Christian Koelsche

GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumour shares a common DNA methylation signature with ESR1 ‐rearranged UTROSCT

Background and objectives GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumours encompass a group of uterine mesenchymal tumours with varied histologic appearances. The fusion partners to GREB1 include NCOA1‐3, SS18 and NR4A3 . Given that some GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumours exhibit histologic features of uterine tumours resembling ovarian sex cord tumour (UTROSCT), there is a general belief that GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine mesenchymal tumours are part of the UTROSCT family. Methods In this study, we applied global DNA methylation and copy number analyses to a series of 10 GREB1‐ rearranged uterine tumours and 21 classic UTROSCTs (7 of which were molecularly confirmed to harbour ESR1::NCOA2/3 fusions). Results We found that GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumors show an overlap in their global methylation profiles with UTROSCT, including ESR1::NCOA2/3 positive cases. Together, these tumours form a DNA methylation cluster separate from uterine smooth muscle tumours (leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas), endometrial stromal sarcomas (low‐grade and high‐grade), embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and SMARCA4‐deficient uterine sarcomas. However, despite their epigenetic similarity, there were two notable differences. First, GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumours as a group displayed a greater degree of genomic complexity with more extensive copy number alterations than conventional UTROSCTs, including those harbouring ESR1::NCOA2/3 . Second, GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumours frequently lacked overt sex cord morphology: while all 7 ESR1::NCOA2/3 UTROSCTs demonstrated corded, nested, trabecular and/or tubular/sertoliform patterns, only 1 GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumour displayed a prominent trabecular pattern, with the remaining cases showing exclusively or predominantly diffuse/solid growth. Conclusions Overall, our findings confirm that GREB1 ‐rearranged uterine tumours are part of the UTROSCT spectrum, though they frequently exhibit a more diffuse growth pattern and a higher degree of genomic instability.

Cellular context determines DNA methylation profiles in SWI/SNF‐deficient cancers of the gynecologic tract

AbstractSWI/SNF (SWItch/Sucrose Non‐Fermentable) complex deficiency has been reported in a wide variety of cancers and is often associated with an undifferentiated phenotype. In the gynecologic tract SWI/SNF‐deficient cancers are diagnostically challenging and little is known about their cellular origins. Here we show that undifferentiated endometrial carcinoma (UDEC), SMARCA4‐deficient uterine sarcoma (SDUS), and ovarian small cell carcinoma, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) harbor distinct DNA methylation signatures despite shared morphology and SWI/SNF inactivation. Our results indicate that the cellular context is an important determinant of the epigenetic landscape, even in the setting of core SWI/SNF deficiency, and therefore methylation profiling may represent a useful diagnostic tool in undifferentiated, SWI/SNF‐deficient cancers. Furthermore, applying copy number analyses and group‐wise differential methylation analyses including endometrioid endometrial carcinomas and extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumors, we uncover analogous molecular features in SDUS and SCCOHT in contrast to UDEC. These results suggest that SDUS and SCCOHT represent chromosomally stable SWI/SNF‐deficient cancers of the gynecologic tract, which are within the broader spectrum of malignant rhabdoid tumors. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.