Project description:Characterize the genes deregulated in CD34 positive cells from peripheral blood of FPD/AML patients harbouring two different RUNX1 mutations. RUNX1 (also called AML1), a DNA-binding subunit of the CBF transcription factor family, is a master regulatory gene in hematopoiesis and acts as a tumour suppressor. Heterozygous germ line alterations in RUNX1 lead to a familial platelet disorder with a propensity to develop acute myeloid leukemia (FPD/AML). Although RUNX1 abnormalities per se are not sufficient to induce full-blown leukemia in FPD, this pathology represents a valuable model to understand how RUNX1 germ line mutations predispose to acquisition of additional genetic changes leading to leukemia transformation. To investigate how RUNX1 may predispose to leukemia, we performed a comparative study between two pedigrees harbouring different RUNX1 mutations, one associated with only thrombocytopenia (R139stop) and the other leading to thrombocytopenia and leukemic predisposition (R174Q).
Project description:Detection of causal variant for thrombocytopenia and second hit causing malignant disease onset by next-generation sequencing. The sample was taken at MDS diagnosis, the illness later developed into AML.
Project description:Background: Causative genes are mostly unknown for the mismatch repair-proficient category of familial colorectal cancers designated as FCCTX. Recent evidence suggests shared susceptibility factors between colorectal and hematological malignancies. Study design: We investigated 28 FCCTX families by exome sequencing, supplemented with whole genome sequencing, RNA-sequencing, and tumor studies to identify the predisposing genes. Guided by the findings, germline and somatic exomes of ~400 patients with acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and myeloma were subsequently examined. Results: A family with hematological and solid malignancies revealed a truncating variant in the DEAH-box RNA helicase gene DHX40 co-segregating with disease in seven family members. Neoplastic tissues revealed no apparent “second hit”, implying a haploinsufficiency model of tumorigenesis. DHX40 siRNA-treated cell lines exhibited a 13% increase in aberrantly spliced transcripts vs. GAPDH-siRNA or non-target siRNA-treated cells. Two additional families showed truncating germline variants in the TDRD9 and TDRD5 genes encoding Tudor domain-containing RNA-binding proteins. In the hospital-based hematological series, 18% of germline and 28% of somatic exomes revealed possibly pathogenic DEAD/H box gene variants, including somatic variants of DHX40 in four. Conclusions: This study identifies DHX40, TDRD9, and TDRD5 as novel candidate genes for FCCTX predisposition. In the family segregating the truncating DHX40 variant, two carriers had hematological neoplasia, suggesting possible analogy to DDX41, a DEAD-box RNA helicase gene previously linked to myeloid malignancies. Our findings emphasize aberrant RNA metabolism behind FCCTX and hematological neoplasia.