Project description:We explore cellular heterogeneity in 28 childhood medulloblastoma (MB) (1 WNT, 9 SHH, 7 GP3 and 11 GP4) using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), immunohistochemistry and deconvolution of bulk transcriptomic data. Neoplastic cells are broadly clustered according to subgroup, and within subgroups discrete sample clustering is associated with chromosomal copy number variance. Each subgroup contains subpopulations exhibiting mitotic , undifferentiated and neuronal differentiated transcript profiles , corroborating other recent medulloblastoma scRNA-seq studies and identifying new subpopulations. We identify a photoreceptor-differentiated subpopulation that is predominantly found in GP3 medulloblastoma, and in SHH, a subpopulation that constitutes differentiating nodules . Deconvolution of a large transcriptomic dataset shows that neoplastic subpopulations are associated with major and minor subgroup subdivisions, for example, photoreceptor subpopulation cells are more abundant in GP3-alpha. This scRNA-seq dataset also demonstrates medulloblastoma subgroup-specific differences in the tumor microenvironment and immune landscape, and reveals an SHH nodule -associated myeloid subpopulation. Additionally, we perform scRNA-seq on genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of GP3 and SHH medulloblastoma. These models specifically matched the corresponding human subgroup-specific neoplastic subpopulations. We provide an interactive online resource that facilitates exploration of these MB single cell datasets. Collectively, our findings advance our understanding of the neoplastic and immune landscape of the main medulloblastoma subgroups in both humans and GEM models.
Project description:Medulloblastoma is a malignant childhood cerebellar tumour comprised of distinct molecular subgroups. Whereas genomic characteristics of these subgroups are well defined, the extent to which cellular diversity underlies their divergent biology and clinical behaviour remains largely unexplored. We used single-cell transcriptomics to investigate intra- and inter-tumoural heterogeneity in twenty-five medulloblastomas spanning all molecular subgroups. WNT, SHH, and Group 3 tumours comprised subgroup-specific undifferentiated and differentiated neuronal-like malignant populations, whereas Group 4 tumours were exclusively comprised of differentiated neuronal-like neoplastic cells. SHH tumours closely resembled granule neurons of varying differentiation states that correlated with patient age. Group 3 and Group 4 tumours exhibited a developmental trajectory from primitive progenitor-like to more mature neuronal-like cells, whose relative proportions distinguished these subgroups. Cross-species transcriptomics defined distinct glutamatergic populations as putative cells-of-origin for SHH and Group 4 subtypes. Collectively, these data provide novel insights into the cellular and developmental states underlying subtype-specific medulloblastoma biology.
Project description:A hallmark of high-risk childhood medulloblastoma is the dysregulation of RNA translation. Currently, it is unknown whether medulloblastoma dysregulates the translation of putatively oncogenic non-canonical open reading frames. To address this question, we performed ribosome profiling of 32 medulloblastoma tissues and cell lines and observed widespread non-canonical ORF translation. We then developed a step-wise approach using multiple CRISPR-Cas9 screens to elucidate non-canonical ORFs and putative microproteins implicated in medulloblastoma cell survival. We determined that multiple lncRNA-ORFs and upstream open reading frames (uORFs) exhibited selective functionality independent of the main coding sequence. A microprotein encoded by one of these ORFs, ASNSD1-uORF or ASDURF, was upregulated, associated with the MYC family oncogenes, and was required for medulloblastoma cell survival through engagement with the prefoldin-like chaperone complex. Our findings underscore the fundamental importance of non-canonical ORF translation in medulloblastoma and provide a rationale to include these ORFs in future studies seeking to define new cancer targets.