301
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Demaegd K, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. Transcellular Spreading of Tau in Tauopathies. Chembiochem 2018; 19:2424-2432. [PMID: 30133080 PMCID: PMC6391987 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Tau, a microtubule-associated protein playing a key role in a group of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, spreads throughout the brain, inducing pathology. A model akin to the spreading of prions has been raised owing to similar characteristics of inducing an abnormal protein conformation as a method of self-amplification, spreading protein aggregates over anatomically linked pathways. The search to identify the "seeds" that induce conformational change has received much attention; however, less is known about the mechanisms by which tau is transmitted from cell to cell, so-called "transcellular spreading". In this review, we gather evidence regarding the spreading of tau throughout the brain and provide an overview of methods by which tau can be released from neurons as well as taken up. Furthermore, we bring together mechanisms of neurotoxicity behind tau spreading. Advancing our understanding about the spreading of tau can guide the search for therapeutic options for multiple neurodegenerative diseases aggregating tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Demaegd
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
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302
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Kara E, Marks JD, Aguzzi A. Toxic Protein Spread in Neurodegeneration: Reality versus Fantasy. Trends Mol Med 2018; 24:1007-1020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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303
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Nam WH, Choi YP. In vitro generation of tau aggregates conformationally distinct from parent tau seeds of Alzheimer's brain. Prion 2018; 13:1-12. [PMID: 30422056 PMCID: PMC6422395 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2018.1545524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal monomeric tau can be converted into pathogenic aggregates and acquire protease resistance in a prion-like manner. This acquisition of partial protease-resistance in tau aggregates has to date only been partially investigated in various studies exploring the prion-like properties of tau. In this study, we induced the aggregation of tau repeat domain (RD) in cultured cells using detergent insoluble fractions of Alzheimer’s brain tissue as seeds. The seeded aggregation of tau RD in cultured cells formed a ~7 kDa protease-resistant fragment in contrast to the ~12 kDa tau fragment characteristic of the AD seeds, suggesting that the in vitro generated tau aggregates were conformationally distinct from parent seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Hee Nam
- a Laboratory Animal Center, Research Division , Korea Brain Research Institute , Daegu , Republic of Korea
| | - Young Pyo Choi
- a Laboratory Animal Center, Research Division , Korea Brain Research Institute , Daegu , Republic of Korea
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304
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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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305
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Weismiller HA, Murphy R, Wei G, Ma B, Nussinov R, Margittai M. Structural disorder in four-repeat Tau fibrils reveals a new mechanism for barriers to cross-seeding of Tau isoforms. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:17336-17348. [PMID: 30242125 PMCID: PMC6231118 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular deposition of fibrils composed of the microtubule-associated protein Tau is a characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other fatal neurodegenerative disorders collectively known as tauopathies. Short Tau fibrils spread intracerebrally through transfer between interconnected neurons. Once taken up by a recipient cell, Tau fibrils recruit Tau monomers onto their ends. Based on the number of microtubule-binding repeats, there are two distinct groups of Tau isoforms: three-repeat (3R) Tau and four-repeat (4R) Tau. In AD, all Tau isoforms are deposited, whereas in other tauopathies, only 3R or 4R Tau isoforms are deposited. The molecular basis for these isoform-specific depositions is poorly understood, although conformation-based cross-seeding barriers are key. Here, we used sedimentation assays, EPR spectroscopy, and other structural readouts to better understand the cross-seeding barriers of 4R Tau fibrils. We observed that fibrils formed from truncated Tau (K18), but not full-length Tau (htau40), exhibit a barrier that inhibits 3R Tau recruitment. Investigating an array of differently sized fragments, we found that the Tau C terminus modulates the cross-seeding barrier and that the N terminus plays a synergistic role. Two disease-associated Tau variants, P301S and P301L, also established strong cross-seeding barriers. EPR analysis indicated that fibrils seeded with truncated and mutated Tau, but not htau40, are structurally disordered in the second half of repeat four and onward. These findings suggest that the disorder in this region diminishes the ability of 4R Tau fibrils to recruit 3R Tau monomers, revealing a new mechanism for Tau cross-seeding barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Weismiller
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208
| | - Rachel Murphy
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208
| | - Guanghong Wei
- the Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Science, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures (Nanjing), Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Buyong Ma
- the Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, and
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- the Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, and
- the Sackler Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Martin Margittai
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208,
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306
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Abstract
Prions diseases are uniformly fatal neurodegenerative diseases that occur in sporadic, genetic, and acquired forms. Acquired prion diseases, caused by infectious transmission, are least common. Most prion diseases are not infectious, but occur spontaneously through misfolding of normal prion proteins or genetic mutations in the prion protein gene. Although most prion diseases are not caused by infection, they can be transmitted accidentally. Certain infection control protocols should be applied when handling central nervous system and other high-risk tissues. New diagnostic methods are improving premortem and earlier diagnosis. Treatment trials have not shown improved survival, but therapies may be available soon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boon Lead Tee
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Suite 190, San Francisco, CA 94518, USA; Department of Neurology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, No. 707, Section 3, Zhong Yang Road, Hualien City, Hualien County 97002, Taiwan
| | - Erika Mariana Longoria Ibarrola
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Suite 190, San Francisco, CA 94518, USA; Dementia Department, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Manuel Velasco Suarez, Av. Insurgentes Sur 3877, Col. La Fama, Del. Tlalpan, Ciudad de México. C.P. 14269, Mexico
| | - Michael D Geschwind
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Suite 190, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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307
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Courade JP, Angers R, Mairet-Coello G, Pacico N, Tyson K, Lightwood D, Munro R, McMillan D, Griffin R, Baker T, Starkie D, Nan R, Westwood M, Mushikiwabo ML, Jung S, Odede G, Sweeney B, Popplewell A, Burgess G, Downey P, Citron M. Epitope determines efficacy of therapeutic anti-Tau antibodies in a functional assay with human Alzheimer Tau. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 136:729-745. [PMID: 30238240 PMCID: PMC6208734 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1911-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies, the cytosolic protein Tau misfolds and forms intracellular aggregates which accumulate within the brain leading to neurodegeneration. Clinical progression is tightly linked to the progressive spread of Tau pathology throughout the brain, and several lines of evidence suggest that Tau aggregates or "seeds" may propagate pathology by spreading from cell to cell in a "prion like" manner. Accordingly, blocking the spread of extracellular seeds with an antibody could be a viable therapeutic approach. However, as the structure of Tau seeds is unknown, it is only possible to rationally design therapeutic Tau antibodies by making a priori assumptions. To avoid this, we developed a robust and quantitative cell based assay and employed an unbiased screening approach to identify the antibody with the highest activity against human Tau seeds. The selected antibody (D), directed to the mid-region of Tau (amino acids 235-250), potently blocked the seeding of human AD Tau and was also fully efficacious against seeds from progressive supranuclear palsy. When we compared this antibody with previously described reference antibodies, we were surprised to find that none of these antibodies showed comparable efficacy against human pathological seeds. Our data highlight the difficulty of predicting antibody accessible epitopes on pathological Tau seeds and question the potential efficacy of some of the Tau antibodies that are currently in clinical development.
