed a sensitive and specific multi-cancer assay, with potential use in liquid biopsies.

Study EGAS50000000624

Melanoma Genome Sequencing Project

Melanoma is the most prevalent cause of skin cancer morbidity and mortality. In order to characterize the full range of somatic mutations that may drive the growth of melanoma, we are sequencing tumor and normal DNA from a set of roughly 150 melanomas. For the majority of samples (approximately 90% of the cases), mutations in protein coding genes will be assessed in the exonic DNA of tumor-normal pairs using hybrid capture and paired-end DNA sequencing. For a few of DNA samples (approximately 10% of the cases), the entire genomes will be analyzed to assess the possible contribution of complex structural rearrangements contributing to oncogenesis. The sequencing data are supplemented by copy number profiling on the same tumors using high-density SNP arrays. Integration of these approaches will enable the unbiased and comprehensive characterization of both known and novel recurrent DNA alterations that arise in melanoma.Versions 1-4 contain whole exome and bulk RNA sequencing data for patients with melanoma.Version 5 - We compared somatic genomic profiles from matched pre-treatment and post-resistance tumor biopsies in patients with metastatic melanoma who exhibited heterogeneous responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This version includes whole exome sequencing (WES) data from 14 patients.

Study phs000452

snRNA: A Cultured Leukemia Stem Cell Model Enables Validation of CDK6 as a Stemness Target Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a group of aggressive hematological malignancies, the clinical management of which is made challenging due to the persistence of rare and therapy resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) which serve as a source of disease relapse and poor outcomes. There are currently a paucity of methods to reliably enrich and study LSCs, hindering the development of therapies that specifically target LSCs. In this study, we deeply characterize the OCI-AML8227 culture model, which maintains a functional stemness hierarchy originating from its highly primitive CD34⁺CD38⁻ cells, to elucidate LSC biology and uncover LSC-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities. We analyzed both bulk and single-cell proteomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics to generate a LSC protein-protein interaction network, which was then integrated with an LSC-focused small molecule screen using this model. From these findings, CDK6 was discovered as a therapeutic vulnerability specific to LSCs, which was validated in findings from the BEAT-AML cohort and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) panel of AML samples through palbociclib treatment. Taken together, our studies validate CDK6 as a druggable vulnerability in LSCs, and authenticate OCI-AML8227 cells as a LSC target discovery engine.

Study EGAS50000000786

bulk ATACseq: A Cultured Leukemia Stem Cell Model Enables Validation of CDK6 as a Stemness Target Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a group of aggressive hematological malignancies, the clinical management of which is made challenging due to the persistence of rare and therapy resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) which serve as a source of disease relapse and poor outcomes. There are currently a paucity of methods to reliably enrich and study LSCs, hindering the development of therapies that specifically target LSCs. In this study, we deeply characterize the OCI-AML8227 culture model, which maintains a functional stemness hierarchy originating from its highly primitive CD34⁺CD38⁻ cells, to elucidate LSC biology and uncover LSC-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities. We analyzed both bulk and single-cell proteomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics to generate a LSC protein-protein interaction network, which was then integrated with an LSC-focused small molecule screen using this model. From these findings, CDK6 was discovered as a therapeutic vulnerability specific to LSCs, which was validated in findings from the BEAT-AML cohort and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) panel of AML samples through palbociclib treatment. Taken together, our studies validate CDK6 as a druggable vulnerability in LSCs, and authenticate OCI-AML8227 cells as a LSC target discovery engine.

Study EGAS50000000787

scATAC: A Cultured Leukemia Stem Cell Model Enables Validation of CDK6 as a Stemness Target Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a group of aggressive hematological malignancies, the clinical management of which is made challenging due to the persistence of rare and therapy resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) which serve as a source of disease relapse and poor outcomes. There are currently a paucity of methods to reliably enrich and study LSCs, hindering the development of therapies that specifically target LSCs. In this study, we deeply characterize the OCI-AML8227 culture model, which maintains a functional stemness hierarchy originating from its highly primitive CD34⁺CD38⁻ cells, to elucidate LSC biology and uncover LSC-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities. We analyzed both bulk and single-cell proteomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics to generate a LSC protein-protein interaction network, which was then integrated with an LSC-focused small molecule screen using this model. From these findings, CDK6 was discovered as a therapeutic vulnerability specific to LSCs, which was validated in findings from the BEAT-AML cohort and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) panel of AML samples through palbociclib treatment. Taken together, our studies validate CDK6 as a druggable vulnerability in LSCs, and authenticate OCI-AML8227 cells as a LSC target discovery engine.

