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• H3.3G34R/V-transformed interneuron progenitors co-opt PDGFRA for gliomagenesis

  Histone H3.3 glycine 34 to arginine/valine (H3.3G34R/V) mutations occur in deadly hemispheric high-grade gliomas. These tumors show exquisite regional and temporal specificity, suggesting a developmental context permissive to the effects of G34R/V mutations. Here we present the molecular landscape of G34R/V gliomas (n=85) and show that 50% bear activating mutations in PDGFRA, with strong selection pressure for PDGFRAMUT clones at recurrence. We show that G34R/V tumors arise in interneuron progenitors of the foetal ventral forebrain expressing GSX2 and the DLX family of homeobox transcription factors, where terminal neuronal differentiation is impaired through aberrant G34R/V-mediated H3K27me3. Frequent co-occurrence of G34R/V & PDGFRAMUT is facilitated in this interneuron lineage-of-origin as PDGFRA forms an aberrant chromatin loop with the adjacent GSX2, hijacking its active chromatin conformation. At the single-cell level, G34R/V tumours entirely lack oligodendroglial transcriptional programs prominent in other glioma entities, and instead harbour dual neuronal and astroglial compartments. CRISPR-removal of H3.3G34R/V does not impact tumorigenicity suggesting this mutation becomes dispensable, while PDGFRAMUT are potently oncogenic regardless of G34 mutation. Collectively, our results suggest that G34R/V gliomas arise in foetal interneuron progenitors unable to undergo terminal differentiation, enabling co-option of PDGFRA through inappropriate expression and activating mutations to promote gliogenesis and oncogenicity. Reliance on PDGFRA for oncogenesis may be of therapeutic opportunity in G34R/V glioma.

  Study EGAS00001004301

• The spatio-temporal evolution of lymph node spread in early breast cancer

  Purpose: The most significant prognostic factor in early breast cancer is lymph node involvement. This stage between localised and systemic disease is key to understanding breast cancer progression, however our knowledge of the evolution of lymph node malignant invasion remains limited, as most currently available data derive from primary tumours. Experimental design: In 11 treatment-naïve node positive early breast cancer patients without clinical evidence of distant metastasis, we investigated lymph node evolution using spatial multi-region sequencing (n=78 samples) of primary and lymph node deposits and genomic profiling of matched longitudinal circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA). Results: Linear evolution from primary to lymph node was rare (1/11) whereas the majority of cases displayed either early divergence between primary and nodes (4/11), or no detectable divergence (6/11) where both primary and nodal cells belonged to a single recent expansion of a metastatic clone. Divergence of metastatic subclones was driven in part by APOBEC. Longitudinal ctDNA samples from 2 subjects taken peri-operatively reflected the two major evolutionary patterns and demonstrate that private mutations can be detected even from early metastatic nodal deposits. Moreover, node removal resulted in disappearance of private lymph node mutations in ctDNA.Conclusions: This study sheds new light on a crucial evolutionary step in the natural history of breast cancer, demonstrating early establishment of axillary lymph node metastasis in a substantial proportion of patients.

  Study EGAS00001002947

• ICU_transcriptomics__Assessing_the_role_of_the_host_immune_response_in_patients_with_ventilator_associated_pneumonia

  The aim of the proposed project is to provide transcriptomic sequencing data analysis of cells isolated from bronchioalveolar lavage and blood samples from critically ill patients with pneumonia on an intensive care unit in order to investigate the host contribution to disease. The lung microbiome of these patients will be analysed in parallel by deep sequencing and 16S sequencing. These data will provide important information to the development of strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes, reducing the development of antimicrobial resistance and facilitating infection control measures in hospital. Specifically, the proposed work will be a proof of principle study of 100 patients. We will use transcriptomic data to define the host contribution to the symptoms of these critically ill patients diagnosed with pneumonia. The data will be correlated with cytokine/chemokine concentrations, routine microbiology analysis and pathogen genomic data from the same samples to determine the ecology of the lungs of these patients. We will look for associations between clinical features, host response and pathogen genomics in order to identify new diagnostic markers. This study should provide important information to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis - resulting in more targeted and successful treatment of critically ill patients in the ICU. 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 EGAS00001003074

• Exploiting evolutionary steering in cancer therapy

  Drug resistance, mediated by intra-tumour heterogeneity and clonal evolution, is arguably the biggest problem in cancer therapy today. However, evolving resistance to one drug may come at the cost of increased sensitivity to another due to so-called evolutionary trade-offs. This weakness can be exploited in the clinic using an approach called ‘evolutionary herding’ that aims at controlling the tumour cell population to delay or prevent resistance. However, model systems able to recapitulate cancer evolution experimentally are lacking and current in vitro techniques based on small populations, re-plating and escalating dose, are unsuitable to develop evolutionary herding strategies. We present a novel methodology for evolutionary herding in vitro and ex vivo using patient-derived organoids. Our approach is based on a combination of single-cell barcoding, very large populations of 108-109 cells grown without re-plating, realistic high drug doses, time-course monitoring of cancer clones, and mathematical modelling of tumour evolutionary dynamics. We demonstrate evolutionary herding in non-small cell lung cancer in vitro and in patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids (PDO). We show that herding causes controlled evolutionary bottlenecks that lead to collateral sensitivity. Through genomic analysis, we were also able to determine the mechanisms that drive such sensitivity. Our approach allows modelling evolutionary trade-offs experimentally to test patient-specific evolutionary herding strategies that can be translated into the clinic to control treatment resistance.

