title: Metabolomic studies of patient material by high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
abstract: Magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy offers a convenient means for the rapid determination of metabolic profiles from intact malignant tissues with high resolution. The implementation of MAS-NMR spectroscopy requires minimal sample processing, hence being compatible with complementary histological or biochemical analyses. The metabolites routinely detected in (1)H MAS-NMR spectra can simultaneously inform on many of the metabolic alterations that characterize malignant cells, including altered choline metabolism and the so-called Warburg effect. Clinical MAS-NMR profiles have been attributed with diagnostic or prognostic value, correlating to disease subtype, tumor stage/grade, response to chemotherapy, and patient survival. Herein, the scientific rationale behind MAS-NMR and its utility for translational cancer research and patient stratification is summarized. Moreover, a basic protocol for the analysis of tumor samples by MAS-NMR spectroscopy is detailed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: h.keun@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keun
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D055432:Metabolomics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Choline; Citrate; Glucose; Lactate; Metabolomics; Tumor metabolism