What is it about?
N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) is a peptide-based neurotransmitter that has been extensively studied in many neurological diseases. In this study, we show a specific role of NAAG in cancer.
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Why is it important?
We found that NAAG is more abundant in higher grade cancers and is a source of glutamate in cancers expressing glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), the enzyme that hydrolyzes NAAG to glutamate and N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Knocking down GCPII expression through genetic alteration or pharmacological inhibition of GCPII results in a reduction of both glutamate concentrations and cancer growth. Moreover, targeting GCPII in combination with glutaminase inhibition accentuates these effects.
Perspectives
These findings suggest thatNAAGserves as an important reservoir to provide glutamate to cancer cells through GCPII when glutamate production from other sources is limited. Thus, GCPII is a viable target for cancer therapy, either alone or in combination with glutaminase inhibition.
Ryoichi Asaka
Shinshu Daigaku
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Uncovering the Role of N-Acetyl-Aspartyl-Glutamate as a Glutamate Reservoir in Cancer, Cell Reports, April 2019, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.036.
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