Cell-free nucleic acid fragmentomics: A non-invasive window into cellular epigenomes

Abstract

Clinical genomic profiling of cell-free nucleic acids (e.g. cell-free DNA or cfDNA) from blood and other body fluids has ushered in a new era in non-invasive diagnostics and treatment monitoring strategies for health conditions and diseases such as cancer. Genomic analysis of cfDNAs not only identifies disease-associated mutations, but emerging findings suggest that structural, topological, and fragmentation characteristics of cfDNAs reveal crucial information about the location of source tissues, their epigenomes, and other clinically relevant characteristics, leading to the burgeoning field of fragmentomics. The field has seen rapid developments in computational and genomics methodologies for conducting large-scale studies on health conditions and diseases – that have led to fundamental, mechanistic discoveries as well as translational applications. Several recent studies have shown the clinical utilities of the cfDNA fragmentomics technique which has the potential to be effective for early disease diagnosis, determining treatment outcomes, and risk-free continuous patient monitoring in a non-invasive manner. In this article, we outline recent developments in computational genomic methodologies and analysis strategies, as well as the emerging insights from cfNA fragmentomics. We conclude by highlighting the current challenges and opportunities.