Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Genome-Wide Assessment of DNA Methylation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Related Autoantibodies

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can have debilitating effects on multiple organ systems. In SLE, the pivotal immunologic disturbance is the formation of autoantibodies directed against nuclear and cellular antigens. These autoantibodies are associated with specific organ manifestations. Our previous work has shown that certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with the production of SLE-related autoantibodies. However, these genetic associations do not completely explain autoantibody development in SLE. Therefore, we examined whether epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation may be associated with the development of SLE-related autoantibodies. In this study, we examined whether differential DNA methylation is associated with anti-dsDNA, anti-SSA/Ro, anti-Smith, and anti-RNP autoantibodies. Using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 Beadchip, over 450,000 DNA methylation sites were characterized in 325 female SLE cases of European descent. Using a multivariable regression analyses, the methylation status of 16 CpG sites in 11 genes was found to be associated with the SLE-related autoantibodies under study. This study shows that epigenetic factors are associated with autoimmune disease phenotypes, and epigenetic studies are a complementary method to genetic association studies for understanding the biologic mechanisms contributing to autoimmune disease.

Study phs000947

RNASeq of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer Patients

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are a subset of dendritic cells with unique immunophenotypic properties and functions. While their role in antiviral immunity through production of type I interferons is well-established, their contributions to anti-tumor immunity are less clear. While some evidence demonstrates that pDC in the tumor microenvironment (TME) may drive CD4+ T cell to become Foxp3+ T regulatory cells, little is understood about the relationship of pDC with cytotoxic CD8+ T cell, the key player in antitumor immune responses. In this study, we perform comprehensive immunophenotyping and functional analysis of pDC from the TME and draining lymph nodes of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and identify a novel pDC subset characterized by expression of the TNF receptor superfamily member CD134 (OX40). We show that OX40 expression is expressed on intratumoral pDC in both humans and mice in a tumor-model specific fashion and that this subset of pDC enhances tumor associated-antigen (TAA)-specific CD8+ T cell responses. Through transcriptomic profiling of OX40-expressing pDC from the TME, we further characterize gene signatures unique to this pDC subset that support its role as an important immunostimulatory immune population in the TME.

Study phs001824

National Eye Institute (NEI) Exfoliation Genotyping Study

The overall goal of our research is to elucidate the pathogenesis of exfoliation syndrome and the associated glaucoma, making it possible to implement effective screening and prevention strategies and to develop novel therapies. Cases genotyped for this project are from the Nurses Health Study (NHS), the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), the Women's Genome Health Study (WGHS), the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI), Mayo Clinic, the University of Iowa, the University of Miami and Duke University Medical Center. Exfoliation syndrome (XFS) is a common condition that is a major risk factor for high-tension open-angle glaucoma, pre-mature cataract formation, and increased risk of complications during cataract surgery. Previous studies suggest that exfoliation syndrome and the related glaucoma (XFG) are genetically complex, and one gene, LOXL1, has been identified as a major genetic risk factor. LOXL1 variants are found in up to 98% of affected patients; however, these same variants are also present in up to 80% of unaffected individuals, indicating that additional genetic and/or environmental factors are necessary for disease development. Samples genotyped for this study are a case set (1,096 samples) and 24 pedigrees (98 samples). Controls for association analyses are selected from the NEIGHBORHOOD study.

Study phs001053

VCRC Imaging Protocol for Magnetic Resonance and Positron Emission Tomography in Large-Vessel Vasculitis (Takayasu's Arteritis): Development as Clinical Trial Outcome Measures Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium

Takayasu's arteritis is a rare disease that affects the blood vessels. Takayasu's arteritis can cause swelling of large and medium-sized blood vessels. The blood vessels that are commonly affected are the branches of the aorta (the main blood vessel that leaves the heart). The purpose of this study is to help doctors learn more about this disease by using x-ray like tests to see if they are helpful in taking care of patients with Takayasu's arteritis. This is an imaging study that compares x-ray-like tests that would not be a part of your regular care (PET/CT) with x-ray-like tests that are a part of your regular care (MRI). At two visits, three months apart, patients will have a PET/CT scan performed at the same time as their MRI scan; some patients will also have a third PET/CT scan. A total of 36 people with Takayasu's arteritis at several hospitals will take part in this study. Doctors will use images from the different time points, along with information from exams and symptoms, to learn more about the disease.

