Antimetabolites
Antimetabolites are chemical compounds that are similar in their chemical structure to natural metabolites , but inhibit their metabolic pathway ( inhibitor ). The result is a disruption of normal enzyme function in a metabolic pathway or biological process. Antimetabolites can be effective cytostatics (disrupted process: mitosis ) or, for example, immunosuppressants (disrupted process: immune response ).
They mostly displace the metabolites to be converted from the active center of the enzymes , but as a rule cannot be converted due to the structural differences ( competitive inhibition ). If they are implemented, however, they lead to an accumulation of undesirable substances that are either free or built into macromolecules . This also leads to malfunctions and even death of the cell.
Many antimetabolites are chemical analogs of amino acids (such as azaserine ) or base analogs of DNA . The effect of some antibiotics (e.g. Puromycin ) is also based on the principle.
- Examples of antimetabolites are
- Folic acid antagonists: methotrexate , pemetrexed
- Purine and purine nucleoside analogs: 6-mercaptopurine , 6-thioguanine
- Pyrimidine and pyrimidine nucleoside analogs: 5-fluorouracil , cytarabine , gemcitabine , tegafur , capecitabine
Individual evidence
- ↑ Miroslav Ferencik, Jozef Rovensky, Vladimir Matha, Erika Jensen-Jarolim: Dictionary of Allergology and Immunology - Technical Terms, Persons and Clinical Data from A – Z, Springer, 2005, doi : 10.1007 / b138722 , ISBN 978-3-211-20151- 0 .
- ↑ Lexicon of Biology: Antimetaboliten , Spektrum Verlag, accessed on August 9, 2010.