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• Androgen deprivation therapy promotes an inflammatory and obesity-like microenvironment in periprostatic fat

  Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death and morbidity worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of management for advanced disease. The use of androgen deprivation therapies is associated with multiple side effects, including metabolic syndrome and truncal obesity. At the same time, obesity has been associated with both prostate cancer development and disease progression, linked to its effects on chronic inflammation at a tissue level. The connection between androgen deprivation therapy, obesity, inflammation, and prostate cancer progression is well-established in clinical settings; however, an understanding of the changes in adipose tissue at the molecular level induced by castrating therapies is missing. Here we investigated the transcriptional changes in periprostatic fat tissue induced by profound androgen deprivation therapy in a group of patients with high-risk tumours compared to a matching untreated cohort. We find that androgen deprivation therapy is associated with a pro-inflammatory and obesity-like adipose tissue microenvironment. This study suggests that the beneficial effect of androgen deprivation therapy may be partially counteracted by metabolic and inflammatory side effects in the adipose tissue surrounding the prostate.

  Study EGAS00001003286

• The molecular basis of T-PLL is an actionable perturbation of TCL1/ATM- and epigenetically instructed damage responses

  T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a rare and poor-prognostic mature T-cell malignancy. To address its incomplete molecular concept, we integrated large-scale profiling data of alterations in gene expression, allelic copy number (CN), and nucleotide sequences in 111 well-characterized patients. Besides prominent signatures of T-cell activation and prevalent clonal variants, we also identified novel hot-spots for CN variability, fusion molecules, alternative transcripts, and progression-associated dynamics. The overall lesional spectrum of T-PLL is mainly annotated to axes of DNA damage responses, T-cell receptor/cytokine signaling, and histone modulation. We formulate a multi-dimensional model of T-PLL pathogenesis centered around a unique combination of TCL1 overexpression with damaging ATM aberrations as initiating core lesions. The effects imposed by TCL1 cooperate with compromised ATM towards a leukemogenic phenotype of impaired DNA damage processing. Dysfunctional ATM appears inefficient in alleviating elevated redox burdens and telomere attrition and in evoking a p53-dependent apoptotic response to genotoxic insults. As non-genotoxic strategies, synergistic combinations of p53 reactivators and deacetylase inhibitors reinstate such cell death execution.

  Study EGAS00001002744

• Cell-free DNA analysis reveals POLR1D-mediated resistance to bevacizumab in colorectal cancer

  Bevacizumab is an approved anti-angiogenic drug for patients with metastasized colorectal cancer (mCRC) targeting VEGF. The survival benefit of anti-VEGF therapy in mCRC patients is limited to a few months and acquired resistance mechanisms are greatly unknown. Using plasma DNA, we studied the evolution of tumor genomes in a cohort of patients with mCRC (n=150) and observed a recurrent focal amplification (8.7% of cases) on chromosome 13q12.2. Analysis of TCGA data (n=619) suggested an association with later stages, which we confirmed by longitudinal plasma analyses. We defined the minimally amplified region and studied the mechanistic consequences of copy number gain of the involved genes. The amplification of one gene, POLR1D, impacted cell proliferation, resulting in upregulation of VEGFA, an important regulator of angiogenesis which has been implicated in the resistance to bevacizumab. In several patients, we observed the emergence of this 13q12.2 amplicon under bevacizumab treatment, which was invariably associated with evolution of therapy resistance. Hence, we describe a novel resistance mechanism against a widely applied treatment in mCRC patients which will impact clinical management

  Study EGAS00001003791

• Pharmacogenomic analysis of patient-derived tumor cells in gynecologic cancers

  Gynecologic malignancy is one of the leading causes of mortality in female adults worldwide. Comprehensive genomic analysis has revealed a list of molecular aberrations that are essential to tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of gynecologic tumors. However, targeting such alterations has frequently led to treatment failures due to underlying genomic complexity and activation of various tumor cell survival pathway molecules. A compilation of molecular characterization of tumors with pharmacological drug response is the next step towards clinical application of patient-tailored treatment regimens. Toward this goal, we have established a library of 139 gynecologic tumors including cervical, endometrial, and epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs) and uterine sarcomas that were genomically and/or pharmacologically annotated and explored dynamic pharmacogenomic associations against 37 molecularly targeted drugs. We discovered lineage-specific drug sensitivities based on subcategorization of gynecologic tumors and identified TP53 mutation as a molecular determinant that elicit therapeutic response to poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor. We further identified transcriptome expression of inhibitor of DNA biding 2 (ID2) as a potential predictive biomarker for treatment response to olaparib. Together, our results demonstrate potential utility of rapid drug screening combined with genomic profiling for precision treatment of gynecologic cancers.

  Study EGAS00001003556

• Massively parallel functional dissection of schizophrenia associated non-coding genetic variants

  Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental disorder affecting 1% of the world population. SCZ is characterized by an underlying genetic architecture that is highly polygenic. Genome wide association studies have identified thousands of genetic variants that are statistically linked to the disease. However, the translation of these associations into insights on the pathomechanisms has been challenging because the causal genetic variants, their molecular function, and their target genes remain largely unknown. To address these questions, we combined induced pluripotent stem cell technology with a massively parallel variant annotation pipeline (MVAP) to functionally characterize 35,000 SCZ associated non-coding genetic variants. This approach identified a set of 620 (1.7%) single nucleotide polymorphisms as functional on the molecular level in a highly cell type and condition specific fashion. Subsequent multi-modal integration of epigenomic data combined with CRISPR screening in human neurons enabled us to systematically translate SCZ variant associations into target genes, biological processes, and ultimately alterations of neuronal physiology. These results provide a new high-resolution map of functional variant-gene combinations and offer comprehensive biological insights into the developmental context and stimulus dependent molecular processes modulated by SCZ genetic variation beyond statistical association.

  Study EGAS00001007542

• RNA-sequencing of tumors from 45 patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

  Genomic profiling can provide prognostic and predictive information to guide clinical care. Biomarkers that reliably predict patient response to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibition in gastric cancer are lacking. In this work, we used our machine learning algorithm NTriPath to identify a gastric-cancer specific 32-gene signature. Using unsupervised clustering on expression levels of these 32 genes in tumors from 567 patients, we identified four molecular subtypes that were prognostic for survival. We then built a support vector machine with linear kernel and the binary classifier to generate a risk score that is prognostic for 5-year overall survival and validated the risk score using three independent datasets. We also found that the molecular subtypes predicted response to adjuvant 5-fluorouracil and platinum after gastrectomy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with metastatic or recurrent disease. The 32-gene signature is a promising prognostic and predictive biomarker to guide the clinical care of gastric cancer patients and should be validated in a prospective manner. This EGA archive includes both St.Mary hospital cohort samples (n=28) and Yonsei immunotherapy patient samples (n=17).

