Search Results - EGA European Genome-Phenome Archive

Whole exome and transcriptome analysis of UV-exposed epidermis and carcinoma in situ reveals early drivers of carcinogenesis

Squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) is a prevalent precancerous lesion that can progress to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Although SCCIS is common, its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. To better understand SCCIS development, we performed laser-captured microdissection of human SCCIS and adjacent epidermis to isolate genomic DNA and RNA for next generation sequencing. Whole exome sequencing (WES) identified UV-signature mutations in multiple genes including Notch 1-3 (GeneID:4851, GeneID:4853, GeneID:4854) in the epidermis and SCCIS and oncogenic TP53 (GeneID:7157) mutations in SCCIS. Novel gene families, including SCHLAFEN genes, contained UV/oxidative-signature disruptive (UVD) epidermal mutations that manifested positive selection in SCCIS. The frequency and distribution of NOTCH and TP53 mutations indicate that NOTCH mutations may precede TP53 mutations. RNA sequencing identified 1166 differentially expressed genes; the top 5 enriched GO biological processes included: 1) immune response, 2) epidermal development, 3) protein phosphorylation, 4) regulation of catalytic activity, and 5) cytoskeletal regulation. The NEURL1 ubiquitin ligase, which targets Notch ligands for degradation, was upregulated in SCCIS. Neuralized 1 protein was found to be elevated in SCCIS suggesting that increased levels could represent a novel mechanism for downregulating Notch during UV-induced carcinogenesis. The data from DNA and RNA sequencing of epidermis and SCCIS provide insights regarding SCCIS formation.

Study phs002019

Cellular Origins and Genetic Landscape of Cutaneous GD T Cell Lymphoma

Cutaneous gamma-delta T cell lymphomas are a rare and aggressive subtype of cutaneous lymphoma. In the present study, we analyzed these cancers by DNA and RNA sequencing in order to illuminate the genetic landscape for this rare disease. We obtained tumor samples from multiple institutions, including Northwestern University (Chicago, IL), University of Chicago (Chicago, IL), University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), and Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA).

Study phs001969

Modeling Malignant Progression in Glioma

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumor in humans. Low-grade gliomas (WHO grade II) invariably progress to high-grade gliomas (WHO grade III or IV). Although malignant progression may take many years, the survival rate after transformation to a high-grade glioma is poor, often only 12-15 months. In this data set, we have identified low-grade gliomas that have progressed to high-grade gliomas or high-grade gliomas that have progressed from low-grade gliomas. Some cases are matched pairs (meaning we have both the original low-grade tumor and the subsequent high-grade tumor). The samples deposited have been analyzed with bulk-RNA sequencing. They are also de-identified but are clinically annotated. When available, genetic information including IDH mutation status, 1p/19q deletion and histological subtype are also included.

Study phs002607

Circulating Tumor DNA in Intermediate Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma

In this study, we evaluated circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker in the serum of 124 patients with newly diagnosed intermediate risk rhabdomyosarcoma (IR RMS) from the Children's Oncology Group (COG) biorepository. In addition to pre-treatment serum, we also analyzed matched tumor tissue and germline in a subset of patients. We profiled samples using ultra-low passage whole genome sequencing (ULP-WGS) and a new custom hybrid-capture sequencing assay, Rhabdo-Seq, to detect copy number alterations, rearrangements, and single nucleotide variants. We found that patients with detectable ctDNA at diagnosis had significantly worse outcomes than those without detectable levels of ctDNA. Our study demonstrates that baseline ctDNA detection is feasible and prognostic in IR RMS. The ULP-WGS and targeted next-generation sequencing (Rhabdo-Seq and TranSS-Seq) data are available in this study.  

Study phs002866

Chromatin Accessibility Landscape of Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

Therapeutic options in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are largely limited to cytotoxic chemotherapy without the benefit of molecular markers predicting response. By ATAC-seq analyses of EpCAM+ PDAC malignant epithelial cells sorted from 54 freshly resected human tumors, we discovered a signature of 1092 chromatin loci displaying differential accessibility between patients with disease-free survival (DFS) < 1 year and patients with DFS > 1 year. Using this signature, we further develop a chromatin accessibility microarray methodology termed “ATAC-Array”, an easy-to-use platform obviating the time and cost of next-generation sequencing. PDAC prognosis can be predicted by ATAC-array, which represents a low-cost, clinically feasible technology for assessing chromatin accessibility profiles.

