cytosine deaminase

Cytosine deaminase is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of cytosine to uracil by hydrolytic deamination. It is primarily utilized in targeted cancer gene therapy, especially in suicide gene therapy where the bacterial cytosine deaminase gene is introduced into tumor cells. When administered with the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), cytosine deaminase converts 5-FC into the potent anticancer agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), resulting in selective cytotoxicity within the tumor. Its application allows for localized chemotherapy, minimizing systemic toxicity. Cytosine deaminase can also deaminate isoguanine and isocytosine, and to a lesser extent, convert 5-FC to 5-FU, which is fundamental to the enzyme-prodrug approach used in clinical and preclinical studies for colorectal, breast, and head/neck tumors[3][6][7].

Other names

3.5.4.1Cytosine aminohydrolaseIsoguanine deaminase