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308
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Sengupta U, Montalbano M, McAllen S, Minuesa G, Kharas M, Kayed R. Formation of Toxic Oligomeric Assemblies of RNA-binding Protein: Musashi in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:113. [PMID: 30367664 PMCID: PMC6203984 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0615-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder associated with structural and functional alterations of brain cells causing progressive deterioration of memory and other cognitive functions. Recent studies demonstrate that several neurodegenerative diseases, including AD exhibit RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) pathologies, including TAR DNA -binding protein (TDP-43), fused in sarcoma (FUS), superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and T-interacting antigen-1 (TIA-1), highlighting the role of RBPs in neurodegeneration. One such group of RBPs, Musashi proteins comprised of MSI1 and MSI2, has been long studied in neurogenesis and cancer biology. Herein, we have investigated the aggregation properties of MSI1 and MSI2 by in vitro assays, their expression and accumulation as well as their possible interactions with other cellular proteins, such as tau in AD pathology. We have performed atomic force microscopy, Western blot, and immunoprecipitation to demonstrate the aggregation properties of recombinant Musashi proteins. Furthermore, we have studied cortical brain sections from AD (N = 4) and age-matched non-demented subjects (N = 4) by Western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy to investigate MSI1 and MSI2 levels and their localization in human brain tissues. Musashi proteins showed in vitro aggregation properties by forming oligomers. We have observed an increase in Musashi proteins levels in AD brain tissues as compared with age-matched non-demented subjects. Moreover, Musashi proteins are observed to form oligomers in the diseased brain tissues. Interestingly, the co-immunofluorescence study has revealed a change in fluorescence pattern of oligomeric Musashi proteins and tau with a high association in the perinuclear area of the cells suggesting changes in function of Musashi proteins. Our data have demonstrated for the first time that MSI1 and MSI2 are present in an oligomeric state in AD brains compared to the age-matched non-demented subjects and that these large assemblies co-localize with tau contributing to the neurodegenerative pathogenesis.
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309
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Götz J, Halliday G, Nisbet RM. Molecular Pathogenesis of the Tauopathies. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2018; 14:239-261. [PMID: 30355155 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-012418-012936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The tauopathies constitute a group of diseases that have Tau inclusions in neurons or glia as their common denominator. In this review, we describe the biochemical and histological differences in Tau pathology that are characteristic of the spectrum of frontotemporal lobar degeneration as primary tauopathies and of Alzheimer's disease as a secondary tauopathy, as well as the commonalities and differences between the familial and sporadic forms. Furthermore, we discuss selected advances in transgenic animal models in delineating the different pathomechanisms of Tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia Campus, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia;
| | - Glenda Halliday
- Brain and Mind Centre and Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Rebecca M Nisbet
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia Campus, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia;
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310
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Karikari TK, Nagel DA, Grainger A, Clarke-Bland C, Hill EJ, Moffat KG. Preparation of stable tau oligomers for cellular and biochemical studies. Anal Biochem 2018; 566:67-74. [PMID: 30315761 PMCID: PMC6331036 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that small oligomers are the principal neurotoxic species of tau in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. However, mechanisms of tau oligomer-mediated neurodegeneration are poorly understood. The transience of oligomers due to aggregation can compromise the stability of oligomers prepared in vitro. Consequently, we sought to develop an efficient method which maintains the stability and globular conformation of preformed oligomers. This study demonstrates that labeling a single-cysteine form of the pro-aggregant tau four-repeat region (K18) with either Alexa Fluor 488-C5-maleimide or N-ethylmaleimide in reducing conditions stabilizes oligomers by impeding their further aggregation. Furthermore, the use of this approach to study the propagation of labeled extracellular tau K18 oligomers into human neuroblastoma cells and human stem cell-derived neurons is described. This method is potentially applicable for preparing stabilized oligomers of tau for diagnostic and biomarker tests, as well as for in vitro structure-activity relationship assays. The transient nature of tau aggregation makes it difficult to maintain the stability of preformed oligomers. Efficient labeling of tau K18 with Alexa Fluor-488-C5-maleimide or N-ethyl maleimide stabilizes the resulting oligomers. Oligomers applied exogenously are propagated intracellularly by cultured human iPSC neurons and neuroblastoma cells. Oligomer preparation by maleimide labeling allows mechanistic studies of tau aggregation and its link to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Karikari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK; Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
| | - David A Nagel
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Alastair Grainger
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | | | - Eric J Hill
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Kevin G Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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311
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Zhang X, Gao F, Wang D, Li C, Fu Y, He W, Zhang J. Tau Pathology in Parkinson's Disease. Front Neurol 2018; 9:809. [PMID: 30333786 PMCID: PMC6176019 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau protein—a member of the microtubule-associated protein family—is a key protein involved in many neurodegenerative diseases. Tau pathology in neurodegenerative diseases is characterized by pathological tau aggregation in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Diseases with this typical pathological feature are called tauopathies. Parkinson's disease (PD) was not initially considered to be a typical tauopathy. However, recent studies have demonstrated increasing evidence of tau pathology in PD. A genome-wide association (GWA) study indicated a potential association between tauopathy and sporadic PD. The aggregation and deposition of tau were also observed in ~50% of PD brains, and it seems to be transported from neuron to neuron. The aggregation of NFTs, the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, and the interaction between tau and alpha-synuclein may all contribute to the cell death and poor axonal transport observed in PD and Parkinsonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongdong Wang
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Fu
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Wei He
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianmin Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Research Center on Pediatric Development and Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Beijing, China
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312
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Ferrer I. Oligodendrogliopathy in neurodegenerative diseases with abnormal protein aggregates: The forgotten partner. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 169:24-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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313
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Jucker M, Walker LC. Propagation and spread of pathogenic protein assemblies in neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1341-1349. [PMID: 30258241 PMCID: PMC6375686 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0238-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are characterized by the progressive appearance of abnormal proteinaceous assemblies in the nervous system. Studies in experimental systems indicate that the assemblies originate from the prion-like seeded aggregation of specific misfolded proteins that proliferate and amass to form the intracellular and/or extracellular lesions typical of each disorder. The host in which the proteopathic seeds arise provides the biochemical and physiological environment that either supports or restricts their emergence, proliferation, self-assembly, and spread. Multiple mechanisms influence the spatiotemporal spread of seeds and the nature of the resulting lesions, one of which is the cellular uptake, release, and transport of seeds along neural pathways and networks. The characteristics of cells and regions in the affected network govern their vulnerability and thereby influence the neuropathological and clinical attributes of the disease. The propagation of pathogenic protein assemblies within the nervous system is thus determined by the interaction of the proteopathic agent and the host milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Jucker
