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How do nitrogen mustards interfere with DNA replication in rapidly dividing cells?
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heterocyclic compound
There are many different sulfur-containing heterocycles. One of the best known is thiophene, C4H4S, derivatives of which occur as plant pigments and as other natural products such as biotin.
Nitrogen mustards are a class of alkylating agents that function as highly reactive drugs capable of binding to chemical groups within nucleic acids. In rapidly dividing cells, these compounds interfere with DNA replication through several mechanisms:1
- Cross-linking: Nitrogen mustards induce cross-linking between the strands of the DNA double helix. Because DNA replication requires the two strands to unwind and separate to act as templates, this cross-linking prevents the necessary separation, effectively halting the replication process.12
- Structural Damage: These agents can cause the breaking of nucleic acid chains or the loss of a basic component, such as a purine, from the DNA molecule.1
When DNA is altered in these ways, it cannot be accurately replicated. This leads to either the inability of the cell to function, resulting in cell death (cytotoxicity), or the introduction of mutations that can alter cell characteristics. While these properties are utilized in anticancer therapy to target rapidly dividing malignant cells, they can also affect normal cells.1