Colchicine and therapy of cardiovascular disease: Not merely a theory

Abstract

The cytoskeleton is a sophisticated cellular system consisted of actin filaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules (MT) accompanied by a large number of associated structural and motor proteins. Microtubules are dynamically assembling and disassembling structures. They are pivotal for many cell functions, e.g. intracellular traffic of membrane-bound organelles in endocytosis and protein secretion, also a variety of inflammatory and signal transduction pathways. Tubulin is the major building protein of MT. Depended on doses, agents that bind to tubulin inhibit its assembly, that is, MT formation, or disassemble the preformed MT. Such tubulin-binding agents are named MT-disassembling agents or antitululins, colchicine being a classical member of these agents. Herein, we describe in brief the scientific saga of colchicine as related to the therapy of cardiovascular diseases such as acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, pericarditis, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.