46 results for "study_type:"exome sequencing" AND repository:dbGaP"

in 25.63 milliseconds.

• Reference Standards for Mosaic Variant Detection

  After conception, postzygotic mutations continuously occur throughout life in humans, causing somatic mosaicism in an individual. The variant type, time of origination, and locations of the mosaic mutations result in unique mosaic patterns in a combinatorial manner and further affect phenotypes, including various noncancerous diseases. Several efforts have, thus, been made to identify the mutational landscape and mechanisms underlying the mosaic mutations. From a technical aspect, the accurate detection of mutations is at the core of the mosaicism research, and the construction of a standard reference is a critical first step to serve as the basis for analytical validation and benchmarks for germline and somatic mutation detection. Furthermore, a reference standard for mosaic mutations is urgently needed to enable more advanced research.Herein, we generated robust, large-scale, and cell line mixture-based reference standards that contain abundant mosaic SNVs and INDELs along with wild-type sites and germ line variants. Moreover, the whole reference standard set mimics the cumulative aspect of mosaic variant acquisition in the early developmental stage through a progressive cell line mixing with confirmed genotypes. It can be used for optimizing the current use of mosaic variant detection strategies, as well as developing algorithms for future improvements.We previously generated an NCBI BioProject (PRJNA758606) to release much of these data. Only the data that are subject to authorized access constraints have been included in this submission to dbGaP. The two data sources are thus, complementary to each other.

  Study phs003399

• PIEZO1 Loss of Function Compound Heterozygous Mutation in the Rare Congenital Human Disorder Prune Belly Syndrome

  Prune Belly Syndrome (PBS) is a rare congenital myopathy that is incompletely understood genetically. In this IRB approved study, one white Non-Hispanic 35 year-old male PBS proband was prospectively enrolled and phenotyped. Blood lymphocyte DNA from the proband underwent paired-end Whole Exome Sequencing using the Illumina SureSelect kit and HiSeq2500 sequencer with data pipeline analysis. We aligned the subject's sequence against the GRCh38/hg19 assembly and variant calling was performed using data training sets from the 1000 Genomes Project, Omni 2.5 M SNP microarray, and HapMap phase 3.3. These variants were filtered for rare minor allele frequency ( 0.9, CADD score > 20, GERP > 4, MutationTaster = “DC”, Mutation Assessor = “M” or “NE”, and Vest > 3.00. Rare and novel candidate functional variants were screened in the ClinVar database for prior association with smooth muscle myopathy (SMM). Only variants that met these criteria were included for further analysis. Confirmed variants had inheritance analysis performed on available samples. Our WES analysis identified novel compound heterozygous variants in the PIEZO1 gene. We conducted an extensive functional analysis of the PIEZO1 PBS variants that revealed loss-of-function characteristics. Thus, PIEZO1 mutations may be causal for PBS. Our WES data will be available through dbGaP.

  Study phs003475

• Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI): Pediatric In Vivo Testing Program – Sarcomas and other Solid Tumors

  The primary goal of this project involves the comprehensive molecular profiling of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse tumor models. Molecular profiling of each PDX model will include whole exome sequencing (WES), RNAseq, MethylEPIC arrays, CytoSNP array, and DNA fingerprint for quality control. Limited clinical demographic data (e.g. diagnosis, disease site, disease status) will be obtained. This data can be utilized to validate PDX models with matched patient tumors and can be used to guide model selection for downstream preclinical drug testing.

  Study phs003161

• Whole Exome and RNA Sequencing of 22 Patient-Derived Xenografts from Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancers

  We performed RNA and whole exome sequencing on 22 patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers, in the presence and absence of estradiol (E2) supplementation. Exome coverage across more than 3,500 clinically relevant genes that previously were covered below 20X (~2.72Mb) was achieved. On average, 11.2Gb of unique sequence data were generated with 95.3% of the bases in the exome design covered to 20x read depth or greater. RNA sequencing was generated from xenograft tumors. Between 50 and 85M total reads were performed. The average strand-specificity and rRNA rate was 98% and 1.5%, respectively. Transcripts for 17,000 to 27,087 genes were detected in these samples.

