Molecular and genomic analysis of microscopic quantities of tumor from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsies has many unique challenges. Here we evaluated the feasibility of obtaining transcriptome-wide RNA expression to measure prognostic classifiers from diagnostic prostate needle core biopsies.
Application of a Clinical Whole-Transcriptome Assay for Staging and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer Diagnosed in Needle Core Biopsy Specimens.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesEstablishment and application of RNAseq based transcriptome analayis on an archivaed bladder cancer cohort. Overall design: Total RNA profilling 61 archived bladder cancer samples and comparison of 4 pairs of fresh frozen and FFPE bladder cancer samples.
Next-generation RNA sequencing of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded urothelial bladder cancer.
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View SamplesC57Bl6J mice were injected CCL4 for 8 weeks to induce liver injury and livers were used to prepare RNA.
Interspecies NASH disease activity whole-genome profiling identifies a fibrogenic role of PPARα-regulated dermatopontin.
Sex, Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Genomic hallmarks of localized, non-indolent prostate cancer.
Specimen part, Disease, Disease stage
View SamplesProstate tumours are highly variable in their response to therapies, but clinically available prognostic factors can explain only a fraction of this heterogeneity. Here we analysed 200 whole-genome sequences and 277 additional whole-exome sequences from localized, non-indolent prostate tumours with similar clinical risk profiles, and carried out RNA and methylation analyses in a subset. These tumours had a paucity of clinically actionable single nucleotide variants, unlike those seen in metastatic disease. Rather, a significant proportion of tumours harboured recurrent non-coding aberrations, large-scale genomic rearrangements, and alterations in which an inversion repressed transcription within its boundaries. Local hypermutation events were frequent, and correlated with specific genomic profiles. Numerous molecular aberrations were prognostic for disease recurrence, including several DNA methylation events, and a signature comprised of these aberrations outperformed well-described prognostic biomarkers. We suggest that intensified treatment of genomically aggressive localized prostate cancer may improve cure rates.
Genomic hallmarks of localized, non-indolent prostate cancer.
Specimen part
View SamplesHerein we describe a molecular portrait of potentially curable, Gleason 7 and intermediate risk prostate cancer based on genome-wide CNV profiles of 96 patients, and subsequent whole-genome sequencing of 28 tumours from 10 patients, using DNA quantities that are achievable in diagnostic biopsies (50 ng). We show that Gleason 7 cancer is highly heterogeneous at the SNV, CNV, and intra-chromosomal translocation levels, and is characterized by a very low number of recurrent SNVs but significant structural variation. We identified a novel recurrent MYCL1 amplification, which was strongly associated with TP53 deletion and prognostic for biochemical recurrence in this cohort. Moreover, we identified clear evidence of divergent tumour evolution in multi focal cancer and, in 2/5 cases evaluated, multiple tumours of independent clonal origin. Taken together, these data represent the first systematic evaluation of the differential genomics of potentially curable prostate cancer, and strongly suggest that a more robust understanding of the relationship between genetic heterogeneity and clinical outcomes is required to effectively develop biomarkers of prognosis based on tumour genomics.
Spatial genomic heterogeneity within localized, multifocal prostate cancer.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesAlmost a quarter of pediatric patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) suffer from relapses. The biological mechanisms underlying therapy response and development of relapses have remained unclear. In an attempt to better understand this phenomenon, we have analyzed 41 matched diagnosis relapse pairs of ALL patients using genomewide expression arrays (82 arrays) on purified leukemic cells. In roughly half of the patients very few differences between diagnosis and relapse samples were found (stable group), suggesting that mostly extra-leukemic factors (e.g., drug distribution, drug metabolism, compliance) contributed to the relapse. Therefore, we focused our further analysis on 20 samples with clear differences in gene expression (skewed group), reasoning that these would allow us to better study the biological mechanisms underlying relapsed ALL. After finding the differences between diagnosis and relapse pairs in this group, we identified four major gene clusters corresponding to several pathways associated with changes in cell cycle, DNA replication, recombination and repair, as well as B cell developmental genes. We also identified cancer genes commonly associated with colon carcinomas and ubiquitination to be upregulated in relapsed ALL. Thus, about half of relapses are due to selection or emergence of a clone with deregulated expression of a genes involved in pathways that regulate B cell signaling, development, cell cycle, cellular division and replication.