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Lary C Walker
- Department of Neurology and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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314
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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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315
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Robinson JL, Corrada MM, Kovacs GG, Dominique M, Caswell C, Xie SX, Lee VMY, Kawas CH, Trojanowski JQ. Non-Alzheimer's contributions to dementia and cognitive resilience in The 90+ Study. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 136:377-388. [PMID: 29916037 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1872-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the oldest-old is complicated by the increasing prevalence of age-related neurofibrillary tangles, plaques and non-AD pathologies such as cerebrovascular disease (CVD), hippocampal sclerosis (HS), aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG), as well as TDP-43 and Lewy pathology. The contribution of these non-AD pathologies to dementia and cognitive resilience is unclear. We assessed the level of AD neuropathologic change (ADNPC) and non-AD pathology in 185 participants enrolled in The 90+ Study with available cognitive assessments and brain tissue. Logistic regression models-adjusting for age, sex and education-determined the association between each pathology and dementia or between subgroups. 53% had dementia, primarily AD or mixed AD; 23% had cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND); 23% were not impaired. Both AD and non-AD pathology was prevalent. 100% had tangles, 81% had plaques, and both tangles and plaques associated with dementia. ARTAG distributed across limbic (70%), brainstem (39%) and cortical regions (24%). 49% had possible CVD and 26% had definite CVD, while HS was noted in 15%. Cortical ARTAG, CVD and HS were each associated with dementia, but limbic and brainstem ARTAGs were not. TDP-43 and Lewy pathologies were found in 36 and 17% and both associated with dementia. No pathology distinguished CIND and the not impaired. By NIA-AA criteria and dementia status, the cohort was subdivided into four groups: those with minimal ADNPC included the not dementia (ND) and Not AD dementia groups; and those with significant ADNPC included the Resilient without dementia and AD dementia groups. Compared to the ND group, the Not AD dementia group had more HS, cortical ARTAG, TDP-43, and Lewy pathology. Compared to the AD dementia group, the Resilient group had less CVD, no HS and less cortical ARTAG, TDP-43 and Lewy pathology. Our findings imply that reductions in non-AD pathologies including CVD contribute to cognitive resilience in the oldest-old.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Robinson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maria M Corrada
- Department of Neurology, Department of Epidemiology, Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Myrna Dominique
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carrie Caswell
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sharon X Xie
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Claudia H Kawas
- Department of Neurology, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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316
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Falcon B, Zhang W, Murzin AG, Murshudov G, Garringer HJ, Vidal R, Crowther RA, Ghetti B, Scheres SHW, Goedert M. Structures of filaments from Pick's disease reveal a novel tau protein fold. Nature 2018; 561:137-140. [PMID: 30158706 PMCID: PMC6204212 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0454-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 553] [Impact Index Per Article: 92.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The ordered assembly of tau protein into abnormal filamentous inclusions underlies many human neurodegenerative diseases1. Tau assemblies seem to spread through specific neural networks in each disease2, with short filaments having the greatest seeding activity3. The abundance of tau inclusions strongly correlates with disease symptoms4. Six tau isoforms are expressed in the normal adult human brain-three isoforms with four microtubule-binding repeats each (4R tau) and three isoforms that lack the second repeat (3R tau)1. In various diseases, tau filaments can be composed of either 3R or 4R tau, or of both. Tau filaments have distinct cellular and neuroanatomical distributions5, with morphological and biochemical differences suggesting that they may be able to adopt disease-specific molecular conformations6,7. Such conformers may give rise to different neuropathological phenotypes8,9, reminiscent of prion strains10. However, the underlying structures are not known. Using electron cryo-microscopy, we recently reported the structures of tau filaments from patients with Alzheimer's disease, which contain both 3R and 4R tau11. Here we determine the structures of tau filaments from patients with Pick's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by frontotemporal dementia. The filaments consist of residues Lys254-Phe378 of 3R tau, which are folded differently from the tau filaments in Alzheimer's disease, establishing the existence of conformers of assembled tau. The observed tau fold in the filaments of patients with Pick's disease explains the selective incorporation of 3R tau in Pick bodies, and the differences in phosphorylation relative to the tau filaments of Alzheimer's disease. Our findings show how tau can adopt distinct folds in the human brain in different diseases, an essential step for understanding the formation and propagation of molecular conformers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Holly J Garringer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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317
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Kovacs GG, Lee VM, Trojanowski JQ. Protein astrogliopathies in human neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Brain Pathol 2018; 27:675-690. [PMID: 28805003 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive dysfunction and loss of neurons associated with depositions of pathologically altered proteins showing hierarchical involvement of brain regions. The role of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases is explored as contributors to neuronal degeneration or neuroprotection pathways, and also as potential mediators of the transcellular spreading of disease-associated proteins. Protein astrogliopathy (PAG), including deposition of amyloid-β, prion protein, tau, α-synuclein, and very rarely transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is not unprecedented or unusual in neurodegenerative diseases. Morphological characterization of PAG is considered, however, only for the neuropathological diagnosis and classification of tauopathies. Astrocytic tau pathology is seen in primary frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) associated with tau pathologies (FTLD-Tau), and also in the form of aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG). Importantly, ARTAG shares common features with primary FTLD-Tau as well as with the astroglial tau pathologies that are thought to be hallmarks of a brain injury-related tauopathy known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Supported by experimental observations, the morphological variability of PAG might reflect distinct pathogenic involvement of different astrocytic populations. PAG might indicate astrocytic contribution to spreading or clearance of disease-associated proteins, however, this might lead to astrocytic dysfunction and eventually contribute to the degeneration of neurons. Here, we review recent advances in understanding ARTAG and other related forms of PAG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor G Kovacs
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Virginia M Lee
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Institute on Aging and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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318