Study EGAS50000000788

bulk RNA-seq: A Cultured Leukemia Stem Cell Model Enables Validation of CDK6 as a Stemness Target Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a group of aggressive hematological malignancies, the clinical management of which is made challenging due to the persistence of rare and therapy resistant leukemia stem cells (LSCs) which serve as a source of disease relapse and poor outcomes. There are currently a paucity of methods to reliably enrich and study LSCs, hindering the development of therapies that specifically target LSCs. In this study, we deeply characterize the OCI-AML8227 culture model, which maintains a functional stemness hierarchy originating from its highly primitive CD34⁺CD38⁻ cells, to elucidate LSC biology and uncover LSC-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities. We analyzed both bulk and single-cell proteomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics to generate a LSC protein-protein interaction network, which was then integrated with an LSC-focused small molecule screen using this model. From these findings, CDK6 was discovered as a therapeutic vulnerability specific to LSCs, which was validated in findings from the BEAT-AML cohort and a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) panel of AML samples through palbociclib treatment. Taken together, our studies validate CDK6 as a druggable vulnerability in LSCs, and authenticate OCI-AML8227 cells as a LSC target discovery engine.

Study EGAS50000000789

Human inflammatory cardiomyopathies following SARS-CoV2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination

Title: The cellular and molecular responses in human inflammatory cardiomyopathies following SARS-CoV2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. Abstract: Abstract: Myocarditis is a cardiac disorder with multiple etiologies characterised by inflammatory cell infiltration and can occur after SARS-CoV-2 infection or rarely following mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms driving these pathologies remain poorly understood.Here we performed single-nucleus-RNA-sequencing in left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies from patients with Non-COVID-19 myocarditis, following SARS-CoV-2 infection (Post-COVID-19) and COVID-19 vaccination (Post-Vaccination). We detected specific cytokine expression patterns highlighting a particular role of interferon-γ in Post-COVID-19 and upregulated IL16 and IL18 expression as a Post-Vaccination hallmark. While the myeloid response was similar between groups, CD4+T-cell proportions were higher in Post-Vaccination and cytotoxic CD8+T and NK cells expanded in Post-COVID-19. Endothelial cells showed gene expression changes suggestive of vascular barrier function deficiency in Post-COVID-19 and angiogenesis response to cardiac inflammation in all groups. Together, our results illuminate shared and distinct cellular and molecular architectures of Non-COVID-19, Post-COVID-19 and Post-Vaccination associated myocardial inflammation in human hearts.

Study EGAS50000000769

Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS)

The Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS), phase III, is a population-based study aiming to understand the social and molecular correlates of breast cancer outcomes, particularly among Black and young women. CBCS recruited first primary breast cancer cases from 44 North Carolina counties between 2008-2013. All cases were between age 20 and 74 and self-identified as female. Black women and young women were systematically oversampled by randomized recruitment such that the study includes approximately 50% Black women and approximately 50% women diagnosed before age 50. A total of 2,998 participants were enrolled. In the ten years following diagnosis, women completed surveys approximately every 1-2 years and diagnoses of subsequent distant local recurrence and second primary tumors were ascertained via linked medical records. We identified records of women who developed secondary breast tumors (including second primary tumors, contralateral breast cancers, and locoregional recurrences), and these participants were oversampled for targeted DNA sequencing using the UNCseq panel (~1200 genes).CBCS germline pathogenic mutations cannot be investigated because participants were consented between 2008 and 2013 with specific language prohibiting this. However, germline data can be used to call somatic mutations or to standardize somatic genomic data.For sharing of study data not included here, please visit unclineberger.org for instructions on submitting a data use agreement.

