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Maturation of neuronal AD-tau pathology involves site-specific phosphorylation of cytoplasmic and synaptic tau preceding conformational change and fibril formation. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:173-192. [PMID: 33427938 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02251-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), tau-protein undergoes a multi-step process involving the transition from a natively unfolded monomer to large, aggregated structures such as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). However, it is not yet clear which events initiate the early preclinical phase of AD tauopathy and whether they have impact on the propagation of tau pathology in later disease stages. To address this question, we analyzed the distribution of tau species phosphorylated at T231, S396/S404 and S202/T205, conformationally modified at the MC1 epitope and fibrillary tau detected by the Gallyas method (Gallyas-tau), in the brains of 15 symptomatic and 20 asymptomatic cases with AD pathology as well as of 19 nonAD cases. As initial tau lesions, we identified phosphorylated-T231-tau diffusely distributed within the somatodendritic compartment (IC-tau) and phosphorylated-S396/pS404-tau in axonal lesions of the white matter and in the neuropil (IN-tau). The subcellular localization of pT231-tau in the cell body and pS396/pS404-tau in the presynapse was confirmed in hP301L mutant Drosophila larvae. Phosphorylated-S202/T205-tau, MC1-tau and Gallyas-tau were negative for these lesions. IC- and IN-tau were observed in all analyzed regions of the human brain, including early affected regions in nonAD cases (entorhinal cortex) and late affected regions in symptomatic AD cases (cerebellum), indicating that tau pathology initiation follows similar processes when propagating into previously unaffected regions. Furthermore, a sequence of AD-related maturation of tau-aggregates was observed, initiated by the appearance of IC- and IN-tau, followed by the formation of pretangles exhibiting pT231-tau, pS396/pS404-tau and pS202/pT205-tau, then by MC1-conformational tau, and, finally, by the formation of Gallyas-positive NFTs. Since cases classified as nonAD [Braak NFT stages < I (including a-1b)] already showed IC- and IN-tau, our findings suggest that these lesions are a prerequisite for the development of AD.
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52
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Morris SL, Tsai MY, Aloe S, Bechberger K, König S, Morfini G, Brady ST. Defined Tau Phosphospecies Differentially Inhibit Fast Axonal Transport Through Activation of Two Independent Signaling Pathways. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 13:610037. [PMID: 33568975 PMCID: PMC7868336 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.610037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is subject to phosphorylation by multiple kinases at more than 80 different sites. Some of these sites are associated with tau pathology and neurodegeneration, but other sites are modified in normal tau as well as in pathological tau. Although phosphorylation of tau at residues in the microtubule-binding repeats is thought to reduce tau association with microtubules, the functional consequences of other sites are poorly understood. The AT8 antibody recognizes a complex phosphoepitope site on tau that is detectable in a healthy brain but significantly increased in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Previous studies showed that phosphorylation of tau at the AT8 site leads to exposure of an N-terminal sequence that promotes activation of a protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)/glycogen synthase 3 (GSK3) signaling pathway, which inhibits kinesin-1-based anterograde fast axonal transport (FAT). This finding suggests that phosphorylation may control tau conformation and function. However, the AT8 includes three distinct phosphorylated amino acids that may be differentially phosphorylated in normal and disease conditions. To evaluate the effects of specific phosphorylation sites in the AT8 epitope, recombinant, pseudophosphorylated tau proteins were perfused into the isolated squid axoplasm preparation to determine their effects on axonal signaling pathways and FAT. Results from these studies suggest a mechanism where specific phosphorylation events differentially impact tau conformation, promoting activation of independent signaling pathways that differentially affect FAT. Implications of findings here to our understanding of tau function in health and disease conditions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Morris
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Ming-Ying Tsai
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sarah Aloe
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | | | - Svenja König
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Gerardo Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Scott T. Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
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53
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Guha S, Johnson GVW, Nehrke K. The Crosstalk Between Pathological Tau Phosphorylation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Key to Understanding and Treating Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:5103-5120. [PMID: 32851560 PMCID: PMC7544674 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02084-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder. A defining hallmark of the AD brain is the presence of intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) which are made up of abnormally modified tau, with aberrant phosphorylation being the most studied posttranslational modification (PTM). Although the accumulation of tau as NFTs is an invariant feature of the AD brain, it has become evident that these insoluble aggregates are likely not the primary pathogenic form of tau, rather soluble forms of tau with abnormal PTMs are the mediators of toxicity. The most prevalent PTM on tau is phosphorylation, with the abnormal modification of specific residues on tau playing a key role in its toxicity. Even though it is widely accepted that tau with aberrant PTMs facilitates neurodegeneration, the precise cellular mechanisms remain unknown. Nonetheless, there is an evolving conceptual framework that an important contributing factor may be selective pathological tau species compromising mitochondrial biology. Understanding the mechanisms by which tau with site-specific PTM impacts mitochondria is crucial for understanding the role tau plays in AD. Here, we provide a brief introduction to tau and its phosphorylation and function in a physiological context, followed by a discussion of the impact of soluble phosphorylated tau species on neuronal processes in general and mitochondria more specifically. We also discuss how therapeutic strategies that attenuate pathological tau species in combination with treatments that improve mitochondrial biology could be a potential therapeutic avenue to mitigate disease progression in AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjib Guha
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
| | - Gail V W Johnson
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Keith Nehrke
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, 14642, NY, USA
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54
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Kang DE, Woo JA. Cofilin, a Master Node Regulating Cytoskeletal Pathogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 72:S131-S144. [PMID: 31594228 PMCID: PMC6971827 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The defining pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are proteinopathies marked by the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and hyperphosphorylated tau. In addition, Hirano bodies and cofilin-actin rods are extensively found in AD brains, both of which are associated with the actin cytoskeleton. The actin-binding protein cofilin known for its actin filament severing, depolymerizing, nucleating, and bundling activities has emerged as a significant player in AD pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the regulation of cofilin by multiple signaling events impinging on LIM kinase-1 (LIMK1) and/or Slingshot homolog-1 (SSH1) downstream of Aβ. Such pathophysiological signaling pathways impact actin dynamics to regulate synaptic integrity, mitochondrial translocation of cofilin to promote neurotoxicity, and formation of cofilin-actin pathology. Other intracellular signaling proteins, such as β-arrestin, RanBP9, Chronophin, PLD1, and 14-3-3 also impinge on the regulation of cofilin downstream of Aβ. Finally, we discuss the role of activated cofilin as a bridge between actin and microtubule dynamics by displacing tau from microtubules, thereby destabilizing tau-induced microtubule assembly, missorting tau, and promoting tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Kang
