Cited by 423Cancer Genomics and DiagnosticsGenomics and Chromatin DynamicsGenomic variations and chromosomal abnormalities

Pan-cancer analysis of somatic copy-number alterations implicates IRS4 and IGF2 in enhancer hijacking

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Weischenfeldt, Joachim, Dubash, Taronish, Drainas, Alexandros P, Mardin, Balca R, Chen, Yuanyuan, Stütz, Adrian M, Waszak, Sebastian M, Bosco, Graziella +24 more·2017·Nature Genetics

Abstract

Extensive prior research focused on somatic copy-number alterations (SCNAs) affecting cancer genes, yet the extent to which recurrent SCNAs exert their influence through rearrangement of cis-regulatory elements (CREs) remains unclear. Here we present a framework for inferring cancer-related gene overexpression resulting from CRE reorganization (e.g., enhancer hijacking) by integrating SCNAs, gene expression data and information on topologically associating domains (TADs). Analysis of 7,416 cancer genomes uncovered several pan-cancer candidate genes, including IRS4, SMARCA1 and TERT. We demonstrate that IRS4 overexpression in lung cancer is associated with recurrent deletions in cis, and we present evidence supporting a tumor-promoting role. We additionally pursued cancer-type-specific analyses and uncovered IGF2 as a target for enhancer hijacking in colorectal cancer. Recurrent tandem duplications intersecting with a TAD boundary mediate de novo formation of a 3D contact domain comprising IGF2 and a lineage-specific super-enhancer, resulting in high-level gene activation. Our framework enables systematic inference of CRE rearrangements mediating dysregulation in cancer.

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  1. [54]Consortium, E.P An integrated encyclopedia of DNA elements in the human genome Nature 2012 489 57 74 22955616 PMC3439153

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Authors
Weischenfeldt, J., Dubash, T., Drainas, A. P., Mardin, B. R., Chen, Y., Stütz, A. M., Waszak, S. M., Bosco, G., Halvorsen, A. R., Raeder, B., Efthymiopoulos, T., Erkek, S., Siegl, C., Brenner, H., Brustugun, O. T., Dieter, S. M., Northcott, P. A., Petersen, I., Pfister, S. M., Schneider, M., Solberg, S. K., Thunissen, E., Weichert, W., Zichner, T., Thomas, R., Peifer, M., Helland, A., Ball, C. R., Jechlinger, M., Sotillo, R., Glimm, H., & Korbel, J. O.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • European Molecular Biology Laboratory (DE)
  • University of Cologne (DE)
  • Oslo University Hospital (NO)
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (US)
  • Jena University Hospital (DE)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Glimm, Hanno
  • Korbel, Jan O
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2016-11-21
Volume
49
Issue
1
Pages
65-74
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2555451680
Cited by
404
References
92
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 1
FWCI
15.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Kölner Universitäts PublikationsServer (Universität zu Köln) (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Baden-Württemberg Stiftung (P-LS-ASII/33)
  • Sundhed og Sygdom, Det Frie Forskningsråd
  • Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
  • European Commission (336045, 260791)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (KFO 227/BA 4806/1-2, KFO 227)
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (155365)
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01ZX1303A, 01ZX1406)
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genomic variations and chromosomal abnormalities
Keywords
somatic copy number alterations, enhancer hijacking, cis-regulatory elements, IRS4, insulin-like growth factor II, SMARCA1, telomerase reverse transcriptase, topologically associating domains, super-enhancers, 3D genome organization, gene overexpression, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, pan-cancer analysis, tandem duplication
MeSH terms
Enhancer Elements, Genetic, Humans, Insulin-Like Growth Factor II, Neoplasms, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins, Genetic Association Studies, DNA Copy Number Variations

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