Genetic drivers and cellular selection of female mosaic X chromosome loss.

Mosaic loss of the X chromosome (mLOX) is the most common clonal somatic alteration in leukocytes of female individuals1,2, but little is known about its genetic determinants or phenotypic consequences. Here, to address this, we used data from 883,574 female participants across 8 biobanks; 12% of participants exhibited detectable mLOX in approximately 2% of leukocytes. Female participants with mLOX had an increased risk of myeloid and lymphoid leukaemias. Genetic analyses identified 56 common variants associated with mLOX, implicating genes with roles in chromosomal missegregation, cancer predisposition and autoimmune diseases. Exome-sequence analyses identified rare missense variants in FBXO10 that confer a twofold increased risk of mLOX. Only a small fraction of associations was shared with mosaic Y chromosome loss, suggesting that distinct biological processes drive formation and clonal expansion of sex chromosome missegregation. Allelic shift analyses identified X chromosome alleles that are preferentially retained in mLOX, demonstrating variation at many loci under cellular selection. A polygenic score including 44 allelic shift loci correctly inferred the retained X chromosomes in 80.7% of mLOX cases in the top decile. Our results support a model in which germline variants predispose female individuals to acquiring mLOX, with the allelic content of the X chromosome possibly shaping the magnitude of clonal expansion.

Targeted long-read sequencing of the Ewing sarcoma 6p25.1 susceptibility locus identifies germline-somatic interactions with EWSR1-FLI1 binding.

Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a rare bone and soft tissue malignancy driven by chromosomal translocations encoding chimeric transcription factors, such as EWSR1-FLI1, that bind GGAA motifs forming novel enhancers that alter nearby expression. We propose that germline microsatellite variation at the 6p25.1 EwS susceptibility locus could impact downstream gene expression and EwS biology. We performed targeted long-read sequencing of EwS blood DNA to characterize variation and genomic features important for EWSR1-FLI1 binding. We identified 50 microsatellite alleles at 6p25.1 and observed that EwS-affected individuals had longer alleles (>135 bp) with more GGAA repeats. The 6p25.1 GGAA microsatellite showed chromatin features of an EWSR1-FLI1 enhancer and regulated expression of RREB1, a transcription factor associated with RAS/MAPK signaling. RREB1 knockdown reduced proliferation and clonogenic potential and reduced expression of cell cycle and DNA replication genes. Our integrative analysis at 6p25.1 details increased binding of longer GGAA microsatellite alleles with acquired EWSR-FLI1 to promote Ewing sarcomagenesis by RREB1-mediated proliferation.

Serum biomarkers are altered in UK Biobank participants with mosaic chromosomal alterations.

Age-related clonal expansion of cells harbouring mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs) is one manifestation of clonal haematopoiesis. Identifying factors that influence the generation and promotion of clonal expansion of mCAs are key to investigate the role of mCAs in health and disease. Herein, we report on widely measured serum biomarkers and their possible association with mCAs, which could provide new insights into molecular alterations that promote acquisition and clonal expansion. We performed a cross-sectional investigation of the association of 32 widely measured serum biomarkers with autosomal mCAs, mosaic loss of the Y chromosome, and mosaic loss of the X chromosome in 436 784 cancer-free participants from the UK Biobank. mCAs were associated with a range of commonly measured serum biomarkers such as lipid levels, circulating sex hormones, blood sugar homeostasis, inflammation and immune function, vitamins and minerals, kidney function, and liver function. Biomarker levels in participants with mCAs were estimated to differ by up to 5% relative to mCA-free participants, and individuals with higher cell fraction mCAs had greater deviation in mean biomarker values. Polygenic scores associated with sex hormone binding globulin, vitamin D, and total cholesterol were also associated with mCAs. Overall, we observed commonly used clinical serum biomarkers related to disease risk are associated with mCAs, suggesting mechanisms involved in these diseases could be related to mCA proliferation and clonal expansion.

Genetic testing in severe aplastic anemia is required for optimal hematopoietic cell transplant outcomes.

Patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) can have an unrecognized inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) because of phenotypic heterogeneity. We curated germline genetic variants in 104 IBMFS-associated genes from exome sequencing performed on 732 patients who underwent hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) between 1989 and 2015 for acquired SAA. Patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants fitting known disease zygosity patterns were deemed unrecognized IBMFS. Carriers were defined as patients with a single P/LP variant in an autosomal recessive gene or females with an X-linked recessive P/LP variant. Cox proportional hazard models were used for survival analysis with follow-up until 2017. We identified 113 P/LP single-nucleotide variants or small insertions/deletions and 10 copy number variants across 42 genes in 121 patients. Ninety-one patients had 105 in silico predicted deleterious variants of uncertain significance (dVUS). Forty-eight patients (6.6%) had an unrecognized IBMFS (33% adults), and 73 (10%) were carriers. No survival difference between dVUS and acquired SAA was noted. Compared with acquired SAA (no P/LP variants), patients with unrecognized IBMFS, but not carriers, had worse survival after HCT (IBMFS hazard ratio [HR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval[CI], 1.40-3.24; P = .0004; carriers HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.62-1.50; P = .86). Results were similar in analyses restricted to patients receiving reduced-intensity conditioning (n = 448; HR IBMFS = 2.39; P = .01). The excess mortality risk in unrecognized IBMFS attributed to death from organ failure (HR = 4.88; P < .0001). Genetic testing should be part of the diagnostic evaluation for all patients with SAA to tailor therapeutic regimens. Carriers of a pathogenic variant in an IBMFS gene can follow HCT regimens for acquired SAA.

Genome-wide Association Study Identifies HLA-DPB1 as a Significant Risk Factor for Severe Aplastic Anemia.

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a rare disorder characterized by hypoplastic bone marrow and progressive pancytopenia. The etiology of acquired SAA is not understood but is likely related to abnormal immune responses and environmental exposures. We conducted a genome-wide association study of individuals with SAA genetically matched to healthy controls in discovery (359 cases, 1,396 controls) and validation sets (175 cases, 1,059 controls). Combined analyses identified linked SNPs in distinct blocks within the major histocompatibility complex on 6p21. The top SNP encodes p.Met76Val in the P4 binding pocket of the HLA class II gene HLA-DPB1 (rs1042151A>G, odds ratio [OR] 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-2.03, p = 1.94 × 10-13) and was associated with HLA-DP cell surface expression in healthy individuals (p = 2.04 × 10-6). Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Val76 is not monophyletic and likely occurs in conjunction with different HLA-DP binding groove conformations. Imputation of HLA-DPB1 alleles revealed increased risk of SAA associated with Val76-encoding alleles DPB1∗03:01, (OR 1.66, p = 1.52 × 10-7), DPB1∗10:01 (OR 2.12, p = 0.0003), and DPB1∗01:01 (OR 1.60, p = 0.0008). A second SNP near HLA-B, rs28367832G>A, reached genome-wide significance (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.22-1.78, p = 7.27 × 10-9) in combined analyses; the association remained significant after excluding cases with clonal copy-neutral loss-of-heterozygosity affecting class I HLA genes (8.6% of cases and 0% of controls). SNPs in the HLA class II gene HLA-DPB1 and possibly class I (HLA-B) are associated with SAA. The replacement of Met76 to Val76 in certain HLA-DPB1 alleles might influence risk of SAA through mechanisms involving DP peptide binding specificity, expression, and/or other factors affecting DP function.

Rare germline variants in PALB2 and BRCA2 in familial and sporadic chordoma.

Chordoma is a rare bone tumor with genetic risk factors largely unknown. We conducted a whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis of germline DNA from 19 familial chordoma cases in five pedigrees and 137 sporadic chordoma patients and identified 17 rare germline variants in PALB2 and BRCA2, whose products play essential roles in homologous recombination (HR) and tumor suppression. One PALB2 variant showed disease cosegregation in a family with four affected people or obligate gene carrier. Chordoma cases had a significantly increased burden of rare variants in both genes when compared to population-based controls. Four of the six PALB2 variants identified from chordoma patients modestly affected HR function and three of the 11 BRCA2 variants caused loss of function in experimental assays. These results, together with previous reports of abnormal morphology and Brachyury expression of the notochord in Palb2 knockout mouse embryos and genomic signatures associated with HR defect and HR gene mutations in advanced chordomas, suggest that germline mutations in PALB2 and BRCA2 may increase chordoma susceptibility. Our data shed light on the etiology of chordoma and support the previous finding that PARP-1 inhibitors may be a potential therapy for some chordoma patients.

Characterization of breakpoint regions of large structural autosomal mosaic events.

Recent studies have reported a higher than anticipated frequency of large clonal autosomal mosaic events >2 Mb in size in the aging population. Mosaic events are detected from analyses of intensity parameters of linear stretches with deviations in heterozygous probes of single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays. The non-random distribution of detected mosaic events throughout the genome suggests common mechanisms could influence the formation of mosaic events. Here we use publicly available data tracks from the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser to investigate the genomic characteristics of the regions at the terminal ends of two frequent types of large structural mosaic events: telomeric neutral events and interstitial losses. We observed breakpoints are more likely to occur in regions enriched for open chromatin, increased gene density, elevated meiotic recombination rates and in the proximity of repetitive elements. These observations suggest that detected mosaic event breakpoints are preferentially recovered in genomic regions that are observed to be active and thus more accessible to environmental exposures and events related to gene transcription. We propose that errors in DNA repair pathways, such as non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination, may be important cellular mechanisms that lead to the formation of large structural mosaic events such as interstitial losses and copy neutral events that include telomeres. Further studies using next generation sequencing technologies should be instrumental in mapping the specific junctions of mosaic events to the nucleotide and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for clonal somatic structural events.

Characterising cis-regulatory variation in the transcriptome of histologically normal and tumour-derived pancreatic tissues.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the genetic architecture of gene expression in pancreatic tissues. DESIGN: We performed expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis in histologically normal pancreatic tissue samples (n=95) using RNA sequencing and the corresponding 1000 genomes imputed germline genotypes. Data from pancreatic tumour-derived tissue samples (n=115) from The Cancer Genome Atlas were included for comparison. RESULTS: We identified 38 615 cis-eQTLs (in 484 genes) in histologically normal tissues and 39 713 cis-eQTL (in 237 genes) in tumour-derived tissues (false discovery rate <0.1), with the strongest effects seen near transcriptional start sites. Approximately 23% and 42% of genes with significant cis-eQTLs appeared to be specific for tumour-derived and normal-derived tissues, respectively. Significant enrichment of cis-eQTL variants was noted in non-coding regulatory regions, in particular for pancreatic tissues (1.53-fold to 3.12-fold, p≤0.0001), indicating tissue-specific functional relevance. A common pancreatic cancer risk locus on 9q34.2 (rs687289) was associated with ABO expression in histologically normal (p=5.8×10-8) and tumour-derived (p=8.3×10-5) tissues. The high linkage disequilibrium between this variant and the O blood group generating deletion variant in ABO (exon 6) suggested that nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of the 'O' mRNA might explain this finding. However, knockdown of crucial NMD regulators did not influence decay of the ABO 'O' mRNA, indicating that a gene regulatory element influenced by pancreatic cancer risk alleles may underlie the eQTL. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified cis-eQTLs representing potential functional regulatory variants in the pancreas and generated a rich data set for further studies on gene expression and its regulation in pancreatic tissues.

Successful use of whole genome amplified DNA from multiple source types for high-density Illumina SNP microarrays.

BACKGROUND: The recommended genomic DNA input requirements for whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays can limit the scope of molecular epidemiological studies. We performed a large-scale evaluation of whole genome amplified DNA as input into high-density, whole-genome Illumina® Infinium® SNP microarray. RESULTS: Overall, 6622 DNA samples from 5970 individuals were obtained from three distinct biospecimen sources and genotyped using gDNA and/or wgaDNA inputs. When genotypes from the same individual were compared with standard, native gDNA input amount, we observed 99.94% mean concordance with wgaDNA input. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that carefully conducted studies with wgaDNA inputs can yield high-quality genotyping results. These findings should enable investigators to consider expansion of ongoing studies using high-density SNP microarrays, currently challenged by small amounts of available DNA.

Chromosomal Aberrations and Survival after Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Patients with Fanconi Anemia.

Studies of chromosomal aberrations in blood or bone marrow of patients with Fanconi anemia (FA) have focused on their associations with leukemic transformation. The role of such abnormalities on outcomes after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is unclear. We used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism arrays to identify chromosomal aberrations in pre-HCT blood samples from 73 patients with FA who received unrelated donor HCT for severe aplastic anemia between 1991 and 2007. Outcome data and blood samples were available through the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. For survival analyses, we used the Kaplan-Meier estimator to calculate the survival probabilities and the exact log-rank test to compare the survival differences across groups. Chromosomal aberrations were detected in 16 (22%) patients; most frequent were clonal copy loss in chromosome 7 (9.6%), clonal copy gains in the long arm (q) of chromosome 1 (chr1q+) (8.2%), and clonal or complete copy gains in the q arm of chromosome 3 (chr3q+) (8.2%). Seven (9.6%) patients had alterations in 3 or more chromosomes. Poor post-HCT overall survival (OS) was noted in patients with chr3q+ (P = .04), or those with abnormalities in ≥3 chromosomes (P = .03). The 1-year OS was 0% versus 45% in patients with either alteration versus its absence. No statistically significant differences in OS were noted in patients carrying deletions in chr7 (1-year OS = 29% versus 42%; log-rank P = .74). The study is limited by the small sample size. A larger, prospective study is warranted to validate our findings in light of recent improvement in transplant modalities and outcomes.

Characterization of large structural genetic mosaicism in human autosomes.

Analyses of genome-wide association study (GWAS) data have revealed that detectable genetic mosaicism involving large (>2 Mb) structural autosomal alterations occurs in a fraction of individuals. We present results for a set of 24,849 genotyped individuals (total GWAS set II [TGSII]) in whom 341 large autosomal abnormalities were observed in 168 (0.68%) individuals. Merging data from the new TGSII set with data from two prior reports (the Gene-Environment Association Studies and the total GWAS set I) generated a large dataset of 127,179 individuals; we then conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the patterns of detectable autosomal mosaicism (n = 1,315 events in 925 [0.73%] individuals). Restricting to events >2 Mb in size, we observed an increase in event frequency as event size decreased. The combined results underscore that the rate of detectable mosaicism increases with age (p value = 5.5 × 10(-31)) and is higher in men (p value = 0.002) but lower in participants of African ancestry (p value = 0.003). In a subset of 47 individuals from whom serial samples were collected up to 6 years apart, complex changes were noted over time and showed an overall increase in the proportion of mosaic cells as age increased. Our large combined sample allowed for a unique ability to characterize detectable genetic mosaicism involving large structural events and strengthens the emerging evidence of non-random erosion of the genome in the aging population.

Combined somatic mutation and copy number analysis in the survival of familial CLL.

Recurrent large-scale somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), and somatic point mutations can be analysed to stratify patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) into distinct prognostic groups. To investigate the relationship between SCNAs and somatic mutations, we performed whole-exome sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism microarray analyses on 98 CLL patients from 40 families with a high burden of CLL. Overall, 69 somatic mutations in 29 CLL driver genes were detected among 45 subjects (46%), with the most frequently mutated genes being TP53 (8·2%), NOTCH1 (8·2%) and ATM (5·1%). Additionally, 142 SCNAs from 54 subjects (57%) were detected, including losses of chromosome 13q14 (28·9%), 11q (5·6%), 17p (2·1%), and gain of chromosome 12 (4·2%). We found that patients having both an adverse point mutation in a CLL driver gene and an unfavourable SCNA tended to have poorer survival (Hazard ratio [HR] = 3·17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0·97-10·35; P = 0·056) than patients having either a point mutation (HR = 1·34, 95%CI = 0·66-2·71; P = 0·42) or SCNAs (HR = 2·65, 95%CI = 0·77-9·13; P = 0·12). TP53 mutation carriers were associated with the poorest overall survival (HR = 4·39, 95%CI = 1·28-15·04; P = 0·018). Our study suggests that combining SCNA and mutational data could contribute to predicting outcome in familial CLL.

Complex phenotype of dyskeratosis congenita and mood dysregulation with novel homozygous RTEL1 and TPH1 variants.

