L-asparaginase anti-tumor activity in pancreatic cancer is dependent on its glutaminase activity and resistance is mediated by glutamine synthetase

L-Asparaginase is a cornerstone of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy since lymphoblasts lack aspar-agine synthetase (ASNS) and rely on extracellular asparagine availability for survival. Resistance mechanisms are associated with increased ASNS expression in ALL. However, the association between ASNS and L-Asparaginase efficacy in solid tumors remains unclear, thus limiting clinical development. Interestingly, L-Asparaginase also has a glutaminase co-activity that is crucial in pancreatic cancer where KRAS mutations activate glutamine metabolism. By developing L-Asparaginase-resistant pancreatic cancer cells and using OMICS approaches, we identified glutamine synthetase (GS) as a marker of resistance to L-Asparaginase. GS is the only enzyme able to synthesize glutamine, and its expression also correlates with L-Asparaginase efficacy in 27 human cell lines from 11 cancer indications. Finally, we further demonstrated that GS inhibition prevents cancer cell adaptation to L- Asparaginase-induced glutamine starvation. These findings could pave the way to the development of promising drug combinations to overcome L-Asparaginase resistance.

Automated summary

L-Asparaginase is critical in ALL therapy, but its efficacy in solid tumors is unclear due to ASNS expression. However, it has a glutaminase activity in pancreatic cancer. By studying L-Asparaginase-resistant pancreatic cancer cells, we identified GS as a marker of resistance and its correlation with L-Asparaginase efficacy in various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, GS inhibition prevents cancer cell adaptation to L-Asparaginase-induced glutamine starvation, suggesting potential drug combinations to overcome resistance.