Acivicin
Encyclopedia
Acivicin is a glutamine
analog antimetabolite
, used as an antineoplasitc agent. It is fermented
product of Streptomyces sviceus. It interferes with glutamate metabolism and inhibits glutamate dependent synthesis of enzyme
s, and is thereby potentially helpful in the treatment of solid tumors.
cells
(MIA PaCa-2) after 72 hours in continuous culture. It was also found that acivicin at a concentration of 450 uM it irreversibly inactivated MIA PaCa-2 gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (10 nmol/min/106 cells) with an inactivation half-life of 80 minutes.
Glutamine
Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the standard genetic code. It is not recognized as an essential amino acid but may become conditionally essential in certain situations, including intensive athletic training or certain gastrointestinal disorders...
analog antimetabolite
Antimetabolite
An antimetabolite is a chemical that inhibits the use of a metabolite, which is another chemical that is part of normal metabolism. Such substances are often similar in structure to the metabolite that they interfere with, such as the antifolates that interfere with the use of folic acid...
, used as an antineoplasitc agent. It is fermented
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
product of Streptomyces sviceus. It interferes with glutamate metabolism and inhibits glutamate dependent synthesis of enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
s, and is thereby potentially helpful in the treatment of solid tumors.
Research
In vivo studies have showed that Acivic at a concentration of 5 microM Acivic inhibited 78% growth of human pancreatic carcinomaCarcinoma
Carcinoma is the medical term for the most common type of cancer occurring in humans. Put simply, a carcinoma is a cancer that begins in a tissue that lines the inner or outer surfaces of the body, and that generally arises from cells originating in the endodermal or ectodermal germ layer during...
cells
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
(MIA PaCa-2) after 72 hours in continuous culture. It was also found that acivicin at a concentration of 450 uM it irreversibly inactivated MIA PaCa-2 gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (10 nmol/min/106 cells) with an inactivation half-life of 80 minutes.