  Study phs003324

• Human GPR15 Deficiency Reveals CD8+ T Regulatory Cell-Macrophage Crosstalk in Intestinal Inflammation

  Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes lifelong suffering from gastrointestinal inflammation and dysfunction with severe complications including colon cancer. The disease is increasing in global prevalence, and current therapies are insufficient, highlighting an urgent need to understand its pathogenic mechanism. We reported multiple patients with GPR15 deficiency which result in severe early-onset IBD. GPR15, a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), expressed in immune cells and previously described as an entry co-factor for human and simian immunodeficiency viruses, is a crucial marker and homing receptor for a unique subset of intramucosal GPR15-guided regulatory CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD8+ TIGR). These cells potently kill macrophages that become aggressively activated in response to intestinal damage or disease. Thus, our identification of CD8+ TIGR cells yields new insights into organ-specific immune regulation and potential treatment strategies for IBD.

  Study phs003950

• The Genetic Evolution of Acral Melanoma

  Acral melanoma is a rare melanoma subtype arising on the sole, palm, or nail apparatus. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) for a cohort of 35 acral melanoma patients. For each patient, we sequenced multiple tumor areas representing different tumor stages, including the in situ and invasive portions of the primary tumor and available regional or distant metastases. Normal areas were included for all except one patient. We identified distinct evolutional trajectory compared to melanomas arising on the sun-exposed skin. Whole-genome sequencing and targeted sequencing were additionally performed for a subset of the samples. Particularly, in acral melanomas, complex genomic aberrations, characterized by clustered copy number transitions and focal amplifications, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) activating alterations occur very early during evolution, while MAP-kinase pathway mutations, such as BRAF V600E and NRAS hotspot mutations, can occur late and often result in striking intra-tumor heterogeneity.

  Study phs003451

• KDM6A Loss Triggers an Epigenetic Switch that Disrupts Urothelial Identity and Drives Cell Proliferation in Bladder Cancer

  Disruption of KDM6A, a histone lysine demethylase, is one of the most common somatic alternations in bladder cancer. How mutations of this chromatin modifier impact the epigenetic landscape to promote carcinogenesis is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that KDM6A loss triggers an epigenomic switch that disrupts urothelial identity and induces a neoplastic state characterized by increased cell proliferation. In bladder cancer cells with intact KDM6A, FOXA1 binds KDM6A at enhancers to activate genes instructing urothelial differentiation. In KDM6A-deficient cells, we observed simultaneous loss of FOXA1 target binding and genome-wide redistribution of the bZIP transcription factor ATF3, which in turn represses FOXA1 target genes and activates cell-cycle progression genes. Importantly, ATF3 depletion reverses the cell proliferation phenotype. These data establish that KDM6A loss creates an epigenetic state that drives tumor growth in an ATF3-dependent manner, forging a molecular vulnerability that can be targeted by novel therapeutic strategies.

  Study phs002801

• Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI): Pediatric In Vivo Testing Program - Neuroblastoma

  The goal of NCI's Pediatric In Vivo Testing Consortium (PIVOT) is to advance the development of effective treatments for pediatric cancers through preclinical in vivo testing of novel therapeutic agents. To design impactful experiments that can be rapidly translated to the clinic, PIVOT investigators require comprehensive genomic characterization of the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models used across the consortium. This robust experimental design enhances collaboration with industry partners by providing proof-of-concept data for drugs in development. As part of this effort, neuroblastoma PDX models are being molecularly characterized to identify promising therapeutic candidates. The molecular profiling includes whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA-seq, MethylEPIC array, CytoSNP array, and DNA fingerprinting for quality control. Additionally, demographic and clinical data (e.g., diagnosis, disease site, disease status) are shared. These characterized PDX models, matched with patient tumors, guide model selection for preclinical drug testing.