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome caused by germline mutations in telomere biology genes. Patients have extremely short telomeres for their age and a complex phenotype including oral leukoplakia, abnormal skin pigmentation, and dysplastic nails in addition to bone marrow failure, pulmonary fibrosis, stenosis of the esophagus, lacrimal ducts and urethra, developmental anomalies, and high risk of cancer. We evaluated a patient with features of DC, mood dysregulation, diabetes, and lack of pubertal development. Family history was not available but genome-wide genotyping was consistent with consanguinity. Whole exome sequencing identified 82 variants of interest in 80 genes based on the following criteria: homozygous, <0.1% minor allele frequency in public and in-house databases, nonsynonymous, and predicted deleterious by multiple in silico prediction programs. Six genes were identified likely contributory to the clinical presentation. The cause of DC is likely due to homozygous splice site variants in regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1, a known DC and telomere biology gene. A homozygous, missense variant in tryptophan hydroxylase 1 may be clinically important as this gene encodes the rate limiting step in serotonin biosynthesis, a biologic pathway connected with mood disorders. Four additional genes (SCN4A, LRP4, GDAP1L1, and SPTBN5) had rare, missense homozygous variants that we speculate may contribute to portions of the clinical phenotype. This case illustrates the value of conducting detailed clinical and genomic evaluations on rare patients in order to identify new areas of research into the functional consequences of rare variants and their contribution to human disease.

Novel and known ribosomal causes of Diamond-Blackfan anaemia identified through comprehensive genomic characterisation.

BACKGROUND: Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) characterised by erythroid hypoplasia. It is associated with congenital anomalies and a high risk of developing specific cancers. DBA is caused predominantly by autosomal dominant pathogenic variants in at least 15 genes affecting ribosomal biogenesis and function. Two X-linked recessive genes have been identified. OBJECTIVES: We aim to identify the genetic aetiology of DBA. METHODS: Of 87 families with DBA enrolled in an institutional review board-approved cohort study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT00027274), 61 had genetic testing information available. Thirty-five families did not have a known genetic cause and thus underwent comprehensive genomic evaluation with whole exome sequencing, deletion and CNV analyses to identify their disease-associated pathogenic variant. Controls for functional studies were healthy mutation-negative individuals enrolled in the same study. RESULTS: Our analyses uncovered heterozygous pathogenic variants in two previously undescribed genes in two families. One family had a non-synonymous variant (p.K77N) in RPL35; the second family had a non-synonymous variant (p. L51S) in RPL18. Both of these variants result in pre-rRNA processing defects. We identified heterozygous pathogenic variants in previously known DBA genes in 16 of 35 families. Seventeen families who underwent genetic analyses are yet to have a genetic cause of disease identified. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, heterozygous pathogenic variants in ribosomal genes were identified in 44 of the 61 families (72%). De novo pathogenic variants were observed in 57% of patients with DBA. Ongoing studies of DBA genomics will be important to understand this complex disorder.

Somatic Genomics and Clinical Features of Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histologic subtype of lung cancer and has a high risk of distant metastasis at every disease stage. We aimed to characterize the genomic landscape of LUAD and identify mutation signatures associated with tumor progression. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed an integrative genomic analysis, incorporating whole exome sequencing (WES), determination of DNA copy number and DNA methylation, and transcriptome sequencing for 101 LUAD samples from the Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) study. We detected driver genes by testing whether the nonsynonymous mutation rate was significantly higher than the background mutation rate and replicated our findings in public datasets with 724 samples. We performed subclonality analysis for mutations based on mutant allele data and copy number alteration data. We also tested the association between mutation signatures and clinical outcomes, including distant metastasis, survival, and tumor grade. We identified and replicated two novel candidate driver genes, POU class 4 homeobox 2 (POU4F2) (mutated in 9 [8.9%] samples) and ZKSCAN1 (mutated in 6 [5.9%] samples), and characterized their major deleterious mutations. ZKSCAN1 was part of a mutually exclusive gene set that included the RTK/RAS/RAF pathway genes BRAF, EGFR, KRAS, MET, and NF1, indicating an important driver role for this gene. Moreover, we observed strong associations between methylation in specific genomic regions and somatic mutation patterns. In the tumor evolution analysis, four driver genes had a significantly lower fraction of subclonal mutations (FSM), including TP53 (p = 0.007), KEAP1 (p = 0.012), STK11 (p = 0.0076), and EGFR (p = 0.0078), suggesting a tumor initiation role for these genes. Subclonal mutations were significantly enriched in APOBEC-related signatures (p < 2.5×10-50). The total number of somatic mutations (p = 0.0039) and the fraction of transitions (p = 5.5×10-4) were associated with increased risk of distant metastasis. Our study's limitations include a small number of LUAD patients for subgroup analyses and a single-sample design for investigation of subclonality. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide a genomic characterization of LUAD pathogenesis and progression. The distinct clonal and subclonal mutation signatures suggest possible diverse carcinogenesis pathways for endogenous and exogenous exposures, and may serve as a foundation for more effective treatments for this lethal disease. LUAD's high heterogeneity emphasizes the need to further study this tumor type and to associate genomic findings with clinical outcomes.

