Tubulin and mitotic spindle machinery proteins

Mitotic spindle microtubules are dynamic polymers of alpha- and beta-tubulin heterodimers that provide the physical framework for chromosome segregation during cell division (StatPearls, 2023). The broader mitosis machinery includes motor proteins like kinesins and regulatory kinases such as Aurora and Polo-like kinases, which ensure the high-fidelity distribution of genetic material (Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2011). These components are classic therapeutic targets in oncology because their disruption prevents cancer cells from completing mitosis, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (PubMed, PMC3595324). Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) are broadly classified into stabilizers, such as taxanes, and destabilizers, such as vinca alkaloids (PubChem). While highly effective against various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, these agents often cause off-target effects in non-dividing cells. Most notably, they cause peripheral neuropathy due to the disruption of microtubule-dependent axonal transport in neurons (NIH, 2022). Modern research also focuses on more specific machinery proteins, like Kinesin Spindle Protein (KSP), to reduce the systemic toxicity associated with general tubulin inhibition.

Other names

MicrotubulesTubulinMitotic spindleSpindle apparatusMitotic machinery

Disruption of microtubule dynamic instability through either stabilization or inhibition of polymerization, resulting in spindle assembly checkpoint activation, mitotic arrest, and apoptosis.