Cited by 311Cancer Genomics and DiagnosticsBladder and Urothelial Cancer TreatmentsNephrotoxicity and Medicinal Plants

Extensive heterogeneity in somatic mutation and selection in the human bladder

Lawson, Andrew R. J., Abascal, Federico, Coorens, Tim H. H., Hooks, Yvette, O’Neill, Laura, Latimer, Calli, Raine, Keiran, Sanders, Mathijs A. +24 more·2020·Science

Abstract

The extent of somatic mutation and clonal selection in the human bladder remains unknown. We sequenced 2097 bladder microbiopsies from 20 individuals using targeted ( n = 1914 microbiopsies), whole-exome ( n = 655), and whole-genome ( n = 88) sequencing. We found widespread positive selection in 17 genes. Chromatin remodeling genes were frequently mutated, whereas mutations were absent in several major bladder cancer genes. There was extensive interindividual variation in selection, with different driver genes dominating the clonal landscape across individuals. Mutational signatures were heterogeneous across clones and individuals, which suggests differential exposure to mutagens in the urine. Evidence of APOBEC mutagenesis was found in 22% of the microbiopsies. Sequencing multiple microbiopsies from five patients with bladder cancer enabled comparisons with cancer-free individuals and across histological features. This study reveals a rich landscape of mutational processes and selection in normal urothelium with large heterogeneity across clones and individuals.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.aba8347

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77 of 77 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Somatic mutations are common in most individuals, and mutation burden increases with age and chronic tissue damage.

    “Somatic mutations are common in most individuals, and there is accumulating evidence that mutation burden increases with age and chronic tissue damage1-4.”
  • Across most, if not all, tissues, after an initial expansion of the stem cell pool during early life, clonal heterogeneity tends to diminish over time.

    “A consistent pattern has been observed across most, if not all, tissues: after an initial expansion of the stem cell pool during early life, clonal heterogeneity tends to diminish over time (Figure 1).17-24”

    From Evolution of Multiple Myeloma from a Genomic Perspective (2026) · cites this paper as [21]

  • Selected and more fit clones may share genomic events such as nonsynonymous mutations initially thought to be restricted to cancer.

    “Interestingly, these selected and more fit clones may share genomic events such as nonsynonymous mutations initially thought to be restricted to cancer.17-24”

    From Evolution of Multiple Myeloma from a Genomic Perspective (2026) · cites this paper as [21]

  • A group of already transformed tumors can remain stable and controlled for years before progressing into symptomatic disease.

    “This evidence reinforces the idea that a group of already transformed tumors can remain stable and controlled for years before progressing into symptomatic disease.21,100,101”

    From Evolution of Multiple Myeloma from a Genomic Perspective (2026) · cites this paper as [21]

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Authors
Lawson, A. R. J., Abascal, F., Coorens, T. H. H., Hooks, Y., O’Neill, L., Latimer, C., Raine, K., Sanders, M. A., Warren, A. Y., Mahbubani, K. T. A., Bareham, B., Butler, T. M., Harvey, L. M. R., Cagan, A., Menzies, A., Moore, L., Colquhoun, A. J., Turner, W., Thomas, B., Gnanapragasam, V., Williams, N., Rassl, D. M., Vöhringer, H., Zumalave, S., Nangalia, J., Tubío, J. M. C., Gerstung, M., Saeb-Parsy, K., Stratton, M. R., Campbell, P. J., Mitchell, T. J., & Martincorena, I.
Affiliations
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
  • Erasmus MC (NL)
  • Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • The Royal Melbourne Hospital (AU)
  • Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
  • European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
  • Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES)
  • Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
Corresponding author
Martincorena, Iñigo
Venue
Science
Published
2020-10-02
Volume
370
Issue
6512
Pages
75-82
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W3089590915
Cited by
311
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 61 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1
FWCI
14.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome
  • Cancer Research UK (C57387/A21777, C63474/A27176, C20/A20917, C60346/A23917)
  • Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (RYC-2014-14999)
  • Xunta de Galicia (ED481A-2018/199)
  • NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bladder and Urothelial Cancer Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Nephrotoxicity and Medicinal Plants
Keywords
bladder cancer, urothelium, somatic mutations, mutational heterogeneity, mutational landscape, carcinogen exposure, aristolochic acid, tobacco, mutational processes, positive selection, tumor heterogeneity
MeSH terms
APOBEC Deaminases, Adult, Aged, Biopsy, Urinary Bladder, Urinary Bladder Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutagens, Mutation, Selection, Genetic, Mutagenesis, Urothelium, Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly, Genes, Neoplasm

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