Study phs003725

Use of new methodologies to achieve a thorough molecular characterization in pediatric acute leukemia

In childhood leukemia, a better genetic characterization is needed to define new clinic-biological entities, refine the risk-stratification of patients and help to reduce the toxicity by applying a risk-directed therapy. This project aims to obtain information that will allow us to personalize the management of pediatric patients with leukemia as much as possible, so that we can offer a complete diagnosis, a sensitive follow-up and a more targeted treatment to the real risk of each case. The use of massive genome analysis technologies such as transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Sequencing) will allow a comprehensive biological characterization of pediatric leukemia patients, especially those cases that we have not been able to characterize by conventional diagnostic techniques. We believe that the RNA-Seq technique will allow us to identify new biomarkers that will be useful for: 1) defining new biological entities with their own clinical behavior; 2) refining the stratification of patients into risk groups; 3) finding targets for a better follow-up of MRD and 4) identifying therapeutic targets for the application of targeted therapies to reduce toxicity. PI: Camós-Guijosa, Mireia; Vega-García, Nerea Funding: PI21/00213 Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)

Study EGAS50000000701

JAK Inhibitor Withdrawal Causes a Transient Proinflammatory Cascade: A Potential Mechanism for Major Adverse Cardiac Events

This is a study of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from salivary glands. The salivary glands were derived from participants who had dry eye or dry mouth symptoms but did not have evidence of systemic autoimmune disease (sicca controls). The aim of the study was to determine the effects of Type I and Type II Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors (JAKinibs) withdrawal on these cells in vitro. The MSCs were treated in vitro with a) IFN-gamma (10 ng/mL) for the entire duration, b) IFN-gamma (10 ng/mL) and withdrawal of ruxolitinib (1 µM), c) IFN-gamma (10 ng/mL) and withdrawal CHZ-868 (1 µM), and d) IFN-gamma (10 ng/mL) and ruxolitinib (1 µM) for the entire duration. For the drug (CHZ-868 and ruxolitinib) conditions, after IFN-gamma treatment for 48 hours, we washed the cells with PBS and treated them with standard growth media with 0.01% DMSO, 10 ng/mL IFN-gamma + 0.01% DMSO, or 10 ng/mL IFN-gamma + JAKinib for 48 hours. For withdrawal conditions, we washed the cells twice and then treated them with standard growth media with either 0.01% DMSO or with 10 ng/mL IFN-gamma + 0.01% DMSO for 24 hours before harvest.

Study phs003915

Transcriptome sequencing of human colon organoid after co-cultivation with Bifidobacterium longum

The large intestine has a dense milieu of indigenous bacteria, generating a complex ecosystem with crosstalk between individual bacteria and host cells. In vitro host cell modeling and bacterial interactions at the anaerobic interphase have elucidated the crosstalk molecular basis. Although classical cell lines derived from patients with colorectal cancer including Caco-2 cells are used, whether they adequately mimic normal colonic epithelial physiology is unclear. To address this, we performed transcriptome profiling of Caco-2 and Monolayer cells derived from healthy Human Colonic Organoid (MHCO) cultured hemi-anaerobically. Coculture with the anaerobic gut bacteria, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum differentiated the probiotic effects of test cells from those of physiologically normal intestinal and colorectal cancer cells. We cataloged non- or overlapping gene signatures where gene profiles of Caco-2 cells represented absorptive cells in the small intestinal epithelium, and MHCO cells showed complete colonic epithelium signature, including stem/progenitor, goblet, and enteroendocrine cells colonocytes. Characteristic gene expression changes related to lipid metabolism, inflammation, and cell-cell adhesion were observed in cocultured live Bifidobacterium longum and Caco-2 or MHCO cells. B. longum-stimulated MHCO cells exhibited barrier-enhancing characteristics, as demonstrated in clinical trials. Our data represent a valuable resource for understanding gut microbe and host cell communication.

Study JGAS000740

Spatial transcriptomics elucidates medulla niche supporting germinal center response in myasthenia gravis thymoma

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is known to be epidemiologically associated with abnormalities of the thymus, an organ that maintains central tolerance. However, due to the complexity of the thymus, specific characteristics related to the pathogenesis of MG remain elusive. In our study, we attempted to narrow down the features associated with MG using spatial transcriptome analysis of thymoma and thymic hyperplasia samples. We found that the majority of thymomas were constituted by the cortical region, whereas the medullary region was localized in comparatively restricted areas. Moreover, the medullary region contained polygenic enrichment, MG-specific germinal center structures, and a supporting immune microenvironment. Additionally, neuromuscular medullary thymic epithelial cells (nmTECs), previously identified as MG-specific autoantigen-producing cells, were situated at the cortico-medullary junction. The immune microenvironment in the medulla was characterized by a specific chemokine pattern and specific immune cells, such as CCR7+ migratory dendritic cells (migDCs) and effector regulatory T (Treg) cells. Furthermore, similar germinal center structures and immune microenvironments were observed in the medulla during thymic hyperplasia. This study indicates that the medulla and junction areas are related to the pathology of MG, suggesting that these areas should be the focus of future studies on MG pathogenesis and drug targeting.