Study phs001715

Count Me In (CMI): The Metastatic Prostate Cancer (MPC) Project (CMI-MPCproject)

Count Me In - The Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project: A Patient-Driven Research Initiative to Accelerate Metastatic Prostate Cancer Research The Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project (MPCproject; http://mpcproject.org/) is a research study that empowers men with metastatic and advanced prostate cancer to partner directly with researchers by sharing their samples and clinical information, with the ultimate goal of accelerating scientific discoveries that have clinical impact. The MPCproject enables any man with metastatic or advanced prostate cancer in the US and Canada to participate in cutting-edge genomic and molecular research, regardless of where they live. Metastatic or advanced prostate cancer patients visit the project website and complete an online questionnaire of basic information about themselves and their cancer. Enrolled patients are mailed saliva and blood draw kits, which can be used to extract germline DNA and cell-free DNA (cfDNA), respectively. The study team contacts participants' healthcare institutions to obtain medical records and a portion of archived tumor samples. Whole exome sequencing is performed on tumor DNA, germline DNA, and cfDNA, and transcriptome sequencing is performed on tumor RNA. De-identified data, including linked genomic, clinical, and patient-reported data, are shared via public databases on a recurring pre-publication basis. Participants are regularly provided with updates on the study.

Study phs001939

Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA)

The OPPERA project has two sub-studies investigating effects of genetic, physiological, psychological and clinical factors on the risk of developing painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD). OPPERA I baseline case-control study of chronic TMJD (dbGaP study accession phs000762). This sub-study uses a case-control study design to investigate characteristics associated with chronic TMD. The parent OPPERA phenotype file contains an indicator variable (PHASE1CASECONTROL) identifying participants in this sub-study. Data users should use the relevant case-classification variable (CHRNONICTMDCASE) and apply statistical methods appropriate for case-control studies when analyzing TMJD in this sub-study. OPPERA I prospective cohort for first onset of TMJD (dbGaP study accession phs000850). This sub-study uses a prospective cohort study design to investigate characteristics that predict risk of developing first-onset TMD. The parent OPPERA phenotype file contains an indicator variable (PROSPECTIVECOHORT) identifying participants in this sub-study. Data users should use the relevant case-classification variable (INCIDENTCASE) and the relevant time-in-study variable (FOLLOWUPYEARS) when analyzing TMJD in this sub-study. It is recommended that data users apply statistical methods appropriate for cohort studies of a dynamic population (for example, Cox regression models, where INCIDENTCASE is the censoring variable and FOLLOWUPYEARS is time in study).

Study phs000761

Microbiome-Host Interactions in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: a Metatranscriptomic Exploratory Study

Oral cancer (predominantly squamous cell carcinoma; OSCC) is the 14th most prevalent malignancy worldwide, accounting for more than 300,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths annually. Despite advances in cancer treatment modalities, OSCC continues to have poor prognosis with 5-year survival rates less than 50%. Although use of tobacco and alcohol consumption constitute the major risk factors, there is emerging evidence for the role of the microbiome in OSCC. However, studies on the association between the microbiome and OSCC has so far focused on compositional analysis and has been largely limited to the bacterial component of the microbiome. The aim of this study is to characterize the transcriptional activity (function) as well as composition of the multi-kingdom microbiome associated with OSCC and correlate it with the gene expression of the host using ultra-deep metatranscriptome sequencing, which will provide new insight into the role of the microbiome in OSCC and the possible mechanisms by which the tumor’s microbial community may influence on its behavior. This project comprises RNA-Seq data from twenty OSCC tumor/normal tissue pairs and twenty tongue scraping samples from healthy controls. However, due to consent constraints, the human sequences from the control data are filtered out.

