Question

What are Alkylating agent + Anti-tumour antibiotics mechanism of action? Example?

a) Inhibit cell division; example is cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin
b) Promote cell growth; example is cisplatin + vincristine
c) Suppress immune response; example is methotrexate + bleomycin
d) Stimulate apoptosis; example is etoposide + paclitaxel

Answer 1

Alkylating agents and anti-tumor antibiotics inhibit cell division by damaging DNA and interfering with DNA functions, leading to cancer cell death. An example of this combination is cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alkylating agents and anti-tumor antibiotics are classes of drugs used in chemotherapy. Alkylating agents, such as cyclophosphamide, work by adding alkyl groups to the DNA, leading to the miscoding of DNA and ultimately inhibiting cancer cell replication. Examples include nitrogen mustards and nitrosoureas. Anti-tumor antibiotics, like doxorubicin, intercalate into DNA, disrupting critical functions such as DNA and RNA synthesis, and can cause DNA strand breakage through the inhibition of topoisomerase II. These cumulative effects can initiate apoptosis (programmed cell death) and inhibit cell division.

The correct answer to the question regarding the mechanism of action of alkylating agents and anti-tumor antibiotics, along with an example, is: a) Inhibit cell division; example is cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin. This combination illustrates the complementary effects of alkylating agents and antibiotics in targeting cancer cells. While agents like cyclophosphamide damage DNA by alkylation, antibiotics such as doxorubicin interfere with DNA functions, thereby preventing cancer cell proliferation and promoting their d.