5-Bromo-2'-deoxycytidine (BrdC) is a brominated derivative of the deoxyribonucleoside 2’-deoxycytidine. It induces DNA cross-linking and the formation of DNA strand breaks when incorporated into a DNA fragment in place of cytosine and exposed to UVB damage. BrdC inhibits cytopathogenicity induced by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in infected primary rabbit kidney (PRK) cells (MICs = 0.2-0.3 μg/ml). It decreases the survival of U-1 melanoma cells and AG1522 non-cancerous cells and induces sensitization of both to radiation. BrdC also sensitizes tumors to radiation and reduces tumor volume in a mouse model of glioma using RT-2 cells infused with an adenovirus expressing HSV thymidine kinase (ADV-TK) after implantation. In vivo, BrdC is converted to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and has been used to label cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) in a rat model of myocardial infarction.
