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Standard microscopy slides with mounted tissue were vacuum desiccated for 20 min before matrix coating. After desiccation, the slides were sprayed with NEDC matrix (10 mg ml−1, 1:1 ACN:H2O) using an M3+ sprayer (HTX Technologies; flow rate, 75 µl min−1; temperature, 70 °C; velocity, 1,000 mm min−1; track spacing, 1 mm; pattern, crisscross; drying time, 0 s). The slides were mounted into a MTP Slide Adapter II (Bruker Daltonics) before analysis. MALDI imaging data were acquired using the timsTOF fleX MALDI-2 mass spectrometer (Bruker Daltonics) operating in transmission mode with a 20 µm raster size, acquiring m/z 100–600. The laser (Bruker Daltonics; SmartBeam 3D, 355 nm, 5,000 Hz repetition rate) used a 16 µm beam scan, resulting in a 20 µm × 20 µm ablation area. Taurine was used as a lock mass ((M-H)1-, m/z 124.0074). MS imaging data were visualized using SCiLS Lab 2023b, with single fractional enrichment, normalized mean enrichment and fractionalized enrichment images generated in SCiLS Lab using an in-house script using the SCiLS REST API (Bruker Daltonics; v.6.2.114), written in R (v.4.2.2), using RStudio (2022.12.0 build 353). A segmentation algorithm built into SCiLS Lab was used to create four data-driven regions corresponding to the healthy and GBM tissue in the 13C dosed and control tissues (normalization, total ion count; denoising, weak; method, bisecting k-means; metric, Manhattan). The relative isotopologue intensity of these regions was also calculated with another in-house script implemented through the SCiLS REST API. Tentative annotations were performed using MetaboScape 2023 (Bruker Daltonics) using target lists of known biological molecules generated with the TASQ 2022 software (Bruker Daltonics; amino acids, glycolysis, citrate cycle). The molecular formula of target molecules was used to calculate an accurate mass for each target. Annotations required a mass error of less than 3.0 ppm. In total, 72 features were annotated using this limited list, with annotated peaks having a mass accuracy of 1.1 ppm. Spatial metabolite imaging and analysis of human clinical specimens are detailed in Supplementary Methods.
Chemoradiation treatments and tumour burden studiesIn experiments evaluating the influence of RT on metabolism, cannulated mice were anaesthetized by 2% isoflurane inhalation and then treated with cranially directed RT at a dose of 8 Gy or sham RT with a lead shield keeping the cranium exposed. Immediately after RT (less than 5 min), the mice were removed from anaesthesia and administered tracer infusions as described above. In studies assessing animal survival, mice were placed onto either a control diet (TestDiet Baker Amino Acid Diet, 5CC7) or a modified diet containing 0% serine and 0% glycine with all other amino acids adjusted to account for serine and glycine reduction (TestDiet Modified Baker Amino Acid Diet, 5BJX) 3 days before orthotopic tumour implantation. The mice were then implanted with luciferase-positive intracranial tumours and maintained on respective diets for the remainder of experimentation. Once bioluminescence imaging (described in the Supplementary Methods) detected intracranial tumours with flux values of 106–107 p s−1 (9 to 50 days after implantation), the mice on each diet were randomized into control or chemoradiation-treated groups. On each treatment day, mice received both TMZ (oral administration) and cranial RT (under isoflurane anaesthesia with a lead shield keeping cranium exposed), with RT administered 1 h after TMZ treatment. GBM12-bearing mice were administered chemoradiation as three consecutive days of TMZ (25 mg per kg) and cranial RT (2 Gy). GBM38-bearing mice were administered chemoradiation as 3 consecutive days of TMZ (50 mg per kg) and cranial RT (2 Gy). HF2303-bearing mice were administered chemoradiation in two cycles, with 13 days between cycles. The first cycle consisted of 4 consecutive daily doses of TMZ (25 mg per kg) and RT (2 Gy). The second cycle consisted of 2 consecutive treatment days, a 2 day gap, and then 1 treatment day. A schematic of the treatment schemes is provided in Extended Data Fig. 11j–l. Overall survival was determined using the Kaplan–Meier method, with log-rank tests used to compare survival curves. Histological analyses were performed as previously described7 by H&E staining and Ki-67 staining. The primary antibody for Ki-67 (BD Biosciences, 550609) was used at a 1:1,000 dilution. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using the Vectastain Elite ABC Kit (PK-6102), which included the secondary antibody (1:200). Further details and quantification are described in Supplementary Methods.