  Study EGAS00001003200

• Efficacy of JAK/STAT pathway inhibition in murine xenograft models of early T-cell precursor (ETP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Early T-cell precursor (ETP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a recently described subtype of T-ALL characterized by a unique immunophenotype and genomic profile as well as a high rate of induction failure. Frequent mutations in cytokine receptor and JAK/STAT signaling pathways led us to hypothesize that ETP-ALL is dependent on JAK/STAT signaling. Here we demonstrate aberrant activation of the JAK/STAT pathway in ETP-ALL blasts relative to non-ETP T-ALL. Moreover, ETP-ALL showed hyperactivation of STAT5 in response to IL7, an effect that was abrogated by the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. In vivo, ruxolitinib displayed activity in 6/6 patient-derived murine xenograft models of ETP-ALL, with profound single-agent efficacy in 5 models. Ruxolitinib treatment decreased peripheral blast counts relative to pre-treatment levels and compared to control (P<0.01) in 5/6 ETP-ALL xenografts, with marked reduction in mean splenic blast counts (P<0.01) in 6/6 samples. Surprisingly, both JAK/STAT pathway activation and ruxolitinib efficacy were independent of the presence of JAK/STAT pathway mutations, raising the possibility that the therapeutic potential of ruxolitinib in ETP-ALL extends beyond those cases with JAK mutations. These findings establish the preclinical in vivo efficacy of ruxolitinib in ETP-ALL, a biologically distinct subtype for which novel therapies are needed.

  Study EGAS00001001146

• RRBS sequencing of 7 tumour regions and a normal sample from a single TRACERx patient.

  Background: Epigenetic heterogeneity within a tumour can play an important role in tumour evolution and the emergence of resistance to treatment. It is increasingly recognised that the study of DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns along the genome - so-called `epialleles' - offers greater insight into epigenetic dynamics than conventional analyses which examine DNAm marks individually. Results: We have developed a Bayesian model to infer which epialleles are present in multiple regions of the same tumour. We apply our method to reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) data from multiple regions of one lung cancer tumour and a matched normal sample. The model borrows information from all tumour regions to leverage greater statistical power. The total number of epialleles, the epiallele DNAm patterns, and a noise hyperparameter are all automatically inferred from the data. Uncertainty as to which epiallele an observed sequencing read originated from is explicitly incorporated by marginalising over the appropriate posterior densities. The degree to which tumour samples are contaminated with normal tissue can be estimated and corrected for. By tracing the distribution of epialleles throughout the tumour we can infer the phylogenetic history of the tumour, identify epialleles that differ between normal and cancer tissue, and define a measure of global epigenetic disorder. Conclusions: Detection and comparison of epialleles within multiple tumour regions enables phylogenetic analyses, identification of differentially expressed epialleles, and provides a measure of epigenetic heterogeneity.

  Study EGAS00001002484

• Combining transcription factor binding affinities with open chromatin data for accurate gene expression prediction

  The binding and contribution of transcription factors (TF) to cell specific gene expression is often deduced from open-chromatin measurements to avoid cost and labour intensive TF ChIP-seq assays.It is important to develop reliable and fast computational methods for accurate TF binding prediction in open-chromatin regions (OCRs). Here, we report a novel segmentation-based method, TEPIC, to predict TF binding by combining sets of OCRs with position weight matrices.TEPIC can be applied to various open-chromatin data, e.g. DNaseI-seq and NOMe-seq, using either peaks or footprints as input.In addition to open-chromatin data, also Histone-Marks (HMs) can be used in TEPIC to identify candidate TF binding sites.TEPIC computes TF affinities and uses open-chromatin/HM signal intensity as quantitative measures of TF binding strength.Using machine learning techniques, we show that incorporating low affinity binding sites improves our ability to explain gene expression variability compared to the standard presence/absence classification of binding sites.Further, we show that both footprints and peaks capture essential TF binding events and lead to a good prediction performance.In our application, gene-based scores computed by TEPIC with one open-chromatin assay nearly reach the quality of several TF ChIP-seq datasets.Finally, we show that these scores correctly predict known transcriptional regulators as illustrated by the application to novel DNaseI-seq and NOMe-seq data for primary human hepatocytes and CD4+ T-cells, respectively.

  Study EGAS00001002073

• Atypical 3q26/MECOM rearrangements genocopy inv(3)/t(3;3) in acute myeloid leukemia

  Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with inv(3)/t(3;3)(q21q26) is a distinct WHO recognized entity, characterized by its aggressive course and poor prognosis. In this subtype of AML, the translocation of a GATA2 enhancer (3q21) to MECOM (3q26) results in overexpression of the MECOM isoform EVI1 and monoallelic expression of GATA2 from the unaffected allele. The full-length MECOM transcript, MDS1-EVI1, is not expressed as the result of the 3q26 rearrangement. Besides the classical inv(3)/t(3;3), a number of other 3q26/MECOM rearrangements with poor treatment response have been reported in AML. Here we demonstrate, in a group of 33 AML patients with atypical 3q26 rearrangements, MECOM involvement with EVI1 overexpression, but no or low MDS1-EVI1 levels. Moreover, the 3q26 translocations in these AML patients often involve super-enhancers of genes active in myeloid development (e.g. CD164, PROM1, CDK6 or MYC). In more than 50% of these cases allele specific GATA2 expression was observed, either by copy number loss or by an unexplained allelic imbalance. Altogether, atypical 3q26 recapitulate the main leukemic mechanism of inv(3)/t(3;3) AML, namely EVI1 overexpression driven by enhancer hijacking, absent MDS1-EVI1 expression and potential GATA2 involvement. Therefore, we conclude that both atypical 3q26/MECOM and inv(3)/t(3;3) can be classified as a single entity of 3q26-rearranged AMLs. Routine analyses determining MECOM rearrangements, EVI1 and MDS1-EVI1 expression are required to recognize 3q-rearranged AML cases.