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Fenyi A, Coens A, Bellande T, Melki R, Bousset L. Assessment of the efficacy of different procedures that remove and disassemble alpha-synuclein, tau and A-beta fibrils from laboratory material and surfaces. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10788. [PMID: 30018327 PMCID: PMC6050226 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28856-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein fibrillar polymorphs, Tau and Aß 1–42 fibrillar assemblies have been shown to propagate, amplify and trigger the formation of protein deposits reminiscent of those present within the central nervous system of patients developing synucleinopathies, tauopathies and amyloid plaques after injection intracerebrally, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally or within the blood stream of model animals. They are thus hazardous and there is need for decontamination and inactivation procedures for laboratory surfaces and non-disposable material. We assessed the effectiveness of different reagents to clean and disassemble potentially pathogenic assemblies adsorbed on non-disposable materials in laboratories. We show that commercial detergents and SDS are way more suited to detach α-synuclein fibrillar polymorphs, Tau and Aß 1–42 fibrillar assemblies from contaminated surfaces and disassemble the fibrils than methods designed to decrease PrP prion infectivity. Our observations reveal that the choice of the most adapted cleaning procedure for one given protein assembly or fibrillar polymorph should integrate detergent’s cleaning efficiency, material compatibility and capacity to dismantle assemblies. We provide an integrated representation where desorption and neutralization efficacy and surface compatibility are combined to facilitate the choice of the most adapted decontamination procedure. This representation, together with good laboratory practices, contributes to reducing potential health hazards associated to manipulating protein assemblies with prion-like properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Fenyi
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Audrey Coens
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Tracy Bellande
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ronald Melki
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Luc Bousset
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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319
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van Ameijde J, Crespo R, Janson R, Juraszek J, Siregar B, Verveen H, Sprengers I, Nahar T, Hoozemans JJ, Steinbacher S, Willems R, Delbroek L, Borgers M, Dockx K, Van Kolen K, Mercken M, Pascual G, Koudstaal W, Apetri A. Enhancement of therapeutic potential of a naturally occurring human antibody targeting a phosphorylated Ser 422 containing epitope on pathological tau. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:59. [PMID: 30001207 PMCID: PMC6042391 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0562-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of tau protein and spreading of tau aggregates are pivotal pathological processes in a range of neurological disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that immunotherapy targeting tau may be a viable therapeutic strategy. We have previously described the isolation of antibody CBTAU-22.1 from the memory B-cell repertoire of healthy human donors. CBTAU-22.1 was shown to specifically bind a disease-associated phosphorylated epitope in the C-terminus of tau (Ser422) and to be able to inhibit the spreading of pathological tau aggregates from P301S spinal cord lysates in vitro, albeit with limited potency. Using a combination of rational design and random mutagenesis we have derived a variant antibody with improved affinity while maintaining the specificity of the parental antibody. This affinity improved antibody showed greatly enhanced potency in a cell-based immunodepletion assay using paired helical filaments (PHFs) derived from human Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain tissue. Moreover, the affinity improved antibody limits the in vitro aggregation propensity of full length tau species specifically phosphorylated at position 422 produced by employing a native chemical ligation approach. Together, these results indicate that in addition to being able to inhibit the spreading of pathological tau aggregates, the matured antibody can potentially also interfere with the nucleation of tau which is believed to be the first step of the pathogenic process. Finally, the functionality in a P301L transgenic mice co-injection model highlights the therapeutic potential of human antibody dmCBTAU-22.1.
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320
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Schultz MK, Gentzel R, Usenovic M, Gretzula C, Ware C, Parmentier-Batteur S, Schachter JB, Zariwala HA. Pharmacogenetic neuronal stimulation increases human tau pathology and trans-synaptic spread of tau to distal brain regions in mice. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 118:161-176. [PMID: 30049665 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's Disease (AD), tau pathology has a spatiotemporally distinct pattern of progressive spread along anatomically connected neural pathways. Extracellular tau in the brain interstitial space increases in response to neuronal activity suggesting that neural activity may also drive pathogenic tau spread. Here we tested the hypothesis that neuronal activity drives human Tau (hTau) release and trans-synaptic spread to neuroanatomically connected regions. We used AAV to overexpress wild type full-length hTau and an excitatory DREADD (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by a Designer Drug) in mouse primary hippocampal cultures and determined that excitatory stimulation with the DREADD ligand clozapine N-oxide (CNO) promoted extracellular hTau release. We translated this approach to an in vivo model and used AAV to express hTau and the excitatory DREADD in the ventral hippocampus of wild type mice, P301L hTau-expressing mice, or tau knockout mice. Six to eight weeks following AAV injection, we determined that CNO treatment in DREADD-expressing mice resulted in increased hTau pathology and hTau spread to distal brain regions compared to unstimulated controls (CNO in non-DREADD mice, or vehicle in DREADD mice). The results highlight a potentially disease relevant exacerbation of tau pathology in response to elevated neuronal activity. This model underscores the propensity of non-mutant hTau to undergo neuronal spreading, as seen in AD. The model can translate to other preclinical species and can be used to evaluate modes of tau transmission and test the efficacy of therapeutic approaches that target tau or hyperexcitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Schultz
- Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - R Gentzel
- Neuroscience, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - M Usenovic
- Neuroscience, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - C Gretzula
- Neuroscience, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - C Ware
- Neuroscience, Merck & Co., Inc., Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - J B Schachter
- Neuroscience, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA
| | - H A Zariwala
- Pharmacology, Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, PA, USA.
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321
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Abstract
Astrocytes are involved in many diseases of the central nervous system, not only as reactive cells to neuronal damage but also as primary actors in the pathological process. Astrogliopathy is a term used to designate the involvement of astrocytes as key elements in the pathogenesis and pathology of diseases and injuries of the central nervous system. Astrocytopathy is utilized to name non-reactive astrogliosis covering hypertrophy, atrophy and astroglial degeneration with loss of function in astrocytes and pathological remodeling, as well as senescent changes. Astrogliopathy and astrocytopathy are hallmarks of tauopathies—neurodegenerative diseases with abnormal hyper-phosphorylated tau aggregates in neurons and glial cells. The involvement of astrocytes covers different disease-specific types such as tufted astrocytes, astrocytic plaques, thorn-shaped astrocytes, granular/fuzzy astrocytes, ramified astrocytes and astrocytes with globular inclusions, as well as others which are unnamed but not uncommon in familial frontotemporal degeneration linked to mutations in the tau gene. Knowledge of molecular differences among tau-containing astrocytes is only beginning, and their distinct functional implications remain rather poorly understood. However, tau-containing astrocytes in certain conditions have deleterious effects on neuronal function and nervous system integrity. Moreover, recent studies have shown that tau-containing astrocytes obtained from human brain tauopathies have a capacity for abnormal tau seeding and spreading in wild type mice. Inclusive conceptions include a complex scenario involving neurons, glial cells and local environmental factors that potentiate each other and promote disease progression in tauopathies.
