Abstract
L-asparaginase is a key cytotoxic agent that has been used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since the 1970s. Responsiveness to L-asparaginase correlates with therapy outcome and overall patient survival.
L-asparaginase is an enzyme that depletes asparagine and glutamine in patient serum. Leukaemia cells are unable to compensate for this deficiency and undergo cell death.
Not all patients, however, respond uniformly to the administration of this cytotoxic agent. A study of the effect of L-asparaginase is therefore essential for eliminating inter-individual differences between patients and improving therapy.
In this review article, we will attempt to describe a new mechanism of action of L-asparaginase and its potential impact on the sensitivity of leukaemia cells to this drug.