Description
Fotemustine is a chloroethylnitrosourea that exhibits anticancer chemotherapeutic benefit. Fotemustine alkylates or induces cross-links in DNA, halting cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase and inhibiting DNA repair mechanisms. Fotemustine displays greater cytotoxicity in methyl excision repair-deficient cells, indicating its primary site of alkylation is the O6 site of guanine bases. Fotemustine may also deactivate thioredoxin reductase, glutathione reductase, and ribonucleotide reductase by alkylating their thiol active sites.