  Study phs003163

• Transcriptional Signatures Indicating RB Function Correlate with Response to CDK4/6 Inhibition in Endometrial Cancer

  Here we provide exome-capture RNA sequencing data from 39 endometrial cancer samples from women who participated in two separate abemaciclib combination clinical trials. In addition, whole exome sequencing data are provided for a subset of the tumors for which enough material remained. In the original publication, specific RNA sequencing results were matched to objective response status of the patients in the trials, and it was shown that specific transcriptional signatures could predict function of the RB tumor suppressor and response to abemaciclib in the trials. This study is published. Please cite the original source publication Yang, et al., 2026, PMID: 42531366, for which the data were generated and analyzed.

  Study phs004904

• Targeting EGFR in NF1 Mutant Melanoma

  Our study focused on melanoma patients with driver mutations in the neurofibromin 1 (NF1) tumor suppressor gene, a subset of melanoma patients that have not benefitted from recent treatment advances. We have leveraged patient-derived short-term cultures (STCs) and multiomics approaches to identify molecular features that could be developed into therapies for NF1 mutant melanoma patients. Our studies revealed that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly expressed and active in NF1 mutant melanoma cells, and that genetic or pharmacological EGFR inhibition impaired tumor cell proliferation, survival, and cell growth in patient-derived NF1 mutant but not NF1 wild-type melanoma models.

  Study phs003906

• Evolutionary Pressures Shape Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Development and Radiotherapy Response

  To study tumor evolution during tumorigenesis and in response to radiotherapy, we performed whole exome sequencing of 120 spatially distinct tumor regions and matched germline DNA from 20 patients with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. This data was utilized to generate personalized capture probes for targeted resequencing of the tumor and normal samples along with 17 matched plasma samples for circulating tumor DNA analysis. We found evidence of subclonal selection prior to treatment that was increased after radiotherapy. In addition, circulating tumor DNA analysis was able to measure the abundance of subclones before, during, and after treatment. This dbGaP submission includes whole exome sequencing and targeted resequencing from the study.

  Study phs003830

• The Role of GPD1L in the Pathogenesis of Brugada Syndrome

  This study performed exome sequencing on a proband with Brugada Syndrome, as well as high-density SNP array data from the proband, affected family members, and unaffected family members. The principal findings of this study were the identification of GPD1L-A280V as the only plausible variant present in a linkage region on chromosome 3, which co-segregated with the Brugada Syndrome phenotype in this family. Exome sequencing data of the proband, as well as SNP array data from the family, are available.

  Study phs003468

• Imaging Genetics of Spasmodic Dysphonia

  Laryngeal dystonia (LD), or spasmodic dysphonia, is isolated focal dystonia characterized by selective impairment of speech production due to involuntary spasms in the laryngeal muscles. Despite well-characterized clinical features of LD, its clinical management remains challenging due, in part, to the absence of objective measures (biomarkers) for early detection and differential diagnosis. This results in diagnostic inaccuracies, which have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life and healthcare costs. Importantly, delayed diagnosis leads to deferred treatment. The objective of this application is to conduct a series of studies that combine advanced machine-learning with neuroimaging and genetics to (1) identify the neural markers that accurately differentiate LD between its clinical phenotypes (adductor vs. abductor), genotypes (sporadic vs. familial), and comorbid disorders (voice tremor and muscle tension dysphonia); (2) determine the early predictive neural markers of LD development in at-risk individuals, and (3) validate associated LD gene mutations. Supported by our preliminary data, our central hypothesis is that brain abnormalities are shaped, in part, by underlying genetic factors and exhibit LD form-characteristic features, which can be used as differential diagnostic and early predictive biomarkers of this disorder. Data submitted to dbGaP consist of sequences and phenotype information.

