TY - JOUR
T1 - Subtyping sub-Saharan esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by comprehensive molecular analysis
AU - Liu, Wenjin
AU - Snell, Jeff M.
AU - Jeck, William R.
AU - Hoadley, Katherine A.
AU - Wilkerson, Matthew D.
AU - Parker, Joel S.
AU - Patel, Nirali
AU - Mlombe, Yohannie B.
AU - Mulima, Gift
AU - Liomba, N. George
AU - Wolf, Lindsey L.
AU - Shores, Carol G.
AU - Gopal, Satish
AU - Sharpless, Norman E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Society for Clinical Investigation. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/10/6
Y1 - 2016/10/6
N2 - Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is endemic in regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where it is the third most common cancer. Here, we describe whole-exome tumor/normal sequencing and RNA transcriptomic analysis of 59 patients with ESCC in Malawi. We observed similar genetic aberrations as reported in Asian and North American cohorts, including mutations of TP53, CDKN2A, NFE2L2, CHEK2, NOTCH1, FAT1, and FBXW7. Analyses for nonhuman sequences did not reveal evidence for infection with HPV or other occult pathogens. Mutational signature analysis revealed common signatures associated with aging, cytidine deaminase activity (APOBEC), and a third signature of unknown origin, but signatures of inhaled tobacco use, aflatoxin and mismatch repair were notably absent. Based on RNA expression analysis, ESCC could be divided into 3 distinct subtypes, which were distinguished by their expression of cell cycle and neural transcripts. This study demonstrates discrete subtypes of ESCC in SSA, and suggests that the endemic nature of this disease reflects exposure to a carcinogen other than tobacco and oncogenic viruses.
AB - Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is endemic in regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where it is the third most common cancer. Here, we describe whole-exome tumor/normal sequencing and RNA transcriptomic analysis of 59 patients with ESCC in Malawi. We observed similar genetic aberrations as reported in Asian and North American cohorts, including mutations of TP53, CDKN2A, NFE2L2, CHEK2, NOTCH1, FAT1, and FBXW7. Analyses for nonhuman sequences did not reveal evidence for infection with HPV or other occult pathogens. Mutational signature analysis revealed common signatures associated with aging, cytidine deaminase activity (APOBEC), and a third signature of unknown origin, but signatures of inhaled tobacco use, aflatoxin and mismatch repair were notably absent. Based on RNA expression analysis, ESCC could be divided into 3 distinct subtypes, which were distinguished by their expression of cell cycle and neural transcripts. This study demonstrates discrete subtypes of ESCC in SSA, and suggests that the endemic nature of this disease reflects exposure to a carcinogen other than tobacco and oncogenic viruses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055601235&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1172/jci.insight.88755
DO - 10.1172/jci.insight.88755
M3 - Article
C2 - 27734031
AN - SCOPUS:85055601235
SN - 2379-3708
VL - 1
JO - JCI Insight
JF - JCI Insight
IS - 16
M1 - e88755
ER -