Effect of new purine analog 6-purinyl-N-[2-chloroethyl] thiocarbamate (Cloturin) on immune system of mice.

The effect of purine analog 6-purinyl-N-[2-chloroethyl] thiocarbamate (Cloturin) was studied in a battery of immunological tests in mice. Cloturin exhibited pronounced suppressive nonselective effect on immune system and its functional capacity. Cloturin decreased cellularity of spleen and bone marrow, elicited leukocytopenia in peripheral blood, suppressed phagocytosis, graft-versus-host reaction and specific antibody production. In comparison with azathioprine, Cloturin had more pronounced activity. The immunosuppressive effect of Cloturin on T-dependent specific antibody production suggests that Cloturin possesses both alkylating and antimetabolic properties. For its properties Cloturin could be useful not only as a cytostatic drug, but also as an immunosuppressive agent.