| L-Asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase; E.C.3.5.1.1) as an anticancer agent is used to treat acutelymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Human Burkitt's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The commercialasparaginases are obtained from bacteriaErwinia chrysanthemiandEscherichia colinow which had many sideeffects. In this study, the effects of a novelL-asparaginase from yeastYarrowia lipolyticawas investigated onhuman ALL and Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines. TheL-asparaginase causes metabolic stress, cytotoxicity, andapoptosis due to the arrest of the G0 cell cycle, the activation of caspase-3 and the modulation of mitochondrialmembrane integrity. The RT-PCR analysis showed a significant increase in the pro-apoptosis genes such as Bax,Caspase-3, Caspase-8, Caspase-9 and p53 (Pb0.05) while the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2 was significantlydecreased (Pb0.05). Furthermore,Y.lipolyticaL-asparaginase causes autophagy and increased ROS. TheL-asparaginasehas cytotoxic and anticancereffectshigherthancommercial asparaginase.In conclusion,Y.lipolyticaL-asparaginase shows interestinganticancer activity and it can be introducedas a new eukaryotic and therapeuticagent and strategy for ALL and Burkitt's lymphoma treatment after thein vivoand clinical experiment |