Project description:Despite in-depth knowledge of the molecular features and oncogenic drivers associated with adult and pediatric brain tumors, identifying effective targeted therapies for these cancers remains challenging. To identify novel gene dependencies in adult and pediatric brain tumor isolates, we integrated data from functional genomic lethality screens in primary brain tumor isolates with machine learning network models from lethality screens performed in >900 cancer cell lines. Integrated network models revealed molecular and phenotypic features that predict candidate genetic dependencies in multiple brain tumor types, including: atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors, diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, ependymomas, medulloblastomas, and glioblastomas (primary and recurrent). Some examples of dependencies and predictors include: ADAR and MX1 protein expression; EFR3A and low EFR3B expression; FBXO42 and spindle assembly checkpoint activation; FGFR1 and high FGF2 expression; and SMARCC2 in SMARCB1 mutated ATRT tumors. In general, the results demonstrate that large functional genetic data sets can be leveraged to identify, validate, and categorize gene dependencies and their associated biomarkers in primary tumor isolates. The results also highlight some of the challenges and limitations of this approach.
Project description:Epigenetics tightly regulates gene expression during brain development, which ensemble distinct cell types and form complicated functional brain organ. DNA methylation is an important mark which undergo dramatically changes during brain development. The disturb of this process will lead to various brain tumors. To study the concordant DNA methylation changes during normal brain development, we sequenced DNA methylome of pediatric brain tissues from autopsy with various ages. We systematically compared the DNA methylome of pediatric brain and adult brain and identified candidate DMRs that contribute to normal brain development. This comprehensive analysis will provide important epigenetic reference for human brain development which will be a valuable data to study the epigenetic mechanism of pediatric brain tumor.
Project description:The Investigators will conduct a longitudinal, mixed-methods cohort study to assess primary and secondary psychosocial outcomes among 705 MyCode pediatric participants and their parents, and health behaviors of parents whose children receive an adult- or pediatric-onset genomic result. Data will be gathered via quantitative surveys using validated measures of distress, family functioning, quality of life, body image, perceived cancer/heart disease risk, genetic counseling satisfaction, genomics knowledge, and adjustment to genetic information; qualitative interviews with adolescents and parents; and electronic health records review of parents’ cascade testing uptake and initiation of risk reduction behaviors. The investigators will also conduct empirical and theoretical legal research to examine the loss of chance doctrine and its applicability to genomic research.
Project description:Background<br>Primitive brain tumors are the first cause of cancer-related death in children. Tumor cells with stem-like properties (TSCs), thought to account for tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance, have been isolated from high-grade gliomas in adults. Whether TSCs are a common component of pediatric brain tumors and are of clinical relevance remains to be determined. <br>Methodology/Principal findings<br>Tumor cells with self-renewal properties were isolated with cell biology techniques from a majority of 55 pediatric brain tumors samples, regardless of their histopathologies and grades of malignancy (57% of embryonal tumors, 57% of low-grade gliomas and neuro-glial tumors, 70% of ependymomas, 91% of high-grade gliomas). The vast majority (10/12) of high-grade glioma-derived oncospheres sustained long-term self-renewal numbers akin to neural stem cells (>7 self-renewals), whereas cells with limited renewing abilities akin to neural progenitors dominated in all other tumor types. Regardless of tumor entities, the young age group was associated with self-renewal properties akin to neural stem cells (P=0.05, chi-square test). TSCs shared a complex molecular profile combining embryonic stem cell markers with elements controlling neural stem cell properties and epithelio-mesenchymal transitions. They were radio- and chemoresistant and formed aggressive tumors after intracerebral grafting. Survival analysis of the cohort showed an association between isolation of TSCs with long-term self-renewal abilities and a patients higher mortality rate (P = 0.022, log-rank test). Patients bearing cells with limited self-renewal properties constituted an intermediate group of survival but which did not reach statistical significance. <br>Conclusions/Significance<br>In brain tumors affecting adult patients, TSC have been isolated only from high-grade gliomas. In contrast, our data show that tumor cells with stem cell-like or progenitor-like properties can be isolated from a wide range of histological sub-types and grades of pediatric brain tumors. They suggest that cellular mechanisms fueling tumor development differ between adult and pediatric brain tumors.<br>
Project description:To identify cooperating lesions in core-binding-factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML), we performed single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array analysis on 300 diagnostic and 41 relapse adult and pediatric leukemia samples. We identified a mean of 1.28 copy number alterations (CNAs) per case at diagnosis in both patient populations. Recurrent minimally deleted regions (MDRs) were identified at 7q36.1 (7.7%), 9q21.13 (5%), 11p13 (2.3%), and 17q11.2 (2%). Recurrent focal gains were identified at 8q24.21 (4.7%) and 11q25 (1.7%), both containing a single non-coding RNA. Recurrent regions of copy-neutral loss-of-heterozygosity were identified at 1p (1%), 4q (0.7%), and 19p (0.7%), with known mutated cancer genes present in the minimally altered region. Analysis of relapse samples identified recurrent MDRs at 3q13 (12.2%), 5q (4.9%), and 17p (4.9%). SNP genotyping was performed on 300 adult and pediatric CBF-AMLs; t(8;21), n=157 (adult, n=114; pediatric, n=43); and inv(16), n=143 (adult, n=104; pediatric, n=39). Germline control DNA from remission bone marrow or peripheral blood was available for paired analysis in 175 patients. In addition, for 41 patients, matched relapse samples were analyzed. Data were processed using reference alignment, dChipSNP and circular binary segmentation.