- Byrd Institute and Alzheimer's Center, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.,Division of Research, James A. Haley VA Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jung A Woo
- Byrd Institute and Alzheimer's Center, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA
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55
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Kang SG, Eskandari-Sedighi G, Hromadkova L, Safar JG, Westaway D. Cellular Biology of Tau Diversity and Pathogenic Conformers. Front Neurol 2020; 11:590199. [PMID: 33304310 PMCID: PMC7693435 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.590199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau accumulation is a prominent feature in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders and remarkable effort has been expended working out the biochemistry and cell biology of this cytoplasmic protein. Tau's wayward properties may derive from germline mutations in the case of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-MAPT) but may also be prompted by less understood cues—perhaps environmental or from molecular damage as a consequence of chronological aging—in the case of idiopathic tauopathies. Tau properties are undoubtedly affected by its covalent structure and in this respect tau protein is not only subject to changes in length produced by alternative splicing and endoproteolysis, but different types of posttranslational modifications that affect different amino acid residues. Another layer of complexity concerns alternate conformations—“conformers”—of the same covalent structures; in vivo conformers can encompass soluble oligomeric species, ramified fibrillar structures evident by light and electron microscopy and other forms of the protein that have undergone liquid-liquid phase separation to make demixed liquid droplets. Biological concepts based upon conformers have been charted previously for templated replication mechanisms for prion proteins built of the PrP polypeptide; these are now providing useful explanations to feature tau pathobiology, including how this protein accumulates within cells and how it can exhibit predictable patterns of spread across different neuroanatomical regions of an affected brain. In sum, the documented, intrinsic heterogeneity of tau forms and conformers now begins to speak to a fundamental basis for diversity in clinical presentation of tauopathy sub-types. In terms of interventions, emphasis upon subclinical events may be worthwhile, noting that irrevocable cell loss and ramified protein assemblies feature at end-stage tauopathy, whereas earlier events may offer better opportunities for diverting pathogenic processes. Nonetheless, the complexity of tau sub-types, which may be present even within intermediate disease stages, likely mitigates against one-size-fits-all therapeutic strategies and may require a suite of interventions. We consider the extent to which animal models of tauopathy can be reasonably enrolled in the campaign to produce such interventions and to slow the otherwise inexorable march of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Gyun Kang
- Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Lenka Hromadkova
- Department of Neurology and Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Jiri G Safar
- Department of Neurology and Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - David Westaway
- Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Abstract
It is increasingly recognized that local protein synthesis (LPS) contributes to fundamental aspects of axon biology, in both developing and mature neurons. Mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), as central players in LPS, and other proteins affecting RNA localization and translation are associated with a range of neurological disorders, suggesting disruption of LPS may be of pathological significance. In this review, we substantiate this hypothesis by examining the link between LPS and key axonal processes, and the implicated pathophysiological consequences of dysregulated LPS. First, we describe how the length and autonomy of axons result in an exceptional reliance on LPS. We next discuss the roles of LPS in maintaining axonal structural and functional polarity and axonal trafficking. We then consider how LPS facilitates the establishment of neuronal connectivity through regulation of axonal branching and pruning, how it mediates axonal survival into adulthood and its involvement in neuronal stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Qiaojin Lin
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Island Research Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Christine E Holt
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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57
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Tubulin modifying enzymes as target for the treatment oftau-related diseases. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 218:107681. [PMID: 32961263 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the number and length of microtubules (MTs) are significantly and selectively reduced. MTs are involved in a wide range of cellular functions, and defects of the microtubular system have emerged as a unifying hypothesis for the heterogeneous and variable clinical presentations of AD. MTs orchestrate their numerous functions through the spatiotemporal regulation of the binding of specialised microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) and molecular motors. Covalent posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on the tubulin C-termini that protrude at the surface of MTs regulate the binding of these effectors. In neurons, MAP tau is highly abundant and its abnormal dissociation from MTs in the axon, cellular mislocalization and hyperphosphorylation, are primary events leading to neuronal death. Consequently, compounds targeting tau phosphorylation or aggregation are currently evaluated but their clinical significance has not been demonstrated yet. In this review, we discuss the emerging link between tubulin PTMs and tau dysfunction. In neurons, high levels of glutamylation and detyrosination profoundly impact the physicochemical properties at the surface of MTs. Moreover, in patients with early-onset progressive neurodegeneration, deleterious mutations in enzymes involved in modifying MTs at the surface have recently been identified, underscoring the importance of this enzymatic machinery in neurology. We postulate that pharmacologically targeting the tubulin-modifying enzymes holds promise as therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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58
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Kuznetsov IA, Kuznetsov AV. Modeling tau transport in the axon initial segment. Math Biosci 2020; 329:108468. [PMID: 32920097 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2020.108468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
By assuming that tau protein can be in seven kinetic states, we developed a model of tau protein transport in the axon and in the axon initial segment (AIS). Two separate sets of kinetic constants were determined, one in the axon and the other in the AIS. This was done by fitting the model predictions in the axon with experimental results and by fitting the model predictions in the AIS with the assumed linear increase of the total tau concentration in the AIS. The calibrated model was used to make predictions about tau transport in the axon and in the AIS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that presents a mathematical model of tau transport in the AIS. Our modeling results suggest that binding of free tau to microtubules creates a negative gradient of free tau in the AIS. This leads to diffusion-driven tau transport from the soma into the AIS. The model further suggests that slow axonal transport and diffusion-driven transport of tau work together in the AIS, moving tau anterogradely. Our numerical results predict an interplay between these two mechanisms: as the distance from the soma increases, the diffusion-driven transport decreases, while motor-driven transport becomes larger. Thus, the machinery in the AIS works as a pump, moving tau into the axon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan A Kuznetsov
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Andrey V Kuznetsov
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA.
