porfiromycin

Porfiromycin is an N-methyl derivative of the antineoplastic antibiotic mitomycin C, originally isolated from Streptomyces ardus and other Streptomyces species. It belongs to the class of anticancer antibiotics known as mitomycins. Porfiromycin acts as a bioreductive alkylating agent: upon chemical or enzymatic reduction, it generates oxygen radicals and alkylates DNA, producing interstrand cross-links and single-strand breaks at guanosine residues. This inhibits DNA synthesis and leads to cell death, with increased toxicity toward hypoxic cells—a property that has made it attractive for cancer therapy research. Porfiromycin was investigated particularly for head and neck cancers but its development was terminated before approval[1][4][5][6].

Other names

N-Methylmitomycin CMethylmitomycinMethyl mitomycin CMitomycin C, N-methyl-RegamycinProfiromycinPorphyromycin