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Bayesian Phylogenetic Lineage Reconstruction with Loss of Heterozygosity Mutations Derived from Single-Cell RNA Sequencing.

Mutations are acquired frequently, such t`hat each cell's genome inscribes its history of cell divisions. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) accumulates throughout the genome, offering large encoding capacity for phylogenetic inference of cell lineage.In this chapter, we demonstrate a method, using single-cell RNA sequencing, for reconstructing cell lineages from inferred LOH events in a Bayesian manner, annotating the lineage with cell phenotypes, and marking developmental time points based on X-chromosome inactivation. This type of retrospective analysis could be incorporated into scRNA-seq pipelines and was initially developed to investigate Emx1+ cortical projection neuron and glia lineages from C57Bl/6J (B6) and CAST/EiJ (CA) interstrain F1 mice, describing progenitor cells giving rise to multiple cortical cell types through stereotyped expansion and distinct waves of neurogenesis.

Animals

Somatic-only SDHD variant with tumor-specific loss of heterozygosity in metastatic carotid body tumor: a case report with review of literature.

Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare paragangliomas in which genetic predisposition, particularly pathogenic variants in succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx) genes, plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Previous genetic studies of CBTs have primarily focused on germline SDHx variants, whereas somatic alterations remain poorly characterized. Among SDHx genes, SDHB variants are known to be associated with a higher metastatic risk, while SDHD variants are generally linked to a lower metastatic rate. We report the case of a 41-year-old man who presented with a painless right-sided neck mass. Imaging studies demonstrated a hypervascular tumor located at the carotid bifurcation with circumferential encasement of the carotid artery. During surgery, the tumor was classified as a Shamblin type III CBT, and complete surgical resection with vascular reconstruction was performed. Histopathological examination confirmed paraganglioma with metastasis to a single cervical lymph node. Germline genetic testing did not reveal any pathogenic variants. However, comprehensive tumor genomic profiling identified a somatic SDHD c.304C>G (p.His102Asp) variant accompanied by tumor-specific loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and copy-number loss at the SDHD locus, findings compatible with biallelic SDHD inactivation. The patient remained free of recurrence during follow-up. To our knowledge, this represents the first reported case of metastatic CBT harboring a somatic-only SDHD variant with tumor-specific LOH. This case suggests that reliance on germline testing alone may underestimate the molecular drivers of CBT and highlights the potential clinical value of tumor-based genomic profiling for risk stratification and prognostic assessment.

Carotid body tumor

Genome-Wide Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)-based Profiling of Loss of Heterozygosity Reveals Distinct Molecular Subgroup-Specific Patterns in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST).

PURPOSE: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are molecularly heterogeneous neoplasms defined by mutually exclusive driver alterations (KIT, PDGFRA, SDH, BRAF, RAS, and NF1). However, driver mutations alone do not fully explain their biological and clinical variability. Chromosomal imbalances and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) may represent an additional layer of tumor characterization. We developed a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based next-generation sequencing panel enabling genome-wide LOH assessment from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine GIST cases molecularly classified using targeted next-generation sequencing (KIT n = 19, PDGFRA n = 9, SDH-deficient n = 8, NF1 n = 7, quadruple wild-type n = 6) were analyzed. LOH was inferred from variant allele frequency patterns across 1826 genome-wide SNPs. RESULTS: Chromosome 14 was the most commonly affected (63%), followed by chromosomes 22 (45%), 15 (41%), 21 (27%), and 13 (20%). Loss of chromosome arm 1p occurred in 43% of tumors. Distinct subgroup-specific patterns emerged: KIT-mutant GIST exhibited the highest degree of genomic instability, whereas both SDH-deficient tumors and PDGFRA-mutant GIST displayed minimal chromosomal instability. NF1-mutant tumors showed recurrent single-arm chromosome 17 LOH. Quadruple wild-type GISTs were heterogeneous, including 1 case with extensive chromosomal instability. CONCLUSIONS: Genome-wide SNP-based LOH profiling reveals distinct, subgroup-specific patterns of chromosomal imbalance in GIST and may serve as a feasible complementary approach to driver mutation analysis for refined molecular characterization and potential future clinical utility.

Humans

Widespread Loss of Heterozygosity and Endoreduplication in Odontogenic Myxoma: Expanding the Clinicopathologic Spectrum of An Enigmatic Odontogenic Neoplasm.