Study phs002678

InTEAM Consortium - Alcoholic Hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a life-threatening condition characterized by profound hepatocellular dysfunction for which targeted treatments are urgently needed. Identification of molecular drivers is hampered by the lack of suitable animal models. By performing RNA sequencing in livers from patients with different phenotypes of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), we describe the transcriptional programs involved in disease progression. We uncovered that development of AH is characterized by the defective activity of liver-enriched transcription factors (LETFs). The PPARG predicted activation state was found increased in early forms of ALD, while AH was associated by a marked decrease in HNF4A-dependent gene expression along with a marked expression of the fetal HNF4A isoform (P2). TGFB1, a key upstream transcriptome regulator in AH, induced the use of HNF4a P2 promoter in hepatocytes, which resulted in abnormal bile acid synthesis and defective metabolic and synthetic functions. PPARG agonists partially prevented this effect. We conclude that targeting TGFB1 and epigenetic drivers that modulate HNF4A-dependent gene expression could be beneficial to improve hepatocellular function in patients with AH. The study was conducted thanks to a multicenter collaboration under the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)-funded consortium: Integrated Approaches for Identifying Molecular Targets in Alcoholic Hepatitis (InTEAM).

Study phs001807

Exploring the Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis with Respect to Psychoneurological Symptoms for Children with Solid Tumors

The human body hosts tens of trillions of microbes, a number 10 times greater than the number of human body cells. The collection of these human-associated microbes and their genomes is called the “human microbiome”. More than 90% of these microbes live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, representing 500 species on average. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics tools (e.g., 16S ribosomal RNA or 16S rRNA sequencing and shotgun metagenomics analysis), recent progress has been made to elaborate the critical role that the gut microbiome plays in human health and disease. A significant disruption (dysbiosis) of the composition and function of the gut microbiome is associated with carcinogenesis, chemotherapeutic metabolism, and treatment-related symptom toxicities. The current state of science on the gut microbiome in cancer has only recently started in animal models and adults, and has not been well investigated in children diagnosed and treated for cancer, nor with respect to associations with cancer treatment-related toxicities. This proposed study will explore the hypothesis that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is associated with cancer treatment-related GI and psychoneurological symptoms. We will collect both stool samples (for the gut microbiome) and patient-reported outcomes across chemotherapy.

Study phs002960

Gynecology and Lubricant Effects (GALE) Study

The GALE study is a longitudinal study of the association between lubricant use and the vaginal microbiota in women receiving transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) at the Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Participants undergo a clinical exam at enrollment (at least 5 days prior to TVUS) and self-collect daily, mid-vaginal samples in the week leading up to TVUS, including immediately before the procedure. At the TVUS appointment, the sonographer applies a single-use packet of Glide lubricating jelly to the probe. The product was selected for study as it was currently being used in the TVUS clinic at the University of Maryland Medical Center and is a clinical lubricant which is very similar in composition to many sex lubricants. Participants collect samples the evening after TVUS and present for a follow-up clinical exam within a week of TVUS. Participants continue to sample twice weekly for an additional 8 weeks (returning completed kits each week), complete daily health and behavior diaries, and attend one final clinical exam at week 10. The clinician evaluates participants for bacterial vaginosis (BV) at each clinical visit using Amsel's criteria, and also looks for signs of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and trichomonas using a wet mount.

Study phs002211

NHLBI TOPMed - NHGRI CCDG: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC)

Participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, a large population-based longitudinal cohort study, have been included in this Project and whole genome sequencing will be performed to contribute to analyses of early-onset atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. Additional phenotype and genotype data are available for these individuals on dbGaP and can be accessed through the parent ARIC Cohort accession (phs000280). The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program is designed to generate scientific resources to enhance understanding of fundamental biological processes that underlie heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders (HLBS). It is part of a broader Precision Medicine Initiative, which aims to provide disease treatments that are tailored to an individual's unique genes and environment. TOPMed will contribute to this initiative through the integration of whole genome sequencing (WGS) and other -omics (e.g., metabolic profiles, protein and RNA expression patterns) data with molecular, behavioral, imaging, environmental, and clinical data. In doing so, this program seeks to uncover factors that increase or decrease the risk of disease, identify subtypes of disease, and develop more targeted and personalized treatments. The Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Project is part of NHLBI's TOPMed program and serves as an initial step for the larger initiative.