Project description:Background<br>Primitive brain tumors are the first cause of cancer-related death in children. Tumor cells with stem-like properties (TSCs), thought to account for tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance, have been isolated from high-grade gliomas in adults. Whether TSCs are a common component of pediatric brain tumors and are of clinical relevance remains to be determined. <br>Methodology/Principal findings<br>Tumor cells with self-renewal properties were isolated with cell biology techniques from a majority of 55 pediatric brain tumors samples, regardless of their histopathologies and grades of malignancy (57% of embryonal tumors, 57% of low-grade gliomas and neuro-glial tumors, 70% of ependymomas, 91% of high-grade gliomas). The vast majority (10/12) of high-grade glioma-derived oncospheres sustained long-term self-renewal numbers akin to neural stem cells (>7 self-renewals), whereas cells with limited renewing abilities akin to neural progenitors dominated in all other tumor types. Regardless of tumor entities, the young age group was associated with self-renewal properties akin to neural stem cells (P=0.05, chi-square test). TSCs shared a complex molecular profile combining embryonic stem cell markers with elements controlling neural stem cell properties and epithelio-mesenchymal transitions. They were radio- and chemoresistant and formed aggressive tumors after intracerebral grafting. Survival analysis of the cohort showed an association between isolation of TSCs with long-term self-renewal abilities and a patientM-^Rs higher mortality rate (P = 0.022, log-rank test). Patients bearing cells with limited self-renewal properties constituted an intermediate group of survival but which did not reach statistical significance. <br>Conclusions/Significance<br>In brain tumors affecting adult patients, TSC have been isolated only from high-grade gliomas. In contrast, our data show that tumor cells with stem cell-like or progenitor-like properties can be isolated from a wide range of histological sub-types and grades of pediatric brain tumors. They suggest that cellular mechanisms fueling tumor development differ between adult and pediatric brain tumors.<br>
Project description:Abstract Background: Cataracts are among the most common causes of childhood vision loss worldwide. This study seeks to identify differentially expressed proteins in the aqueous humor of pediatric cataract patients. Methods: Samples of aqueous humor were collected from pediatric and adult cataract patients and underwent mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis. Samples of pediatric cataracts were grouped by subtype and compared to adult samples. Differentially expressed proteins in each subtype were identified. Gene ontology analysis was performed using WikiPaths for each cataract subtype. Results: Seven pediatric patients and ten adult patients were included in the study. Of the pediatric samples, all seven (100%) were male, three (43%) had traumatic cataracts, two (29%) had congenital cataracts, and two (29%) had posterior polar cataracts. Of the adult patients, seven (70%) were female and seven (70%) had predominantly nuclear sclerotic cataracts. 128 proteins were upregulated in the pediatric samples and 127 proteins were upregulated in the adult samples, with 75 proteins shared by both groups. Gene ontology analysis identified inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways as upregulated in pediatric cataracts. Conclusions: Inflammatory and oxidative stress mechanisms may be involved in pediatric cataract formation and warrant further investigation.
Project description:Profiling of adult and pediatric renal tumors reveals that genome wide miRNA expression patterns are unique to each tumor subtypes. Keywords: Disease state analysis