5-aza-2′ Deoxycytidine

Synonyms

2′-Deoxy-5-azacytidine; 4-Amino-1-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2(1H)-one; 5-Azadeoxycytidine; DAC; Dacogen; Decitabine; Deoxyazacytidine; Dezocitidine

Definition

Sorm and Vesely first described the pyrimidine analogs 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine and 5-azacytidine in the mid-1960. They were generally considered to be in the antimetabolite class of anticancer agents; however, unique actions of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine clearly extend these molecules beyond the realm of most other antimetabolites. 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine and 5-azacytidine may be better considered as the prototypical agents of an emergent class of therapeutic agents, epigenetic modifiers (epigenetics, epigenetic therapy). The most notable epigenetic effect of these 5-aza-pyrimidines is their ability to demethylate the DNA of proliferating cells, and these drugs are now classified as DNA demethylating agents (methylation). To attain therapeutic efficacy, enzymatic activation of...