Genome-wide expression analysis of paired diagnosis-relapse samples in ALL indicates involvement of pathways related to DNA replication, cell cycle and DNA repair, independent of immune phenotype.
Sex, Specimen part, Disease
View SamplesBackground and Purpose—Analyzing genes involved in development and rupture of intracranial aneurysms can enhance knowledge about the pathogenesis of aneurysms, and identify new treatment strategies. We compared gene expression between ruptured and unruptured aneurysms and control intracranial arteries. Methods—We determined expression levels with RNA sequencing. Applying a multivariate negative binomial model, we identified genes that were differentially expressed between 44 aneurysms and 16 control arteries, and between 22 ruptured and 21 unruptured aneurysms. The differential expression of 8 relevant and highly significant genes was validated using digital polymerase chain reaction. Pathway analysis was used to identify enriched pathways. We also analyzed genes with an extreme pattern of differential expression: only expressed in 1 condition without any expression in the other. Results—We found 229 differentially expressed genes in aneurysms versus controls and 1489 in ruptured versus unruptured aneurysms. The differential expression of all 8 genes selected for digital polymerase chain reaction validation was confirmed. Extracellular matrix pathways were enriched in aneurysms versus controls, whereas pathways involved in immune response and the lysosome pathway were enriched in ruptured versus unruptured aneurysms. Immunoglobulin genes were expressed in aneurysms, but showed no expression in controls. Conclusions—For rupture of intracranial aneurysms, we identified the lysosome pathway as a new pathway and found further evidence for the role of the immune response. Our results also point toward a role for immunoglobulins in the pathogenesis of aneurysms. Immune-modifying drugs are, therefore, interesting candidate treatment strategies in the prevention of aneurysm development and rupture. Overall design: RNA sequencing of 44 intracranial aneurysm samples (including 21 unruptured, 22 ruptured and 1 undetermined) and 16 control samples of the intracranial cortical artery
RNA Sequencing Analysis of Intracranial Aneurysm Walls Reveals Involvement of Lysosomes and Immunoglobulins in Rupture.
Sex, Age, Subject
View SamplesColon cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths in Western countries and is associated with diets high in red meat. Heme, the iron-porphyrin pigment of red meat, induces cytotoxicity of gut contents which injures surface cells leading to compensatory hyperproliferation of crypt cells. This hyperproliferation results in epithelial hyperplasia which increases the risk of colon cancer. In humans, a high red-meat diet increases Bacteroides spp in feces. Therefore, we simultaneously investigated the effects of dietary heme on colonic microbiota and on the host mucosa of mice. Whole genome microarrays showed that heme injured the colonic surface epithelium and induced hyperproliferation by changing the surface to crypt signaling. Using 16S rRNA phylogenetic microarrays, we investigated whether bacteria play a role in this changed signaling. Heme increased Bacteroidetes and decreased Firmicutes in colonic contents. This shift was most likely caused by a selective susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria to heme cytotoxic fecal water, which is not observed for Gram-negative bacteria, allowing expansion of the Gram-negative community. The increased amount of Gram-negative bacteria most probably increased LPS exposure to colonocytes, however, there is no appreciable immune response detected in the heme-fed mice. There was no functional change in the sensing of the bacteria by the mucosa, as changes in inflammation pathways and Toll- like receptor signaling were not detected. This unaltered host-microbe cross-talk indicates that the changes in microbiota did not play a causal role in the observed hyperproliferation and hyperplasia.
Dietary heme alters microbiota and mucosa of mouse colon without functional changes in host-microbe cross-talk.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesPreviously, we showed that dietary heme injured the colonic surface epithelium and induced hyperproliferation by changing the surface to crypt signaling. In this study we investigated whether bacteria play a role in this changed signaling. Dietary heme increased the Bacteroidetes and decreased the Firmicutes in colonic content. This shift was caused by a selective susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria to the heme cytotoxic fecal waters, which is not observed for Gram-negative bacteria allowing expansion of the Gram-negative community. The increased amount of Gram-negative bacteria increased LPS exposure to colonocytes, however, there is no appreciable immune response detected in the heme-fed mice. There were no signs of sensing of the bacteria by the mucosa, as changes in TLR signaling were not present. This lack of microbe-host cross talk indicated that the changes in microbiota do not play a causal role in the heme-induced hyperproliferation.
Dietary heme alters microbiota and mucosa of mouse colon without functional changes in host-microbe cross-talk.
Sex, Age, Specimen part, Treatment
View Samples