Cell type signatures in cell-free DNA fragmentation profiles reveal disease biology

Cell-free DNA fragmentation; CancerFragmentación de ADN libre de células; CáncerFragmentació d'ADN lliure de cèl·lules; CàncerCirculating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragments have characteristics that are specific to the cell types that release them. Current methods for cfDNA deconvolution typically use disease tailored marker selection in a limited number of bulk tissues or cell lines. Here, we utilize single cell transcriptome data as a comprehensive cellular reference set for disease-agnostic cfDNA cell-of-origin analysis. We correlate cfDNA-inferred nucleosome spacing with gene expression to rank the relative contribution of over 490 cell types to plasma cfDNA. In 744 healthy individuals and patients, we uncover cell type signatures in support of emerging disease paradigms in oncology and prenatal care. We train predictive models that can differentiate patients with colorectal cancer (84.7%), early-stage breast cancer (90.1%), multiple myeloma (AUC 95.0%), and preeclampsia (88.3%) from matched controls. Importantly, our approach performs well in ultra-low coverage cfDNA datasets and can be readily transferred to diverse clinical settings for the expansion of liquid biopsy.We would like to thank the patients and their families for agreeing to participate in this study. We would like to thank the Genomics Core at KU Leuven for the use of the sequencing facilities. Funding was received from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 824110 – EASI-Genomics (J.R.V.) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 813707 (MATER), from Kom Op Tegen Kanker (Stand up to Cancer) KOTK/2018/11468, from the Flemish cancer society (2016/10728/2603 to A.C.), and FWO-SBO grant S003422N, and from Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen (VLAIO; Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship grant HBC.2018.2108). S.T. was supported by FWO SB/1S74420N. Institutional support was received from the KU Leuven, C1- C14/18/092, C14/22/125, and C3/20/100 to J.R.

Chromosomal scan of single sperm cells by combining fluorescence-activated cell sorting and next-generation sequencing

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to develop a feasible approach for single sperm isolation and chromosome analysis by next-generation sequencing (NGS).MethodsSingle sperm cells were isolated from semen samples of normozoospermic male and an infertile reciprocal translocation (RcT) carrier with the 46,XY,t(7;13)(p12;q12.1) karyotype using the optimized fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) technique. Genome profiling was performed using NGS.ResultsFollowing whole-genome amplification, NGS,and quality control, the final chromosome analysis was performed on 31 and 6 single cell samples derived from the RcT carrier and normozoospermic male, respectively. All sperm cells from normozoospermic male showed a normal haploid 23-chromosome profile. For the RcT carrier, the sequencing data revealed that 64.5% of sperm cells harbored different variants of chromosome aberrations, involving deletion of 7p or 7q, duplication of 7p, and duplication of 13q, which is concordant with the expected chromosome segregation patterns observed in balanced translocation carriers. In one sample, a duplication of 9q was also detected.ConclusionsWe optimized FACS protocol for simple and efficient isolation of single human sperm cells that subsequently enabled a successful genome-wide chromosome profiling and identification of segmental aneuploidies from these individual cells, following NGS analysis. This approach may be useful for analyzing semen samples of infertile men or chromosomal aberration carriers to facilitate the reproductive risk assessment.Peer reviewe

A speculative outlook on embryonic aneuploidy : Can molecular pathways be involved?

The journey of embryonic development starts at oocyte fertilization, which triggers a complex cascade of events and cellular pathways that guide early embryogenesis. Recent technological advances have greatly expanded our knowledge of cleavage-stage embryo development, which is characterized by an increased rate of whole-chromosome losses and gains, mixoploidy, and atypical cleavage morphokinetics. Embryonic aneuploidy significantly contributes to implantation failure, spontaneous miscarriage, stillbirth or congenital birth defects in both natural and assisted human reproduction. Essentially, early embryo development is strongly determined by maternal factors. Owing to considerable limitations associated with human oocyte and embryo research, the use of animal models is inevitable. However, cellular and molecular mechanisms driving the error-prone early stages of development are still poorly described. In this review, we describe known events that lead to aneuploidy in mammalian oocytes and preimplantation embryos. As the processes of oocyte and embryo development are rigorously regulated by multiple signal-transduction pathways, we explore the putative role of signaling pathways in genomic integrity maintenance. Based on the existing evidence from human and animal data, we investigate whether critical early developmental pathways, like Wnt, Hippo and MAPK, together with distinct DNA damage response and DNA repair pathways can be associated with embryo genomic instability, a question that has, so far, remained largely unexplored.Peer reviewe

Detection of a balanced translocation carrier through trophectoderm biopsy analysis: a case report

Balanced translocation carriers are burdened with fertility issues due to improper chromosome segregation in gametes, resulting in either implantation failure, miscarriage or birth of a child with chromosomal disorders. At the same time, these individuals are typically healthy with no signs of developmental problems, hence they often are unaware of their condition. Yet, because of difficulties in conceiving, balanced translocation carriers often turn to assisted reproduction, some of whom may also undergo preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) to improve the likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy.Peer reviewe

Karyotype of the blastocoel fluid demonstrates low concordance with both trophectoderm and inner cell mass

Objective To compare the genomic profiles of blastocoel fluid (BF), inner cell mass (ICM), and trophectoderm (TE) cells derived from the same blastocyst. Design Prospective study. Setting Academic and in vitro fertilization units. Patient(s) Sixteen donated cryopreserved embryos at blastocyst stage. Intervention(s) BF, TE, and ICM cells were retrieved from each blastocyst for chromosome analysis by means of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Main Outcome Measure(s) Aneuploidy screening and assessment of mosaicism in BF, TE and ICM samples with subsequent comparison of genomic profiles between the three blastocyst compartments. Result(s) Out of 16 blastocysts, 10 BF samples and 14 TE and ICM samples provided reliable NGS data for comprehensive chromosome analysis. Only 40.0% of BF-DNA karyotypes were fully concordant with TE or ICM, compared with 85.7% concordance between TE and ICM. In addition, BF-DNA was burdened with mosaic aneuploidies and the total number of affected chromosomes in BF was significantly higher compared with the TE and ICM. Conclusion(s) BF-DNA can be successfully amplified and subjected to NGS, but owing to increased discordance with ICM and TE, BF does not adequately represent the status of the rest of the embryo. To overcome biologic and technical challenges associated with BF sampling and processing, blastocentesis would require improvement in both laboratory protocols and aneuploidy calling algorithms. Therefore, TE biopsy remains the most effective way to predict embryonic karyotype, and the use of BF as a single source of DNA for preimplantation genetic screening is not yet advised

Spetsialiseeritud DNA polümeraaside osalus mutageneesil ja DNA kahjustuste tolereerimisel pseudomonaadides

