Whole-exome sequencing data (Agilent SureSelectXT Human All Exon V7). Retrospective study of matched pairs of initial and post-therapeutic GBM cases treated with temozolomide+radiotherapy with a recurrence period greater than one year. Matched normal, initial and post-therapeutic samples for 27 patients and 1 patient (GBM046) with a matched normal and two post-therapeutic samples.
Using sequencing and gene expression analyses, we identified a subgroup of HCA characterized by fusion of the INHBE and GLI1 genes and activation of sonic hedgehog pathway. Molecular subtypes of HCAs associated with different patients’ risk factors for HCA, disease progression, and pathology features of tumors. This classification system might be used to select treatment strategies for patients with HCA. Related Publication: Molecular Classification of Hepatocellular Adenoma Associates With Risk Factors, Bleeding, and Malignant Transformation Nault, Jean-CharlesLaurent, Christophe et al. Gastroenterology , Volume 152 , Issue 4 , 880 - 894.e6 http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2016.11.042
RNA was extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tumors of a large cohort of bladder cancer patients before treatment with anti-PD-L1. RNA was sequenced using a capture based approach (exome capture, RNA access).
Study 1 2R01-NS050375 (PI: DOBYNS, William B.) The genetic basis of mid-hindbrain malformations Our general goal for this project is to advance our understanding of human developmental disorders that involve the brainstem and cerebellum - brain structures derived from the embryonic midbrain and hindbrain - that affect a minimum of 2.4 per 1000 resident births based on data from the CDC. Importantly, this large class of disorders co-occurs with more common developmental disorders such as autism, mental retardation and some forms of infantile epilepsy, and shares some of the same causes. With this renewal, we propose to expand the scope of our work beyond single phenotypes and genes to focus on delineating the critical phenotype spectra to which the most common MHM belong, and defining the underlying biological networks that are disrupted. To pursue these goals, we will use our large and growing cohort of human subjects to map additional MHM loci using SNP microarrays that provide both high-resolution autozygosity and linkage data in informative families as well as detect critical copy number variants in sporadic subjects. The causative genes will be identified using traditional Sanger or new high-throughput sequencing methods as appropriate abased on size of the critical region. We will use these and other known MHM causative genes to construct and revise model biological networks of genes and proteins, and test these genes and networks in additional patients as a candidate gene or more accurately a candidate network approach. These approaches need to be supported by ongoing active subject recruitment, as studies of comparable disorders such as mental retardation and autism have benefited from even larger numbers of subjects that we have so far collected. We need to use new high-throughput sequencing methods to more efficiently test larger critical regions, and to test entire gene networks rather than individual genes in matched cohorts of subjects. At every step; phenotype analysis, CNV analysis, model network construction and high-throughput sequencing, we will need expanded bioinformatics capabilities. Finally, we need to test the biological function of new genes and networks to support our gene identification studies. We expect that these studies will contribute immediately to more accurate diagnosis and counseling, and over time will lead to development of specific treatments for a subset of these disorders. We further expect that studies of mid-hindbrain development will have broad significance for human developmental disorders generally, providing compelling evidence for a connection between cerebellar development and other classes of developmental disorders such as autism, mental retardation and epilepsy. Study 2 R01-NS058721 (PI: DOBYNS, William B.) De novo copy number variation and gene discovery in human brain malformations Project Summary/Abstract The number of recognized brain malformations and syndromes has grown rapidly during the past several decades, yet relatively few causative genes have been identified, especially for three common malformations that have been associated with numerous cytogenetically visible chromosome deletions and duplications, and that often occur together: agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC), cerebellar vermis hypoplasia (CVH) including Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM), and polymicrogyria (PMG). We propose to perform high-resolution array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH), emerging technology able to detect small copy number variants (CNV), in 700 probands with one or more of these three malformations. Our central hypothesis states that more than 10% of patients with ACC, CVH or PMG will have de novo CNV below the resolution of routine cytogenetic analysis, but detectable by current array platforms. We therefore expect to identify 70-100 patients with small CNV. We will distinguish CNV found in normal individuals from potentially disease-associated