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322
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Ali F, Josephs K. The diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy: current opinions and challenges. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:603-616. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1489241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Farwa Ali
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Keith Josephs
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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323
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Smolek T, Jadhav S, Brezovakova V, Cubinkova V, Valachova B, Novak P, Zilka N. First-in-Rat Study of Human Alzheimer's Disease Tau Propagation. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:621-631. [PMID: 29770957 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1102-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the key features of misfolded tau in human neurodegenerative disorders is its propagation from one brain area into many others. In the last decade, in vivo tau spreading has been replicated in several mouse transgenic models expressing mutated human tau as well as in normal non-transgenic mice. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that insoluble tau isolated from human AD brain induces full-blown neurofibrillary pathology in a sporadic rat model of tauopathy expressing non-mutated truncated tau protein. By using specific monoclonal antibodies, we were able to monitor the spreading of tau isolated from human brain directly in the rat hippocampus. We found that exogenous human AD tau was able to spread from the area of injection and induce tau pathology. Interestingly, solubilisation of insoluble AD tau completely abolished the capability of tau protein to induce and spread of neurofibrillary pathology in the rat brain. Our results show that exogenous tau is able to induce and drive neurofibrillary pathology in rat model for human tauopathy in a similar way as it was described in various mouse transgenic models. Rat tau spreading model has many advantages over mouse and other organisms including size and complexity, and thus is highly suitable for identification of pathogenic mechanism of tau spreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvořákovo nábrežie 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Santosh Jadhav
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvořákovo nábrežie 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Veronika Brezovakova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Veronika Cubinkova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvořákovo nábrežie 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Bernadeta Valachova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Petr Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience CRM Services SE, Dvořákovo nábrežie 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Dubravska 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. .,Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dvořákovo nábrežie 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
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324
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Maxan A, Cicchetti F. Tau: A Common Denominator and Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Disorders. J Exp Neurosci 2018; 12:1179069518772380. [PMID: 29760562 PMCID: PMC5946355 DOI: 10.1177/1179069518772380] [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: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that a number of neurodegenerative diseases share common pathogenic mechanisms. Better understanding these mechanisms will allow us to develop new therapeutic strategies. This commentary follows up on our recent findings that tau pathology can be found in healthy fetal tissue transplanted into the brain of patients with either Huntington or Parkinson disease. We will examine how tau appears to be shared in a number of different conditions and how its expression relates to cognitive decline and disease progression. We will further review pathogenic mechanisms and especially the relevance of the possible prion-like behavior of tau. We will conclude by discussing how all this work opens up novel therapeutic approaches to treating the cognitive impairments related to neurodegenerative diseases using a common strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Maxan
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Département de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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325
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Valachova B, Brezovakova V, Bugos O, Jadhav S, Smolek T, Novak P, Zilka N. A comparative study on pathological features of transgenic rat lines expressing either three or four repeat misfolded tau. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1777-1789. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bernadeta Valachova
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Veronika Brezovakova
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Ondrej Bugos
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Santosh Jadhav
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Tomas Smolek
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Petr Novak
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Bratislava Slovak Republic
- Axon Neuroscience R&D Services SE; Bratislava Slovak Republic
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326
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DeVos SL, Corjuc BT, Oakley DH, Nobuhara CK, Bannon RN, Chase A, Commins C, Gonzalez JA, Dooley PM, Frosch MP, Hyman BT. Synaptic Tau Seeding Precedes Tau Pathology in Human Alzheimer's Disease Brain. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:267. [PMID: 29740275 PMCID: PMC5928393 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is defined by the presence of intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates as well as extracellular amyloid-beta plaques. The presence and spread of tau pathology through the brain is classified by Braak stages and thought to correlate with the progression of AD. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have examined the ability of tau pathology to move from one neuron to the next, suggesting a "prion-like" spread of tau aggregates may be an underlying cause of Braak tau staging in AD. Using the HEK293 TauRD-P301S-CFP/YFP expressing biosensor cells as a highly sensitive and specific tool to identify the presence of seed competent aggregated tau in brain lysate-i.e., tau aggregates that are capable of recruiting and misfolding monomeric tau-, we detected substantial tau seeding levels in the entorhinal cortex from human cases with only very rare NFTs, suggesting that soluble tau aggregates can exist prior to the development of overt tau pathology. We next looked at tau seeding levels in human brains of varying Braak stages along six regions of the Braak Tau Pathway. Tau seeding levels were detected not only in the brain regions impacted by pathology, but also in the subsequent non-pathology containing region along the Braak pathway. These data imply that pathogenic tau aggregates precede overt tau pathology in a manner that is consistent with transneuronal spread of tau aggregates. We then detected tau seeding in frontal white matter tracts and the optic nerve, two brain regions comprised of axons that contain little to no neuronal cell bodies, implying that tau aggregates can indeed traverse along axons. Finally, we isolated cytosolic and synaptosome fractions along the Braak Tau Pathway from brains of varying Braak stages. Phosphorylated and seed competent tau was significantly enriched in the synaptic fraction of brain regions that did not have extensive cellular tau pathology, further suggesting that aggregated tau seeds move through the human brain along synaptically connected neurons. Together, these data provide further evidence that the spread of tau aggregates through the human brain along synaptically connected networks results in the pathogenesis of human Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. DeVos
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Bianca T. Corjuc
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Derek H. Oakley
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Chloe K. Nobuhara
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Riley N. Bannon
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Alison Chase
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Jose A. Gonzalez
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Patrick M. Dooley
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Matthew P. Frosch
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bradley T. Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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327
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Katsnelson A, De Strooper B, Zoghbi HY. Neurodegeneration: From cellular concepts to clinical applications. Sci Transl Med 2018; 8:364ps18. [PMID: 27831899 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aal2074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB Center for Brain and Disease and Center for Human Genetics and Leuven Research Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. .,Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Baylor College of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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328
