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Xu Z, Chen L, Lin X, Lyu Y, Zhou M, Chen H, Zhang H, Zhang T, Chen Y, Suo Y, Liang Q, Qin Z, Wang Y. Single Nucleus Total RNA Sequencing of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Gliomas. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2301801. [PMID: 38958078 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Gliomas, the predominant form of brain cancer, comprise diverse malignant subtypes with limited curative therapies available. The insufficient understanding of their molecular diversity and evolutionary processes hinders the advancement of new treatments. Technical complexities associated with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) clinical samples hinder molecular-level analyses of gliomas. Current single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) platforms are inadequate for large-scale clinical applications. In this study, automated snRandom-seq is developed, a high-throughput single-nucleus total RNA sequencing platform optimized for archival FFPE samples. This platform integrates automated single-nucleus isolation and droplet barcoding systems with the random primer-based scRNA-seq chemistry, accommodating a broad spectrum of sample types. The automated snRandom-seq is applied to analyze 116 492 single nuclei from 17 FFPE samples of various glioma subtypes, including rare clinical samples and matched primary-recurrent glioblastomas (GBMs). The study provides comprehensive insights into the molecular characteristics of gliomas at the single-cell level. Abundant non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with distinct expression profiles across different glioma clusters and uncovered promising recurrence-related targets and pathways in primary-recurrent GBMs are identified. These findings establish automated snRandom-seq as a robust tool for scRNA-seq of FFPE samples, enabling exploration of molecular diversities and tumor evolution. This platform holds significant implications for large-scale integrative and retrospective clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziye Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Lingchao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xin Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yuexiao Lyu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | | | - Haide Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | | | | | - Yu Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Clinical In Vitro Diagnostic Techniques, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yuanzhen Suo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
- Jiangsu Healthy Life Innovation Medical Technology Co., Ltd, Wuxi, 214174, China
| | | | - Zhiyong Qin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yongcheng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital & Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
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Williams CJM, Peddle AM, Kasi PM, Seligmann JF, Roxburgh CS, Middleton GW, Tejpar S. Neoadjuvant immunotherapy for dMMR and pMMR colorectal cancers: therapeutic strategies and putative biomarkers of response. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024:10.1038/s41571-024-00943-6. [PMID: 39317818 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-024-00943-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Approximately 15% of locally advanced colorectal cancers (CRC) have DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR), resulting in high microsatellite instability and a high tumour mutational burden. These cancers are frequently sensitive to therapy with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the metastatic setting. This sensitivity seems to be even more pronounced in locally advanced disease, and organ preservation has become a realistic aim in ongoing clinical trials involving patients with dMMR rectal cancer. By contrast, metastatic CRCs with proficient DNA mismatch repair (pMMR) are generally resistant to ICIs, although a proportion of locally advanced pMMR tumours seem to have a high degree of sensitivity to ICIs. In this Review, we describe the current and emerging clinical evidence supporting the use of neoadjuvant ICIs in patients with dMMR and pMMR CRC, and the potential advantages (based on a biological rationale) of such an approach. We discuss how neoadjuvant 'window-of-opportunity' trials are being leveraged to progress biomarker discovery and we provide an overview of potential predictive biomarkers of response to ICIs, exploring the challenges faced when evaluating such biomarkers in biopsy-derived samples. Lastly, we describe how these discoveries might be used to drive a rational approach to trialling novel immunotherapeutic strategies in patients with pMMR CRC, with the ultimate aim of disease eradication and the generation of long-term immunosurveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pashtoon M Kasi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jenny F Seligmann
- Division of Oncology, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Gary W Middleton
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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3
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Piana D, Iavarone F, De Paolis E, Daniele G, Parisella F, Minucci A, Greco V, Urbani A. Phenotyping Tumor Heterogeneity through Proteogenomics: Study Models and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8830. [PMID: 39201516 PMCID: PMC11354793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor heterogeneity refers to the diversity observed among tumor cells: both between different tumors (inter-tumor heterogeneity) and within a single tumor (intra-tumor heterogeneity). These cells can display distinct morphological and phenotypic characteristics, including variations in cellular morphology, metastatic potential and variability treatment responses among patients. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of such heterogeneity is necessary for deciphering tumor-specific mechanisms that may be diagnostically and therapeutically valuable. Innovative and multidisciplinary approaches are needed to understand this complex feature. In this context, proteogenomics has been emerging as a significant resource for integrating omics fields such as genomics and proteomics. By combining data obtained from both Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses, proteogenomics aims to provide a comprehensive view of tumor heterogeneity. This approach reveals molecular alterations and phenotypic features related to tumor subtypes, potentially identifying therapeutic biomarkers. Many achievements have been made; however, despite continuous advances in proteogenomics-based methodologies, several challenges remain: in particular the limitations in sensitivity and specificity and the lack of optimal study models. This review highlights the impact of proteogenomics on characterizing tumor phenotypes, focusing on the critical challenges and current limitations of its use in different clinical and preclinical models for tumor phenotypic characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Piana
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (F.I.); (F.P.)