Study phs002394

Genome Sequencing of Familial Cholangiocarcinoma for the Identification of Germline Risk Alleles

In this study, sequencing data (WES, WGS, linked-read WGS) was used to identify candidate causal germline variants in a family with inherited cholangiocarcinoma. Candidate causal SNVs and indels were identified from the germline WES data of eight siblings (four affected, four unaffected), then somatic second hits were identified from matched tumor/normal pairs. Second hits were verified using haplotype information derived from linked-read WGS of the tumor data.

Study phs001593

Nivolumab and Ipilimumab and Radiation Therapy in Microsatellite Stable (MSS) and Microsatellite Instable (MSI) High Colorectal and Pancreatic Cancer

This is a single-arm, non-randomized, phase 2 trial (NCT03104439) combining radiation, ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with metastatic MSS Colorectal Cancer (CRC; n=40) and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cancer (PDAC; n=25). Patients were previously treated population, and the primary endpoint was disease control rate. Pre- and post-treatment samples were subjected to RNA sequencing and whole exome sequencing. The primary data is shared via GEO and dbGaP at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Study phs002545

Genome-wide association study for Bladder Cancer Risk

This study funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) involves conducting a genome-wide association study of common genetic variants to identify markers of susceptibility to bladder cancer. This bladder GWAS has led to the discovery of three novel regions in the genome associated with bladder cancer risk. Cases were defined as individuals having histologically confirmed primary carcinoma of the urinary bladder, including carcinoma in situ (ICD-0-2 topography codes C67.0-C67.9 or ICD9 codes 188.1-188.9). Scan data were obtained from two case-control studies carried out in Spain and the United States (specifically, those in the Maine and Vermont components of the New England Bladder Cancer Study) and three prospective cohort studies in Finland and the United States (specifically Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, and The American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort). We used data from 591,637 single nucleotide polymorphisms 3,532 affected individuals (cases) and 5,119 controls of European descent and replication including 8382 cases and 48275 controls from 16 studies. In a combined analysis, we identified three new regions associated with bladder cancer on chromosomes 22q13.1, 19q12 and 2q37.1: rs1014971, (P ≈ 8 x 10-12) maps to a non-genic region of chromosome 22q13.1, rs8102137 (P = 2 x 10-11) on maps to CCNE1 and rs11892031 (P = 1 x 10-7) maps to the UGT1A cluster on 2q37.1. We confirmed four previously identified genome-wide associations on chromosomes 3q28, 4p16.3, 8q24.21 and 8q24.3 (Rothman N et al., Nature Genetics, 2010, PMID: 20972438). Through meta-analysis with the MD Anderson Texas Bladder Cancer Study (TXBCS), we also identified a novel susceptibility locus that mapped to a region of 18q12.3, marked by rs7238033 (P = 8.7 x 10(-9); allelic odds ratio 1.20 with 95% CI: 1.13-1.28) and two highly correlated SNPs, rs10775480/rs10853535 (r(2)= 1.00; P = 8.9 x 10(-9); allelic odds ratio 1.16 with 95% CI: 1.10-1.22) (Garcia-Closas M et al, Human Molecular Genetics, 2011) For NCI-GWAS2, we performed genotyping on cases and controls for the New Hampshire component of the New England Bladder Cancer Study (NEBCS-NH). For the majority of new bladder cancer cases, we genotyped only cases from four case-control studies, the Los Angeles Bladder Cancer Study (LABCS), the French Center for Research on Prostate Diseases (CeRePP), the French Bladder Study (FBCS) and the Brescia Bladder Cancer Study (BBCS). We used existing control data from four cohort studies already genotyped and subjected to rigorous quality control metrics: the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition Study (EPIC), Womens Health Initiative (WHI), Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), Nurses Health Study (NHS), which have been a part of Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS). Meta-analysis of NCI-GWAS1, NCI-GWAS2 and a previously reported GWAS TXBCS-GWAS along with taqman replication, identified two new loci: rs10936599 on 3q26.2 (P = 4.53 x 10(-9)) and rs907611 on 11p15.5 (P = 4.11 x 10(-8)). Two notable loci were also identified that approached genome-wide statistical significance: rs6104690 on 20p12.2 (P = 7.13 x 10(-7)) and rs4510656 on 6p22.3 (P = 6.98 X 10(-7)); these require further studies for confirmation (Figueroa J et al, Human Molecular Genetics, 2013).