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Fricker M, Tolkovsky AM, Borutaite V, Coleman M, Brown GC. Neuronal Cell Death. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:813-880. [PMID: 29488822 PMCID: PMC5966715 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00011.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 677] [Impact Index Per Article: 112.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal cell death occurs extensively during development and pathology, where it is especially important because of the limited capacity of adult neurons to proliferate or be replaced. The concept of cell death used to be simple as there were just two or three types, so we just had to work out which type was involved in our particular pathology and then block it. However, we now know that there are at least a dozen ways for neurons to die, that blocking a particular mechanism of cell death may not prevent the cell from dying, and that non-neuronal cells also contribute to neuronal death. We review here the mechanisms of neuronal death by intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, oncosis, necroptosis, parthanatos, ferroptosis, sarmoptosis, autophagic cell death, autosis, autolysis, paraptosis, pyroptosis, phagoptosis, and mitochondrial permeability transition. We next explore the mechanisms of neuronal death during development, and those induced by axotomy, aberrant cell-cycle reentry, glutamate (excitoxicity and oxytosis), loss of connected neurons, aggregated proteins and the unfolded protein response, oxidants, inflammation, and microglia. We then reassess which forms of cell death occur in stroke and Alzheimer's disease, two of the most important pathologies involving neuronal cell death. We also discuss why it has been so difficult to pinpoint the type of neuronal death involved, if and why the mechanism of neuronal death matters, the molecular overlap and interplay between death subroutines, and the therapeutic implications of these multiple overlapping forms of neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fricker
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales , Australia ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom ; Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences , Kaunas , Lithuania ; and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Aviva M Tolkovsky
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales , Australia ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom ; Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences , Kaunas , Lithuania ; and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Vilmante Borutaite
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales , Australia ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom ; Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences , Kaunas , Lithuania ; and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Michael Coleman
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales , Australia ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom ; Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences , Kaunas , Lithuania ; and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Guy C Brown
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales , Australia ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom ; Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences , Kaunas , Lithuania ; and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
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329
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Tauopathies represent a spectrum of incurable and progressive age-associated neurodegenerative diseases that currently are diagnosed definitively only at autopsy. Few clinical diagnoses, such as classic Richardson's syndrome of progressive supranuclear palsy, are specific for underlying tauopathy and no clinical syndrome is fully sensitive to reliably identify all forms of clinically manifest tauopathy. Thus, a major unmet need for the development and implementation of tau-targeted therapies is precise antemortem diagnosis. This article reviews new and emerging diagnostic therapies for tauopathies including novel imaging techniques and biomarkers and also reviews recent tau therapeutics. RECENT FINDINGS Building evidence from animal and cell models suggests that prion-like misfolding and propagation of pathogenic tau proteins between brain cells are central to the neurodegenerative process. These rapidly growing developments build rationale and motivation for the development of therapeutics targeting this mechanism through altering phosphorylation and other post-translational modifications of the tau protein, blocking aggregation and spread using small molecular compounds or immunotherapy and reducing or silencing expression of the MAPT tau gene. New clinical criteria, CSF, MRI, and PET biomarkers will aid in identifying tauopathies earlier and more accurately which will aid in selection for new clinical trials which focus on a variety of agents including immunotherapy and gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Coughlin
- Frontotemporal Dementia Center (FTDC), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3600 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Frontotemporal Dementia Center (FTDC), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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330
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Donnelly KM, Pearce MMP. Monitoring Cell-to-cell Transmission of Prion-like Protein Aggregates in Drosophila Melanogaster. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29578503 DOI: 10.3791/56906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a central feature of most neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Protein aggregates are closely associated with neuropathology in these diseases, although the exact mechanism by which aberrant protein aggregation disrupts normal cellular homeostasis is not known. Emerging data provide strong support for the hypothesis that pathogenic aggregates in AD, PD, HD, and ALS have many similarities to prions, which are protein-only infectious agents responsible for the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Prions self-replicate by templating the conversion of natively-folded versions of the same protein, causing spread of the aggregation phenotype. How prions and prion-like proteins in AD, PD, HD, and ALS move from one cell to another is currently an area of intense investigation. Here, a Drosophila melanogaster model that permits monitoring of prion-like, cell-to-cell transmission of mutant huntingtin (Htt) aggregates associated with HD is described. This model takes advantage of powerful tools for manipulating transgene expression in many different Drosophila tissues and utilizes a fluorescently-tagged cytoplasmic protein to directly report prion-like transfer of mutant Htt aggregates. Importantly, the approach we describe here can be used to identify novel genes and pathways that mediate spreading of protein aggregates between diverse cell types in vivo. Information gained from these studies will expand the limited understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie neurodegenerative diseases and reveal new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
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331
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Abstract
Several studies have indicated that certain misfolded amyloids composed of tau, β-amyloid or α-synuclein can be transferred from cell to cell, suggesting the contribution of mechanisms reminiscent of those by which infective prions spread through the brain. This process of a 'prion-like' spreading between cells is also relevant as a novel putative therapeutic target that could block the spreading of proteinaceous aggregates throughout the brain which may underlie the progressive nature of neurodegenerative diseases. The relevance of β-amyloid oligomers and cellular prion protein (PrPC) binding has been a focus of interest in Alzheimer's disease (AD). At the molecular level, β-amyloid/PrPC interaction takes place in two differently charged clusters of PrPC. In addition to β-amyloid, participation of PrPC in α-synuclein binding and brain spreading also appears to be relevant in α-synucleopathies. This review summarizes current knowledge about PrPC as a putative receptor for amyloid proteins and the physiological consequences of these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Del Río
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; Senior Consultant Neuropathology, Service of Pathology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
| | - Rosalina Gavín
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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332
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Höglinger GU. Is it Useful to Classify Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration as Different Disorders? No. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2018; 5:141-144. [PMID: 30363409 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2330-1619/homepage/mdc312582-sup-v001.htm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology Technische Universität München Munich Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich Germany
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333
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Iqbal K, Liu F, Gong CX. Recent developments with tau-based drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2018; 13:399-410. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2018.1445084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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334
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Tau Spreading Mechanisms; Implications for Dysfunctional Tauopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19030645. [PMID: 29495325 PMCID: PMC5877506 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies comprise a group of progressive age-associated neurodegenerative diseases where tau protein deposits are found as the predominant pathological signature (primary tauopathies) or in combination with the presence of other toxic aggregates (secondary tauopathies). In recent years, emerging evidence suggests that abnormal tau accumulation is mediated through spreading of seeds of the protein from cell to cell, favouring the hypothesis of a prion-like transmission of tau to explain the propagation of the pathology. This would also support the concept that the pathology initiates in a very small part of the brain before becoming symptomatic and spreads across the brain over time. To date, many key questions still remain unclear, such as the nature of the tau species involved in the spreading, the precise seeding/template and uptaking mechanisms or the selectivity explaining why certain neurons are affected and some others are not. A better understanding of the tau spreading machinery will contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches focused on halting the abnormal propagation, offering also new perspectives for early diagnosis and preventive therapies. In this review, we will cover the most recent advances in tau spreading mechanisms as well as the implications of these findings for dysfunctional tauopathies.
