5-Azacytidine

White to off-white powder. Soluble in ethanol, DMSO, DMF (30mg/ml), water or PBS (10mg/ml). Chemical. CAS: 320-67-2. Formula: C8H12N4O5. MW: 244.2. Synthetic. 5-Azacytidine, a chemical analogue of the DNA and RNA nucleoside cytidine, is an cell permeable inhibitor of DNA methyltransferases, potentially serving to reverse epigenetic changes. It reduces hypermethylation associated with certain diseases, including myelodysplastic syndromes (IC50s = 2.4 and 2.6µM for in vitro anti-myeloma activity) and cancer (IC50s ~ 0.4µM for inhibiting proliferation of various cancer cell lines). It has a reported half-life of 17 hours and is considerably cytotoxic, it must be incorporated into DNA to covalently trap DNA methyltransferases. Induces demethylation and reactivation of silenced genes. Improves the efficiency of reprogramming of stem cells, induces differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes.