Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.5.1.1 (asparaginase)
2,695 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Depletion of nonessential amino acids and its effect on the immune system can be studied by the administration of bacterial enzymes. Escherichia coli asparaginase hydrolyzes both asparagine and glutamine: administration of this enzyme to mice is rapidly immunosuppressive. Vibrio succinogenes asparaginase hydrolyzes only asparagine and has no apparent effect on immune system function. When the enzymes are rendered nonantigenic and nonimmunogenic by covalent attachment of polyethylene glycol, the effects on immune system function remain the same as described above with the native (nonmodified) enzymes. We believe the data reviewed justify the conclusion that glutamine deficiency is specifically immunosuppressive whereas asparagine deficiency is not. We further believe that enzymatic depletion of nonessential amino acids can be a useful tool for nutritional investigations.
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PMID:Enzyme-induced asparagine and glutamine depletion and immune system function. 634 56

Kinetic parameters, substrate specificity and exclusivity of ligands at binding sites of L-glutaminase-L-asparaginase purified from Acinetobacter glutaminasificans were studied in order to gain knowledge about the dual activities of this enzyme and its inhibition by structural analogs. Both L-glutamine and L-asparagine, which showed similar Km (4 approximately 7 X 10(-5) M) and Vmax (molecular activity 1.0 min-1) values, were competitive with each other for the substrate binding site. The products, L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid, showed competitive inhibition with respect to either L-glutamine or L-asparagine as substrates. Multiple inhibition of the glutaminase activity by L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid indicated that these ligands are mutually exclusive at the product-releasing site. The initial rates of both of the enzyme's activities were competitively inhibited by the following inhibitors (in rates of both of the enzyme's activities were competitively inhibited by the following inhibitors (in decreasing order of activity): 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON), L-methionine sulfoximine, azaserine, and Acivicin. DON and azaserine inhibited both the asparaginase and glutaminase activities in a time-dependent and irreversible manner. The kinetic data suggest an ordered mechanism with glutamine or asparagine as the first substrate and glutamic acid or aspartic acid, respectively, as the last product. These results also suggest that a single mechanism and a single set of binding sites are responsible for catalyzing both of the enzyme's activities. The data also showed that succinylated enzyme, which has a 10-fold increase of plasma half-life in animals and humans and, thus, has benefit as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent, retained its catalytic activity and maintained Km and Vmax values similar to the native enzyme.
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PMID:Kinetic properties and inhibition of Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase. 683 61

Use of L-asparaginase by the extracorporeal route in the therapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been proposed. Results, however, are not so satisfactory as i.v. administration of this enzyme, because the levels of L-asparagine do not fall for a sufficient length of time due to the antagonistic action of the L-asparagine-synthetase. To avoid the L-asparagine rebound we have utilized, by extracorporeal route, L-glutaminase together with L-asparaginase, in order to reduce L-asparagine and L-glutamine levels. We have therefore performed a series of experiments in vitro and in vivo either using L-asparaginase alone or together with L-glutaminase. Results show that, contrary to what happens when L-asparaginase is used alone, L-asparagine levels decrease and remain low even after 24 hours from the treatment, when L-glutaminase is added to the system. Thus a lowering of L-glutamine levels, which seems to play an important role in the therapy of ALL, is obtained.
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PMID:L-glutaminase and L-asparaginase by extracorporeal route in acute lymphoblastic leukemia therapy. 694 66

We treated 13 adult patients with acute leukemia or chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) in blast phase using succinylated Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase (SAGA) administered on a daily dose schedule. SAGA reduced the peripheral blast count in two patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and two with blastic CML; however, no patient achieved either complete or partial remission. Marked central nervous system toxic effects (encephalopathy and coma) were observed, limiting treatment in patients whose disease appeared responsive; this effect finally prompted early discontinuance of the trial. Other toxic effects observed included nausea, hyperglycemia, and respiratory alkalosis. Hypersensitivity reactions to the enzyme were not seen. Pharmacologic analyses showed that prolonged blood glutamine depletion was achieved only by daily enzyme administration; however, we noted the importance of performing amino acid analysis on blood which was deproteinized immediately following phlebotomy. Our results demonstrate excessive central nervous system toxicity when glutaminase-asparaginase is administered on a daily schedule. Because of this effect, we propose that future trials of similar enzymes be limited to short courses of enzyme therapy, possibly with the addition of antimetabolites or amino acid analogs, which could enhance the antitumor effect without increasing toxicity.
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PMID:Clinical evaluation of succinylated Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase in adult leukemia. 704 29

Cultured human pancreatic carcinoma cells (MIA PaCa-2) have been shown previously to be very sensitive to E. coli L-asparaginase (EC II). The present studies have demonstrated that another enzyme, Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase (AGA) is much more effective in inhibiting cell growth. At the concentration of 0.0025 U/ml of AGA activity the enzyme totally inhibited cell growth, whereas the EC II with the same concentration did not show any effect. The inhibition of cell growth correlated well with inhibition of protein and glycoprotein synthesis. The addition of L-glutamine at the concentration of 1 mM completely reversed the inhibition of protein synthesis. Similarly, the addition of L-glutamine at the concentration of 3 mM daily on 3 successive days after adding AGA resulted in significant reversal of growth inhibition. The results of this study indicate that the action of AGA on MIA PaCa-2 is, to a great extent, exerted through its L-glutaminase activity.
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PMID:Sensitivity of cultured pancreatic carcinoma cells to Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase. 717 49

