Project description:The genomic and immune landscapes of prostate cancer differ by self-identified race. However, few studies have examined the genome-wide copy number landscape and immune content of matched cohorts with genetic ancestry data and clinical outcomes. Here, we assessed prostate cancer somatic copy number alterations (sCNA) and tumor immune content of a grade-matched, surgically-treated cohort of 145 self-identified Black (BL) and 145 self-identified white (WH) patients with genetic ancestry estimation. A generalized linear model adjusted with age, pre-operative PSA, and Grade Group and filtered for germline copy number variations (gCNV) identified 143 loci where copy number varied significantly by percent African ancestry, clustering on chromosomes 6p, 10q, 11p, 12p, and 17p. Multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, pre-operative PSA levels, and Grade Group revealed that chromosome 8q gains (including MYC) were significantly associated with biochemical recurrence and metastasis, independent of genetic ancestry. Finally, regulatory T-cell density in BL and WH patients was significantly correlated with percent genome altered, and these findings were validated in the TCGA cohort. Taken together, our findings identify specific sCNA linked to genetic ancestry and outcome in primary prostate cancer and demonstrate that regulatory T-cell infiltrate varies by global sCNA burden in primary disease.
Project description:The rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyle are on a dramatic incline, with associated detrimental health effects among women in particular. Although exercise prescriptions are useful for overcoming these problems, success can be hampered by differential responsiveness among individuals in cardiovascular fitness indices (i.e., improvements in strength, lipids, VO2max). Genetic factors appear to play an important role in determining this inter-individual variation in responsiveness. We performed microarray analyses on mRNA in whole blood from 60 sedentary women from a multi-ethnic cohort who underwent 12 weeks of exercise, to identify gene subsets that were differentially expressed between individuals who experienced the greatest and least improvements in fitness based upon a composite fitness score index. We identified 43 transcripts in 39 unique genes (FDR<10%; FC>1.5) whose expression increased the most in “high” versus “low” premenopausal female responders. Several (TIGD7, UQCRH, PSMA6, WDR12, TFB2M, USP15) have reported associations with fitness-related phenotypes. Bioinformatic analysis of the 39 genes identified 4 miRNAs whose expression has been linked to cardiovascular diseases (ANKRD22: miR-637, LRRFIP1: miR-132, PRKAR2B: miR-92a, RSAD2:miR-192). These 39 genes were enriched in 6 biological pathways, including the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (p=8.08 x 10-3). Two genes, LRRFIP1 and SNORD30, were also identified with lower expression in high responding postmenopausal women. In summary, we identified gene signatures based on mRNA analysis that define responsiveness to exercise in a largely minority-based female cohort. Importantly, this study validates several genes/pathways previously associated with exercise responsiveness and extends these findings with additional novel genes. We performed microarray analyses on mRNA in whole blood from 60 sedentary women from a multi-ethnic cohort who underwent 12 weeks of exercise, to identify gene subsets that were differentially expressed between individuals who experienced the greatest and least improvements in fitness based upon a composite fitness score index.
Project description:Characterization of ancestry-linked peptide variants in disease-relevant patient tissues represents a foundational step to connect patient ancestry with molecular disease pathogenesis. Nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) encoding missense substitutions within tryptic peptides exhibiting high allele frequencies in European, African, and East Asian populations, termed peptide ancestry informative markers (pAIMs), were prioritized from 1000 genomes. In silico analysis shows that as few as 20 pAIMs can determine ancestry proportions similarly to >260K SNPs (R2=0.9905). Multiplexed proteomic analysis of >100 human endometrial cancer cell lines and uterine leiomyoma (ULM) tissues combined resulted in the quantitation of 62 pAIMs that correlate with self-described race and genotype-confirmed patient ancestry. Candidates include a D451E substitution in GC vitamin D-binding protein previously associated with altered vitamin D levels in African and European populations. These efforts describe a generalized set of markers for proteoancestry assessment that will further support studies investigating the impact of ancestry on the human proteome and how this relates to the pathogenesis of uterine neoplasms.
Project description:Response to drug therapy in individual colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is associated with tumor biology. Here we describe the genomic landscape of tumor samples of a homogeneous well-annotated series of patients with metastatic CRC of two phase III clinical trials, CAIRO and CAIRO2. DNA copy number aberrations of 349 patients are determined. Within three treatment arms, 194 chromosomal sub-regions are associated with progression free survival PFS (uncorrected single-test p-values < 0.005). These sub-regions are filtered for effect on mRNA expression, using an independent data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) which returned 171 genes. Three chromosomal regions are associated with a significant difference in PFS between treatment arms with or without irinotecan. One of these regions, 6q16.1-q21, correlates in vitro with sensitivity to SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. This genomic landscape of metastatic CRC reveals a number of DNA copy number aberrations associated with response to drug therapy. aCGH data of colorectal cancers of patients from 2 clinical trials (CAIRO, CAIRO2). 105 patients were treated with capecitabine first line (CAIRO arm A), 111 patients were treated with capecitabine and irinotecan first line (CAIRO arm B), and 133 patients were treated with capecitabine, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab (CAIRO2 arm A).
Project description:Selecting colorectal cancer (CRC) patients likely to respond to therapy remains a clinical challenge. The objectives of this study were to establish which genes were differentially expressed with respect to treatment sensitivity and relate this to copy number in a panel of 15 CRC cell lines. Copy number variations of the identified genes were assessed in a cohort of colorectal cancers. IC50’s were measured for 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and BEZ-235, a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor. Cell lines were profiled using array comparative genomic hybridisation, Illumina gene expression analysis, reverse phase protein arrays, and targeted sequencing of KRAS hotspot mutations.
Project description:Women of sub-Saharan African descent have disproportionately higher incidence of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), and TNBC-specific mortality. Population comparative studies show racial differences in TNBC biology, including higher prevalence of basal-like and Quadruple-Negative subtypes in African Americans (AA). However, previous investigations relied on self-reported race (SRR) of primarily United States (US) populations. Due to heterogenous genetic admixture, and biological consequences of social determinants, the true association of African ancestry with TNBC biology is unclear. To address this, we conducted RNAseq on an international cohort of AAs, west and east Africans with TNBC. Using comprehensive genetic ancestry estimation in this African-enriched cohort, we found expression of 613 genes associated with African ancestry and 2000+ associated with regional African ancestry. A subset of African-associated genes also showed differences in normal breast tissue. Pathway enrichment and deconvolution of tumor cellular composition revealed tumor-associated immunological profiles are distinct in patients of African descent.