Final answer:
Chemotherapy drugs such as (a) Vincristine/Vinblastine, (b)Doxorubicin, (c) Etoposide, (d) Methotrexate, and
(e) Cisplatin each target specific stages of the cell cycle to prevent cancer cells from proliferating. Vincristine/Vinblastine interfere with mitosis, Doxorubicin and Etoposide act during the G2 phase and mitosis, Methotrexate inhibits DNA synthesis during the S phase, and Cisplatin impacts the G1 phase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The different chemotherapy drugs each act at specific stages of the cell cycle to disrupt cancer cell proliferation:
- Vincristine/Vinblastine: These are mitotic inhibitors that specifically target the spindle fibers during mitosis. They bind to tubulin, inhibiting microtubule assembly, which prevents the formation of spindles and thus cell division during mitosis.
- Doxorubicin: As an anthracycline antibiotic, doxorubicin intercalates with DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II. It affects the cell cycle during the G2 phase and mitosis, leading to the breakage of DNA strands.
- Etoposide: This drug acts through inhibiting topoisomerase II during the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle, leading to double-stranded DNA breaks and apoptosis.
- Methotrexate: Methotrexate is a folate antagonist that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase, affecting the S phase of the cell cycle and thus DNA synthesis.
- Cisplatin: This platinum-containing compound forms DNA adducts, which primarily affects the G1 phase and prevents the cells from entering S phase, leading to apoptosis.