A Novel Strategy for Growth Suppression of Glioma Cells: Targeting Microtubules

Abstract

Paclitaxel, one of the antimicrotubule drugs, can suppress the growth of C6 glioma cells. However, paclitaxel may also accelerate in vitro locomotion of glioma cells. Another choice of antimicrotubule drugs is estramustine which has cytotoxic effects in human and rat glioma cells. We verified the role of microtubule-associated protein (MAP) 1A in proliferation of rat C6 glioma cells. We confirmed that the in vitro and in vivo suppression of MAP 1A using antisense synthetic phosphorothioate oligonucleotide can inhibit the proliferation of rat C6 glioma cells and may thus serve as a novel antisense therapy for glioma. It is noteworthy that the therapies targeting microtubules and MAPs, especially those using antisense strategy, are useful antitumor therapies for gliomas.