  Study EGAS00001005588

• Exome_sequencing_of_EBV_driven_lymphoma

  Exome sequencing of a case of lethal EBV-driven LPD

  Study EGAS00001001021

• University of Utah Pelvic Organ Prolapse Disorder Study

  The overall purpose of this University of Utah Pelvic Organ Prolapse Disorder Study was to identify and localize predisposition genes contributing to pelvic organ prolapse (POP). POP cases recruited for this study were identified by one of three methods: high-risk POP pedigree cases, POP sister pairs, and surgically-treated POP cases reporting a family history of POP. High-risk POP pedigree cases were identified using the Utah Population Database (UPDB), a genealogy database of residents in Utah that has been linked to diagnostic ICD9 and CPT codes in medical records at the University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare. We identified families with a significant excess number of POP cases compared to matched population rates and targeted these individuals for recruitment as well as any other POP cases in the family. POP sister pair cases were identified at the University of Utah Urogyncology clinic for women who had undergone POP surgery and also self-reported one or more sisters who were also surgically treated for POP. POP affection status of all sisters was confirmed either by physical examination or by chart review. Surgically treated-POP cases reporting a family history of POP were identified at the University of Utah Urogyncology clinic by self-report of a family history of POP. Efforts were made to recruit other affected family members and confirm affection status. To obtain DNA, subjects provided either a blood specimen or saliva. Medical records were reviewed by a urogynecologist and diagnostic information for pelvic organ prolapse and stress and overactive bladder were obtained. Collected DNA was genotyped and analyzed. To maintain confidentiality of the familial data, genetic data from only one subject per family has been submitted to dbGaP. Use of the University of Utah Pelvic Organ Prolapse Disorder Study data is limited to investigators studying pelvic floor disorders. These pelvic floor disorders include pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and anal incontinence, and other conditions related to weakening or injury to the muscles and connective tissue in the pelvis as a result of pelvic surgery, pregnancy, or vaginal delivery of a child. These data will be used only for research purposes related to pelvic floor disorders. They will not be used to determine the individual identity of any person or their relationship to another person or for research on non-disease traits.

  Study phs001439

• A prospective study identifies MisMatch Repair genes as candidate predisposing genes for uveal melanoma.

  Objective: The aim of this study is to identify new predisposing genes for uveal melanoma (UM), the most common intraocular malignancy in adults. Design: Prospective cohort study from Institut Curie. Participants: 381 unselected patients diagnosed with UM between July 2021 and February 2023 at Institut Curie. Methods: All patients received genetic counseling and consented to extended genetic testing. A panel of 122 genes was analyzed by targeted sequencing on germline DNA from these patients. Main outcomes measures: UM was diagnosed by ophthalmologists at Institut Curie, and a senior pathologist confirmed the diagnosis when tumor or biopsy was available. Classification of the germline genetic variants was performed according to the ACMG guidelines. Results: We identified at least one pathogenic variant (PV) in 79 patients. Among those variants, 20 were found in clinically relevant genes for the patient’s follow-up and genetic counseling. We found a significant enrichment of germline pathogenic variants in Mismatch Repair (MMR) MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 genes in this UM cohort, suggesting that MMR germline alterations could predispose to UM. From this cohort, one tumor was available from a patient carrying a MLH1 germline mutation. The tumor was characterized by a monosomy 3, in line with a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of MLH1, located on chromosome 3. Loss of expression of MLH1 and PMS2 was observed by immunohistochemistry, and MMR mutational signatures SBS6, ID1 and ID2 were identified from the whole genome sequencing of the tumor. These data suggest that MLH1 is implicated in the oncogenesis of this UM. Conclusions: This study is the largest prospective constitutional study performed on UM patients, and the first demonstrating that MMR germline alterations are significantly enriched among these patients. Further analyses will be needed to estimate the risk of developing UM for patients with Lynch syndrome

  Study EGAS50000000914

• Integrative analysis reveals a macrophage-predominant, immunosuppressive immune microenvironment and subtype-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities in advanced salivary gland cancer

  Background Salivary gland cancers (SGC) are rare and heterogeneous malignant tumors. Advanced SGC lack established treatment options and show poor response to immunotherapy. Here, an integrative multi-omics analysis in a large cohort of advanced SGC revealed insights into the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) and distinct mechanisms of immune evasion. Methods A total of 104 patients with recurrent/metastatic SGC from the DKTK MASTER program were included in this study. Whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing and RNA-sequencing was performed on fresh frozen tumor tissue. The tumor immune microenvironment was analyzed using CIBERSORT deconvolution analysis and immune gene expression scores in bulk RNA-sequencing data. Single-nuclei sequencing and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed in selected samples. Results were validated in bulk RNA-sequencing data of a previously published independent dataset. Results Bulk transcriptome analysis revealed an immune-deserted TIM in the majority of advanced SGC samples. Immune exclusion was most prominent in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) subgroup 1 exhibiting a downregulation of the antigen processing machinery. Only a small subset of advanced SGC, including few adenoid cystic carcinoma, exhibited T-cell inflammation, which was correlated with tumor mutational burden in Non-ACC samples. Subtype specific expression of immune checkpoints as well as cancer testis antigens were identified with prominent expression of VTCN1 in luminal cells within ACC. Single-cell RNA-sequencing and bulk RNA-seq deconvolution analysis validated immune cell exclusion and revealed a TIM that was dominated by M2 macrophages across SGC subtypes. Among evaluable patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a high T-cell to macrophage ratio was associated with clinical benefit. Conclusions These data support biomarker-based development of immune-checkpoint inhibition and the development of novel immune-checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies in SGC.

  Study EGAS50000000809

• Molecular Tumor Board to Inform on Personalized Medicine for a Man with Advanced Prostate Cancer

  Purpose: Molecular profiling of cancer is increasingly common as part of routine care in oncology, and germline and somatic profiling may provide insights and actionable targets for men with metastatic prostate cancer. However, all reported cases are of deidentified individuals without full medical and genomic data available in the public domain. Patient and Methods: We present a case of whole genome tumor and germline sequencing in a patient with advanced prostate cancer, who has agreed to make his genomic and clinical data publicly available in an accompanying personal testimonial. Results: We describe an 84-year-old Caucasian male with a Gleason 10 oligometastastic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Whole-genome sequencing provided insights into his tumor’s underlying mutational processes and the development of an SPOP mutation. It also revealed an androgen-receptor dependency of his cancer which was reflected in his durable response to radiation and hormonal therapy. Potentially actionable genomic lesions in the tumor were identified through a personalized medicine approach for potential future therapy, but at the moment, he remains in remission, illustrating the hormonal sensitivity of his SPOP-driven prostate cancer. We also placed this patient in the context of a large prostate-cancer cohort from the PCAWG (Pan-cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes) group. In this comparison, the patient's cancer appears typical in terms of the number and type of somatic mutations, but it has a somewhat larger contribution from the mutational process associated with aging. Conclusion: We combined the expertise of medical oncology and genomics approaches to develop a molecular tumor board to integrate the care and study of this patient, who continues to have an outstanding response to his combined modality treatment. This identifiable case potentially helps overcome barriers to clinical and genomic data sharing.

