Project description:Primitive neuro-ectodermal tumours (PNET) of the supratentorial region are rare, highly malignant embryonal brain tumours affecting young children. Although supratentorial PNET (sPNET) are histologically similar to infratentorial PNET/medulloblastoma, sPNET have more aggressive clinical phenotypes, which suggest sPNET represents distinct biological entities. In contrast to considerable progress in understanding the signalling pathways involved in medulloblastoma, little is known about sPNET pathogenesis. Here we identify a focal amplicon on chr19q13.41 that houses two polycistronic microRNA clusters. Functional analysese indicates that the microRNA clusters may promote oncogenesis in part by modulating cell survival. Copy number analysis was also performed on an overlapping set of PNET tumours, also available on GEO with accession code GSE14087. Keywords: single nucleotide polymorphism array, pediatric brain cancer A primitive neuroectodermal tumour sample with matched blood from the University of Cambridge was analyzed on the Affymetrix GeneChip Mapping 250K Nsp SNP array.
Project description:Central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumors (CNS PNET) and medulloblastomas are both embryonal tumors that predominantly occur in children. We used microarrays to analyse a cohort of CNS PNETs and medulloblastomas to identify gene expression related to tumor subgroups. RNA extracted from 23 frozen tumor samples, plus a commercial fetal brain sample, was analysed using Affymetrix U133 plus 2.0 arrays. Tumour subgroups, based on gene expression, were identified using clustering methods.
Project description:Primitive neuroectodermal tumours of the central nervous system (CNS PNETs) are highly aggressive, poorly differentiated embryonal tumours occurring predominantly in young children. Using DNA methylation and gene expression profiling we have demonstrated that a significant proportion of institutionally diagnosed CNS PNETs display molecular profiles indistinguishable from those of various other well defined CNS tumour entities, facilitating diagnosis and appropiate therapy for children with these tumours. From the remaining fraction of CNS PNETs, we have identified four distinct new CNS tumour entities extending to other neuroepithelial tumours, each associated with a recurrent genetic alteration and particular histopathological and clinical features. These molecular entities, designated “CNS Neuroblastoma with FOXR2 activation (CNS NB FOXR2)”, “CNS Ewing sarcoma family tumour with CIC alteration (CNS EFT CIC)”, “CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with MN1 alteration (CNS HGNET MN1)”, and “CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with BCOR alteration (CNS HGNET BCOR)”, will enable meaningful clinical trials and the development of therapeutic strategies for patients affected by these poorly differentiated CNS tumours.
Project description:Primitive neuroectodermal tumours of the central nervous system (CNS PNETs) are highly aggressive, poorly differentiated embryonal tumours occurring predominantly in young children. Using DNA methylation and gene expression profiling we have demonstrated that a significant proportion of institutionally diagnosed CNS PNETs display molecular profiles indistinguishable from those of various other well defined CNS tumour entities, facilitating diagnosis and appropiate therapy for children with these tumours. From the remaining fraction of CNS PNETs, we have identified four distinct new CNS tumour entities extending to other neuroepithelial tumours, each associated with a recurrent genetic alteration and particular histopathological and clinical features. These molecular entities, designated â??CNS Neuroblastoma with FOXR2 activation (CNS NB FOXR2)â??, â??CNS Ewing sarcoma family tumour with CIC alteration (CNS EFT CIC)â??, â??CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with MN1 alteration (CNS HGNET MN1)â??, and â??CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with BCOR alteration (CNS HGNET BCOR)â??, will enable meaningful clinical trials and the development of therapeutic strategies for patients affected by these poorly differentiated CNS tumours. 586 brain tumor samples were profiled using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450k) array.
Project description:HIF-metagene identifies hypoxic or constitutive HIF activation in scRNA-seq. Hypoxic normal cells have higher HIF-metagene scores than normoxic normal cells, and ccRCC tumour cells (harbouring VHL inactivation) have higher HIF-metagene score than normal cells.
Project description:The pathogenesis of paediatric central nervous system tumours is still poorly understood. In an attempt to increase the knowledge of the genetic mechanisms underlying these tumours, we performed genome-wide screening of 17 paediatric gliomas and embryonal tumours using a combination of G-band karyotyping and array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH). G-banding revealed abnormal karyotypes in 56% of tumour samples (9 of 16; one failed in culture), whereas aCGH analysis found copy number aberrations in all 13 tumours that could be examined. Pilocytic astrocytomas (n=3) showed normal karyotypes or simple non-recurrent translocations by karyotyping, but revealed the now well-established recurrent gain of 7q34 by aCGH. Our series included one anaplastic oligoastrocytoma, tumours that have not previously been characterised genomically in children, and an anaplastic neuroepithelial tumour (probably an oligoastrocytoma); both tumours showed losses of chromosomes 14 by G-banding as well as structural aberrations of the long arm of chromosome 6, and loss of 14q, 17p, and 22q by aCGH. Three supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumours (n=5) showed aberrant karyotypes; two near-diploid with mainly structural changes and one near-triploid with several trisomies including gains of one copy of chromosomes 1, 2, and 7. aCGH confirmed these findings and revealed additional recurrent gains of 1q21-44, 3p21, and 3q29. We also describe cytogenetically for the first time a cribriform neuroepithelial tumour, a recently identified variant of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour with a favourable prognosis, which showed loss of 1p33, 4q13.2, 10p12.31, 10q11.22, and 22q by aCGH. Tumour sample analysed with control DNA (supplied by Agilent)