Single-cell multiomics analysis reveals dynamic clonal evolution and targetable phenotypes in acute myeloid leukemia
Aino-Maija Leppä1,2,3, Karen Grimes4, Hyobin Jeong4,5,6
1Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany.
Chromosomal instability drives acute myeloid leukemia (AML) heterogeneity. This study reveals complex genomic changes and clonal evolution in AML, identifying new therapeutic targets like BCL-xL inhibition for leukemic stem cells.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Cancer Biology
- Hematology
Background:
- Chromosomal instability is a key driver of intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) and tumor progression.
- Complex karyotype acute myeloid leukemia (CK-AML) presents significant challenges in understanding and treating the disease due to its inherent heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genomic landscape and clonal evolution in CK-AML.
- To identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in leukemic stem cells (LSCs) within CK-AML subclones.
Main Methods:
- Integrated analysis of single-cell structural variant discovery, nucleosome occupancy, transcriptomics, and immunophenotyping.
- Utilized patient-derived xenografts to model clonal evolution and drug response.
- Analyzed paired longitudinal patient samples to track disease progression.
Main Results:
- Observed complex structural variant landscapes including breakage-fusion-bridge cycles and chromothripsis in CK-AML cells.
- Identified three clonal evolution patterns (monoclonal, linear, branched polyclonal), with 75% of patients harboring multiple subclones exhibiting ongoing karyotype remodeling.
- Demonstrated subclone-specific drug responses in xenografts, highlighting BCL-xL inhibition as a potential LSC-targeting therapy.
- Revealed genetic evolution and cell-type plasticity as mechanisms of disease progression in longitudinal samples.
Conclusions:
- Dissecting the dynamic genomic, phenotypic, and functional complexity of CK-AML is crucial.
- Findings provide clinically relevant strategies for characterizing and targeting disease-driving LSCs in CK-AML.
- Identified BCL-xL inhibition as a promising therapeutic avenue for LSCs in CK-AML.
More Related Videos
09:34A Combinatorial Single-cell Approach to Characterize the Molecular and Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity of Human Stem and Progenitor Populations
Published on: October 25, 2018
06:24Multiplexed Analysis of Retinal Gene Expression and Chromatin Accessibility Using scRNA-Seq and scATAC-Seq
Published on: March 12, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