  Study EGAS00001004325

• Partner-independent fusion gene detection by multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 enrichment and long-read Nanopore sequencing

  Fusion genes are hallmarks of various cancer types and important determinants for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment possibilities. The promiscuity of fusion genes with respect to partner choice and exact breakpoint-positions restricts their detection in the diagnostic setting, even for known and recurrent fusion gene configurations. To accurately identify these gene fusions in an unbiased manner, we developed FUDGE: a FUsion gene Detection assay from Gene Enrichment. FUDGE couples target-selected and strand-specific CRISPR/Cas9 activity for enrichment and detection of fusion gene drivers (e.g. BRAF, EWSR1, KMT2A/MLL) - without prior knowledge of fusion partner or breakpoint-location - to long-read Nanopore sequencing. FUDGE encompasses a dedicated bioinformatics approach (NanoFG) to detect fusion genes from Nanopore sequencing data. Our strategy is flexible with respect to target choice and enables multiplexed enrichment for simultaneous analysis of several genes in multiple samples in a single sequencing run. We observe on average a 508-fold on-target enrichment and identify fusion breakpoints at nucleotide resolution - all within two days. We demonstrate that FUDGE effectively identifies fusion genes in cancer cell lines, tumor samples and on whole genome amplified DNA irrespective of partner gene or breakpoint-position in 100% of cases. Furthermore, we show that FUDGE is superior to routine diagnostic methods for fusion gene detection. In summary, we have developed a rapid and versatile fusion gene detection assay, providing an unparalleled opportunity for pan-cancer detection of fusion genes in routine diagnostics.

  Study EGAS00001003964

• Identification of the mutational consequences of precancerous liver disease (including alcohol abuse) on the genomes of human adult stem cells.

  Stem cells are believed to be the cells-of-origin cancer. Nevertheless, their genome remains remarkably stable during life. To increase insight into how these cells can drive tumorigenesis, we set out to determine the genomic integrity of human adult stem cells from patients with liver disease associated with increased cancer risk. To this end, we characterized genome-wide mutation profiles of single ASCs from livers of patients with alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic liver disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis. The patients included in our study received a liver transplant due to their liver disease. Strikingly, we found that ASCs in these livers maintain a stable genome and have comparable mutation rates as healthy human liver ASCs. We did observe more nonsense and nonsynonymous mutations in COSMIC cancer genes that are hit by dominant mutations in tumors in comparison to healthy ASCs (n.s.), including two ASCs in alcoholic liver disease patients with a nonsense mutation in PTPRK. Next, we sequenced 5 biopsies of an alcoholic tumour to identify the mutational patterns in the tumour-initiating ASC. We found that the mutational patterns are, again, similar to healthy liver, but the mutational load is slightly higher. This suggests that the increased cancer risk in the liver disease patients is not caused by an increased mutational load, but rather that the precancerous liver environment promotes outgrowth of cells that would normally be selected against.

  Study EGAS00001002983

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WES Illumina (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005678

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WGS Illumina (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005679

• DNA methylation analysis on PBL obtained from male patients with UC-PSC, UC and HC

  Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease affecting the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts, and is strongly associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, we explored the peripheral blood DNA methylome and its immune cell composition in patients with PSC-UC, UC, and healthy controls (HC) with the aim to develop a predictive assay in distinguishing patients with PSC-UC from those with UC alone. The peripheral blood DNA methylome of male patients with PSC and concomitant UC, UC and HCs was profiled using the Illumina HumanMethylation Infinium EPIC BeadChip (850K) array. Differentially methylated CpG position (DMP) and region (DMR) analyses were performed alongside gradient boosting classification analyses to discern PSC-UC from UC patients. As observed differences in the DNA methylome could be the result of differences in cellular populations, we additionally employed mass cytometry to characterize the immune cell compositions. Genome wide methylation analysis revealed no differentially methylated positions between PSC-UC and UC patients. Nonetheless, using gradient boosting we were capable of discerning PSC-UC from UC with an area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) of 0.80. Four CpG sites annotated to the NINJ2 gene were found to strongly contribute to the predictive performance. While mass cytometry analyses corroborated the largely similar blood cell composition among patients with PSC-UC, UC and HC, a higher abundance of myeloid cells was observed in UC compared to PSC-UC patients.

