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Purine analogue
Purine analogues
are antimetabolites that
mimic
the
structure
of
metabolic
purines
.
Azathioprine is the main
immunosuppressive
cytotoxic
substance
. It is widely used in transplantations to control
rejection
reactions. It is nonenzymatically cleaved to
6-mercaptopurine
that acts as a
purine
analogue and an
inhibitor
of
DNA synthesis
. By
preventing
the
clonal
expansion of lymphocytes in the
induction
phase of the
immune response
, it
affects
both the
cell
and the
humoral immunity
. It also successfully suppresses
autoimmunity
.
Mercaptopurine
Clofarabine
Thiopurines such as
thioguanine
are used to
treat
acute leukemias and remissions in acute
granulocytic
leukemias
Fludarabine inhibits function of multiple
DNA polymerases
,
DNA primase
, and
DNA ligase I
, and is S phase-specific.
Pentostatin and
cladribine
are adenosine analogs that are used primarily to treat
hairy cell leukemia
.
Medical Uses
Purine antimetabolites are commonly used to treat cancer by interfering with
DNA replication
.