Cyclin A/cdk2 has a role in progression through S phase, and a large pool is also activated in G 2 phase. Here we report that this G 2 phase pool regulates the timing of progression into mitosis. Knock down of cyclin A by siRNA or addition of a specific cdk2 small molecule inhibitor delayed entry into mitosis by delaying cells in G 2 phase. The G 2 phase-delayed cells contained elevated levels of inactive cyclin B/cdk1. However, increased microtubule nucleation at the centrosomes was observed, and the centrosomes stained for markers of cyclin B/cdk1 activity. Both microtubule nucleation at the centrosomes and the phosphoprotein markers were lost with short-term treatment of the cdk1/2 inhibitor roscovitine but not the Mek1/2 inhibitor U0126. Cyclin A/cdk2 localized at the centrosomes in late G 2 phase after separation of the centrosomes but before the start of prophase. Thus G 2 phase cyclin A/cdk2 controls the timing of entry into mitosis by controlling the subsequent activation of cyclin B/cdk1, but also has an unexpected role in coordinating the activation of cyclin B/cdk1 at the centrosome and in the nucleus.

Summary Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is a secreted protein with immunosuppressive and growth factor properties. It has been shown to suppress the delayed-type hypersensitivity response in mice as well as acute and chronic forms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rats and mice, respectively. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that EPF binds to a population of lymphocytes and we hypothesized that it mediates its suppressive effects by binding to CD4 + T cells. In the present study, we isolated monocytes and subpopulations of lymphocytes and labelled them with fluoresceinated EPF in order to determine which populations bind EPF. We demonstrated that EPF binds specifically to CD4 + , CD8 + , CD14 + (monocytes) and CD56 + NK cells but not to CD19 + B cells. The identity of the molecule(s) on the cell surface that is targeted by EPF is unknown, but as EPF is an extracellular homologue of the intracellular protein chaperonin 10 (Cpn10), we examined the possibility that the EPF receptor is a membrane-associated form of chaperonin 60 (Cpn60), the functional associate of Cpn10 within the cell. The EPF target molecule on lymphocytes was visualized by chemical cross-linking of exogenous iodinated Cpn10 to cells and probed with anti-Cpn60. The effect of anti-Cpn60 on activity in the EPF bioassay, the rosette inhibition test, was also examined. In both instances, no specific interaction of this antibody and the putative receptor was observed. It was concluded that the cell surface molecule targeted by EPF is unlikely to be a homologue of Cpn60.

No abstract