The Immunosuppressive Effects of 5-Fluorocytosine and 5-Fluorouracil

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  • MBM.C. Berenbaum
    M.C. Berenbaum
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Abstract
5-Fluorocytosine (5-FC) is weakly immunosuppressive when given in lethal doses to mice, and inhibits the responses of mouse and human lymphoid cells to plant lectins at concentrations of 1 mg/ml or more. 5-FC has about 1% of the immunosuppressive activity of 5-fluorouracil in vivo and 0.1% in vitro. Deamination of small amounts of 5-FC to 5-FU or conversion to other toxic metabolites may account for its immunosuppressive effects. The in vitro effects of 5-FC could also be accounted for by the presence of traces (0.1%) of 5-FU as a contaminant.

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