  Study phs004887

• Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Integrating Germline and Somatic Alterations that Underlie Tumor Progression

  Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common cancer in the United States, affecting over a million people annually, and with significant mortality due to metastasis. The overall scientific objective of this study is to identify and integrate novel tumor mutational data with previously characterized information on host genetic risk factors and clinical risk factors to better understand how cancer risk alleles contribute to the development of cSCCs capable of metastasis. We analyze 290 cSCCs (145 primary cSCCs) that progressed to metastasis and 145 non-metastatic primary cSCCs arising in the well characterized GERA cohort to provide a comprehensive landscape of genomic alterations in cSCCs. The aims of the study are: a) characterize the somatic genome and transcriptome of metastatic and non-metastatic cSCCs, b) integrate somatic mutational analysis with environmental exposure data, and c) develop a risk prediction tool for metastatic-cSCC that integrate genomic and clinical data.

  Study phs003681

• Efficacy and Immune Effects of Anakinra Prophylaxis for Neurologic Toxicity and Cytokine Release Syndrome in Patients with Lymphoma Receiving Axicabtagene Ciloleucel

  Chimeric antigen receptor T cells have transformed the treatment of multiple hematologic malignancies, but are limited in application due to treatment-related toxicities. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity (NT) are the primary toxicities associated with these therapies and are thought to be mediated by broad immune activation due to robust T-cell expansion. Current treatment of these toxicities utilize anti-IL-6 directed therapy and/or systemic glucocorticoids to mitigate the consequences of this complex inflammatory cascade. We sought to use anakinra, an IL-1R antagonist, as a prophylactic strategy to prevent clinically meaningful CRS/NT, defined as grade 2 or higher toxicity necessitating clinical intervention. Although our study, in line with others, demonstrated that IL-1R antagonism is insufficient to prevent such toxicities entirely, we were able to gain insight into the molecular immune signaling associated with breakthrough CRS & NT in the presence of anakinra prophylaxis using our scRNA dataset of patients treated with and without IL-1R antagonism. We demonstrate that IL-4 and IL-10 anti-inflammatory pathways in infused CAR-T products of both anakinra and non-anakinra cohorts were negatively associated with grade 2+ toxicities. We also found that expression of IFN-gamma pathways and ligand-receptor activities, as well as cytokine levels of IFN-gamma and CXCL10 in CD14+ monocytes, were significantly enriched in patients with breakthrough toxicity in the anakinra cohort. This correlated with an increase in IFN-gamma in the peripheral blood of patients with breakthrough toxicities, among other cytokines. These data identify IFN-gamma as a potential key mechanism in the development of CAR-T cell-associated toxcities and suggest that this pathway is also targetable and not inhibited by anakinra alone.

  Study phs003655

• Oncogenome of Kaposi Sarcoma

  Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is an aggressive cancer caused by the Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8). Individuals with immunodeficiencies, exemplified by HIV, have an elevated risk of developing KS. However, understanding of the genetic factors contributing to KS progression is still limited. To explore potential genetic alterations in KS that could offer biological or therapeutic insights, whole exome sequencing was performed on 78 KS tumors and matching normal skin samples from 59 adults with KS (46 with HIV-associated KS and 13 with HIV-negative KS) receiving treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Results showed a very low mutational burden in all samples except one (median = 11 mutations), which is the smallest number of mutations found across all 33 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). No recurrent mutations were identified. Mutational signatures included impaired DNA mismatch repair and smoking. There was no evidence suggesting that multiple tumors from the same patient originated from a single clone. The number of genome copy alterations per genome was higher in tumors from individuals without HIV and those with advanced-stage disease. This suggests that lesions that take longer to develop may accumulate more alterations, although the overall number of alterations remains low compared to other cancers. These findings suggest that KS pathogenesis differs from other cancers, with KSHV viral infection and the expression of viral oncogenes being the primary drivers of carcinogenesis, rather than clonal oncogenic transformation arising from genetic alterations of cancer-related cellular genes.

  Study phs003897

• Genomic Sequencing of Ewing Sarcoma

  Pediatric Ewing sarcoma is a pediatric cancer that primarily arises from the bone. It is characterized by chimeric fusions of the EWS gene and an ETS family transcription factor. In this study, we performed massively parallel sequencing of a larger collection of Ewing sarcoma tumors to define the genomic landscape of this disease. We found that these tumors are among of the most genetically normal cancers currently characterized. There was also a marked absence of recurrent mutations in immediately targetable signaling transduction pathway genes. In this study we answer outstanding questions about ETS transcription factor expression, effects of treatment on mutational burden in Ewing sarcoma tumors, and describe patterns of tumor evolution. We also found that loss-of-function mutations in STAG2 were present in approximately 15% of Ewing sarcoma tumors and loss of STAG2 expression was associated with disease metastasis in this patient cohort.

