IC261, a specific inhibitor of the protein kinases casein kinase 1-delta and -epsilon, triggers the mitotic checkpoint and induces p53-dependent postmitotic effects.

The p53-targeted kinases casein kinase 1delta (CK1delta) and casein kinase 1epsilon (CK1epsilon) have been proposed to be involved in regulating DNA repair and chromosomal segregation. Recently, we showed that CK1delta localizes to the spindle apparatus and the centrosomes in cells with mitotic failure caused by DNA-damage prior to mitotic entry. We provide here evidence that 3-[(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)methylidenyl]-indolin-2-one (IC261), a novel inhibitor of CK1delta and CK1epsilon, triggers the mitotic checkpoint control. At low micromolar concentrations IC261 inhibits cytokinesis causing a transient mitotic arrest. Cells containing active p53 arrest in the postmitotic G1 phase by blockage of entry into the S phase. Cells with non-functional p53 undergo postmitotic replication developing an 8N DNA content. The increase of DNA content is accompanied by a high amount of micronucleated and apoptotic cells. Immunfluorescence images show that at low concentrations IC261 leads to centrosome amplification causing multipolar mitosis. Our data are consistent with a role for CK1delta and CK1epsilon isoforms in regulating key aspects of cell division, possibly through the regulation of centrosome or spindle function during mitosis.