: The drug attaches an "alkyl group" to a DNA base, most frequently at the N7 position of guanine .
: Bifunctional agents can link two DNA bases together (interstrand or intrastand cross-linking), which prevents the DNA strands from separating for replication. alkalating agent
The primary goal of these agents is to disrupt the DNA replication process. They achieve this through a process called : : The drug attaches an "alkyl group" to
: Once the DNA damage becomes too severe to repair, the cell's internal checkpoints trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis). From old alkylating agents to new minor groove binders They achieve this through a process called :
: Repair enzymes in the cell may attempt to fix the damaged DNA, which often results in further strand breaks and fragmentation.
Alkylating agents are a critical class of chemotherapy drugs that act directly on the DNA of cells to prevent them from growing and dividing. Unlike many other cancer treatments, they are , meaning they can attack cancer cells at any stage of their life cycle. How They Work