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335
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Ayers JI, Giasson BI, Borchelt DR. Prion-like Spreading in Tauopathies. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:337-346. [PMID: 28506438 PMCID: PMC5640465 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that functions in regulating cytoskeleton dynamics, especially in neurons. Misfolded and aggregated forms of tau produce pathological structures in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathy dementias. These disorders can present with a sporadic etiology, such as in AD, or a familial etiology, such as in some cases of frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism. Notably, the pathological features of tau pathology in these diseases can be very distinct. For example, the tau pathology in corticobasal degeneration is distinct from that of an AD patient. A wealth of evidence has emerged within the last decade to suggest that the misfolded tau in tauopathies possesses prion-like features and that such features may explain the diverse characteristics of tauopathies. The prion-like concept for tauopathies arose initially from the observation that the progressive accumulation of tau pathology as the symptoms of AD progress seemed to follow anatomically linked pathways. Subsequent studies in cell and animal models revealed that misfolded tau can propagate from cell to cell and from region to region in the brain through direct neuroanatomical connections. Studies in these cell and mouse models have demonstrated that experimentally propagated forms of misfolded tau can exist as conformationally distinct "strains" with unique biochemical, morphological, and neuropathological characteristics. This review discusses the clinical, pathological, and genetic diversity of tauopathies and the discoveries underlying the emerging view that the unique features of clinically distinct tauopathies may be a reflection of the strain of misfolded tau that propagates in each disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob I Ayers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - David R Borchelt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
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336
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Bräuer S, Zimyanin V, Hermann A. Prion-like properties of disease-relevant proteins in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:591-613. [PMID: 29417336 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1851-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The hallmark of age-related neurodegenerative diseases is the appearance of cellular protein deposits and spreading of this pathology throughout the central nervous system. Growing evidence has shown the involvement and critical role of proteins with prion-like properties in the formation of these characteristic cellular aggregates. Prion-like domains of such proteins with their proposed function in the organization of membraneless organelles are prone for misfolding and promoting further aggregation. Spreading of these toxic aggregates between cells and across tissues can explain the progression of clinical phenotypes and pathology in a stereotypical manner, characteristic for almost every neurodegenerative disease. Here, we want to review the current evidence for the role of prion-like mechanisms in classical neurodegenerative diseases and ALS in particular. We will also discuss an intriguingly central role of the protein TDP-43 in the majority of cases of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bräuer
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Städtisches Klinikum Dresden, 01129, Dresden, Germany
| | - V Zimyanin
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - A Hermann
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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337
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Abstract
A pathway from the natively unfolded microtubule-associated protein Tau to a highly structured amyloid fibril underlies human Tauopathies. This ordered assembly causes disease and represents the gain of toxic function. In recent years, evidence has accumulated to suggest that Tau inclusions form first in a small number of brain cells, from where they propagate to other regions, resulting in neurodegeneration and disease. Propagation of pathology is often called prion-like, which refers to the capacity of an assembled protein to induce the same abnormal conformation in a protein of the same kind, initiating a self-amplifying cascade. In addition, prion-like encompasses the release of protein aggregates from brain cells and their uptake by neighboring cells. In mice, the intracerebral injection of Tau inclusions induces the ordered assembly of monomeric Tau, followed by its spreading to distant brain regions. Conformational differences between Tau aggregates from transgenic mouse brain and in vitro assembled recombinant protein account for the greater seeding potency of brain aggregates. Short fibrils constitute the major species of seed-competent Tau in the brains of transgenic mice. The existence of multiple human Tauopathies with distinct fibril morphologies has led to the suggestion that different molecular conformers (or strains) of aggregated Tau exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Goedert
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom;
| | - David S Eisenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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338
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Pearce MMP, Kopito RR. Prion-Like Characteristics of Polyglutamine-Containing Proteins. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2018; 8:cshperspect.a024257. [PMID: 28096245 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a024257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are infectious neurodegenerative diseases caused by the conversion of prion protein (PrP) into a self-replicating conformation that spreads via templated conversion of natively folded PrP molecules within or between cells. Recent studies provide compelling evidence that prion-like behavior is a general property of most protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Many of these disorders are associated with spontaneous protein aggregation, but genetic mutations can increase the aggregation propensity of specific proteins, including expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts, which is causative of nine inherited neurodegenerative diseases. Aggregates formed by polyQ-expanded huntingtin (Htt) in Huntington's disease can transfer between cells and seed the aggregation of cytoplasmic wild-type Htt in a prion-like manner. Additionally, prion-like properties of glutamine-rich proteins underlie nonpathological processes in yeast and higher eukaryotes. Here, we review current evidence supporting prion-like characteristics of polyQ and glutamine-rich proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M P Pearce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Ron R Kopito
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
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339
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Cope TE, Rittman T, Borchert RJ, Jones PS, Vatansever D, Allinson K, Passamonti L, Vazquez Rodriguez P, Bevan-Jones WR, O'Brien JT, Rowe JB. Tau burden and the functional connectome in Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy. Brain 2018; 141:550-567. [PMID: 29293892 PMCID: PMC5837359 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awx347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) represent neurodegenerative tauopathies with predominantly cortical versus subcortical disease burden. In Alzheimer's disease, neuropathology and atrophy preferentially affect 'hub' brain regions that are densely connected. It was unclear whether hubs are differentially affected by neurodegeneration because they are more likely to receive pathological proteins that propagate trans-neuronally, in a prion-like manner, or whether they are selectively vulnerable due to a lack of local trophic factors, higher metabolic demands, or differential gene expression. We assessed the relationship between tau burden and brain functional connectivity, by combining in vivo PET imaging using the ligand AV-1451, and graph theoretic measures of resting state functional MRI in 17 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 17 patients with PSP, and 12 controls. Strongly connected nodes displayed more tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease, independently of intrinsic connectivity network, validating the predictions of theories of trans-neuronal spread but not supporting a role for metabolic demands or deficient trophic support in tau accumulation. This was not a compensatory phenomenon, as the functional consequence of increasing tau burden in Alzheimer's disease was a progressive weakening of the connectivity of these same nodes, reducing weighted degree and local efficiency and resulting in weaker 'small-world' properties. Conversely, in PSP, unlike in Alzheimer's disease, those nodes that accrued pathological tau were those that displayed graph metric properties associated with increased metabolic demand and a lack of trophic support rather than strong functional connectivity. Together, these findings go some way towards explaining why Alzheimer's disease affects large scale connectivity networks throughout cortex while neuropathology in PSP is concentrated in a small number of subcortical structures. Further, we demonstrate that in PSP increasing tau burden in midbrain and deep nuclei was associated with strengthened cortico-cortical functional connectivity. Disrupted cortico-subcortical and cortico-brainstem interactions meant that information transfer took less direct paths, passing through a larger number of cortical nodes, reducing closeness centrality and eigenvector centrality in PSP, while increasing weighted degree, clustering, betweenness centrality and local efficiency. Our results have wide-ranging implications, from the validation of models of tau trafficking in humans to understanding the relationship between regional tau burden and brain functional reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Cope
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy Rittman
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robin J Borchert
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - P Simon Jones
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Deniz Vatansever
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- Division of Anaesthesia, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kieren Allinson
- Department of Pathology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Luca Passamonti
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - W Richard Bevan-Jones
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John T O'Brien
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK
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340
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Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Is Latency in Symptom Onset Explained by Tau Propagation? Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2018; 8:cshperspect.a024059. [PMID: 28096246 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a024059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative tauopathy associated with repetitive mild brain trauma. CTE, previously termed "dementia pugilistica," has been identified in American football, ice hockey, baseball, rugby and soccer players, boxers, wrestlers, and military personnel exposed to blast and other traumatic brain injuries. There is often a long latency period between an individual's exposure to repetitive brain trauma and the clinical symptoms of CTE. The pathology of CTE is characterized by a progression from isolated focal perivascular hyperphosphorylated tau lesions in the cerebral cortex to a widespread tauopathy that involves diffuse cortical and medial temporal lobe regions. We hypothesize that the spread of tau from focal perivascular lesions to a widespread tauopathy occurs as a result of intraneuronal and intrasynaptic prion-like protein templating, as well as tau secretion and propagation along glymphatic and cerebrospinal fluid pathways.
