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Somatic focal copy number gains of noncoding regions of receptor tyrosine kinase genes in epileptogenic neurons

ABSTRACT: Epilepsy is a heterogenous group of disorders defined by recurrent seizure activity due to abnormal synchronized activity of neurons. A growing number of epilepsy cases are believed to be caused by genetic factors and copy number variants (CNV) contribute to up to 5% of epilepsy cases. However, CNVs in epilepsy are usually large deletions or duplications involving multiple neurodevelopmental genes. Here we identify focal amplifications of regulatory regions of receptor tyrosine kinase genes as a genetic abnormality in epileptogenic brains. Whole genome DNA methylation profiling identified three main clusters of which one showed strong association with receptor tyrosine kinase genes. By copy number analysis, we identified focal copy number gains involving EGFR and PDGFRA in brain tissue of patients who underwent seizure focus resection for treatment-resistant epilepsy. The dysplastic neurons showed marked overexpression of pEGFR and pPDGFRA, while glial and endothelial cells were negative. Sequencing and DNA methylation analysis revealed that enhancer regions of EGFR and PDGFRA gene promoter were amplified, while coding regions did not show copy number abnormalities or somatic mutations. Our results identify somatic focal copy number gains of noncoding regulatory regions in the brain as a previously unrecognized genetic driver in epilepsy. Somatic copy number aberrations of regulatory regions represent a mechanism of abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinase genes in epilepsy. Upregulated receptor tyrosine kinases provide a potential avenue for therapy in seizure disorders.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE157989 | GEO | 2021/07/13

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The outcome for children with high-grade gliomas (HGG) remains dismal, with a two-year survival rate of only 10-30%. Approximately half of pediatric HGGs are diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a brainstem tumor that arises almost exclusively in children. Genome-wide analyses of copy number imbalances previously showed that platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) is the most frequent target of focal amplification in pediatric HGGs. To determine whether the PDGFRA is also targeted by more subtle mutations not detected by copy number analysis, we sequenced all PDGFRA coding exons from a cohort of pediatric HGGs. Somatic activating mutations were identified in 14.4% (13/90) of non-brainstem pediatric HGGs and 4.7% (2/43) of DIPGs, including missense mutations and in-frame deletions and insertions not previously described. 40% of tumors with mutation showed concurrent amplification, while 60% carried heterozygous mutations. Six different mutations impacting different domains all resulted in ligand-independent receptor activation that was blocked by small molecule inhibitors of PDGFR. Expression of mutants in p53-null primary mouse astrocytes conferred a proliferative advantage in vitro, and generated HGGs in vivo with complete penetrance when implanted into brain. The gene expression signatures reflected the spectrum of human diffuse HGGs. PDGFRA intragenic deletion of exons 8 and 9 were previously shown in adult HGG, but were not detected in 83 non-brainstem pediatric HGG and 57 DIPGs. Thus, a distinct spectrum of mutations confers constitutive receptor activation and oncogenic activity to PDGFR in childhood HGG. To better understand the consequence of PDGFRα mutation in pediatric gliomagenesis, retroviral constructs expressing wild-type PDGFRα or six selected PDGFRα mutants that affect different regions of the receptor were generated for functional studies. p53-null primary mouse astrocyte (PMA) cultures were chosen as a relevant cellular background to assess PDGFRα function.

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Somatic focal copy number gains of noncoding regions of receptor tyrosine kinase genes in epileptogenic neurons

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