Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42042864›Full record

ArticleMetabolites2026

Single-Section Sequential MALDI-MSI Reveals Metabolic and N-Glycan Remodeling During Malignant Transformation in Hepatocellular Adenoma.

Jianfeng Xu, Jian Sui, Da Xu, Xiaoxue Zhou, Youhong Hu, Jie Yuan, Jia Liu, Lu Lu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Metabolites, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jianfeng XuHepatobiliary Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3973-3431
Jian SuiShanghai Zenith Bio Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China.
Da XuHepatobiliary Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Xiaoxue ZhouSchool of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.
Youhong HuSchool of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.
Jie YuanShanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
Jia LiuSchool of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8167-9750
Lu LuHepatobiliary Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.

Funding

National Key R&D Program "Strategic Scientific and Technological Innovation Cooperation" Key Project 2022YFE0203600National Natural Science Foundation of China Grants 82373017National Natural Science Foundation of China Grants 82373827
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesMalignant transformation of hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) represents a clinically significant yet incompletely understood process. Although the pathological and clinical characteristics of HCA have been extensively described, its spatial molecular heterogeneity and spatially organized molecular variation at the tissue level remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to establish a spatially integrated multi-omics workflow and to delineate spatially organized molecular variation across histologically defined regions from adenoma to carcinoma.

methodsA sequential dual-layer matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) workflow was developed to acquire small-molecule metabolomic and N-glycan spatial data from the same formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue section. Four rare HCA specimens containing focal carcinoma transformation were included in this study. Pixel-level clustering, region-based co-localization analysis, and diffusion pseudotime modeling were applied to characterize spatial metabolic and N-glycan patterns across normal liver tissue (NL), hepatocellular adenoma (HCA), and carcinoma-transformed regions within adenoma (HCA-HCC).

resultsSmall-molecule MSI revealed spatial metabolic stratification within HCA, with variation observed in nucleotide-related, lipid-related, sulfur-related, and sugar nucleotide-associated metabolites. Pseudotime analysis revealed a spatial ordering of samples across NL, HCA, and HCA-HCC regions, showing differences in antioxidant-associated metabolites, lipid-related features, and bile acid-related metabolites across regions. N-glycan MSI identified independent glycosylation niches, with increasing structural complexity and enrichment of highly branched glycans in carcinoma-transformed regions. Integration of metabolomic and glycomic data suggested spatially associated patterns between metabolite features and glycan structures across regions.

conclusionsThis study provides spatially resolved evidence of spatially organized patterns of molecular variation across histologically defined regions of HCA. The identified metabolic and N-glycan gradients provide insights into spatial molecular organization during malignant transformation of hepatocellular adenoma.

Indexed as

hepatocellular adenomaMALDI mass spectrometry imagingmalignant transformationspatial metabolomics

Identifiers

PMID42042864
PMCPMC13117799

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