  Study EGAS00001004648

• Urothelial Cancer - Genomic Analysis to Improve Patient Outcomes and Research (UC-GENOME): A Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN)-Led Collaborative Research Pilot Study

  UC-GENOME is a real-world cohort of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). The study consisted of two co-equal aims: 1) to provide targeted DNA sequencing for clinical decision making at no cost to patients; and 2) to create a resource for collaborative translational science including a clinically annotated biobank. The submitted data represents the foundational analysis of 218 patients accrued at 7 academic medical centers. The analysis includes 176 patients with both targeted DNA sequencing and RNA sequencing. The genomic data was combined with clinical variables to model response to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Due to additional sharing restrictions, data from one site can be found in phs003094.

  Study phs003066

• Urothelial Cancer - Genomic Analysis to Improve Patient Outcomes and Research (UC-GENOME): a Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN)-Led Collaborative Research Pilot Study - for Samples Collected at Johns Hopkins

  UC-GENOME is a real-world cohort of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). The study consisted of two co-equal aims: 1) to provide targeted DNA sequencing for clinical decision making at no cost to patients; and 2) to create a resource for collaborative translational science including a clinically annotated biobank. The submitted data represents the foundational analysis of 218 patients accrued at 7 academic medical centers. The analysis includes 176 patients with both targeted DNA sequencing and RNA sequencing. The genomic data was combined with clinical variables to model response to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).The larger dataset for this study can be found in dbGaP study phs003066.

  Study phs003094

• Exome trios in patients with gastroschisis (2019-04-08)

  Gastroschisis (MIM 230750) is a herniation of the intestines through a defect of the abdominal wall lateral to the umbilicus (usually on the right side), and it is not covered by a membrane [Ledbetter, 2012]. Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly with increasing incidence, easy prenatal diagnosis and extremely variable postnatal outcomes. On the basis of clinical manifestations, epidemiologic charateristics, and the presence and type of additional malformations, gastroschisis could be considered a heterogeneous condition with no gene/s discovered yet. This congenital anomaly affects approximately 1-3 infancts per 10,000 live births [Calzolari et al.1995;Parker et al.,2010] Current knowledge about causative mutations/variants. To date, no single gene has been linked to gastroschisis. Some publications have tried to link this malformation to variants in genes (such as AEBP1 (adipocyte enhancer binding protein) gene [Feldkamp et al,. 2012] or the VEGF-NOS3 pathway [Lammer et al., 2008]. Previously, a Scribble mutant mouse model (circletail) was reported to exhibit gastroschisis, however recent studies demonstrated that the Scribble knockout fetus exhibits exomphalos phenotype of gastroschisis [Carnagham et al., 2013]. 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/ . This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2019-04-08.

  Dataset EGAD00001004942

• Transcriptome analysis of human longitudinal whole blood samples from PCR-positive and PCR-negative adults following controlled inoculation with Influenza A (H3N2) virus.

  Transcriptome analysis of influenza A (H3N2) human challenge samples. Understanding of the transcriptomic profile of individuals in early influenza infection is limited. To investigate this, longitudinal whole-blood samples (n=178) were taken from adult participants following controlled inoculation with Influenza A H3N2 virus (sampling at baseline (0) and days 1, 2, 3, 7, 10 and 14 post-challenge). Most participants became influenza PCR-positive; a minority remained PCR-negative. Total RNA was extracted from PAXgene tubes before undergoing globin and rRNA depletion. DNA libraries were constructed using the NEBNext® Ultra™ II Directional RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina. All samples were then sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq 6000.

  Study EGAS50000000679

• STAT5 is a therapeutically targetable vulnerability in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

  Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas represent a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by the infiltration and expansion of mature malignant T-cells into the skin. The disease encompasses distinct variants such as mycosis fungoides a skin resident variant, in which the malignant cells are restricted to skin lesions, and leukemic variant sézary syndrome characterized by circulating malignant T-cells. Here we integrated shallow whole genome sequencing and whole exome sequencing, on samples from four sézary syndrome patients and two advanced mycosis fungoides patients with blood involvement, to characterize genetic alterations and assess their therapeutic actionability. We identified an elevated copy number of 17q, resulting in increased STAT5 expression and activation, as a key factor in the pathophysiology of the disease.

  Study EGAS00001004719

• Spatial and temporal transcriptome analysis on human skeletal muscle regeneration

  Skeletal muscle carries a unique ability for adaptation as well as regeneration that highly depends on a supportive cellular microenvironment. Here we show that spatial and single-cell transcriptomic analysis in human skeletal muscle is a unique approach to illuminate cellular interactions in the microenvironment.

  Dataset EGAD50000000263

• Whole exome sequencing of a cold agglutinin disease patient

  We performed whole exome sequencing of bone marrow monoclear cells derived from a cold agglutinin disease patient. Aim of our study is to elucidate the pathogenesis of hemolytic anemia.

  Study JGAS000612

• Whole exome sequencing of a cold agglutinin disease patient

  We performed whole exome sequencing of bone marrow monoclear cells derived from a cold agglutinin disease patient. Aim of our study is to elucidate the pathogenesis of hemolytic anemia.

  Study JGAS000583

• Single-Cell Mitochondrial Variant Profiling via TAMITO-seq

  This dataset focuses on mitochondrial variant detection using the TAMITO-seq protocol. A pre-designed mitochondrial panel (https://designer.missionbio.com/catalogpanels/Virtual-mtDNA) was spiked into the scTAMseq workflow targeting 200 CpGs and 167 genotyping loci. Data were generated from a peripheral blood sample of a healthy donor, donor X.2, multiplexed with data from another donor.

  Dataset EGAD00001015494

• Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-read sequencing in a paired diagnostic and post- therapy medulloblastoma

  Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long-read sequencing in a paired diagnostic and post- therapy medulloblastoma (2 samples). One sequencing was done on GridION, the other one on a P2 Solo. In both cases the SQK LSK-109 Kit was used for preparation.

  Dataset EGAD00001009490

• Exome sequencing of a novel cervical cancer cell line

  In this work, we establish and characterized a low-passage cervix cancer cell line from a Brazilian patient with squamous cell carcinoma. The dataset contains three samples from the same patient (blood, tumor tissue and the primary cell line). The technology used was exome sequencing and the file type available is fastq files.

  Dataset EGAD00001004480

• Germline genome sequencing samples from the Hereditary Cancer Syndromes (ICCon) Cancer Flagship

  A prospective study of individuals with suspicion of a hereditary cancer syndrome for whom previous clinical targeted genetic testing was either not informative or was not available. To identify pathogenic disease-causing variants explaining participant presentation, germline whole-genome sequencing and a comprehensive cancer virtual gene panel analysis were undertaken.

  Dataset EGAD00001011260

• A mathematical model of cell-free DNA fragment size reveals cancer-specific fragmentomic patterns

  This study aim to test a mathematical model of cfDNA length distribution across multiple biodiy flulids. It try to investigate biological mechanisms of cfDNA fragmentation and release.

  Study EGAS50000001560

• A comprehensive genetic map of cytokine responses in Lyme borreliosis

  A study on the genetic determinants of immune response in patients diagnosed with Lyme borreliosis. Examining the link between genetic variants and cytokine response in more than 1,000 patients.

  Study EGAS50000000024

• A method for multiplexed full-length single-molecule sequencing of the human mitochondrial genome

  Here we describe a method to target, multiplex and sequence full-length, native single-molecule the human mitochondrial genome utilizing the RNA-guided DNA endonuclease Cas9.

  Study EGAS00001006203

• DLBCLR

  Evaluating gene expression in DLBCL using a quantitative nuclease protection assay

  Study EGAS00001007479

• Phase II Therapeutic Trial of Mexiletine in Non-Dystrophic Myotonia (IND #77,021)

  Non-dystrophic myotonias are a group of rare muscle disorders caused by abnormalities in different muscle cell membrane proteins. Patients experience delayed muscle relaxation that causes impaired physical activity, stiffness, and pain. Mexiletine has been shown to be beneficial for symptoms of myotonia in case reports of patients with non-dystrophic myotonia, however, current management of these patients primarily depends on individual practitioners' preference. This study is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over treatment trial using mexiletine in non-dystrophic myotonias. The results, if positive, will permit the identification of mexiletine as an effective therapy for myotonia, making it a first-line therapy for patients with non-dystrophic myotonia. The specific aim of this proposal is to perform a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study to assess whether mexiletine improves both quantitative and qualitative measures of myotonia in patients with non-dystrophic myotonia. Given the rarity of non-dystrophic myotonia, large randomized controlled treatment trials in these disorders have not been feasible in the past. Primary Outcome Measure: Patient-assessed symptom: stiffness as measured by an Interactive Voice Response Diary (IVR). Secondary Outcome Measures: a) patient-assessed pain, weakness, and fatigue as measured by IVR; b) clinical myotonia assessment; c) quality of life as measured by INQoL, SF36; d) a quantitative measure of grip myotonia; e) measurement of CMAP after short and long exercise; f) grading of myotonia on needle EMG.

  Study phs001311

• National Cancer Institute (NCI) Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) of Renal Cell Carcinoma in African Americans

  The NCI GWAS of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in African Americans was undertaken to provide insight into genetic loci affecting susceptibility to this malignancy in a racial group known to be at elevated risk. We genotyped 1,136,723 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among 255 cases and 375 controls of African ancestry from the NCI Kidney Cancer Study, and further investigated 16 SNPs in a replication set consisting of 140 cases and 543 controls from a case-control study conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The variant rs10771279 located on 12p11, 77kb from a European-ancestry RCC risk marker, was associated with RCC risk in the GWAS (P=1.2 x 10-7) but did not replicate (P=0.99). The variant 7105934 on 11q13.3, previously associated with RCC in a GWAS using European-ancestry samples, was associated with risk in both studies [meta-analysis odds ratio (OR)=0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.64-0.91; P=0.0022]. The frequency of this allele was higher than that observed in the European-ancestry GWAS (0.56 and 0.07 respectively among controls). The rs7105934 association was stronger for clear cell RCC (ccRCC: OR=0.56; P=7.4 x 10-7) and absent for cases of other or unknown histology (OR=1.02; P=0.86). In conclusion, this study provides evidence that rs7105934 is a susceptibility locus for RCC, and clear-cell RCC in particular, among African Americans.

  Study phs000863

• QUANTitative Chest Computed Tomography UnMasking Emphysema Progression in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

  AAT deficiency is a genetic disorder associated with emphysema. Spirometry, the lung function test that measures how well the lungs exhale air, is used to diagnose and track the progression of emphysema. Some studies have suggested that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) measurements, a type of spirometry test, may lack accuracy in detecting disease progression in cases of severe AAT deficiency. Another method, high resolution chest CT scans, may be more accurate at measuring the progression of emphysema. The purpose of this study is to determine if high resolution CT scans are better at detecting the progression of emphysema than lung function tests. Results from this study may lead to the development of a more accurate way to assess lung tissue loss and may improve the understanding of lung destruction in AAT deficiency. This study will last 4 years and will enroll people with AAT deficiency who have nearly normal lung function test results. Study visits, each lasting about 4 hours, will occur at baseline and months 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36. At each visit, participants will undergo lung function tests, a CT scan, blood collection, and a physical exam. Female participants will have urine collected for a pregnancy test. All participants will also complete questionnaires to assess health status and lung function. Study researchers will call participants every 2 months to collect information on lung disease symptoms and medication changes.

  Study phs000698

• Indexing Genes Impacted by Copy Number Variation in Developmental Disorders

  A challenge in clinical genomics is to predict whether copy number variation (CNV) affecting a gene or multiple genes will manifest as disease. Increasing recognition of gene dosage effects in neurodevelopmental disorders prompted us to develop a computational approach based on critical-exon (highly expressed in brain, highly conserved) examination for potential etiologic effects. Using a large CNV dataset, our updated analyses revealed significant (P < 1.64 x 10-15) enrichment of critical-exons within rare CNVs in cases compared to controls. Separately, we used a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to construct an unbiased protein module from prenatal and adult tissues and found it significantly enriched for critical exons in prenatal (P < 1.15 x 10-50, OR = 2.11) and adult (P < 6.03 x 10-18, OR = 1.55) development. WGCNA yielded 1,206 proteins for which we prioritized the corresponding genes as likely to have a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. We compared the gene lists obtained from critical-exon and WGCNA analysis and found 438 candidate genes associated with CNVs annotated as pathogenic, or variants of uncertain significance (VOUS), from among 10,619 developmental delay cases. We identified genes containing CNVs previously considered to be VOUS, to be new candidate genes for neurodevelopmental disorders (GIT1, MVB12B and PPP1R9A) demonstrating the utility of this strategy to index the clinical effects of CNVs. Reprinted from Uddin et al, 2016, with permission from Scientific Reports.