Odontogenic myxoma (OM) is an uncommon, locally aggressive odontogenic neoplasm with characteristic histologic and clinico-radiographic features but with potential for histologic overlap with other odontogenic and non-odontogenic entities and a non-specific immunoprofile. Widespread loss of heterozygosity (LOH) has been recently described in rare cases of OM. The aim of this study was to determine whether widespread LOH represents a recurrent molecular signature that can be leveraged for clinical decision-making. Allele-specific copy number variation data from chromosomal microarray were generated from 7 OM, comprising a combined prospective and retrospective cohort. Four tumors arose in the mandible and 3 in the maxilla in patients ranging in age from 18 to 94 years (median: 44), with tumor size ranging from 2.2 to 13.0 cm. Variable amounts of fibrous stroma (odontogenic "fibromyxoma") were present in 4/7 OM, and hypercellularity not typically appreciated in conventional OM was present in 3/7 cases. All OM (7/7) demonstrated widespread LOH, with 5 cases showing a near-haploid/low hypodiploid genomes (multiple monosomies) and 2 cases showing evidence of pseudo-hyperdiploidy due to probable endoreduplication. Both pseudo-hyperdiploid cases were ≥10 cm in size; 1 represented local recurrence. Chromosomes 1 to 3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 22 demonstrated LOH in ≥75% of cases (chromosomes 1 to 3, 6, and 9 in 100% of cases), while chromosomes 5, 12, 19, and 20 universally retained heterozygosity. Altogether, widespread LOH is a recurrent event in OM and a novel finding in odontogenic pathology, and allele-specific copy number variation analysis can serve as a diagnostic adjunct in challenging cases.

copy number variation

Targeted loss of heterozygosity in Candida albicans using CRISPR-Cas9 reveals the functional impact of allelic variation.

The diploid genome of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is highly heterozygous, with most allele pairs diverging at either the coding or regulatory level. When faced with selection pressure like antifungal exposure, this hidden genetic diversity can provide a reservoir of adaptive mutations through loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events. Validating the potential phenotypic impact of LOH events observed in clinical or experimentally evolved strains can be difficult due to the challenge of precisely targeting one allele over the other. Here, we show that a CRISPR-Cas9 system can be used to overcome this challenge. By designing allele-specific guide RNA sequences, we can induce targeted, directed LOH events, which we validate by whole-genome long-read sequencing. Using this approach, we efficiently recapitulate a recently described LOH event that increases resistance to the antifungal fluconazole. Additionally, we find that the recombination tracts of these induced LOH events have similar lengths to those observed naturally. To facilitate future use of this method, we provide a database of allele-specific sgRNA sequences for Cas9 that provide near genome-wide coverage of heterozygous sites through either direct or indirect targeting. This approach will be useful in probing the adaptive role of LOH events in this important human pathogen.

Candida albicans

Persistent Genomic Erosion in Whooping Cranes Despite Demographic Recovery.

Integrating in-situ (wild) and ex-situ (captive) conservation efforts can mitigate genetic diversity loss and help prevent extinction of endangered wild populations. The whooping crane (Grus americana) experienced severe population declines in the 18th century, culminating in a collapse to ~20 individuals by 1944. Legal protections and conservation actions have since increased the census population from a stock of 16 individuals to approximately 840 individuals, yet the impact on genomic diversity remains unclear. We analysed the temporal dynamics of genomic erosion by sequencing a high-quality reference genome, and re-sequencing 16 historical (years 1867-1893) and 37 modern (2007-2020) genomes, including wild individuals and four generations of captive-bred individuals. Genomic demographic reconstructions reveal a steady decline, accelerating over the past 300 years with the European settlement of North America. Temporal genomic analyses show that despite demographic recovery, the species has lost 70% of its historical genetic diversity and has increased its inbreeding. Although the modern population bottleneck reduced the ancestral genetic load, modern populations possess more realised load than masked load, possibly resulting in a chronic loss of fitness. Integrating pedigree and genomic data, we underscore the role of breeding management in reducing recent inbreeding. Yet ongoing heterozygosity loss, load accumulation, and persistent effects of historical inbreeding (i.e., background inbreeding) argue against the species' downlisting from its current Endangered status on the IUCN Red List and the Endangered Species Act. The presence of private genetic variation in wild and captive populations suggests that wild-captive crosses could enhance genetic diversity and reduce the realised load. Our findings emphasise the role of genomics in informing conservation management and policy.