  Study EGAS00001005832

• A novel orthotopic patient-derived xenograft model of radiation-induced glioma following medulloblastoma

  Radiation-induced glioma (RIG) is a highly aggressive brain cancer arising as a consequence of radiation therapy. We report a case of RIG that arose in the brain stem following treatment for paediatric medulloblastoma, and the development and characterisation of a matched orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model (TK-RIG915). Patient and PDX tumours were analysed using DNA methylation profiling, whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing. While initially thought to be a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) based on disease location, results from methylation profiling and WGS were not consistent with this diagnosis. Furthermore, clustering analyses based on RNA expression suggested the tumours were distinct from primary DIPG. Additional gene expression analysis demonstrated concordance with a published RIG expression profile. Multiple genetic alterations that enhance PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signalling were discovered in TK-RIG915 including an activating mutation in PIK3CA, upregulation of PDGFRA and AKT2, inactivating mutations in NF1, and a gain-of-function mutation in PTPN11. Additionally, deletion of CDKN2A/B, increased IDH1 expression, and decreased ARID1A expression were observed. Detection of phospho-S6, -4EBP1 and -ERK via immunohistochemistry confirmed PI3K pathway and ERK activation. Here, we report one of the first PDX models for RIG, which recapitulates the patient disease and is molecularly distinct from primary brain stem glioma. Genetic interrogation of this model has enabled the identification of potential therapeutic vulnerabilities in this currently incurable disease.

  Study EGAS00001004709

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WGS Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005677

• Single-cell ATAC-seq analysis for COVID19 patients

  While SARS-CoV-2 infection causes mild respiratory disease in most individuals, a small group of patients develops severe COVID-19. Dysfunctional innate immune responses have been identified to contribute to differences in COVID-19 severity, but the key regulators are still unknown. Here, we present an integrative single-cell epigenetics, transcriptomic, and genetics analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hospitalized and convalescent COVID-19 patients. In classical monocytes, we identified 41.3% of significantly up-regulated genes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients potentially induced by differential chromatin accessibility. Sub-clustering and motif-enrichment analyses of monocytes reveal disease condition-specific regulation by transcription factors, such as C/EBPs and SPI1, and their targets, including a long-noncoding RNA LUCAT1, which further regulates interferon responses and is associated with the need for oxygen supply of COVID-19 patients. The interaction between C/EBPs and LUCAT1 was validated through loss-of-function experiments. Finally, we investigated genetic risk variants that exhibit allele-specific open chromatin (ASoC) in promoters/enhancers of COVID-19 patients. Integrating our data with publicly available expression quantitative trait loci and chromosomal interactions indicates that ASoC SNP rs6800484-C is associated with lower expression of CCR2, which may contributeto higher viral loads in lungs and higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Altogether, our study highlights the diverse genetic and epigenetic regulators that contribute to the innate immune responses of different COVID-19 patients.

  Study EGAS00001006559

• Single-cell RNA-seq analysis for COVID19 patients

  While SARS-CoV-2 infection causes mild respiratory disease in most individuals, a small group of patients develops severe COVID-19. Dysfunctional innate immune responses have been identified to contribute to differences in COVID-19 severity, but the key regulators are still unknown. Here, we present an integrative single-cell epigenetics, transcriptomic, and genetics analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hospitalized and convalescent COVID-19 patients. In classical monocytes, we identified 41.3% of significantly up-regulated genes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients potentially induced by differential chromatin accessibility. Sub-clustering and motif-enrichment analyses of monocytes reveal disease condition-specific regulation by transcription factors, such as C/EBPs and SPI1, and their targets, including a long-noncoding RNA LUCAT1, which further regulates interferon responses and is associated with the need for oxygen supply of COVID-19 patients. The interaction between C/EBPs and LUCAT1 was validated through loss-of-function experiments. Finally, we investigated genetic risk variants that exhibit allele-specific open chromatin (ASoC) in promoters/enhancers of COVID-19 patients. Integrating our data with publicly available expression quantitative trait loci and chromosomal interactions indicates that ASoC SNP rs6800484-C is associated with lower expression of CCR2, which may contributeto higher viral loads in lungs and higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Altogether, our study highlights the diverse genetic and epigenetic regulators that contribute to the innate immune responses of different COVID-19 patients.

  Study EGAS00001006560

• Atypical B cells and impaired SARS-CoV-2 neutralisation following heterologous vaccination in the elderly

  Age is a major risk factor for hospitalization and death after SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in vaccinees. Suboptimal responses to a primary vaccination course have been reported in the elderly, but there is little information regarding the impact of age on responses to booster third doses. Here we show that individuals 70 or older who received a primary two dose schedule with AZD1222 and booster third dose with mRNA vaccine achieved significantly lower neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped virus compared to those below 70 at one month post booster. Neither the concentration of serum binding anti spike IgG antibody, nor the frequency of spike- specific B cells showed differences by age grouping. Impaired neutralization potency and breadth post-third dose in the elderly was associated with enrichment of circulating “atypical” spike-specific B cells expressing CD11c and FCRL5. Presence of these atypical B cells was confirmed by scRNA seq. However, when considering individuals who received three doses of mRNA vaccine, we did not observe statistically significant differences in neutralization or enrichment in atypical B cells by age grouping following dose 3. Together, our data reveal impaired neutralising antibody responses in the elderly after heterologous vaccination with AdV followed by mRNA booster dose, but not in homologous three dose mRNA vaccination highlighting that different vaccine formats differentially instruct the memory B cell response.

