The biological tumor samples (ie, breast tumor specimens) consisted of freshly frozen breast tumors from a population-based cohort of 315 women representing 65% of all breast cancers resected in Uppsala County, Sweden, from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 1989. Estrogen receptor status was determined by biochemical assay as part of the routine clinical procedure. An experienced pathologist determined the Elston-Ellis grades of the tumors, classifying the tumors into low, medium and high-grade tumors. The clinico-pathological characteristics accompanying each tumor include p53 status, ER status, tumor grade, lymph node status and patient age.
An expression signature for p53 status in human breast cancer predicts mutation status, transcriptional effects, and patient survival.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesHistological grading of breast cancer defines morphological subtypes informative of metastatic potential, although not without considerable inter-observer disagreement and clinical heterogeneity particularly among the moderately differentiated grade II (G2) tumors. We posited that a gene expression signature capable of discerning tumors of grade I (G1) and grade III (G3) histology might provide a more objective measure of grade with prognostic benefit for patients with moderately differentiated disease. To this end, we studied the expression profiles of 347 primary invasive breast tumors analyzed on Affymetrix microarrays. Using class prediction algorithms, we identified 264 robust grade-associated markers, six of which could accurately classify G1 and G3 tumors, and separate G2 tumors into two highly discriminant classes (termed G2a and G2b genetic grades) with patient survival outcomes highly similar to those with G1 and G3 histology, respectively. Statistical analysis of conventional clinical variables further distinguished G2a and G2b subtypes from each other, but also from histologic G1 and G3 tumors. In multivariate analyses, genetic grade was consistently found to be an independent prognostic indicator of disease recurrence comparable to that of lymph node status and tumor size. When incorporated into the Nottingham Prognostic Index, genetic grade enhanced detection of patients with less harmful tumors, likely to benefit little from adjuvant therapy. Our findings show that a genetic grade signature can improve prognosis and therapeutic planning for breast cancer patients, and support the view that low and high grade disease, as defined genetically, reflect independent pathobiological entities rather than a continuum of cancer progression. Three separate breast cancer cohorts were analyzed: 1) Uppsala (n=249), 2) Stockholm (n=58), 3) Singapore (n=40). The Uppsala and Singapore data can be accessed here. The Stockholm cohort data can be accessed at GEO Series GSE1456.
Genetic reclassification of histologic grade delineates new clinical subtypes of breast cancer.
Age, Disease stage
View SamplesTissue material was collected from all breast cancer patients receiving surgery at Karolinska Hospital from 1994-1996. Material was frozen immediatley on dry ice or in liquid nitrogen and stored in -70C freezers. This series contains expression data for n=159 tumors from which RNA could be collected in sufficient amounts and quality for analysis.
Gene expression profiling spares early breast cancer patients from adjuvant therapy: derived and validated in two population-based cohorts.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesWe have performed whole genome expression arrays covering over 47000 transcripts comparing the transcriptional profile of NKp80+ to NKp80- CD8+ CCR7- alpha beta T cells. A highly similar global gene expression profile was observed between both memory phenotype T cell subsets. Interestingly, the majority of differentially expressed genes are immune-associated. NKp80+ cells contained markedly increased levels of transcripts encoding for MHC class I and II molecules and for numerous members of the KIR family. Also other NK-related transcripts were more abundantly expressed in the NKp80+ subset. With regards to cytokines, chemokines and their receptors, transcripts important for homeostasis and proliferation are expressed differently. Also transcripts encoding for adhesion molecules are present at different levels in both T cell subsets. Further cytotoxic effector molecules are expressed differently.
NKp80 defines and stimulates a reactive subset of CD8 T cells.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesIn the ovarian follicle, maturation of the oocyte increases in the presence of somatic cells called cumulus cells (CCs). These cells form a direct barrier between the oocyte and external environment. Thanks to bidirectional communication, they have a direct impact on the oocyte, its quality and development potential. Understanding the genetic profile of CCs appears to be important in elucidating the physiology of oocytes. In this work, CCs were subjected to in vitro long-term culture. RNA was collected after 1, 7, 15 and 30 days of culture. Expression microarrays were used for analysis, which allowed to identify groups of genes characteristic for particular cellular processes.
Human Cumulus Cells in Long-Term In Vitro Culture Reflect Differential Expression Profile of Genes Responsible for Planned Cell Death and Aging-A Study of New Molecular Markers.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesDyskeratosis congenita (DC) is an inherited multi-system disorder, characterized by oral leukoplakia, nail dystrophy, and abnormal skin pigmentation, as well as high rates of bone marrow failure, solid tumors, and other medical problems such as osteopenia. DC and telomere biology disorders (collectively referred to as TBD here) are caused by germline mutations in telomere biology genes leading to very short telomeres and limited proliferative potential of hematopoietic stem cells. We found that skeletal stem cells (SSCs) within the bone marrow stromal cell population (BMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells), may contribute to the hematological phenotype.
