Gliomas are the most common and malignant intracranial tumors in adults. Recent studies have revealed the significance of functional genomics for glioma pathophysiological studies and treatments. However, access to comprehensive genomic data and analytical platforms is often limited. Here, we developed the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), a user-friendly data portal for the storage and interactive exploration of cross-omics data, including nearly 2000 primary and recurrent glioma samples from Chinese cohort. Currently, open access is provided to whole-exome sequencing data (286 samples), mRNA sequencing (1018 samples) and microarray data (301 samples), DNA methylation microarray data (159 samples), and microRNA microarray data (198 samples), and to detailed clinical information (age, gender, chemoradiotherapy status, WHO grade, histological type, critical molecular pathological information, and survival data). In addition, we have developed several tools for users to analyze the mutation profiles, mRNA/microRNA expression, and DNA methylation profiles, and to perform survival and gene correlation analyses of specific glioma subtypes. This database removes the barriers for researchers, providing rapid and convenient access to high-quality functional genomic data resources for biological studies and clinical applications. CGGA is available at http://www.cgga.org.cn.

Detailed characterizations of genomic alterations have not identified subtype-specific vulnerabilities in adult gliomas. Mapping gliomas into developmental programs may uncover new vulnerabilities that are not strictly related to genomic alterations. After identifying conserved gene modules co-expressed with EGFR or PDGFRA (EM or PM), we recently proposed an EM/PM classification scheme for adult gliomas in a histological subtype- and grade-independent manner. By using cohorts of bulk samples, paired primary and recurrent samples, multi-region samples from the same glioma, single-cell RNA-seq samples, and clinical samples, we here demonstrate the temporal and spatial stability of the EM and PM subtypes. The EM and PM subtypes, which progress in a subtype-specific mode, are robustly maintained in paired longitudinal samples. Elevated activities of cell proliferation, genomic instability and microenvironment, rather than subtype switching, mark recurrent gliomas. Within individual gliomas, the EM/PM subtype was preserved across regions and single cells. Malignant cells in the EM and PM gliomas were correlated to neural stem cell and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell compartment, respectively. Thus, while genetic makeup may change during progression and/or within different tumor areas, adult gliomas evolve within a neurodevelopmental framework of the EM and PM molecular subtypes. The dysregulated developmental pathways embedded in these molecular subtypes may contain subtype-specific vulnerabilities.
Humans ; Brain Neoplasms/pathology* ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism* ; Glioma/pathology* ; Neural Stem Cells/pathology* ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/pathology* ; Tumor Microenvironment