55
2.3.2 Antibody-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (ADEPT)
Another method to prove the role of enzymes in cancer treatment is by antibodydirected enzyme prodrug therapy. Due to the lack of tumour specificity of cytotoxic
drugs, generating them specifically at tumour sites was considered. ADEPT involves
administration of enzyme-conjugated anti-tumour monoclonal antibody which
localizes at tumour sites and subsequent inoculation with non-cytotoxic prodrug,
which upon reaching tumour sites will get converted to cytotoxic drug and thereby
destroy tumour cells. Enzymes for prodrug therapy are mainly of three types: (1)
Non-mammalian enzymes (without mammalian homologue); as no mammalian
Fig. 2.6 Crystal structure
of L-asparaginase homo
tetramer from Erwinia
chrysanthemi (pdb id:
1OJ7)
Fig. 2.7 Crystal structure
of arginine deiminase
homo dimer from
Mycoplasma arginini (pdb
id: 1LXY)
2 Therapeutic Enzymes
2.3.2 Antibody-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy (ADEPT)
Another method to prove the role of enzymes in cancer treatment is by antibodydirected enzyme prodrug therapy. Due to the lack of tumour specificity of cytotoxic
drugs, generating them specifically at tumour sites was considered. ADEPT involves
administration of enzyme-conjugated anti-tumour monoclonal antibody which
localizes at tumour sites and subsequent inoculation with non-cytotoxic prodrug,
which upon reaching tumour sites will get converted to cytotoxic drug and thereby
destroy tumour cells. Enzymes for prodrug therapy are mainly of three types: (1)
Non-mammalian enzymes (without mammalian homologue); as no mammalian
Fig. 2.6 Crystal structure
of L-asparaginase homo
tetramer from Erwinia
chrysanthemi (pdb id:
1OJ7)
Fig. 2.7 Crystal structure
of arginine deiminase
homo dimer from
Mycoplasma arginini (pdb
id: 1LXY)
2 Therapeutic Enzymes