Mosaic 13q14 deletions in peripheral leukocytes of non-hematologic cancer cases and healthy controls.

Loss of 13q14.3 is a chromosomal event found in ~50% of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) cases. Surveys of somatic alterations in solid tumors have shown sporadic 13q14.3 loss in many different tumor types, but not at high frequency in any specific tumor type. In our recent survey of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray data from 127 000 cancer-free or solid tumor cases, we observed mosaic 13q14.3 loss as common autosomal somatic large structural events (>2 Mb in size) in blood and buccal-derived DNA. Herein, we examined this region more closely investigating structural mosaic events <2 Mb using SNP microarray data in 46 254 non-hematologic cancer cases and 36 229 controls. We detected 60 individuals with 13q14.3 mosaic loss, 1 mosaic copy neutral uniparental disomy and 13 individuals with homozygosity. Although 13q14.3 loss size was variable, the minimally deleted region (MDR) (chr13: 49 590 000-49 983 100; GRCh36) was comparable to what is classically reported in MBL and CLL. Breakpoint analysis of the estimated boundaries reveals enrichment for genes and open chromatin. The frequency of 13q14.3 loss significantly increases with increasing age (P-value=0.028), but was not significantly different between non-hematological cancer cases and controls (0.084% versus 0.058%; P-value=0.19). These findings suggest that mosaic 13q14.3 losses accumulate with age. Individuals with detected mosaic 13q14.3 deletions may be early, undetected cases of MBL or CLL, but not necessarily all will develop MBL and CLL.

Associations between mosaic loss of sex chromosomes and incident hospitalization for atrial fibrillation in the United Kingdom.

Background: Mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY) in leukocytes of men reflects genomic instability from aging, smoking, and environmental exposures. A similar mosaic loss of chromosome X (mLOX) occurs among women. However, the associations between mLOY, mLOX, and risk of incident heart diseases are unclear. Methods: We estimated associations between mLOY, mLOX, and risk of incident heart diseases requiring hospitalization, including atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. We analyzed 190,613 men and 224,853 women with genotyping data from the UK Biobank. Among these participants, we analyzed 37,037 men with mLOY and 13,978 women with mLOX detected using Mosaic Chromosomal Alterations caller. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of each incident heart disease in relation to mLOY in men and mLOX in women. Additionally, Mendelian randomization (MR) was conducted to estimate causal associations. Results: Among men, detectable mLOY was associated with elevated risk of atrial fibrillation (HR=1.06, 95%CI:1.03-1.11). The associations were apparent in both never-smokers (HR=1.07, 95%:1.01-1.14) and ever-smokers (HR=1.05, 95%CI:1.01-1.11) as well as men > and ≤60 years of age. MR analyses supported causal associations between mLOY and atrial fibrillation (HRMR-PRESSO=1.15, 95%CI:1.13-1.18). Among post-menopausal women, we found a suggestive inverse association between detectable mLOX and atrial fibrillation risk (HR=0.90, 95%CI:0.83-0.98). However, associations with mLOY and mLOX were not found for other heart diseases. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that mLOY and mLOX reflect sex-specific biological processes or exposure profiles related to incident atrial fibrillation requiring hospitalization.

Molecular landscape of immune pressure and escape in aplastic anemia.

Idiopathic aplastic anemia (IAA) pathophysiology is dominated by autoreactivity of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted T-cells against antigens presented by hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Expansion of PIGA and HLA class I mutant HSPCs have been linked to immune evasion from T-cell mediated pressures. We hypothesized that in analogy with antitumor immunity, the pathophysiological cascade of immune escape in IAA is initiated by immunoediting pressures and culminates with mechanisms of clonal evolution characterized by hits in immune recognition and response genes. To that end, we studied the genetic and transcriptomic make-up of the antigen presentation complexes in a large cohort of patients with IAA and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) by using single-cell RNA, high throughput DNA sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array platforms. At disease onset, HSPCs displayed activation of selected HLA class I and II-restricted mechanisms, without extensive inhibition of immune checkpoint apparatus. Using a newly implemented bioinformatic framework we found that not only class I but also class II genes were often impaired by acquisition of genetic aberrations. We also demonstrated the presence of novel somatic alterations in immune genes possibly contributing to the evasion from the autoimmune T-cells. In contrast, these hits were absent in myeloid neoplasia. These aberrations were not mutually exclusive with PNH and did not correlate with the accumulation of myeloid-driver hits. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms of immune activation and escape in IAA and define alternative modes of clonal hematopoiesis.

Glyphosate Use and Mosaic Loss of Chromosome Y among Male Farmers in the Agricultural Health Study.

BACKGROUND: Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide and has been implicated in the development of certain hematologic cancers. Although mechanistic studies in human cells and animals support the genotoxic effects of glyphosate, evidence in human populations is scarce. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the association between lifetime occupational glyphosate use and mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY) as a marker of genotoxicity among male farmers. METHODS: We analyzed blood-derived DNA from 1,606 farmers ≥50 years of age in the Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Agriculture study, a subcohort of the Agricultural Health Study. mLOY was detected using genotyping array intensity data in the pseudoautosomal region of the sex chromosomes. Cumulative lifetime glyphosate use was assessed using self-reported pesticide exposure histories. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between glyphosate use and any detectable mLOY (overall mLOY) or mLOY affecting ≥10% of cells (expanded mLOY). RESULTS: Overall, mLOY was detected in 21.4% of farmers, and 9.8% of all farmers had expanded mLOY. Increasing total lifetime days of glyphosate use was associated with expanded mLOY [highest vs. lowest quartile; OR=1.75 (95% CI: 1.00, 3.07), ptrend=0.03] but not with overall mLOY; the associations with expanded mLOY were most apparent among older (≥70 years of age) men [OR=2.30 (95% CI: 1.13, 4.67), ptrend=0.01], never smokers [OR=2.32 (95% CI: 1.04, 5.21), ptrend=0.04], and nonobese men [OR=2.04 (95% CI: 0.99, 4.19), ptrend=0.03]. Similar patterns of associations were observed for intensity-weighted lifetime days of glyphosate use. DISCUSSION: High lifetime glyphosate use could be associated with mLOY affecting a larger fraction of cells, suggesting glyphosate could confer genotoxic or selective effects relevant for clonal expansion. As the first study to investigate this association, our findings contribute novel evidence regarding the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate and require replication in future studies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12834.

Mosaic chromosomal alterations detected in men living with HIV and the relationship to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: People with HIV (PWH) have an elevated risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and other diseases. Studying clonal hematopoiesis (CH), the clonal expansion of mutated hematopoietic stem cells, could provide insights regarding elevated NHL risk. DESIGN: Cohort analysis of participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study ( N  = 5979). METHODS: Mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs), a type of CH, were detected from genotyping array data using MoChA. We compared CH prevalence in men with HIV (MWH) to HIV-uninfected men using logistic regression, and among MWH, assessed the associations of CH with NHL incidence and overall mortality using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Comparing MWH to HIV-uninfected men, we observed no difference in the frequency of autosomal mCAs (3.9% vs. 3.6%, P -value = 0.09) or mosaic loss of the Y chromosome (mLOY) (1.4% vs. 2.9%, P -value = 0.13). Autosomal mCAs involving copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH) of chromosome 14q were more common in MWH. Among MWH, mCAs were not associated with subsequent NHL incidence (autosomal mCA P -value = 0.65, mLOY P -value = 0.48). However, two MWH with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had overlapping CN-LOH mCAs on chromosome 19 spanning U2AF2 (involved in RNA splicing), and one MWH with Burkitt lymphoma had high-frequency mCAs involving chromosome 1 gain and chromosome 17 CN-LOH (cell fractions 22.1% and 25.0%, respectively). mCAs were not associated with mortality among MWH (autosomal mCA P -value = 0.52, mLOY P -value = 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: We found limited evidence for a relationship between HIV infection and mCAs. Although mCAs were not significantly associated with NHL, mCAs detected in several NHL cases indicate a need for further investigation.