Observations of energy metabolism in neuroectodermal tumors using in vivo 31P-NMR

The energy metabolism of living tumors in rats and hamsters were investigated by obtaining in vivo 31P-NMR spectra, and the effects of chemotherapy on tumors were evaluated by observing the changes of these spectra. Tumor cells of rat glioma, human glioblastoma and human neuroblastoma were inoculated subcutaneously in the lumbar region of the animals. After the tumor grew to over 1.5 cm in diameter, in vivo 31P-NMR spectrum data was obtained selectively from the tumor with a TMR-32 spectrometer (Oxford Research Systems, U.K.). Several peaks (ATP, inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphodiesters and phosphomonoesters (PME) were observed in the tumors. The heights of these peaks varied widely corresponding to the tumor growth. However, the spectrum pattern of each tumor in an active stage was found to be essentially the same regardless of histological type or tumor origin. The phosphocreatine (PCr) peak was small, ATP and PME peaks were large and tissue pH calculated from the chemical shift of Pi was low in each tumor group. After intravenous injection of a large dose of a chemotherapeutic agent, ATP peaks decreased and the Pi peak increased gradually, resulting in a dominant Pi peak pattern after several hours in all groups. With lower drug doses, spectrum changes were temporarily seen in the tumors. These findings indicated that drugs with a high dose have a selective and a direct action on the energy metabolism of tumor tissues. In vivo 31P-NMR spectra measurement is very valuable not only to investigate the energy metabolism in tumor tissue but also to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy on the tumor.