6-thioguanine in erythrocytes

IMPORTANT: a current morphology result is required to perform the test!

A test performed in monitoring Azathioprine therapy. It is a heterocyclic 6-mercaptopurine derivative with immunosuppressive and cytotoxic effects immunosuppressive and cytotoxic. The mechanism of action of the drug is not is precisely understood, probably there is a blocking of the groups of sulfhydryl groups and release of 6-mercaptopurine, an antimetabolite for the purine bases, followed by disruption of DNA synthesis by incorporation of purine thioanalogs into the DNA chain. As a consequence there is an inhibition of nucleic acid biosynthesis and the proliferation of cells involved in the immune response Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressive drug after organ transplants, in the treatment of diseases with an autoimmune and severe inflammatory bowel diseases.