Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-23-2024

Identifier

DOI: 10.3390/cancers16172936; PMCID: PMC11394547

Abstract

Hi-C sequencing is a DNA-based next-generation sequencing method that preserves the 3D genome conformation and has shown promise in detecting genomic rearrangements in translational research studies. To evaluate Hi-C as a potential clinical diagnostic platform, analytical concordance with routine laboratory testing was assessed using primary pediatric leukemia and sarcoma specimens. Archived viable and non-viable frozen leukemic cells and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor specimens were analyzed. Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (A-RMS) specimens with known genomic rearrangements were subjected to Hi-C to assess analytical concordance. Subsequently, a discovery cohort consisting of AML and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases without known genomic rearrangements based on prior clinical diagnostic testing was evaluated to determine whether Hi-C could detect rearrangements. Using a standard sequencing depth of 50 million raw read-pairs per sample, or approximately 5X raw genomic coverage, we observed 100% concordance between Hi-C and previous clinical cytogenetic and molecular testing. In the discovery cohort, a clinically relevant gene fusion was detected in 45% of leukemia cases (5/11). This study provides an institutional proof of principle evaluation of Hi-C sequencing to medical diagnostic testing as it identified several clinically relevant rearrangements, including those that were missed by current clinical testing workflows.

Journal Title

Cancers (Basel)

Volume

16

Issue

17

Keywords

3D genomics; Hi-C sequencing; pediatric oncology; structural variants

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