Cell Cycle-Dependent Mechanisms Underlie Vincristine-Induced Death of Primary Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells.

ABSTRACT: Microtubule-targeting agents (MTA), such as the taxanes and vinca alkaloids, are used to treat a variety of cancers due to their ability to perturb microtubule dynamics. In cell culture, MTAs exert their anticancer effects primarily by causing mitotic arrest and cell death. However, accumulating indirect evidence suggests that MTAs may exert their cytotoxicity in human tumors by interfering with interphase microtubules. In this study, we sought to develop and characterize an experimental system in which to test the hypothesis that MTAs induce cell death during interphase. Primary adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells treated with vincristine only weakly exhibited colocalization between mitotic and apoptotic markers and major characteristics of mitotic death, such as an increase in

SUBMITTER: Kothari A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4911277 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature