The Dynamics of Nucleotide Variants in the Progression from Low–Intermediate Myeloma Precursor Conditions to Multiple Myeloma: Studying Serial Samples with a Targeted Sequencing Approach

Multiple myeloma (MM), or Kahler’s disease, is an incurable plasma cell (PC) cancer in the bone marrow (BM). This malignancy is preceded by one or more asymptomatic precursor conditions, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and/or smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). The molecular mechanisms and exact cause of this progression are still not completely understood. In this study, the mutational profile underlying the progression from low–intermediate risk myeloma precursor conditions to MM was studied in serial BM smears. A custom capture-based sequencing platform was developed, including 81 myeloma-related genes. The clonal evolution of single nucleotide variants and short insertions and deletions was studied in serial BM smears from 21 progressed precursor patients with a median time of progression of six years. From the 21 patients, four patients had no variation in one of the 81 studied genes. Interestingly, in 16 of the 17 other patients, at least one variant present in MM was also detected in its precursor BM, even years before progression. Here, the variants were present in the pre-stage at a median of 62 months before progression to MM. Studying these paired BM samples contributes to the knowledge of the evolutionary genetic landscape and provides additional insight into the mutational behavior of mutant clones over time throughout progression

MTCA.4-Based LLRF System Prototype Status for MYRRHA

International audienceWithin the framework of MINERVA, the first Phase of MYRRHA (Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications) project, IN2P3 labs are in charge of the development of several accelerator elements. Among those, a fully equipped Spoke cryomodule prototype was constructed. It integrates two superconducting single spoke cavities operating at 2K, the RF power couplers and the associated cold tuning systems. On the control side, a MTCA.4-based Low Level RadioFrequency (LLRF) system prototype has been implemented by IJCLab including FPGA specific firmware, a new µRTM frequency downconverter module from the company IOxOS Technologies and EPICS developments in collaboration with the SCK•CEN. The status of the LLRF system will be shown as well as its preliminary tests results

Whole-Genome Sequencing Reveals Evidence of Two Biologically and Clinically Distinct Entities: Progressive Versus Stable Myeloma Precursor Disease

Introduction Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by an asymptomatic expansion of clonal plasma cells, clinically recognized as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). Here, we present the first comprehensive whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of patients with MGUS and SMM. Methods To characterize the genomic landscape of myeloma precursor disease (i.e. SMM and MGUS) we performed WGS of CD138-positive bone marrow mononuclear samples from 32 patients with MGUS (N=18) and SMM (N=14), respectively. For cases with low cellularity resulting in low amounts of extracted DNA (N=15), we used the low-input enzymatic fragmentation-based library preparation method (Lee-Six et al, Nature 2019). Myeloma precursor disease samples were compared with 80 WGS of patients with MM. All WGSs (N=112) were investigated using computational tools available at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Results After a median follow up of 29 months (range: 2-177), 17 (53%) patients with myeloma precursor disease progressed to MM (13 SMM and 4 MGUS). To interrogate the genomic differences between progressive versus stable myeloma precursor disease we first characterized the single base substitution (SBS) signature landscape. Across the entire cohort of plasma cell disorders, all main MM mutational signatures were identified: aging (SBS1 and SBS5), AID (SBS9), SBS8, SBS18, and APOBEC (SBS2 and SBS13). Interestingly, only 2/15 (13%) stable myeloma precursor disease cases showed evidence of APOBEC activity, while 14/17 (82%) and 68/80 (85%) patients with progressive myeloma precursor disease (p=0.0058) and MM (p=0.004), respectively, had APOBEC mutational activity. The two stable cases with detectable APOBEC were characterized by a high APOBEC3A:3B ratio, a feature which defines a group of MAF-translocated MM patients whose pathogenesis is characterized by intense and early APOBEC activity (Rustad et al Nat Comm 2020) and is distinct from the canonical ~1:1 APOBEC3A:3B mutational activity observed in most cases. When exploring the cytogenetic landscape, no differences were found between progressive myeloma precursor disease and MM cases. Compared to progressors and to MM, patients with stable myeloma precursor disease were characterized by a significantly lower prevalence of known recurrent MM aneuploidies (i.e. gain1q, del6q, del8p, gain 8q24, del16q) (p<0.001). This observation was validated using SNP array copy number data from 78 and 161 stable myeloma precursor disease and MM patients, respectively. To further characterize differences between progressive versus stable myeloma precursor disease, we leveraged the comprehensive WGS resolution to explore the distribution and prevalence of structural variants (SV). Interestingly, stable cases were characterized by low prevalence of SV, SV hotspots, and complex events, in particular chromothripsis and templated insertions (both p<0.01). In contrast, progressors showed a genome wide distribution and high prevalence of SV and complex events similar to the one observed in MM. To rule out that the absence of key WGS-MM defining events among stable cases would reflect a sample collection time bias, we leveraged our recently developed molecular-clock approach (Rustad et al. Nat Comm 2020). Notably, this approach is based on pre- and post-chromosomal gain SBS5 and SBS1 mutational burden, designed to estimate the time of cancer initiation. Stable myeloma precursor disease showed a significantly different temporal pattern, where multi-gain events were acquired later in life compared to progressive myeloma precursor disease and MM cases. Conclusions In summary, we were able to comprehensively interrogate for the first time the whole genome landscape of myeloma precursor disease. We provide novel evidence of two biologically and clinically distinct entities: (1) progressive myeloma precursor disease, which represents a clonal entity where most of the genomic drivers have been already acquired, conferring an extremely high risk of progression to MM; and (2) stable myeloma precursor disease, which does not harbor most of the key genomic MM hallmarks and follows an indolent clinical outcome. Disclosures Hultcrantz: Intellisphere LLC: Consultancy; Amgen: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding. Dogan:Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding; Corvus Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Physicians Education Resource: Consultancy; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy; National Cancer Institute: Research Funding; AbbVie: Consultancy. Landgren:Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Adaptive: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; Cellectis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Merck: Other; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Glenmark: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Binding Site: Consultancy, Honoraria; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Karyopharma: Research Funding; Binding Site: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; Takeda: Other: Independent Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials, Research Funding; Merck: Other; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Glenmark: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Karyopharma: Research Funding; Cellectis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Juno: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria. Bolli:Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria

Whole-genome sequencing reveals progressive versus stable myeloma precursor conditions as two distinct entities

Multiple myeloma (MM) is consistently preceded by precursor conditions recognized clinically as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or smoldering myeloma (SMM). We interrogate the whole genome sequence (WGS) profile of 18 MGUS and compare them with those from 14 SMMs and 80 MMs. We show that cases with a non-progressing, clinically stable myeloma precursor condition (n = 15) are characterized by later initiation in the patient's life and by the absence of myeloma defining genomic events including: chromothripsis, templated insertions, mutations in driver genes, aneuploidy, and canonical APOBEC mutational activity. This data provides evidence that WGS can be used to recognize two biologically and clinically distinct myeloma precursor entities that are either progressive or stable

Relevance of nitric oxide for myocardial remodeling.

Endogenous myocardial nitric oxide (NO) may modulate the transition from adaptive to maladaptive remodeling leading to heart failure. In rodent models of pressure overload or myocardial infarction, the three NO synthase (NOS) isoforms were shown to play a neutral, protective, or even adverse role in myocardial remodeling, depending on the quantity of NO produced, the location of each NOS and their regulators, the prevailing oxidant stress and resultant NO/oxidant balance, as well as NOS coupling/dimerization. Beside neuronal NOS and--in specific conditions--inducible NOS isoforms, endothelial NOS (eNOS) exerts cardioprotective effects on pressure-overload, ischemia/reperfusion, and myocardial infarction-induced myocardial remodeling, provided the enzyme remains in a coupled state. Besides its effects on excitation-contraction coupling in response to stretch, eNOS acts as an "endogenous beta-blocker" by restoring the sympathovagal balance, opposing excessive hypertrophy as well as promoting vasodilatation and neoangiogenesis, thereby contributing to tissue repair. As eNOS was also shown to mediate the beneficial effects of cardiovascular drugs commonly used in patients with heart failure, strategies to increase its expression and/or coupled catalytic activity in the myocardium offer new therapeutic avenues for the treatment of this disease