Molecular profiling and sequential somatic mutation shift in hypermutator tumours harbouring POLE mutations

Defective DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) proofreading leads to extensive somatic mutations that exhibit biased mutational properties; however, the characteristics of POLE-mutated tumours remain unclear. In the present study, we describe a molecular profile using whole exome sequencing based on the transition of somatic mutations in 10 POLE-mutated solid tumours that were obtained from 2,042 Japanese patients. The bias of accumulated variations in these mutants was quantified to follow a pattern of somatic mutations, thereby classifying the sequential mutation shift into three periods. During the period prior to occurrence of the aberrant POLE, bare accumulation of mutations in cancer-related genes was observed, whereas PTEN was highly mutated in conjunction with or subsequent to the event, suggesting that POLE and PTEN mutations were responsible for the development of POLE-mutated tumours. Furthermore, homologous recombination was restored following the occurrence of PTEN mutations. Our strategy for estimation of the footprint of somatic mutations may provide new insight towards the understanding of mutation-driven tumourigenesis.