  Study phs001154

• Whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of lung cancer patients and cell lines at Genentech

  Version 1 Whole genome sequencing was applied to tumor and adjacent normal lung tissue in an individual non-small-cell lung cancer patient. We present an analysis of somatic changes identified throughout the tumor genome, including single-nucleotide variants, copy number variants, and large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. Over 50,000 high-confidence single-nucleotide variants were identified, revealing evidence of substantial smoking-related DNA damage as well as distinct mutational pressures within the tumor resulting in uneven distribution of somatic mutations across the genome. Version 2 Lung cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease in terms of both underlying genetic lesions and response to therapeutic treatments. We performed deep whole genome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing on 19 lung cancer cell lines and 3 lung tumor/normal pairs. Overall, our data show that cell line models exhibit similar mutation spectra to human tumor samples. Smoker and never-smoker cancer samples exhibit distinguishable patterns of mutations. A number of epigenetic regulators are frequently altered by mutations or copy number changes. A systematic survey of splice-site mutations identified over 100 splice site mutations associated with cancer specific aberrant splicing, including mutations in several known cancer-related genes. Differential usages of splice isoforms were also studied. Taken together, these data present a comprehensive genomic landscape of a large number of lung cancer samples and further demonstrate that cancer specific alternative splicing is a widespread phenomenon that has potential utility as therapeutic biomarkers.

  Study phs000299

• Genetic Basis for Clinical Response to CTLA-4 Blockade in Melanoma

  Immune checkpoint inhibitors are effective cancer treatments, but molecular determinants of clinical benefit are unknown. Ipilimumab and tremelimumab are antibodies against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Anti-CTLA-4 treatment prolongs overall survival in patients with melanoma. CTLA-4 blockade activates T cells and enables them to destroy tumor cells. We obtained tumor tissue from patients with melanoma who were treated with ipilimumab or tremelimumab. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on tumors and matched blood samples. Somatic mutations and candidate neoantigens generated from these mutations were characterized. Neoantigen peptides were tested for the ability to activate lymphocytes from ipilimumab-treated patients. Malignant melanoma exomes from 64 patients treated with CTLA-4 blockade were characterized with the use of massively parallel sequencing. A discovery set consisted of 11 patients who derived a long-term clinical benefit and 14 patients who derived a minimal benefit or no benefit. Mutational load was associated with the degree of clinical benefit (P = 0.01) but alone was not sufficient to predict benefit. Using genomewide somatic neoepitope analysis and patient-specific HLA typing, we identified candidate tumor neoantigens for each patient. We elucidated a neo-antigen landscape that is specifically present in tumors with a strong response to CTLA-4 blockade. We validated this signature in a second set of 39 patients with melanoma who were treated with anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. Predicted neoantigens activated T cells from the patients treated with ipilimumab.

  Study phs001041

• Genome-Wide Association Study in Systemic Sclerosis

  The Scleroderma Family Registry and DNA Repository (Registry) was initially developed as a registry and bio-specimen repository of patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), family members and unaffected healthy controls. A case-control design was later adopted due to the lack of availability of many parents in this adult-onset disease, which precluded a linkage approach. In addition to collecting demographic data, the registry included the collection of disease-pertinent, cross-sectional, clinical information from medical records of affected participants. Registry participants were >/= 18 years of age at enrollment. On the basis of medical record review, all cases were verified by the principal investigator to meet the eligibility criteria. 800+ blood samples from verified affected cases of European ancestry were selected for a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS). These genetic data, as well as phenotypic data, are available in dbGaP. DNA, serum and plasma from Registry participants, which are currently being stored in the University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston, Scleroderma Registry Genetic Repository, are available for research purposes. However, not all of the 800+ registry participants who submitted a blood sample currently have DNA available due to depletion of some samples. In addition to including SNP data from the genome-wide (first study release) and immunochip (second study release) scan on the 800+ samples, the dbGaP database provides a set of data tables with phenotypic information collected from the participants in the registry.

  Study phs000357

• Reference Standards for Mosaic Variant Detection

  After conception, postzygotic mutations continuously occur throughout life in humans, causing somatic mosaicism in an individual. The variant type, time of origination, and locations of the mosaic mutations result in unique mosaic patterns in a combinatorial manner and further affect phenotypes, including various noncancerous diseases. Several efforts have, thus, been made to identify the mutational landscape and mechanisms underlying the mosaic mutations. From a technical aspect, the accurate detection of mutations is at the core of the mosaicism research, and the construction of a standard reference is a critical first step to serve as the basis for analytical validation and benchmarks for germline and somatic mutation detection. Furthermore, a reference standard for mosaic mutations is urgently needed to enable more advanced research.Herein, we generated robust, large-scale, and cell line mixture-based reference standards that contain abundant mosaic SNVs and INDELs along with wild-type sites and germ line variants. Moreover, the whole reference standard set mimics the cumulative aspect of mosaic variant acquisition in the early developmental stage through a progressive cell line mixing with confirmed genotypes. It can be used for optimizing the current use of mosaic variant detection strategies, as well as developing algorithms for future improvements.We previously generated an NCBI BioProject (PRJNA758606) to release much of these data. Only the data that are subject to authorized access constraints have been included in this submission to dbGaP. The two data sources are thus, complementary to each other.

  Study phs003399

• Targeted Linked-Read DNA-seq Analysis of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancers

  Androgen receptor (AR) inhibition is standard of care for advanced prostate cancer (PC). However, its efficacy is limited by progression to castration-resistant PC (CRPC), usually due to AR re-activation via mechanisms that include AR amplification and structural rearrangement. These two classes of AR alterations often co-occur in CRPC tumors, but it is unclear whether this reflects intercellular or intracellular heterogeneity of AR. It is important to resolve the mechanisms of AR genomic rearrangements to develop new therapies and predictive biomarkers for PC. We developed a targeted linked-read DNA sequencing assay to interrogate alterations in AR and a panel of genes known to be amplified or mutated in CRPC. Linked-read DNA-sequencing libraries were generated using the 10X Genomics Chromium platform and subjected to hybridization enrichment using a custom-designed Agilent SureSelect bait panel. Post-capture DNA-seq libraries were pooled and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 using 2x150 bp settings. This targeted linked-read DNA-seq assay was used to interrogate a set of 6 benchmarking samples harboring known AR gene rearrangements and other alterations in AR, as well a panel of 6 patient-derived xenograft CRPC tumors and 23 clinical CRPC tumors. In this cohort, we identified a subset of samples that developed complex, multiply-rearranged AR gene structures in conjunction with very high AR copy number. The data that will be made available through dbGaP are raw FASTQ files.

