3613 results for "*geneti*"

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• PAK4 inhibition improves PD-1 blockade immunotherapy

  Introduction with rationale and aims for study Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have significantly altered the current landscape of cancer treatment. However, this immunotherapy still fails more often than it succeeds. There are now evidences that the lack of tumour infiltration by immune cells is the main mechanism of primary resistance to PD‐1 blockade therapies for cancer. It has been postulated that cancer cell‐intrinsic mechanisms may actively exclude T cells from tumours, suggesting that the finding of actionable molecules that could be inhibited to increase T cell infiltration may synergize with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. With the idea of finding potential drivers of immune exclusion, we performed RNA sequencing analysis of biopsies from melanoma patients and compared the transcriptomic differences of samples that where infiltrated with those that did not have immune infiltration. Methods RNAseq analysis of gene expressions on biopsies from melanoma patients treated with checkpoint blockade were analysed. We focused on the variable of "infiltration: yes or no,", e.g. tumors that were well infiltrated by immune cells with those that kept immune cells out. Sequencing revealed a list of genes whose expression differed between the infiltrated and noninfiltrated tumors. The kinase PAK4 stood out as a good candidate for inhibition treatment in the future as it was consistently enriched in the samples without immune infiltration. To test whether immunotherapy would work better if we deleted PAK4, we first knocked out PAK4, using CRISPR‐Cas9, in the ‐resistant melanoma cell line, B16. Then they injected the melanoma cells into mice and observed that PAK4 KO tumours now responded to PD‐1 blockade. In order to elucidate whether pharmacological inhibition of PAK4 could recapitulate the results observed in the B16 PAK4 KO tumours, we obtained the PAK4 inhibitor, KPT-9274, from Karyopharm Therapeutics. Indeed, inhibiting PAK4 in combination with anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy significantly slowed the growth of the B16 melanomas more than either drug alone. Results and Conclusions Transcriptomic analysis of melanoma tumors that were well infiltrated by immune cells with those that kept immune cells out revealed a list of genes whose expression differed between the infiltrated and non-infiltrated tumours. The result suggests that p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is enriched in non-responding tumour biopsies with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration. In addition, PAK4 decreased WNT activity, a signalling pathway that has previously been involved in immune exclusion. In mouse models, genetic deletion of PAK4 increased T cell infiltration and reversed resistance to PD‐1 blockade in a CD8 T cell-dependent manner. Furthermore, combination of with the PAK4 inhibitor, KPT-9274, improved anti‐tumour responses compared to anti‐PD‐1 alone. Therefore, high PAK4 expression is correlated with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration and lack of response to PD‐1 blockade, which could be reversed with PAK4 inhibition. The data establish a rationale for targeting this kinase with inhibitors in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients. Future work and data that we can anticipate for this study Oncogenic signalling pathways and specially the WNT signalling pathway, have been associated with lack of immune infiltration and resistance to PD‐1 blockade therapies. Here, we show that PAK4 overcome resistance to PD‐1 blockade while significantly decreases WNT signalling activity. Therefore, it constitutes the first potential druggable target that is able to reverse oncogenic driven immune cell exclusion. However, the fully mechanism whereby PAK4 sensitizes tumours to immunotherapy remains to be fully elucidated. It is necessary to address whether PAK4 inhibition overcomes resistance through WNT signalling inhibition or if other signalling pathways are involved in the observed phenotype.

  Study phs001919

• Genomic Characterization of Brain Metastases from Lung Cancer

  Metastatic disease to the brain is associated with a poor prognosis. Our understanding of the genetic drivers of metastasis remain limited. Whole-exome sequencing was performed from brain metastases from lung adenocarcinoma to identify putative drivers of metastatic progression.

  Study phs001920

• National Institutes of Health H3Africa African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME)

  The African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research is a multi-institutional collaborative research project. The objectives of the project are to collaborate and implement high impact integrative epidemiology and genomics research into discovery of biomarkers associated with cervical carcinogenesis. Specifically ACCME links and leverages existing funded research and program activities at the collaborating institutions to study the interaction between vaginal microbiome, host genetic factors and molecular variants of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to determine correlates of viral persistence in the causal pathway of cervical cancer, a major cause of preventable mortality in Nigeria and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. This research offers several opportunities to advance understanding of cervical carcinogenesis, viral oncogenesis, new biomarker discovery and risk stratification by genotype in a cohort of African women. Sponsorship: This project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  Study phs001945

• Neurogenetic Investigations of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

  Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling early-onset neuropsychiatric disorder with a clear genetic contribution to risk but unclear underlying pathophysiology, which has hindered the development of new treatments and interventions. This study uses high-throughput sequencing approaches to identify OCD risk genes, detect gene expression differences in OCD, and determine epigenetic signatures driving gene expression in OCD brain. These studies will improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of OCD and identify points of traction for mechanistic studies in model systems, ultimately leading to novel therapeutics, and reducing the significant morbidity and mortality associated with this disabling illness. Furthermore, insights gained in these studies can inform gene discovery approaches to other complex neuropsychiatric disorders.