  Study phs000804

• Personalized Breast Cancer Vaccines Based on Genome Sequencing

  This study is from a phase I clinical trial of neoantigen DNA vaccines in triple negative breast cancer patients with persistent disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The exome and RNA sequences used to identify somatic mutations, predict neoantigens, and design vaccines is within.

  Study phs002787

• Multi-Omic Profiling of Glioma Patient Tumors and Patient-Derived Model Systems

  We have created a resource of transcriptomic (RNAseq), genomic (whole-exome seq), and lipidomic (untargeted shotgun) profiling data from over 175 molecularly diverse glioma tumors and derivative models in orthotopic mouse xenografts and gliomasphere cultures from over 110 unique patient tumor lines. Provided in this dataset are matched bulk RNA and whole-exome paired-end sequencing data from resected gliomas and derived model systems performed on Illumina HiSeq and NovaSeq sequencing instruments. This comprehensive dataset powers multiple studies aiming to derive molecular signatures of intertumoral heterogeneity and perturbation responses in glioma. Through integrative multi-omic analyses in Minami, et al., 2023, PMID: 37236196, we identified that CDKN2A deletion remodels the GBM lipidome and consequently primes CDKN2A-deleted tumors for ferroptosis. Lipidomics data related to this study are publicly available here. In another study, we used a combination of molecular profiling and functional profiling of apoptotic potential to stratify patients into groups with differential vulnerability to the current standard-of-care in gliomas, and in combination with drugs targeting intrinsic apoptosis, largely informed but not limited to TP53 mutation status.

  Study phs003286

• The Melbourne Urological Research Alliance (MURAL) Collection of Patient-Derived Models of Prostate Cancer

  1. Low-Dose Carboplatin Modifies the Tumor Microenvironment to Augment CAR T Cell Efficacy in Human Prostate Cancer Models.Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed to analyze the transcriptional modifications in the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX). The analyzed PDX tumor was PDX-287R from the MURAL collection of PDXs (PMID: 34413304). Mice harboring PDX tumors were treated with the carboplatin chemotherapy, and tumors were harvested 3 weeks later. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to define immune and non-immune cell populations and anti-tumor innate immune signaling within the tumor microenvironment.To investigate the response of tumor cells to carboplatin treatment in more detail, RNA-Seq was performed on FACs-isolated tumor cells from PDX-287R at one week post-treatment. Gene set enrichment analysis showed an enrichment for apoptotic pathways, with significantly increased expression of the pro-apoptotic genes FAS, BAX, BBC3, IFI6, and JUN. Previously, carboplatin has been shown to activate the cGAS/STING pathway, and here we also found an increase in STING signaling, with an enrichment for the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway and increased expression of STING1, STAT1 and STAT2. There was also a significant increase in the expression of genes involved in T cell chemotaxis, including CXCL10, CXCL11, and CCL20. Collectively, carboplatin-induced cell death in tumor cells likely initiated a pro-inflammatory phenotype in prostate cancer PDXs.2. Co-Targeting BET, CREBBP, and EP300 Inhibits Neuroendocrine Signaling in Androgen Receptor-Null Prostate Cancer.The landscape of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is characterized by a multitude of phenotypes, among which neuroendocrine disease holds a prominent position, each displaying unique responses to therapeutic interventions. The efficacy of inhibitors targeting BET and CREBBP/EP300 in prostate cancer treatment is widely acknowledged, primarily due to their ability to attenuate androgen receptor (AR) signaling. However, the effectiveness of these inhibitors in prostate cancers devoid of AR remains uncertain.This investigation sought to elucidate the role of BRD4, CREBBP, and EP300, which are co-expressed in both AR-positive and AR-null prostate cancer. Our study revealed that a compound targeting all three proteins, NEO2734, exhibited efficacy in suppressing the growth of organoids from both AR-positive and AR-null tumors, as evidenced by alterations in viability, size, and cellular composition. Furthermore, NEO2734 treatment consistently led to transcriptional downregulation of cell cycle pathways across various models. In the context of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), NEO2734 demonstrated notable efficacy. Treatment with NEO2734 resulted in decreased expression of ASCL1 and other neuroendocrine markers (including SYP) , accompanied by a reduction in tumor growth in vivo. These findings collectively underscore the potential of epigenome-targeted inhibitors in impeding the growth of neuroendocrine prostate cancer, by disrupting lineage regulators in a phenotype-dependent manner. Consistent with the NEPC organoids and explants, NKX3-1 was upregulated in NEO2734-treated PDXs.In this study, we examined the impact of NEO2734 treatment on 6 organoids (treated for 24 hrs), 3 explants treated with JQ1 (for 48 hrs) and 2 PDXs (at two time points) using bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). These results are available through this dbGaP submission. The implications of these results warrant further exploration and development of compounds possessing similar activities for clinical applications. The ability of NEO2734 to mitigate the growth of both AR-positive and AR-null prostate cancer underscores its potential as a versatile therapeutic agent. Moreover, its efficacy in targeting neuroendocrine phenotypes offers promising avenues for addressing a subtype of CRPC that poses significant clinical challenges. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the intricate interplay between epigenetic regulators and prostate cancer phenotypes. The observed effects of NEO2734 on growth inhibition and phenotype-specific disruption highlight the importance of continued research into compounds with similar epigenome-targeting mechanisms for advancing precision medicine approaches in the treatment of prostate cancer.3. Defining Focal Neuroendocrine Differentiation as a Transcriptionally Distinct Form of Prostate Cancer Pathology Characterized by the Expression of Androgen ReceptorsThe study aimed to understand the transcriptional differences among different neuroendocrine pathologies of prostate cancer. The study hypothesized that the diverse neuroendocrine pathology observed in prostate might be attributable to differences in transcriptional level that remain hidden in bulk RNA-Seq data. To investigate, we employed scRNA-seq to generate gene expression profiles of 18,632 individual tumor cells from 9 PDX models representing five distinct neuroendocrine pathologies of prostate cancer. Our analysis identified 3-8 transcriptionally distinct sub-populations per PDX. The expression of key oncogenic signaling pathways and master regulator activity varied across in neuroendocrine pathologies, with each type of pathology displaying a unique set of transcriptional sub-populations. We discovered that, like the amphicrine pathology, focal neuroendocrine differentiation (focal NED) cells maintain androgen receptor (AR) signaling. However, the expression profiles of focal NED cells differed from the other pathologies, indicating it should be considered as a distinct type of neuroendocrine pathology in prostate cancer. Analysis of copy number alterations suggested little clonal divergence between focal NED cells and neighboring adenocarcinoma cells, emphasizing the transcriptional distinctiveness of focal NED.Overall, the findings suggest potential differences in treatment approaches for tumors from prostate cancer patients showing neuroendocrine pathology, especially focal NED.4. Reprogramming of Androgen Receptor Activity in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer is Shaped by Truncated Variants.Under the influence of treatments that target the androgen receptor (AR) axis, prostate cancer cells undergo various changes to the AR gene. This includes the production of truncated AR variants that lack the ligand binding domain and are constitutively active. However, the exact role of these truncated variants in shaping the AR signaling axis and their importance in therapy resistance is not yet fully understood. By examining the AR cistrome in a group of patient-derived prostate cancer models with different mechanisms of castration resistance, we observed diverse changes in AR activity in metastatic prostate cancer, including castration-resistant models. Specifically, we identified a unique subset of tumors characterized by the expression of ARv567es, a variant resulting from structural rearrangements of the AR gene. Tumors positive for ARv567es showed a distinct AR binding profile and epigenome compared to those without ARv567es, which was linked to an altered transcriptional profile. The presence of ARv567es is associated with poor responses to treatments, such as castration and bipolar androgen therapy (BAT), regardless of the presence of full-length AR. This involves disruption of the autoregulatory loop that controls AR gene transcription and reduced transcriptional responses to treatment. Overall, this study demonstrates that ARv567es can lead to transcriptional reprogramming in advanced prostate cancer and drive therapy resistance. 5. The MURAL Collection of Prostate Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts Enables Discovery Through Preclinical Models of Uro-Oncology.We created a comprehensive PDX resource for prostate cancer to facilitate the rapid and systematic evaluation of new therapies. This collection includes 59 tumors from 30 patients, gathered between 2012 and 2020, aligning with the availability of abiraterone and enzalutamide in the clinic. The PDXs cover the clinical, pathological, and genomic spectrum of prostate cancer, ranging from treatment-naïve primary tumors to castration-resistant metastases. We characterized heterogeneity in adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine phenotypes using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing. Additionally, organoids were cultured from PDXs, enhancing our preclinical study capabilities. Employing a 1x1x1 design, we quickly identified tumors with responses to combination therapies. To manage the distribution of PDXs, we established the Melbourne Urological Research Alliance (MURAL). This PDX collection significantly enhances our ability to test and prioritize effective treatments for future clinical trials in prostate cancer.6. Prostate Cancer Associated Fibroblasts Have Distinct Morpho-Mechanical Features That Are Associated With Patient Outcome.The tumor stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), has a crucial role in tumor progression. This study focused on the morphological and mechanical properties of CAFs and normal prostatic fibroblasts. The findings revealed that CAFs had distinct morphological and mechanical characteristics compared to normal fibroblasts, such as differences in nuclear size, shape, F-actin arrangement, cellular volumes, and elasticity. Additionally, the study correlated these biophysical properties with transcriptomic data, identifying pathways and cellular components linked to the observed changes. Overall, high-throughput assessments of biophysical properties in prostate cancer cells and stromal components may serve as predictive tools for patient outcomes and help identify new therapeutic approaches targeting the tumor stroma.

