Proteogenomic analysis of pediatric and AYA high-grade glioma reveals age-dependent biology, female-male differences, and kinase targets

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) in children and adolescents and young adults (AYA) exhibit distinct biology across the neurodevelopmental spectrum. To dissect tumor-intrinsic molecular characteristics independent of developmental variation, we perform comprehensive proteogenomic analyses of tumors from 112 HGG patients aged 0–40 years. Our multi-omics analysis identifies two AYA subgroups—adolescents (aged 15–26 years) and young adults (aged 26–40 years)—with distinct molecular profiles and survival outcomes. Tumor-normal comparisons and survival modeling highlight roles of oxidative phosphorylation and neuronal system biology in glioma progression. Causal network analysis and cell line studies provide a rationale for personalized therapies targeting candidate kinases, such as CDK8. Survival modeling, clustering, and immune-landscape analyses identify proteins, post-translational modifications, and immune signatures linked to outcomes and reveal clinically relevant differences between male and female patients.