Planta Med 2019; 85(03): 217-224
DOI: 10.1055/a-0731-0394
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

7-O-Methylwogonin from Scutellaria baicalensis Disturbs Mitotic Progression by Inhibiting Plk1 Activity in Hep3B Cells

Sang-Uk Woo*
1   Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
,
Hay-Ran Jang*
1   Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
,
Young-Won Chin
2   Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Integrated Research Institute for Drug Development, Dongguk University-Seoul, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
,
Hyungshin Yim
1   Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 13 June 2018
revised 15 August 2018

accepted 27 August 2018

Publication Date:
10 September 2018 (online)

Abstract

Polo-like kinase 1, a mitotic Ser/Thr kinase, has emerged as a molecular target for the development of anticancer drugs. In this study, we found that polo-like kinase 1 activity was inhibited by 7-O-methylwogonin and related flavones, including baicalein, dihydrobaicalein, and viscidulin II, isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis. Although dihydrobaicalein exhibited the highest polo-like kinase 1 inhibitory activity among the four compounds, it also inhibited other kinases, such as vaccinia-related kinase 2 and polo-like kinase 2. Baicalein and viscidulin II also showed low selectivity to polo-like kinase 1 since they inhibited polo-like kinase 3 and polo-like kinase 2, respectively. However, 7-O-methylwogonin exhibited selective polo-like kinase 1 inhibitory activity, as evidenced from in vitro kinase assays based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays and ADP-Glo kinase assays. In addition, examination of mitotic morphology and immunostaining using specific antibodies for the mitotic markers, p-histone H3 and mitotic protein monoclonal 2, in Hep3B cells showed that 7-O-methylwogonin treatment increased mitotic cell populations due to inhibition of mitotic progression as a result of polo-like kinase 1 inhibition. The pattern of 7-O-methylwogonin-induced mitotic arrest was similar to that of BI 2536, a specific polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor. Thus, it was suggested that 7-O-methylwogonin disturbed mitotic progression by inhibiting polo-like kinase 1 activity. These data suggest that 7-O-methylwogonin, a polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor, may be a useful anticancer agent because of its polo-like kinase 1 selectivity and effectiveness.

* These two authors contributed equally to this work.


Supporting Information

 
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