Abstract
6-AZAURIDINE has been used successfully in the treatment of leukaemia1. The nucleoside is not effective as such but is converted in vivo by the enzyme uridine kinase to 6-azauridine-5′-phosphate, which inhibits the enzyme orotidylic acid decarboxylase2–4. This inhibition stops the metabolism of orotidine-5′-phosphate to uridine-5′-phosphate, that is the de novo synthesis of uridylic acid (Fig. 1).
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SAENGER, W., SUCK, D. 6-Azauridine-5′-phosphoric Acid: Unusual Molecular Structure and Functional Mechanism. Nature 242, 610–612 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242610a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242610a0
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