Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma, the most common childhood brain tumor, is typically associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway alterations. Surgically inaccessible midline tumors are therapeutically challenging, showing sustained tendency for progression and often becoming a chronic disease with substantial morbidities. Here we describe whole-genome sequencing of 96 pilocytic astrocytomas, with matched RNA sequencing (n = 73), conducted by the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) PedBrain Tumor Project. We identified recurrent activating mutations in FGFR1 and PTPN11 and new NTRK2 fusion genes in non-cerebellar tumors. New BRAF-activating changes were also observed. MAPK pathway alterations affected all tumors analyzed, with no other significant mutations identified, indicating that pilocytic astrocytoma is predominantly a single-pathway disease. Notably, we identified the same FGFR1 mutations in a subset of H3F3A-mutated pediatric glioblastoma with additional alterations in the NF1 gene. Our findings thus identify new potential therapeutic targets in distinct subsets of pilocytic astrocytoma and childhood glioblastoma.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) are the most common glioma in children. While many PAs are slow growing or clinically indolent, others exhibit more aggressive features with tumor recurrence and death. In order to identify genetic signatures that might predict PA clinical behavior, we performed gene expression profiling on 41 primary PAs arising sporadically and in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). While no expression signature was found that could discriminate clinically-aggressive or recurrent tumors from more indolent cases, PAs arising in patients with NF1 did exhibit a unique gene expression pattern. In addition, we identified a gene expression signature that stratified PAs by location (supratentorial versus infratentorial). Keywords: Human, WHO grade I, Brain tumor, Pilocytic astrocytoma, NF1
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common tumor of the pediatric central nervous system (CNS). A body of research over recent years has demonstrated a key role for mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling in the development and behavior of PAs. Several mechanisms lead to activation of this pathway in PA, mostly in a mutually exclusive manner, with constitutive BRAF kinase activation subsequent to gene fusion being the most frequent. The high specificity of this fusion to PA when compared with other CNS tumors has diagnostic utility. In addition, the frequency of alteration of this key pathway provides an opportunity for molecularly targeted therapy in this tumor. Here, we review the current knowledge on mechanisms of MAPK activation in PA and some of the downstream consequences of this activation, which are now starting to be elucidated both in vitro and in vivo, as well as clinical considerations and possible future directions.
Project description:Adult pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) have been regarded as indistinguishable from pediatric PAs in terms of genome-wide expression and methylation patterns. It has been unclear whether adult PAs arise early in life and remain asymptomatic until adulthood, or whether they develop during adulthood. We sought to determine the age and origin of adult human PAs using two types of "marks" in the genomic DNA. First, we analyzed the DNA methylation patterns of adult and pediatric PAs to distinguish between PAs of different anatomic locations (n = 257 PA and control brain tissues). Second, we measured the concentration of nuclear bomb test-derived 14C in genomic DNA (n = 14 cases), which indicates the time point of the formation of human cell populations. Our data suggest that adult and pediatric PAs developing in the infratentorial brain are closely related and potentially develop from precursor cells early in life, whereas supratentorial PAs might show age and location-specific differences.
Project description:Microglia in the microenvironment of low-grade tumors have been shown to allow and support tumor growth, but the expression profile of these microglia are unknown. To examine the role of microglia in junior pilocytic astrocytomas, macrophages were flow sorted from cyroprotected surgical excisions of tumors and normal brain tissues. Upregulated markers of tumor-associated microglia were verified and compared to mouse tumor-associated microglia.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common type of brain tumor in pediatric population, generally connected with favorable prognosis, although recurrences or dissemination sometimes are also observed. For tumors originating in supra- or infratentorial location different molecular background was suggested but plausible correlations between transcriptional profile and radiological features and/or clinical course are still undefined. The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression profiles related to the most frequent locations of this tumor, subtypes based on various radiological features and clinical pattern of the disease. According to the radiological features presented on MRI, all cases were divided into four subtypes: solid or mainly solid, cystic with an enhancing cyst wall, cystic with a non-enhancing cyst wall and solid with central necrosis. Bioinformatic analyses showed that gene expression profile of pilocytic astrocytoma highly depends on the tumor location. Most prominent differences were noted for IRX2, PAX3, CXCL14, LHX2, SIX6, CNTN1 and SIX1 genes expression which could distinguish pilocytic astrocytomas of different location even within supratentorial region. Analysis of the genes potentially associated between radiological features showed much weaker transcriptome differences. Single genes showed association with the tendency to progression. Here we showed that pilocytic astrocytomas of three different locations could be precisely differentiated on the basis of gene expression level but their transcriptional profiles did not strongly reflect the radiological appearance of the tumor or the course of the disease.
Project description:BackgroundPilocytic Astrocytomas (PAs) are common low-grade central nervous system malignancies for which few recurrent and specific genetic alterations have been identified. In an effort to better understand the molecular biology underlying the pathogenesis of these pediatric brain tumors, we performed higher-order transcriptional network analysis of a large gene expression dataset to identify gene regulatory pathways that are specific to this tumor type, relative to other, more aggressive glial or histologically distinct brain tumours.MethodsRNA derived from frozen human PA tumours was subjected to microarray-based gene expression profiling, using Affymetrix U133Plus2 GeneChip microarrays. This data set was compared to similar data sets previously generated from non-malignant human brain tissue and other brain tumour types, after appropriate normalization.ResultsIn this study, we examined gene expression in 66 PA tumors compared to 15 non-malignant cortical brain tissues, and identified 792 genes that demonstrated consistent differential expression between independent sets of PA and non-malignant specimens. From this entire 792 gene set, we used the previously described PAP tool to assemble a core transcriptional regulatory network composed of 6 transcription factor genes (TFs) and 24 target genes, for a total of 55 interactions. A similar analysis of oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) gene expression data sets identified distinct, but overlapping, networks. Most importantly, comparison of each of the brain tumor type-specific networks revealed a network unique to PA that included repressed expression of ONECUT2, a gene frequently methylated in other tumor types, and 13 other uniquely predicted TF-gene interactions.ConclusionsThese results suggest specific transcriptional pathways that may operate to create the unique molecular phenotype of PA and thus opportunities for corresponding targeted therapeutic intervention. Moreover, this study also demonstrates how integration of gene expression data with TF-gene and TF-TF interaction data is a powerful approach to generating testable hypotheses to better understand cell-type specific genetic programs relevant to cancer.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common type of brain tumor in pediatric population, generally connected with favorable prognosis, although recurrences or dissemination sometimes are also observed. For tumors originating in supra- or infratentorial location different molecular background was suggested but plausible correlations between transcriptional profile and radiological features and/or clinical course are still undefined. The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression profiles related to the most frequent locations of this tumor, subtypes based on various radiological features and clinical pattern of the disease. According to the radiological features presented on MRI, all cases were divided into four subtypes: solid or mainly solid, cystic with an enhancing cyst wall, cystic with a non-enhancing cyst wall and solid with central necrosis. Bioinformatic analyses showed that gene expression profile of pilocytic astrocytoma highly depends on the tumor location. Most prominent differences were noted for IRX2, PAX3, CXCL14, LHX2, SIX6, CNTN1 and SIX1 genes expression which could distinguish pilocytic astrocytomas of different location even within supratentorial region. Analysis of the genes potentially associated between radiological features showed much weaker transcriptome differences. Single genes showed association with the tendency to progression. Here we showed that pilocytic astrocytomas of three different locations could be precisely differentiated on the basis of gene expression level but their transcriptional profiles did not strongly reflect the radiological appearance of the tumor or the course of the disease. Gene expression profiling was performed in 47 pilocytic astrocytoma tumours characterized by different localization, radiology and progression.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), the most common childhood brain tumor, is a low-grade glioma with a single driver BRAF rearrangement. Here, we perform scRNAseq in six PAs using methods that enabled detection of the rearrangement. When compared to higher-grade gliomas, a strikingly higher proportion of the PA cancer cells exhibit a differentiated, astrocyte-like phenotype. A smaller proportion of cells exhibit a progenitor-like phenotype with evidence of proliferation. These express a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) programme that was absent from higher-grade gliomas. Immune cells, especially microglia, comprise 40% of all cells in the PAs and account for differences in bulk expression profiles between tumor locations and subtypes. These data indicate that MAPK signaling is restricted to relatively undifferentiated cancer cells in PA, with implications for investigational therapies directed at this pathway.
Project description:Adult pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is less prevalent than pediatric PA and is associated with a worse prognosis. In a literature review, we found that 88.3% of the molecular alterations in adult PA are associated with MAPK pathway dysregulation. The most common alterations are fusions of BRAF. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying this pathway has evolved substantially, heralding advancements in specific targeted therapy. Here, we review clinical and molecular features of adult PA, characteristics predicting aggressive behavior and approaches to standard and investigational therapies. We highlight epigenetic profiling and integrated diagnosis as an essential component of classifying PA.