L-Asparagine

Description

L-Asparagine is an essential amino acid for leukemic cells and a substrate for L-Asparaginase. L-Asparaginase is a potent anti-leukemic enzyme that promotes asparagine Asn and glutamine Gln depletion and inhibits protein biosynthesis in lymphoblasts. Removal of L-asparagine from plasma by L-Asparaginase results in inhibition of RNA and DNA synthesis and subsequent apoptosis. L-Asparaginase has cell-killing ability in vitro and in vivo, and selectively inhibits the growth of cancer cells with low asparagine synthetase AASNS expression. L-Asparagine can be used as a biomarker and sensor for the study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.