Study JGAS000672

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

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

Study phs004031

Drug Development against Tumor Microtube Networks in Glioblastoma

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

Study EGAS50000000477

Genomic and Genetic Analysis of Brain Tumors and Analysis of Their Clinicopathological Significance

The treatment outcome of glioma patients remains disappointing, and more studies are needed to improve therapeutic strategies. In particular, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying resistance to treatment and malignant transformation, as well as the intratumoral heterogeneity and interaction of tumor cells and host immunity. Recent advances in omics analysis techniques, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), have enabled us to obtain omics data more easily and accelerated our ability to integrate this information and precisely characterize cases. In our project, we have already collected more than 100 pairs of human glioma/normal tissue samples, of which some are multiple specimens collected from initial and recurrent tumors, and some include multiple specimens collected from different regions within a single tumor. We used our in-house algorithms, composed of alignment and variant calling programs, to analyze omics data from multiple platforms, such as whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and methylation array, with our original cohort of glioma patients. Using several informatics tools, the information about genetic and epigenetic status and expression signatures were analyzed. Those data are expected to provide key information for investigating the mechanisms discussed above. Through this project, we hope to improve strategies for personalized therapy based on comprehensive omics data.

Study JGAS000004

Phylogenetic analysis of paired breast carcinomas identifies genetic events associated with clonal recurrence and invasive progression

Development of ipsilateral breast carcinoma following diagnosis of breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has been assumed to represent recurrence of the primary tumour. However, this may not be the case and it is important to know how often recurrences are new tumours. Ipsilateral primary-recurrence pairs (n=78) were sequenced to test their clonal relatedness. Shared genetic events were identified from whole exome sequencing (n=54 pairs) using haplotype-specific copy number and phylogenetic analysis. The remaining pairs were sequenced by a targeted panel or low-coverage whole genome sequencing. We included 32 non-recurrent DCIS to compare recurrent and non-recurrent disease. We found that 7% of DCIS recurrences were non-clonal by whole exome sequencing, indicative of a new breast carcinoma. Lower resolution methods detected a higher non-clonality rate (29%). Comparing primary DCIS with their recurrences found that evolution of DCIS to invasive disease was associated with increased ploidy and copy number events. TP53 mutations were enriched in DCIS with clonal recurrence compared with non-recurrent DCIS. Our results verify that de novo “recurrent tumours” of independent origin occur in patients who may be at high risk. (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.19.594731v2.full)

Study EGAS50000001298

Development of New Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Prevention Methods for Personalized Medicine Based on Comprehensive Cancer-Related Gene Exome Analysis and Information Analysis Using Cancer Specimens Stored in TMDU Biobank.

Biobanked tumor samples are a valuable resource in real-world solid tumor research. Panel-based genomic profiling enables the identification of clinically significant alterations that inform personalized diagnostic and treatment decisions. This study aimed to characterize the genomic landscape of solid tumors collected through the TMDU Biobank by summarizing mutational, copy number, and gene fusion alterations in a large and diverse patient cohort. This dataset contains summary-level genomic information from 1,996 tumor samples analyzed by ACT Genomics and ACT med using the ACTOnco Comprehensive 440-Gene Cancer Panel. Data provided includes (1) gene-level mutation counts, (2) a summary of copy number alterations, and (3) a summary of detected fusion events. Clinical attributes such as ICD-10 codes, age group, sex, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI) status were included at the aggregate level. Summary statistics were generated from three source tables (gene, sample, and copy number data) using standardized processing rules. Due to contractual and ethical considerations, individual-level mutation locations and raw sequence data are not included; only summary-level information is provided. This dataset will support future research in tumor-type-specific genomic patterns, molecular characterization of solid malignancies, and precision oncology.

Study JGAS000863

LySeqST: A targeted sequencing assay for robust genomic classification of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a biologically heterogeneous disease. Two genomic classification systems, LymphGen and DLBclass, are capable of reproducibly classifying single tumors into subtypes with prognostic relevance in the context of standard-of-care R-CHOP chemoimmunotherapy. Preliminary data from subgroup analyses of clinical trials suggest that the distinct biological features are targetable with drugs that exploit subtype-specific vulnerabilities, and large clinical trials are being designed to test this hypothesis. Although whole exome sequencing (WES) remains the gold standard for each of these classification systems, many laboratories may opt for smaller targeted sequencing panels that reduce costs associated with sequencing, data storage, and processing. Here, we describe the design and validation of a targeted sequencing panel (LySeqST) that captures the genomic features required specifically for LymphGen classification. We perform in silico and real-world validation vs. WES data and demonstrate that LySeqST can be used to accurately classify DLBCL tumors. In an unselected population-based cohort, we determine the real-world proportions and validate the prognostic relevance of LymphGen subtypes, confirming that only tumors expressing the dark zone gene expression signature are consistently associated with inferior outcomes. Our results support the use of LySeqST for accurate genomic classification of DLBCL.

