In vitro Hyperpolarized 13C-Pyruvate NMR Spectroscopy for the Assessment of Treatment Response in Different Hepatocellular Carcinoma Subtypes

Motivation: Cancer cells undergo significant metabolic reprogramming to meet the demands of rapid proliferation, survival under stress, and development of treatment resistance. This metabolic heterogeneity presents a challenge for selecting effective therapies for individual patients. Goal(s): A deeper understanding of these metabolic adaptions opens unique therapeutic pathways for cancer treatment. Approach: In our study, we used hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with different phenotypes and various targeted therapies to evaluate the effectiveness of 13C NMR spectroscopy towards identifying metabolic targets and assessing therapeutic efficacy. Results: We demonstrate that 13C NMR spectroscopy can detect cellular metabolic profiles and monitor metabolic alterations during treatment. Impact: Cancer cells undergo extensive metabolic reprogramming to support rapid proliferation, survival, and treatment resistance. 13C NMR spectroscopy can rapidly provide valuable insight into cellular metabolism and therapeutic efficacy, potentially enabling clinicians to provide more personalized cancer care.