Project description:Advantages of RNA-Seq over array based platforms are quantitative gene expression and discovery of expressed single nucleotide variants (eSNVs) and fusion transcripts from a single platform, but the sensitivity for each of these characteristics is unknown. We measured gene expression in a set of manually degraded RNAs, nine pairs of matched fresh-frozen, and FFPE RNA isolated from breast tumor with the hybridization based, NanoString nCounter, (226 gene panel) and with whole transcriptome RNA-Seq using RiboZeroGold ScriptSeq V2 library preparation kits. We performed correlation analyses of gene expression between samples and across platforms. We then specifically assessed whole transcriptome expression of lincRNA and discovery of eSNVs and fusion transcripts in the FFPE RNA-Seq data. For gene expression in the manually degraded samples, we observed Pearson correlation of >0.94 and >0.80 with NanoString and ScriptSeq protocols respectively. Gene expression data for matched fresh-frozen and FFPE samples yielded mean Pearson correlations of 0.874 and 0.783 for NanoString (226 genes) and ScriptSeq whole transcriptome protocols respectively. Specifically for lincRNAs, we observed superb Pearson correlation (0.988) between matched fresh-frozen and FFPE pairs. FFPE samples across NanoString and RNA-Seq platforms gave a mean Pearson correlation of 0.838. In FFPE libraries, we detected 53.4% of high confidence SNVs and 24% of high confidence fusion transcripts. Sensitivity of fusion transcript detection was not overcome by an increase in depth of sequencing up to 3-fold (increase from ~56 to ~159 million reads). Both NanoString and ScriptSeq RNA-Seq technologies yield reliable gene expression data for degraded and FFPE material. The high degree of correlation between NanoString and RNA-Seq platforms suggests discovery based whole transciptome studies from FFPE material will produce reliable expression data. The RiboZeroGold ScriptSeq protocol performed particularly well for lincRNA expression from FFPE libraries but detection of eSNV and fusion transcripts was less sensitive. We performed RNASeq on RNA from nine matched pairs of fresh-frozen and FFPE tissues from breast cancer patients. The goal was to test the RiboZeroGold ScriptSeq complete low input library preparation kit for degraded RNA samples.

Project description:Advantages of RNA-Seq over array based platforms are quantitative gene expression and discovery of expressed single nucleotide variants (eSNVs) and fusion transcripts from a single platform, but the sensitivity for each of these characteristics is unknown. We measured gene expression in a set of manually degraded RNAs, nine pairs of matched fresh-frozen, and FFPE RNA isolated from breast tumor with the hybridization based, NanoString nCounter, (226 gene panel) and with whole transcriptome RNA-Seq using RiboZeroGold ScriptSeq V2 library preparation kits. We performed correlation analyses of gene expression between samples and across platforms. We then specifically assessed whole transcriptome expression of lincRNA and discovery of eSNVs and fusion transcripts in the FFPE RNA-Seq data. For gene expression in the manually degraded samples, we observed Pearson correlation of >0.94 and >0.80 with NanoString and ScriptSeq protocols respectively. Gene expression data for matched fresh-frozen and FFPE samples yielded mean Pearson correlations of 0.874 and 0.783 for NanoString (226 genes) and ScriptSeq whole transcriptome protocols respectively. Specifically for lincRNAs, we observed superb Pearson correlation (0.988) between matched fresh-frozen and FFPE pairs. FFPE samples across NanoString and RNA-Seq platforms gave a mean Pearson correlation of 0.838. In FFPE libraries, we detected 53.4% of high confidence SNVs and 24% of high confidence fusion transcripts. Sensitivity of fusion transcript detection was not overcome by an increase in depth of sequencing up to 3-fold (increase from ~56 to ~159 million reads). Both NanoString and ScriptSeq RNA-Seq technologies yield reliable gene expression data for degraded and FFPE material. The high degree of correlation between NanoString and RNA-Seq platforms suggests discovery based whole transciptome studies from FFPE material will produce reliable expression data. The RiboZeroGold ScriptSeq protocol performed particularly well for lincRNA expression from FFPE libraries but detection of eSNV and fusion transcripts was less sensitive.

Project description:The breast tumor microenvironment plays an active role in tumorigenesis. Molecular alterations, including epigenetic modifications to DNA, and changes in RNA and protein expression have been identified in tumor-associated stroma; however, there is considerable debate as to whether the stroma is characterized by genomic instability or whether detection of chromosomal alterations in the breast stroma is a reflection of technological artifact rather than the true genomic content of the tumor microenvironment. Methods: Surgically-removed breast stroma specimens from 112 women undergoing reductive mammoplasty (n=15), prophylactic mastectomy (N=6) or mastectomy for a diagnosis of breast disease (n=92) were frozen in optimal cutting temperature medium. Allelic imbalance (AI) analysis was performed in 484 stromal specimens from 98 women using a panel of 52 microsatellite markers; SNP data was generated from a subset of 86 stromal specimens using 250K SNP arrays (Affymetrix). Copy number alterations were identified using Partek Genomics Suite. Results: AI was not detected in 92% (444/484) of stroma specimens. When compared to previously generated AI data from 77 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded stroma specimens (Ellsworth et al., Ann Surg Oncol 2004), 32 (42%) of which harbored at least one detectable AI event, the frequency of AI in the FFPE specimens (4.62%) was significantly higher (P<0.0001) than that found in frozen specimens (0.45%). Of the stroma specimens assayed using SNP arrays 95% (82/86) had no detectable alterations and the 11 copy number changes were small and not shared between specimens. Conclusions: The data presented here support a model in which the tumor microenvironment is genetically stable. The direct comparison of copy number alterations between FFPE and frozen research-grade specimens using identical methodologies suggests that past reports of significant AI in breast stroma, both adjacent to and distant from the tumor, reflects artifact in the archival specimens caused by formalin-fixation, paraffin-embedding and tissue storage. 250K STY data was generated for 86 breast stromal specimens. The tissue specimens were analyzed by paired analysis to the SNP data from matched genomic (blood) DNAs

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An assessment of prognostic immunity markers in breast cancer

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