Study EGAS50000001601

Genentech Colon Cancer Screen

Identifying and understanding changes in cancer genomes is essential for the development of targeted therapeutics. Here we analyse systematically more than 70 pairs of primary human colon tumours by applying next-generation sequencing to characterize their exomes, transcriptomes and copy-number alterations. We have identified 36,303 protein-altering somatic changes that include several new recurrent mutations in the Wnt pathway gene TCF7L2, chromatin-remodelling genes such as TET2 and TET3 and receptor tyrosine kinases including ERBB3. Our analysis for significantly mutated cancer genes identified 23 candidates, including the cell cycle checkpoint kinase ATM. Copy-number and RNA-seq data analysis identified amplifications and corresponding overexpression of IGF2 in a subset of colon tumours. Furthermore, using RNA-seq data we identified multiple fusion transcripts including recurrent gene fusions involving R-spondin family members RSPO2 and RSPO3 that together occur in 10% of colon tumours. The RSPO fusions were mutually exclusive with APC mutations, indicating that they probably have a role in the activation of Wnt signalling and tumorigenesis. Consistent with this we show that the RSPO fusion proteins were capable of potentiating Wnt signalling. The R-spondin gene fusions and several other gene mutations identified in this study provide new potential opportunities for therapeutic intervention in colon cancer.

Study EGAS00001000288

Single cell sequencing of breast cancer T cells reveals a tissue-resident memory subset associated with improved prognosis

The quantity of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer (BC) is a robust prognostic factor for improved patient survival particularly in triple negative and HER2-overexpressing BC subtypes. Whilst T cells are the predominant TIL population, the relationship between quantitative and qualitative differences in T cell subpopulations and patient prognosis remains unknown. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 6311 T cells isolated from human BCs, and show for the first time that significant heterogeneity exists in the infiltrating T cell population. We demonstrated that high TIL BCs contained significant numbers of CD8+ T cells with features of tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cell differentiation and that these CD8+ TRM cells expressed high levels of immune checkpoint molecules and effector proteins. A CD8+ TRM gene signature developed from the scRNA-seq data was significantly associated with improved patient survival in early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and provided better prognostication compared with CD8 expression alone. Our data suggests that CD8+ TRM contribute to BC immunosurveillance and are the key targets of modulation through immune checkpoint inhibition. Further understanding of the development, maintenance and regulation of TRM cells will be crucial for successful immunotherapeutic development in BC.

Study EGAS00001002845

Molecular characteristics in Burkitt lymphoma over age groups

Treatment optimization has improved the overall survival in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) patients but there are still relevant outcome differences between pediatric and adult patients. In both age groups survival remains poor for patients who suffer relapse. Therefore, new treatment approaches are warranted to improve survival. Thus, we conducted a comparative study in the largest pediatric cohort to date including 191 cases and 97 samples from adult patients and analyzed the mutational landscape. We detected overlapping molecular profiles but also significant differences in the mutational pattern. Samples from pediatric patients show a higher frequency of mutations in ID3, DDX3X and BAF-complex components ARID1A and SMARCA4, while YY1AP1 and BCL2 are more frequently mutated in cases from adult BL patients. Correlation of the mutational profile with clinical data was available for the pediatric cohort and identified TP53 mutations to be highly significantly associated with the incidence of relapse thus identifying the first molecular marker to be associated with the incidence of relapse in pediatric BL. As the hotspot analysis of TP53 mutations showed mostly gain of function mutations, it is tempting to speculate that drugs decreasing the amount of malignant TP53 or increase the abundance of wildtype TP53 could be a promising approach for future treatment regimens to further improve prognosis.

