Macrophage lipid signaling drives glioblastoma invasion and represents a therapeutic vulnerability

Glioblastoma (GBM) is characterized by diffuse infiltration into the surrounding brain, limiting complete surgical resection, the strongest determinant of patient survival. The mechanisms driving this invasive growth remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify a lipid-mediated paracrine signaling axis through which tumor-associated microglia/macrophages promote glioma invasion. Integrating single-cell transcriptomics, spatial lipidomics, and functional perturbation across mouse models and human GBM samples, we show that invading tumor cells engage and reprogram myeloid cells via colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R)-PI3K signaling. This induces lipid metabolic reprogramming and secretion of bioactive lipids, including lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) and lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs), which promote GBM invasion through distinct downstream pathways. Disruption of this myeloid-GBM axis reduces lipid secretion and suppresses invasion. Targeting downstream LPA-LPA receptor (LPAR) or YAP/TAZ signaling further constrains invasion in a context-dependent manner. Together, these findings define a lipid-driven circuit linking the tumor microenvironment to glioma invasion and identify strategies to reduce infiltration and improve surgical resection.