Inhibition of polo-like kinase 1 suppresses microtubule dynamics in MCF-7 cells

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a mitotic serine/threonine kinase implicated in spindle formation and cytokinesis in mammalian cells. Here, purified Plk1 was found to bind to reconstituted microtubules in vitro. Further, Plk1 was found to co-localize with interphase microtubules in MCF-7 cells and to co-immunoprecipitate with polymerized tubulin. The binding of Plk1 to interphase microtubules appeared to increase with an increase in the level of tubulin acetylation in MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, Plk1 inhibitor III, an inhibitor of Plk1 kinase activity, treatment increased the association of Plk1 with the interphase microtubules in MCF-7 cells. Therefore, the effect of inhibition of Plk1 kinase activity on the dynamic instability of microtubules was determined by time-lapse imaging in MCF-7 cells. Plk1 inhibitor III dampened the dynamic instability of microtubules. For example, Plk1 inhibitor III (3 μM) reduced the rate and extent of the growing phase by 28 and 48%, respectively, and inhibited the dynamicity of microtubules by 53% as compared to the microtubules in control MCF-7 cells. Plk1 inhibitor III treatment also increased the level of acetylated microtubules, indicating that it stabilizes microtubules. The findings indicated that Plk1 interacts with microtubules and Plk1 may have a role in the regulation of microtubule dynamics.