scholarly journals GEM-DeCan: Improving tumor immune microenvironment profiling by the integration of novel gene expression and DNA methylation deconvolution signatures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting XIE ◽  
Julien Pernet ◽  
Nina Verstraete ◽  
Miguel Madrid-Mencia ◽  
Mei-Shiue Kuo ◽  
...  

Quantifying the proportion of the different cell types present in tumor biopsies remains a priority in cancer research. So far, a number of deconvolution methods have emerged for estimating cell composition using reference signatures either based on gene expression or on DNA methylation from purified cells. These two deconvolution approaches could be complementary to each other, leading to even more performant signatures, in cases where both data types are available. However, the potential relationship between signatures based on gene expression and those based on DNA methylation remains underexplored. Here we present five new deconvolution signature matrices, based on DNA methylation or RNAseq data, which can estimate the proportion of immune cells and cancer cells in a tumour sample. We test these signature matrices on available datasets for in-silico and in-vitro mixtures, peripheral blood, cancer samples from TCGA, bone marrow from multiple myeloma patients and a single-cell melanoma dataset. Cell proportions estimates based on deconvolution performed using our signature matrices, implemented within the EpiDISH framework, show comparable or better correlation with FACS measurements of immune cell-type abundance and with various estimates of cancer sample purity and composition than existing methods. Finally, using publicly available data of 3D chromatin structure in haematopoietic cells, we expanded the list of genes to be included in the RNAseq signature matrices by considering the presence of methylated CpGs in gene promoters or in genomic regions which are in 3D contact with these promoters. Our expanded signature matrices have improved performance compared to our initial RNAseq signature matrix. Finally, we show the value of our signature matrices in predicting patient response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in three melanoma and one bladder cancer cohort, based on bulk tumour sample gene expression data. We also provide GEM-DeCan: a snakemake pipeline, able to run an analysis from raw sequencing data to deconvolution based on various gene expression signature matrices, both for bulk RNASeq and DNA methylation data. The code for producing the signature matrices and reproducing all the figures of this paper is available on GitHub: https://github.com/VeraPancaldiLab/GEMDeCan.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie Madore ◽  
Lucile Pain ◽  
Anne-Marie Boucher-Lafleur ◽  
Jolyane Meloche ◽  
Andréanne Morin ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThe 17q12-21 locus is the most replicated association with asthma. However, no study had described the genetic mechanisms underlying this association considering all genes of the locus in immune cell samples isolated from asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals.ObjectiveThis study takes benefit of samples from naïve CD4+ T cells and eosinophils isolated from the same 200 individuals to describe specific interactions between genetic variants, gene expression and DNA methylation levels for the 17q12-21 asthma locus.Methods and ResultsAfter isolation of naïve CD4+ T cells and eosinophils from blood samples, next generation sequencing was used to measure DNA methylation levels and gene expression counts. Genetic interactions were then evaluated considering genetic variants from imputed genotype data. In naïve CD4+ T cells but not eosinophils, 20 SNPs in the fourth and fifth haplotype blocks modulated both GSDMA expression and methylation levels, showing an opposite pattern of allele frequencies and expression counts in asthmatics compared to controls. Moreover, negative correlations have been measured between methylation levels of CpG sites located within the 1.5 kb region from the transcription start site of GSDMA and its expression counts.ConclusionAvailability of sequencing data from two key cell types isolated from asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals allowed identifying a new gene in naïve CD4+ T cells that drives the association with the 17q12-21 locus, leading to a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms taking place in it.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
zhenchong xiong ◽  
Lin Yang ◽  
Jianchang Fu ◽  
Xing Li ◽  
Xinhua Xie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Obesity has been reported to be a risk factor for breast cancer, but how obesity affects BC is unclear. Although BMI is the most commonly used marker for obesity, it is insufficient to evaluate the obesity-related pathophysiological changes in breast tissue. The purpose of this study was to establish a DNA-methylation-based biomarker for obesity and to explore the association of obesity with BC. Methods: Lasso regression was used to developed DNA-methylation-based BMI index (DM-BMI). Linear regression and paired t-test were used to assess the accuracy of DM-BMI in BMI prediction. A deconvolution algorithm based on DNA methylation data was used to calculate the proportion of adipose cell in tissues. The Estimate and Cibersort algorithm were used to assess the degree of tumor-infiltrating immune cells.Results: Using DNA methylation data from TCGA and GEO, we developed DM-BMI to evaluate the degree of obesity in breast tissues. In tissues from non-BC and BC population, the DM-BMI model exhibited high accuracy in BMI prediction. In BC tissues, DM-BMI correlated with increased adipose tissue content and BC tissues with increased DM-BMI exhibited higher expression of pro-inflammatory adipokines. Next, we identified the gene expression profile relating to DM-BMI. Using GO and KEGG database, we observed that the DM-BMI-related genes mostly involve in the process of cancer immunity. DM-BMI is positively correlated with T cell infiltration in BC tissues. Further, we observed that DM-BMI positively correlated with immune checkpoint inhibitors [1] response markers in BC. Conclusions: Collectively, we developed a new biomarker for obesity and discovered that BC tissues from obese individuals exhibit an increased degree of immune cell infiltration indicating that obese BC patients might be the potential beneficiaries for ICI treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Tinarelli ◽  
Elena Ivanova ◽  
Ilaria Colombi ◽  
Erica Barini ◽  
Edoardo Balzani ◽  
...  