Study phs000346

DNA methylation in rhabdomyosarcoma PDX and PDX-derived primary cells

Conditions to maintain primary tumor cells in culture are largely unknown for most tumor entities including rhabdomyosarcoma. In this collaborative study with Dr. Beat Schäfer's laboratory, we performed DNA methylation profiles of rhabdomyosarcoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and their matching PDX-derived primary cells (PPC), where the PPCs were developed and maintained under optimized culture conditions. We further compared DNA methylation profiles between these PDXs and PPCs. Exome sequencing and copy number analysis between these rhabdomyosarcoma PDXs and PPXs were also carried out. These analyses may help us to evaluate a feasibility of in vitro profiling of primary rhabdomyosarcoma cells from a genomic perspective.

Study phs002051

Genome-Wide Analysis of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (De Novo and Derived from the High Grade Transformation of Follicular Lymphoma)

Version 1. Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) represents the most common form of B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL), accounting for ~30% of the de novo diagnoses and also arising as a frequent clinical evolution of Follicular Lymphoma (FL). The molecular pathogenesis of DLBCL is associated with multiple genetic lesions that in part distinctly segregate with individual phenotypic subtypes, suggesting the involvement of distinct oncogenic pathways. However, the lesions identified so far likely represent only a fraction of those necessary for malignant transformation. In order to characterize the entire set of structural alterations present in the DLBCL genome, we have integrated next generation whole exome sequencing analysis of 6 DLBCL cases and genome-wide high-density SNP array analysis of 72 DLBCL cases. We report here that FL and DLBCL harbor frequent structural alterations inactivating CREBBP and, more rarely, EP300, two highly related histone and non-histone acetyltransferases (HATs) that act as transcriptional co-activators in multiple signaling pathways. Overall, ~37% of DLBCL and 36% of FL cases display genomic deletions and/or somatic point mutations that remove or inactivate the HAT coding domain of these two genes. These lesions commonly affect a single allele, suggesting that reduction in HAT dosage is important for lymphomagenesis. We demonstrate specific defects in the acetylation-mediated inactivation of the BCL6 oncoprotein and activation of the p53 tumor suppressor. These results identify CREBBP/EP300 mutations as a major pathogenic mechanism shared by common forms of B-NHL, and have direct implications for the use of drugs targeting acetylation/deacetylation mechanisms. Version 2. Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent, but incurable disease that, in 30-40% of cases, undergoes transformation to an aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The history of clonal evolution and the mechanisms that underlie transformation to DLBCL (tFL) remain largely unknown. Using whole exome sequencing and copy number analysis of 39 tFL patients, including 12 with paired sequential FL/tFL biopsies, we show that, in most cases, FL and tFL arise by divergent evolution from a common mutated precursor cell through the acquisition of distinct genetic lesions. Mutations in epigenetic modifiers (e.g., MLL2, CREBBP, EZH2, ARID1A) and anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2, FAS) were observed in 93% (36/39) and 78% (30/39) of cases, respectively, and were invariably shared between the two disease phases, suggesting an early acquisition in the common mutated precursor. Conversely, the development of tFL is associated with deregulation of genes involved in the control of cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and DNA damage responses (CDKN2A/2B, MYC, TP53), as well as with an aberrant activity of the somatic hypermutation mechanism. Finally, we show that the genomic profile of tFL shares significant similarities with that of germinal center B-cell type de novo DLBCL, but also displays unique combinations of altered genes that may explain the dismal clinical course of tFL.Version 3. This version includes thirty-five additional de novo DLBCL samples, newly diagnosed, and their paired normal DNA from previously untreated patients, which were analyzed by whole exome sequencing (n=27T and 25N), whole genome sequencing (8T and 10N), and/or targeted HLA-next generation sequencing (n=26T/N pairs) in order to identify genetic alterations associated with loss of surface MHC-II expression.

