Abstract

REVIEW ON ANTICANCER ENZYMES AND THEIR TARGETED AMINO ACIDS

Bhumi Prajapati and Naga Rathna Supriya*

ABSTRACT

Cancer cells proliferate abnormally when compared to normal cells, as a result they require high amount of amino acids as nutrients because they are the building blocks for protein synthesis. Proteins are not only essential for the growth but also to form the structural basis of chromosomes. It clearly states that without amino acids, tumor cells fails to function because proteins can‟t be synthesized. Based on this concept recent research has targeted on amino acid metabolic enzymes that deregulate specific amino acid metabolism that is essential for cancer cell proliferation. These enzyme cuts off the supply of essential amino acids which leads to nutrient starvation of cancer cells resulting in their death. Currently several amino acid metabolic enzymes are in clinical trials that specifically target amino acid metabolic pathways in tumor cells but not normal cells. L-Asparaginase, LGlutaminase, L-Argininase, L-Methioninase are some of examples of enzymes that are used in cancer therapy that target specific amino acids resulting in disturbance of cancer cell proliferation without affecting normal cell metabolism. This review outlines different anticancer enzymes which effect on amino acids that disturb the metabolic pathway of cancer cells leading to its death simultaneously explaining different applications of enzymes as well as amino acids.

Keywords: Cancer therapy, L-Asparaginase, L-Glutaminase, L-Argininase, Lmethioninase.