Mutations in ACTRT1 and its enhancer RNA elements lead to aberrant activation of Hedgehog signaling in inherited and sporadic basal cell carcinomas

Inactivating mutations in ACTRT1 or surrounding noncoding sequences transcribed into functional enhancer RNAs cause aberrant activation of Hedgehog signaling in both sporadic and inherited forms, such as Bazex–Dupré–Christol syndrome, of basal cell carcinoma. These findings identify a new tumor-suppressor gene and underscore the functional relevance of genomic alterations in noncoding transcribed regions in tumor development.