Targeting the Proline-Glutamine-Asparagine-Arginine Metabolic Axis in Amino Acid Starvation Cancer Therapy.

ABSTRACT: Proline, glutamine, asparagine, and arginine are conditionally non-essential amino acids that can be produced in our body. However, they are essential for the growth of highly proliferative cells such as cancers. Many cancers express reduced levels of these amino acids and thus require import from the environment. Meanwhile, the biosynthesis of these amino acids is inter-connected but can be intervened individually through the inhibition of key enzymes of the biosynthesis of these amino acids, resulting in amino acid starvation and cell death. Amino acid starvation strategies have been in various stages of clinical applications. Targeting asparagine using asparaginase has been approved for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Targeting glutamine and arginine starvations are in various st

SUBMITTER: Kuo MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7830038 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature