Comparative investigations of cytotoxic action of anticancer drugs taxol and taxotere on meristematic cells of allium cepa

Abstract

Taxotere and Taxol are anticancer drugs used mainly in breast cancer therapy. Although both of them act by stabilizing microtubules, reports indicate differences in their action, mainly connected with their binding affinity to tubulin, sensitivity of cancer lines to the drugs, gene expression induction, which may indicate a different mechanism of action of both drugs. The present work was focused on specific character and differences in action of Taxotere and Taxol on subsequent mitotic phases, amount of chromosome aberration and micronuclei, and on ultrastructure of meristematic cells of Allium cepa. Analysis of the mitotic index following treatment with Taxol and Taxotere revealed differences in their effect on mitotic activity of cells and changes in chromosome morphology. Taxol inhibited cell divisions and caused changes in chromosome morphology, having however no mutagenic character. Treatment with Taxotere did not inhibit cell divisions, but it caused accumulation of a large number of chromosome aberrations and micronuclei. The drugs showed similar effectiveness in arresting cells at G2/M phase and led to higher heterochromatinization of cell nuclei, partial degradation of mitochondria, which may largely affect the energetic state of cells. © 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.