Induction of AMPK, ATG12, beclin-1 and/or cleavage of LC3 occurred at physiologically attainable L-ASP concentrations (0.3–1 U/ml) in two ovarian cancer cell lines and the primary culture HMVEC cells; similar beclin induction results were observed in CAOV3 cells as well. Here, ATG12 is linked to ovarian carcinoma.