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
| | - Federica Iavarone
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (F.I.); (F.P.)
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
| | - Elisa De Paolis
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
- Departmental Unit of Molecular and Genomic Diagnostics, Genomics Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (G-STeP), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Gennaro Daniele
- Phase 1 Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Federico Parisella
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (F.I.); (F.P.)
| | - Angelo Minucci
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
- Departmental Unit of Molecular and Genomic Diagnostics, Genomics Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (G-STeP), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Greco
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (F.I.); (F.P.)
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrea Urbani
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (F.I.); (F.P.)
- Departmen Unity of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.D.P.); (A.M.)
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Salgkamis D, Sifakis EG, Agartz S, Wirta V, Hartman J, Bergh J, Foukakis T, Matikas A, Zerdes I. Systematic review and feasibility study on pre-analytical factors and genomic analyses on archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissue. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18275. [PMID: 39107471 PMCID: PMC11303707 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69285-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue represents a valuable source for translational cancer research. However, the widespread application of various downstream methods remains challenging. Here, we aimed to assess the feasibility of a genomic and gene expression analysis workflow using FFPE breast cancer (BC) tissue. We conducted a systematic literature review for the assessment of concordance between FFPE and fresh-frozen matched tissue samples derived from patients with BC for DNA and RNA downstream applications. The analytical performance of three different nucleic acid extraction kits on FFPE BC clinical samples was compared. We also applied a newly developed targeted DNA Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) 370-gene panel and the nCounter BC360® platform on simultaneously extracted DNA and RNA, respectively, using FFPE tissue from a phase II clinical trial. Of the 3701 initial search results, 40 articles were included in the systematic review. High degree of concordance was observed in various downstream application platforms. Moreover, the performance of simultaneous DNA/RNA extraction kit was demonstrated with targeted DNA NGS and gene expression profiling. Exclusion of variants below 5% variant allele frequency was essential to overcome FFPE-induced artefacts. Targeted genomic analyses were feasible in simultaneously extracted DNA/RNA from FFPE material, providing insights for their implementation in clinical trials/cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susanne Agartz
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valtteri Wirta
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Clinical Genomics Stockholm, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Hartman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Bergh
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Breast Center, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Theodoros Foukakis
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Breast Center, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexios Matikas
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Breast Center, Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ioannis Zerdes
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Theme Cancer, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Lopacinska-Jørgensen J, Vestergaard LK, Schejbel L, Høgdall CK, Poulsen TS, Høgdall EV. Paired comparison of the analytical performance between the Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay v3 and whole-exome sequencing of ovarian cancer tissue. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:820. [PMID: 39017860 PMCID: PMC11255052 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09715-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been implemented in clinical oncology as a personalized medicine tool to identify targetable genetic alterations and to guide treatment decisions. However, the optimal NGS test strategy and target genes for clinical use are still being discussed. The aim was to compare the performance of the Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay v3 (OCAv3) (targeted gene panel) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) to investigate somatic single and multiple nucleotide variants and small indels in ovarian cancer patients. METHODS AND RESULTS Genomic DNA was isolated from fresh frozen samples of five high-grade serous (HGSC) and three clear cell ovarian (oCCC) cancer patients. Exome sequencing libraries were prepared by using the Ion AmpliSeq Exome RDY kit, whereas libraries for OCAv3 were prepared using by Ion AmpliSeq™ Library Kit Plus. Sequencing was performed using the Ion S5XL System (Thermo Fisher Scientific). When including only variants classified as pathogenic, likely pathogenic or unknown significance based on ClinVar database verdicts and comparing overlapping regions covered both by the OCAv3 assay and WES, 23 variants were detected by both assays. However, OCAv3 detected additionally two variants: ARID1A: p.Gln563Ter and TP53: p.Ser261ValfsTer84 that have not passed WES filtering criteria due to low coverage. CONCLUSIONS With the present treatment possibilities, OCAv3 panel testing provided higher diagnostic yield due to better coverage. Our study emphasizes that WES, although offering the potential to identify novel findings in genes not covered by OCAv3, might overlook variants in genes relevant for OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Lopacinska-Jørgensen
- Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25, Herlev, 2730, Denmark
| | - Lau K Vestergaard
- Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25, Herlev, 2730, Denmark
| | - Lone Schejbel
- Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25, Herlev, 2730, Denmark
| | - Claus K Høgdall
- Department of Gynaecology, Juliane Marie Centre, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tim Svenstrup Poulsen
- Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25, Herlev, 2730, Denmark
| | - Estrid V Høgdall
- Department of Pathology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 25, Herlev, 2730, Denmark.
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6
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Gulati S, Barata PC, Elliott A, Bilen MA, Burgess EF, Choueiri TK, Darabi S, Dawson NA, Gartrell BA, Hammers HJ, Heath EI, Magee D, Rao A, Ryan CJ, Twardowski P, Wei S, Brugarolas J, Zhang T, Zibelman MR, Nabhan C, McKay RR. Molecular analysis of primary and metastatic sites in patients with renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e176230. [PMID: 39007269 PMCID: PMC11245151 DOI: 10.1172/jci176230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDMetastases are the hallmark of lethal cancer, though underlying mechanisms that drive metastatic spread to specific organs remain poorly understood. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is known to have distinct sites of metastases, with lung, bone, liver, and lymph nodes being more common than brain, gastrointestinal tract, and endocrine glands. Previous studies have shown varying clinical behavior and prognosis associated with the site of metastatic spread; however, little is known about the molecular underpinnings that contribute to the differential outcomes observed by the site of metastasis.METHODSWe analyzed primary renal tumors and tumors derived from metastatic sites to comprehensively characterize genomic and transcriptomic features of tumor cells as well as to evaluate the tumor microenvironment at both sites.RESULTSWe included a total of 657 tumor samples (340 from the primary site [kidney] and 317 from various sites of metastasis). We show distinct genomic alterations, transcriptomic signatures, and immune and stromal tumor microenvironments across metastatic sites in a large cohort of patients with RCC.CONCLUSIONWe demonstrate significant heterogeneity among primary tumors and metastatic sites and elucidate the complex interplay between tumor cells and the extrinsic tumor microenvironment that is vital for developing effective anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuchi Gulati
- UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Pedro C Barata
- University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sourat Darabi
- Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach, California, USA
| | - Nancy Ann Dawson
- Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Benjamin Adam Gartrell
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Elisabeth I Heath
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Arpit Rao
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Przemyslaw Twardowski
- Saint John's Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, California, USA
| | - Shuanzeng Wei
- Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Tian Zhang
- UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Rana R McKay
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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7