  Study EGAS00001007385

• DHODH is a synthetic-lethal vulnerability in BCOR-deficient acute myeloid leukemia

  Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains challenging to treat, especially in cases with mutations in the BCL-6 co- repressor (BCOR), which are associated with poor prognosis and chemo-resistance. In this study, we reveal a synthetic lethal interaction between BCOR and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). We demonstrate that BCOR-deficient cells have a heightened sensitivity to DHODH inhibitors such as brequinar and leflunomide, that are already in clinical use. We confirm that DHODH inhibition selectively induces cell death in BCOR-mutant cells in multiple cellular models, in malignant and non-malignant cells, through chemical and genetic manipulation. Interestingly, we find that the dependency on DHODH does not stem from its role in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis disruption. Rather, DHODH’s role in the electron transport chain, essential for mitigating reactive oxygen species, may be the physiological vulnerability that pushes BCOR-mutant cells toward cell death when DHODH is inhibited. DHODH inhibitors could be repurposed as targeted therapies for BCOR-mutant tumors, offering a promising strategy for precision medicine in AML and other cancers.

  Study EGAS50000001108

• DHODH is a synthetic-lethal vulnerability in BCOR-deficient acute myeloid leukemia

  Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains challenging to treat, especially in cases with mutations in the BCL-6 co- repressor (BCOR), which are associated with poor prognosis and chemo-resistance. In this study, we reveal a synthetic lethal interaction between BCOR and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). We demonstrate that BCOR-deficient cells have a heightened sensitivity to DHODH inhibitors such as brequinar and leflunomide, that are already in clinical use. We confirm that DHODH inhibition selectively induces cell death in BCOR-mutant cells in multiple cellular models, in malignant and non-malignant cells, through chemical and genetic manipulation. Interestingly, we find that the dependency on DHODH does not stem from its role in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis disruption. Rather, DHODH’s role in the electron transport chain, essential for mitigating reactive oxygen species, may be the physiological vulnerability that pushes BCOR-mutant cells toward cell death when DHODH is inhibited. DHODH inhibitors could be repurposed as targeted therapies for BCOR-mutant tumors, offering a promising strategy for precision medicine in AML and other cancers.

  Study EGAS50000001060

• Reading about genomic analysis of pan-neuroblastoma

  There are virtually no research fields that do not benefit from the large-scale genomic analysis that are so popular nowadays. For research into diseases with highly diverse clinical behavior like pediatric neuroblastoma, nevertheless, this type of approach has been a game-changer. Samuel W. Brady and colleagues, from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, have gathered data from 702 neuroblastomas which were profiled by whole genome sequencing (WGS, n = 205), whole exome sequencing (WES, n = 539), and/or RNA-Seq. Less than half of the samples were generated during this study, while the others were obtained from previous work. Part of the WES data was indeed deposited in EGA in 2012 (EGA study EGAS00001000213). A scratchy summary about the huge work from Samuel W. Brady and colleagues, published in Nature Communications this October 2020 “These findings suggest that the sympathetic nervous system, the tissue from which neuroblastoma arises, is susceptible to different oncogenic insults at different times during development, which could be explored in future investigations using animal models.” Conclude the authors, highlighting the importance of their findings. Pediatric neuroblastomas are classified according to clinical and molecular features into low, intermediate, and high risk. Age plays a critical role in the classification, with younger children having an overall better prognosis. The samples included in this study belonged to all ages and risk-groups: the aim of such set up is the identification of age-associated molecular aberrations. The authors defined a mutational landscape of pediatric neuroblastoma including rare driver events, impossible to pick with a smaller data set. Interestingly, most driver mutations' frequency was found to be age-related. Those include alterations on MYCN, TERT, PTPRD, and Ras pathway, in addition to the previously reported ATRX. In addition, the large data set allowed the authors to define co-existence relations between the mutations (mutual exclusion or co-occurrence) which is a crucial puzzle piece to unravel the mechanisms driving the pathogenesis. Enjoy this really interesting article, open source on Pubmed.

  Blog genomic-analysis-of-pan-neuroblastoma

• Introducing Federated EGA Affiliates: a newly defined tier in the Federated EGA Network

  We're happy to announce that we are now accepting Affiliates in the Federated EGA Network! Federated EGA is a global network of repositories enabling secure discovery and access to sensitive human data. Currently, Federated EGA consists of Central EGA (CEGA), which serves the global community, and nine national Nodes that serve respective jurisdictions. Did you know that the Federated EGA (FEGA) has always envisioned a third tier within the network? This brings us to FEGA Affiliates, recently defined in the newly approved "Federated EGA Structure and Organisation" document. This new tier broadens the range of institutions or organisations that can become part of FEGA. Thus begins a new era for the network. What is a FEGA Affiliate? A FEGA Affiliate archives and serves controlled-access data within its own governance scope, while still participating in federated discovery through the EGA catalogue. Affiliates can be individual organisations or institutions, healthcare genomics initiatives, consortia of institutions, as well as project-specific consortia (national or international). In practical terms, a FEGA Affiliate: Hosts and safeguards the data it archives. Submits non-personal metadata to CEGA so studies are discoverable and can receive EGA accessions. Manages permissions and data access workflows for its datasets. Provides data access and/or distribution, along with support, to authorised users. Key takeaways about FEGA Affiliates FEGA is now organised into three tiers: CEGA, FEGA Nodes, and FEGA Affiliates. Affiliates archive data from their own organisation and/or selected partner institutions (for example, an international consortium). Affiliates make studies discoverable through the EGA catalogue by submitting non-personal metadata for accessioning. Access decisions and conditions are managed locally by the Affiliate (e.g. distribution or access in a trusted research environment). Are you considering whether your institution or project might be a good fit as a FEGA Affiliate? Would you like to learn more about this tier? We have published a blog post that addresses potential common questions, providing answers on this topic. You can read it here.