Abstract Background DNA methylation has emerged as an important epigenetic regulator of brain processes, including circadian rhythms. However, how DNA methylation intervenes between environmental signals, such as light entrainment, and the transcriptional and translational molecular mechanisms of the cellular clock is currently unknown. Here, we studied the after-hours mice, which have a point mutation in the Fbxl3 gene and a lengthened circadian period. Methods In this study, we used a combination of in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro approaches. We measured retinal responses in Afh animals and we have run reduced representation bisulphite sequencing (RRBS), pyrosequencing and gene expression analysis in a variety of brain tissues ex vivo. In vitro, we used primary neuronal cultures combined to micro electrode array (MEA) technology and gene expression. Results We observed functional impairments in mutant neuronal networks, and a reduction in the retinal responses to light-dependent stimuli. We detected abnormalities in the expression of photoreceptive melanopsin (OPN4). Furthermore, we identified alterations in the DNA methylation pathways throughout the retinohypothalamic tract terminals and links between the transcription factor Rev-Erbα and Fbxl3. Conclusions The results of this study, primarily represent a contribution towards an understanding of electrophysiological and molecular phenotypic responses to external stimuli in the Afh model. Moreover, as DNA methylation has recently emerged as a new regulator of neuronal networks with important consequences for circadian behaviour, we discuss the impact of the Afh mutation on the epigenetic landscape of circadian biology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e001762
Author(s):  
Punit Upadhyaya ◽  
Johanna Lahdenranta ◽  
Kristen Hurov ◽  
Sailaja Battula ◽  
Rachel Dods ◽  
...  

BackgroundIn contrast to immune checkpoint inhibitors, the use of antibodies as agonists of immune costimulatory receptors as cancer therapeutics has largely failed. We sought to address this problem using a new class of modular synthetic drugs, termed tumor-targeted immune cell agonists (TICAs), based on constrained bicyclic peptides (Bicycles).MethodsPhage libraries displaying Bicycles were panned for binders against tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily receptors CD137 and OX40, and tumor antigens EphA2, Nectin-4 and programmed death ligand 1. The CD137 and OX40 Bicycles were chemically conjugated to tumor antigen Bicycles with different linkers and stoichiometric ratios of binders to obtain a library of low molecular weight TICAs (MW <8 kDa). The TICAs were evaluated in a suite of in vitro and in vivo assays to characterize their pharmacology and mechanism of action.ResultsLinking Bicycles against costimulatory receptors (e.g., CD137) to Bicycles against tumor antigens (e.g., EphA2) created potent agonists that activated the receptors selectively in the presence of tumor cells expressing these antigens. An EphA2/CD137 TICA (BCY12491) efficiently costimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro in the presence of EphA2 expressing tumor cell lines as measured by the increased secretion of interferon γ and interleukin-2. Treatment of C57/Bl6 mice transgenic for the human CD137 extracellular domain (huCD137) bearing EphA2-expressing MC38 tumors with BCY12491 resulted in the infiltration of CD8+ T cells, elimination of tumors and generation of immunological memory. BCY12491 was cleared quickly from the circulation (plasma t1/2 in mice of 1–2 hr), yet intermittent dosing proved effective.ConclusionTumor target-dependent CD137 agonism using a novel chemical approach (TICAs) afforded elimination of tumors with only intermittent dosing suggesting potential for a wide therapeutic index in humans. This work unlocks a new path to effective cancer immunotherapy via agonism of TNF superfamily receptors.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Sotolongo ◽  
Yi-Zhou Jiang ◽  
John Karanian ◽  
William Pritchard ◽  
Peter Davies