Bone marrow skeletal stem/progenitor cell defects in dyskeratosis congenita and telomere biology disorders.
Cell line
View SamplesBackground: Immune checkpoint blockade improves survival in a subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but robust biomarkers that predict response to PD-1 pathway inhibitors are lacking. Furthermore, our understanding of the diversity of the NSCLC tumor immune microenvironment remains limited. Methods: We performed comprehensive flow-cytometric immunoprofiling on both tumor and immune cells from 51 NSCLCs and integrated this analysis with clinical and histopathologic characteristics, next generation sequencing, mRNA expression, and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: Cytometric profiling identified an immunologically “hot” cluster with abundant CD8+ T cells expressing high levels of the PD-1 and TIM-3, and an immunologically “cold” cluster with lower relative abundance of CD8+ T cells and expression of inhibitory markers. The “hot” cluster was highly enriched for expression of genes associated with T cell trafficking and cytotoxic function, and high PD-L1 expression by IHC. There was no correlation between immunophenotype and KRAS or EGFR mutation, or patient smoking history, but we did observe an enrichment of squamous subtype and tumors with higher mutation burden in the “hot” cluster. Additionally, ~20% of cases had high B cell infiltrates with a subset producing IL-10. Conclusions: Our results support the use of immune-based metrics to study response and resistance to immunotherapy in lung cancer. Background: Immune checkpoint blockade improves survival in a subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but robust biomarkers that predict response to PD-1 pathway inhibitors are lacking. Furthermore, our understanding of the diversity of the NSCLC tumor immune microenvironment remains limited. Methods: We performed comprehensive flow-cytometric immunoprofiling on both tumor and immune cells from 51 NSCLCs and integrated this analysis with clinical and histopathologic characteristics, next generation sequencing, mRNA expression, and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: Cytometric profiling identified an immunologically “hot” cluster with abundant CD8+ T cells expressing high levels of the PD-1 and TIM-3, and an immunologically “cold” cluster with lower relative abundance of CD8+ T cells and expression of inhibitory markers. The “hot” cluster was highly enriched for expression of genes associated with T cell trafficking and cytotoxic function, and high PD-L1 expression by IHC. There was no correlation between immunophenotype and KRAS or EGFR mutation, or patient smoking history, but we did observe an enrichment of squamous subtype and tumors with higher mutation burden in the “hot” cluster. Additionally, ~20% of cases had high B cell infiltrates with a subset producing IL-10. Conclusions: Our results support the use of immune-based metrics to study response and resistance to immunotherapy in lung cancer. Overall design: Single-cell comparison of normal and tumor infiltrated B-cells.
Multiparametric profiling of non-small-cell lung cancers reveals distinct immunophenotypes.
Specimen part, Subject
View SamplesActivation of the hypoxia inducible transcription factor HIF-alpha and the NF-kappaB pathway promotes inflammation mediated tumor progression.
The hypoxia-inducible transcription factor ZNF395 is controlled by IĸB kinase-signaling and activates genes involved in the innate immune response and cancer.
Cell line, Treatment
View SamplesThe etiology of ovarian cancer is poorly understood, mainly due to the lack of an appropriate experimental model for studying the onset and progression of this disease. We have created a mouse model termed ERalpha d/d in which a conditional deletion of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene occurred in the anterior pituitary, but ERalpha expression remained intact in the hypothalamus and the ovary. The loss of negative-feedback regulation by estrogen (E) at the level of the pituitary led to elevated production of luteinizing hormone (LH) by this tissue. Hyperstimulation of ovarian cells by LH resulted in increased steroidogenesis, leading to high circulating levels of progesterone, testosterone and E. The ERalpha d/d mice exhibited formation of palpable ovarian epithelial tumors starting at 5 months of age, and by 12 months, most mice carrying these tumors died. Besides proliferating epithelial cells, these tumors also contained an expanded population of stromal cells, which express P450 aromatase suggesting that these cells acquired the ability to synthesize E. In ERalpha d/d mice, in response to the E produced by the stromal cells, the ERalpha signaling is accentuated in the ovarian epithelial cells, triggering increased ERalpha-dependent gene expression, abnormal cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. The ERalpha d/d animal model of ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis will serve as a powerful tool for exploring the involvement of E-dependent signaling pathways in the etiology of ovarian cancer.
Dysregulated estrogen receptor signaling in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis leads to ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis in mice.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThe goal of this study is to understand the alterations in transcriptome induced by histone H3K36M mutations Overall design: Transcritome profiling of 3 cell lines cultured in vitro and 6 murine tumors
Histone H3K36 mutations promote sarcomagenesis through altered histone methylation landscape.
No sample metadata fields
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