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59
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Mondragón-Rodríguez S, Salgado-Burgos H, Peña-Ortega F. Circuitry and Synaptic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease: A New Tau Hypothesis. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:2960343. [PMID: 32952546 PMCID: PMC7481966 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2960343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
For more than five decades, the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has focused on two main hypotheses positing amyloid-beta (Aβ) and Tau phosphorylation (pTau) as key pathogenic mediators. In line with these canonical hypotheses, several groups around the world have shown that the synaptotoxicity in AD depends mainly on the increase in pTau levels. Confronting this leading hypothesis, a few years ago, we reported that the increase in phosphorylation levels of dendritic Tau, at its microtubule domain (MD), acts as a neuroprotective mechanism that prevents N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) overexcitation, which allowed us to propose that Tau protein phosphorylated near MD sites is involved in neuroprotection, rather than in neurodegeneration. Further supporting this alternative role of pTau, we have recently shown that early increases in pTau close to MD sites prevent hippocampal circuit overexcitation in a transgenic AD mouse model. Here, we will synthesize this new evidence that confronts the leading Tau-based AD hypothesis and discuss the role of pTau modulating neural circuits and network connectivity. Additionally, we will briefly address the role of brain circuit alterations as a potential biomarker for detecting the prodromal AD stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhartha Mondragón-Rodríguez
- CONACYT National Council for Science and Technology, México, Mexico
- UNAM Developmental Neurobiology and Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurobiology, National Autonomous University of México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Humberto Salgado-Burgos
- UADY Neurosciences Department, Autonomous University of Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Fernando Peña-Ortega
- UNAM Developmental Neurobiology and Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurobiology, National Autonomous University of México, Querétaro, Mexico
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60
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Hall CM, Moeendarbary E, Sheridan GK. Mechanobiology of the brain in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:3851-3878. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chloe M. Hall
- Department of Mechanical Engineering University College London London UK
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences University of Brighton Brighton UK
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering University College London London UK
- Department of Biological Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA USA
| | - Graham K. Sheridan
- School of Life Sciences Queens Medical Centre University of Nottingham Nottingham UK
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61
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Fischer I, Baas PW. Resurrecting the Mysteries of Big Tau. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:493-504. [PMID: 32434664 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Tau, a microtubule-associated protein that modifies the dynamic properties and organization of microtubules in neurons and affects axonal transport, shows remarkable heterogeneity, with multiple isoforms (45-65 kDa) generated by alternative splicing. A high-molecular-weight (HMW) isoform (110 kDa) that contains an additional large exon termed 4a was discovered more than 25 years ago. This isoform, called Big tau, is expressed mainly in the adult peripheral nervous system (PNS), but also in adult neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) that extend processes into the periphery. Surprisingly little has been learned about Big tau since its initial characterization, leaving a significant gap in knowledge about how the dramatic switch to Big tau affects the properties of neurons in the context of development, disease, or injury. Here we review what was learned about the structure and distribution of Big tau in those earlier studies, and add contemporary insights to resurrect interest in the mysteries of Big tau and thereby set a path for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzhak Fischer
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
| | - Peter W Baas
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA.
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62
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Teravskis PJ, Ashe KH, Liao D. The Accumulation of Tau in Postsynaptic Structures: A Common Feature in Multiple Neurodegenerative Diseases? Neuroscientist 2020; 26:503-520. [PMID: 32389059 DOI: 10.1177/1073858420916696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases and dementias are caused not by unique, solitary cellular mechanisms, but by multiple contributory mechanisms manifesting as heterogeneous clinical presentations. However, diverse neurodegenerative diseases also share common pathological hallmarks and cellular mechanisms. One such mechanism involves the redistribution of the microtubule associated protein tau from the axon into the somatodendritic compartment of neurons, followed by the mislocalization of tau into dendritic spines, resulting in postsynaptic functional deficits. Here we review various signaling pathways that trigger the redistribution of tau to the cell body and dendritic tree, and its mislocalization to dendritic spines. The convergence of multiple pathways in different disease models onto this final common pathway suggests that it may be an attractive pathway to target for developing new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Teravskis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Karen H Ashe
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,N. Budd Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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63
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Verelst J, Geukens N, Eddarkaoui S, Vliegen D, De Smidt E, Rosseels J, Franssens V, Molenberghs S, Francois C, Stoops E, Bjerke M, Engelborghs S, Laghmouchi M, Carmans S, Buée L, Vanmechelen E, Winderickx J, Thomas D. A Novel Tau Antibody Detecting the First Amino-Terminal Insert Reveals Conformational Differences Among Tau Isoforms. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:48. [PMID: 32296712 PMCID: PMC7136581 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As human Tau undergoes pathologically relevant post-translational modifications when expressed in yeast, the use of humanized yeast models for the generation of novel Tau monoclonal antibodies has previously been proven to be successful. In this study, human Tau2N4R-ΔK280 purified from yeast was used for the immunization of mice and subsequent selection of high affinity Tau-specific monoclonal antibodies. The characterization of four novel antibodies in different Tau model systems yielded a phosphorylation-dependent antibody (15A10), an antibody directed to the first microtubule-binding repeat domain (16B12), a carboxy-terminal antibody (20G10) and an antibody targeting an epitope on the hinge of the first and second amino-terminal insert (18F12). The latter was found to be conformation-dependent, suggesting structural differences between the Tau splicing isoforms and allowing insight in the roles played by the amino-terminal inserts. As this monoclonal antibody also has the capacity to detect tangle-like structures in different transgenic Tau mice and neurofibrillary tangles in brain sections of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, we also tested the diagnostic potential of 18F12 in a pilot study and found this monoclonal antibody to have the ability to discriminate Alzheimer's disease patients from control individuals based on increased Tau levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke Verelst
- Functional Biology, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | | | - Sabiha Eddarkaoui
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, UMRS1172, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, Alzheimer & Tauopathies, Lille, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Bjerke
- Reference Center for Biological Markers of Dementia (BIODEM), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universtieit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Engelborghs
- Reference Center for Biological Markers of Dementia (BIODEM), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universtieit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Luc Buée
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, UMRS1172, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, Alzheimer & Tauopathies, Lille, France
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64
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Penke B, Szűcs M, Bogár F. Oligomerization and Conformational Change Turn Monomeric β-Amyloid and Tau Proteins Toxic: Their Role in Alzheimer's Pathogenesis. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25071659. [PMID: 32260279 PMCID: PMC7180792 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25071659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The structural polymorphism and the physiological and pathophysiological roles of two important proteins, β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau, that play a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are reviewed. Recent results demonstrate that monomeric Aβ has important physiological functions. Toxic oligomeric Aβ assemblies (AβOs) may play a decisive role in AD pathogenesis. The polymorph fibrillar Aβ (fAβ) form has a very ordered cross-β structure and is assumed to be non-toxic. Tau monomers also have several important physiological actions; however, their oligomerization leads to toxic oligomers (TauOs). Further polymerization results in probably non-toxic fibrillar structures, among others neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Their structure was determined by cryo-electron microscopy at atomic level. Both AβOs and TauOs may initiate neurodegenerative processes, and their interactions and crosstalk determine the pathophysiological changes in AD. TauOs (perhaps also AβO) have prionoid character, and they may be responsible for cell-to-cell spreading of the disease. Both extra- and intracellular AβOs and TauOs (and not the previously hypothesized amyloid plaques and NFTs) may represent the novel targets of AD drug research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Botond Penke
- Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.S.); (F.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mária Szűcs
- Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.S.); (F.B.)
| | - Ferenc Bogár
- Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (M.S.); (F.B.)
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
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66
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Butler VJ, Salazar DA, Soriano-Castell D, Alves-Ferreira M, Dennissen FJA, Vohra M, Oses-Prieto JA, Li KH, Wang AL, Jing B, Li B, Groisman A, Gutierrez E, Mooney S, Burlingame AL, Ashrafi K, Mandelkow EM, Encalada SE, Kao AW. Tau/MAPT disease-associated variant A152T alters tau function and toxicity via impaired retrograde axonal transport. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:1498-1514. [PMID: 30590647 PMCID: PMC6489414 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) underlie multiple neurodegenerative disorders, yet the pathophysiological mechanisms are unclear. A novel variant in MAPT resulting in an alanine to threonine substitution at position 152 (A152T tau) has recently been described as a significant risk factor for both frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. Here we use complementary computational, biochemical, molecular, genetic and imaging approaches in Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse models to interrogate the effects of the A152T variant on tau function. In silico analysis suggests that a threonine at position 152 of tau confers a new phosphorylation site. This finding is borne out by mass spectrometric survey of A152T tau phosphorylation in C. elegans and mouse. Optical pulse-chase experiments of Dendra2-tau demonstrate that A152T tau and phosphomimetic A152E tau exhibit increased diffusion kinetics and the ability to traverse across the axon initial segment more efficiently than wild-type (WT) tau. A C. elegans model of tauopathy reveals that A152T and A152E tau confer patterns of developmental toxicity distinct from WT tau, likely due to differential effects on retrograde axonal transport. These data support a role for phosphorylation of the variant threonine in A152T tau toxicity and suggest a mechanism involving impaired retrograde axonal transport contributing to human neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria J Butler
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dominique A Salazar
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David Soriano-Castell
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Miguel Alves-Ferreira
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Frank J A Dennissen
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, Germany.,MPI for Neurological Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, Germany.,The Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mihir Vohra
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Juan A Oses-Prieto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kathy H Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Austin L Wang
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Beibei Jing
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Biao Li
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - Alex Groisman
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Edgar Gutierrez
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sean Mooney
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA
| | - Alma L Burlingame
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kaveh Ashrafi
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, Germany.,MPI for Neurological Research, Hamburg Outstation, c/o Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, Germany.,The Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandra E Encalada
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Aimee W Kao
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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67
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Arakhamia T, Lee CE, Carlomagno Y, Duong DM, Kundinger SR, Wang K, Williams D, DeTure M, Dickson DW, Cook CN, Seyfried NT, Petrucelli L, Fitzpatrick AWP. Posttranslational Modifications Mediate the Structural Diversity of Tauopathy Strains. Cell 2020; 180:633-644.e12. [PMID: 32032505 PMCID: PMC7491959 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 269] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Tau aggregation into insoluble filaments is the defining pathological hallmark of tauopathies. However, it is not known what controls the formation and templated seeding of strain-specific structures associated with individual tauopathies. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structures of tau filaments from corticobasal degeneration (CBD) human brain tissue. Cryo-EM and mass spectrometry of tau filaments from CBD reveal that this conformer is heavily decorated with posttranslational modifications (PTMs), enabling us to map PTMs directly onto the structures. By comparing the structures and PTMs of tau filaments from CBD and Alzheimer's disease, it is found that ubiquitination of tau can mediate inter-protofilament interfaces. We propose a structure-based model in which cross-talk between PTMs influences tau filament structure, contributing to the structural diversity of tauopathy strains. Our approach establishes a framework for further elucidating the relationship between the structures of polymorphic fibrils, including their PTMs, and neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamta Arakhamia
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christina E Lee
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yari Carlomagno
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Duc M Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sean R Kundinger
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Kevin Wang
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dewight Williams
- John M. Cowley Center for High Resolution Electron Microscopy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Michael DeTure
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Casey N Cook
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Anthony W P Fitzpatrick
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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68
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Transmission of tauopathy strains is independent of their isoform composition. Nat Commun 2020; 11:7. [PMID: 31911587 PMCID: PMC6946697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13787-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of pathological tau is a common feature in several neurodegenerative tauopathies. Although equal ratios of tau isoforms with 3 (3R) and 4 (4R) microtubule-binding repeats are expressed in the adult human brain, the pathological tau from different tauopathies have distinct isoform compositions and cell type specificities. The underlying mechanisms of tauopathies are unknown, partially due to the lack of proper models. Here, we generate a new transgenic mouse line expressing equal ratios of 3R and 4R human tau isoforms (6hTau mice). Intracerebral injections of distinct human tauopathy brain-derived tau strains into 6hTau mice recapitulate the deposition of pathological tau with distinct tau isoform compositions and cell type specificities as in human tauopathies. Moreover, through in vivo propagation of these tau strains among different mouse lines, we demonstrate that the transmission of distinct tau strains is independent of strain isoform compositions, but instead intrinsic to unique pathological conformations. Although normal human brains express 6 tau isoforms in equal ratio with 3 or 4 microtubule-binding repeat domains (3R and 4R), tau inclusions from different human tauopathy brains, now considered as different strains, have distinct isoform compositions and strain properties and the relationship between these two parts is unclear. Here the authors generate a new transgenic mouse line expressing 6 human tau isoforms with equal 3R and 4R ratios, recapitulate distinct human tau strains in mouse brains with similar isoform compositions and cell type specificities, and further show the strain transmission pattern is independent of its isoform composition.