Objective: One of the first clinically detectable changes in the vasculature during atherogenesis is the accumulation of cholesterol within the vessel wall. Hypercholesterolemia is characterized by dysfunctional endothelial-dependent vessel relaxation and impaired NOS3 function. Since DNA methylation at gene promoter regions strongly suppresses gene expression, we postulated that high-fat/high-cholesterol diet suppresses endothelial NOS3 through promoter DNA methylation. Methods: Domestic male pigs were fed control diet (CD) or isocaloric high fat and high cholesterol diet (HC; 12% fat and 1.5% cholesterol) for 2, 4, 8 or 12 weeks prior to tissue collection. Furthermore, to determine the effects of risk factor withdrawal, an additional group of swine received HC for 12 weeks and then CD for 8 weeks; a control group received HC continuously for 20 weeks. Endothelial cells were harvested from common carotid aorta. In parallel in vitro studies, cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were treated with human LDL, GW3956 (LXR agonist) and RG108 (DNA methyltransferase [DNMT] inhibitor). In cells from both sources, DNA methylation at the NOS3 promoter was measured using methylation specific pyro sequencing, and endothelial gene expression was measured using RT PCR. Results: HC diet increased plasma cholesterol level from 75 mg/dl on CD to a plateau of about 540 mg/dl within 2 weeks. Endothelial NOS3 expression was significantly reduced (71±9 % of CD) after 4 weeks of HC, a level sustained at subsequent time points. Withdrawal of HC for 8 weeks did not recover NOS3 expression. After 12-week HC, the NOS3 promoter was hypermethylated. Withdrawal of HC did not reverse NOS3 promoter methylation. In vitro treatment of HAEC with human LDL (200 mg/dl total cholesterol) or GW3956 (5μM) suppressed NOS3 mRNA to 50% and 30% respectively, suggesting that LXR/RXR is involved in suppression of NOS3. Nitric oxide production was consistently suppressed by GW3959. Both could be reversed through inhibition of DNMTs by RG108. Conclusions: DNA methylation and LXR/RXR pathway can mediate the HC-suppression of endothelial NOS3. The study identifies novel pharmaceutical targets in treating endothelial dysfunction. Crosstalk between these pathways is under investigation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 343-343
Author(s):  
Pedro C. Barata ◽  
Shuchi Gulati ◽  
Andrew Elliott ◽  
Arpit Rao ◽  
Hans J. Hammers ◽  
...  

343 Background: With the emergence of multiple active treatment options in RCC, predictive biomarkers for optimal treatment selection are lacking. Gene expression data from IMmotion151 and Javelin Renal 101 clinical trials generated anti-angiogenic and immune signatures that warrant further validation. We aimed to describe the genomic and gene expression profiles in a multi-institutional database of patients with ccRCC, and its association with other biomarkers of interest. Methods: Whole transcriptome sequencing was performed for ccRCC patient samples submitted to a commercial CLIA-certified laboratory (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ) from February 2019 to September 2020. Tumor GEP and hierarchical clustering based on the validated 66-gene signature (D’Costa et al, 2020) were used to identify patient subgroups. Samples from both primary tumors and metastatic sites were included. Results: A total of 316 patients with ccRCC, median age 62 (range 32-90), 71.8% men, were included. Tissue samples were obtained from primary tumor (46.5%), lung (12.3%), bone (9.5%), liver (4.7%) and other metastatic sites (27%). Gene expression analysis identified angiogenic, mixed and T-effector subgroups in 24.1%, 51.3% and 24.7%, respectively. Patients with angiogenic subgroup tumors compared to those with T-effector subgroup tumors were more likely to be older (63 versus 60 years, p=0.035), female (40.8% versus 16.7%, p=0.0009) and more frequently found in pancreatic/small bowel metastases (75% versus 12.5%, p=0.0103). Biomarkers of potential response to immunotherapy such as PD-L1 (p=0.0021), TMB (not significant), and dMMR/MSI-H status (not significant) were more frequent in the T-effector subgroup. PBRM1 mutations were more common in the angiogenic subgroup (62.0% vs 37.5%, p=0.0034) while BAP1 mutations were more common in the T-effector subgroup (18.6% versus 3.0%, p= 0.0035). Immune cell population abundance (e.g. NK cells, monocytes) and immune checkpoint gene expression (TIM-3, PD-L1, PD-L2, CTLA4) were also increased in the T-effector subgroup. Conclusions: Our hierarchical clustering results based on the 66-gene expression signature were concordant with results from prior studies. Patient subgroups identified by evaluation of angiogenic and T-effector signature scores exhibit significantly different mutations and immune profiles. These findings require prospective validation in future biomarker-selected clinical trials.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessilyn Dunn ◽  
Haiwei Qiu ◽  
Soyeon Kim ◽  
Daudi Jjingo ◽  
Ryan Hoffman ◽  
...  

