A functional genomics process for systematic dissection and mutation-specific target discovery in breast cancer PIK3CA hotspot mutations [ATAC-Seq]
Despite the general understanding that different mutations impart different phenotypic changes within a cell, the majority of targeted therapies in cancer treatment are used to treat all mutations in the same gene regardless of location or phenotypic effects. There is a significant unmet need to distinguish distinct changes in cellular signaling which may provide opportunities for mutation-specific treatment with reduced toxicity to patients. Herein, we describe a series of functional genomic analysis with a unique isogenic cell line panel to accurately identify targetable differences between mutations within the same gene.  Using an isogenic cell line model bearing two distinct hotspot PIK3CA mutations found in breast cancer, we were able to identify many gene expression and chromatin accessibility differences. These findings allowed us to identify mutation specific molecular targets, specifically AREG as well as a proximal gene regulatory region, that may provide clinically relevant targets. When disrupted, these targets induce a mutation-specific decrease in proliferation and survival in vivo. These findings suggest new mutation-specific modes of treatment for PIK3CA mutant breast cancer and provide a means with which to find mutation-specific targets for the treatment of other oncogenic mutations. Overall design: The second stage is assessment of chromatin accessibility using assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq). ATAC-seq utilizes tn5 transposase to identify accessible regions of the genome and provides additional insight into how genes and transcription factors are different in their regulation between mutants