Description
ITP pyrophosphatase, or ITPase (EC 3.6.1.19), is an intracellular enzyme that catalyzes the pyrophosphohydrolysis of ITP/dITP and xanthosine triphosphate to prevent unusual nucleoside triphosphates from accumulating in (deoxy) nucleoside triphosphate (d)NTP pools and being integrated into RNA and DNA. This enzyme is encoded by the ITPA gene in mammals. Certain ITPA variants causing ITPase deficiency have been linked to adverse reactions to the immunosuppressive thiopurine drugs azathioprine and 6- mercaptopurine, and protection against ribavirin-induced anemia