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Revencu N, Eijkelenboom A, Bracquemart C, Alhopuro P, Armstrong J, Baselga E, Cesario C, Dentici ML, Eyries M, Frisk S, Karstensen HG, Gene-Olaciregui N, Kivirikko S, Lavarino C, Mero IL, Michiels R, Pisaneschi E, Schönewolf-Greulich B, Wieland I, Zenker M, Vikkula M. Assessment of gene-disease associations and recommendations for genetic testing for somatic variants in vascular anomalies by VASCERN-VASCA. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2024; 19:213. [PMID: 38778413 PMCID: PMC11110196 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-024-03196-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular anomalies caused by somatic (postzygotic) variants are clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases with overlapping or distinct entities. The genetic knowledge in this field is rapidly growing, and genetic testing is now part of the diagnostic workup alongside the clinical, radiological and histopathological data. Nonetheless, access to genetic testing is still limited, and there is significant heterogeneity across the approaches used by the diagnostic laboratories, with direct consequences on test sensitivity and accuracy. The clinical utility of genetic testing is expected to increase progressively with improved theragnostics, which will be based on information about the efficacy and safety of the emerging drugs and future molecules. The aim of this study was to make recommendations for optimising and guiding the diagnostic genetic testing for somatic variants in patients with vascular malformations. RESULTS Physicians and lab specialists from 11 multidisciplinary European centres for vascular anomalies reviewed the genes identified to date as being involved in non-hereditary vascular malformations, evaluated gene-disease associations, and made recommendations about the technical aspects for identification of low-level mosaicism and variant interpretation. A core list of 24 genes were selected based on the current practices in the participating laboratories, the ISSVA classification and the literature. In total 45 gene-phenotype associations were evaluated: 16 were considered definitive, 16 strong, 3 moderate, 7 limited and 3 with no evidence. CONCLUSIONS This work provides a detailed evidence-based view of the gene-disease associations in the field of vascular malformations caused by somatic variants. Knowing both the gene-phenotype relationships and the strength of the associations greatly help laboratories in data interpretation and eventually in the clinical diagnosis. This study reflects the state of knowledge as of mid-2023 and will be regularly updated on the VASCERN-VASCA website (VASCERN-VASCA, https://vascern.eu/groupe/vascular-anomalies/ ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Revencu
- Center for Human Genetics, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, University of Louvain, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Astrid Eijkelenboom
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Claire Bracquemart
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, Service de Génétique, CHU Caen Normandie, BIOTARGEN EA 7450, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Caen, 14000, France
| | - Pia Alhopuro
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Judith Armstrong
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, CIBER-ER (Biomedical Network Research Center for Rare Diseases), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, and Genomic Unit, Molecular and Genetic Medicine Section, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eulalia Baselga
- Department of Dermatology, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Claudia Cesario
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital and Research Institute, IRCCS, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Lisa Dentici
- Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Melanie Eyries
- Sorbonne Université, Département de Génétique, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Paris, France
| | - Sofia Frisk
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Hospital, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helena Gásdal Karstensen
- Department of Genetics, Center of Diagnostics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nagore Gene-Olaciregui
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sirpa Kivirikko
- Department of Clinical Genetics, HUS Diagnostic Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Cinzia Lavarino
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Inger-Lise Mero
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rodolphe Michiels
- Center for Human Genetics, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, University of Louvain, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Elisa Pisaneschi
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital and Research Institute, IRCCS, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Rome, Italy
| | - Bitten Schönewolf-Greulich
- Department of Genetics, Center of Diagnostics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ilse Wieland
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Otto-Von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Martin Zenker
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Otto-Von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Miikka Vikkula
- Center for Vascular Anomalies, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
- Human Molecular Genetics , de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Avenue Pasteur, 6, 1300, Wavre, Belgium.
