Expression pattern of BM88 in the developing nervous system of the chick and mouse embryo

Mirk/Dyrk1B controls ventral spinal cord development via Shh pathway

Cross-talk between Mirk/Dyrk1B kinase and Sonic hedgehog (Shh)/Gli pathway affects physiology and pathology. Here, we reveal a novel role for Dyrk1B in regulating ventral progenitor and neuron subtypes in the embryonic chick spinal cord (SC) via the Shh pathway. Using in ovo gain-and-loss-of-function approaches at E2, we report that Dyrk1B affects the proliferation and differentiation of neuronal progenitors at E4 and impacts on apoptosis specifically in the motor neuron (MN) domain. Especially, Dyrk1B overexpression decreases the numbers of ventral progenitors, MNs, and V2a interneurons, while the pharmacological inhibition of endogenous Dyrk1B kinase activity by AZ191 administration increases the numbers of ventral progenitors and MNs. Mechanistically, Dyrk1B overexpression suppresses Shh, Gli2 and Gli3 mRNA levels, while conversely, Shh, Gli2 and Gli3 transcription is increased in the presence of Dyrk1B inhibitor AZ191 or Smoothened agonist SAG. Most importantly, in phenotype rescue experiments, SAG restores the Dyrk1B-mediated dysregulation of ventral progenitors. Further at E6, Dyrk1B affects selectively the medial lateral motor neuron column (LMCm), consistent with the expression of Shh in this region. Collectively, these observations reveal a novel regulatory function of Dyrk1B kinase in suppressing the Shh/Gli pathway and thus affecting ventral subtypes in the developing spinal cord. These data render Dyrk1B a possible therapeutic target for motor neuron diseases.

Expression of Mammalian BM88/CEND1 in Drosophila Affects Nervous System Development by Interfering with Precursor Cell Formation

We used Drosophila melanogaster as an experimental model to express mouse and pig BM88/CEND1 (cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation 1) in order to investigate its potential functional effects on Drosophila neurogenesis. BM88/CEND1 is a neuron-specific protein whose function is implicated in triggering cells to exit from the cell cycle and differentiate towards a neuronal phenotype. Transgenic flies expressing either mouse or pig BM88/CEND1 in the nervous system had severe neuronal phenotypes with variable expressivity at various stages of embryonic development. In early embryonic stage 10, BM88/CEND1 expression led to an increase in the neural-specific antigenicity of neuroectoderm at the expense of precursor cells [neuroblasts (Nbs) and ganglion mother cells (GMCs)] including the defective formation and differentiation of the MP2 precursors, whereas at later stages (12-15), protein accumulation induced gross morphological defects primarily in the CNS accompanied by a reduction of Nb and GMC markers. Furthermore, the neuronal precursor cells of embryos expressing BM88/CEND1 failed to carry out proper cell-cycle progression as revealed by the disorganized expression patterns of specific cell-cycle markers. BM88/CEND1 accumulation in the Drosophila eye affected normal eye disc development by disrupting the ommatidia. Finally, we demonstrated that expression of BM88/CEND1 modified/reduced the levels of activated MAP kinase indicating a functional effect of BM88/CEND1 on the MAPK signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that the expression of mammalian BM88/CEND1 in Drosophila exerts specific functional effects associated with neuronal precursor cell formation during embryonic neurogenesis and proper eye disc development. This study also validates the use of Drosophila as a powerful model system in which to investigate gene function and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Cend1, a Story with Many Tales: From Regulation of Cell Cycle Progression/Exit of Neural Stem Cells to Brain Structure and Function

Neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) generate the large variety of neuronal phenotypes comprising the adult brain. The high diversity and complexity of this organ have its origin in embryonic life, during which NPCs undergo symmetric and asymmetric divisions and then exit the cell cycle and differentiate to acquire neuronal identities. During these processes, coordinated regulation of cell cycle progression/exit and differentiation is essential for generation of the appropriate number of neurons and formation of the correct structural and functional neuronal circuits in the adult brain. Cend1 is a neuronal lineage-specific modulator involved in synchronization of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. It is expressed all along the neuronal lineage, from neural stem/progenitor cells to mature neurons, and is associated with the dynamics of neuron-generating divisions. Functional studies showed that Cend1 has a critical role during neurogenesis in promoting cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation. Mechanistically, Cend1 acts via the p53-dependent/Cyclin D1/pRb signaling pathway as well as via a p53-independent route involving a tripartite interaction with RanBPM and Dyrk1B. Upon Cend1 function, Notch1 signaling is suppressed and proneural genes such as Mash1 and Neurogenins 1/2 are induced. Due to its neurogenic activity, Cend1 is a promising candidate therapeutic gene for brain repair, while the Cend1 minimal promoter is a valuable tool for neuron-specific gene delivery in the CNS. Mice with Cend1 genetic ablation display increased NPC proliferation, decreased migration, and higher levels of apoptosis during development. As a result, they show in the adult brain deficits in a range of motor and nonmotor behaviors arising from irregularities in cerebellar cortex lamination and impaired Purkinje cell differentiation as well as a paucity in GABAergic interneurons of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Taken together, these studies highlight the necessity for Cend1 expression in the formation of a structurally and functionally normal brain.

Increased Anxiety-Related Behavior, Impaired Cognitive Function and Cellular Alterations in the Brain of Cend1-deficient Mice

Cend1 is a neuronal-lineage specific modulator involved in coordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. We have previously shown that Cend1^-/- mice show altered cerebellar layering caused by increased proliferation of granule cell precursors, delayed radial granule cell migration and compromised Purkinje cell differentiation, leading to ataxic gait and deficits in motor coordination. To further characterize the effects of Cend1 genetic ablation we determined herein a range of behaviors, including anxiety and exploratory behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM), associative learning in fear conditioning, and spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze (MWM). We observed significant deficits in all tests, suggesting structural and/or functional alterations in brain regions such as the cortex, amygdala and the hippocampus. In agreement with these findings, immunohistochemistry revealed reduced numbers of γ amino butyric acid (GABA) GABAergic interneurons, but not of glutamatergic projection neurons, in the adult cerebral cortex. Reduced GABAergic interneurons were also observed in the amygdala, most notably in the basolateral nucleus. The paucity in GABAergic interneurons in adult Cend1^-/- mice correlated with increased proliferation and apoptosis as well as reduced migration of neuronal progenitors from the embryonic medial ganglionic eminence (MGE), the origin of these cells. Further we noted reduced GABAergic neurons and aberrant neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, which has been previously shown to confer spatial learning and memory deficits. Our data highlight the necessity of Cend1 expression in the formation of a structurally and functionally normal brain phenotype.

Prox1 regulates Olig2 expression to modulate binary fate decisions in spinal cord neurons

Specification of spinal cord neurons depends on gene regulation networks that impose distinct fates in neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Olig2 is a key transcription factor in these networks by inducing motor neuron (MN) specification and inhibiting interneuron identity. Despite the critical role of Olig2 in nervous system development and cancer progression, the upstream molecular mechanisms that control Olig2 gene transcription are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that Prox1, a transcription repressor and downstream target of proneural genes, suppresses Olig2 expression and therefore controls ventral spinal cord patterning. In particular, Prox1 is strongly expressed in V2 interneuron progenitors and largely excluded from Olig2+ MN progenitors (pMN). Gain- and loss-of-function studies in mouse NPCs and chick neural tube show that Prox1 is sufficient and necessary for the suppression of Olig2 expression and proper control of MN versus V2 interneuron identity. Mechanistically, Prox1 interacts with the regulatory elements of Olig2 gene locus in vivo and it is critical for proper Olig2 transcription regulation. Specifically, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis in the mouse neural tube showed that endogenous Prox1 directly binds to the proximal promoter of the Olig2 gene locus, as well as to the K23 enhancer, which drives Olig2 expression in the pMN domain. Moreover, plasmid-based transcriptional assays in mouse NPCs suggest that Prox1 suppresses the activity of Olig2 gene promoter and K23 enhancer. These observations indicate that Prox1 controls binary fate decisions between MNs and V2 interneurons in NPCs via direct repression of Olig2 gene regulatory elements.

