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Mattox AK, Douville C, Wang Y, Popoli M, Ptak J, Silliman N, Dobbyn L, Schaefer J, Lu S, Pearlman AH, Cohen JD, Tie J, Gibbs P, Lahouel K, Bettegowda C, Hruban RH, Tomasetti C, Jiang P, Chan KA, Lo YMD, Papadopoulos N, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B. The Origin of Highly Elevated Cell-Free DNA in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Pancreatic, Colorectal, Lung, or Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:2166-2179. [PMID: 37565753 PMCID: PMC10592331 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations from patients with cancer are often elevated compared with those of healthy controls, but the sources of this extra cfDNA have never been determined. To address this issue, we assessed cfDNA methylation patterns in 178 patients with cancers of the colon, pancreas, lung, or ovary and 64 patients without cancer. Eighty-three of these individuals had cfDNA concentrations much greater than those generally observed in healthy subjects. The major contributor of cfDNA in all samples was leukocytes, accounting for ∼76% of cfDNA, with neutrophils predominating. This was true regardless of whether the samples were derived from patients with cancer or the total plasma cfDNA concentration. High levels of cfDNA observed in patients with cancer did not come from either neoplastic cells or surrounding normal epithelial cells from the tumor's tissue of origin. These data suggest that cancers may have a systemic effect on cell turnover or DNA clearance. SIGNIFICANCE The origin of excess cfDNA in patients with cancer is unknown. Using cfDNA methylation patterns, we determined that neither the tumor nor the surrounding normal tissue contributes this excess cfDNA-rather it comes from leukocytes. This finding suggests that cancers have a systemic impact on cell turnover or DNA clearance. See related commentary by Thierry and Pisareva, p. 2122. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2109.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin K. Mattox
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Christopher Douville
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Yuxuan Wang
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Maria Popoli
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Janine Ptak
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Natalie Silliman
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Lisa Dobbyn
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Joy Schaefer
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Steve Lu
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Alexander H. Pearlman
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Joshua D. Cohen
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Jeanne Tie
- Division of Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria 3021, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Peter Gibbs
- Division of Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria 3021, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kamel Lahouel
- Division of Mathematics for Cancer Evolution and Early Detection, Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Chetan Bettegowda
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287
| | - Ralph H. Hruban
- Department of Pathology, Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Cristian Tomasetti
- Division of Mathematics for Cancer Evolution and Early Detection, Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Peiyong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Novostics, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - K.C. Allen Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Novostics, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuk Ming Dennis Lo
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology and Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Novostics, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nickolas Papadopoulos
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Kenneth W. Kinzler
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Bert Vogelstein
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
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