Imaging choline phospholipid biosynthesis in gliomas using deuterium magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Aberrant choline phospholipid biosynthesis is a metabolic hallmark of cancer. Choline kinase α (CKα) is the key enzyme in this pathway. Non-invasive methods of imaging CKα have the potential to report on tumor proliferation. Here, using a combination of RNA interference and doxycycline-inducible gene silencing systems, we show that deuterium magnetic resonance spectroscopy following administration of [2H9]-choline non-invasively reports on CKα activity in patient-derived glioma cells and intracranial tumors. Importantly, [2H9]-choline provides an early readout of response to chemotherapy in mice bearing intracranial gliomas. Our studies identify a novel agent for metabolic imaging of gliomas and their response to therapy.