Study phs001211

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Early Onset Malignancies Initiative (EOMI): Molecular profiling of Breast, Colon, Kidney, Liver, Multiple Myeloma, and Prostate among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Populations

The Early Onset Malignancies Initiative (EOMI) is focused on collecting specimens from racially and ethnically diverse population groups with six different types of cancer (breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney, and multiple myeloma). This initiative is a partnership between the Center for Research Strategy, the Center for Cancer Genomics and the Division of Cancer (DCP). DCP's NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) is a critical partner. The acquisition of the cancer and matching normal biospecimens in this initiative are from newly diagnosed early onset cancer patients who identify as Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Non-Hispanic White. The Minority/Underserved NCORPs sites will collect the samples for this project. By carrying out this initiative in the NCORP's national network of investigators, cancer care providers, and research institutions, the EOMI will harness the community-based partnerships to improve participation among these racial/ethnic groups. The NCORP investigators, as participants in NCI's clinical trials network, will annotate the biologic samples with clinical information that will enhance the ability to answer questions about molecular determinants of early disease, treatment response, and/or prognosis. The EOMI will be a step forward in addressing racial/ethnic disparities and in understanding cancer in underserved populations.

Study phs001952

Exome sequencing identifies mutation of the ribosome in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy and responds well to therapy in children, but not in adults. We used exome sequencing of 67 T-cell ALL (T- ALL) samples to gain insight in the mutational spectrum and age related differences of these leukemias. We detected protein-altering mutations in 508 genes, with an average of 8.2 mutations in pediatric and 21.0 in adult T-ALL. Based on stringent filtering, we predict 15 of these genes to be drivers, including 7 genes that were not previously implicated in T-ALL. We identify CNOT3 as a new tumor suppressor, as it is mutated in 12.2 % of adult T-ALLs and its knock-down causes de novo tumors in a sensitized drosophila eye tumor model. In addition, we identify mutations in RPL5 and RPL10, proteins of the 60S ribosomal complex2, in 18.2 % of pediatric T-ALLs. Mutation of arginine 98 in the X-linked RPL10 gene was most frequent. Yeast cells expressing the Rpl10 R98S mutant showed a clear ribosome biogenesis defect, excluding that this mutation is a passenger mutation. Our data provide insights in the mutational landscape of pediatric and adult T-ALL and identify the ribosome as a potential oncogenic factor in cancer.

Study EGAS00001000296

Characterizing microbiome-directed fibre snacks in gnotobiotic mice and humans

Knowledge of the interrelationships between what we eat and the configurations of our gut microbial communities is providing important insights into how food components that are not directly metabolized by human enzymes are linked to our physiology and health status. Changing food preferences brought about by Westernization that have deleterious health effects1,2, plus rapid population expansion, ongoing challenges to sustainable agriculture, and other forces contributing to increased food insecurity, are catalyzing efforts to identify more nutritious and affordable foods3. The gut microbial community is complex, dynamic, and exhibits considerable intra- and interpersonal variation in its composition and functions. The massive number of potential interactions between its components makes it challenging to define the mechanisms by which food ingredients affect community properties. There is also a paucity of information about the ‘bioactive’ ingredients of foods that influence the fitness and expressed functions of community members. Here, plant fibres, from different sustainable sources and targeting distinct features of obese human gut microbiomes in gnotobiotic mice, were formulated into snack prototypes and used to supplement controlled diets consumed by overweight and obese adults; the results revealed fibre-specific changes in their microbiomes that were linked to changes in their plasma proteomes indicative of altered physiologic state.

Study EGAS00001005268

Cardiovascular disease biomarkers derived from circulating cell-free DNA methylation

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a major cause of worldwide mortality. The syndrome occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is decreased or blocked, causing muscle tissues to die or malfunction. There are three main types of ACS: Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. The treatment depends on the type of ACS, and this is decided by a combination of clinical findings, such as electrocardiogram and plasma biomarkers. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is proposed as an additional marker for ACS since the damaged tissues can release DNA to the bloodstream. We used ccfDNA methylation profiles for differentiating between the ACS types and provided computational tools to repeat similar analysis for other diseases. We leveraged cell type specificity of DNA methylation to deconvolute the ccfDNA cell types of origin and to find methylation-based biomarkers that stratify patients. We identified hundreds of methylation markers associated with ACS types and validated them in an independent cohort. Many such markers were associated with genes involved in cardiovascular conditions and inflammation. ccfDNA methylation showed promise as a non-invasive diagnostic for acute coronary events. These methods are not limited to acute events, and may be used for chronic cardiovascular diseases as well.

Study EGAS00001007263

Genome-wide DNA-methylation assessment by MethylCap-seq and Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips: an independent large-scale comparison

DNA-methylation is an important epigenetic feature in health and disease. Two cost-efficient genome-scale methodologies to assess DNA-methylation are MethylCap-seq and Illumina's Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips (HM450). However, objective information regarding the best-suited methodology for a specific research question is scant. Therefore, we performed a large-scale evaluation on a set of 70 brain tissue samples obtained from 65 glioblastoma and 5 non-tumoral brain tissues, using a gold standard free Bayesian modeling procedure. While conditional specificity was adequate for both approaches, conditional sensitivity was systematically higher for HM450. Also the genome-wide characteristics were compared, revealing that the HM450 probes assess less than 10% of the regions identified as methylated by MethylCap-seq. Hence the latter method may detect more potentially relevant DNA-methylation, defined by either functional location or previously reported differentially methylated candidate regions. Our results therefore indicate that – at least for the tissue under study - both methodologies are complementary, with a higher sensitivity for HM450, but a far larger genome-wide coverage for MethylCap-seq. Note that here only the relevant MethylCap-seq data is deposited, for the HM450 data we refer to GEO (GSE60274).

Study EGAS00001001191

Genomic profiling of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Ataxia Telangiectasia patients reveals tight link between ATM mutations and chromothripsis

Recent developments in sequencing technologies led to the discovery of a novel form of genomic instability, termed chromothripsis. This catastrophic genomic event, involved in tumorigenesis, is characterized by tens to hundreds of simultaneously acquired locally clustered rearrangements on one chromosome. We hypothesized that leukemias developing in individuals with Ataxia Telangiectasia, who are born with two mutated copies of the ATM gene, an essential guardian of genome stability, would show a higher prevalence of chromothripsis due to the associated defect in DNA double-strand break repair. Using whole-genome sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and RNA sequencing, we characterized the genomic landscape of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) arising in patients with Ataxia Telangiectasia. We detected a high frequency of chromothriptic events in these tumors, specifically on acrocentric chromosomes, as compared to tumors from individuals with other types of DNA repair syndromes (27 cases total, 10 with Ataxia Telangiectasia). Our data suggest that the genomic landscape of Ataxia Telangiectasia ALL is clearly distinct from that of sporadic ALL. Mechanistically, short telomeres and compromised DNA damage response in cells of Ataxia Telangiectasia patients may be linked with frequent chromothripsis. Furthermore, we show that ATM loss is associated with increased chromothripsis prevalence in additional tumor entities.

Study EGAS00001002270

CancerDetector: Ultrasensitive and Non-Invasive Cancer Detection at the Resolution of Individual Reads using Cell-free DNA Methylation Sequencing Data

The detection of tumor-derived cell-free DNA in plasma is one of the most promising directions in cancer diagnosis. The major challenge in such approach is how to identify the tiny amount of tumor DNAs out of total cell-free DNAs in blood. Here we propose an ultrasensitive cancer detection method, termed “CancerDetector”, using the DNA methylation profiles of cell-free DNAs. The key of our method is to probabilistically model the joint methylation patterns of multiple adjacent CpG sites on an individual sequencing read, in order to exploit the pervasive nature of DNA methylation for signal amplification. Therefore, CancerDetector can sensitively identify a trace amount of tumor cfDNAs in plasma, at the level of individual reads. We evaluated CancerDetector on the simulated data, and showed a high concordance of the predicted and true tumor burden. Testing CancerDetector on real plasma data demonstrated its high sensitivity and specificity in detecting tumor DNAs. In addition, the predicted tumor burden showed great consistency with tumor size and survival outcome. Note that all of those testing were performed on sequencing data at low to medium coverage (1X to 10X). Therefore, CancerDetector holds the great potential to detect cancer early and cost-effectively.