changes, and will confirm CNV using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and microsatellite (STRP) analysis. We will give highest priority to CNV that are de novo and involve 2 or more BACs, and secondary priority to familial and smaller CNV excluding known polymorphisms. After that, we will evaluate and rank candidate genes in the critical regions using information from public databases and our own expression studies, and perform mutation analysis of the best candidate genes from well-defined critical regions by sequencing in a large panel of subjects with phenotypes that match the phenotypes of the patients whose CNV define the critical regions. Here, we will use more refined criteria to supplement our clinical classification, such as the developmental level and presence of epilepsy or other birth defects. Any abnormalities found will be analyzed using existing data regarding polymorphisms (i.e. dbSNP), cross-species comparisons, and functional assays appropriate for the specific sequence change. Study 2A In 1995, we described a novel multiple congenital anomaly syndrome associated with facial dysmorphism (congenital ptosis, high arched eyebrows, shallow orbits, trigonocephaly), colobomas of the eyes, neuronal migration malformation (frontal predominant lissencephaly) and variable hearing loss. We hypothesized from de novo mutations and used trio-based exome sequencing to identify de novo mutations in the ACTB and ACTG1 genes. Study 2B In 1997 and 2004, we and others defined two novel developmental syndromes associated with markedly enlarged brain size, or megalencephaly, and other highly recognizable features. The megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP) consists of megalencephaly and associated growth dysregulation with variable asymmetry, developmental vascular anomalies, distal limb malformations, variable cortical malformation, and a mild connective tissue dysplasia. The megalencephaly-polymicrogyria-polydactyly-hydrocephalus syndrome (MPPH) resembles MCAP but lacks vascular malformations and syndactyly. We hypothesized that MCAP and MPPH result from mutations - including postzygotic events - in the same pathway, and studied them together. Using a combination of exome sequencing, Sanger sequencing, restriction-enzyme assays, and targeted ultra-deep sequencing in 50 families with MCAP or MPPH, we identified de novo germline or postzygotic mutations in three core components of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT pathway. These include two mutations in AKT3, a recurrent mutation in PIK3R2, and multiple mostly postzygotic mutations in PIK3CA (Rivière JB, Mirzaa GM, O'Roak BJ, Beddaoui M, Alcantara D, Conway RL, St-Onge J, Schwartzentruber JA, Gripp KW, Nikkel SM, Worthylake T, Sullivan CT, Ward TR, Butler HE, Kramer NA, Albrecht B, Armour CM, Armstrong L, Caluseriu O, Cytrynbaum C, Drolet BA, Innes AM, Lauzon JL, Lin AE, Mancini GMS, Meschino WS, Reggin JD, Saggar AK, Lerman-Sagie T, Uyanik G, Weksberg R, Zirn B, Beaulieu CL, FORGE Canada Consortium, Majewski J, Bulman DE, O'Driscoll M, Shendure J, Graham Jr. JM, Boycott KM, Dobyns WB. De novo germline and postzygotic mutations in AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA cause a spectrum of related megalencephaly syndromes. Nat. Genet. In press). Study 3 2R01-NS046616 (PI: GOLDEN, Jeffrey A) The role of ARX in normal and abnormal brain development This subcontract from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to the University of Chicago (UC) is intended to support research studies of the ARX and functionally related genes in human subjects with any one of several specific developmental disorders. The Co-investigator at UC (W.B. Dobyns) will identify a series of patients with mental retardation and severe infantile epilepsy, some of whom will have specific brain malformations and others who will have normal brain structure by brain imaging studies, and collect research samples from these subjects with informed consent. The studies to be performed will include mutation analysis of ARX, mutation analysis of specific downstream target genes, X inactivation studies in humans and X inactivation studies in mutant mice. The results will be analyzed to determine the significance of any changes found in the gene.
We performed whole genome sequencing and whole-exome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and whole-exome sequencing of matched tumor biopsies and germline DNA from patients with metastatic cancer. Using ichorCNA, a software tool that quantifies tumor content in ultra-low pass whole genome sequencing (~0.1x) of cfDNA without prior genomic characterization of the tumor, we show genome-wide concordance between cfDNA and tumor biopsies and detectability of high tumor fractions (>0.1) in the cfDNA of many patients with metastatic cancer. We then established that whole-exome sequencing of cfDNA can enable comprehensive profiling of tumors from blood, with high tumor-content cfDNA samples demonstrating concordance of clonal somatic mutations, copy number alterations, mutational signatures, and neoantigens with matched tumor biopsies. This study introduces a new method to identify patients that could be eligible for tumor profiling from cfDNA and sheds light on the concordance between metastatic tissue and blood biopsies.