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341
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Dai CL, Hu W, Tung YC, Liu F, Gong CX, Iqbal K. Tau passive immunization blocks seeding and spread of Alzheimer hyperphosphorylated Tau-induced pathology in 3 × Tg-AD mice. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2018; 10:13. [PMID: 29386065 PMCID: PMC5793372 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-018-0341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence indicates that Tau pathology can spread from neuron to neuron by intake and coaggregation of the hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) seeds with the host neuron protein. Thus, clearance of Tau seeds by immunization with Tau antibodies could provide a potential therapeutic opportunity to block the spread of the pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. We report prevention of the seeding and spread of tau pathology with mouse monoclonal antibody 43D against the N-terminal projection domain of Tau (Tau 6–18) in triple-transgenic AD (3 × Tg-AD) mice. Methods Female 11- to 12-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice were intravenously immunized weekly for 6 weeks with 15 μg/injection of mouse monoclonal antibody 43D or with mouse immunoglobulin G as a control. AD p-Tau isolated from a frozen autopsied AD brain was unilaterally injected into the right hippocampus on the day of the second dose of immunization. Tau pathology and its effect on Aβ pathology were assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Results We found that the injection of AD p-Tau into the hippocampus of 11- to 12-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice time-dependently induced Tau aggregation in the hippocampus and promoted the spread of Tau pathology to the contralateral hippocampus. Tau pathology was observed as early as 6 weeks after AD p-Tau injection. Tau pathology templated by AD p-Tau was thioflavin-S-positive and was about two-fold greater than that seen in naive 18-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice; Tau pathology in the latter was thioflavin-S-negative. Immunization with Tau antibody 43D dramatically blocked AD p-Tau seeding in the ipsilateral hippocampus and inhibited its propagation to the contralateral side in 3 × Tg-AD mice. Furthermore, AD p-Tau injection enhanced the amyloid plaque load in the ipsilateral side, and immunization with 43D showed a tendency to attenuate it. Conclusions These findings indicate that AD p-Tau-injected 3 × Tg-AD mice represent a practical model to study the seeding and spread of Tau pathology, their effect on Aβ pathology, and the effect of Tau immunotherapy on both Tau and Aβ pathologies. Immunization with Tau antibody 43D to Tau 6–18 can prevent the seeding and spread of Tau pathology, making it a potential therapeutic treatment for AD and related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ling Dai
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Wen Hu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
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342
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Kametani F, Hasegawa M. Reconsideration of Amyloid Hypothesis and Tau Hypothesis in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:25. [PMID: 29440986 PMCID: PMC5797629 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 535] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The so-called amyloid hypothesis, that the accumulation and deposition of oligomeric or fibrillar amyloid β (Aβ) peptide is the primary cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD), has been the mainstream concept underlying AD research for over 20 years. However, all attempts to develop Aβ-targeting drugs to treat AD have ended in failure. Here, we review recent findings indicating that the main factor underlying the development and progression of AD is tau, not Aβ, and we describe the deficiencies of the amyloid hypothesis that have supported the emergence of this idea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Dementia and Higher Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Dementia and Higher Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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343
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Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the deposition of abnormal tau protein in the brain. The spectrum of tau pathologies expands beyond the traditionally discussed disease forms like Pick disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and argyrophilic grain disease. Emerging entities and pathologies include globular glial tauopathies, primary age-related tauopathy, which includes neurofibrillary tangle dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and aging-related tau astrogliopathy. Clinical symptoms include frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal syndrome, Richardson syndrome, parkinsonism, pure akinesia with gait freezing and, rarely, motor neuron symptoms or cerebellar ataxia. Some disorders show specific neuroimaging features, while examination of the cerebrospinal fluid awaits markers for in vivo stratification of cases. The possibility of cell-to-cell propagation is a novel aspect of the pathogenesis of tauopathies, which is partly reflected by the hierarchic involvement of anatomic regions. This concept might have relevance for the development of therapies. For cost-effective screening for tau pathologies in neuropathologic practice, examination of the hippocampus, amygdala, and basal ganglia is recommended. Uncommon morphologies or unusually extensive forms of tau pathologies should raise the suspicion of a genetic background. Ongoing multidisciplinary studies are needed to understand the whole spectrum and significance of tau pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor G Kovacs
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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344
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Leighton PLA, Allison WT. Protein Misfolding in Prion and Prion-Like Diseases: Reconsidering a Required Role for Protein Loss-of-Function. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 54:3-29. [PMID: 27392869 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prion disease research has contributed much toward understanding other neurodegenerative diseases, including recent demonstrations that Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases are prion-like. Prion-like diseases involve the spread of degeneration between individuals and/or among cells or tissues via template directed misfolding, wherein misfolded protein conformers propagate disease by causing normal proteins to misfold. Here we use the premise that AD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and other similar diseases are prion-like and ask: Can we apply knowledge gained from studies of these prion-like diseases to resolve debates about classical prion diseases? We focus on controversies about what role(s) protein loss-of-function might have in prion diseases because this has therapeutic implications, including for AD. We examine which loss-of-function events are recognizable in prion-like diseases by considering the normal functions of the proteins before their misfolding and aggregation. We then delineate scenarios wherein gain-of-function and/or loss-of-function would be necessary or sufficient for neurodegeneration. We consider roles of PrPC loss-of-function in prion diseases and in AD, and conclude that the conventional wisdom that prion diseases are 'toxic gain-of-function diseases' has limitations. While prion diseases certainly have required gain-of-function components, we propose that disease phenotypes are predominantly caused by deficits in the normal physiology of PrPC and its interaction partners as PrPC converts to PrPSc. In this model, gain-of-function serves mainly to spread disease, and loss-of-function directly mediates neuron dysfunction. We propose experiments and predictions to assess our conclusion. Further study on the normal physiological roles of these key proteins is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L A Leighton
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - W Ted Allison
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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345
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Baker S, Polanco JC, