Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within CpG Islands may lead to increased hypermethylation if a SNP allele has the potential to form a CpG dinucleotide, as well as potentially lead to hypomethylation if a SNP allele eliminates a CpG dinucleotide. We analyzed CpG-related SNP allele frequencies in whole genome sequences (WGS) across 5 TCGA cancer datasets, thereby exploiting a more recent appreciation for signaling pathway degeneracy in cancer. The cancer data sets were analyzed for SNPs in CpG islands associated with the oncogenes, HRAS and MYC, and in the CpG islands associated with the tumor suppressor genes, APC, DCC, and RB1. We determined that one SNP allele (rs3824120) in a CpG island associated with MYC which eliminated a CpG was more common in the cancer datasets than in the 100Genomes databases (p < 0.01). For HRAS, 2 SNP alleles (rs112690925, rs7939028) that created CpG's occurred significantly less frequently in the cancer data sets than in the general SNP databases (e.g., rs7939028, p < 0.0002, in comparison with AllSNPs(142)). Also, one SNP allele (rs4940177) that created a CpG in a CpG island associated with the DCC tumor suppressor gene, was more common in the cancer datasets (p < 0.0007). To understand a broader picture of the potential of SNP alleles to create CpG's in CpG islands of tumor suppressor genes, we developed a scripted algorithm to assess the SNP alleles associated with the CpG islands of 43 tumor suppressor genes. The following tumor suppressor genes have the possibility of significant, percent increases in their CpG counts, depending on which SNP allele(s) is present: VHL, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PTEN and RB1.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within CpG Islands may lead to increased hypermethylation if a SNP allele has the potential to form a CpG dinucleotide, as well as potentially lead to hypomethylation if a SNP allele eliminates a CpG dinucleotide. We analyzed CpG-related SNP allele frequencies in whole genome sequences (WGS) across five TCGA cancer datasets, thereby exploiting a more recent appreciation for signaling pathway degeneracy in cancer. The cancer datasets were analyzed for SNPs in CpG islands associated with the oncogenes, HRAS and MYC, and in the CpG islands associated with the tumor suppressor genes, APC, DCC, and RB1. We determined that one SNP allele (rs3824120) in a CpG island associated with MYC which that eliminated a CpG was more common in the cancer datasets than in the 1000Genomes databases (p < 0.01). For HRAS, two SNP alleles (rs112690925, rs7939028) that created CpG's occurred significantly less frequently in the cancer datasets than in the general SNP databases (e.g., rs7939028, p < 0.0002, in comparison with AllSNPs(142)). Also, one SNP allele (rs4940177) that created a CpG in a CpG island associated with the DCC tumor suppressor gene, was more common in the cancer datasets (p < 0.0007). To understand a broader picture of the potential of SNP alleles to create CpG's in CpG islands of tumor suppressor genes, we developed a scripted algorithm to assess the SNP alleles associated with the CpG islands of forty-three tumor suppressor genes. The following tumor suppressor genes have the possibility of significant, percent increases in their CpG counts, depending on which SNP allele(s) is present: VHL, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PTEN and RB1.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within CpG Islands may lead to increased hypermethylation if a SNP allele has the potential to form a CpG dinucleotide, as well as potentially lead to hypomethylation if a SNP allele eliminates a CpG dinucleotide. We analyzed CpG-related SNP allele frequencies in whole genome sequences (WGS) across 5 TCGA cancer datasets, thereby exploiting a more recent appreciation for signaling pathway degeneracy in cancer. The cancer data sets were analyzed for SNPs in CpG islands associated with the oncogenes, HRAS and MYC, and in the CpG islands associated with the tumor suppressor genes, APC, DCC, and RB1. We determined that one SNP allele (rs3824120) in a CpG island associated with MYC which eliminated a CpG was more common in the cancer datasets than in the 100Genomes databases (p < 0.01). For HRAS, 2 SNP alleles (rs112690925, rs7939028) that created CpG's occurred significantly less frequently in the cancer data sets than in the general SNP databases (e.g., rs7939028, p < 0.0002, in comparison with AllSNPs(142)). Also, one SNP allele (rs4940177) that created a CpG in a CpG island associated with the DCC tumor suppressor gene, was more common in the cancer datasets (p < 0.0007). To understand a broader picture of the potential of SNP alleles to create CpG's in CpG islands of tumor suppressor genes, we developed a scripted algorithm to assess the SNP alleles associated with the CpG islands of 43 tumor suppressor genes. The following tumor suppressor genes have the possibility of significant, percent increases in their CpG counts, depending on which SNP allele(s) is present: VHL, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PTEN and RB1.

Oncogene mutations are primarily thought to facilitate uncontrolled cell growth. However, overexpression of oncoproteins likely leads to apoptosis in a feed forward mechanism, whereby a certain level of oncoprotein leads to the activation of pro-proliferation effector genes and higher levels lead to activation of pro-apoptotic effector genes. TCGA STAD barcodes having no oncoprotein coding region mutations represented reduced expression of the apoptosis-effector genes compared with barcodes with multiple oncoprotein coding region mutations. Furthermore, STAD barcodes in a “no-subsequent tumor” group, representing 224 samples, and in a “positive outcome” group, had more oncoprotein coding regions mutated, on average, than barcodes of the new tumor and negative outcome groups, respectively. BRAF, CTNNB1, KRAS and MTOR coding region mutations (as a group) had the strongest association with the no-subsequent tumor group. Tumor suppressor coding region mutations were also correlated with no-subsequent tumor. These results are consistent with an oncoprotein-mediated, feed-forward mechanism of apoptosis in patients. Importantly, the no-subsequent tumor group also had more overall mutations. This result leads to considerations of unhealthy cells or cells with more neo-antigens for immune rejection. However, a probabilistic aspect of mutagenesis is also consistent with more oncoprotein and tumor suppressor protein mutations, in cases of more overall mutations, and thus a higher likelihood of activation of feed forward apoptosis pathways.

Oncogene mutations are primarily thought to facilitate uncontrolled cell growth. However, overexpression of oncoproteins likely leads to apoptosis in a feed forward mechanism, whereby a certain level of oncoprotein leads to the activation of pro-proliferation effector genes and higher levels lead to activation of pro-apoptotic effector genes. TCGA STAD barcodes having no oncoprotein coding region mutations represented reduced expression of the apoptosis-effector genes compared with barcodes with multiple oncoprotein coding region mutations. Furthermore, STAD barcodes in a “no-subsequent tumor” group, representing 224 samples, and in a “positive outcome” group, had more oncoprotein coding regions mutated, on average, than barcodes of the new tumor and negative outcome groups, respectively. BRAF, CTNNB1, KRAS and MTOR coding region mutations (as a group) had the strongest association with the no-subsequent tumor group. Tumor suppressor coding region mutations were also correlated with no-subsequent tumor. These results are consistent with an oncoprotein-mediated, feed-forward mechanism of apoptosis in patients. Importantly, the no-subsequent tumor group also had more overall mutations. This result leads to considerations of unhealthy cells or cells with more neo-antigens for immune rejection. However, a probabilistic aspect of mutagenesis is also consistent with more oncoprotein and tumor suppressor protein mutations, in cases of more overall mutations, and thus a higher likelihood of activation of feed forward apoptosis pathways.