Study phs000328

Genetic Analysis of Desmoplastic Melanoma

Desmoplastic melanoma is an infrequent variant of melanoma with sarcomatous histology, distinct clinical behavior, and unknown pathogenesis. We performed low-coverage genome and high-coverage exome sequencing of 20 desmoplastic melanomas, followed by targeted sequencing of 293 genes to validate candidate genes. A high mutation burden (median 62 mutations/Mb) ranked desmoplastic melanoma among the most highly mutated cancers. Mutation patterns strongly implicate UV-radiation as the dominant mutagen, indicating a superficially located cell of origin. Novel alterations included recurrent promoter mutations of NF-kappa B inhibitor epsilon, NFKBIE (IkBε) in 14.5% of samples. Commonly mutated oncogenes in melanomas, in particular BRAF(V600E) and NRAS(Q61K/R), were absent. Instead, other genetic alterations known to activate the MAPK and PI3K signaling cascades were identified in 73% of samples, affecting NF1, CBL, ERBB2, MAP2K1, MAP3K1, BRAF, EGFR, PTPN11, MET, RAC1, SOS2, NRAS, and PIK3CA, some of which being candidates for targeted therapies. Reprinted from: Shain, A. H. et al. Exome sequencing of desmoplastic melanoma identifies recurrent NFKBIE promoter mutations and diverse activating mutations in the MAPK pathway. Nat. Genet. With permission from Nature Genetics

Study phs000977

Genomic Profiling of Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are malignant and highly aggressive hematologic tumors arising from mature post-thymic T cells. The diagnosis of PTCL includes diverse lymphoma subgroups, altogether accounting for about 15% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Despite recent advances in uncovering the mutational landscape of PTCLs, the prognoses of most PTCLs remain poor. To overcome the limits of exome sequencing and identify new genomic abnormalities in PTCL, we performed RNAseq and whole genome sequencing. From our analyses, we identified a recurrent in-frame deletion (VAV1 Δ778-786) generated by a focal deletion-driven alternative splicing mechanism as well as novel VAV1 gene fusions (VAV1-THAP4, VAV1-MYO1F, and VAV1-S100A7). These genetic lesions result in increased activation of VAV1 catalytic-dependent (MAPK, JNK) and non-catalytic-dependent (nuclear factor of activated T cells, NFAT) VAV1 effector pathways. These results support an oncogenic role for VAV1 signaling in the pathogenesis of PTCL (Abate et al., 2017). Recently, we have also identified a novel chimeric oncogene, FYN-TRAF3IP2, in the RNA-seq and whole genome sequencing analyses. FYN-TRAF3IP2 leads to aberrant NF-κβ activity downstream of T-cell receptor signaling and induces NF-κβ-driven T-cell transformation when expressed in hematopoietic progenitors in mice. This novel gene fusion supports the oncogenic driver role of NF-κβ signaling in the pathogenesis of PTCL (Kim et al., in review).

Study phs001962

Functionally-defined Therapeutic Targets in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a universally fatal childhood cancer. Here, we performed a chemical screen in patient-derived DIPG cell cultures along with RNAseq expression analysis and integrated computational modeling to identify potentially effective therapeutic strategies. Panobinostat, among the more promising agents identified, demonstrated efficacy in pontine orthotopic xenograft models of both H3K27M and histone WT DIPG. These data suggest the potential utility of specific drug combinations and provides evidence of in vivo treatment efficacy of the multi-histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat. We are depositing to dbGaP deep sequencing whole exome data for 22 patient tumor samples and 13 matched normals, along with RNAseq data for 12 patient tumor samples and 6 normal pediatric brain tissue samples. In addition, we are depositing 22 RNAseq samples from DIPG cell lines before and after panobinostat treatment.

Study phs000900

Intra-tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution of papillary renal cell carcinoma

Limited knowledge of intratumor heterogeneity (ITH), and clonal evolution of papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) and rare kidney tumor subtypes hinders understanding of tumorigenesis and therapeutic efficacy. We conducted an integrative genomic and epigenomic ITH analysis and studied clonal evolutionary history of pRCC and rare kidney tumor subtypes. We dissected multiple consecutive samples from the center of the tumor towards the tumor's periphery, a normal sample ~5 cm distant from the tumor, and, where feasible, metastatic regions in the adrenal gland. Specifically, we performed 60X multi-region whole-genome sequencing (mWGS), both genome-wide methylation and SNP array profiling, and deep targeted sequencing (average 500X coverage) of 254 cancer driver genes (PMID:24390350). The study population comprises 39 patients with kidney cancers, including 23 with papillary type 1 (pRCC1), 12 with papillary type 2 (pRCC2), one of which also had areas of clear cell, and one each with collecting duct tumor (cdRCC), renal fibrosarcoma rSRC, mixed pRCC1/pRCC2, and an unclassified renal cancer with mixed features of pRCC2 and cdRCC. Based on DNA sample availability, we conducted whole genome sequencing (WGS) on 124 samples from 29 subjects, deep targeted sequencing on 139 samples from 38 subjects, SNP array genotyping on 101 samples from 38 subjects, and genome-wide methylation profiling on 139 samples from 28 subjects. All assays were performed on tumor, metastasis and normal tissue samples, with the exception of the SNP array genotyping, which was conducted only on tumor samples.

Study phs001573

Genomic Analysis of Pediatric Low Grade Gliomas

Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are among the most common solid tumors in children but, apart from mutations or duplications in the BRAF kinase in specific subclasses, few genetic driver events are known. Diffuse PLGGs compose a set of uncommon subtypes that exhibit invasive growth and are therefore especially challenging clinically. These tumors are particularly poorly understood. We performed high-resolution copy-number analysis of 44 diffuse PLGGs to identify recurrent alterations. Diffuse PLGGs exhibited fewer such alterations than adult low-grade gliomas, but we identified several significantly recurrent events. The most significant event, 8q13.1 gains, was observed in 28% of diffuse astrocytoma WHO grade II (DA2) and resulted in partial duplication of the transcription factor MYBL1 with truncation of its C-terminal negative-regulatory domain. A similar recurrent deletion-truncation breakpoint was identified in two angiocentric gliomas in the related gene MYB on 6q23.3. Whole genome sequencing of a MYBL1-rearranged diffuse astrocytoma grade II demonstrated MYBL1 tandem duplication and few other events. Two truncated MYBL1 transcripts identified in this tumor induced anchorage-independent growth when expressed in 3T3 cells and tumor formation in nude mice. Truncated transcripts were also expressed in two additional tumors with MYBL1 partial duplication. Our results define clinically relevant molecular subclasses of diffuse PLGGs and highlight a potential role for the MYB family in the biology of low-grade gliomas. "Reprinted from www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1300252110 with permission from PNAS."

Study phs000614

GWAS in an Amerindian Ancestry Population Reveals Novel Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Risk Loci and the Role of European Admixture

The study comprises SLE patients recruited from specialist rheumatology clinics from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Peru. Two strategies were used to enrich samples for Native American ancestry: a. previously genotyped Hispanic and Latin American and US Native American individuals were selected according to their ancestry based on 253 ancestry informative markers as part of the Lupus Large Association 2 Study. The approximate 35% of the samples were primarily of European and Native American admixture was selected; b. the recruitment of patients took place primarily in countries with little African admixture. All samples were genotyped on the HumanOmni1-Quad BeadChip using manifest H at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. The Illumina clustering algorithm with GenomeStudio v2011.1 was used.

