Research Article: Population-Specific Distribution of TPMT Deficiency Variants and Ancestry Proportions in Ecuadorian Ethnic Groups: Towards Personalized Medicine
Introduction:
Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is a cytoplasmic enzyme that catalyzes the S-methylation of purine analogs, including azathioprine, -mercaptopurine (-MP), and thioguanine. The metabolism of these drugs results in two types of metabolites: S-methylmercaptopurine and S-methylthioguanine, which are generally described as inactive metabolites, and S-methyl-thioinosine monophosphate, an inhibitor of de novo purine synthesis. The cytotoxicity caused by these metabolites arises not only from the inhibition of…
Read more