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Immunofluorescent studies of the anti-microtubule effects of the anti-cancer drug estramustine.

Abstract
Immunofluorescent studies in human prostatic carcinoma cells (DU 145) and cultured squirrel fish epithelial cells (a non-cancer cell) revealed that estramustine, a conjugate of estradiol and nor-nitrogen mustard, possessed microtubule disassembly properties. Sixty microM estramustine produced disassembly at both the proximal and distal ends of microtubules, producing short pieces of less than 2 microM which were "wavy" and oriented in a random manner. With increased time of drug exposure these short microtubules disappeared, to be accompanied by a gradual disassembly of a small population of longer microtubules (greater than 7-8 microM). In dividing DU 145 cells it was possible to show a different degree of sensitivity of specific microtubule-containing cellular structures. In mitotic figures the asters were most sensitive and disappeared completely following exposure to estramustine. These were followed by the "pole-to-pole" and "chromosomal" fibers. In cytokinesis, the intercellular fibers between daughter cells were comparatively resistant to the drug. Estramustine did not induce disassembly of the vimentin filaments in non-dividing or dividing cells but did cause their collapse around the nucleus or the mitotic apparatus. These data suggest that specific microtubules have differing sensitivity to estramustine.
AuthorsM Wang, K D Tew, M E Stearns
JournalAnticancer research (Anticancer Res) 1987 Nov-Dec Vol. 7 Issue 6 Pg. 1165-71 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
PMID3327449 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
Chemical References
  • Nitrogen Mustard Compounds
  • Vimentin
  • Estramustine
Topics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Epithelium (drug effects)
  • Estramustine (therapeutic use)
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Interphase
  • Male
  • Microtubules (drug effects)
  • Nitrogen Mustard Compounds (therapeutic use)
  • Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy)
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured (drug effects)
  • Vimentin (analysis)

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