Study EGAS00001002728

Clonal_haematopoiesis_in_patients_with_AAA

Recent advances in genomics have demonstrated that clonal haemopoiesis driven by leukaemia associated somatic mutations is a relatively common phenomenon that increases in frequency with advancing age. Whilst individuals with clonal haemopoiesis have an increased risk of developing haematological malignancies, they also have an increased mortality from other causes. Additionally, certain mutations are almost exclusively seen in individuals aged 70 years or older, whilst others are seen in individuals with non-haematological cancers including breast and ovarian. Recently, clonal haemopoiesis was found to be associated with a significantly increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This association is thought to be causative with clonally-derived macrophages showing elevated expression of several chemokine and cytokine genes that contribute to atherosclerosis. Another vascular pathology, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), increases with age and shares risk factors with atherosclerosis (including smoking, male sex, high cholesterol). However, the impact of these risk factors and the overlap between AAA and atherosclerosis is poorly understood. To investigate a possible link between clonal haemopoiesis and AAA, we will study DNA samples from 300 patients with AAA and up to 200 controls for evidence of clonal haemopoiesis. This will be done using target DNA enrichment with biotinylated RNA baits followed by high throughput sequencing.

Study EGAS00001002873

Genomic Alterations in Gingivo-buccal Cancer: ICGC-India Project_YR02

As a part of the ICGC, India has undertaken genomic studies on gingivobuccal cancer of the oral cavity, which is the most prevalent form of cancer among men in India. There are various known environmental (life-style) correlates of this cancer, the most important of which are tobacco chewing and HPV infection. Paired DNA samples – isolated from the tumour tissue and from the blood of fifty six patients – have been analyzed to catalog germline and somatic mutations. Association between each observed genomic alteration and exposure to environmental risk factors is being explored.Detailed clinical characterization of the patients, collection of data on demographic and environmental exposures, and isolation of DNA samples from blood and tumour tissues collected from each patient are being done at the Advanced Centre for Research, Treatment and Education on Cancer, Mumbai. Exome capture and deep resequencing are being performed at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani. We have analyzed the exomes of paired blood and tumour DNA samples using exome capture by Illumina TrueSeq Exome Enrichment kit followed by sequencing on Illumina HiSeq-2000. Each exome is being sequenced at a mean depth of 70x for Tumour and 40x for Blood. In addition, we have used Illumina Omni 2.5 SNP-chips to generate genotype data.

Study EGAS00001001028

Whole exome sequencing on primary retinoblastoma tissues and matching lymphocyte DNA.

Retinoblastoma is a rare childhood cancer initiated by RB1 mutation or MYCN amplification, while additional alterations may be required for tumor development. However, the view on single nucleotide variants is very limited. To better understand oncogenesis, we determined the genomic landscape of retinoblastoma. We performed exome sequencing of 71 retinoblastomas and matched blood DNA. Next, we determined the presence of single nucleotide variants, copy number alterations and viruses. Aside from RB1, recurrent gene mutations were very rare. Only a limited fraction of tumors showed BCOR (7/71, 10%) or CREBBP alterations (3/71, 4%). No evidence was found for the presence of viruses. Instead, specific somatic copy number alterations were more common, particularly in patients diagnosed at later age. Recurrent alterations of chromosomal arms often involved less than one copy, also in highly pure tumor samples, suggesting within-tumor heterogeneity. Our results show that retinoblastoma is among the least mutated cancers and signify the extreme sensitivity of the childhood retina for RB1 loss. We hypothesize that retinoblastomas arising later in retinal development benefit more from subclonal secondary alterations and therefore, these alterations are more selected for in these tumors. Targeted therapy based on these subclonal events might be insufficient for complete tumor control.

