Glycine inhibition of asparaginase

Abstract

Administration of either Escherichia coli asparaginase or guinea pig serum to C3H/HE mice with the 6C3HED lymphosarcoma is followed by depression of glycine in the tumor. This decrease in cellular glycine concentration does not occur in a tumor resistant to asparaginase. The inhibition of the lymphosarcoma by asparaginase can be reversed by intraperitoneal injection of asparagine or glycine. This reversal appears to be specific because lysine, threonine, serine, and aspartic acid were ineffective. Loss of cellular glycine may be more important than loss of asparagine because of the requirement for glycine in purine synthesis.