Integrated serum and tissue NMR metabolomics with correlation analysis reveals metabolic alterations in gliomas.

PURPOSE: Gliomas exhibit an inherent metabolic reprogramming driven by the tumor heterogeneity and bioenergetic requirements. The resulting perturbations in systemic circulation can be captured through serum metabolomics, while tissue metabolomics can help decode the tumor-intrinsic changes. Integrating these two can reveal co-ordinated changes, potentially aiding biomarker discovery. Our pilot study aims to investigate the metabolic alterations in gliomas by combining and correlating serum and tissue metabolomics in a North Indian cohort.

METHOD: Serum (n = 50) samples from human glioma patients and healthy controls and tissue samples (n = 34) from patients were collected and analysed after acquisition of 1D-1H NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectra. Metabolite assignment was done on Chenomx and validated by 2D NMR. Univariate and Multivariate statistical analysis was performed on Metaboanalyst 6.0. Correlation between the two metabolic profiles was done to analyse the association.

RESULTS

Eight metabolites were statistically significant in differentiating control from disease group in serum samples. Five metabolites were significant in ANOVA from different tissue grades out of which glycine, histamine and pyruvate displayed a gradual trend with the progression of grades.

CONCLUSION

Serum and tissue metabolomics were able to capture disease specific perturbation in the metabolome. Integrated analysis provides more comprehensive understanding of glioma biology and may help in non-invasive assessment and grade discrimination.