Figure 1.

DZ depolymerizes microtubules from the plus-ends, arrests cells in mitosis and inhibits cell proliferation. a) Depolymerization of microtubules. RPE-hTERT cells were treated with 10 nM of DZ for 1 hour, fixed and stained with antibody against α-tubulin. Arrows indicate the retracted microtubules. b) Mitotic arrest. UPCI:SCC103 and RPE-hTERT cells were treated with 50 nM of DZ for 16 hours and visualized by DAPI staining. c) Inhibition of cell proliferation as determined by the MTS assay (Promega). HFF-hTERT cells were treated with 10 nM of DZ, 100 nM of VBL or 1 μM of TXL for the indicated times. Results are averages of two experiments.