Extreme intratumour heterogeneity and driver evolution in mismatch repair deficient gastro-oesophageal cancer

Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 16;11(1):139. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13915-7.

Abstract

Mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinomas (GOAs) show better outcomes than their MMR-proficient counterparts and high immunotherapy sensitivity. The hypermutator-phenotype of dMMR tumours theoretically enables high evolvability but their evolution has not been investigated. Here we apply multi-region exome sequencing (MSeq) to four treatment-naive dMMR GOAs. This reveals extreme intratumour heterogeneity (ITH), exceeding ITH in other cancer types >20-fold, but also long phylogenetic trunks which may explain the exquisite immunotherapy sensitivity of dMMR tumours. Subclonal driver mutations are common and parallel evolution occurs in RAS, PIK3CA, SWI/SNF-complex genes and in immune evasion regulators. MSeq data and evolution analysis of single region-data from 64 MSI GOAs show that chromosome 8 gains are early genetic events and that the hypermutator-phenotype remains active during progression. MSeq may be necessary for biomarker development in these heterogeneous cancers. Comparison with other MSeq-analysed tumour types reveals mutation rates and their timing to determine phylogenetic tree morphologies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • DNA Mismatch Repair*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Exome
  • Genes, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Genetic Heterogeneity*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion
  • Immunotherapy
  • Mismatch Repair Endonuclease PMS2 / genetics
  • MutL Protein Homolog 1 / genetics
  • MutS Homolog 2 Protein / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Phylogeny
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • G-T mismatch-binding protein
  • MLH1 protein, human
  • PMS2 protein, human
  • MSH2 protein, human
  • Mismatch Repair Endonuclease PMS2
  • MutL Protein Homolog 1
  • MutS Homolog 2 Protein

Supplementary concepts

  • Adenocarcinoma Of Esophagus