# SPECIFIC INHIBITION OF TUMOR CELL METABOLISM

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 1989 · $140,926

## Abstract

The goal of this project is to understand the metabolism of asparagine and
glycine in tumor cells.  This will be done in order to explain the
sensitivity of some tumors to treatment with L-asparaginase.  Our data
indicates that the basis of the L-asparaginase sensitivity may be in the
dependence of some tumor cells for asparagine-dependent glycine synthesis.
Therefore, we have begun to study the enzymes of both asparagine and
glycine metabolism in both tumor and normal cells.

The experimental approach to be used relies on the production of inhibitory
monoclonal antibodies to four of the key enzymes of asparagine and glycine
metabolism.  These antibodies will be microinjected into tumor cells, and
the resultant changes in metabolism monitored.  The enzymes to which
inhibitory monoclonal antibodies are to be made are asparagine synthetase,
cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase, cytosolic asparagine-glyoxylate
aminotransferase, and L-asparaginase.  The antibodies will be selected for
their potency as inhibitors of the various reactions, so that they can be
used to produce measurable responses in amino and keto acid metabolism.  We
have already prepared inhibitory monoclonal antibodies to asparagine
synthetase, and they have been characterized.  We now have several
antibodies that potently and selectively inhibit the various reactions
catalyzed by asparagine synthetase.  Some of these antibodies cause total
inhibition of the enzymatic reaction of stoichemetric concentrations.  In
addition, we have demonstrated that the microinjection technique necessary
for the proposed experiments can be accomplished with the cells to be used,
with minimal effects on the cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3170857
- **Project number:** 7R01CA032961-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NNFQH1JAPEP3
- **Principal Investigator:** SHELDON M SCHUSTER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $140,926
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 1989-09-01 → 1991-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3170857

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3170857, SPECIFIC INHIBITION OF TUMOR CELL METABOLISM (7R01CA032961-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3170857. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*