Mitotic catastrophe (None (no widely accepted abbreviation))

Mitotic catastrophe is not a molecule or protein, but rather refers to a form of cell death resulting from aberrant progression through mitosis. It occurs when cells enter or proceed through mitosis with unrepaired DNA damage or spindle defects—often due to failed checkpoints such as the G2-M transition—and leads either directly to cellular demise during division ("mitotic death") or triggers delayed apoptosis/necrosis after division. Morphologically, it is characterized by multinucleated giant cells containing uncondensed chromosomes and micronuclei. This mechanism acts both as an oncosuppressive barrier against cancer development—by eliminating genomically unstable cells—and as one mode by which certain anti-cancer therapies exert their effects. However, because it describes a cellular fate rather than any specific gene product/protein/receptor/enzyme/transporter/etc., "mitotic catastrophe" should not be considered nor structured as a canonical drug target.

Other names

Mitotic cell deathCatastrophic mitosis

Drugs that induce mitotic catastrophe generally act via: Disruption of microtubule dynamics/spindle assembly checkpoint activation/inhibition; Induction of DNA damage leading to failed checkpoint arrest and aberrant chromosome segregation. This results in abnormal mitosis and subsequent cell death through apoptosis or necrosis.