Dihydrofolate Reductase (DHFR) in Human Biology and Medication Development

What is the function of dihydrofolate reductase in humans?

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is an important enzyme in human biology that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of folate, a form of vitamin B9. Its main function is to convert dihydrofolate (DHF) into tetrahydrofolate (THF) through a process called reduction.

THF is a vital coenzyme that participates in various metabolic pathways and is required for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins. It serves as a carrier of one-carbon units, which are essential for the synthesis of nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA. One-carbon units are also needed for the synthesis of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins

DHFR is particularly important because it is the only enzyme in humans capable of converting DHF to THF. Without this enzymatic conversion, the levels of THF would decrease significantly, leading to various physiological and developmental problems

Furthermore, DHFR is an essential target for certain medications, most notably antifolate drugs. These drugs inhibit DHFR activity, thus blocking the conversion of DHF to THF. By interfering with the action of DHFR, antifolates disrupt the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins in certain organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and <a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer cells. This makes DHFR an important target in the treatment of bacterial infections and <a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer

To summarize, the function of dihydrofolate reductase in humans is to convert dihydrofolate into tetrahydrofolate, a coenzyme necessary for the synthesis of DNA, RNA, proteins, and other vital molecules. Additionally, DHFR is an important target in the development of certain medications, particularly antifolate drugs used to treat bacterial infections and <a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank”>cancer.gov/about-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer/understanding/what-is-<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>cancer

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