Analysis of metabolite enrichmentTo quantify the incorporation of stable isotope tracers into metabolites, we calculated mean enrichment, defined as the average percentage of labelled atoms (13C or 15N) within a metabolite pool62, corrected for natural abundance:
$${rm{Mean}};{rm{enrichment}}=frac{{sum }_{i=0}^{n}i{rm{times }}{m}_{i}}{n{rm{times }}{sum }_{i=0}^{n}{m}_{i}}$$
where n is the number of C or N atoms in the metabolite, i represents isotopologues and m represents isotopologue abundance. This metric captures the total fractional contribution of tracers to metabolites of interest, averaging labelling across all isotopologues. Alternatively, specific isotopologue fractions or relative abundance were used to track specific metabolic pathways. When appropriate and where indicated, tissue enrichment values were normalized to plasma tracer enrichment. Detailed analysis methods are described in the figure legends. Isotopologues and mean enrichment percentages were determined using MassHunter Profinder v.10.0 (Agilent Technologies). Descriptive statistics (mean, s.d.) for metabolite enrichments are graphically presented. Comparisons between groups were performed using linear models for unpaired data and linear mixed-effects models for paired (for example, cortex and tumour from the same individual) or repeated-measures data (for example, in cases of multiple tumour foci extracted from a single mouse). Holm’s method was used to adjust for multiple comparisons performed for each metabolite. All tests were two-sided, and statistical significance was assessed at the 0.05 significance level. Statistical comparisons and parameters are further described in the figure legends. Analyses were performed using R v.4.4.2 or GraphPad Prism 10.
Additional experimental informationNo commonly misidentified cell lines were used in this study. The GBM374gs gliomasphere model was authenticated regularly via short tandem repeat fingerprinting using the GenePrint 10 system (Laragen). All experiments involving GBM12, GBM38 and HF2303 patient-derived models were performed in vivo, with the exception of in vitro culturing for lentiviral GFP and luciferase transduction, and were not authenticated beyond primary isolation; in vivo passage and marker retention ensured identity of these models. All models cultured in vitro were tested regularly for mycoplasma using the MycoAlert Mycoplasma Detection Kit (Lonza) and confirmed negative. Comprehensive experimental and analytical details including metabolite imaging of clinical samples, LC–MS, subtype and transcriptional analyses of our data and others63,64,65, development of MFA methods, in vitro gliomasphere experiments, additional in vivo methods, and histological staining and quantification protocols are found in Supplementary Methods, containing refs. 66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99.
Statistics and reproducibilityHuman data were obtained from the same cohort of patients throughout the study. Labelled human samples were analysed from eight patients, comprising n = 8 cortex samples, n = 7 enhancing tumour samples, and n = 8 non-enhancing tumour samples. One patient lacked enhancing tumour tissue. Mouse LC–MS data corresponding to (U13C)glucose labelling and metabolite abundance in HF2303 and GBM12 models were from the same cohorts throughout the study. Mouse LC–MS data corresponding to single-timepoint (U13C)glucose labelling in GBM38-bearing mice were from the same cohort throughout the study. For all mouse LC–MS data showing single-timepoint labelling from (U13C)glucose, samples were analysed from sixteen total mice with n = 16 cortex samples and comprised: seven GBM38-bearing mice with n = 7 tumour foci and n = 7 cortex samples; five GBM12-bearing mice with n = 5 tumour foci and n = 5 cortex samples; and four HF2303-bearing mice with five tumour foci, one of which was diffuse and cortically contaminated and was therefore excluded from analysis, yielding n = 4 tumour foci and n = 4 cortex samples. One of these HF2303-bearing mice exhibited suboptimal data quality for plasma glucose measurements used to normalize tissue labelling. Therefore, plasma glucose enrichment for this mouse was estimated using the mean value derived from remaining mice in the group. Mouse data corresponding to single-timepoint metabolite abundance in GBM38-bearing mice were from the same cohort throughout the study. All time course (U13C)glucose labelling data were from the same cohort of mice. All data showing in vivo isotope labelling from 15N-glutamine were