Project description:Paediatric low-grade gliomas (LGGs) account for about a third of all brain tumours in children. We conducted a detailed study of DNA methylation to improve our understanding of the biology of pilocytic and diffuse astrocytomas. Comparisons were performed between tumours and normal brain controls from matching location, and between pilocytic and diffuse astrocytomas. Pilocytic astrocytomas were found to have a distinctive signature involving 315 CpG sites, with the majority of the sites (312 CpG sites) hypomethylated in pilocytic astrocytomas. Additionally many of the sites were located within annotated enhancers. The distinct signature in pilocytic astrocytomas was not present in diffuse astrocytomas or in published profiles of other brain tumours and normal brain tissue. On further analysis of the 315 CpG sites, the AP-1 transcription factor complex was predicted to bind within 200bp of a subset of teh 315 differentially methylated CpG sites. We also observed up-regulation of the AP-1 factors, FOS and FOSL1 in pilocytic astrocytomas. Our findings highlight novel epigenetic differences between pilocytic and diffuse astrocytomas, in addition to well-described alterations involving BRAF, MYB and FGFR1.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs), WHO Grade I, are one of the most frequently occurring childhood brain tumors. We have used microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to study copy number changes on chromosome 7 in a series of PAs (n=44). Keywords: Comparative Genomic Hybridization Single hybridization per case. 44 pilocytic astrocytomas WHO grade I were analyzed. Target (tumor) labelled with Cy5 and reference with Cy3. Mixture of 20 normal male or female genomic DNA was used in sex-mismatched hybridization.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs), WHO Grade I, are one of the most frequently occurring childhood brain tumors. We have used microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to study copy number changes on chromosome 7 in a series of PAs (n=44). Keywords: Comparative Genomic Hybridization
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs), WHO Grade I, are one of the most frequently occurring childhood brain tumors. We have used microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) at 1Mb resolution to study copy number changes in a series of PAs (n=44). Single hybridization per case. 44 pilocytic astrocytomas WHO grade I were analyzed. Target (tumor) labelled with Cy5 and reference with Cy3. Mixture of 20 normal male or female genomic DNA was used in sex-mismatched hybridization.
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs), WHO Grade I, are one of the most frequently occurring childhood brain tumors. We have used microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) at 1Mb resolution to study copy number changes in a series of PAs (n=44). Keywords: Comparative Genomic Hybridization, aCGH
Project description:Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common pediatric brain tumor and driven by aberrant MAPK signaling, typically mediated by BRAF alterations. While five-year overall survival rates exceed 95%, tumor recurrence constitutes a major clinical challenge in incompletely resected tumors despite chemotherapeutic or radiation based therapies. Therefore, we used proteogenomics to discern the biological heterogeneity of PA to improve classification of this tumor entity and identify novel therapeutic targets. Our proteogenomics approach integrates RNA sequencing and LC/MS-based proteomic profiling data from a cohort of 58 confirmed, primary PA samples. An integrative genomics approach was conducted to discern the biological heterogeneity of PA and to identify aberrant pathway activation in these biological subgroups. In summary, Pilocytic astrocytomas segregate into two groups where younger patients are significantly associated with Group 1. Importantly, we validate the two distinct biological subgroups in two non-overlapping cohorts. The biological heterogeneity seen here may improve biological classification and reveal novel therapeutic targets specifically useful for non-resectable tumors with high risk of recurrent or progressive disease.
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 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: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