  Blog fega-affiliates

• MINCR is a MYC-induced lncRNA able to modulate MYC’s transcriptional network in Burkitt lymphoma cells

  Despite the established role of the transcription factor MYC in cancer, little is known about the involvement of lncRNAs in mediating MYC’s function. Here we have intersected RNA-sequencing data from MYC-inducible cell lines, from a cohort of 91 mature B-cell lymphomas and from sorted germinal-center B-cells. By this approach, we identified 13 lncRNAs differentially expressed in IG-MYC-positive Burkitt lymphoma and regulated by MYC in the model cell lines. Among them we focused on a lncRNA that we named MINCR, showing a strong correlation with MYC expression in MYC-positive lymphomas and in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. RNAi experiments showed that MINCR controls cellular viability by influencing the expression of MYC-regulated cell cycle genes. Finally we provide evidences that down-regulation of AURKA, AURKB and CTD1 may explain the reduction in cellular proliferation observed upon MINCR knock-down. We therefore suggest that MINCR acts as a modulator of MYC transcriptional control of cell cycle genes.

  Study EGAS00001001199

• HSC_population_dynamics___KX004_samples___WGS

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001003768

• HSC_population_dynamics___CB002_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001003743

• HSC_population_dynamics___KX007_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001004193

• HSC_population_dynamics___KX008_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001004490

• HSC_population_dynamics_CBD_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001003091

• HSC_population_dynamics___KX003_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001003550

• HSC_population_dynamics___TG001_2_samples

  My research project aims to use the clonal dynamics of spontaneously occurring somatic mutations to answer fundamental questions about human haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology. The four major questions I will address are: 1. How do age and aging affect normal human HSC dynamics in vivo? 2. How do in vivo perturbations, particularly chemotherapy and increased levels of reactive oxygen species, affect HSC population dynamics? 3. Is response to in vitro perturbation heritable and/or correlated with other features such as age of individual and contribution of the lineage to peripheral blood? 4. How are HSC dynamics altered in people with early driver mutations (clonal haematopoiesis)?

  Study EGAS00001003688

• Comparison of the performance of two commercial genome-wide association study genotyping platforms in Han Chinese Samples

  Affymetrix 6.0, Illumina OMNIExpress, and llumina Immunochip genotype data for Han Chinese population including rheumatoid arthritis cases and controls. Data is in PLINK binary format. Illumina genotype clustering was performed using Illumina’s BeadStudio software. SNPs were reclustered using the study samples, low quality subjects were removed, and a subset of clustering results were manually inspected and verified. All SNPs with GenCall scores less than 0.15 were excluded. For Affymetrix chips, clustering was performed using the program Birdseed version 2, as implemented using Affymetrix Genotyper Console v4.0, using the default quality control (QC) thresholds.

  Study EGAS00000000131

• An isoform quantitative trait locus in SBNO2 links genetic susceptibility to Crohn’s disease with defective antimicrobial activity

  Despite major advances in linking single genetic variants to single causal genes, the significance of genetic variation on transcript-level regulation of expression, transcript-specific functions, and relevance to human disease has been poorly investigated. Strawberry notch homolog 2 (SBNO2) is a candidate gene in a susceptibility locus with different variants associated with Crohn’s disease and bone mineral density. The SBNO2 locus is also differentially methylated in Crohn’s disease but the functional mechanisms are unknown. Here we show that the isoforms of SBNO2 are differentially regulated by lipopolysaccharide and IL-10. We identify Crohn’s disease associated isoform quantitative trait loci that negatively regulate the expression of the noncanonical isoform 2 corresponding with the methylation signals at the isoform 2 promoter in IBD and CD. The two isoforms of SBNO2 drive differential gene networks with isoform 2 dominantly impacting antimicrobial activity in macrophages. Our data highlight the role of isoform quantitative trait loci to understand disease susceptibility and resolve underlying mechanisms of disease. This dataset contains RNAseq raw data from CD14+ monocyte-derived macrophages and siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments, as well as RNAseq raw data from THP-1 monocytes-derived macrophages following ectopic expression of SBNO2 isoforms.

  Dataset EGAD50000000264

• AVENIO Expanded ctDNA panel sequence alignments (BAMs) from plasma DNA of lung cancer patients from the OSCILLATE trial

  The AVENIO ctDNA Expanded Kit is a next-generation sequencing (NGS) liquid biopsy assay with a 77 gene panel (192 kb) containing genes in U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines and emerging cancer biomarkers. This pan-cancer assay was applied to 100 plasma samples from patients with lung cancer undergoing treatment in the OSCILLATE trial. After 150 bp paired-end sequencing, reads were aligned to the human genome reference with the AVENIO Oncology Analysis Software. These files are the sorted non-deduplicated alignments generated by the analysis software used for subsequent variant, indel and CNV calling.

  Study EGAS50000000103

• Effects of tobacco smoking on the tumor immune microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

  This study was designed to measure immune cell differences between HNSCC patients according to smoking history. We measured CD3, CD8, FoxP3, PD-1 and PD-L1 for immune markers and Pancytokeratin to distinguish between tumor and surrounding tissue. We observed that current smokers have significantly lower numbers of immune cells surrounding the tumor than former or never smokers. GSEA analysis of RNAseq data from this cohort suggests that smoking is associated with reduced Interferon (IFN) Alpha and Gamma levels, and also with reduced levels of IFN-response cytokines CXCL9, 10 and 11. These results emphasize the hypothetical benefits of smoking cessation during treatment for HNSCC.

