Cited by 13,807Bioinformatics and Genomic NetworksBiomedical Text Mining and OntologiesGenomics and Phylogenetic Studies

The Molecular Signatures Database Hallmark Gene Set Collection

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Liberzon, Arthur, Birger, Chet, Thorvaldsdóttir, Helga, Ghandi, Mahmoud, Mesirov, Jill P., Tamayo, Pablo·2015·Cell Systems

Abstract

The Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) is one of the most widely used and comprehensive databases of gene sets for performing gene set enrichment analysis. Since its creation, MSigDB has grown beyond its roots in metabolic disease and cancer to include >10,000 gene sets. These better represent a wider range of biological processes and diseases, but the utility of the database is reduced by increased redundancy across, and heterogeneity within, gene sets. To address this challenge, here we use a combination of automated approaches and expert curation to develop a collection of "hallmark" gene sets as part of MSigDB. Each hallmark in this collection consists of a "refined" gene set, derived from multiple "founder" sets, that conveys a specific biological state or process and displays coherent expression. The hallmarks effectively summarize most of the relevant information of the original founder sets and, by reducing both variation and redundancy, provide more refined and concise inputs for gene set enrichment analysis.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cels.2015.12.004

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  • In the old-dominated spleen B cell clusters, Myc target genes and DNA repair pathways were up-regulated, whereas TRP53 pathway genes were down-regulated.

    “Performing gene set enrichment analysis using the MSigDB Hallmark gene sets (Liberzon et al. 2015), we observed that Myc target genes and DNA repair pathways were up-regulated, whereas TRP53 pathway genes were down-regulated (Fig. 4D).”
  • Gene set enrichment analyses were performed according to standard procedures on two published RNA-seq datasets.

    “Gene set enrichment analyses were performed according to standard procedures [39, 40] on two published RNA-seq datasets [31, 48]”

    From A gene toolbox for monitoring autophagy transcription (2021) · cites this paper as [40]

  • Genes upregulated in control reactive astrocytes compared to Ts21 reactive astrocytes are enriched for Hallmark gene sets (DEGs: adj. p < 0.01).

    “( F ) Hallmark gene set (81) enrichment plot for genes upregulated in control reactive astrocytes as compared to Ts21 reactive astrocytes (DEGs: adj. p&lt;0.01, Wilcoxon Rank Sum test).”
  • Carriers of MNAT1 gene were linked to better treatment outcome of FOLFOX.

    “Moreover, carriers of MNAT1 gene, which is one of the leading genes in the G2/M checkpoint pathway58, were linked to better treatment outcome of FOLFOX54.”

    From Self-supervised learning reveals clinically relevant histomorphological patterns for therapeutic strategies in colon cancer (2025) · cites this paper as [58]

    The Results section on matching hallmark enrichment scores to protein phenotypes examines cancer cell lines and protein profiles, not FOLFOX treatment outcomes. Searches for MNAT1 and FOLFOX found no passage in our copy linking MNAT1 carriers to better treatment outcomes. The indexed passages provide no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.76)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In the MDP-l,d dataset, hallmark gene sets for inflammatory response and NF-κB signaling were significantly enriched.

    “Significant enrichment of hallmark gene sets (33) for inflammatory response and NF-κB signaling were found in the MDP-l,d dataset (Table S8).”

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Authors
Liberzon, A., Birger, C., Thorvaldsdóttir, H., Ghandi, M., Mesirov, J. P., & Tamayo, P.
Affiliations
Broad Institute (US)
Corresponding author
  • Mesirov, Jill P.
  • Tamayo, Pablo
Venue
Cell Systems
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-12
Volume
1
Issue
6
Pages
417-425
ISSN
2405-4712 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2214074259
Cited by
13,807
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 2174 · 2025: 2294 · 2024: 2415 · 2023: 1982 · 2022: 1708 · 2021: 1298 · 2020: 926 · 2019: 534 · 2018: 270 · 2017: 154 · 2016: 44 · 2013: 3
FWCI
68.21
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Systems (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA154480, U54CA112962, R01CA121941)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM074024)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bioinformatics and Genomic Networks
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Biomedical Text Mining and Ontologies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
Keywords
Hallmark gene sets, gene set enrichment analysis, biological processes, cancer hallmarks

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