Functional Interactions between BM88/Cend1, Ran-binding protein M and Dyrk1B kinase affect cyclin D1 levels and cell cycle progression/exit in mouse neuroblastoma cells

BM88/Cend1 is a neuronal-lineage specific modulator with a pivotal role in coordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. In the current study we identified the signal transduction scaffolding protein Ran-binding protein M (RanBPM) as a BM88/Cend1 binding partner and showed that BM88/Cend1, RanBPM and the dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1B (Dyrk1B) are expressed in mouse brain as well as in cultured embryonic cortical neurons while RanBPM can form complexes with either of the two other proteins. To elucidate a potential mechanism involving BM88/Cend1, RanBPM and Dyrk1B in cell cycle progression/exit, we transiently co-expressed these proteins in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a cells. We found that the BM88/Cend1-dependent or Dyrk1B-dependent down-regulation of cyclin D1 is reversed following their functional interaction with RanBPM. More specifically, functional interaction of RanBPM with either BM88/Cend1 or Dyrk1B stabilizes cyclin D1 in the nucleus and promotes 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation as a measure of enhanced cell proliferation. However, the RanBPM-dependent Dyrk1B cytosolic retention and degradation is reverted in the presence of Cend1 resulting in cyclin D1 destabilization. Co-expression of RanBPM with either BM88/Cend1 or Dyrk1B also had a negative effect on Neuro 2a cell differentiation. Our results suggest that functional interactions between BM88/Cend1, RanBPM and Dyrk1B affect the balance between cellular proliferation and differentiation in Neuro 2a cells and indicate that a potentially similar mechanism may influence cell cycle progression/exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors.

Prox1 regulates the notch1-mediated inhibition of neurogenesis

During development of the spinal cord, Prox1 controls the balance between proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells via suppression of Notch1 gene expression.

Activation of Notch1 signaling in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) induces self-renewal and inhibits neurogenesis. Upon neuronal differentiation, NPCs overcome this inhibition, express proneural genes to induce Notch ligands, and activate Notch1 in neighboring NPCs. The molecular mechanism that coordinates Notch1 inactivation with initiation of neurogenesis remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that Prox1, a transcription repressor and downstream target of proneural genes, counteracts Notch1 signaling via direct suppression of Notch1 gene expression. By expression studies in the developing spinal cord of chick and mouse embryo, we showed that Prox1 is limited to neuronal precursors residing between the Notch1+ NPCs and post-mitotic neurons. Physiological levels of Prox1 in this tissue are sufficient to allow binding at Notch1 promoter and they are critical for proper Notch1 transcriptional regulation in vivo. Gain-of-function studies in the chick neural tube and mouse NPCs suggest that Prox1-mediated suppression of Notch1 relieves its inhibition on neurogenesis and allows NPCs to exit the cell cycle and differentiate. Moreover, loss-of-function in the chick neural tube shows that Prox1 is necessary for suppression of Notch1 outside the ventricular zone, inhibition of active Notch signaling, down-regulation of NPC markers, and completion of neuronal differentiation program. Together these data suggest that Prox1 inhibits Notch1 gene expression to control the balance between NPC self-renewal and neuronal differentiation.

Early during development, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) can either proliferate or differentiate into neurons. Thus, generation of the correct number of neurons is governed by a tightly regulated balance between proliferation and differentiation, and disruption of this balance can result in severe developmental deficits, malformations, or cancers. Notch1 is a member of the Notch family of receptors, which make up a highly conserved cell signaling system. Notch1 signaling has been shown to inhibit NPC differentiation and to promote self-renewal, thereby allowing NPCs to divide and progressively generate the enormous number of neurons present in the central nervous system. The molecular mechanism by which NPCs overcome Notch1-mediated inhibition in order to differentiate into neurons, however, is not completely understood. In this study, we show that Prox1, a homeobox transcriptional repressor, plays a fundamental role in the switch to differentiation by suppressing the expression of Notch1 receptor, thereby preventing newly produced neuronal precursors from receiving inhibitory signals from Notch ligands present in neighboring cells. This transcriptional repression may regulate cell cycle exit and differentiation of NPCs as they migrate towards different regions and adopt their final cell fates. We suggest that Prox1 may exert its known influence on embryonic development, organ morphogenesis, and cancer through its ability to counteract Notch1 signaling.

