Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression is essential for tumor proliferation and is also an attractive therapeutic target for gliomas. Imaging TERT can help monitor tumor development and response to therapy. TERT expression has previously been shown to enhance glucose flux via the pentose phosphate pathway in low grade glioma cells expressing TERT. Here, we show that hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism to 6-phospho-[1-13C]gluconate is significantly higher in tumor compared to contralateral normal brain in TERT-expressing low-grade oligodendrogliomas, pointing to the utility of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone for non-invasive in vivo assessment of this critical tumor hallmark in gliomas.
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