  Study phs003343

• Center for Sub-Cellular Genomics

  A cell is a highly complex system with distributed molecular physiologies in structured sub-cellular compartments whose interplay with the nuclear genome determine the functional characteristics of the cell. A classic example of distributed genomic processes is found in neurons. Learning and memory require modulation of individual synapses through RNA localization, localized translation, and localized metabolites, such as those from dendritic mitochondria. Dendrites of neurons integrate distributed synaptic signals into both electrical and nuclear transcriptional response. Dysfunction of these distributed genomic functions in neurons can result in a broad spectrum of neuropsychiatric diseases such as bipolar and depressive disorders, autism, among others. The Center for Sub-Cellular Genomics' (CSG) mission is to develop new technologies to enable the dissection of complex genomic interactions within a single cell. New technologies include methods to target DNA and RNA sampling at sub-cellular resolution in live cells; high-throughput isolation and microfluidics chemistry for sub-cellular fractions; sub-cellular resolution mass-spectrometry; and computational tools for analysis of sub-cellular genomics data. The new technologies developed by CSG will enable the broader genomics community to associate sub-cellular processes to cell function and dysfunction. These technologies will be utilized in the center to generate a comprehensive atlas of genomic signatures of sub-cellular compartments in the mammalian neuron system. The technologies and neuron-focused data obtained here will be relevant to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases including schizophrenia, depression, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer's.

  Study phs002120

• First datasets available in the Federated EGA Network

  In February 2024, a great milestone was reached for the human omics data community: the first datasets are now available in the Federated European Genome-phenome Archive (FEGA). These datasets - hosted by national nodes in Poland, Norway, and Sweden - are discoverable in the EGA portal and accessible according to national laws. These datasets include: From FEGA Poland - The Genomic Map Of Poland From FEGA Norway - CRCbiome: Gut metagenome of Norwegian screening participants using FIT sampling Also from FEGA Norway - Single cell transcriptomics in expanded Tregs of APS-1 patients From FEGA Sweden - A Combined Omics and Tissue Biobank for Paediatric Cancers The establishment of these datasets represents a significant step towards achieving the broader objectives of the FEGA; to facilitate the sharing of high-quality human genomic and phenotypic data across borders. “The value for users is twofold: it becomes easier to make data available securely compared to storing data locally, and data becomes easier to find for other researchers. The possibility of reuse improves the chances of both verifying scientific discoveries and reaching groundbreaking conclusions, of benefit to the research community and later also patients,” said Anna Hagwall, project manager and head of human data at FEGA Sweden, NBIS. About Federated EGA FEGA was launched in 2022 as a network to store and lawfully share sensitive human omics data safely. It relies on the technology originally developed by the EGA and support from ongoing collaborations with ELIXIR - a European life sciences infrastructure. FEGA has contributed to and benefitted from the implementation of community standards for sensitive data management including those developed by the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH). “The FEGA concept and the development of the Nordic FEGA nodes have been made possible thanks to several projects coordinated by NeIC,” said Kjell Petersen, FEGA Norway technical lead. Managing human omics data is challenging due to its sheer size and privacy concerns, often resulting in restrictions on how and where sensitive data can be shared. The FEGA network follows a federated data access model whereby sensitive data is stored securely within a local or national jurisdiction, while discovery across the network for data of interest is enabled via a central portal. As of February 2024, the FEGA network comprises seven European national nodes with tens of additional national partners working towards establishing a FEGA node. As the FEGA network continues to onboard nodes from around the world, populated with more and more data, we move closer to a vision of a truly global resource for discovery of and access to sensitive human omics data to accelerate disease research and improve human health. "The Federated EGA network is entering a key phase where the first research datasets are now available across the network. In coming years, we look forward to expanding these datasets to cover key areas such as cancer and rare diseases for the benefit of patients" said Thomas Keane, Group Leader at EMBL-EBI.

  Blog first-datasets-available-in-Federated-EGA

• The circulating cell-free DNA landscape in sepsis is dominated by impaired liver clearance

  Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising molecular biomarker. However, its utility in severe infection remains poorly understood. Here, we isolated cfDNA from sepsis patients and controls, demonstrating a 41-fold increase in the amount of cfDNA in circulation during disease. We used sequencing to reconstruct cfDNA methylomes, fragmentation profiles, and nucleosome footprints across 58 samples. We observed no difference in cfDNA composition between patients and controls, challenging the idea that cfDNA increases due to higher immune cell death during sepsis. Instead, we suggest that liver dysfunction prevents efficient clearance of cfDNA during disease. This was supported by fragmentation and end-motif patterns, both of which showed evidence of cfDNA being exposed to circulating nucleases for a prolonged period, proportionally to the extent of liver dysfunction. Variation in cfDNA of megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor origin was also a significant contributor in sepsis, increasing over time. Moreover, we showed that cfDNA retains nucleosome footprints with cell type-specific gene activity information. We developed a novel approach to study nucleosome phasing that successfully recovers tissue-specific signatures. By combining this with single-cell data, we demonstrated that sepsis patients with liver dysfunction have higher amounts of cfDNA derived from Kupffer cells and the liver parenchyma. In conclusion, we present the first high-throughput multi-modal study of cfDNA during sepsis, which will serve as a reference point for future studies on the role of this biomarker in critical illness.

  Study EGAS50000001033

• Whole exome sequencing of an invasive diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma sampled from different sites

  The lateral ventricle subventricular zone (SVZ) is a frequent site of high-grade glioma (HGG) spread and tumor invasion of the SVZ is a predictor of a worse clinical prognosis. A range of HGG types invade the stem cell niche of the SVZ, including both adult glioblastoma and pediatric high-grade gliomas such as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). The cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating this frequent invasion of the SVZ are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that neural precursor cell (NPC):glioma cell communication underpins the propensity of glioma to colonize the SVZ. SVZ NPCs secrete chemoattractant signals toward which glioma cells home. Biochemical and proteomic analyses of factors secreted by SVZ NPCs revealed a discrete list of candidate proteins. Necessity and sufficiency testing implicated the neurite outgrowth-promoting factor pleiotrophin, along with three required binding partners (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), SPARC-like protein 1, and heat shock protein 90B), as key mediators of this chemoattractant effect. Pleiotrophin protein expression is strongly enriched in the SVZ, and knockdown of pleiotrophin expression starkly reduced glioma invasion of the SVZ in the adult murine brain. Pleiotrophin, in complex with the three binding partners, activated the Rho/ROCK pathway in DIPG cells, and inhibition of ROCK resulted in decreased DIPG invasion toward SVZ neural precursor cell-secreted factors. These findings demonstrate a pathogenic role for neural precursor cell – glioma interactions and potential therapeutic targets to limit glioma invasion.

