Probing carbohydrate metabolism using hyperpolarized ¹³ C-labeled molecules.

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Imaging
• Biochemistry
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Glycolysis is a fundamental metabolic pathway with critical roles in cellular energy production.
• Aberrations in glucose metabolism, particularly elevated aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect), are hallmarks of diseases like cancer.
• Real-time monitoring of metabolic processes is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms and developing diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of hyperpolarized 13C-labeled metabolites for real-time monitoring of glycolysis.
• To highlight the utility of these techniques in studying both normal and pathological metabolic states.
• To discuss the potential of metabolic imaging in disease diagnosis and characterization.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing hyperpolarized 13C-labeled metabolic substrates, including deuterated D-glucose derivatives, [2-13C]-D-fructose, [2-13C] dihydroxyacetone, [1-13C]-D-glycerate, [1-13C]-D-glucono-δ-lactone, and [1-13C] pyruvate.
• Employing magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for real-time metabolic monitoring.
• Investigating glycolysis and related pathways in healthy and diseased tissues.

Main Results:

• Hyperpolarized 13C-labeled substrates allow for real-time visualization of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway.
• The Warburg effect in tumors can be successfully imaged using hyperpolarized [U-13C6, U-2H7]-D-glucose.
• The size of the lactate pool can be quantified using hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate with 13C MRS/MRI.

Conclusions:

• Hyperpolarized 13C-metabolite imaging offers a powerful, non-invasive tool for real-time assessment of cellular metabolism.
• This technology provides valuable insights into metabolic dysregulation in various diseases, especially cancer.
• Future applications may include enhanced disease diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and personalized medicine.