Recurrent somatic mutations in POLR2A define a distinct subset of meningiomas

RNA polymerase II mediates the transcription of all protein-coding genes in eukaryotic cells, a process that is fundamental to life. Genomic mutations in this enzyme have not been previously linked to any pathology in humans, a testament to its indispensable role in cell biology. Based on a combination of next-generation genomic analyses of 775 meningiomas, we report that recurrent somatic p.Gln403Lys or p.Leu438_His439del mutations in POLR2A, which encodes the catalytic subunit of RNA polymerase II1, are sufficient to hijack this essential enzyme and drive neoplasia. POLR2A mutant tumors reveal dysregulation of key meningeal identity genes, including WNT6 and ZIC1/ZIC42,3. In addition to POLR2A, NF2, SMARCB1, TRAF7, KLF4, AKT1, PIK3CA and SMO4-8, we also report somatic mutations in AKT3, PIK3R1, PRKAR1A, and SUFU in meningiomas. Our results identify a role for essential transcriptional machinery in driving tumorigenesis and define mutually exclusive meningioma subgroups with distinct clinical and pathological features.

Type: Other
Archiver: European Genome-Phenome Archive (EGA)

2 Datasets 1 Publication

Click on a Dataset ID in the table below to learn more, and to find out who to contact about access to these data

Dataset ID	Description	Technology	Samples
EGAD00001002649	Variants called from RNA-seq data of meningioma tumors.		25
EGAD00001002650	Somatic variants called from whole-exome sequencing of meningioma-blood pairs		87

Publications	Citations
Recurrent somatic mutations in POLR2A define a distinct subset of meningiomas. Clark VE, Harmancı AS, Bai H, Youngblood MW, Lee TI, Baranoski JF, Ercan-Sencicek AG, Abraham BJ, Weintraub AS, Hnisz D, Simon M, Krischek B, Erson-Omay EZ, Henegariu O, Carrión-Grant G, Mishra-Gorur K, Durán D, Goldmann JE, Schramm J, Goldbrunner R, Piepmeier JM, Vortmeyer AO, Günel JM, Bilgüvar K, Yasuno K, Young RA, Günel M. Nat Genet 48: 2016 1253-1259	192

Publications

Citations

Recurrent somatic mutations in POLR2A define a distinct subset of meningiomas.
Clark VE, Harmancı AS, Bai H, Youngblood MW, Lee TI, Baranoski JF, Ercan-Sencicek AG, Abraham BJ, Weintraub AS, Hnisz D, Simon M, Krischek B, Erson-Omay EZ, Henegariu O, Carrión-Grant G, Mishra-Gorur K, Durán D, Goldmann JE, Schramm J, Goldbrunner R, Piepmeier JM, Vortmeyer AO, Günel JM, Bilgüvar K, Yasuno K, Young RA, Günel M. Nat Genet 48: 2016 1253-1259

192