  Study phs001994

• PGRN/PAT: The genomic basis for susceptibility to drug-induced long QT syndrome (diLQTS)

  The goal of this study was to search for genetic variants that could be responsible for modifying the risk of drug-induced long QT syndrome (diLQTS). diLQTS is a relatively common adverse drug event and has been a leading cause for drug relabeling and withdrawal from the market. Our hypothesis, that variants in genes which regulate electrical properties in the heart modify the risk of diLQTS, was tested by sequencing approximately 225 patients of European descent using next-generation targeted captured or whole exome sequencing. Data from cases and controls (1:2) were analyzed to identify both rare and common genetic variation.

  Study phs000808

• Genomic and Transcriptomic Profiling of Patients with Malignant Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma: The NCI Cohort

  Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Better understanding of mesothelioma genomics and transcriptomics could advance novel therapies. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WXS) of germline and tumors of 122 patients, and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) of tumor samples of 100 patients with pleural, peritoneal, and tunica-vaginalis mesothelioma.The biospecimens used in this study were collected as a part of the Mesothelioma Natural History Protocol (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01950572), wherein, samples were collected from subjects with malignant mesothelioma as listed in the eligibility criteria below and written consent from each participant was obtained before sample acquisition.

  Study phs002207

• Genetic Basis of Cryptorchidism

  Non-syndromic cryptorchidism is a common malformation, but the genetic loci that increase susceptibility to cryptorchidism remain unknown. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was completed to determine whether common allelic variants are associated with susceptibility to cryptorchidism. Two sets of discovery groups were genotyped. Group 1 (559 cases and 1772 controls) was genotyped with HumanHap550v1.0, HumanHap550v3.0 or Human610-quad v1.0. Group 2 (353 cases and 1149 controls) was genotyped with HumanOmniExpress-12v1 or HumanOmniExpress-12v1-1. The sample and marker QCs were performed separately using PLINK (v1.07; http://pngu.mgh.harvard.edu/purcell/plink/) and logistic regression analyses were performed with first and second multidimensional scaling (MDS) components as covariates.

  Study phs000986

• Gene Expression in an African American Schizophrenia Dataset

  Schizophrenia is a common and severe psychotic disorder. While some common SNPs and rare copy number variants have been identified as being significantly associated with disease risk, the biological mechanisms remain largely undefined. To identify gene expression abnormalities in schizophrenia, we generated whole-genome gene expression profiles using RNAseq on lymphoblastoid cell lines from schizophrenia cases and controls of African American ancestry. Genes related to immune processes were enriched in the genes differentially expressed in the schizophrenia cases. Approximately half of the differentially expressed genes in this African American dataset were also differentially expressed by affection status in our previously studied European ancestry dataset (PMID: 28418402).

  Study phs002842

• Next Generation Mendelian Genetics: Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

  The NHGRI Next Generation Mendelian Genetics project uses exome resequencing to identify variants in unsolved Mendelian diseases. Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (fHLH) is a serious immune disorder that results from defective cytotoxic lymphocyte function. Autosomal recessive mutations in PFP1, UNC13D, STX11, STBP2, or RAB27, and hemizygous mutations in SH2D1A or BIRC4, account for known causes of the disease, but 30-70% of patients in North America lack a known genetic etiology. This project was designed to identify additional genetic abnormalities from HLH patients. The exome sequences of four unrelated individuals with a diagnosis of HLH, but without mutations in genes known to cause disease, were obtained by massively parallel DNA sequencing.

  Study phs000537

• NHLBI TOPMed - NHGRI CCDG: Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Atrial Fibrillation Study

  The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Atrial Fibrillation Study was initiated in 2001. The study has enrolled serial probands, unaffected and affected family members with atrial fibrillation. At enrollment participants undergo a structured interview to systematically capture their past medical history, AF treatments, and family history. An electrocardiogram is performed; the results of an echocardiogram are obtained; and blood samples are obtained. For the TOPMed WGS project only early-onset atrial fibrillation cases were sequenced. Early-onset atrial fibrillation was defined as an age of onset prior to 66 years of age. Comprehensive phenotypic and pedigree data for study participants are available through dbGaP phs001001.

  Study phs001062

• Whole Exome Sequencing of Colorectal Cancer Patients from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS)

  Colorectal cancer is a molecularly heterogeneous disease. Whole Exome Sequencing from patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the NHS and HPFS cohorts will extend our understanding of the genetic changes occurring in specific clinical contexts in the disease. This effort has the potential to discover novel recurrently mutated genes and pathways in colorectal cancer that can be functionally validated and give further insights to colorectal cancer pathogenesis. All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon Kit v2 and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000.

  Study phs000722

• Intercepting Progression from Pre-Invasive to Invasive Lung Adenocarcinoma

  An improved understanding of the biology of lung cancer is needed to intercept the disease at an early point in its progression. In this project we have used multidimensional methods to profile the tumor microenvironment (TME) and to determine the crosstalk between cancer cells and the TME in pre-invasive to invasive human lung non-solid adenocarcinomas. Comparative analysis of the cellular and molecular events associated with the distinct histological stages will lead to identification of the critical events triggering progression and thereby identify targets to intercept disease progression. The data being submitted represents the genomic profiles of patient samples with pre-invasive and invasive human lung adenocarcinomas.