Mouse P388 and L1210 leukemia cells grown in vitro were found to be 4 to 10 times more sensitive to 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine and 3 to 5 times more sensitive to Acivicin than were 3T3 and C57BL x DBA/2 F1 embryonic fibroblasts. The combined actions of succinylated Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase and 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine or Acivicin produced synergistic inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis in P388 tumor cells. An uptake system for Acivicin is described. Its properties in P388 and 3T3 cells are similar in their strong temperature dependence, utilization of the "L" transport system, presumably competitive inhibition by glutamine, similar Km's (about 200 microM), and potent inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate, NA+. However, Acivicin uptake was inhibited in 3T3 (but not in P388) cells by KCN or 2,4-dinitrophenol. At equilibrium in P388 cells, the intracellular level of Acivicin was approximately 57-fold greater than was the extracellular concentration. The accumulated Acivicin was not metabolized by P388 cells, nor does exchange of 3H label into water occur. Rapid efflux of Acivicin occurred with both cell lines at 37 degrees, but efflux from 3T3 cells was greatly diminished at 0 degrees. The rate of efflux was accelerated by including glutamine or unlabeled Acivicin in the extracellular medium.
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PMID:Enhancement of antitumor activity of glutamine antagonists 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine and acivicin in cell culture by glutaminase-asparaginase. 721 22

The dramatic clinical responses to L-asparaginase led to renewed interest in other enzymes that might be effective antitumor agents. Biochemical and nutritional studies on animal and human tumors have shown that enzymatic depletion of glutamine, arginine, cysteine, citrulline, and serine could have selective cytotoxicity for some tumors. Several glutaminase-asparaginase enzymes have antitumor activity in animals and man. These enzymes are currently in phase I trials. Arginine-depleting enzymes with suitable properties of therapy have been developed and are in preclinical study. Enzymes have not yet been found that can adequately deplete circulating levels of cysteine, citrulline, or serine for treatment of cancer.
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PMID:Enzyme therapy of cancer, future studies. 734 58

Succinylated Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase (SAGA) has broader antitumor activity than Escherichia coli L-asparaginase in experimental systems; moreover, drug resistance does not develop in tumor cell lines initially sensitive to this enzyme. We have investigated the pharmacology and toxicology of SAGA after both single-dose and serial daily dose injections in 20 adult patients. Glutaminase activity in plasma after i.v. injection of single doses did not follow simple first-order kinetics (half-life during the initial 24 hr was 21 +/- 9 hr. A linear relation was observed between increasing doses of SAGA and resultant levels of plasma enzyme activity and blood glutamate. Assay of whole blood which had been deproteinized immediately following phlebotomy showed that single doses of SAGA lowered glutamine only transiently to nondetectable levels; serial daily doses were required to achieve and maintain continuous glutamine depletion. Reversible depression of the central nervous system, ranging from encephalopathy to coma, occurred in a dose-related manner and was dose limiting. Other prominent reactions included respiratory alkalosis, hyperglycemia, nausea, and vomiting. Transient antitumor effects were noted in two patients with solid tumors and in two patients with leukemia. SAGA causes considerable neurotoxicity in adults which requires close patient monitoring. Phase II studies in leukemic patients are in progress.
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PMID:Phase I evaluation of succinylated Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase in adults. 743 89

The treatment of NIH3T3 cells with L-asparaginase causes a complete and reversible growth arrest with a decrease of cell number in the first 2 days. The enzyme induces impressive morphological changes that have been studied exploiting eosin in fixed cells and calcein in intact cells as sources of fluorescence for confocal microscopy. The first changes are observed after 12 h of treatment and the process is complete after 48 h. Both nucleus and cytoplasm shrink, while cells round and lose processes. Eventually most cells break; several debris include strongly hematoxylinic bodies negative for eosin fluorescence. Some cells neither round nor break in fragments. Throughout the process cells and fragments retain calcein fluorescence, thus indicating the integrity of the cell membrane. A rapid depletion of the intracellular pools of both glutamine and glutamate occurs in treated cells, followed by a decrease in DNA and protein syntheses, while the cell content of ATP, the transmembrane gradient of sodium, and the active transport of amino acids are scarcely affected. It is concluded that (i) L-asparaginase induces an apoptotic process in NIH3T3 cells that is forerun by a marked intracellular depletion of glutamate and glutamine; and (ii) although the enzyme completely suppresses cell proliferation, only a subset of cells undergoes apoptosis upon treatment. These findings provide a model for the characterization of factors that determine cell sensitivity to the effects of L-asparaginase.
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PMID:Characterization of apoptotic phenomena induced by treatment with L-asparaginase in NIH3T3 cells. 755 35

When the expression of a Ha-ras oncogene is triggered in NIH3T3 cells, a progressive inhibition of sodium dependent transport of anionic amino acids through system X-AG is observed. After 48 h of ras expression the transport activity of system X-AG is almost abolished, while other transport systems involved in anionic amino acid transport are unaffected or even stimulated. In the presence of high extracellular concentrations of glutamine, the intracellular concentration of glutamate is comparable in ras expressing and non-expressing cells. On the contrary, when the extracellular pool of glutamine is depleted by the enzyme L-asparaginase, intracellular glutamate decreases at a much faster rate in ras expressing, low-transport cells. These results suggest that transport system X-AG significantly contributes to the homeostasis of intracellular glutamate under conditions of glutamine deprivation.
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PMID:Suppression of anionic amino acid transport impairs the maintenance of intracellular glutamate in Ha-ras-expressing cells. 759 18


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