Atherosclerosis preferentially occurs in arterial regions of disturbed blood flow (d-flow), which alters gene expression, endothelial function, and atherosclerosis. Here, we show that d-flow regulates genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)-dependent manner. We found that d-flow induced expression of DNMT1, but not DNMT3a or DNMT3b, in mouse arterial endothelium in vivo and in cultured endothelial cells by oscillatory shear (OS) compared to unidirectional laminar shear in vitro. The DNMT inhibitor 5-Aza-2’deoxycytidine (5Aza) or DNMT1 siRNA significantly reduced OS-induced endothelial inflammation. Moreover, 5Aza reduced lesion formation in two atherosclerosis models using ApoE-/- mice (western diet for 3 months and the partial carotid ligation model with western diet for 3 weeks). To identify the 5Aza mechanisms, we conducted two genome-wide studies: reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and transcript microarray using endothelial-enriched gDNA and RNA, respectively, obtained from the partially-ligated left common carotid artery (LCA exposed to d-flow) and the right contralateral control (RCA exposed to s-flow) of mice treated with 5Aza or vehicle. D-flow induced DNA hypermethylation in 421 gene promoters, which was significantly prevented by 5Aza in 335 genes. Systems biological analyses using the RRBS and the transcriptome data revealed 11 mechanosensitive genes whose promoters were hypermethylated by d-flow but rescued by 5Aza treatment. Of those, five genes contain hypermethylated cAMP-response-elements in their promoters, including the transcription factors HoxA5 and Klf3. Their methylation status could serve as a mechanosensitive master switch in endothelial gene expression. Our results demonstrate that d-flow controls epigenomic DNA methylation patterns in a DNMT-dependent manner, which in turn alters endothelial gene expression and induces atherosclerosis.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (1) ◽  
pp. C171-C181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary A. Cooper ◽  
Arundhati Ghosh ◽  
Aditi Gupta ◽  
Tapan Maity ◽  
Ivor J. Benjamin ◽  
...  

We previously showed that exposure to febrile-range temperatures (FRT, 39.5–40°C) reduces LPS-induced TNF-α expression, in part through the direct interaction of heat shock factor-1 (HSF1) with the TNF-α gene promoter. However, it is not known whether exposure to FRT also modifies more proximal LPS-induced signaling events. Using HSF1-null mice, we confirmed that HSF1 is required for FRT-induced repression of TNF-α in vitro by LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages and in vivo in mice challenged intratracheally with LPS. Exposing LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages to FRT reduced TNF-α expression while increasing IL-1β expression despite the two genes sharing a common myeloid differentiation protein-88 (MyD88)-dependent pathway. Global activation of the three LPS-induced signaling intermediates that lead to cytokine gene expression, ERK and p38 MAPKs and NF-κB, was not affected by exposing RAW 264.7 cells to FRT as assessed by ERK and p38 phosphorylation and NF-κB in vitro DNA-binding activity and activation of a NF-κB-dependent synthetic promoter. However, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis demonstrated that exposure to FRT reduced LPS-induced recruitment of NF-κB p65 to the TNF-α promoter while simultaneously increasing its recruitment to the IL-1β promoter. These data suggest that FRT exerts its effects on cytokine gene expression in a gene-specific manner through distal effects on promoter activation rather than proximal receptor activation and signal transduction.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowu Chen ◽  
Yonghua Zhao ◽  
Yudong He ◽  
Jinliang Zhao