  Study EGAS00001002326

• Massively parallel nanowell-based single-cell gene expression profiling

  Technological advances have enabled transcriptome characterization of cell types at the single-cell level providing new biological insights. New methods that enable simple yet high-throughput single-cell expression profiling are highly desirable. Here we report a novel nanowell-based single-cell RNA sequencing system, ICELL8, which enables processing of thousands of cells per sample. The system employs a 5184-nanowell-containing microchip to capture ~1300 single cells and process them. Each nanowell contains preprinted oligonucleotides encoding poly-d(T), a unique well barcode, and a unique molecular identifier. The ICELL8 system uses imaging software to identify nanowells containing viable single cells and only wells with single cells are processed into sequencing libraries. Here, we report the performance and utility of ICELL8 using samples of increasing complexity from cultured cells to mouse solid tissue samples. Our assessment of the system to discriminate between mixed human and mouse cells showed that ICELL8 has a low cell multiplet rate (< 3%) and low cross-cell contamination. We characterized single-cell transcriptomes of more than a thousand cultured human and mouse cells as well as 468 mouse pancreatic islets cells. We were able to identify distinct cell types in pancreatic islets, including alpha, beta, delta and gamma cells. Overall, ICELL8 provides efficient and cost-effective single-cell expression profiling of thousands of cells, allowing researchers to decipher single-cell transcriptomes within complex biological samples.

  Study EGAS00001002320

• 33 patients with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) had whole exome sequencing performed. Cells were sorted by FACSAria using CD138, CD19 and CD56 to obtain a pure abnormal plasma cell population. Generated somatic variants were compared to a previous study of 463 multiple myeloma patients.

  Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant precursor of multiple myeloma (MM) with a 1% risk of progression per year. Although targeted analyses have shown the presence of specific genetic abnormalities such as IGH translocations, RB1 deletion, 1q gain, hyperdiploidy or RAS genes mutations, little is known about molecular mechanism of malignant transformation. We have performed whole exome sequencing together with SNP array analysis in 33 flow-cytometry separated abnormal PC samples of MGUS patients to describe somatic gene mutations and chromosome changes at the genome-wide level. Non-synonymous mutations (NS-SNVs) and copy number alterations (CNAs) were present in 97.0% and in 63.6% of cases, respectively. Importantly, the number of somatic mutations was significantly lower in MGUS compared to MM (p<10-4) and we have identified 6 myeloma significantly mutated genes which are KRAS, NRAS, DIS3, HIST1H1E, EGR1 and LTB in the MGUS dataset. We also found a positive correlation with increasing chromosome changes and somatic mutations. IGH translocations were present in 27.3% of cases comprising t(4;14), t(11;14), t(14;16) or t(14;20) and were in a similar frequency to MM, which corresponded with primary lesion hypothesis. Data from this study showed MGUS is a genetically comprehensive disease, however overall genetic instability is significantly lower compared to MM.

  Study EGAS00001001658

• 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

• 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

• Direct Comparative Analysis of 10X Genomics Chromium and Smart-seq2

  Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is widely used for profiling transcriptomes of individual cells. The droplet-based 10X Genomics Chromium (10X) approach and the plate-based Smart-seq2 full-length method are two frequently-used scRNA-seq platforms, yet there are only a few thorough and systematic comparisons of their advantages and limitations. Here, by directly comparing the scRNA-seq data by the two platforms from the same samples of CD45- cells, we systematically evaluated their features using a wide spectrum of analysis. Smart-seq2 detected more genes in a cell, especially low abundance transcripts as well as alternatively spliced transcripts, but captured higher proportion of mitochondrial genes. The composite of Smart-seq2 data also resembled bulk RNA-seq data better. For 10X-based data, we observed higher noise for mRNA in the low expression level. Despite the poly(A) enrichment, approximately 10-30% of all detected transcripts by both platforms were from non-coding genes, with lncRNA accounting for a higher proportion in 10X. 10X-based data displayed more severe dropout problem, especially for genes with lower expression levels. However, 10X-data can better detect rare cell types given its ability to cover a large number of cells. In addition, each platform detected different sets of differentially expressed genes between cell clusters, indicating the complementary nature of these technologies. Our comprehensive benchmark analysis offers the basis for selecting the optimal scRNA-seq strategy based on the objectives of each study.

  Study EGAS00001003973

• Ultra-long sequencing for contiguous haplotype resolution of the human immunoglobulin heavy chain locus

  Genetic diversity within the human immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) locus influences the expressed antibody repertoire and susceptibility to infectious and autoimmune diseases. However, repetitive sequences and complex structural variation pose significant challenges for large-scale characterization. Here, we introduce a method that combines Oxford Nanopore ultra-long sequencing and adaptive sampling with a bioinformatic pipeline to produce haplotype-resolved, annotated IGH assemblies. Notably, our strategy overcomes prior limitations in phasing resolution, enabling single-contig haplotype assemblies that span the entire IGH locus. We applied this method to four individuals and validated the accuracy of the IGH assemblies using Pacific Biosciences HiFi reads, demonstrating near-complete sequence congruence, detecting only indels with a high degree of confidence. Moreover, when applied to the reference material HG002, our pipeline revealed no base differences and a limited number of indels compared with the Telomere-to-Telomere genome benchmark across the IGH region. Importantly, in the four individuals, our approach uncovered 30 novel alleles and previously uncharacterized large structural variants, including a 120 kb duplication spanning IGHE to IGHA1 and an expanded seven-copy IGHV3-23 gene haplotype. These findings underscore the power of our method to resolve the full complexity of the IGH locus and uncover previously unrecognized variants that may affect immune function and disease susceptibility. Thus, our method provides a strong basis for future immunological research and translational applications.

