What do pyrimidine antagonists inhibit in skin cancer treatment?

Pyrimidine antagonists are a class of drugs that primarily target the synthesis of pyrimidines, which are essential building blocks for nucleic acids like RNA and DNA. In the context of skin cancer treatment, these antagonists inhibit enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of pyrimidines, disrupting the availability of these critical components for rapidly dividing cancer cells. By impeding the production of pyrimidines, the drugs effectively hinder the growth and proliferation of cancerous cells, as they rely on nucleic acids for cell division and survival.

The other options do not correlate with the specific action of pyrimidine antagonists. For instance, inhibiting glucose production or protein synthesis addresses different metabolic pathways, and while DNA repair is crucial for maintaining genomic integrity, it does not directly relate to the mechanism by which pyrimidine antagonists function. Thus, the focus on inhibiting the synthesis of pyrimidines clarifies their role in skin cancer treatment.