Transplantation of embryonic neural stem/precursor cells overexpressing BM88/Cend1 enhances the generation of neuronal cells in the injured mouse cortex

The intrinsic inability of the central nervous system to efficiently repair traumatic injuries renders transplantation of neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) a promising approach towards repair of brain lesions. In this study, NPCs derived from embryonic day 14.5 mouse cortex were genetically modified via transduction with a lentiviral vector to overexpress the neuronal lineage-specific regulator BM88/Cend1 that coordinates cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. BM88/Cend1-overexpressing NPCs exhibiting enhanced differentiation into neurons in vitro were transplanted in a mouse model of acute cortical injury and analyzed in comparison with control NPCs. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that a smaller proportion of BM88/Cend1-overexpressing NPCs, as compared with control NPCs, expressed the neural stem cell marker nestin 1 day after transplantation, while the percentage of nestin-positive cells was significantly reduced thereafter in both types of cells, being almost extinct 1 week post-grafting. Both types of cells did not proliferate up to 4 weeks in vivo, thus minimizing the risk of tumorigenesis. In comparison with control NPCs, Cend1-overexpressing NPCs generated more neurons and less glial cells 1 month after transplantation in the lesioned cortex whereas the majority of graft-derived neurons were identified as GABAergic interneurons. Furthermore, transplantation of Cend1-overexpressing NPCs resulted in a marked reduction of astrogliosis around the lesioned area as compared to grafts of control NPCs. Our results suggest that transplantation of Cend1-overexpressing NPCs exerts beneficial effects on tissue regeneration by enhancing the number of generated neurons and restricting the formation of astroglial scar, in a mouse model of cortical brain injury.

Impaired cerebellar development and deficits in motor coordination in mice lacking the neuronal protein BM88/Cend1

During nervous system development, neural progenitors arise in proliferative zones, then exit the cell cycle and differentiate as they migrate away from these zones. The neuronal protein BM88/Cend1 has been implicated in coordination of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. To further elucidate its function we generated Cend1 knock-out mice and analyzed their phenotype during postnatal cerebellar development. Cend1(-/-) mice showed no overt abnormalities in the gross anatomy of the cerebellum or other brain regions. However, detailed analysis revealed alterations in cerebellar layering arising from increased proliferation of granule cell precursors, delayed radial granule cell migration and impaired Purkinje cell differentiation. Accordingly, expression of Patched1, cyclin D1, reelin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which correlate with morphological development of the cerebellum, was altered in Cend1(-/-) mice. The observed anatomical and molecular alterations were accompanied by deficits in motor behaviour. Our results suggest that Cend1 is required for normal cerebellar development.

BM88/Cend1 regulates stimuli-induced intracellular calcium mobilization

In neurogenesis, little is known about signal transduction pathways upstream of gene expression however, mounting evidence suggests that calcium release from internal stores plays a critical role. We have previously demonstrated that BM88 is a neuronal lineage-specific regulator of cell cycle exit and differentiation; we now report a link between BM88 and calcium signaling. Calcium imaging experiments revealed that P2Y-induced calcium mobilization is diminished in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a cells stably transfected with BM88 (N2A-BM88 cells) as compared with N2A cells or N2A cells differentiated with retinoic acid. This effect is not restricted to N2A cells but is also observed in HeLa cells that are transiently transfected with BM88, indicating that cells of both neural and non-neural origin respond similarly. Further, activation of P2Y1 but not purinergic P2X receptors induces proliferation of N2A and to a lesser extent of N2A-BM88 cells. Conversely, knockdown of BM88 facilitates N2A cell proliferation both under stimulating and non-stimulating conditions. Importantly, N2A-BM88 cells are less susceptible to apoptosis triggered by C2-ceramide and exhibit reduced C2-ceramide-induced intracellular calcium release. Higher calcium uptake from mitochondria and/or lower calcium levels inside the endoplasmic reticulum may explain the reduced calcium mobilization in response to BM88. Overall, our data reveal a novel signaling mechanism by which BM88 interferes with calcium release from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive stores and exerts anti-proliferative and anti-apoptotic functions.

