Ex vivo glioblastoma migration phenotypes define clinical recurrence and tumor heterogeneity

Glioblastoma’s pronounced migratory capacity underlies its diffuse invasion, presenting a formidable barrier to successful treatment. Ex vivo characterization of glioblastoma cells isolated from freshly resected clinical samples under physiologically relevant conditions revealed two distinct migratory phenotypes, Fast-Migrating (FM) and Slow-Migrating (SM). These phenotypes reflect distinct mechanosensitivity profiles and are associated with pharmacological responses that support the motor–clutch model of cell migration. Analysis of genes associated with these phenotypes revealed a transcriptomic signature that closely associated with in vitro cell migration, histological invasion in patient specimens, and clinical survival. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing revealed that FM and SM cells coexist within a single glioblastoma, with FM cells enriched at the periphery and SM cells localized to the tumor core. Collectively, our study demonstrates the utility of ex vivo glioblastoma characterization, allowing decoding of tumor heterogeneity and clinical prognostication as well as providing a framework for deconvoluting the complex cancer phenotype.