Ganciclovir (GCV) Nucleoside analog for in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity assays Ganciclovir (GCV) is a guanosine analog used as a prodrug to obtain a suicide effect in cells transfected with the herpes virus thymidine kinase gene (HSV-tk). HSVTK phosphorylates GCV to GCV-monophosphate which is further converted to GCV-diphosphate and GCV-triphosphate by host kinases. GCV-triphosphate causes premature DNA chain termination and apoptosis. Ganciclovir is approved by the FDA for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. CAS number: 82410-32-0 Formula: C9H13N5O4 Molecular weight: 255.2