Study phs001025

Transcriptional Profiling of Macrophages In Situ in Metastatic Melanoma Reveals Localization-Dependent Phenotypes and Function

Therapeutic interventions modulating immune function at the tumor site could improve outcomes in cancer. Here we analyzed metastatic melanoma, a tumor type highly responsive to T-cell based therapies, and found that the tumor-infiltrating T cells are localized closely to CD14+ monocytes/macrophages rather than to melanoma cells. Using novel immunofluorescence-guided laser capture micro-dissection, we analyzed transcriptomes of CD3+ T cells, CD14+ monocytes/macrophages and melanoma cells in non-dissociated tissue. CD14+ cells localized in tumors beds displayed specific transcriptional signatures distinct from CD14+ cells that were localized in tumor stroma.The 8 distinct metastatic melanoma samples are from the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN). 64 RNA-seq files are available from 16 intraCD14+, 16 stromaCD14+, 16 cancer cells, 8 intraCD3+ and 8 stromaCD3+ cells. 2 LCM harvests were completed for the CD14+ and cancer cells on two sections of the samples. One harvest was done for the CD3+ samples.The processed data (TPM/raw counts tables) are available on GEO under GSE180124. 

Study phs002564

Count Me In (CMI): The Angiosarcoma (ASC) Project (CMI-ASCproject)

Count Me In - The Angiosarcoma Project: A Patient-Partnered Research Initiative to Accelerate Research in a Rare Sarcoma The Angiosarcoma Project (ASCproject) is a research study that directly engages angiosarcoma patients online and empowers them to accelerate cancer research by sharing medical information and clinical samples. Angiosarcoma is an exceedingly rare soft tissue sarcoma with an incidence of ~300 newly diagnosed cases per year in the United States. This low incidence has impeded large-scale research efforts in this disease that are strongly needed to catalyze research and improve clinical outcomes. The Angiosarcoma Project, launched in March 2017, has demonstrated the feasibility of directly engaging geographically dispersed patients to democratize research and establish a large patient cohort to characterize the genomic and clinical landscape of a rare disease. Angiosarcoma patients living in the US or Canada can access the study and consent online through an online portal (ASCproject.org). 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. All received tumor samples are subjected to centralized histological re-review by an expert pathologist to confirm a diagnosis of angiosarcoma. Whole exome sequencing is performed on tumor DNA, germline DNA, and cfDNA; 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 updates on the study.

Study phs001931

Multimodal Mapping of the Immune Landscape in Human Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characterized by an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment that has rendered it largely refractory to immunotherapy. We used single-cell RNA sequencing on patient tumors and matched blood, and we uncovered a previously unappreciated, complex environment of immune-suppressive cellular interactions. These experiments reveal immune checkpoint expression heterogeneity on individual patient T cells, with corresponding ligands on neoplastic and myeloid cells. TIGIT was upregulated on tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells and was the only checkpoint receptor consistently expressed by exhausted CD8+ T cells. Clinical annotation of the samples revealed that the exhausted signature is most prominent in patients with advanced stages of disease. Our findings suggest individualized combination therapy, involving anti-TIGIT therapies, may be necessary to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to pancreatic cancer patients.

Study phs002071

National Eye Institute (NEI) Primary Open-Angle African American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) Study

The purpose of the POAAGG study is to investigate the genetic architecture of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in African Americans. This population is up to eight times more likely to develop glaucoma than non-Hispanic whites, yet no large-scale genetics studies have specifically addressed this ethnic group. The POAAGG study aims to enroll 7765 patients, consisting of a discovery cohort of 5500 subjects (2000 cases and 3500 controls) and a validation cohort of 2265 subjects (1000 cases and 1265 controls). The study population consists of self-identified blacks (African Americans, African descent, or African Caribbean), 35 years or older, identified from the Philadelphia region. Subjects are recruited from the Scheie Eye Institute and its research sites in Philadelphia, PA, as well as from the Penn Medicine Biobank. Fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists classify each subject as a case, control, or glaucoma suspect based on specified criteria. As of 02/01/2017, a total of 8187 subjects have been recruited to the POAAGG study, including 2522 cases, 4545 controls, and 1120 suspects. A comprehensive genetic analysis of POAG, including a genome-wide association analysis, is currently underway. The GWAS was conducted on the Illumina Infinium Multi Ethnic Genotyping Array (MEGA), which contained custom content tailored to POAG and African Americans. A comprehensive genetic analysis of quantitative traits associated with POAG is also in progress. Over 90% of cases have full phenotypic information, including intraocular pressure, cup-to-disc ratio, central corneal thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, visual acuity, and visual fields.

Study phs001312

Genomic Landscape of Human Skin at a Single-Cell Resolution

Every cell in the human body has a unique set of somatic mutations, yet it remains difficult to comprehensively genotype an individual cell. Here, we developed solutions to overcome this obstacle in the context of normal human skin, thus offering the first glimpse into the genomic landscapes of melanocytes at single-cell resolution. We comprehensively genotyped 133 melanocytes from 19 sites across 6 donors. As expected, sun-shielded melanocytes had fewer mutations than sun-exposed melanocytes. However, within sun-exposed sites, melanocytes on chronically sun-exposed skin (e.g. the face) displayed a lower mutation burden than melanocytes on intermittently sun-exposed skin (e.g. the back). Melanocytes from donors with a history of skin cancer had higher mutation burdens than melanocytes from donors without skin cancer, implying that the mutation burden of normal skin can be harnessed to measure cumulative sun damage and skin cancer risk. Moreover, melanocytes from healthy skin commonly harbor pathogenic mutations, likely explaining the origins of the melanomas that arise in the absence of a pre-existing nevus. Phylogenetic analyses identified groups of related melanocytes, suggesting that melanocytes spread throughout skin as fields of clonally related cells, invisible to the naked eye. Overall, our study offers an unprecedented view into the genomic landscapes of individual melanocytes, revealing key insights into the causes and origins of melanoma.

Study phs001979

Molecular Basis of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer (Trento/Cornell/Broad 2015)

A subset of advanced prostate cancers can progress from an androgen receptor (AR)-driven state to AR independence, often associated with low or absent AR expression and extensive neuroendocrine differentiation. Once neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) develops, patients typically demonstrate an aggressive clinical course and poor overall survival. Early diagnosis is important but remains challenging as the clinical and pathologic features associate with AR independence and NEPC are poorly defined. We performed whole exome sequencing of 114 metastatic tumors from 81 patients (35 with morphologic features of NEPC). Serial or synchronous samples were included to characterize heterogeneity and the transition from adenocarcinoma to NEPC. Computational analysis of clonality and allele specific quantification were performed using CLONET. Quantitative mRNA assessment including AR signaling genes and DNA methylation were evaluated in the context of genomic changes.

Study phs000909

A Whole Genome Association Scan for Myopia and Glaucoma Endophenotypes using Twin Studies

Myopia and glaucoma are highly prevalent ophthalmic disorders worldwide and contribute significantly to ocular morbidity. There is substantial evidence that genetic factors play a significant role in the development of non-syndromic myopia and glaucoma. We propose to perform mapping studies for well-characterized twin populations in the United Kingdom and Australia in order to ultimately identify implicated genes for these disorders and related ocular parameters. This will provide a fundamental molecular understanding of how these disorders develop, and may lead to directed physiologic (i.e. pharmacologic, gene therapy) interventions. Our aim is to dissect the genetic basis of the eye disorders myopia and glaucoma. Instead of limited analyses of the trait/disease in a dichotomous manner, we are using continuous phenotypes of measures of refraction and intermediate phenotypes of glaucoma to analyze quantitative traits in unselected population samples of volunteer twins. Achievement of this goal requires cooperative efforts and large sample sizes. Thus, we have created an international collaboration of large complementary studies.

Study phs000142

A New Pipeline to Predict and Confirm Tumor Neoantigens Predicts Better Response to Checkpoint Blockade

Mutations that drive oncogenesis in cancer can generate neoantigens that may be recognized by the immune system. Identification of these neoantigens remains challenging due to the complexity of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen and T-cell receptor interaction. Here we describe the development of a systematic approach to efficiently identify and validate immunogenic neoantigens. Whole exome sequencing of tissue from a melanoma patient was used to identify nonsynonymous mutations, followed by MHC binding prediction and identification of tumor clonal architecture. The top 18 putative class I neoantigens were selected for immunogenicity testing via a novel in vitro pipeline in HLA-A201 healthy donor blood. Naive CD8 T cells from donors were stimulated with allogeneic dendritic cells pulsed with peptide pools and then with individual peptides. The presence of antigen-specific T cells was determined via functional assays. We identified one putative neoantigen that expanded T cells specific to the mutant form of the peptide and validated this pipeline in a subset of patients with bladder tumors treated with durvalumab (N = 5). Within this cohort, the top predicted neoantigens from all patients were immunogenic in vitro. Finally, we looked at overall survival in the whole durvalumab-treated bladder cohort (N = 37) by stratifying patients by tertile measure of tumor mutation burden (TMB) or neoantigen load. Patients with higher neoantigen and TMB load tended to show better overall survival.

