Cytarabine 5′-monophosphate (ara-CMP) is an active metabolite of the nucleoside analog cytarabine .1 It is formed from cytarabine by deoxycytidine kinase.2 ara-CMP is incorporated into DNA by DNA polymerase α, which slows the rate of DNA synthesis by approximately 2,000-fold in a cell-free assay.3 It inhibits nuclear and mitochondrial DNA replication in S. cerevisiae when used at a concentration of 15 mM.4 ara-CMP (3.5-75.1 mg/kg) improves survival in an L1210 murine leukemia model.5
1.Huang, S., Liu, L., Liu, X., et al.Development and application of a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous analysis of cytarabine, cytarabine monophosphate, cytarabine diphosphate and cytarabine triphosphate in the cytosol and nucleusJ. Pharm. Biomed. Anal.211114582(2022) 2.Momparler, R.L., and Fischer, G.A.Mammalian deoxynucleoside kinases. I. Deoxycytidine kinase: Purification, properties, and kinetic studies with cytosine arabinosideJ. Biol. Chem.243(16)4298-4304(1968) 3.Perrino, F.W., and Mekosh, H.L.Incorporation of cytosine arabinoside monophosphate into DNA at internucleotide linkages by human DNA polymerase αJ. Biol. Chem.267(32)23043-23051(1992) 4.Mcintosh, E.M., Kunz, B.A., and Haynes, R.H.Inhibition of DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by araCMPCurr. Genet.10(8)579-585(1986) 5.Schrecker, A.W., and Goldin, A.Antitumor effect and mode of action of 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine 5’-phosphate in leukemia L1210Cancer Res.28(4)802-803(1968)