Pentostatin

Pronunciation

Definition 1

The active ingredient in a drug that is used to treat hairy cell leukemia and is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Pentostatin blocks a protein needed for cell growth and may kill cancer cells. It is made by a bacterium. It is a type of adenosine deaminase inhibitor. Also called Nipent. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

A purine nucleotide analogue antibiotic isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces antibioticus. Also known as 2'-deoxycoformycin, pentostatin binds to and inhibits adenine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme essential to purine metabolism; ADA activity is greatest in cells of the lymphoid system with T-cells having higher activity than B-cells and T-cell malignancies higher ADA activity than B-cell malignancies. Pentostatin inhibition of ADA appears to result in elevated intracellular levels of dATP which may block DNA synthesis through the inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase. This agent may also inhibit RNA synthesis and may selectively deplete CD26+ lymphocytes. (NCI Thesaurus)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Pentose Phosphate Cycle Pathway

The pentose phosphate pathway is a process of glucose turnover that produces NADPH as reducing equivalents and pentoses as essential parts of…

Pentose

A class of monosaccharides with five carbon atoms.

Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium

The sodium salt of a semisynthetic heparin-like glucosaminoglycan. Although its mechanism of action is unknown, pentosan polysulfate may act as a…

Pentosan polysulfate

A drug used to relieve pain or discomfort associated with chronic inflammation of the bladder. It is also being evaluated for its…

Pentopril

A non-sulfhydryl angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with antihypertensive activity. As a prodrug, pentopril is hydrolyzed into its active form pentoprilat, which…

Pentobarbital Sodium

The sodium salt of pentobarbital, a short-acting barbituric acid derivative with central nervous system (CNS) depressant property. Pentobarbital sodium binds to the…