Summary
We have examined the effect of the anti-tumor compound taxol, on osteoclastic bone resorption. In the bone slice assay, taxol (0.1–0.001 μM) dose-dependently inhibited bone resorption with an IC50 of 0.08 μM. Osteoclast survival on bone slices was unaffected by 0.01–1 μM taxol, but 10 μ M was cytotoxic. Taxol (1 μM) also ihibited osteoclast spreading (45%) on fibronectin-coated slides. The antiproliterative effects of taxol are due to its unique ability to stabilize microtubules. Primary osteoclasts are nonproliferating end cells, so taxol probably inhibits bone resorption by intertering with other microtubule-dependent functions such as cell polarization, motility or vesicle exocytosis. Since these inhibitory effects on osteoclasts in vitro are seen with therapeutically relevant concentrations, taxol therapy may have beneficial side-effects e.g. inhibition of hyperealcemia and bone metastases.
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Hall, T.J., Jeker, H. & Schaueblin, M. Taxol inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption. Calcif Tissue Int 57, 463–465 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301951
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301951