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 (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 (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 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
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:Genome wide DNA methylation profiling of 79 histologically diagnosed pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) in adults, of which we were able to upload 71 samples. The methylation profiling indicates that many of the histologically diagnosed PA do not show a concordant methylation classification.
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). Experiment Overall Design: 41 pilocytic astrocytoma samples were analyzed.
Project description:Y-RNAs are small noncoding RNAs firstly identified in patients suffering the Sjögren’s syndrome and lupus erythematosus, having different predicted cellular functions. Y-RNAs are very abundant ncRNAs present in serum and only a few is known respect their molecular roles. The aim of the study was to determine the circulating Y-RNAs expression from blood serum of pediatric patients with pilocytic or diffuse astrocytoma. Y-RNAs expression was determined by means of the HTA 2.0 arrays. In addition, a bioinformatic approximation of the possible biological functions of Y-RNAs was determined with the “Random Forest” (RF) and “Vector Support Machine” (VSM) algorithms. Results. Data showed a differential expression of RNY-3, RNY-4, and RNY-5 in pediatric patients with astrocytoma, relative to the control. Meanwhile, RNY-1 was shown to be upregulated in the Diffuse condition versus the Pilocytic. The bioinformatic analysis showed that RNY-4 and RNY-5 had the highest scores of interaction with Claudin, Toll-like receptors, and Hyaluronidase-1. In addition, the Y-RNAs loop domain by itself had the highest score of interaction with B cell receptor CD22 (RNY-3) and Toll-like receptor 7 and 3 (RNY-4). Conclusions. Our results showed, for the first time a differential expression of circulating Y-RNAs in pediatric astrocytoma, allowing to distinguish pediatric subjects without cancer from patients with pediatric diffuse or pilocytic astrocytoma and their potential involvement in regulating diverse biological processes, such as immune activation-suppression, cell signaling, selective transcription, and cell proliferation through activation of DNA replication.