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Targeting the Spindle Checkpoint in Cancer Chemotherapy

  • Chapter
Checkpoint Responses in Cancer Therapy

Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development• ((CDD&D))

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Abstract

Proper chromosome segregation during mitosis is critical for cells to inherit the correct number of chromosomes and maintain genetic stability. The spindle checkpoint is a cell-cycle surveillance mechanism that prevents premature sister-chromatid separation and ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation. A defective spindle checkpoint results in aneuploidy and contributes to tumorigenesis. On the other hand, many tumor cells still exhibit a partially functional spindle checkpoint and undergo prolonged mitotic arrest followed by apoptosis when treated with the antimitotic class of anticancer drugs, such as paclitaxel (Taxol). Recent studies have shown that a more complete inactivation of the spindle checkpoint reduces the efficacy of these drugs in eliciting apoptosis in cultured cancer cells. Therefore, quantitative differences in the strength of the spindle checkpoint may influence the efficacy of antimitotic drugs in cancer chemotherapy.

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Authors
  1. Jungseog Kang
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  2. Hongtao Yu
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, NY

    Wei Dai PhD

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© 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Kang, J., Yu, H. (2008). Targeting the Spindle Checkpoint in Cancer Chemotherapy. In: Dai, W. (eds) Checkpoint Responses in Cancer Therapy. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development•. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-274-8_10

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