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.
Project description:Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, particularly affecting men living a western lifestyle and of African descent, suggesting risk factors that are genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic in nature. In the USA, African American (AA) men are disproportionately af-fected, on average suffering from a higher grade of the disease and at a younger age compared to men of European descent (EA). Fusion genes are chimeric products formed by the merging of two separate genes occurring as a result of chromosomal structural changes, for example, inversion or trans/cis-splicing of neighboring genes. They are known drivers of cancer and have been identified in 20% of cancers. Improvements in genomics technologies such as RNA-sequencing coupled with better algorithms for prediction of fusion genes has added to our knowledge of specific gene fu-sions in cancers. At present AA are underrepresented in genomic studies of prostate cancer. The primary goal of this study was to examine molecular differences in predicted fusion genes in a cohort of AA and EA men in the context of prostate cancer using computational approaches. RNA was purified from prostate tissue specimens obtained at surgery from subjects enrolled in the study. Fusion gene predictions were performed using four different fusion gene detection pro-grams. This identified novel putative gene fusions unique to AA and suggested that the fusion gene burden was higher in AA compared to EA men.
Project description:Analysis of miRNA expression in colon biopsies from Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and non-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) control subjects.
Project description:Tubulointersitial expression data from human kidney biopsy in African American subjects with glomerulopathies We used microarrays to analyze the transcriptome of African American subjects with glomerulopathies and the association of expression with APOL1 risk alleles (G1 and G2)
Project description:Glomerular expression data from human kidney biopsy in African American subjects with glomerulopathies We used microarrays to analyze the transcriptome of African American subjects with glomerulopathies and the association of expression with APOL1 risk alleles (G1 and G2)
Project description:Comparison of PBMC transcriptional profiles in healthy subjects, patients with Crohn's Disease, and patients with Ulcerative Colitis
Project description:This study investigates the presence of specific fibrosis-associated gene expression signatures in Crohn's disease patient biopsies.
Project description:Surgical resection in severe Crohn's disease is a common consequence of therapeutic failure. We identified 2 severe CD subtypes: one similar to non-IBD subjects, the other exhibited a mucosal-like gene signature, altered T-cell subsets, severity features and decreased pro-inflammatory expression post-surgery. These findings may identify targets for CD subtype-specific therapeutic and biomarker development.