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Phototrexate is a 
The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
Dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors Chemotherapy {{antineoplastic-drug-stub
photochromic
Photochromism is the reversible change of color upon exposure to light. It is a transformation of a chemical species (photoswitch) between two forms through the absorption of electromagnetic radiation (photoisomerization), where each form has a d ...
antifolate drug developed at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology). In particular, it is a photopharmacological agent that behaves as light-regulated inhibitor of the dihydrofolate reductase
Dihydrofolate reductase, or DHFR, is an enzyme that reduces dihydrofolic acid to tetrahydrofolic acid, using NADPH as an electron donor, which can be converted to the kinds of tetrahydrofolate cofactors used in one-carbon transfer chemistry. ...
(DHFR) enzyme. Phototrexate is a photoisomerizable structural analogue of the chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...
agent methotrexate
Methotrexate, formerly known as amethopterin, is a chemotherapy agent and immunosuppressive drug, immune-system suppressant. It is used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ectopic pregnancy, ectopic pregnancies. Types of cancers it is u ...
. It is also an example of "azologization". Pharmacological effects of phototrexate can be switched on and off by UVA and visible light
Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...
, respectively. Phototrexate is almost inactive in its ''trans'' configuration while it behaves as a potent antifolate
Antifolates are a class of antimetabolite medications that antagonise (that is, block) the actions of folic acid (vitamin B9). Folic acid's primary function in the body is as a cofactor to various methyltransferases involved in serine, methionine ...
in its ''cis'' configuration. It can also spontaneously self-deactivate in the dark.
See also
*Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
* Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small localized patches to complete b ...
* Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a long-term inflammatory arthritis that may occur in some people affected by the autoimmune disease psoriasis. The classic features of psoriatic arthritis include dactylitis (sausage-like swelling of the fingers ...
References
External links
The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
Dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors Chemotherapy {{antineoplastic-drug-stub