Role of L-Asparaginase as an Effective Chemotherapeutic agent for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children’s

P. Jawahar Babu*, K. V. Rajesh, P. Durga Prasad, K. Manjusha and K. Vindya Rani

Department of Biotechnology, Bapatla Engineering College, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522 101 India.

Correspondence Author E-mail: jawaharbiotech@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is more common in children, accounting for 85% of childhood leukemias. The incidence of this disease is highest in the three to four year old age group, falling off by ten years. L-asparaginase is an effective antineoplastic agent, used in the acute lymphoblastic leukemia chemotherapy. It has been an integral part of combination chemotherapy protocols of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia for almost 3 decades. It is the first enzyme to be therapeutically effective in human malignant disease. Native or PEGylated L-asparaginase (ASNase or PEG-ASNase) are highly specific for the deamination of L-asparagine (Asn) to aspartic acid and ammonia. Depletion of Laspargine leads to a nutritional deprivation and inhibition of protein biosynthesis, resulting in apoptosis in T-lymphoblastic leukemia’s, which require L-aspargine from external sources. This review article comprises detailed information about L-asparaginase historical developments of therapy, its mechanism of action, Advantages of PEG-Lasparaginase versus native preparations, Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamics models of the enzyme, Clinical potential ,its efficacy and host resistance to ASNase.

KEYWORDS: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Asparaginase; Enzymatic activity; PEGylation; Antibodies; Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacodynamics

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