Genetic Analysis of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma Complicating Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Abstract Context Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) may appear as a complication of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD-PPGL) with frequent EPAS1 mutations, suggesting a close link between EPAS1 mutations and tissue hypoxia in CCHD-PPGL pathogenesis. Objective Our aim is to further investigate the role of EPAS1 mutations in the hypoxia-driven mechanism of CCHD-PPGL pathogenesis, particularly focusing on metachronous and/or multifocal CCHD-PPGL tumors. Methods We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) for somatic and germline mutations in 15 PPGL samples from 7 CCHD patients, including 3 patients with metachronous and/or multifocal tumors, together with an adrenal medullary hyperplasia (AMH) sample. Results We detected EPAS1 mutations in 15 out of 16 PPGL/AMH samples from 7 cases. Conspicuously, all EPAS1 mutations in each of 3 cases with multifocal or metachronous tumors were mutually independent and typical examples of parallel evolution, which is suggestive of strong positive selection of EPAS1-mutated clones. Compared to 165 The Cancer Genome Atlas non–CCHD-PPGL samples, CCHD-PPGL/AMH samples were enriched for 11p deletions (13/16) and 2p amplifications (4/16). Of particular note, the multiple metachronous PPGL tumors with additional copy number abnormalities developed 18 to 23 years after the resolution of hypoxemia, suggesting that CCHD-induced hypoxic environments are critical for positive selection of EPAS1 mutants in early life, but may no longer be required for development of PPGL in later life. Conclusion Our results highlight a key role of activated hypoxia-inducible factor 2α due to mutated EPAS1 in positive selection under hypoxic environments, although hypoxemia itself may not necessarily be required for the EPAS1-mutated clones to progress to PPGL.