Asparaginase

Definition

An enzyme isolated from the bacterium Escherichia coli or the bacterium Erwinia carotovora with antileukemic activity. Asparaginase hydrolyzes L-asparagine to L-aspartic acid and ammonia in leukemic cells, resulting in the depletion of asparagine, inhibition of protein synthesis, cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, and apoptosis in susceptible leukemic cell populations. Asparagine is critical to protein synthesis in leukemic cells; some leukemic cells cannot synthesize this amino acid de novo due to the absent or deficient expression of the enzyme asparagine synthase. The E. carotovora-derived form of asparaginase is typically reserved for cases of asparaginase hypersensitivity.

Also known as ASP-1, ASPARAGINASE, Asparaginase II, Asparaginase-E.Coli, Colaspase, Elspar, Kidrolase, L-Asnase, L-ASP, L-Asparaginase, L-Asparagine Amidohydrolase, Laspar, Lcf-ASP, Leucogen, Leunase, MK-965, Paronal, Re-82-TAD-15, Serasa, Spectrila — per NCIT

Also identified as

• ATC L01XX02 per RXNORM
• NCIT NCIT:C286 per NCIT
• SCTID 18811003 per RXNORM
• SCTID 370969007 per RXNORM
• SCTID 371014004 per RXNORM
• UNII G4FQ3CKY5R per RXNORM

Indications

Organ Effects

3 entries above are marked DERIVED: Atlas Médico inferred them by combining two sourced claims, and no source asserts these links directly. Treat them as a navigation aid, not as a clinical statement.