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69
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Reelin reverts biochemical, physiological and cognitive alterations in mouse models of Tauopathy. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 186:101743. [PMID: 31870804 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.101743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Reelin is an extracellular protein crucial for adult brain plasticity. Moreover, Reelin is protective against amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), reducing plaque deposition, synaptic loss and cognitive decline. Given that Tau protein plays a key role in AD pathogenesis, and that the Reelin pathway modulates Tau phosphorylation, here we explored the involvement of Reelin in AD-related Tau pathology. We found that Reelin overexpression modulates the levels of Tau phosphorylation in AD-related epitopes in VLW mice expressing human mutant Tau. in vitro, Reelin reduced the Aβ-induced missorting of axonal Tau and neurofilament proteins to dendrites. Reelin also reverted in vivo the toxic somatodendritic localization of phosphorylated Tau. Finally, overexpression of Reelin in VLW mice improved long-term potentiation and long-term memory cognitive performance thus masking the cognitive and physiological deficits in VLW mice. These data suggest that the Reelin pathway, which is also protective against Aβ pathology, modulates fundamental traits of Tau pathology, strengthening the potential of Reelin as a therapeutic target in AD.
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70
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Sohn PD, Huang CTL, Yan R, Fan L, Tracy TE, Camargo CM, Montgomery KM, Arhar T, Mok SA, Freilich R, Baik J, He M, Gong S, Roberson ED, Karch CM, Gestwicki JE, Xu K, Kosik KS, Gan L. Pathogenic Tau Impairs Axon Initial Segment Plasticity and Excitability Homeostasis. Neuron 2019; 104:458-470.e5. [PMID: 31542321 PMCID: PMC6880876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of neuronal excitability underlies the pathogenesis of tauopathies, including frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with tau inclusions. A majority of FTD-causing tau mutations are located in the microtubule-binding domain, but how these mutations alter neuronal excitability is largely unknown. Here, using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing in human pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and isogenic controls, we show that the FTD-causing V337M tau mutation impairs activity-dependent plasticity of the cytoskeleton in the axon initial segment (AIS). Extracellular recordings by multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) revealed that the V337M tau mutation in human neurons leads to an abnormal increase in neuronal activity in response to chronic depolarization. Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy of human neurons with this mutation showed that AIS plasticity is impaired by the abnormal accumulation of end-binding protein 3 (EB3) in the AIS submembrane region. These findings expand our understanding of how FTD-causing tau mutations dysregulate components of the neuronal cytoskeleton, leading to network dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Dongmin Sohn
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Cindy Tzu-Ling Huang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Rui Yan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Li Fan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY10021, USA
| | - Tara E Tracy
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Carolina M Camargo
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Kelly M Montgomery
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Taylor Arhar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sue-Ann Mok
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Rebecca Freilich
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Justin Baik
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Manni He
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Shiaoching Gong
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY10021, USA
| | - Erik D Roberson
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kenneth S Kosik
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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71
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Tau Misfolding Efficiently Propagates between Individual Intact Hippocampal Neurons. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9623-9632. [PMID: 31658988 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1590-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles, formed of misfolded, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, are a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerations, including Alzheimer's disease. Tau pathology spreads between neurons and propagates misfolding in a prion-like manner throughout connected neuronal circuits. Tauopathy is accompanied by significant neuronal death, but the relationships between initial tau misfolding, propagation across connected neurons and cytotoxicity remain unclear. In particular the immediate functional consequence of tau misfolding for the individual neuron is not well understood. Here, using microfluidic devices to recreate discretely organized neuronal connections, we show that the spread and propagation of misfolded tau between individual murine neurons is rapid and efficient; it occurs within days. The neurons containing and propagating tau pathology display selective axonal transport deficits but remain viable and electrically competent. Therefore, we demonstrate that seed-competent misfolded tau species do not acutely cause cell death, but instead initiate discrete cellular dysfunctions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Public awareness of progressive neurodegenerations such as dementias associated with aging or repetitive head trauma is rising. Protein misfolding underlies many neurodegenerative diseases including tauopathies, where the misfolded tau protein propagates pathology through connected brain circuits in a prion-like manner. Clinically, these diseases progress over the course of years. Here we show that the underlying protein misfolding propagates rapidly between individual neurons. Presence of misfolded tau is not directly cytotoxic to the neuron; the cells remain viable with limited deficits. This suggests that neurons with tau pathology could be rescued with a therapeutic disease modifier and highlights an under-appreciated time window for such therapeutic intervention.
