The Mechanism of l-Canavanine Cytotoxicity: Arginyl tRNA Synthetase as a Novel Target for Anticancer Drug Discovery
Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: There is a clear need for agents with novel mechanisms of action to provide new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Owing to its structural similarity to L-arginine, L-canavanine, the beta-oxa-analog of L-arginine, is a substrate for arginyl tRNA synthetase and is incorporated into nascent proteins in place of L-arginine. Although L-arginine and L-canavanine are structurally similar, the oxyguanidino group of L-canavanine is significantly less basic than the guanidino group of L-arginine. Consequently, L-canavanyl proteins lack the capacity to form crucial ionic interactions, resulting in altered protein structure and function, which leads to cellular death. Since L-canavanine is selectively sequestered by the pancreas, it may be especially useful as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. This novel mechanism of cytotoxicity forms the basis for the anticancer activity of L-canavanine and thus, arginyl tRNA synthetase may represent a novel target for the development of such therapeutic agents.
Authors: Aimee K. Bence, Peter A. Crooks
Institution: University of Kentucky
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2017439732