  Study phs003369

• Parallel CRISPR Editing of Familial ALS Mutations

  Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a modeling system for human disease within the critical context of the human genome. CRISPR editing of iPSCs allows the construction of isogenic pairs where the cells have nearly identical genomes except for the desired edited change. Here, we used CRISPR editing on a healthy control line to generate three new isogenic iPSC lines that each contains a different familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) mutation (TARDBP[G298S/+], SOD1[G85R/+], and PFN1[G118V/+]). As controls for each mutation, we retained iPSC lines that went through the editing process but did not have the desired heterozygous mutation. We have also performed editing in a patient cell line with a hexanucleotide repeat in C9ORF72. This edit mutates a non-canonical start codon upstream of the hexanucleotide repeat. These edited lines have been used in three different studies:(1) In “Human sensorimotor organoids derived from healthy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis stem cells form neuromuscular junctions” (PMID: 34362895), we performed exome sequencing to confirm the absence of off-target CRISPR events. We also performed single-cell sequencing on sensorimotor organoids from a second healthy control iPSC line, which is deposited alongside the exome sequencing data.(2) In “iPSC motor neurons, but not other derived cell types, capture gene expression changes in postmortem sporadic ALS motor neurons (PMID: 37651231), we differentiated these isogenic lines into motor neurons, sensory neurons, cortical neurons, and astrocytes and then performed bulk RNA-sequencing. We then assessed similarities between fALS mutations, differences between cell types, and the capacity of iPSC modeling to capture differentially expressed genes in postmortem sporadic ALS motor neurons.(3) In "Blocking RAN translation without altering RNA foci rescues C9ORF72-related ALS/FTD phenotypes" (Jiang et al. 2025), we mutate a non-canonical start codon upstream of a hexanucleotide repeat in C9ORF72. This mitigates several phenotypes related to neurodegeneration.

  Study phs002440