Project description:Purpose: More than 90% of children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) die within 2 years of diagnosis. There is a dire need to identify therapeutic targets, however lack of patient material for research has limited progress. We evaluated a large cohort of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) to identify recurrent genomic abnormalities and gene expression signatures underlying DIPG. Patients and Methods: We used single nucleotide polymorphism arrays to evaluate genomic copy number imbalances in 43 DIPGs from 40 patients and in 8 low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas. Gene expression arrays were used to evaluate expression signatures from 27 DIPGs, 6 low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas and 66 low-grade gliomas arising outside the brainstem. Results: Frequencies of specific large-scale and focal imbalances varied significantly between DIPGs and pediatric glioblastomas outside the brainstem. Focal amplifications of genes within the receptor tyrosine kinase-Ras-PI3-kinase signaling pathway were found in 47% of DIPG, with PDGFRA and MET showing the highest frequency. 30% of DIPG contained focal amplifications of cell-cycle regulatory genes controlling RB phosphorylation, and 21% had concurrent amplification of genes from both pathways. Some tumors showed heterogeneity in amplification patterns. DIPGs showed distinct gene expression signatures relating to developmental processes compared to pediatric glioblastomas arising outside the brainstem, while expression signatures of low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas were similar to low-grade gliomas outside the brainstem. Copy number analaysis: 43 DIPG samples, 8 Low Grade Gliomas using SNP6.0. Available matched normals are also profiled with SNP6.0. Expression analysis: 29 DIPG samples, 6 Low grade samples Please contact Suzanne Baker at Suzanne.Baker@stjude.org for CEL files and genotype calls.
Project description:Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are among the most common solid tumors in children but apart from BRAF mutations or duplications in specific subclasses, few genetic driver events are known. Diffuse PLGGs comprise a set of uncommon subtypes that exhibit invasive growth and are therefore especially challenging clinically. These tumors are particularly poorly understood. We performed high-resolution copy-number analysis of 44 diffuse PLGGs to identify recurrent alterations. Diffuse PLGGs exhibited fewer such alterations than adult low-grade gliomas, but we identified several significantly recurrent events. The most significant event, 8q13.1 gains, were observed in 28% of diffuse astrocytomas grade II (DA2s) and resulted in partial duplication of the transcription factor MYBL1 with truncation of its C-terminal negative-regulatory domain. A similar recurrent deletion-truncation breakpoint was identified in two angiocentric gliomas in the related gene MYB on 6q23.3. Whole-genome sequencing of a MYBL1-rearranged DA2 demonstrated MYBL1 tandem duplication, and few other events. Two novel, truncated MYBL1 transcripts identified in this tumor induced anchorage-independent growth when expressed in 3T3 cells and tumor formation in nude mice. Truncated transcripts were also expressed in two additional tumors with MYBL1 partial duplication. Our results define clinically relevant molecular subclasses of diffuse PLGGs and highlight a potential role for the MYB family in the biology of low-grade gliomas.
Project description:Purpose: More than 90% of children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) die within 2 years of diagnosis. There is a dire need to identify therapeutic targets, however lack of patient material for research has limited progress. We evaluated a large cohort of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) to identify recurrent genomic abnormalities and gene expression signatures underlying DIPG. Patients and Methods: We used single nucleotide polymorphism arrays to evaluate genomic copy number imbalances in 43 DIPGs from 40 patients and in 8 low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas. Gene expression arrays were used to evaluate expression signatures from 27 DIPGs, 6 low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas and 66 low-grade gliomas arising outside the brainstem. Results: Frequencies of specific large-scale and focal imbalances varied significantly between DIPGs and pediatric glioblastomas outside the brainstem. Focal amplifications of genes within the receptor tyrosine kinase-Ras-PI3-kinase signaling pathway were found in 47% of DIPG, with PDGFRA and MET showing the highest frequency. 30% of DIPG contained focal amplifications of cell-cycle regulatory genes controlling RB phosphorylation, and 21% had concurrent amplification of genes from both pathways. Some tumors showed heterogeneity in amplification patterns. DIPGs showed distinct gene expression signatures relating to developmental processes compared to pediatric glioblastomas arising outside the brainstem, while expression signatures of low-grade exophytic brainstem gliomas were similar to low-grade gliomas outside the brainstem.
