Non-invasive monitor expression of the glycolytic enzyme in vivo with deuterium MRI

Motivation: Enzyme expression plays a crucial role in tumor metabolism, influencing tumor development and response to therapy. However, there is a lack of non-invasive techniques to measure the expression of glycolytic enzymes in research and clinics. Goal(s): Verify whether Deuterium metabolic imaging (DMI), a promising non-invasive technique, can effectively monitor the expression changes of glycolysis enzyme in vivo. Approach: Utilize deuterium MRS/MRI to monitor metabolic flux in two groups of mice with control tumor and HK2 knockdown tumor. Results: DMI can indirectly monitor the expression changes of glycolytic enzymes represented by HK2 in vivo by measuring metabolic flux. Impact: This study provides a non-invasive technique for measuring glycolytic enzyme expression of tumors in vivo. The proposed method might have clinical potential in cancer treatment management and response monitoring in a timely manner.