Project description:The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster initiated a series of catastrophic events resulting in long-term and widespread environmental contamination. We characterize the genetic structure of 302 dogs representing three free-roaming dog populations living within the power plant itself, or 15-45 km from the disaster site. Genome-wide profiles from Chernobyl, purebred, and free-breeding dogs world-wide reveal that the individuals from the power plant and Chernobyl City are genetically distinct, with the former displaying increased intrapopulation genetic similarity and differentiation. Analysis of shared ancestral genome segments highlights differences in the extent and timing of western breed introgression. Kinship analysis reveals 15 families, with the largest spanning all collection sites within the radioactive exclusion zone, reflecting migration of dogs between the power plant and Chernobyl City. This study presents the first characterization of a domestic species in Chernobyl, establishing their relevance for genetic studies into the effects of exposure to long-term, low-dose ionizing radiation.
Project description:We compared the expression profiles of papillary thyroid tumors from the Chernobyl Tissues Bank (CTB) with tumors from French patients with no history of exposure to radiations. Keywords: papillary thyroid cancer vs. patient-matched healthy adjacent thyroid
Project description:RNA was extracted from the meninges of mice from either Specific pathogen free or Germ free facilities or from the offspring of mice reconstituted with different human microbiomes.
Project description:Exposure to ionizing radiation during childhood markedly increases the risk of developing papillary thyroid cancer. We identified non-overlapping somatic driver mutations in all 26 cases of post-Chernobyl thyroid cancers we studied through candidate gene assays and next generation RNA-sequencing. We found that 22/26 harbored fusion oncogenes arising primarily through intrachromosomal rearrangements. Altogether 23/26 of the oncogenic drivers identified in this cohort aberrantly activate MAPK signaling, including the two novel somatic rearrangements ETV6-NTRK3 and AGK-BRAF. Two other tumors harbored distinct fusions leading to overexpression of the nuclear receptor PPARγ. A lower prevalence of fusion oncogenes was found in a cohort of pediatric thyroid cancers from children from the same geographical regions that were not exposed to radiation. Radiation-induced thyroid cancers are a paradigm of tumorigenesis driven by fusion oncogenes that activate MAPK signaling or, less frequently, a PPARγ-driven transcriptional program.
Project description:Exposure to ionizing radiation during childhood markedly increases the risk of developing papillary thyroid cancer. We identified non-overlapping somatic driver mutations in all 26 cases of post-Chernobyl thyroid cancers we studied through candidate gene assays and next generation RNA-sequencing. We found that 22/26 harbored fusion oncogenes arising primarily through intrachromosomal rearrangements. Altogether 23/26 of the oncogenic drivers identified in this cohort aberrantly activate MAPK signaling, including the two novel somatic rearrangements ETV6-NTRK3 and AGK-BRAF. Two other tumors harbored distinct fusions leading to overexpression of the nuclear receptor PPARγ. A lower prevalence of fusion oncogenes was found in a cohort of pediatric thyroid cancers from children from the same geographical regions that were not exposed to radiation. Radiation-induced thyroid cancers are a paradigm of tumorigenesis driven by fusion oncogenes that activate MAPK signaling or, less frequently, a PPARγ-driven transcriptional program. Examination of transcriptome profiles and genetic somatic changes in thyroid cancer.
Project description:We profiled the gene expression of anaplastic thyroid cancers of Belgian patients. We compared these with the expression profile of a cohort of papillary thyroid tumors both from the Chernobyl Tissues Bank (CTB) and French patients with no history of exposure to radiations, along with their patient-matched healthy adjacent thyroid.