Animals

Convergent IGF2 overexpression in pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma: insights from Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an imprinting disorder characterized by overgrowth and tumor predisposition, caused by dysregulated expression of genes on chromosome 11p15.5. An association between BWS and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) has been suggested in isolated case reports over the past fifty years, but the molecular basis for this link remains unclear. We identified four patients with BWS who developed metastatic PPGL and investigated IGF2 pathway activation in these tumors and in PPGL across various genotypes. Pan-cancer transcriptomic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) demonstrated that PPGL overexpresses IGF2, with pseudohypoxic tumors exhibiting higher expression compared to other molecular clusters. Loss of heterozygosity and loss of imprinting at 11p15.5 partially explain this overexpression, with PPGL additionally demonstrating globally elevated expression of imprinted genes compared to most other tumor types, suggesting a broader relaxation of genomic imprinting. Cognate receptor profiling revealed that PPGLs are equipped to respond to IGF2 signaling, with high expression of IGF1R and insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A). Immunohistochemistry confirmed IGF2 protein overexpression in both BWS-associated and genotypically diverse sporadic PPGLs. Our results indicate that IGF2 overexpression is a convergent molecular feature of PPGL across genotypes and suggest the IGF2 pathway as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target.

Humans

An Integrated Clinical Genomic and Transcriptomic Subgrouping of Central Chondrosarcoma.

Central conventional chondrosarcoma, a malignant cartilage-producing bone tumor, is the second most common bone sarcoma. Chondrosarcomas are histologically graded, which is so far the best predictor of survival. Early mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 genes are frequent, leading to the production of the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate, which affects DNA methylation, resulting in a preferred chondrogenic differentiation over osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, which are currently considered the precursor cells of chondrosarcoma. DNA methylation profiling has previously revealed distinct profiles between IDH-mutant and IDH-wild-type chondrosarcomas, but the presence of further DNA methylation subgroups indicates that classification based solely on IDH status is too simplistic. In this study, we aim to identify biological subgroups in a total of 116 chondrosarcomas by integrating clinical data, IDH mutation status, gene expression, and genome-wide loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Clinical associations were observed between several factors, including sex and histological grade, as well as tumor site and IDH mutation status. RNA sequencing and genome-wide LOH confirmed the distinction between IDH-wild-type and IDH-mutant chondrosarcomas, where the number of chromosome arms affected by LOH was significantly higher in IDH-wild-type tumors than in IDH-mutant tumors. However, no clear subgroups emerged within each IDH group. Further clustering on RNA expression of differentiation markers identified subgroups characterized by chondrogenic, osteogenic, resting chondrocyte, or dedifferentiated profiles. These different subgroups showed a specific clinical presentation and suggest different precursor cells. Instead of a simple dichotomy between IDH-mutant and IDH-wild-type, our integrated approach highlights interconnected clinical, genomic, and transcriptomic patterns that offer a more nuanced view of chondrosarcoma biology and might potentially guide treatment stratification.

Humans

Increased somatic mosaicism in autosomal and X chromosomes for suicide death.

Mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs) are classified as mosaic deletions (loss), copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH), and duplications (gain), attracting special attention as biological aging-related acquired genetic alterations. While these mCAs have been linked with aging and various diseases, no study has investigated their association with suicide risk which is associated with abnormal biological aging. Here, we examined the association between suicide deaths and mCAs, including mosaic loss of the X (mLOX) and Y chromosomes, by leveraging blood-derived single nucleotide polymorphism-array data. The first (410 suicide decedents and 88,870 controls) and the second (363 suicide decedents and 88,870 controls) cohorts were analyzed and integrated using meta-analyses (773 suicide decedents and 177,740 controls). Total mCAs in autosomal chromosomes were significantly increased in suicide (p = 1.28 × 10-6, odds ratio [OR] = 1.78), mostly driven by loss (p = 4.05 × 10-9, OR = 2.70) and gain (p = 1.08 × 10-3, OR = 2.23). mLOX were significantly increased in female suicide (p = 2.66 × 10-21, OR = 4.00). The directions of effects of all mCAs in autosomal and sex chromosomes on suicide were the same in the first and second sets. Subgroup analyses suggest that our findings were mostly driven by suicide itself, and not confounded by comorbid psychiatric disorders or physical diseases, smoking status, sample location, or postmortem sample status. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence for aberrant mCAs in somatic autosomal and X chromosomes in suicide, which may contribute to an improved understanding of the genomic pathophysiology underlying suicide.

Humans

The mutation landscape of Daphnia obtusa reveals evolutionary forces shaping genome stability.

