Databases
The ACCRF Research Agenda has led to the generation of enormous data sets spanning a wide array of platforms. The foundation’s intent is to make these data sets easily accessible online to all interested researchers. Although such a web portal may take some time to develop, there are some current resources available.
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Cancer Genome Project
ACCRF funded a pilot resequencing project at the Sanger Institute that sequenced 400 genes across 25 specimens. The results are available on the COSMIC Sanger website.
The Sanger Institute and M.D. Anderson are nearing completion of a comprehensive investigation of ACC somatic genetics. The study includes exome sequencing, SNP6.0 arrays and gene expression analysis of over 50 ACC cases. Once the data is available, ACCRF will be informing interested researchers.
Oncomine
Oncomine is an online compendium of gene expression profiles that includes some analytical tools. A search of “salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma” will lead to a 2002 study comparing 15 ACC primary specimens (and one misidentified cell line) with 5 normal salivary gland specimens.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Database
ACCRF supported the creation of a website at the University of Virginia that describes 17 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of ACC. The website contains descriptive details and histological images as well as aCGH, gene expression, phosphoproteomics and drug screening data. The PDX models were recently published in a peer-reviewed article.
Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) Drug Screening Data
Several of the PDX models developed at the University of Virginia have been established, expanded, maintained and screened at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics (START) under a contract with ACCRF. The intent is to provide an open platform for academic and industry researchers to pursue their hypotheses about drug efficacy and toxicity in ACC preclinical models. ACCRF does not seek to obtain intellectual property from investigators using the platform.
Baselines screens of approximately 30 approved anticancer agents have been completed across 5 PDX models of ACC (ACCx5M1, ACCx6, ACCx9, ACCx14 and ACCx16). The results are available in a spreadsheet file. Approximately 20 novel agents also have been screened in these models; however, confidentiality agreements preclude the public distribution of the results.
