Sex differences in brain tumor glutamine metabolism reveal sex-specific vulnerabilities to treatment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Brain cancer incidence and mortality rates are greater in males. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie those sex differences could improve treatment strategies. Although sex differences in normal metabolism are well described, it is currently unknown whether they persist in cancerous tissue.

Methods

Using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and mass spectrometry, we assessed sex differences in glioma metabolism in samples from affected individuals. We assessed the role of glutamine metabolism in male and female murine transformed astrocytes using isotope labeling, metabolic rescue experiments, and pharmacological and genetic perturbations to modulate pathway activity.

Findings

We found that male glioblastoma surgical specimens are enri

SUBMITTER: Sponagel J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9669217 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature