A collaborative approach to develop a multi-omics data analytics platform for translational research

The integration and analysis of large datasets in translational research has become an increasingly challenging problem. We propose a collaborative approach to integrate established data management platforms with existing analytical systems to fill the hole in the value chain between data collection and data exploitation. Our proposal in particular ensures data security and provides support for widely distributed teams of researchers. As a successful example for such an approach, we describe the implementation of a unified single platform that combines capabilities of the knowledge management platform tranSMART and the data analysis system Genedata Analyst™. The combined end-to-end platform helps to quickly find, enter, integrate, analyze, extract, and share patient- and drug-related data in the context of translational R&D projects

The potential of circulating tumor DNA methylation analysis for the early detection and management of ovarian cancer

Background: Despite a myriad of attempts in the last three decades to diagnose ovarian cancer (OC) earlier, this clinical aim still remains a significant challenge. Aberrant methylation patterns of linked CpGs analyzed in DNA fragments shed by cancers into the bloodstream (i.e. cell-free DNA) can provide highly specific signals indicating cancer presence.Methods: We analyzed 699 cancerous and non-cancerous tissues using a methylation array or reduced representation bisulfite sequencing to discover the most specific OC methylation patterns. A three-DNA-methylation-serum-marker panel was developed using targeted ultra-high coverage bisulfite sequencing in 151 women and validated in 250 women with various conditions, particularly in those associated with high CA125 levels (endometriosis and other benign pelvic masses), serial samples from 25 patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and a nested case control study of 172 UKCTOCS control arm participants which included serum samples up to two years before OC diagnosis.Results: The cell-free DNA amount and average fragment size in the serum samples was up to ten times higher than average published values (based on samples that were immediately processed) due to leakage of DNA from white blood cells owing to delayed time to serum separation. Despite this, the marker panel discriminated high grade serous OC patients from healthy women or patients with a benign pelvic mass with specificity/sensitivity of 90.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 84.3–94.8%) and 41.4% (95% CI = 24.1–60.9%), respectively. Levels of all three markers plummeted after exposure to chemotherapy and correctly identified 78% and 86% responders and non-responders (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.04), respectively, which was superior to a CA125 cut-off of 35 IU/mL (20% and 75%). 57.9% (95% CI 34.0–78.9%) of women who developed OC within two years of sample collection were identified with a specificity of 88.1% (95% CI = 77.3–94.3%). Sensitivity and specificity improved further when specifically analyzing CA125 negative samples only (63.6% and 87.5%, respectively).Conclusions: Our data suggest that DNA methylation patterns in cell-free DNA have the potential to detect a proportion of OCs up to two years in advance of diagnosis and may potentially guide personalized treatment. The prospective use of novel collection vials, which stabilize blood cells and reduce background DNA contamination in serum/plasma samples, will facilitate clinical implementation of liquid biopsy analyses

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of The potential of circulating tumor DNA methylation analysis for the early detection and management of ovarian cancer

Design of the nested case-control study based on the UKCTOCS Cohort. Figure S2. DMR discovery with Illumina 450 K methylation arrays. Figure S3. Pattern counts for informative regions. Figure S4. Pattern frequencies for the different regions analyzed in serum set 1 samples. Figure S5. Pattern frequencies for the different regions analyzed in serum set 2 samples. Figure S6. DNA methylation for regions #144, #204, and #228 according to OC stages. Figure S7. Coverage (number of reads) for the three different regions analyzed in serum set 3 samples. Figure S8. CA125 levels measured in NACT serum set samples. Figure S9. Pattern frequencies for the top three reactions measured in NACT serum set samples. Figure S10. Coverage (number of reads) for the top three reactions measured in NACT serum set samples. Figure S11. Average DNA amount extracted correlates with average UK temperature. Figure S12 The fraction (%) of small fragment (50–250 bp) DNA in the serum DNA preparation for 171 UKCTOCS samples analyzed in the study. Figure S13. Box plots comparing the average beta values for 450 k array probes within regions #204 and #228 between each normal (N), cancer (C) group, and white blood cell (WBC) data for OC and other 19 TCGA cancer types. (DOCX 3024 kb