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8
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Chierto E, Aneli S, Nocco N, Riem A, Onofri M, Carnevali E, Robino C. Assessing DNA Degradation through Differential Amplification Efficiency of Total Human and Human Male DNA in a Forensic qPCR Assay. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:622. [PMID: 38790251 PMCID: PMC11120943 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The assessment of degradation is crucial for the analysis of human DNA samples isolated from forensic specimens. Forensic quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays can include multiple targets of varying amplicon size that display differential amplification efficiency, and thus different concentrations, in the presence of degradation. The possibility of deriving information on DNA degradation was evaluated in a forensic qPCR assay not specifically designed to detect DNA fragmentation, the Plexor HY (Promega), by calculating the ratio between the estimated concentrations of autosomal (99 bp) and Y-chromosomal (133 bp) targets ("[Auto]/[Y]"). The [Auto]/[Y] ratio measured in 57 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples was compared to a quality score (QS) calculated for corresponding STR profiles using quantitative data (allele peak height). A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between [Auto]/[Y] and QS (R = -0.65, p < 0.001). The [Auto]/[Y] values were highly correlated (R = 0.75, p < 0.001) with the "[Auto]/[D]" values obtained using the PowerQuant (Promega) assay, expressly designed to detect DNA degradation through simultaneous quantification of a short (Auto) and a long (D) autosomal target. These results indicate that it is possible to estimate DNA degradation in male samples through Plexor HY data and suggest an alternative strategy for laboratories lacking the equipment required for the assessment of DNA integrity through dedicated qPCR assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Chierto
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Serena Aneli
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Nicola Nocco
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Alessia Riem
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Martina Onofri
- Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Santa Maria Hospital, University of Perugia, 05100 Terni, Italy (E.C.)
- Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Eugenia Carnevali
- Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Santa Maria Hospital, University of Perugia, 05100 Terni, Italy (E.C.)
| | - Carlo Robino
- Department of Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
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Sunitha Kumary VUN, Venters BJ, Raman K, Sen S, Estève PO, Cowles MW, Keogh MC, Pradhan S. Emerging Approaches to Profile Accessible Chromatin from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Sections. EPIGENOMES 2024; 8:20. [PMID: 38804369 PMCID: PMC11130958 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes8020020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes are non-uniformly distributed across eukaryotic genomes, with stretches of 'open' chromatin strongly associated with transcriptionally active promoters and enhancers. Understanding chromatin accessibility patterns in normal tissue and how they are altered in pathologies can provide critical insights to development and disease. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, a variety of strategies have been devised to identify open regions across the genome, including DNase-seq, MNase-seq, FAIRE-seq, ATAC-seq, and NicE-seq. However, the broad application of such methods to FFPE (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded) tissues has been curtailed by the major technical challenges imposed by highly fixed and often damaged genomic material. Here, we review the most common approaches for mapping open chromatin regions, recent optimizations to overcome the challenges of working with FFPE tissue, and a brief overview of a typical data pipeline with analysis considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryan J. Venters
- EpiCypher Inc., Durham, NC 27709, USA; (V.U.N.S.K.); (B.J.V.); (M.W.C.)
| | - Karthikeyan Raman
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01983, USA; (K.R.); (S.S.); (P.-O.E.)
| | - Sagnik Sen
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01983, USA; (K.R.); (S.S.); (P.-O.E.)
| | - Pierre-Olivier Estève
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01983, USA; (K.R.); (S.S.); (P.-O.E.)
| | - Martis W. Cowles
- EpiCypher Inc., Durham, NC 27709, USA; (V.U.N.S.K.); (B.J.V.); (M.W.C.)
| | | | - Sriharsa Pradhan
- Genome Biology Division, New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA 01983, USA; (K.R.); (S.S.); (P.-O.E.)
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10
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Aupperle-Lellbach H, Kehl A, de Brot S, van der Weyden L. Clinical Use of Molecular Biomarkers in Canine and Feline Oncology: Current and Future. Vet Sci 2024; 11:199. [PMID: 38787171 PMCID: PMC11126050 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11050199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular biomarkers are central to personalised medicine for human cancer patients. It is gaining traction as part of standard veterinary clinical practice for dogs and cats with cancer. Molecular biomarkers can be somatic or germline genomic alterations and can be ascertained from tissues or body fluids using various techniques. This review discusses how these genomic alterations can be determined and the findings used in clinical settings as diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and screening biomarkers. We showcase the somatic and germline genomic alterations currently available to date for testing dogs and cats in a clinical setting, discussing their utility in each biomarker class. We also look at some emerging molecular biomarkers that are promising for clinical use. Finally, we discuss the hurdles that need to be overcome in going 'bench to bedside', i.e., the translation from discovery of genomic alterations to adoption by veterinary clinicians. As we understand more of the genomics underlying canine and feline tumours, molecular biomarkers will undoubtedly become a mainstay in delivering precision veterinary care to dogs and cats with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Aupperle-Lellbach
- Laboklin GmbH&Co.KG, Steubenstr. 4, 97688 Bad Kissingen, Germany; (H.A.-L.); (A.K.)