Study EGAS00001005270

The PEMDAC phase 2 study of pembrolizumab and entinostat in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma

Patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) have an abysmal prognosis. Preclinical studies have suggested that epigenetic therapy could enhance immunogenicity of cancer cells. Here we test if epigenetic therapy would enhance PD-1 immunotherapy in patients with metastatic UM. We report the results of the PEMDAC phase 2 clinical trial (n=29; NCT02697630) where the HDAC inhibitor entinostat was combined with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic UM. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), and was met with an ORR of 14%. The clinical benefit rate at 18 weeks was 28%, median progression free survival was 2.1 months and the median overall survival was 13.4 months. Toxicities were manageable, and there were no treatment-related deaths. Extensive genomics studies were performed using DNA/RNA and single cell sequencing and flow cytometry. Objective responses and prolonged survival were seen in three patients with BAP1 wildtype tumors, and in one patient with an iris melanoma that exhibited a UV signature. Longer survival also correlated with low baseline ctDNA levels or LDH. In conclusion, HDAC inhibition and anti-PD1 immunotherapy results in durable responses in a subset of patients with metastatic UM. Further exploration of combined immunotherapy and epigenetic therapy in metastatic UM is warranted.

Study EGAS00001005478

Accurate sample assignment in a multiplexed, ultra-sensitive, high-throughput sequencing assay for minimal residual disease

High throughput sequencing (HTS) (next generation sequencing) of the rearranged immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes promises to be cheaper and more sensitive than current methods for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, adoption of new approaches by clinical laboratories requires careful evaluation of all potential sources of error and the development of strategies to ensure the highest accuracy. Timely and efficient clinical use of HTS platforms will depend on combining multiple samples (multiplexing) in each sequencing run. Here we examine immunoglobulin heavy chain gene HTS on the Illumina MiSeq platform for MRD (HTS-MRD). We identify errors associated with multiplexing that could potentially impact on the accuracy of MRD analysis. We optimise a strategy combining high purity, sequence-optimised oligonucleotides, dual-indexing and an error-aware demultiplexing approach to minimise errors and maximise sensitivity. We present a probability-based demultiplexing pipeline, Error-Aware Demultiplexer (EAD) - that is suitable for all MiSeq sequencing strategies and accurately assigns samples to the correct identifier without excessive loss of data. Finally using controls quantified by digital PCR, we show that HTS-MRD can accurately detect as few as 1 in 106 copies of specific leukemic MRD.

Study EGAS00001001303

Tumor-derived exosomes modulate PD-L1 expression in monocytes

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), monocytes and macrophages are skewed toward protumorigenic phenotypes, including the release of tumor-supportive cytokines and the expression of immunosuppressive molecules such as programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1). To understand the mechanism driving protumorigenic skewing in CLL, we evaluated the role of tumor cell–derived exosomes in the cross-talk with monocytes. We carried out RNA sequencing and proteome analyses of CLL-derived exosomes and identified noncoding Y RNA hY4 as a highly abundant RNA species that is enriched in exosomes from plasma of CLL patients compared with healthy donor samples. Transfer of CLL-derived exosomes or hY4 alone to monocytes resulted in key CLL-associated phenotypes, including the release of cytokines, such as C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL4, and interleukin-6, and the expression of PD-L1. These responses were abolished in Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7)–deficient monocytes, suggesting exosomal hY4 as a driver of TLR7 signaling. Pharmacologic inhibition of endosomal TLR signaling resulted in a substantially reduced activation of monocytes in vitro and attenuated CLL development in vivo. Our results indicate that exosome-mediated transfer of noncoding RNAs to monocytes contributes to cancer-related inflammation and concurrent immune escape via PD-L1 expression.

Study EGAS00001002377

Ethiopia_Genome_Project__high_coverage_

The Ethiopian area stands among the most ancient ones ever occupied by human populations and their ancestors. Particularly, according to archaeological evidences, it is possible to trace back the presence of Hominids up to at least 3 million years ago. Furthermore, the present day human populations show a great cultural, linguistic and historic diversity which makes them essential candidate to investigate a considerable part of the African variability. Following the typing of 300 Ethiopian samples on Illumina Omni 1M (see Human Variability in Ethiopia project, previously approved by the Genotyping committee) we now have a clearer idea on which populations living in the area include the most of the diversity.This project therefore aims to sequence the whole genome of 300 individuals at low (4-8x) depth belonging to the six most representative populations of the Ethiopian area to produce a unique catalogue of variants peculiar of the North East Africa. Furthermore 6 samples (one from each population) will also be sequenced at high (30x) depth to ensure full coverage of the diversity spectrum.The retrieved variants will be of great help in evaluating the demographic dynamics of those populations as well as shedding light on the migrations out of Africa.

