Spatial Omics Technologies in Glioblastoma Research: Principles, Applications, and Best Practices

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Genomics
• Proteomics
• Multi-omics

Background:

• Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with high recurrence rates.
• GBM's tumor microenvironment (TME) drives progression and therapeutic resistance.
• Understanding GBM cellular ecosystems is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review spatial omics applications in glioblastoma research.
• To provide an overview of current technologies and their impact on GBM studies.
• To highlight advancements in understanding GBM biology and TME.

Main Methods:

• Overview of spatial transcriptomic, proteomic, and multi-omic platforms.
• Analysis of patient samples using spatial omics technologies.
• Comparison of different spatial platforms' strengths and limitations.

Main Results:

• Spatial omics provide high-dimensional characterization of cellular states and interactions within intact GBM tissue.
• These technologies offer unprecedented insights into tumor organization, immune landscapes, and vascular niches.
• Spatial omics reveal how TME remodeling occurs during treatment and contributes to relapse.

Conclusions:

• Spatial omics are transforming glioblastoma research by preserving spatial context.
• This review serves as a practical resource for implementing spatial omics in GBM studies.
• Advancements in spatial omics pave the way for precision neuro-oncology in glioblastoma treatment.