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72
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Sun Y, Liang L, Dong M, Li C, Liu Z, Gao H. Cofilin 2 in Serum as a Novel Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease in Han Chinese. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:214. [PMID: 31447667 PMCID: PMC6696795 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an important and urgent area of study, not only to aid in the early diagnosis of AD, but also to evaluate potentially new anti-AD drugs. The aim of this study was to explore cofilin 2 in serum as a novel biomarker for AD. The upregulation was observed in AD patients and different AD animal models compared to the controls, as well as in AD cell models. Memantine and donepezil can attenuate the upregulation of cofilin 2 expression in APP/PS1 mice. The serum levels of cofilin 2 in AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients were significantly higher compared to controls (AD: 167.9 ± 35.3 pg/mL; MCI: 115.9 ± 15.4 pg/mL; Control: 90.5 ± 27.1 pg/mL; p < 0.01). A significant correlation between cofilin 2 levels and cognitive decline was observed (r = –0.792; p < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed the area under the curve (AUC) of cofilin 2 was 0.957, and the diagnostic accuracy was 80%, with 93% sensitivity and 87% specificity. The optimal cut-off value was 130.4 pg/ml. Our results indicate the possibility of serum cofilin 2 as a novel and non-invasive biomarker for AD. In addition, the expression of cofilin 2 was found to be significantly increased in AD compared to vascular dementia (VaD), and only an increased trend but not significant was detected in VaD compared to the controls. ROC analysis between AD and VaD showed that the AUC was 0.824, which could indicate a role of cofilin 2 as a biomarker in the differential diagnosis between AD and VaD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingni Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai, China
| | - Lisheng Liang
- Department of Pain, Qingdao University Medical College Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Meili Dong
- Central Sterile Supply Department, Qingdao University Medical College Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Cong Li
- Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Zhenzhen Liu
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, College of Chemistry, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Hongwei Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Ludong University, Yantai, China
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73
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Ittner A, Ittner LM. Dendritic Tau in Alzheimer's Disease. Neuron 2019; 99:13-27. [PMID: 30001506 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) are key players in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ and tau are linked in a molecular pathway at the post-synapse with tau-dependent synaptic dysfunction being a major pathomechanism in AD. Recent work on site-specific modification of dendritic and more specifically post-synaptic tau has revealed new endogenous functions of tau that limits synaptic Aβ toxicity. Thus, molecular studies opened a new perspective on tau, placing it at the center of neurotoxic and neuroprotective signaling at the post-synapse. Here, we review recent advances on tau in the dendritic compartments, with implications for understanding and treatment of AD and related neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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74
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Sato C, Barthélemy NR, Mawuenyega KG, Patterson BW, Gordon BA, Jockel-Balsarotti J, Sullivan M, Crisp MJ, Kasten T, Kirmess KM, Kanaan NM, Yarasheski KE, Baker-Nigh A, Benzinger TLS, Miller TM, Karch CM, Bateman RJ. Tau Kinetics in Neurons and the Human Central Nervous System. Neuron 2019; 97:1284-1298.e7. [PMID: 29566794 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 312] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We developed stable isotope labeling and mass spectrometry approaches to measure the kinetics of multiple isoforms and fragments of tau in the human central nervous system (CNS) and in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons. Newly synthesized tau is truncated and released from human neurons in 3 days. Although most tau proteins have similar turnover, 4R tau isoforms and phosphorylated forms of tau exhibit faster turnover rates, suggesting unique processing of these forms that may have independent biological activities. The half-life of tau in control human iPSC-derived neurons is 6.74 ± 0.45 days and in human CNS is 23 ± 6.4 days. In cognitively normal and Alzheimer's disease participants, the production rate of tau positively correlates with the amount of amyloid plaques, indicating a biological link between amyloid plaques and tau physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Sato
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Nicolas R Barthélemy
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kwasi G Mawuenyega
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bruce W Patterson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Brian A Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Melissa Sullivan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Matthew J Crisp
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tom Kasten
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kristopher M Kirmess
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nicholas M Kanaan
- Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kevin E Yarasheski
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alaina Baker-Nigh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tammie L S Benzinger
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Timothy M Miller
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Randall J Bateman
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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75
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Mechanisms of Axonal Sorting of Tau and Influence of the Axon Initial Segment on Tau Cell Polarity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1184:69-77. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9358-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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76
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Tapia-Rojas C, Cabezas-Opazo F, Deaton CA, Vergara EH, Johnson GVW, Quintanilla RA. It's all about tau. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 175:54-76. [PMID: 30605723 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a protein that is highly enriched in neurons and was originally defined by its ability to bind and stabilize microtubules. However, it is now becoming evident that the functions of tau extend beyond its ability to modulate microtubule dynamics. Tau plays a role in mediating axonal transport, synaptic structure and function, and neuronal signaling pathways. Although tau plays important physiological roles in neurons, its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases, and most prominently in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD), has directed the majority of tau studies. However, a thorough knowledge of the physiological functions of tau and its post-translational modifications under normal conditions are necessary to provide the foundation for understanding its role in pathological settings. In this review, we will focus on human tau, summarizing tau structure and organization, as well as its posttranslational modifications associated with physiological processes. We will highlight possible mechanisms involved in mediating the turnover of tau and finally discuss newly elucidated tau functions in a physiological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheril Tapia-Rojas
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fabian Cabezas-Opazo
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carol A Deaton
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Erick H Vergara
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gail V W Johnson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, USA
| | - Rodrigo A Quintanilla
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en Adolescentes (CIIA), Santiago, Chile.
