Daily Digest | March 15, 2019

Tissue-specificity in cancer: The rule, not the exception | Science

Different human cancers contain a subset of recurring cancer driver gene mutations and chromosome copy number alterations that are specific for, or enriched in, that tumor type. The underlying tissue-specific epigenetic architecture may differentially determine the responsiveness to oncogenic signals and thus the propensity to acquire alterations that lead to cancer.

Research paper

 

netDx: interpretable patient classification using integrated patient similarity networks | Molecular Systems Biology

netDx is a supervised patient classification algorithm based on the paradigm of patient similarity networks. It integrates multi‐omic data and uses biological pathway information to help with model interpretability.

Research paper

 

DNA methylation GrimAge strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan | Aging

It was unknown whether plasma protein levels can be estimated based on DNA methylation (DNAm) levels, and if so, how the resulting surrogates can be consolidated into a powerful predictor of lifespan. Researchers present here, seven DNAm-based estimators of plasma proteins including those of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and growth differentiation factor 15. The resulting predictor of lifespan, DNAm GrimAge (in units of years), is a composite biomarker based on the seven DNAm surrogates and a DNAm-based estimator of smoking pack-years. Adjusting DNAm GrimAge for chronological age generated novel measure of epigenetic age acceleration, AgeAccelGrim.

Research paper | News article

 

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