AbstractSkewed sex development is prevalent in fish hybrids. However, the histological observation and molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we showed that the interspecific hybrids of the two fish species, Oreochromis niloticus and Oreochromis aureus, had a male ratio of 98.02%. Microscopic examination revealed that the gonads of both male and female hybrids were developmentally retarded. Compared with the ovaries, the testes of both O. niloticus and hybrids showed higher DNA methylation level in two selected regions in the promoter of cyp19a, the gonadal aromatase gene that converts androgens into estrogens, cyp19a showed higher level gene expression in the ovary than in the testis in both O. niloticus and hybrid tilapia. Methylation and gene expression level of cyp19a were negative correlation between the testis and ovary. Gene transcription was suppressed by the methylation of the cyp19a promoter in vitro. While there is no obvious difference of the methylation level in testis or ovary between O. niloticus and hybrids. Thus, the DNA methylation of the promoter of cyp19a may be an essential component of the sex maintenance, but not a determinant of high male ratio and developmental retardation of gonads in tilapia hybrids.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 9087-9087
Author(s):  
Abdul Rafeh Naqash ◽  
Charalampos S. Floudas ◽  
Asaf Maoz ◽  
Joanne Xiu ◽  
Yasmine Baca ◽  
...  

9087 Background: Recent data suggest inferior responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in STK11-mt NSCLC. TP53 is a critical tumor suppressor gene regulating DNA repair by arresting cells in the G1 phase in response to critical double strand breaks. We hypothesized that accumulated DNA damage from mutations in the TP53 gene might increase immunogenicity and potentially enhance benefit of ICIs in STK11-mt NSCLC. Methods: A total of 16,896 NSCLC tumors submitted to Caris Life Sciences (Phoenix, AZ) for targeted NGS (DNA-Seq, 592 genes) were analyzed. A subset (N = 5034 tumors) had gene expression profiling (RNA-Seq, whole transcriptome). PD-L1 (TPS) was tested with 22c3 antibody (Dako). Exome-level neoantigen load for STK11-mt NSCLC was obtained from published TCGA Pan-immune analysis (Thorsson et al. 2018). Non-parametric tests were used for comparing differences in tumor mutational burden (TMB) and neoantigen load. Transcriptomic analysis included differential gene expression and hierarchical clustering. Tumor immune cell content was obtained from transcriptome using Microenvironment Cell Population-counter (MCP). Publicly available data from the POPLAR/OAK trials of atezolizumab in advanced NSCLC were used to model PFS and OS for STK11-mt with TP53-mt (n = 14) and without TP53-mt (n = 20). Results: Of 16,896 NSCLC samples, 12.6% had an STK11-mt with the proportions of TMB-high (≥10 Mut/Mb), PD-L1 ≥ 50% and MSI-high being 55.9%, 11.8%, and 0.72%, respectively. STK11-mt vs. STK11-wt NSCLC did not differ in median TMB (Caris:10 vs. 10 Mut/Mb; p > 0.1) or neoantigen load (TCGA: 154.5 vs. 165; p > 0.1). Median TMB (13 vs. 9 Mut/Mb; p < 0.001) and neoantigen load (263 vs. 134; p < 0.001) were higher in STK11-mt/ TP53-mt vs. STK11-mt/ TP53-wt. MCP analysis showed higher CD8, NK-cell and lower myeloid dendritic cell infiltration in STK11-mt/ TP53-mt vs. STK11-mt/ TP53-wt (p < 0.01). Expression of MYC and HIF-α were increased in the STK11-mt/ TP53-mt vs. STK11-mt/ TP53-wt (p < 0.01) along with higher expression (p < 0.01) of genes associated with both glycolysis ( HK2, LDHA, ALDOA) and glutamine metabolism ( GOT2, PPAT2). Hierarchical clustering of STK11-mt adenocarcinomas (n = 463) for STING pathway genes (CCL5, CXCL10, cGAS) identified a STING-high and a STING low cluster. The STING high cluster was significantly enriched in TP53-mt (48 vs. 32%; p < 0.01).In the OAK/POPLAR cohort, median OS (HR is 1.14, 95% CI 0.53 - 2.48); p > 0.1) and PFS (HR 1.88, 95% CI 0.89-3.97, p = 0.098) were not statistically different between STK11-mt/ TP53-mt vs. STK-mt/ TP53-wt. However, the 15-months PFS was 21% in the STK11-mt/ TP53-mt vs 0% in the STK11-mt/ TP53-wt. Conclusions: STK11-mt NSCLC with TP53-mt are associated with an immunologically active TME with metabolic reprogramming. These intrinsic properties could be exploited to improve outcomes to ICIs in combination with metabolically directed agents.


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