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneKahjustused DNA-s, mis tekivad kas rakkude normaalse elutegevuse käigus või erinevate keskonnategurite mõjul (näiteks UV-kiirgus, DNA-d kahjustavad kemikaalid), pärsivad genoomi replikatsiooni, takistades replikatiivse DNA polümeraasi edasiliikumist. Pikaajaline replikatsiooni seiskumine võib osutuda rakkudele letaalseks. Selleks, et DNA replikatsioon saaks jätkuda ka kahjustatud DNA-lt, on välja kujunenud DNA kahjustuste tolereerimise mehhanismid. Üheks neist on DNA kahjustustest ülesüntees (translesion DNA synthesis, TLS), mida viivad läbi spetsialiseeritud DNA polümeraasid. Need polümeraasid jätkavad DNA sünteesi kahjustatud nukleotiidi kohalt, tagades organismi ellujäämise DNA kahjustuste olemasolul. Samas võib vigaderohke süntees viia mutatsioonide tekkeni, mis on alusmaterjaliks evolutsioonile, kuid põhjustavad ka geneetilisi haigusi. Näiteks bakteritel on TLS polümeraaside toimel tekkinud geneetiline variantsus oluline antibiootikumide resistentsuse ja infektsioonivõime kujunemisel. TLS polümeraasid on potentsiaalseks märklauaks nii antibakteriaalses ravis kui ka vähiteraapias. Minu doktoritöö eesmärgiks oli selgitada TLS polümeraaside funktsioone, eeskätt nende võimalikku rolli mutatsiooniprotsessides ning DNA kahjustuste tolereerimisel perekonda Pseudomonas kuuluval mullabakteril P. putida ja inimese oportunistlikul patogeenil P. aeruginosa. Pseudomonaadidel on kolm TLS polümeraasi: Pol II, Pol IV ja ImuABC. Uurimistöö tulemused viitavad sellele, et bakteris P. putida võivad TLS polümeraasid osaleda DNA sünteesil DNA polümeraasi Pol I puudumisel. Lisaks selgus, et Pol IV ja ImuABC on olulised DNA alküülkahjustuste talumisel. Kui ImuC viib läbi vigaderohket sünteesi, suurendades mutatsioonide arvu, siis Pol IV ületab DNA alküülkahjustusi väga täpselt. Üllatuslikult selgus, et bakterite inkubeerimise temperatuur mõjutab DNA alküülkahjustuste tolereerimist ja/või reparatsiooni efektiivsust.The integrity of our hereditary material is constantly challenged by both endogenous agents formed during normal cellular metabolism and by various exogenous factors, like UV-light and chemicals found everywhere in the environment. Damage in DNA can block genome replication, which can lead to genomic instability and death of the cell. To overcome these blocks, organisms have evolved DNA damage tolerance mechanisms that allow completion of DNA replication in the presence of damage. One of them is translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), which is mediated by specialized TLS DNA polymerases that are able replicate over the replication-blocking DNA damage. Information encoded by a damaged nucleotide is usually inaccurate, therefore TLS is inherently error-prone process. As such, TLS polymerases not only protect cells against DNA damage, but also represent a potential source of mutations – a material for evolution, but also a cause of disease in humans. In bacteria, genetic diversity generated by TLS polymerases is critical for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, a lot of research is now undertaken to use TLS polymerases as a target for cancer or antimicrobial treatment. In the present work, I describe the role of TLS polymerases in two representatives of Pseudomonas, important human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida. These organisms possess three TLS polymerases: Pol II, Pol IV and ImuABC. The results of our work revealed that in P. putida TLS polymerases might leave mutagenic fingerprints in the genome during normal growth of bacteria, suggesting their potential role in bypass past endogenously formed DNA damage. Moreover, Pol II and Pol IV might be involved in DNA replication in the absence of replicative DNA polymerase I. Both Pol IV and ImuABC in Pseudomonads are involved in DNA alkylation damage tolerance. Replication across alkylation damage by ImuABC is highly mutagenic, Pol IV, on the contrary, performs very accurate bypass. One of the important findings of my study was that simple switch in growth temperature of bacteria changed the cell’s strategy to deal with alkylation DNA damage and role of TLS in it

Detection of incipient tumours by screening of circulating plasma DNA: hype or hope?

Background: The last half-decade has been marked by a rapid expansion of research efforts in the field of so-called liquid biopsies, thereby investigating the potential of blood-derived cell-free tumour DNA (ctDNA) markers for application in clinical oncological management. The analysis of cfDNA appears to be particularly attractive for therapy monitoring purposes, while in terms of early cancer diagnosis and screening the potentials are just starting to be explored. Challenges, both of biological and technical nature, need to be addressed. One such challenge is to overcome the low levels of ctDNA in the circulation, intrinsic to many early-stage cancers. Methods: Here, we give an overview of the features of ctDNA and the approaches that are currently being applied with the ultimate aim to detect tumours in a presymptomatic stage. Conclusion: Although many studies report encouraging results, further technical development and larger studies are warranted before application of ctDNA analysis may find its place in clinic.status: publishe

Detection of incipient tumours by screening of circulating plasma DNA: hype or hope?

Background: The last half-decade has been marked by a rapid expansion of research efforts in the field of so-called liquid biopsies, thereby investigating the potential of blood-derived cell-free tumour DNA (ctDNA) markers for application in clinical oncological management. The analysis of cfDNA appears to be particularly attractive for therapy monitoring purposes, while in terms of early cancer diagnosis and screening the potentials are just starting to be explored. Challenges, both of biological and technical nature, need to be addressed. One such challenge is to overcome the low levels of ctDNA in the circulation, intrinsic to many early-stage cancers. Methods: Here, we give an overview of the features of ctDNA and the approaches that are currently being applied with the ultimate aim to detect tumours in a presymptomatic stage. Conclusion: Although many studies report encouraging results, further technical development and larger studies are warranted before application of ctDNA analysis may find its place in clinic