Methods for Studying Vinca Alkaloid Interactions With Tubulin

Vinca alkaloids play a vital role in chemotherapy protocols for a wide range of hematological and solid tumors. Studies of drug interactions with the drug target, tubulin or microtubules, have helped us to understand the cytotoxic and toxic effects. We present here in vivo and in vitro methods for studying vinca alkaloid interactions with tubulin. In vivo methods for examining drug effects on cell proliferation and intracellular tubulin or microtubules and direct visualization of drug effects by fluorescence microscopy are presented. In vitro methods for measuring drug affinity for tubulin by analytical ultracentrifugation, kinetics of drug binding by light scattering and drug effects on microtubules by turbidity are also presented.