Photoswitchable Inhibitors of Microtubule Dynamics Optically Control Mitosis and Cell Death

• Published in: Cell Vol. 162; no. 2; pp. 403 - 411
• Main Authors: Borowiak, Malgorzata, Nahaboo, Wallis, Reynders, Martin, Nekolla, Katharina, Jalinot, Pierre, Hasserodt, Jens, Rehberg, Markus, Delattre, Marie, Zahler, Stefan, Vollmar, Angelika, Trauner, Dirk, Thorn-Seshold, Oliver
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 16.07.2015; IOS Press
• Subjects: Animals; Antimitotic Agents - chemistry; Antimitotic Agents - toxicity; cancer chemotherapy; Cell Death; Cell Line, Tumor; Chemical Sciences; combretastatin; Cytoskeleton - chemistry; Humans; Light; Mice; microtubule dynamics; Microtubules - drug effects; Mitosis; or physical chemistry; photopharmacology; Polymerization; Stilbenes - chemistry; Stilbenes - toxicity; Theoretical and; tubulin polymerisation inhibitor; combretastatin; tubulin polymerisation inhibitor; microtubule dynamics; cancer chemotherapy; photopharmacology

Small molecules that interfere with microtubule dynamics, such as Taxol and the Vinca alkaloids, are widely used in cell biology research and as clinical anticancer drugs. However, their activity cannot be restricted to specific target cells, which also causes severe side effects in chemotherapy. He...