Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Gastrointestinal System

  • Shinichi Yachida
  • , Yasushi Totoki
  • , Michael Noe
  • , Yoichiro Nakatani
  • , Masafumi Horie
  • , Kenta Kawasaki
  • , Hiromi Nakamura
  • , Mihoko Saito-Adachi
  • , Masami Suzuki
  • , Erina Takai
  • , Natsuko Hama
  • , Ryota Higuchi
  • , Seiko Hirono
  • , Satoshi Shiba
  • , Mamoru Kato
  • , Eisaku Furukawa
  • , Yasuhito Arai
  • , Hirofumi Rokutan
  • , Taiki Hashimoto
  • , Shuichi Mitsunaga
  • Mitsuro Kanda, Hidenori Tanaka, So Takata, Ayaka Shimomura, Minoru Oshima, Wenzel M Hackeng, Tomoyuki Okumura, Keiichi Okano, Masakazu Yamamoto, Hiroki Yamaue, Chigusa Morizane, Koji Arihiro, Toru Furukawa, Toshiro Sato, Tohru Kiyono, Lodewijk A A Brosens, Laura D Wood, Ralph H Hruban, Tatsuhiro Shibata

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

The neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gastrointestinal system (GIS-NEC) is a rare but highly malignant neoplasm. We analyzed 115 cases using whole-genome/exome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, DNA methylation assays, and/or ATAC-seq and found GIS-NECs to be genetically distinct from neuroendocrine tumors (GIS-NET) in the same location. Clear genomic differences were also evident between pancreatic NECs (Panc-NEC) and nonpancreatic GIS-NECs (Nonpanc-NEC). Panc-NECs could be classified into two subgroups (i.e., "ductal-type" and "acinar-type") based on genomic features. Alterations in TP53 and RB1 proved common in GIS-NECs, and most Nonpanc-NECs with intact RB1 demonstrated mutually exclusive amplification of CCNE1 or MYC. Alterations of the Notch gene family were characteristic of Nonpanc-NECs. Transcription factors for neuroendocrine differentiation, especially the SOX2 gene, appeared overexpressed in most GIS-NECs due to hypermethylation of the promoter region. This first comprehensive study of genomic alterations in GIS-NECs uncovered several key biological processes underlying genesis of this very lethal form of cancer.

SIGNIFICANCE: GIS-NECs are genetically distinct from GIS-NETs. GIS-NECs arising in different organs show similar histopathologic features and share some genomic features, but considerable differences exist between Panc-NECs and Nonpanc-NECs. In addition, Panc-NECs could be classified into two subgroups (i.e., "ductal-type" and "acinar-type") based on genomic and epigenomic features. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 587.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)692-711
Number of pages20
JournalCancer Discovery
Volume12
Issue number3
Early online date8 Dec 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2022

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