Study EGAS00001000237

Allele Balance Bias Identifies Systematic Genotyping Errors and False Disease Associations

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

Study EGAS00001003027

The Genomic Landscape of Core-Binding Factor Acute Myeloid Leukemias

Pediatric de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease that can be divided into clinically distinct subtypes based on the presence of specific chromosomal abnormalities or gene alterations. One of the best characterized subtypes of AML involves leukemias with alterations of the core-binding factor (CBF)-complex, which comprises the FAB subtypes M2 and M4Eo and associates with a favorable outcome. Patients with the AML M2 subtype harbor a translocation between chromosomes 8 and 21 [t(8;21)] that yields the chimeric fusion gene RUNX1(AML1)-RUNX1T1(ETO), while patients with AML M4Eo express the chimeric fusion gene CBFβ-SMMHC(MYH11) as a result of an inversion/translocation event of chromosome 16 [inv(16)/t(16;16)]. In an effort to define the total complement of genetic changes in CBF-leukemia, we performed paired-end whole genome sequencing (WGS) on diagnostic leukemia blasts and matched germ line samples from 17 pediatric CBF-leukemia patients using the Illumina platform. Somatic alterations, including single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and structural variations (SVs), including insertions, deletions, inversions, and inter- and intra-chromosomal rearrangements, were detected using complementary analysis pipelines (Bambino, CREST and CONSERTING). Recurrent screening of identified mutations will be performed in a cohort of approximately 94 cases of CBF-leukemias.

Study EGAS00001000349

An RCOR1 loss-associated gene expression signature identifies a prognostically significant DLBCL subgroup

Effective treatment of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is plagued by heterogeneous responses to standard therapy, and molecular mechanisms underlying unfavorable outcomes in lymphoma patients remain elusive. Here, we profiled 148 genomes with 91 matching transcriptomes in an R-CHOP-treated DLBCL cohort to uncover molecular subgroups linked to treatment failure. Systematic integration of high-resolution genotyping arrays and RNA-seq data revealed novel deletions in RCOR1 to be associated with unfavorable progression free survival (P = 0.001). Integration of expression data from the clinical samples with data from RCOR1 knockdowns in the lymphoma cell lines KM-H2 and Raji yielded an RCOR1 loss-associated gene signature comprising of 233 genes. This signature identified a subgroup of patients with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (P = 0.023). The prognostic significance of the 233-gene signature for OS was reproduced in an independent cohort comprising of 195 R- CHOP treated patients (P = 0.039). Additionally, we discovered that within the IPI low risk group, the gene signature provides additional prognostic value that was independent of the cell-of-origin phenotype. Taken together, we present a novel and reproducible molecular subgroup of DLBCL, impacting risk-stratification of R- CHOP treated DLBCL patients and revealing a new avenue for therapeutic intervention strategies.

Study EGAS00001001000

Recurrent somatic JAK-STAT mutations within a novel RUNX1-mutated pedigree

The acquisition of somatic mutations is an emerging field of investigation in familial leukemia. Currently, genetic profiles in familial MDS/AML are considered analogous to sporadic disease, although the patterns of clonal evolution within families are poorly defined. We performed whole exome profiling of tumour samples from a novel RUNX1 mutated family, to determine the stepwise evolution of MDS/AML across 4 young siblings. Three siblings developed monocytic AML/RAEB2 at 5 years of age, with hepatosplenomegaly and somatic mutations upregulating JAK-STAT signalling, the latter are typically detected in <5% of sporadic MDS/AML. Two siblings acquired the canonical JAK2 V617F mutation, while another acquired a unique missense mutation of SH2B3, a negative regulator of JAK2. Notably, 2/3 siblings demonstrated dosage amplification of these mutations due to acquired uniparental disomy of chromosomes 9p and 12q (encompassing JAK2 and SH2B3, respectively). All 4 siblings were heterozygous for the 46/1 JAK2 haplotype associated with predisposition to sporadic V617F myeloproliferative disorders, which likely influenced the acquisition of JAK2 mutations. Our findings provide further evidence that relatives with shared germline mutations may acquire somatic mutations in a non-random manner leading to convergent patterns of disease evolution.