  Study phs002818

• Maternal-Fetal Immune Responses in Preterm Labor and Congenital Anomalies

  The purpose of this study is to provide a reference profile of small extracellular RNAs in body fluids. These samples were originally obtained in a study that had a different purpose. The purpose of the original study was to learn and understand more about the causes of preterm labor, how to prevent it, and how to treat it. What the researchers learn by studying tissue, cells, and/or fluid (including blood samples, amniotic fluid, and placental tissue) may help to prevent preterm labor and prevent preterm delivery, which will improve the prenatal care women receive and improve the health of newborns.

  Study phs001693

• Linked Read Sequencing of Gastric Cancer Metastases for Complex SV Resolution

  In this study, linked read sequencing was performed on two ovarian metastases and matched normal tissue, from a patient with primary diffuse gastric cancer. Linked read sequencing is a DNA preparation technology whereby high molecular weight molecules of DNA are uniquely barcoded prior to fragmentation and sequencing, thus retaining information about genomic contiguity. This study performed an extended analysis of linked read sequencing data to resolve the complex structures of structural variants in the cancer genomes. Complex structural rearrangements were identified in the genomic region surrounding the known oncogene FGFR2, and the association between FGFR2 and gastric cancer metastasis was demonstrated in an organoid model.

  Study phs001362

• Loss of IFN-gamma Signaling in Tumor Cells Associates with Primary Resistance to Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy

  Antibody blockade of the inhibitory CTLA-4 pathway has led to clinical benefit in a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma. Anti-CTLA-4 enhances T cell responses, including production of IFN-γ, which is a critical cytokine for host immune responses. However, the role of IFN-γ signaling in tumor cells in the setting of anti-CTLA-4 therapy remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that, based upon exome sequencing data, patients identified as non-responders to anti-CTLA-4 (ipilimumab) harbor a much higher genomic defects in the IFN-γ pathway genes than melanoma patients who had clinical response to ipilimumab therapy.

  Study phs001257

• Comprehensive Analysis of the Immunogenomics of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases from LCCC1419

  Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subset of breast cancer that lacks expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and HER2. Nearly 50% of patients with advanced TNBC will develop brain metastases (BrM), commonly with progressive extracranial disease. Immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of advanced TNBC; however, the immunogenomics of BrM remains largely unknown. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of TNBC BrM and matched primary tumors to characterize the genomic and immune landscape of TNBC BrM to foster the development of immunotherapy strategies in this aggressive and clinically unmet disease.  

  Study phs002457

• Whole Exome Characterization of Squamous Cell Lung Cancers (Lung SQCC) from Appalachian Kentucky (APPKY)

  This is a pilot study of squamous cell lung cancer and matched normal tissue pairs collected (convenience sample) from patients from Central Appalachia, in Southeastern Kentucky. This study performed whole exome sequencing on tumor and matched normal DNA samples from 51 lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) subjects from Appalachian Kentucky (AppKY). Somatic genomic alteration profiles were compared between the AppKY and TCGA SQCC cohorts. We found that IDH1 and PCMTD1 had higher mutation rates in AppKY versus TCGA. These findings suggest population differences in the genetics of lung SQCC between AppKY and US populations that have implications for personalized treatment for this disease.

  Study phs001651

• Spatiotemporal Transcriptome of the Human Brain

  Comprehensive knowledge about the spatiotemporal dynamics of the brain transcriptome is essential for a better understanding of neurodevelopment, sexual dimorphism, and evolution, as well as our increased susceptibility to certain brain disorders. We generated and analyzed genome-wide exon-level transcriptome data from 16 brain regions of 57 postmortem human brains, spanning from embryonic development to late adulthood and representing males and females of multiple ethnicities. We also performed genome-wide genotyping of 2.5 million SNPs and assessed genome normality for all donors. This study provides a comprehensive, publicly available dataset on the spatiotemporal human brain transcriptome and new insights into the transcriptional foundations of human neurodevelopment.

  Study phs000406

• Genome-Wide Environment Interaction Study on Neurodevelopment in Children from Mexico and Bangladesh

  Cognitive development is known to be highly heritable, but various genome wide association studies (GWAS) have failed to find common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which can explain a large proportion of the variance in cognitive ability. We hypothesized that an interaction between genes and exposure to potentially toxic metals may account for some proportion of this missing heritability. We genotyped 749 infants in Mexico and 636 infants in Bangladesh. Criteria for inclusion into the study are given below. We then performed a Genome Wide Environmental Interaction Study (GWEIS) with neurodevelopment outcomes. There were 552,487 SNPs in common between the two cohorts.

  Study phs000996

• Prostate Cancer Genome Sequencing Project

  Prostate cancer is a prevalent cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in men. In order to characterize the full range of somatic mutations in protein-coding genes that may drive the growth of prostate cancer, we sequenced the exonic regions of genomic and tumor DNA from over 100 patients with high-risk primary prostate cancer. Using hybrid capture and paired end DNA sequencing, we identified mutations in several novel putative prostate cancer genes. We interrogated copy number changes across tumor genomes using high-density SNP arrays, and identified a molecular subtype of cancer characterized by mutation of the ubiquitin ligase subunit SPOP and copy number loss at specific genomic loci.

  Study phs000447