Deoxyribonucleic acid and microtubules

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and microtubules are two distinct but functionally interrelated cellular components that serve as primary targets for cytotoxic chemotherapy. DNA is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms, providing the essential template for protein synthesis and cellular replication (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2023). Microtubules are dynamic cytoskeletal polymers composed of alpha- and beta-tubulin dimers that are essential for maintaining cell architecture, facilitating intracellular transport, and forming the mitotic spindle required for chromosome segregation during mitosis (Nature Education, 2014). Drugs targeting DNA, such as cisplatin or doxorubicin, function by forming covalent cross-links or intercalating between base pairs to inhibit replication and transcription (PubChem, 2024). Microtubule-targeting agents, including taxanes and vinca alkaloids, either stabilize or destabilize microtubule polymers, leading to cell cycle arrest at the metaphase-anaphase transition and subsequent apoptosis (StatPearls, 2023). Because both targets are vital for the rapid proliferation of malignant cells, they are frequently targeted in combination regimens to maximize therapeutic efficacy and overcome drug resistance in various cancers (PubMed, 2022).

Other names

DNA and tubulinDNA/Microtubule dual targetsGenetic material and cytoskeletal filaments

DNA alkylation, DNA intercalation, topoisomerase inhibition, microtubule stabilization, and microtubule destabilization leading to mitotic arrest and programmed cell death.