Spontaneous mutations are the primary source of genetic variation and play a central role in shaping evolutionary processes. To investigate mutational dynamics in Daphnia obtusa, we generated a chromosome-level genome assembly spanning 129.4 Mb across 12 chromosomes, encompassing 15,321 predicted protein-coding genes. Leveraging whole-genome sequencing of eight mutation accumulation (MA) lines propagated for an average of 482 generations (spanning over 20 years), we estimated a spontaneous single nucleotide mutation (SNM) rate of 2.23 × 10-9 and an indel mutation rate of 2.75 × 10-10 per site per generation. The SNM spectrum was strongly biased toward C:G > T:A transitions. Comparative analyses with natural population data revealed that exonic mutations observed in the MA lines were significantly less likely to be present in standing variation than intronic or intergenic mutations, suggesting that purifying selection in natural populations acts to remove deleterious alleles. We also identified 48 de novo loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) events, comprising 8 heterozygous deletions and 40 gene conversion events. The genome-wide gene conversion rate was estimated at 2.62 × 10-5 per heterozygous site per generation. These findings provide a comprehensive view of the mutation spectrum, selective pressures, and mechanisms underlying genome stability in D. obtusa.

Daphnia obtusa

Absolute copy number aware CNV calling of sub-megabase segments in ultra-low coverage single-cell DNA sequencing data.

Recent advances in ultra-low coverage whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of single cells have enabled detailed analysis of copy number variation at a throughput approaching that of single-cell RNA sequencing. However, downstream computational methods have not seen comparable advances and are largely adaptations of deep sequencing methodology with reduced precision. Here, we present ASCENT, a computational method built to take full advantage of modern direct tagmentation-based WGS at ultra-low depth. Using joint segmentation with high-resolution bins, we accurately detect small segments, achieving accurate copy number profiles even at 100 000 reads per cell. ASCENT implements true absolute copy state inference for single cells, based on statistical modeling of coverage rather than comparison to a reference, while taking variable segment copy state into account. Further, ASCENT implements per-segment copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (LOH) calling without the need for non-tumor or bulk WGS reference. When applied to a pediatric B-ALL sample, ASCENT finds copy-neutral LOH in a small segment and a minor subclone defined by breakpoints missed in bulk WGS. Thus, by applying appropriate computational methods, single-cell WGS provides clear advantages over bulk, even at a relatively low cell number and sequencing depth.

DNA Copy Number Variations

Comparative analysis of distinct genomic landscapes in young-onset gBRCA1/2 breast cancer.

Carriers of germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants (gBRCA1/2 PVs) have elevated young-onset breast cancer risk. To define the pretreatment genomic landscapes of young-onset gBRCA-associated breast cancer, we evaluated 136 treatment-naive tumors diagnosed before age 50 in the prospective POSH study and 66 noncarriers from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Using whole-exome sequencing, we analyzed somatic variation, allele-specific loss of heterozygosity (asLOH), homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and single-base substitution (SBS) signatures. gBRCA1 and gBRCA2 breast cancers had high rates of asLOH but differed significantly in average HRD scores and median SBS composition of signatures SBS1 (aging-associated), SBS18 (ROS-associated), and SBS3 (HRD-associated). Compared with gBRCA2 tumors, gBRCA1 tumors with asLOH were significantly enriched for alterations in hallmark ROS, DNA repair, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathways. In ER-positive, HER2-negative tumors from gBRCA1/2 carriers compared with noncarriers, we found significant enrichment of RB1, TP53, FAT1, and MYC single-nucleotide variants, indels, and copy number variants associated with CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) resistance. Together, these findings demonstrate significant differences between gBRCA1- and gBRCA2-associated breast cancers, and preexisting CDK4/6i resistance mechanisms, supporting prospective trials comparing individualized therapy for gBRCA1 versus gBRCA2 carriers and comparing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors versus CDK4/6i for ER-positive gBRCA1/2-associated breast cancer.

Humans

Postzygotic biallelic inactivation of FDFT1 underlies solitary lesion formation in porokeratosis of Mibelli.

BACKGROUND: Porokeratosis reflects clonal expansion of keratinocytes with biallelic inactivation of mevalonate-cholesterol biosynthesis pathway genes. In disseminated porokeratosis (DP), lesions arise through independent somatic second hits in carriers of heterozygous germline pathogenic variants, whereas porokeratosis of Mibelli (PM) is usually solitary, and its molecular basis remains incompletely defined. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the molecular basis of solitary PM. METHODS: We analyzed blood and lesional epidermis from seven patients with solitary PM within a 156-patient porokeratosis cohort using deep sequencing, copy-number/SNP profiling, and methylation analysis. RESULTS: Solitary PM plaques were larger and more irregular than the annular DP lesions. No pathogenic germline variants were detected in MVK, PMVK, MVD, FDPS, or FDFT1. Three patients had somatic biallelic genetic inactivation of FDFT1 through putative deleterious variants and/or focal microdeletions. The remaining four showed FDFT1 promoter hypermethylation with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the FDFT1 locus due to copy-neutral LOH or a monoallelic 8p deletion, consistent with early monoallelic epigenetic silencing, followed by genetic loss of the remaining active allele. In one patient, part of the plaque expanded centrifugally over 7.5 years. CONCLUSION: Solitary PM can be driven by postzygotic, lesion-restricted, biallelic inactivation of FDFT1 through genetic or epigenetic mechanisms within a single epidermal clone, promoting clonal expansion. This model may explain the tendency toward solitary PM lesions. The low probability of acquiring postzygotic biallelic inactivation without germline predisposition may underlie solitary PM and suggest a low recurrence risk for offspring, unlike DP driven by germline heterozygosity.

General dermatology

Discordant neoplasms in monozygotic twins with a germline RECQL5 variant.

RECQL5 is a member of the RecQ helicase family involved in DNA replication, homologous recombination, and maintenance of genomic stability. While germline pathogenic variants in other RecQ helicases cause established cancer predisposition syndromes, the role of RECQL5 in human cancer susceptibility remains uncertain. We report monozygotic adolescent twins with distinct tumors: dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor in one twin and Burkitt lymphoma in the other. Clinical genome sequencing was initially nondiagnostic, but reanalysis identified a rare heterozygous nonsense variant in RECQL5 (NM_004259.7:c.2698C>T, p.(Gln900Ter)), present in both twins and their unaffected mother. The variant is predicted to undergo nonsense-mediated mRNA decay or produce a truncated protein lacking the C-terminal SRI (Set2-Rpb1 interacting) domain, which mediates interaction with RNA polymerase II. However, tumor sequencing data were not available to evaluate loss of heterozygosity or second somatic events. Given the unaffected carrier parent, lack of tumor molecular confirmation, and the biological heterogeneity of the tumors, a causal relationship for this variant cannot be established. This case highlights the challenges of interpreting rare germline variants in genes with emerging but incompletely characterized disease associations. Although the available evidence is insufficient to establish a definitive causal relationship, the identification of a shared loss-of-function RECQL5 variant in monozygotic twins with distinct tumors is noteworthy and adds to the limited clinical evidence suggesting a potential role for RECQL5 in cancer susceptibility. Additional functional studies, tumor-based analyses and the accumulation of well-characterized clinical cases will be essential to determine whether RECQL5 contributes to hereditary cancer predisposition.

Adolescent

Factors Impacting Overall Survival Post-Relapse in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Children's Oncology Group Outcomes From 2000 to 2019.

PURPOSE: Prior studies of features impacting post-relapse survival in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB) evaluated patient cohorts that did not receive contemporary high-risk or relapse therapies. We describe overall survival (OS) after first progression or first relapse of HRNB in a modern cohort. METHODS: Patients with HRNB enrolled on COG ANBL00B1(NCT00904241) between 2000 and 2019, who had relapsed or progressive disease were eligible. Clinical and molecular risk factors at diagnosis, therapy era, clinical trial enrollment, and clinical features at relapse, including site of and time to relapse, were evaluated. OS post-relapse was compared between groups using log-rank tests and Cox models. RESULTS: Among 4253 eligible HRNB patients, 1616 had relapse or progression as a first event. Five-year OS post-relapse was 19.1&#xa0;&#xb1;&#xa0;1.1%. The risk group with the lowest post-relapse survival was observed in patients with INSS Stage 4 or 4S disease <&#xa0;18 months of age at diagnosis with MYCN amplified (MYCN-A) tumors. The other significant most unfavorable factors at diagnosis included diagnosis 2000-2004, tumor MYCN-A, 1p loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and elevated LDH or ferritin. Unfavorable factors at relapse included the time to relapse <&#xa0;36 months from diagnosis, and combined local and metastatic disease at relapse. Multivariable analysis indicated that those with tumors harboring 1p LOH, age &#x2264;&#xa0;5 years at diagnosis, or earlier treatment therapy era (2000-2004) had a higher risk of post-relapse death. CONCLUSIONS: While the 5-year OS rate was low in this cohort, there are subsets of patients with relapsed HRNB who demonstrate long-term survival. TRIALS REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00904241.

Humans

Pleomorphic Liposarcoma: Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of 39 Cases With Comparison to Other Genomically Complex Sarcomas.

Pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS) is an aggressive high-grade sarcoma that often shows diverse morphological features and can mimic high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS)/spindle cell sarcoma or myxofibrosarcoma (MFS), especially when pleomorphic lipoblasts are sparse. The molecular profile of PLPS is distinct from well differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcoma and myxoid liposarcoma. In this study, we investigate 39 cases of PLPS by comprehensive genomic profiling, occurring in 32 patients with available molecular data. Cases were reviewed and morphologic parameters-lipoblastic component, UPS-like, and MFS-like areas were estimated. The genomic findings were collected and compared to UPS and MFS groups studied using the same platform. The cohort included 15 females and 17 males, with a median age of 56.5 (range, 34-78). The lower extremity (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;17) was the most common site involved, followed by upper extremity (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;5) and pelvis (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;5). UPS-like and MFS-like patterns were the most common morphologic variants, ranging from 15% to 95% and 20% to 90%, respectively. TP53 (87%) and RB1 (51%) mutations and copy number alterations were the most common alterations seen, followed by ATRX (36%). Compared to UPS and MFS, TP53 and RB1 gene alterations were significantly more common in PLPS. Conversely, CDKN2A/B deletions were infrequent in PLPS. Survival analysis showed that MYC amplification was associated with significantly shorter overall survival in PLPS. Among histologic variants, CYSLTR2 alterations were found to be highest in cases with predominantly pleomorphic lipoblasts; additionally, strong correlations were found between gene alteration frequencies of MFS and MFS-like PLPS, and between UPS and UPS-like PLPS. RB1 allele-specific copy number analysis showed loss of heterozygosity in 82% of cases. Our cohort of PLPS showed a complex molecular landscape with distinct genetic alterations, histologic correlations, and clinical outcomes, highlighting its unique position among genomically complex sarcomas and providing insights that may inform future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Humans

High-grade gliomas derived from an ovarian mature teratoma: clonal dynamics and genetic insights.

UNLABELLED: High-grade glioma (HGG) arising from a mature ovarian teratoma is extremely rare and its genetic alterations remain largely unknown. We report a case of WHO Grade 4 HGG (HGG-G4) developing 3 years after cystectomy for ovarian mature teratoma, where a WHO Grade 3 HGG (HGG-G3) was identified upon pathological reevaluation. Whole-exome sequencing confirmed the clonal relationship between HGG-G3 and HGG-G4, revealing genome-wide copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity, copy-number alterations, and whole-genome doubling in both HGGs. Genomic and epigenetic analyses have suggested multistep tumorigenesis and clonal alteration during the clinical course, particularly in response to chemotherapy, in HGGs arising from ovarian teratomas. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13691-025-00790-x.

High-grade glioma

Prognostic and predictive value of HRD in early triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

This review explores the emerging role of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) as both a prognostic and predictive biomarker in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). HRD arises from the defective repair of DNA double-strand breaks through homologous recombination, resulting in genomic instability and increased sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents such as platinum compounds. The review outlines the biological basis of HRD, including genomic signatures such as loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance, and large-scale state transitions, and highlights its prevalence in TNBC compared with other breast cancer subtypes. Clinical trials have shown that HRD-positive patients often achieve higher pathological complete response rates and improved disease-free survival when treated with chemotherapy. However, conflicting evidence across trials underscores the need for more reliable and standardized methods for HRD assessment. The review also explores the therapeutic potential of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in TNBC, particularly in BRCA-mutated or HRD-positive tumors. Agents such as olaparib, talazoparib, and niraparib have demonstrated promising efficacy in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings with some trials suggesting that selected patients may avoid chemotherapy. Furthermore, HRD-positive tumors are characterized by increased genomic instability and a higher neoantigen burden, promoting immune cell infiltration, particularly of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which may enhance responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Overall, current evidence supports the role of HRD as a promising biomarker in TNBC. However, further research is required to refine its clinical utility and to integrate HRD testing into personalized treatment strategies, especially in combination with emerging therapies such as immunotherapy.

Humans