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77
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Chen Y, Fu AKY, Ip NY. Synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 195:186-198. [PMID: 30439458 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the elderly population, is characterized by progressive cognitive decline and pathological hallmarks of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. However, its pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood, and diagnostic tools and interventions are limited. Here, we review recent research on the amyloid hypothesis and beta-amyloid-induced dysfunction of neuronal synapses through distinct cell surface receptors. We also review how tau protein leads to synaptotoxicity through pathological modification, localization, and propagation. Finally, we discuss experimental therapeutics for AD and propose potential applications of disease-modifying strategies targeting synaptic failure for improved treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Amy K Y Fu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Nancy Y Ip
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience and Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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78
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Kurochkina N, Bhaskar M, Yadav SP, Pant HC. Phosphorylation, Dephosphorylation, and Multiprotein Assemblies Regulate Dynamic Behavior of Neuronal Cytoskeleton: A Mini-Review. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:373. [PMID: 30349458 PMCID: PMC6186834 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular localization, assembly and abnormal aggregation of neurofilaments depend on phosphorylation. Pathological processes associated with neurodegeneration exhibit aberrant accumulation of microtubule associated aggregated forms of hyperphosphorylated neuronal protein tau in cell bodies. These processes are critical for the disease progression in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In healthy cells, tau is localized in axons. Topographic regulation suggests that whereas the sites of synthesis of kinases and neurofilaments are the cell bodies, and sites of their functional assemblies are axons, phosphorylation/dephosphorylation are the key processes that arrange the molecules at their precise locations. Phosphorylation sites in the dynamic developmental and degenerative processes differ. Not all these processes are well understood. New advancements identify epigenetic factors involved in AD which account for the influence of age-related environment/genome interactions leading to the disease. Progress in proteomics highlights previously found major proteins and adds more to the list of those involved in AD. New key elements of specificity provide determinants of molecular recognition important for the assembly of macromolecular complexes. In this review, we discuss aberrant spatial distribution of neuronal polypeptides observed in neuropathies: aggregation, association with proteins of the neuronal cytoskeleton, and phosphorylation dependent dynamics. Particularly, we emphasize recent advancements in understanding the function and determinants of specific association of molecules involved in Alzheimer's disease with respect to the topographic regulation of phosphorylation in neuronal cytoskeleton and implications for the design of new therapies. Further, we address the role of various filament systems in maintenance of the shape, rigidity and dynamics of the cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya Kurochkina
- Department of Biophysics, The School of Theoretical Modeling, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Manju Bhaskar
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sharda Prasad Yadav
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Harish C. Pant
- Neuronal Cytoskeletal Protein Regulation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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79
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Minimalistic in vitro systems for investigating tau pathology. J Neurosci Methods 2018; 319:69-76. [PMID: 30278185 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles, formed of hyperphosphorylated, misfolded tau accumulations, are a pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia. The neuroanatomical localisation of tau pathology in AD brains of different disease stages suggests that tau tangle pathology is spreading throughout the brain along connected neuronal circuits. Pathogenic tau can act as a prion-like seed, inducing the misfolding of native tau and leading to disease propagation throughout the brain. However, it is not yet fully understood how tau spreads between individual neurons or brain regions. Here, we review the models for investigating tau propagation in vitro, and summarise the findings from key studies into the mechanisms of tau pathology propagation in disease.
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80
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León-Espinosa G, Antón-Fernández A, Tapia-González S, DeFelipe J, Muñoz A. Modifications of the axon initial segment during the hibernation of the Syrian hamster. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:4307-4321. [PMID: 30219944 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1753-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian hibernation is a natural process in which the brain undergoes profound adaptive changes that appear to protect the brain from extreme hypoxia and hypothermia. In addition to a virtual cessation of neural and metabolic activity, these changes include a decrease in adult neurogenesis; the retraction of neuronal dendritic trees; changes in dendritic spines and synaptic connections; fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus; and the phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Furthermore, alterations of microglial cells also occur in torpor. Importantly, all of these changes are rapidly and fully reversed when the animals arouse from torpor state, with no apparent brain damage occurring. Thus, hibernating animals are excellent natural models to study different aspects of brain plasticity. The axon initial segment (AIS) is critical for the initiation of action potentials in neurons and is an efficient site for the regulation of neural activity. This specialized structure-characterized by the expression of different types of ion channels and adhesion, scaffolding and cytoskeleton proteins-is subjected to morpho-functional plastic changes upon variations in neural activity or in pathological conditions. Here, we used immunocytochemistry and 3D confocal microscopy reconstruction techniques to measure the possible morphological differences in the AIS of neocortical (layers II-III and V) and hippocampal (CA1) neurons during the hibernation of the Syrian hamster. Our results indicate that the general integrity of the AIS is resistant to the ischemia/hypoxia conditions that are characteristic of the torpor phase of hibernation. In addition, the length of the AIS significantly increased in all the regions studied-by about 16-20% in torpor animals compared to controls, suggesting the existence of compensatory mechanisms in response to a decrease in neuronal activity during the torpor phase of hibernation. Furthermore, in double-labeling experiment, we found that the AIS in layer V of torpid animals was longer in neurons expressing phospho-tau than in those not labeled for phospho-tau. This suggests that AIS plastic changes were more marked in phospho-tau accumulating neurons. Overall, the results further emphasize that mammalian hibernation is a good physiological model to study AIS plasticity mechanisms in non-pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo León-Espinosa
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain.,Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad San Pablo CEU, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Antón-Fernández
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Tapia-González
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier DeFelipe
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain.,CIBERNED, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Muñoz
- Instituto Cajal, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. .,Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales, Centro de Tecnología Biomédica (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain. .,Departamento de Biología Celular, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
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81
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Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS), the domain responsible for action potential initiation and maintenance of neuronal polarity, is targeted for disruption in a variety of central nervous system pathological insults. Previous work in our laboratory implicates oxidative stress as a potential mediator of structural AIS alterations in two separate mouse models of central nervous system inflammation, as these effects were attenuated following reactive oxygen species scavenging and NADPH oxidase-2 ablation. While these studies suggest a role for oxidative stress in modulation of the AIS, the direct effects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) on the stability of this domain remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that oxidative stress, as induced through treatment with 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a spontaneous ROS/RNS generator, drives a reversible loss of AIS protein clustering in primary cortical neurons in vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of both voltage-dependent and intracellular calcium (Ca2+) channels suggests that this mechanism of AIS disruption involves Ca2+ entry specifically through L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and its release from IP3-gated intracellular stores. Furthermore, ROS/RNS-induced AIS disruption is dependent upon activation of calpain, a Ca2+-activated protease previously shown to drive AIS modulation. Overall, we demonstrate for the first time that oxidative stress, as induced through exogenously applied ROS/RNS, is capable of driving structural alterations in the AIS complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareem Clark
- 1 Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, 72054 Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA, USA.,2 Neuroscience Curriculum, 72054 Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Brooke A Sword
- 3 20125 Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center , Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Dupree
