Terminally differentiated neurons are unable to reenter the cell cycle. Aberrant cell cycle
activation provokes neuronal cell death, whereas cell cycle inhibition elevates neuronal
survival. However, the molecular mechanism regulating the cell cycle and cell death in
mature neurons remains elusive. Here we show that SRPK2, a protein kinase specific for the
serine/arginine (SR) family of splicing factors, triggers cell cycle progression in neurons and
induces apoptosis through regulation of nuclear cyclin D1. Akt phosphorylates SRPK2 on …