Project description:<p>Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are among the most common solid tumors in children but, apart from mutations or duplications in the BRAF kinase in specific subclasses, few genetic driver events are known. Diffuse PLGGs compose a set of uncommon subtypes that exhibit invasive growth and are therefore especially challenging clinically. These tumors are particularly poorly understood. We performed high-resolution copy-number analysis of 44 diffuse PLGGs to identify recurrent alterations. Diffuse PLGGs exhibited fewer such alterations than adult low-grade gliomas, but we identified several significantly recurrent events. The most significant event, 8q13.1 gains, was observed in 28% of diffuse astrocytoma WHO grade II (DA2) and resulted in partial duplication of the transcription factor MYBL1 with truncation of its C-terminal negative-regulatory domain. A similar recurrent deletion-truncation breakpoint was identified in two angiocentric gliomas in the related gene MYB on 6q23.3. Whole genome sequencing of a MYBL1-rearranged diffuse astrocytoma grade II demonstrated MYBL1 tandem duplication and few other events. Two truncated MYBL1 transcripts identified in this tumor induced anchorage-independent growth when expressed in 3T3 cells and tumor formation in nude mice. Truncated transcripts were also expressed in two additional tumors with MYBL1 partial duplication. Our results define clinically relevant molecular subclasses of diffuse PLGGs and highlight a potential role for the MYB family in the biology of low-grade gliomas. "Reprinted from www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1300252110 with permission from PNAS." </p>
Project description:Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are among the most common solid tumors in children but apart from BRAF mutations or duplications in specific subclasses, few genetic driver events are known. Diffuse PLGGs comprise a set of uncommon subtypes that exhibit invasive growth and are therefore especially challenging clinically. These tumors are particularly poorly understood. We performed high-resolution copy-number analysis of 44 diffuse PLGGs to identify recurrent alterations. Diffuse PLGGs exhibited fewer such alterations than adult low-grade gliomas, but we identified several significantly recurrent events. The most significant event, 8q13.1 gains, were observed in 28% of diffuse astrocytomas grade II (DA2s) and resulted in partial duplication of the transcription factor MYBL1 with truncation of its C-terminal negative-regulatory domain. A similar recurrent deletion-truncation breakpoint was identified in two angiocentric gliomas in the related gene MYB on 6q23.3. Whole-genome sequencing of a MYBL1-rearranged DA2 demonstrated MYBL1 tandem duplication, and few other events. Two novel, truncated MYBL1 transcripts identified in this tumor induced anchorage-independent growth when expressed in 3T3 cells and tumor formation in nude mice. Truncated transcripts were also expressed in two additional tumors with MYBL1 partial duplication. Our results define clinically relevant molecular subclasses of diffuse PLGGs and highlight a potential role for the MYB family in the biology of low-grade gliomas. IRB approval from all institutions was obtained, and all samples were from patients who provided informed consent or were studied with waiver of the requirement for informed consent by the appropriate IRB. Samples of various histologic subtypes were identified and collected at multiple institutions (Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, The University of Texas School of Medicine Southwestern, Dallas, TX, Children’s Cancer Hospital, Egypt, Cairo, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN). Central histopathologic review was performed by at least three board-certified neuropathologists using WHO criteria. DNA extraction from archival FFPE samples and Array CGH were performed as previously described (Craig, et al., 2012 PLoS One). GC-normalized copy-number data for the samples were then cleaned of known germline CNVs. Circular Binary Segmentation was used to segment the copy-number data, using parameters [alpha=0.001, undo.splits=sdundo, undo.SD=1.5, min.width=5]. Forty-four samples passed QC metrics (based on aCGH quality metrics for DNA integrity) for inclusion in the GISTIC analysis. Segmented data were analyzed with GISTIC 2.0 to determine statistically significant recurrent broad and focal CNAs. The following parameters were used: minimum segment size = 8, lesion amplitude threshold = 0.2, focal/broad cutoff = 0.9x chromosome arm length, q-value threshold 0.10, and gene confidence level 0.95.
Project description:<p>Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are the most common pediatric brain-tumor, with more than ten histologic subtypes recognized by the World Health Organization. We performed a genomic analysis of 230 PLGGs of which 73 had whole genome/RNA sequencing performed and show that MYB-QKI fusions define the seizure associated tumor, Angiocentric Glioma (AG). MYB-QKI fusions present in AGs contribute to tumorigenesis through three mechanisms: MYB activation by truncation, enhancer translocation driving aberrant MYB-QKI expression, and hemizygous loss of QKI, a tumor suppressor gene. Such interplay between three oncogenic mechanisms has diagnostic and therapeutic implications in AGs, and illustrates the functional complexity associated with rearrangements in cancer. </p>
Project description:The role of PPM1D mutations in de novo gliomagenesis has not been systematically explored. Here we analyze whole genomes sequences of 170 pediatric high-grade gliomas and find that truncating mutations in PPM1D that increase the stability of its phosphatase are clonal driver events in 11% of DMGs and are enriched in primary pontine tumors. Through the development of novel DMG mouse models, we show that PPM1D mutations potentiate gliomagenesis and that PPM1D activity is required for in vivo oncogenesis. Finally, we applied integrative phosphoproteomic and functional genomics assays and found that the oncogenic effects of PPM1D truncation converge on regulators of cell cycle, DNA damage response, and p53 pathways, revealing therapeutic vulnerabilities including MDM2 inhibition. Together, these findings highlight PPM1D mutations to represent a targetable driver of pediatric gliomas.
Project description:Oligodendrogliomas are typically associated with the most favorable prognosis among diffuse gliomas. However, many of the tumors progress, eventually leading to patient death. To characterize the changes associated with oligodendroglioma recurrence and progression, we analyzed two recurrent oligodendroglioma tumors upon diagnosis and after tumor relapse based on whole-genome and RNA sequencing. Relapsed tumors were diagnosed as glioblastomas with an oligodendroglioma component before the World Health Organization classification update in 2016. Both patients died within 12 months after relapse. One patient carried an inactivating POLE mutation leading to a clearly hypermutated progressed tumor. Strikingly, both relapsed tumors carried focal chromosomal rearrangements in PTPRD and CNTNAP2 genes with associated decreased gene expression. TP53 mutation was also detected in both patients after tumor relapse. In The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) diffuse glioma cohort, PTPRD expression decreased by tumor grade in all diffuse glioma subtypes, while CNTNAP2 expression was associated with diffuse glioma subtypes and with tumor grade in oligodendrogliomas and IDH wild-type astrocytomas. Low expression of the genes was associated with poor overall survival. Our analysis provides information about aggressive oligodendrogliomas with worse prognosis and suggests that PTPRD and CNTNAP2 expression could represent an informative marker for their stratification.