- 1 Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, 72054 Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA, USA.,3 20125 Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center , Richmond, VA, USA
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82
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Hernández F, Llorens-Martín M, Bolós M, Pérez M, Cuadros R, Pallas-Bazarra N, Zabala JC, Avila J. New Beginnings in Alzheimer’s Disease: The Most Prevalent Tauopathy. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:S529-S534. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-179916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Félix Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Llorens-Martín
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Bolós
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Pérez
- Departamento de Anatomía Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina UAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Cuadros
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemí Pallas-Bazarra
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan C. Zabala
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Jesús Avila
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
- CIBERNED, Madrid, Spain
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83
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Gumy LF, Hoogenraad CC. Local mechanisms regulating selective cargo entry and long-range trafficking in axons. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 51:23-28. [PMID: 29510294 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The polarized long-distance transport of neuronal cargoes depends on the presence of functional and structural axonal subcompartments. Given the heterogeneity of neuronal cargoes, selective sorting and entry occurs in the proximal axon where multiple subcellular specializations such as the axon initial segment, the pre-axonal exclusion zone, the MAP2 pre-axonal filtering zone and the Tau diffusion barrier provide different levels of regulation. Cargoes allowed to pass through the proximal axon spread into the more distal parts. Recent findings show that diverse cargo distributions along the axon depend on the compartmentalized organization of the cytoskeleton and the local regulation of multiple motor proteins by microtubule associated proteins. In this review, we focus on the local mechanisms that control cargo motility and discuss how they play a role in the overall circulation of axonal cargoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura F Gumy
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Casper C Hoogenraad
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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84
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The Axon Initial Segment: An Updated Viewpoint. J Neurosci 2018; 38:2135-2145. [PMID: 29378864 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1922-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
At the base of axons sits a unique compartment called the axon initial segment (AIS). The AIS generates and shapes the action potential before it is propagated along the axon. Neuronal excitability thus depends crucially on the AIS composition and position, and these adapt to developmental and physiological conditions. The AIS also demarcates the boundary between the somatodendritic and axonal compartments. Recent studies have brought insights into the molecular architecture of the AIS and how it regulates protein trafficking. This Viewpoints article summarizes current knowledge about the AIS and highlights future challenges in understanding this key actor of neuronal physiology.
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85
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Ahlemeyer B, Halupczok S, Rodenberg-Frank E, Valerius KP, Baumgart-Vogt E. Endogenous Murine Amyloid-β Peptide Assembles into Aggregates in the Aged C57BL/6J Mouse Suggesting These Animals as a Model to Study Pathogenesis of Amyloid-β Plaque Formation. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 61:1425-1450. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-170923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Ahlemeyer
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sascha Halupczok
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Elke Rodenberg-Frank
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Valerius
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Eveline Baumgart-Vogt
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Medical Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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86
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Wu XL, Piña-Crespo J, Zhang YW, Chen XC, Xu HX. Tau-mediated Neurodegeneration and Potential Implications in Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Chin Med J (Engl) 2017; 130:2978-2990. [PMID: 29237931 PMCID: PMC5742926 DOI: 10.4103/0366-6999.220313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review recent research advances on tau, a major player in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, a biomarker for AD onset, and potential target for AD therapy. DATA SOURCES This review was based on a comprehensive search using online literature databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. STUDY SELECTION Literature search was based on the following keywords: Alzheimer's disease, tau protein, biomarker, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), therapeutics, plasma, imaging, propagation, spreading, seeding, prion, conformational templating, and posttranslational modification. Relevant articles were carefully reviewed, with no exclusions applied to study design and publication type. RESULTS Amyloid plaques enriched with extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles comprised of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins are the two main pathological hallmarks of AD. Although the Aβ hypothesis has dominated AD research for many years, clinical Aβ-targeting strategies have consistently failed to effectively treat AD or prevent AD onset. The research focus in AD has recently shifted to the role of tau in AD. In addition to phosphorylation, tau is acetylated and proteolytically cleaved, which also contribute to its physiological and pathological functions. Emerging evidence characterizing pathological tau propagation and spreading provides new avenues for research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis. Techniques to detect tau at minute levels in CSF and blood have been developed, and improved tracers have facilitated tau imaging in the brain. These advances have potential to accurately determine tau levels at early diagnostic stages in AD. Given that tau is a potential therapeutic target, anti-tau immunotherapy may potentially be a viable treatment strategy in AD intervention. CONCLUSION Detecting changes in tau and targeting tau pathology represent a promising lead in the diagnosis and treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Lin Wu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Neuroscience and Aging Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Institute of Geriatrics, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Juan Piña-Crespo
- Neuroscience Initiative, Neuroscience and Aging Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yun-Wu Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Institute of Geriatrics, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, China
| | - Hua-Xi Xu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Neuroscience and Aging Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
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87
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Sotiropoulos I, Galas MC, Silva JM, Skoulakis E, Wegmann S, Maina MB, Blum D, Sayas CL, Mandelkow EM, Mandelkow E, Spillantini MG, Sousa N, Avila J, Medina M, Mudher A, Buee L. Atypical, non-standard functions of the microtubule associated Tau protein. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:91. [PMID: 29187252 PMCID: PMC5707803 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0489-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of the microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) over 40 years ago, most studies have focused on Tau's role in microtubule stability and regulation, as well as on the neuropathological consequences of Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. In recent years, however, research efforts identified new interaction partners and different sub-cellular localizations for Tau suggesting additional roles beyond its standard function as microtubule regulating protein. Moreover, despite the increasing research focus on AD over the last decades, Tau was only recently considered as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of AD as well as for neurological pathologies beyond AD e.g. epilepsy, excitotoxicity, and environmental stress. This review will focus on atypical, non-standard roles of Tau on neuronal function and dysfunction in AD and other neurological pathologies providing novel insights about neuroplastic and neuropathological implications of Tau in both the central and the peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Sotiropoulos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
| | | | - Joana M Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal
| | - Efthimios Skoulakis
- Division of Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Mahmoud Bukar Maina
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - David Blum
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Carmen Laura Sayas
- Centre for Biomedical Research of the Canary Islands (CIBICAN), Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Institute, Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Köln, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Institute, Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Köln, Germany
| | | | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal
| | - Jesus Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Valderrebollo 5, 28041, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Medina
- CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Madrid, Spain
- CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Center, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amrit Mudher
- Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton Highfield Campus, Center for Biological Sciences, Southampton, UK
| | - Luc Buee
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, 59000, Lille, France
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