Study EGAS00001001690

Single cell phenotypic profiling of 27 DLBCL cases reveals marked inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histologic subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is notorious for its clinical heterogeneity. Patient outcomes can be predicted by cell-of-origin (COO) classification, demonstrating that the underlying transcriptional signature of malignant B-cells informs biological behavior in the context of standard combination chemotherapy regimens. In the current study, we used mass cytometry (CyTOF) to examine tumor phenotypes at the protein level with single cell resolution in a collection of 27 diagnostic DLBCL biopsy specimens from treatment naïve patients. We found that malignant B-cells from each patient occupied unique regions in 37-dimensional phenotypic space with no apparent clustering of samples into discrete subtypes. Interestingly, variable MHC class II expression was found to be the greatest contributor to phenotypic diversity. Within individual tumors, a subset of cases showed multiple phenotypic subpopulations, and in one case we were able to demonstrate direct correspondence between protein-level phenotypic subsets and DNA mutation-defined subclones. In summary, CyTOF analysis can resolve both inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity among primary samples, and reveals that each case of DLBCL is unique and may be comprised of multiple, genetically distinct subclones.

Study EGAS00001003860

Bisulfite-converted duplexes for the strand-specific detection and quantification of rare mutations

The identification of mutations that are present at low frequencies in clinical samples is an essential component of precision medicine. The development of molecular barcoding for next generation sequencing has greatly enhanced the sensitivity of detecting such mutations by massively parallel sequencing. However, further improvements in specificity would be useful for a variety of applications. We herein describe a technology (BiSeqS) that can increase the specificity of sequencing by at least two orders of magnitude over and above that achieved with molecular barcoding and can be applied to any massively parallel sequencing instrument. BiSeqS employs bisulfite treatment to distinguish the two strands of molecularly barcoded DNA; its specificity arises from the requirement for the same mutation to be identified in both strands. Because no library preparation is required, the technology permits very efficient use of the template DNA as well as sequence reads, which are nearly all confined to the amplicons of interest. Such efficiency is critical for clinical samples, such as plasma, in which only tiny amounts of DNA are often available. We show here that BiSeqS can be applied to evaluate transversions, as well as small insertions or deletions, and can reliably detect one mutation among >10,000 wild type molecules.

Study EGAS00001002406

Integrated genomic analysis for HCC

Liver cancer is a common malignancy and is the third cause of cancer-related death in the world and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major type of liver cancer, accounting for ~90% of cases. Only 20 ~ 30% of patients can benefit from combined immunotherapy and targeted therapy due to the high inter-tumor heterogeneity of HCC. This work aims to identify homogeneous and robust molecular subtypes in HCC based on a large, homogenous and well-annotated cohort. We performed whole genome/exome sequencing (WGS/WES) and/or RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on 529 HCC from 461 patients collected mainly in France. Based on the great consistence between genomic and transcriptomic data, we identified 9 robust HCC subtypes mainly based on driver mutations. And we further characterized HCC subtypes using genomic, transcriptomic and clinicopathological features. Among 9 subtypes, 5 subtypes belonged to chromosome instable tumors, while 3 subtypes belonged to chromosome stable tumors. In addition, our subtypes were associated with prognosis and we also found different distributions of subtypes across various features, such as etiology and gender. Our study provided a robust molecular classification based on a large HCC dataset from Western country, it improves our understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and will facilitate development of genome-based precision medicine in HCC.

Study EGAS00001007957

Diverse_outcomes_of_controlled_human_malaria_infection_originate_from_host_intrinsic_immune_variation_and_not_var_gene_switching

Falciparum malaria is clinically heterogeneous and the relative contribution of parasite and host factors in shaping disease severity remains unclear. We set out to explore the interaction between host inflammation and parasite variant surface antigen (VSA) expression, asking whether this relationship underpins the variation observed in controlled human malaria infection. We uncovered marked heterogeneity in the response of naive hosts to blood challenge with some volunteers maintaining a state of immune quiescence, others triggering interferon-stimulated inflammation and a small group showing transcriptional evidence of myeloid cell suppression. Significantly, only inflammatory volunteers experienced hallmark symptoms of clinical malaria. When we then tracked temporal changes in parasite VSA expression to ask whether variants associated with severe disease preferentially expand in naive hosts (as predicted by current theory) we found that var gene profiles were essentially unchanged after 10-days of blood-stage infection. These data therefore show that the diverse clinical outcomes of CHMI largely originate from host-intrinsic variation and there is no evidence for switching or selection of var genes in naïve hosts. 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 EGAS00001003766

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