  Study EGAS50000001042

• Genome-Wide Association Study of Celiac Disease

  Celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac sprue) is a common disease with significant morbidity and mortality. It is caused by sensitivity to the dietary protein gluten, resulting in a chronic enteropathy in the small intestine. Celiac disease is now recognized to be a common disease, with reports that the disease frequency is 1:133 in the United States, similar to European estimates. There is recent evidence to suggest that the incidence of the disease is rising. Occult disease is frequently present with minimal classic symptoms or signs. The ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic celiac disease is estimated to be 1:7. Some complications of celiac disease include lymphoma, osteoporosis, anemia, miscarriages, seizures, vitamin deficiencies, and co-occurrence of other autoimmune diseases. The only treatment is a gluten-free diet, so that recurrence of symptoms and complications may occur after minor dietary indiscretions. Identifying the underlying genetic causes of celiac disease may allow us to identify susceptible individuals, as well as advance new ways to prevent the disease and to treat it once it occurs. Several genome-wide linkage studies and one genome-wide association study of celiac disease have been conducted. Other than the common locus at HLA, few putative celiac disease loci have been replicated between studies, suggesting that the disease is heterogeneous and complex. A portion of the genetic predisposition can be attributed to HLA, but the etiology is likely due to a number of rare, high penetrant genes (as would be identified in linkage analysis) and to more common, low penetrant genes (as would be identified in association studies). The objective of this study is to identify new loci that increase risk to develop celiac disease. We will capitalize on existing North American resources, including three large collections of celiac cases and controls (Aim 1) and an independent set of celiac cases and their families (Aim 3). We propose a comprehensive multi-stage approach, with the following specific aims. In Aim 1, we will conduct a genome-wide association (GWA) study of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variants (CNVs). The GWA will include1900 disease cases and 3400 matched controls, genotyped using the Illumina Human 610-quad chip. Statistical analyses will be performed to test for associations with celiac disease. In Aim 2, we will conduct a combined analysis of our GWA dataset from Aim 1 and a previous GWA dataset to identify additional low-penetrance loci. In Aim 3, we will attempt to replicate significant findings from the GWA study in two independent sample sets. At the conclusion of this study, we expect to have validated a number of SNPs and CNPs from regions in the genome that alter the risk of developing celiac disease. These SNPs may prove useful at both the clinical and research level. The data from the study will be shared with the scientific community.

  Study phs000274

• Understanding the genetic risk underlying racial disparities in uterine fibroids

  Fibroids affect 77% of women by onset of menopause in the U.S. and account for $2.1 billion in healthcare costs each year. Fibroids negatively impact reproductive health causing heavy and painful menses, pelvic pain and pressure, pregnancy complications, and interventions including myomectomy and hysterectomy. Until recently, tumor tissue and cell culture studies investigating fibroid growth have been the primary sources for understanding fibroid pathophysiology. Genetic analysis can provide a powerful and cost effective tool to identify etiological and causal factors, especially since a genetic predisposition to fibroids has already been documented from twin studies. As much as 69% of risk is explained by genetic factors. Racial disparities also support a role for genetics with fibroid risk. African American women have earlier age of onset, more numerous and larger fibroids with a greater lifetime incidence compared to Caucasians. We propose to identify genetic markers for risk of fibroids through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of African American and Caucasian participants, leveraging ancestral differences to narrow down genomic regions for targeted follow- up analyses. To accomplish this we will take advantage of a unique Vanderbilt resource, the BioVU DNA databank. BioVU currently has over 122,470 adults linked to electronic medical records. From BioVU we have already identified 2,902 African American and Caucasian subjects who meet our stringent inclusion criteria to conduct a GWAS of fibroids, including pelvic imaging. Available imaging is critical, because many women with fibroids are asymptomatic and without imaging, studies may misclassify as many as 51% of women. We have also defined definitive controls who reached menopause without fibroids. We have a strong group of nationally known fibroid researchers who will provide over 10,000 samples for replication. Our first Specific Aim is to conduct a GWAS for association between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and fibroid risk. Using a case-control design we will perform a GWAS in 2,902 (1,451 fibroid cases and 1,451 controls) women from BioVU stratified by African American and Caucasian race. Secondary admixture mapping (AM) analyses will also be performed to identify chromosomal regions of interest to prioritize for replication. Our second Aim is to resequence chromosome regions identified from GWAS and AM to discover rare variants. Finally, in Aim 3 we will replicate SNPs selected from Aim 1 and 2 in independent samples of at least 3,230 fibroid cases and 7,097 controls. We propose an efficient and cost-effective approach to identify genetic risk factors for fibroids, by taking advantage of imaging information and DNA available through BioVU. This study represents the largest GWAS of uterine fibroids and the first among African Americans leveraging emerging technologies and new statistical approaches to conduct this study. Our proposed study will fundamentally change knowledge about fibroids and lay the ground work for breakthroughs in understanding mechanisms of fibroid formation and in identifying novel therapeutic approaches.

  Study phs001409

• Blood Somatic Mutations in TCGA Donors Suffering from Solid Tumors

  Blood somatic mutations identified across 8,530 solid tumor patients in TCGA cohort. We reasoned that low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of blood samples routinely carried out in cancer genomics projects may be repurposed to detect clonal hematopoiesis (CH). Thus, inspired by a previous approach to identify early mutations in the development of the hematopoietic system, we implemented a pipeline to systematically carry out this "reverse" somatic mutation calling on the paired blood/tumor samples. Blood somatic mutations were called using a 'reverse' approach, in which the tumor sample taken from each patient was used as control of their germline genome. Blood somatic mutations are thus detected as variants in the blood (with respect to the human reference genome) that are absent in the tumor sample. The variant calling was carried out in our in house cluster on downloaded blood/tumor BAM files. The matched blood and tumoral BAM files -- masked and deduplicated using GATK -- of 8,530 whole-exome patients were obtained as described above. The variant calling was carried out using Strelka2 (employing default parameters) with the blood sample as the tumoral input and the tumor sample as control (reverse calling). All variants with two or more supporting reads matching the caller PASS filter and with VAF<0.5 were kept. Mutations in lowly mappable regions as defined by the DUST algorithm (k=30) and UMAP68 (36-kmers) were excluded. Contiguous variants were merged into double-base substitutions. Variants with greater frequency across the cohorts than the DNMT3A R882H or JAK2 V617F hotspot in a cohort-specific Panel of Normals and in gnomAD v2.1 were removed. This was equivalent to discarding variants present in these datasets with an allele frequency greater than 0.008 in PoN TCGA and 0.0003 in gnomAD v2.1. Additionally, common SNPs as defined by the dbSNP 151 Common UCSC track and dbSNP were excluded. Mutations within segmental duplications, simple repeats and masked regions as defined in UCSC tracks were also removed. Finally, samples with the mutation count above the 97.5 percentile of the mutation burden across the cohort were deemed unreliable and excluded for further analyses. We call the set of variants obtained after the application of these filters the full set. A more conservative subset of somatic mutations was generated from the full set of blood somatic mutations. To this end, we applied MosaicForecast, a software designed to phase mutations to polymorphisms with the aim of identifying somatic mutations in a small number of cells and also predict mosaicism for the unphased ones with a random forest classifier. As a result, we obtained a subset of mosaic-phased mutations, and a subset of mutations likely to be somatic (mosaic set).In order to obtain access to this study, please first obtain access to TCGA study (phs000178).

  Study phs002867