from the same cohort of mice. All data showing in vivo isotope labelling from 15N4-inosine were from the same cohort of mice. Mouse tissue spatial imaging data and matched H&E staining shown throughout this study are from the same 13C-labelled and negative control unlabelled mice. In developing our hypothesis-generating metabolic flux models of nucleotide synthesis, the need for multiple timepoints constrained sample numbers at each timepoint, and exclusions were necessary to minimize variance within groups and ensure data robustness. Specific exclusion criteria are described at https://github.com/baharm1/iMFA/, and model-based predictions were validated by multiple orthogonal tracers. Mice failing to form intracranial tumours post-orthotopic implantation (<5%) or dying 0–5 days after implantation (<5%) or jugular/carotid catheter placement (<10%), likely due to surgical complications, were excluded. In LC–MS experiments, metabolites below detection thresholds were excluded. Stable isotope infusion studies in human patients inherently lack full repeatability because of substantial variability among individuals, clinical-protocol-related factors and restricted tissue quantities. Labelled glucose infusion studies of intracranial GBM38-bearing mice were performed three or more times. In vivo glucose labelling studies were further repeated by five or more serial labelled glucose injection experiments using intracranial HF2303 tumour-bearing mice, intracranial GBM38 tumour-bearing mice, and two additional intracranial models not presented. In vivo serine tracer uptake measurements were replicated via serial tracer injection into intracranial GBM38-bearing mice. Studies with amide-labelled glutamine infusions showed consistent GBM versus cortex label patterns in three or more independent experiments. In vitro gliomasphere experiments were performed three times. All attempts at replicating the experiments were successful. For Fig. 1d, the numbers of mice analysed at each timepoint are as follows: n = 10 at 0 min, n = 7 at 5 min, n = 10 at 30 min, n = 10 at 30 min, n = 5 at 45 min, n = 8 at 60 min, n = 5 at 120 min, n = 3 at 180 min and n = 3 at 240 min. For Fig. 1e, samples were analysed from eight patients, comprising n = 8 cortex samples, n = 7 enhancing tumour samples and n = 8 non-enhancing tumour samples. Some metabolites were not reliably detected in every tissue sample and were not shown. Therefore, sample numbers corresponding to each metabolite are as follows: GAP/DHAP: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 8. 3PG/2PG: cortex, n = 7; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 6. PEP: cortex, n = 5; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 5. Pyruvate: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 7. Lactate: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 8. For Fig. 1f, samples were analysed from 16 total mice with n = 16 cortex samples and comprised 7 GBM38-bearing mice with n = 7 tumour foci and n = 7 cortex samples; five GBM12-bearing mice with n = 5 tumour foci and n = 5 cortex samples; and four HF2303-bearing mice with five tumour foci, one of which was diffuse and cortically contaminated and was therefore excluded from analysis, yielding n = 4 tumour foci and n = 4 cortex samples. Some metabolites were not reliably detected in every tissue sample and were not shown. Therefore, the sample numbers corresponding to each metabolite are as follows: FBP: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. GAP/DHAP: cortex, n = 15; HF2303, n = 3; GBM12, n = 4; GBM38, n = 6. 3PG/2PG: cortex, n = 6; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 4; GBM38, n = 6. Pyruvate: cortex, n = 15; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. Lactate: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. For Fig. 2a,c,g,j,l, samples were analysed from eight patients, comprising n = 8 cortex samples, n = 7 enhancing tumour samples and n = 8 non-enhancing tumour samples. Some metabolites were not reliably detected in every tissue sample and were not shown. Therefore, sample numbers corresponding to each metabolite are as follows. Figure 2a: citrate/isocitrate, α-ketoglutarate and malate: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 8. Succinate: cortex, n = 7; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 8. Figure 2c: glutamate and glutamine: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 8. GABA: cortex, n = 5; enhancing, n = 5; non-enhancing, n = 4. Aspartate: cortex, n = 6; enhancing, n = 5; non-enhancing, n = 6. Figure 2g: IMP: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 8. Inosine, GMP, guanosine, AMP and ADP: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 8. GDP: cortex, n = 7; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 7. Figure 2j: UMP: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 6; non-enhancing, n = 8; dTDP: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 4; non-enhancing, n = 8. Figure 2l: NAD: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 7. NADH: cortex, n = 8; enhancing, n = 7; non-enhancing, n = 5. Samples in Fig. 2b,d,h,k,m were analysed from 16 total mice with n = 16 cortex samples and comprised 7 GBM38-bearing mice with n = 7 tumour foci and n = 7 cortex samples; five GBM12-bearing mice with n = 5 tumour foci and n = 5 cortex samples; and four HF2303-bearing mice with five tumour foci, one of which was diffuse and cortically contaminated and was therefore excluded from analysis, yielding n = 4 tumour foci and n = 4 cortex samples. Some metabolites were not reliably detected in every tissue sample and were not shown. Therefore, sample numbers corresponding to each metabolite are as follows. Figure 2b: for all metabolites: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. Figure 2d: glutamate and aspartate: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. Glutamine: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 3. GABA: cortex, n = 12; HF2303, n = 3; GBM38, n = 6. Figure 2h: IMP: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 6. GMP, GDP, AMP, ADP and ATP: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. GTP: cortex, n = 12; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. Figure 2k: UMP: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7; CMP: cortex, n = 12; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7. dTDP: cortex, n = 13; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5. Figure 2m, NAD: cortex, n = 16; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7; NADH: cortex, n = 15; HF2303, n = 4; GBM12, n = 5; GBM38, n = 7.
n values for Fig. 3 are shown in the figure caption. For Fig. 4a, samples were analysed from eight patients, comprising n = 8 cortex samples, n = 7 enhancing tumour samples and n = 8 non-enhancing tumour samples. For Fig. 4b, samples were analysed from 16 total mice with n = 16 cortex samples and comprised 7 GBM38-bearing mice with n = 7 tumour foci and n = 7 cortex samples, 5 GBM12-bearing mice with n = 5 tumour foci and n = 5 cortex samples, and 4 HF2303-bearing mice with 5 tumour foci, one of which was diffuse and cortically contaminated and was therefore excluded from analysis, yielding n = 4 tumour foci and n = 4 cortex samples. For Fig. 4d, samples were analysed from 5 GBM-bearing mice, comprising n = 5 cortex samples and n = 5 tumour samples. For Fig. 4e, samples were analysed from 5 GBM-bearing mice, comprising n = 4 cortex samples and n = 4 tumour samples. For Fig. 4f, samples were analysed from five GBM-bearing mice, comprising n = 5 cortex samples and n = 5 tumour samples. For Fig. 4i, animal numbers are as follows: control diet, n = 7; −SG diet, n = 8; control diet with chemoradiation, n = 8; −SG diet with chemoradiation, n = 9. For Fig. 4j, animals were examined over three independent experiments with total mouse numbers as follows: control diet, n = 14; −SG diet, n = 14; control diet with chemoradiation, n = 11; −SG diet with chemoradiation, n = 9. In one of these experiments, three mice were excluded due to lack of detectable brain tumour and one mouse was excluded due to an unrelated condition requiring its humane euthanasia. For Fig. 4k, animals were examined over two independent experiments with total mouse numbers as follows: control diet, n = 18; −SG diet, n = 21; control diet with chemoradiation, n = 10; −SG diet with chemoradiation, n = 13. For Fig. 4m, data corresponding to control diets are from the same HF2303-bearing mice described in Fig. 4b. over, data corresponding to −SG diets were obtained from four HF2303-bearing mice with four cortex samples and four tumour samples. Thus, sample numbers are as follows: for control diet, n = 4 cortex samples and n = 4 tumour samples; and, for the −SG diet, n = 4 cortex samples and n = 4 tumour samples. For Fig. 4n, data are from the same mice as described in Fig. 4b,m. These samples comprised n = 4 control tumour samples and n = 4 −SG tumour samples.
Reporting summaryFurther information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.
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