Selective repression of growth-regulating cdk2, cyclin E and E2F1 genes in human cell senescence

Normal human diploid TIG-1 fibroblasts underwent replicative senescence around 64-68 population doubling levels (PDL) by the irreversible serum-unresponsive G1-growth arrest. Repression of growth-promoting genes was searched in this study. The RT-PCR and Western blot analyses have shown that in senescent TIG-1 cells at PDL64-67, cdk2 and cyclin E were selectively repressed at the mRNA and protein levels even after serum stimulation, and cdc2 and cyclin A were less repressed than cdk2 and cyclin E. Such a specific lack of cdk2 and cyclin E proteins correlated with unphosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) in senescent cells. Transcription factor E2F1 was also completely repressed at the mRNA and protein levels in senescent TIG-1 cells. Middle-passage cells exhibited active expressions of all the above genes and pRB phosphorylation. Therefore, the present results have indicated the selective repressions of cdk2, cyclin E and E2F1 in senescent cells.