  Study phs001929

• National Cancer Institute Clinical and Laboratory Analysis of Familial Cancer

  The purpose of this study is to continue the analysis begun on 09C0079 which was focused on identification of the genetic mutation associated with a new gastric polyposis syndrome, Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis of the Stomach (GAPPS). GAPPS, first described in 2012, is an autosomal dominant gastric polyposis syndrome that confers a substantial risk for gastric adenocarcinoma. The GAPPS phenotype consists of a carpeting of greater than 100 fundic gland polyps (FGPs) in the oxyntic mucosa of the gastric body and fundus, with antral sparing with some FGPs displaying high-grade dysplasia. This is in contrast to sporadic FGPs that are benign, most often are not associated with high-grade dysplasia though low-grade dysplasia has been reported, and are fewer in number. Gastric FGPs have been found to be associated with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP, which is an autosomal dominant condition associated with germ line mutations in APC which confers a phenotype consisting of multiple (>100) adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum developing after the first decade of life. FGPs are reported to occur in 12-84% of patients with FAP, whereas sporadic FGPs are identified in ~5% of patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastric adenocarcinoma arising from FGPs in individuals with FAP have been reported. Other manifestations of FAP and AFAP include polyps in the upper gastrointestinal tract, congenital hypertrophy of retinal pigment epithelium, osteomas and epidermoid cysts, supernumerary teeth, desmoid formation, and other malignancies such as thyroid, small bowel cancer, hepatoblastoma, and medulloblastoma. Thus far there are no reports in GAPPS of polyposis arising in the esophagus, gastric antrum, pylorus, small intestine, or colon.

  Study phs001935

• DNA Methylomic Profiling of Preeclampsia Across Pregnancy

  Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive, multi-system disorder of pregnancy that significantly impacts maternal and infant morbidity/mortality across the globe, as it increases risk of cardiovascular disease and remains a leading killer of women and babies. Despite PE's significant impact on morbidity/mortality, there are no clinically reliable biomarkers that predict PE. DNA methylation, a dynamic regulator of gene expression, represents a mechanism that is known to be impacted by the environment. Because PE stems from a dysfunctional placenta that releases debris into the maternal circulation, we hypothesized that the in-vivo environment created by the dysfunctional placenta will impact DNA methylation in the maternal circulation, and that these blood-based methylation profiles would serve as a systemic biomarker of the maternal response to placental dysfunction. Our overall objective of this pilot study was to longitudinally characterize DNA methylation profiles across the three trimesters of pregnancy in the maternal blood at time points before and after clinically overt PE using a targeted (endoglin and endoglin-related genes) and a discovery-based approach. For this pilot study, 28 normotensive control participants and 28 PE case participants enrolled in the NICHD funded pregnancy study entitled Prenatal Exposures and Preeclampsia Prevention: Mechanisms of Preeclampsia and the Impact of Obesity (PEPP3; P01HD30367) were 1:1 frequency matched on self-reported race, pre-pregnancy BMI, smoking history, and gestational age at sample collection. Methylation data were collected with the Infinium® MethylationEPIC Beadchip. Methylation assay data collection were carried out at Johns Hopkins University Genetic Resources Core Facility, The SNP Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.

  Study phs001937

• Genomic and Genetic Characterization of Prostate Tumors Treated with Neoadjuvant Intense Androgen Deprivation Therapy

  The purpose of this study was to develop better ways of detecting prostate cancer before and after pre-operative treatment, and to test the feasibility of multi parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for the localization and detection of focal prostate cancer both before and after pre-operative treatment with ADT and enzalutamide. In this study, patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer received six months of neoadjuvant intense androgen deprivation therapy prior to radical prostatectomy. Biopsies were acquired prior to treatment. Tissue from biopsy and radical prostatectomy were subjected to sequencing and analysis for determination of features associated with response or resistance to treatment.

  Study phs001938

• Multimodal Genomic Features Predict Outcome of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

  This study evaluates integrated genomic models of response to immune checkpoint blockade for lung cancer patients. A computationally adjusted tumor mutation burden was combined with HLA class I genetic variation, mutational smoking signature and activating mutations in receptor tyrosine kinase genes to generate a prognostic classifier that outperforms tumor mutation burden.

  Study phs001940

• NIDCD Otitis Media Genetic Susceptibility and Middle Ear Microbial Shifts

  The study funded by R01 DC015004 aims to: (1) Identify rare OM susceptibility variants within families and in probands; and (2) Identify differences in the middle ear microbiome due to OM susceptibility variants. This study will also elucidate mechanisms responsible for the formation and growth of cholesteatoma, and bony erosion and complications due to cholesteatoma e.g. intracranial, hearing/vestibular loss, facial nerve palsy. A better understanding of cholesteatoma pathogenesis will potentially reveal novel drug targets, which can lead to new non-surgical therapies for cholesteatomatous OM. Our specific aims for this administrative supplement are: Aim 1 -- Perform RNA-sequencing using cholesteatoma samples collected from Filipino and Colorado patients who will be screened for FUT2, SPINK5 and A2ML1 variants; and Aim 2 -- Using network analysis, identify bone-expressed proteins potentially interacting with FUT2, SPINK5 or A2ML1, then test protein expression in archival human temporal bone in direct contact with cholesteatoma.

  Study phs001941

• Molecular Genetics of Secondary Histiocytic/Dendritic Sarcoma

  This is a comprehensive genomic analysis of a rare set of secondary histiocytic/dendritic sarcomas from the consult service of the Hematopathology section of the Laboratory of Pathology, NCI, NIH.

  Study phs001942