ASPARAGINASES

Submitted by: D.R.Rajeshwari 2BV05BT006

Abstract:

L-Asparaginase is an enzyme with antitumour activity. Acute lymphoblastic

leukemia is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the blood and the
bone marrow. When leukemia develops, the bone marrow produces large
number of abnormal blood cells. In this disease the lymphocytes multiply
very quickly and live too long. Over a period of time, these abnormal cells
replace the normal white cells, red cells and platelets in the bone marrow.

L-Asparaginase encapsulated in erytrocytes might be of potential significant

benefit for the treatment of Acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The
Asparaginase enzyme may be of plant, bacterial or fungal origin. L-
Asparagine is the substance produced by the normal cells in the human
body. Cancer cells are unable to produce L-Asparagine and therefore take it
from the blood for their growth.

The principle behind the use of this Enzyme is : The metabolism of these
tumor cells require L-Asparagine, and since asparagine is split up into
aspartic acid and ammonium ions by asparaginase, the malignant cells can
be destroyed.

Asparaginase enzyme can also be used in the food industries to convert

Asparagine to aspartic acid to reduce the formation of acrylamide. Concerns
about dietary exposure to acrylamide had arisen as a result of studies
conducted in Sweden in 2002, which showed high levels of acrylamide were
formed during the frying or baking of a variety of foods. The Joint
FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed the
safety of acrylamide in 2005 and recommended that acrylamide be re-
evaluated when results of ongoing carcinogenicity and long term
neurotoxicity studies, which are being conducted around the world, become
available and that appropriate efforts to reduce acrylamide concentrations in
food should continue.
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1Departamento de Bioquímica e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual de Londrina,
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Received 4 August 2008 / Accepted 22 October 2008.

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