penicillamine

Definition / meaning of penicillamine

A beta dimethyl analog of the amino acid cysteine. As a degradation product of penicillin antibiotics, penicillamine chelates with heavy metals and increases their urinary excretion. Possessing antineoplastic properties, penicillamine induces apoptosis by a p53-mediated mechanism and inhibits angiogenesis by chelating with copper, a cofactor for angiogenesis.

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Source(s):

The Web site of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/)

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