[Antitubulin agents].
Microtubules are dynamic filamentous cytoskeletal proteins that are an important therapeutic target in patients with tumors. Microtubule binding agents have been part of the pharmacopoeia of cancer for decades, and until the advent of targeted therapy microtubules represented the only alternative to DNA as a therapeutic target in cancer. There are currently a variety of available vinca alkaloids and taxanes and other agents, such as ixabepilone and eribulin, have also been approved. Maytansinoids have been used for the production of immunoconjugates, monoclonal antibodies covalently bound to antimitotic molecules. The screening of a variety of botanical species and marine organisms continues to yield promising new antitubulin agents with novel properties. Enhanced tumor specificity, reduced neurotoxicity, and insensitivity to chemoresistance mechanisms are the three main objectives in the current search for novel microtubule binding agents.
Hospices civils de Lyon, université Lyon-I, centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, France. charles.dumontet@chu-lyon.fr
Charles
C
Dumontet
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000502:physiology; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D043823:Taxoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids