Layeghifard, M. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

Extensive and differential platinum chemotherapy mutagenesis in children

Childhood cancer survivors often develop long-term adverse effects, which may be caused by direct mutagenesis of cytotoxic agents. Some of these agents generate distinctive DNA imprints (mutational signatures), as exemplified by platinum chemotherapeutics. Here, we examined chemotherapy mutagenesis in paediatric tissues by deploying a duplex sequencing method (NanoSeq), which enables mutation calling from single DNA molecules. We surveyed whole genomes of paediatric liver, blood and other tissues, obtained from surgical resections and at post-mortem. Platinum signatures pervaded all tissues extensively, elevating mutation burdens of paediatric tissues to levels seen in adults. Remarkably, we found a tissue-specific mutational signature in the liver. We examined the functional potential of mutations by gene focused NanoSeq, which revealed that platinum agents cause a vast repertoire of cancer causing variants across normal tissues, such as leukaemogenic mutations in blood. This finding may conceivably link cancer treatment in childhood to mutation-driven long term sequelae.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2024

DNA Damage Response Deficiency Enhances Neuroblastoma Progression and Sensitivity to Combination PARP and ATR Inhibition

Next generation sequencing of neuroblastoma (NB) tumors have revealed frequent somatic and germline genetic alterations in genes encoding proteins involved in DNA damage response (DDR) pathways. Despite being well-studied in many adult cancers, roles for DDR disruption in pediatric solid tumors remains poorly understood. To address this, patient-relevant loss-of-function mutations in DDR pathway components including Brca2, Atm, and Palb2 were incorporated into an established zebrafish MYCN transgenic model (Tg(dbh:EGFP-MYCN)). These mutations were found to enhance NB formation and metastasis in vivo, and result in upregulation of proliferation, cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage repair transcriptional signatures, revealing potential molecular vulnerabilities in DDR-deficient NB. Zebrafish DDR-deficient NB and human NB cells with DDR protein knock-down were sensitive to the poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib, and this effect was further enhanced by inhibition of the ataxia telangiectasia and rad3 related (ATR) kinase. Altogether, our data supports a functional role for DDR-deficiency in NB in vivo and therapeutic potential for combination PARP + ATR inhibition in NB patients with alterations in DDR genes. SignificanceThis work provides the first in vivo evidence supporting a functional role for DDR-deficiency in NB by demonstrating that alterations in certain DDR pathway genes promote NB formation and metastasis. NGS and pre-clinical drug testing also provides rationale for PARP + ATR inhibitor therapy combinations for patients with NB and pathogenic DDR pathway alterations.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

BARD1 germline variants induce haploinsufficiency and DNA repair defects in neuroblastoma

ImportanceHigh-risk neuroblastoma is a complex genetic disease that is lethal in 50% of patients despite intense multimodal therapy. Our genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the BARD1 gene showing the most significant enrichment in neuroblastoma patients, and also discovered pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) rare germline loss-of-function variants in this gene. The functional implications of these findings remain poorly understood. ObjectiveTo define the functional relevance of BARD1 germline variation in children with neuroblastoma. DesignWe correlated BARD1 genotype with BARD1 expression in normal and tumor cells and the cellular burden of DNA damage in tumors. To validate the functional consequences of rare germline P-LP BARD1 variants, we generated isogenic cellular models harboring heterozygous BARD1 loss-of-function (LOF) variants and conducted multiple complementary assays to measure the efficiency of DNA repair. Setting(N/A) Participants(N/A) Interventions/Exposures(N/A) Main Outcomes and MeasuresBARD1 expression, efficiency of DNA repair, and genome-wide burden of DNA damage in neuroblastoma tumors and cellular models harboring disease-associated BARD1 germline variants. ResultsBoth common and rare neuroblastoma associated BARD1 germline variants were significantly associated with lower levels of BARD1 mRNA and an increased burden of DNA damage. Using neuroblastoma cellular models engineered to harbor disease-associated heterozygous BARD1 LOF variants, we functionally validated this association with inefficient DNA repair. These BARD1 LOF variant isogenic models exhibited reduced efficiency in repairing Cas9-induced DNA damage, ineffective RAD51 focus formation at DNA doublestrand break sites, and enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Conclusions and RelevanceConsidering that at least 1 in 10 children diagnosed with cancer carry a predicted pathogenic mutation in a cancer predisposition gene, it is critically important to understand their functional relevance. Here, we demonstrate that germline BARD1 variants disrupt DNA repair fidelity. This is a fundamental molecular mechanism contributing to neuroblastoma initiation that may have important therapeutic implications, and these findings may also extend to other cancers harboring germline variants in genes essential for DNA damage repair. Key PointsO_ST_ABSQuestionC_ST_ABSHow do neuroblastoma patient BRCA1-associated RING domain 1 (BARD1) germline variants impact DNA repair? FindingsNeuroblastoma-associated germline BARD1 variants disrupt DNA repair fidelity. Common risk variants correlate with decreased BARD1 expression and increased DNA double-strand breaks in neuroblastoma tumors and rare heterozygous loss-of-function variants induce BARD1 haploinsufficiency, resulting in defective DNA repair and genomic instability in neuroblastoma cellular models. MeaningGermline variation in BARD1 contributes to neuroblastoma pathogenesis via dysregulation of critical cellular DNA repair functions, with implications for neuroblastoma treatment, risk stratification, and cancer predisposition.

genetics↗