title: Novel drugs targeting microtubules: the role of epothilones.
abstract: Among the drugs targeting microtubule functions by interfering with tubulin subunits, epothilones represent a class of anticancer agents which recently entered clinical development. Although epothilones share mechanisms of action similar to taxanes, they have non-overlapping mechanisms of resistance; in particular, while overexpression of class III β-tubulin plays a major role in taxane resistance, epothilones display their highest efficacy in class III β-tubulin overexpressing malignancies. Three compounds belonging to this family (patupilone, ixabepilone and sagopilone), have been actively investigated in clinical trials, and some of them are at an advanced stage of development. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the available literature on epothilones, focusing on their clinical development and potential as an additional weapon in the arsenal against tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrandina
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahabi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferlini
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034261:Epothilones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D034261:Epothilones