Inhibition by flavonoids of RNA synthesis in permeable WI-38 cells and of transcription by RNA polymerase II.

The effects of various flayonoids on RNA synthesis in permeable human fibroblasts or on transcription with mouse RNA polymerase II were studied. Quercetin or kaempferol inhibited transcription in permeable cells but flavone did so only slightly. In the transcription of naked DNA with purified RNA polymerase II, mutagenic quercetin, kaempferol or fisetin strongly inhibited the reaction but non-mutagenic or weakly mutagenic flavone and chrysin inhibited it only weakly. Quercetin seems to inhibit the transcription by interaction with the enzyme.