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.
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