Genetics & Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO) is a collaborative effort which aims to accelerate the discovery of colorectal cancer-related variants by discovering, replicating and fine-mapping Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) findings, conducting a meta-analysis of GWAS data, and investigating how genetic variants are modified by environmental risk factors. The coordinating center for this consortium is based at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Principal investigator: Ulrike Peters). The GECCO Consortium is utilized in the following dbGaP individual studies. To view genotypes, and derived variables collected in these individual studies, please click on the following individual studies below or in the "Sub-studies" box located on the right hand side of this top-level study page phs001078 GECCO Consortium. phs000965 VITAL phs001056 DALS phs001077 WHI Colorectal Cancer phs001092 PMH CCFR phs001094 PLCO phs001104 ASTERISK phs001113 DACHS phs001114 HPFS phs001128 PHS phs001129 NHS phs001170 Colo2and3 phs001171MEC Colorectal Cancer
The CS-MATCH-0007 protocol is part of a collaboration between the Center for Cancer Genomics (CCG) and the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) to perform whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing and if possible, whole-genome, methylation and miRNA sequencing using pre-and post-treatment tumor biopsy specimens from patients enrolled on a treatment arm of the NCI-MATCH clinical trial (EAY131). The goal of this study is to identify the molecular basis for response and resistance to targeted therapies that are matched to specific genomic alterations found in their cancers. Arm N is one of the treatment sub-protocols within the NCI-MATCH Clinical Trial (EAY131) where patients with PTEN mutation, or deletion with PTEN expression on IHC, are treated with the drug GSK2636771. This subprotocol is one of the treatment arms included in the CS-MATCH-0007 protocol and will provide specimens for the program including DNA from tumor tissue and whole blood.
Inhibiting DNA replication leads to copy number variant (CNV) formation throughout the genome, especially at chromosome fragile sites (CFSs). We previously showed that these hotspots for genome instability reside in late-replicating domains associated with large transcribed genes. In this study, we compared aphidicolin (APH)-induced CNV and CFS frequency between wild-type cells and isogenic cells in which FHIT gene transcription was ablated. We further examined the impact of altering RNase H1 expression on CNV or CFS induction frequency and analyzed R-loop formation genome-wide in a human fibroblast cell line. Data sets include Bru-seq nascent RNA transcription, whole genome sequencing for replication timing, SNP microarray analysis, and DRIP-seq. Results suggest that large gene transcription is a determining factor in replication stress-induced genomic instability and that CFSs mainly result from transcription-dependent passage of unreplicated DNA into mitosis with low R-loop levels observed at these loci.
Diversity and size of the antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire are two critical determinants for successful control of chronic infection. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) that establishes latency during childhood is able to escape control mechanisms, in particular with increasing age. We examined the TCR diversity of VZV-specific CD4 T cells in individuals older than 50 years by studying three identical twin pairs and three unrelated individuals before and after vaccination with live attenuated VZV. While all individuals had a small number of dominant T cell clones, the breadth of the VZV-specific repertoire differed markedly among different individuals. A genetic influence was seen for the sharing of individual TCR sequences from antigen-specific cells, but not for repertoire richness or the selection of clonal dominance. VZV vaccination favored the expansion of infrequent VZV-specific TCRs including those from naïve T cells while leaving dominant T cell clones mostly unaffected.
The underlying determinants for long-term survival (LTS, ≥10 years) versus short-term survival (STS, <3 years) of patients diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) are largely unknown. The present study sought to identify molecular predictors of LTS for women with HGSC. A cohort of 24 frozen HGSC samples (12 LTS and 12 STS) were collected and analyzed at DNA and RNA levels. Copy number variation and mutation did not indicate large differences between LTS and STS. From RNA-Seq analysis, 11 genes were found to be differentially expressed between the STS and LTS groups (fold change >2; false discovery rate <0.01). In the validation cohort, transmembrane protein 62 (TMEM62) was found to be related to LTS. Our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that restoring TMEM62 may be a novel approach for treatment of HGSC. These findings may have implications for biomarker and intervention strategies to help improve patient outcomes.
