Mitosis as an anti-cancer drug target

• Published in: Chromosoma Vol. 122; no. 5; pp. 431 - 449
• Main Authors: Salmela, Anna-Leena, Kallio, Marko J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.10.2013; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Anticarcinogenic Agents - therapeutic use; antineoplastic agents; Aurora Kinases - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Cell Cycle Proteins - metabolism; cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; chemotherapy; Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone - metabolism; Developmental Biology; Eukaryotic Microbiology; Human Genetics; Humans; kinases; Kinesins - metabolism; Life Sciences; mitosis; Mitosis - drug effects; Mitosis - genetics; Molecular Targeted Therapy; peripheral nervous system diseases; Polo-Like Kinase 1; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - metabolism; Review; Anti-mitotics; Drug development; Mitosis; LMW inhibitors; Cancer
• ISSN: 0009-5915; 1432-0886
• DOI: 10.1007/s00412-013-0419-8

Suppression of cell proliferation by targeting mitosis is one potential cancer intervention. A number of existing chemotherapy drugs disrupt mitosis by targeting microtubule dynamics. While efficacious, these drugs have limitations, i.e. neuropathy, unpredictability and development of resistance. In order to overcome these issues, a great deal of effort has been spent exploring novel mitotic targets including Polo-like kinase 1, Aurora kinases, Mps1, Cenp-E and KSP/Eg5. Here we summarize the latest developments in the discovery and clinical evaluation of new mitotic drug targets.