N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA) is a prominent amino acid derivative primarily associated with vertebrate brain metabolism. This review delineates the critical role of NAA across various cell types and its significance in pathophysiological contexts, including Canavan disease and cancer metabolism. Although traditionally linked with myelination and aspartoacylase-driven carbon donation, its significance as a carbon source for myelination remains debated. Evidence suggests that intact NAA might substantially impact cellular signaling, particularly processes such as histone acetylation. Beyond the brain, NAA metabolism's relevance is evident in diverse tissues, such as adipocytes, immune cells, and notably, cancer cells. In several cancer types, there is an observed upregulation of NAA synthesis accompanied by a simultaneous downregulation of its degradation. This pattern highlights the potential signaling role of intact NAA in disease.

N-乙酰基-L-天冬氨酸 (NAA) 是一种重要的氨基酸衍生物，主要与脊椎动物脑代谢相关。这篇综述描述了 NAA 在各种细胞类型中的关键作用及其在病理生理学背景（包括卡纳万病和癌症代谢）中的重要性。尽管传统上与髓鞘形成和天冬氨酸酰化酶驱动的碳捐赠有关，但其作为髓鞘形成碳源的重要性仍然存在争议。有证据表明，完整的 NAA 可能会极大地影响细胞信号传导，特别是组蛋白乙酰化等过程。除了大脑之外，NAA 代谢的相关性在多种组织中也很明显，例如脂肪细胞、免疫细胞，尤其是癌细胞。在几种癌症类型中，观察到 NAA 合成上调，同时其降解下调。该模式凸显了完整 NAA 在疾病中的潜在信号作用。