Expression of cyclin E in postmitotic neurons during development and in the adult mouse brain

Cyclin E marks quiescent neural stem cells and caspase-3-positive newborn cells during adult hippocampal neurogenesis in mice

Cyclin E is a key regulator of progression through the G1-phase of the cell cycle. Recently, a cell cycle-independent role for cyclin E in the adult mouse central nervous system has been suggested. In the present study, we examined expression of cyclin E in the mouse hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), a region of neurogenesis in adulthood, using immunofluorescence. In the adult DG, cyclin E-immunoreactive (cyclin E+) cells was limited to postmitotic cells. In the subgranular zone, cyclin E was detected in the vertical process of radial glia-like cells, which were marked by the neural stem cell markers nestin and GFAP. Cyclin E was also detected in the nucleus of cells, which were labeled with stage-specific neuronal cell markers, including Pax6, Sox2, NeuroD, doublecortin, and NeuN. The densities of cyclin E+ cells in the DG reduced and increased with age and running, respectively. Furthermore, the majority of cyclin E+ cells co-expressed active caspase-3, a marker of apoptosis. Together, the results indicate that cyclin E is expressed in the process of quiescent neural stem cells and in the nucleus of active caspase-3+ cells during neuronal cell differentiation, suggesting that cyclin E has a Cdk-independent function, which might be important for the mechanisms regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Cerebellar cortical lamination and foliation require cyclin A2

The mammalian genome encodes two A-type cyclins, which are considered potentially redundant yet essential regulators of the cell cycle. Here, we tested requirements for cyclin A1 and cyclin A2 function in cerebellar development. Compound conditional loss of cyclin A1/A2 in neural progenitors resulted in severe cerebellar hypoplasia, decreased proliferation of cerebellar granule neuron progenitors (CGNP), and Purkinje (PC) neuron dyslamination. Deletion of cyclin A2 alone showed an identical phenotype, demonstrating that cyclin A1 does not compensate for cyclin A2 loss in neural progenitors. Cyclin A2 loss lead to increased apoptosis at early embryonic time points but not at post-natal time points. In contrast, neural progenitors of the VZ/SVZ did not undergo increased apoptosis, indicating that VZ/SVZ-derived and rhombic lip-derived progenitor cells show differential requirements to cyclin A2. Conditional knockout of cyclin A2 or the SHH proliferative target Nmyc in CGNP also resulted in PC neuron dyslamination. Although cyclin E1 has been reported to compensate for cyclin A2 function in fibroblasts and is upregulated in cyclin A2 null cerebella, cyclin E1 expression was unable to compensate for loss-of cyclin A2 function.

Cyclin beyond the cell cycle: new partners at the synapse

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Odajima, Wills, and colleagues (2011) demonstrate that the cell-cycle regulator, cyclin E, sequesters Cdk5, a key regulator of neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. This cell-cycle-independent function of cyclin E reveals an exciting mode of Cdk5 regulation in postmitotic neurons and offers a window into evolutionary parsimony.

Parkinson's disease and cancer: two wars, one front

Parkinson's disease is caused by the premature death of neurons in the midbrain. By contrast, cancer spawns from cells that refuse to die. We would therefore expect their pathogenic mechanisms to be very different. However, recent genetic studies and emerging functional work show that strikingly similar and overlapping pathways are involved in both diseases. We consider these areas of convergence and discuss how insights from one disease can inform us about, and possibly help us to treat, the other.

Cyclin E constrains Cdk5 activity to regulate synaptic plasticity and memory formation

Cyclin E is a component of the core cell cycle machinery, and it drives cell proliferation by regulating entry and progression of cells through the DNA synthesis phase. Cyclin E expression is normally restricted to proliferating cells. However, high levels of cyclin E are expressed in the adult brain. The function of cyclin E in quiescent, postmitotic nervous system remains unknown. Here we use a combination of in vivo quantitative proteomics and analyses of cyclin E knockout mice to demonstrate that in terminally differentiated neurons cyclin E forms complexes with Cdk5 and controls synapse function by restraining Cdk5 activity. Ablation of cyclin E led to a decreased number of synapses, reduced number and volume of dendritic spines, and resulted in impaired synaptic plasticity and memory formation in cyclin E-deficient animals. These results reveal a cell cycle-independent role for a core cell cycle protein, cyclin E, in synapse function and memory.