Study phs002269

National Cancer Institute Cancer Genome Characterization Initiative (CGCI)

The Office of Cancer Genomics at the National Cancer Institute sponsored a series of studies as part of the Cancer Genome Characterization Initiative (CGCI) to assess novel emerging sequencing technologies in cancer. The CGCI program included comprehensive characterization of the genetic aberrations found in different pediatric and/or adult tumors. CGCI characterized a number of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from patients with and without HIV+ infection, follicular lymphoma (FL), as well as adult and pediatric Burkitt lymphomas), and additional HIV-associated tumors (including DLBCL, lung, and cervical cancers). All data from these projects is available at the NCI Genomic Data Commons. Individual project descriptions are available by disease on the substudy pages (links are included at the top of this page). Brief summaries are as follows: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) - CGCI investigators probed genomic alterations more deeply than had previously been possible by using state-of-the-art RNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) and whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) coupled with leading edge bioinformatics, data management and analysis approaches. The project sequenced tumor DNA and/or RNA from 117 NHL tumor samples and 10 cell lines. This included the genomes or exomes of 1 Follicular Lymphoma (FL) and 13 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cases, all with matched constitutional DNA sequenced to comparable depths, RNA-sequencing (mRNA-seq) of 92 DLBCL, 12 FL and 8 B-cell NHL cases with other histologies and 10 DLBCL-derived cell lines. The DLBCL cases and cell-lines are from the two major subtypes of DLBCL: germinal center B-cell (GCB) and activated B-cell (ABC). HIV+ Tumor Molecular Characterization Project (HTMCP) - This project was a joint effort of the Office of Cancer Genomics (OCG) and the Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy (OHAM). Its goals were to characterize HIV-associated cancers (obtained from HIV-infected patients) and compare them to the same types of cancers from patients without HIV infection. Investigators performed 30X genome sequencing of 100 cases of paired tumor and germline DNA, along with transcriptome sequencing in each of 3 types of HIV+ tumors (DLBCL, lung and cervical cancers). These platforms allow discovery of mutations both in coding and non-coding genomic regions, gene expression and genomic alterations (including translocations, insertions and deletions). Comparing tumors of cancer patients both with and without HIV-infection provides insight into the potential function of this virus in certain cancers. Burkitt Lymphoma Genome Sequencing Project (BLGSP) - This project was a collaborative effort between the National Cancer Institute and the Foundation for Burkitt Lymphoma Research to develop a databank of the many alterations found in Burkitt lymphoma (BL), an uncommon type of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma that occurs most often in children and young adults. The goal of the BLGSP was to explore potential genetic changes in patients with BL that could lead to better prevention, detection and treatment of the cancer. The project characterized the alterations of the tumors' genomes (with matched normal as control) and transcriptomes by sequencing the DNA and RNA of each case. Using the data generated, the ultimate goals of the project was to discover the molecular changes that are present in BL patients and then determine how those changes correlate with treatment regimen and outcome. CGCI data is accessible at the NCI's Genomic Data Commons (GDC) via the GDC's Data Portal and from each of the CGCI Publication Pages at the GDC (Please see the "Supplemental Links" section of any CGCI publication's "Publication Information and Associated Data Files page" at the GDC.). Available datasets include raw sequencing data, datasets generated by the original CGCI research teams (fully annotated clinical information and higher-level/analyzed molecular characterization data), as well as higher level data generated by the GDC. Please see the CGCI Use and Publication Guidelines for updated details on the sharing of any CGCI substudy data, including how to cite CGCI.To learn more about the CGCI studies, please visit the CGCI Program website.

Study phs000235

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