[HTML][HTML] Genomic and epigenomic landscapes of adult de novo acute myeloid leukemia

Cancer Genome Atlas Research … - New England Journal of …, 2013 - Mass Medical Soc
Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network
New England Journal of Medicine, 2013Mass Medical Soc
Background Many mutations that contribute to the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia
(AML) are undefined. The relationships between patterns of mutations and epigenetic
phenotypes are not yet clear. Methods We analyzed the genomes of 200 clinically annotated
adult cases of de novo AML, using either whole-genome sequencing (50 cases) or whole-
exome sequencing (150 cases), along with RNA and microRNA sequencing and DNA-
methylation analysis. Results AML genomes have fewer mutations than most other adult …
Background
Many mutations that contribute to the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are undefined. The relationships between patterns of mutations and epigenetic phenotypes are not yet clear.
Methods
We analyzed the genomes of 200 clinically annotated adult cases of de novo AML, using either whole-genome sequencing (50 cases) or whole-exome sequencing (150 cases), along with RNA and microRNA sequencing and DNA-methylation analysis.
Results
AML genomes have fewer mutations than most other adult cancers, with an average of only 13 mutations found in genes. Of these, an average of 5 are in genes that are recurrently mutated in AML. A total of 23 genes were significantly mutated, and another 237 were mutated in two or more samples. Nearly all samples had at least 1 nonsynonymous mutation in one of nine categories of genes that are almost certainly relevant for pathogenesis, including transcription-factor fusions (18% of cases), the gene encoding nucleophosmin (NPM1) (27%), tumor-suppressor genes (16%), DNA-methylation–related genes (44%), signaling genes (59%), chromatin-modifying genes (30%), myeloid transcription-factor genes (22%), cohesin-complex genes (13%), and spliceosome-complex genes (14%). Patterns of cooperation and mutual exclusivity suggested strong biologic relationships among several of the genes and categories.
Conclusions
We identified at least one potential driver mutation in nearly all AML samples and found that a complex interplay of genetic events contributes to AML pathogenesis in individual patients. The databases from this study are widely available to serve as a foundation for further investigations of AML pathogenesis, classification, and risk stratification. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health.)
The New England Journal Of Medicine