Downloaded from genome.cshlp.org on October 2, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Large-scale analysis of genome and transcriptome alterations in multiple tumors unveils novel cancer-relevant splicing networks Endre Sebestyén1,*, Babita Singh1,*, Belén Miñana1,2, Amadís Pagès1, Francesca Mateo3, Miguel Angel Pujana3, Juan Valcárcel1,2,4, Eduardo Eyras1,4,5 1Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader 88, E08003 Barcelona, Spain 2Centre for Genomic Regulation, Dr. Aiguader 88, E08003 Barcelona, Spain 3Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), E08908 L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Spain. 4Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, E08010 Barcelona, Spain *Equal contribution 5Correspondence to:
[email protected] Keywords: alternative splicing, RNA binding proteins, splicing networks, cancer 1 Downloaded from genome.cshlp.org on October 2, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Abstract Alternative splicing is regulated by multiple RNA-binding proteins and influences the expression of most eukaryotic genes. However, the role of this process in human disease, and particularly in cancer, is only starting to be unveiled. We systematically analyzed mutation, copy number and gene expression patterns of 1348 RNA-binding protein (RBP) genes in 11 solid tumor types, together with alternative splicing changes in these tumors and the enrichment of binding motifs in the alternatively spliced sequences. Our comprehensive study reveals widespread alterations in the expression of RBP genes, as well as novel mutations and copy number variations in association with multiple alternative splicing changes in cancer drivers and oncogenic pathways. Remarkably, the altered splicing patterns in several tumor types recapitulate those of undifferentiated cells.