- School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstr. 18, 80333 München, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kehl
- Laboklin GmbH&Co.KG, Steubenstr. 4, 97688 Bad Kissingen, Germany; (H.A.-L.); (A.K.)
- School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstr. 18, 80333 München, Germany
| | - Simone de Brot
- Institute of Animal Pathology, COMPATH, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
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11
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Edsjö A, Gisselsson D, Staaf J, Holmquist L, Fioretos T, Cavelier L, Rosenquist R. Current and emerging sequencing-based tools for precision cancer medicine. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 96:101250. [PMID: 38330674 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2024.101250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Current precision cancer medicine is dependent on the analyses of a plethora of clinically relevant genomic aberrations. During the last decade, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has gradually replaced most other methods for precision cancer diagnostics, spanning from targeted tumor-informed assays and gene panel sequencing to global whole-genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing analyses. The shift has been impelled by a clinical need to assess an increasing number of genomic alterations with diagnostic, prognostic and predictive impact, including more complex biomarkers (e.g. microsatellite instability, MSI, and homologous recombination deficiency, HRD), driven by the parallel development of novel targeted therapies and enabled by the rapid reduction in sequencing costs. This review focuses on these sequencing-based methods, puts their emergence in a historic perspective, highlights their clinical utility in diagnostics and decision-making in pediatric and adult cancer, as well as raises challenges for their clinical implementation. Finally, the importance of applying sensitive tools for longitudinal monitoring of treatment response and detection of measurable residual disease, as well as future avenues in the rapidly evolving field of sequencing-based methods are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Edsjö
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden; Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - David Gisselsson
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden; Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Staaf
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Medicon Village, Lund, Sweden
| | - Louise Holmquist
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden
| | - Thoas Fioretos
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden; Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Clinical Genomics Lund, Science for Life Laboratory, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lucia Cavelier
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Richard Rosenquist
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Genomic Medicine Center Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Kehl A, Aupperle-Lellbach H, de Brot S, van der Weyden L. Review of Molecular Technologies for Investigating Canine Cancer. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:769. [PMID: 38473154 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic molecular testing is starting to gain traction as part of standard clinical practice for dogs with cancer due to its multi-faceted benefits, such as potentially being able to provide diagnostic, prognostic and/or therapeutic information. However, the benefits and ultimate success of genomic analysis in the clinical setting are reliant on the robustness of the tools used to generate the results, which continually expand as new technologies are developed. To this end, we review the different materials from which tumour cells, DNA, RNA and the relevant proteins can be isolated and what methods are available for interrogating their molecular profile, including analysis of the genetic alterations (both somatic and germline), transcriptional changes and epigenetic modifications (including DNA methylation/acetylation and microRNAs). We also look to the future and the tools that are currently being developed, such as using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify genetic mutations from histomorphological criteria. In summary, we find that the molecular genetic characterisation of canine neoplasms has made a promising start. As we understand more of the genetics underlying these tumours and more targeted therapies become available, it will no doubt become a mainstay in the delivery of precision veterinary care to dogs with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kehl
- Laboklin GmbH & Co. KG, Steubenstr. 4, 97688 Bad Kissingen, Germany
- School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstr. 18, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Heike Aupperle-Lellbach
- Laboklin GmbH & Co. KG, Steubenstr. 4, 97688 Bad Kissingen, Germany
- School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Trogerstr. 18, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Simone de Brot
- Institute of Animal Pathology, COMPATH, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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