Study EGAS00001001862

Rapid identification of somatic genome rearrangements as personalized biomarkers for blood-based cancer monitoring

Increasing evidence shows the value of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to detect cancer and monitor its progression. Somatic genomic structural variations (SVs) are promising personalized biomarkers for sensitive and specific detection of ctDNA in liquid biopsies. However, accurate, affordable, and fast identification of such SV biomarkers is challenging, which hinders routine use in the clinic. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach - termed SHARC - for rapid discovery of somatic SV breakpoints as personalized tumour biomarkers. SHARC combines low-coverage cancer genome sketching by using Oxford Nanopore portable sequencing with a random forest classification and a dedicated filtering pipeline to enrich for somatic SVs. Our method leverages the real-time and long-read capabilities of Nanopore sequencing to identify somatic SV breakpoints at nucleotide resolution from a tumour biopsy within two days. We applied SHARC to tumour samples of high-grade ovarian and prostate cancer and validated on average 10 somatic SVs per sample with the use of PCR mini-amplicons. Finally, we demonstrate that these somatic SV biomarkers can be used to detect tumour presence from liquid biopsies in a quantitative manner and we retrospectively monitored treatment response in patients with prostate cancer, demonstrating its potential benefit for clinical practice.

Study EGAS00001003963

Genomics of enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma (EATL)

Enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma (EATL) is a lethal and the most common neoplastic complication of celiac disease. In this study, we applied whole exome sequencing in 69 EATL tumors to define the genetic landscape of EATLs. The most frequently mutated gene in EATL was SETD2 (32% of cases), with loss of function mutations comprising a large proportion (41%) of those mutations. The JAK-STAT pathway was the most frequently mutated signaling pathway, with mutations in STAT5B being the most common, followed by JAK1, JAK3, STAT3, and the negative regulator of the pathway, SOCS1. We also identified mutations in NRAS and KRAS, as well as TP53 and TERT. Interestingly, the two types of EATL had highly overlapping genetic alterations indicating shared mechanisms underlying their pathogenesis. Gene expression analysis of the two types of EATL identify robust differences in transcriptional profiles. We further modeled the effects of SETD2 loss in vivo by developing a T cell specific knockout mouse model. These mice manifested an expansion of γδ T cells that identify novel roles for SETD2 in T cell development and lymphomagenesis. Together, our data render the most comprehensive genetic portrait yet of this uncommon but lethal disease, and may inform future classification schemes.

Study EGAS00001001954

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

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

Study EGAS00001004093

High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinomas Originate in the Fallopian Tube

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most frequent type of ovarian cancer and has a poor outcome. It has been proposed that fallopian tube cancers may be precursors of HGSOC but evolutionary evidence for this hypothesis has been limited. To provide insights into the origins of HGSOC, we We performed whole-exome sequence and copy number analyses of laser-capture microdissected fallopian tube lesions (p53 signatures, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), and fallopian tube carcinomas), ovarian cancers, and metastases from nine patients with HGSOC. The majority of tumor-specific sequence and structural alterations in ovarian cancers were present in STICs, including those affecting TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2 or PTEN genes. An eEvolutionary analyseis revealed that p53 signatures and STICs were are the precursors of ovarian carcinoma which in turn gave rise to metastatic lesionsand identify a. In one patient we identified a second STIC as a metastasis in the fallopian tube opposite from the affected ovary. These analyses revealed a window of seven years between the development of a STIC and the initiation of ovarian carcinomas, with development of metastases following rapidly thereafter. Our results provide insights into the etiology of ovarian cancer and have implications for the prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention of this disease.

Study EGAS00001002589

Mapping_gene_environment_interactions_in_macrophages

Immune cells sense and respond to external stimuli such as pathogens and initiate an inflammatory response. Genetic variants altering the behaviour and responses of immune cells may inform the results of disease association studies and provide an insight into the regulation of immune response. Studies mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) are usually performed in quiescent or naïve cells and therefore any variants with a condition-specific manner (e.g. those with an effect only detectable in a specific time-point after cell stimulation) are likely to remain undiscovered. So far, only a handful of studies have attempted to study QTL in multiple states and even on those studies the number of states has remained relatively low (<5). Only very recently Horst and colleagues published the largest study to date investigating the effect of host variable (e.g. age, sex, contraceptive use etc.) on protein levels in macrophages stimulated with 19 different conditions (Horst et al, 2016). This project aims to develop a high-throughput experimental platform to detect QTL in a large number of states using iPSC derived macrophages. 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 EGAS00001002268

6176 results for "get fc 26 coins Buyfc26coins.com is FC 26 coins official site..4xt1"

in 25.78 milliseconds.