Treatment of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has improved, but there is a considerable fraction of patients experiencing a poor outcome. There is a need for better prognostic ...markers and aberrant DNA methylation is a candidate in other malignancies, but its potential prognostic significance in T-ALL is hitherto undecided.
Genome wide promoter DNA methylation analysis was performed in pediatric T-ALL samples (n = 43) using arrays covering >27000 CpG sites. Clinical outcome was evaluated in relation to methylation status and compared with a contemporary T-ALL group not tested for methylation (n = 32).
Based on CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), T-ALL samples were subgrouped as CIMP+ (high methylation) and CIMP- (low methylation). CIMP- T-ALL patients had significantly worse overall and event free survival (p = 0.02 and p = 0.001, respectively) compared to CIMP+ cases. CIMP status was an independent factor for survival in multivariate analysis including age, gender and white blood cell count. Analysis of differently methylated genes in the CIMP subgroups showed an overrepresentation of transcription factors, ligands and polycomb target genes.
We identified global promoter methylation profiling as being of relevance for subgrouping and prognostication of pediatric T-ALL.
Autosomal-dominant ataxia with sensory and autonomic neuropathy is a highly specific combined phenotype that we described in two Swedish kindreds in 2014; its genetic cause had remained unknown. ...Here, we report the discovery of exonic GGC trinucleotide repeat expansions, encoding poly-glycine, in zinc finger homeobox 3 (ZFHX3) in these families. The expansions were identified in whole-genome datasets within genomic segments that all affected family members shared. Non-expanded alleles carried one or more interruptions within the repeat. We also found ZFHX3 repeat expansions in three additional families, all from the region of Skåne in southern Sweden. Individuals with expanded repeats developed balance and gait disturbances at 15 to 60 years of age and had sensory neuropathy and slow saccades. Anticipation was observed in all families and correlated with different repeat lengths determined through long-read sequencing in two family members. The most severely affected individuals had marked autonomic dysfunction, with severe orthostatism as the most disabling clinical feature. Neuropathology revealed p62-positive intracytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions in neurons of the central and enteric nervous system, as well as alpha-synuclein positivity. ZFHX3 is located within the 16q22 locus, to which spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4) repeatedly had been mapped; the clinical phenotype in our families corresponded well with the unique phenotype described in SCA4, and the original SCA4 kindred originated from Sweden. ZFHX3 has known functions in neuronal development and differentiation n both the central and peripheral nervous system. Our findings demonstrate that SCA4 is caused by repeat expansions in ZFHX3.
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In five families from Skåne region in Sweden, expanded repeat expansions in ZFHX3 were identified as the cause for spinocerebellar ataxia type 4, SCA4. SCA4 is an autosomal-dominant disorder with progressive gait and balance disturbance and dyscoordination of movements. SCA4 might compromise nerves controlling automatic bodily functions.
Hereditary ataxia is a heterogeneous group of complex neurological disorders. Next-generation sequencing methods have become a great help in clinical diagnostics, but it may remain challenging to ...determine if a genetic variant is the cause of the patient’s disease. We compiled a consecutive single-center series of 87 patients from 76 families with progressive ataxia of known or unknown etiology. We investigated them clinically and genetically using whole exome or whole genome sequencing. Test methods were selected depending on family history, clinical phenotype, and availability. Genetic results were interpreted based on the American College of Medical Genetics criteria. For high-suspicion variants of uncertain significance, renewed bioinformatical and clinical evaluation was performed to assess the level of pathogenicity. Thirty (39.5%) of the 76 families had received a genetic diagnosis at the end of our study. We present the predominant etiologies of hereditary ataxia in a Swedish patient series. In two families, we established a clinical diagnosis, although the genetic variant was classified as “of uncertain significance” only, and in an additional three families, results are pending. We found a pathogenic variant in one family, but we suspect that it does not explain the complete clinical picture. We conclude that correctly interpreting genetic variants in complex neurogenetic diseases requires genetics and clinical expertise. The neurologist’s careful phenotyping remains essential to confirm or reject a diagnosis, also by reassessing clinical findings after a candidate genetic variant is suggested. Collaboration between neurology and clinical genetics and combining clinical and research approaches optimizes diagnostic yield.
Pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a genetically heterogeneous disease that arises in a multistep fashion through acquisition of several genetic aberrations, subsequently giving ...rise to a malignant, clonal expansion of T-lymphoblasts. The aim of the present study was to identify additional as well as cooperative genetic events in T-ALL.
A population-based pediatric T-ALL series comprising 47 cases was investigated by SNP array and deep sequencing analyses of 75 genes, in order to ascertain pathogenetically pertinent aberrations and to identify cooperative events.
The majority (92%) of cases harbored copy number aberrations/uniparental isodisomies (UPIDs), with a median of three changes (range 0-11) per case. The genes recurrently deleted comprised CDKN2A, CDKN2B, LEF1, PTEN, RBI, and STIL. No case had a whole chromosome UPID; in fact, literature data show that this is a rare phenomenon in T-ALL. However, segmental UPIDs (sUPIDs) were seen in 42% of our cases, with most being sUPID9p that always were associated with homozygous CDKN2A deletions, with a heterozygous deletion occurring prior to the sUPID9p in all instances. Among the 75 genes sequenced, 14 (19%) were mutated in 28 (72%) of 39 analyzed cases. The genes targeted are involved in signaling transduction, epigenetic regulation, and transcription. In some cases, NOTCH1 mutations were seen in minor subclones and lost at relapse; thus, such mutations can be secondary events.
Deep sequencing and SNP array analyses of T-ALL revealed lack of wUPIDs, a high proportion of sUPID9p targeting CDKN2A, NOTCH1 mutations in subclones, and recurrent mutations of genes involved in signaling transduction, epigenetic regulation, and transcription.
A comprehensive genetic characterization comprising conventional chromosome banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analyses as well as ...large-scale sequencing of 75 genes were performed on a consecutive series of 47 pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients. An abnormal karyotype was identified in 46% of the cases. Recurrent cytogenetic aberrations comprised T-cell receptor (TCR) translocations and deletions of 6q and 9p. FISH analyses of TCR rearrangements were positive in 26% of the investigated cases. The vast majority (37/39; 95%) of cases analyzed by SNP arrays displayed aberrations, with a median of 3 changes (range 0-11) per case. The genes recurrently deleted were CDKN2A, CDKN2B, LEF1, PTEN, RBI, and STIL. One case displayed chromothripsis involving 6q. No case had a whole chromosome uniparental isodisomy (wUPID); in fact, only one T-ALL of 123 informative cases in the literature has had a wUPID. However, segmental UPIDs (sUPIDs) were seen in 44% of the present cases, with most being sUPID9p. CDKN2A was homozygously deleted in all cases with sUPID9p, with a heterozygous deletion occurring prior to the sUPID9p in all instances. There was no evidence for chromosomal instability when comparing diagnostic and relapse samples. Among the genes sequenced, 14 were mutated in 28 cases. The genes targeted are involved in signaling transduction, epigenetic regulation, and transcription. In some cases, NOTCH1 mutations were seen in minor subclones and lost at relapse, showing that such mutations also can be secondary events. These findings support a multistep leukemogenic process.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Summary
The t(X;7)(q22;q34), a translocation not previously reported in a neoplastic disorder, was identified and molecularly characterised in a paediatric T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ...(T‐ALL), subsequently shown also to harbour a deletion of 6q, a STIL/TAL1 fusion and an activating NOTCH1 mutation. The t(X;7) was further investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH), real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ‐PCR) and Western blot analyses. FISH revealed a breakpoint at the T‐cell receptor beta locus at 7q34 and mapped the corresponding breakpoint to Xq22.3. The latter region contains only two known genes, namely insulin receptor substrate 4 (IRS4) and collagen, type IV, alpha 5 (COL4A5), the expressions of which were analysed by the use of RQ‐PCR. COL4A5 was not differentially expressed in the t(X;7)‐positive sample compared to five T‐ALL controls. However, a marked, 1000‐fold overexpression of IRS4 was identified. Western blot analysis with a monoclonal antibody against IRS4 showed overexpression also at the protein level. Considering that forced expression of several members of the IRS family has been shown to result in increased cell proliferation, for example in haematopoietic cells, we hypothesise that the IRS4 up‐regulation in T‐ALL is pathogenetically important as a mitogenic stimulus.
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