Large panels of comprehensively characterized human cancer models, including the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE), have provided a rigorous backbone upon which to study genetic variants, candidate targets, small molecule and biological therapeutics and to identify new marker-driven cancer dependencies. To improve our understanding of the molecular features that contribute to cancer phenotypes including drug responses, here we have expanded the characterizations of cancer cell lines to include genetic, RNA splicing, DNA methylation, histone H3 modification, microRNA expression and reverse-phase protein array data for 1,072 cell lines from various lineages and ethnicities. Integrating these data with functional characterizations such as drug-sensitivity data, short hairpin RNA knockdown and CRISPR–Cas9 knockout data reveals potential targets for cancer drugs and associated biomarkers. Together, this dataset and an accompanying public data portal provide a resource to accelerate cancer research using model cancer cell lines.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent systemic autoimmune disease, caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Animal models suggest a role for intestinal bacteria in supporting the systemic immune response required for joint inflammation. Here we performed 16S sequencing on 114 stool samples from rheumatoid arthritis patients and controls, and shotgun sequencing on a subset of 44 such samples. We identified the presence of Prevotella copri as strongly correlated with disease in new-onset untreated rheumatoid arthritis (NORA) patients. Increases in Prevotella abundance correlated with a reduction in Bacteroides and a loss of reportedly beneficial microbes in NORA subjects. We also identified unique Prevotella genes that correlated with disease. Further, colonization of mice revealed the ability of P. copri to dominate the intestinal microbiota and resulted in an increased sensitivity to chemically induced colitis. This work identifies a potential role for P. copri in the pathogenesis of RA.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01202.001

We integrated the genomic sequencing of 1,918 breast cancers, including 1,501 hormone receptor-positive tumors, with detailed clinical information and treatment outcomes. In 692 tumors previously exposed to hormonal therapy, we identified an increased number of alterations in genes involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and in the estrogen receptor transcriptional machinery. Activating ERBB2 mutations and NF1 loss-of-function mutations were more than twice as common in endocrine resistant tumors. Alterations in other MAPK pathway genes (EGFR, KRAS, among others) and estrogen receptor transcriptional regulators (MYC, CTCF, FOXA1, and TBX3) were also enriched. Altogether, these alterations were present in 22% of tumors, mutually exclusive with ESR1 mutations, and associated with a shorter duration of response to subsequent hormonal therapies.

Comprehensive genomic characterization of prostate cancer has identified recurrent alterations in androgen signaling, DNA repair, and PI3K among others. However, larger and uniform genomic analysis may reveal additional recurrently mutated genes at lower frequencies. Here we aggregate and uniformly analyze exome sequencing data from 1013 prostate cancers. We identify and validate a new class of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) fusion negative tumors defined by mutations in epigenetic regulators, as well as alterations in pathways not previously implicated in prostate cancer, such as the spliceosome pathway. We find that the incidence of significantly mutated genes (SMGs) follows a long-tail distribution, with many genes mutated in less than 3% of cases. We identify a total of 97 SMGs, including 70 not previously implicated in prostate cancer, such as the ubiquitin ligase CUL3 and the transcription factor SPEN. Finally, comparing primary and metastatic prostate cancer reveals a set of genomic markers that may inform risk stratification.

Ploidy abnormalities are a hallmark of cancer, but their impact on the evolution and outcomes of cancers is unknown. Here, we identified whole-genome doubling (WGD) in the tumors of nearly 30% of 9,692 prospectively sequenced advanced cancer patients. WGD varied by tumor lineage and molecular subtype, and arose early in carcinogenesis after an antecedent transforming driver mutation. While associated with TP53 mutations, 46% of all WGD arose in TP53-wild-type tumors and in such cases was associated with an E2F-mediated G1 arrest defect, although neither aberration was obligate in WGD tumors. The variability of WGD across cancer types can be explained in part by cancer cell proliferation rates. WGD predicted for increased morbidity across cancer types, including KRAS-mutant colorectal cancers and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers, independently of established clinical prognostic factors. We conclude that WGD is highly common in cancer and is a macro-evolutionary event associated with poor prognosis across cancer types.

The discovery of cancer dependencies has the potential to inform therapeutic strategies and to identify putative drug targets. Integrating data from comprehensive genomic profiling of cancer cell lines and from functional characterization of cancer cell dependencies, we discovered that loss of the enzyme methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) confers a selective dependence on protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and its binding partner WDR77. MTAP is frequently lost due to its proximity to the commonly deleted tumor suppressor gene, CDKN2A. We observed increased intracellular concentrations of methylthioadenosine (MTA; the metabolite cleaved by MTAP) in cells harboring MTAP deletions. Furthermore, MTA specifically inhibited PRMT5 enzymatic activity. Administration of either MTA or a small molecule PRMT5 inhibitor showed a modest preferential impairment of cell viability for MTAP-null cancer cell lines compared to isogenic MTAP-expressing counterparts. Together, our findings reveal PRMT5 as a potential vulnerability across multiple cancer lineages augmented by a common “passenger” genomic alteration.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations predispose to select cancers 1-3 , and disease-specific screening and preventative strategies have reduced cancer mortality in affected patients 4,5. These classical tumors suppressor genes have tumorigenic effects associated with somatic biallelic inactivation, though haploinsufficiency may also promote tumor formation and progression 6,7. Moreover, BRCA1/2-Reprints and permissions information is available at www.nature.com/reprints.

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