BM88/Cend1 expression levels are critical for proliferation and differentiation of subventricular zone-derived neural precursor cells

Neural stem cells remain in two areas of the adult mammalian brain, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Ongoing neurogenesis via the SVZ-rostral migratory stream pathway maintains neuronal replacement in the olfactory bulb (OB) throughout life. The mechanisms determining how neurogenesis is restricted to only a few regions in the adult, in contrast to its more widespread location during embryogenesis, largely depend on controlling the balance between precursor cell proliferation and differentiation. BM88/Cend1 is a neuronal lineage-specific regulator implicated in cell cycle exit and differentiation of precursor cells in the embryonic neural tube. Here we investigated its role in postnatal neurogenesis. Study of in vivo BM88/Cend1 distribution revealed that it is expressed in low levels in neuronal precursors of the adult SVZ and in high levels in postmitotic OB interneurons. To assess the functional significance of BM88/Cend1 in neuronal lineage progression postnatally, we challenged its expression levels by gain- and loss-of-function approaches using lentiviral gene transfer in SVZ-derived neurospheres. We found that BM88/Cend1 overexpression decreases proliferation and favors neuronal differentiation, whereas its downregulation using new-generation RNA interference vectors yields an opposite phenotype. Our results demonstrate that BM88/Cend1 participates in cell cycle control and neuronal differentiation mechanisms during neonatal SVZ neurogenesis and becomes crucial for the transition from neuroblasts to mature neurons when reaching high levels.

BM88/Cend1 is involved in histone deacetylase inhibition-mediated growth arrest and differentiation of neuroblastoma cells

Histone deacetylase inhibitors arrest the growth of neuroblastoma cells and induce differentiation. Identification of target genes that co-ordinate and mediate these effects is important for understanding the function of this novel class of antitumour drugs. We report here that trichostatin-A (TSA) specifically induces the transcription of Cend1, a neuronal-lineage specific regulator of cell cycle exit and differentiation, in neuroblastoma Neuro2A cells, but not in non-neuronal cells. Furthermore, we show that knockdown of Cend1 alleviates both the anti-proliferative and differentiation effect of TSA. Our findings suggest that Cend1 is an important molecular target for HDAC inhibition.

BM88/CEND1 coordinates cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors

During development, coordinate regulation of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors is essential for generation of appropriate number of neurons and proper wiring of neuronal circuits. BM88 is a neuronal protein associated in vivo with terminal neuron-generating divisions, marking the exit of proliferative cells from the cell cycle. Here, we provide functional evidence that BM88 is sufficient to initiate the differentiation of spinal cord neural precursors toward acquisition of generic neuronal and subtype-specific traits. Gain-of-function approaches show that BM88 negatively regulates proliferation of neuronal precursors, driving them to prematurely exit the cell cycle, down-regulate Notch1, and commit to a neuronal differentiation pathway. The combined effect on proliferation and differentiation results in precocious induction of neurogenesis and generation of postmitotic neurons within the ventricular zone. The dual action of BM88 is not recapitulated by the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1, suggesting that cell cycle exit does not induce differentiation by default. Mechanistically, induction of endogenous BM88 by forced expression of the proneural gene Mash1 indicates that BM88 is part of the differentiation program activated by proneural genes. Furthermore, BM88 gene silencing conferred by small interfering RNA in spinal cord neural progenitor cells enhances cell cycle progression and impairs neuronal differentiation. Our results implicate BM88 in the synchronization of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors in the developing nervous system.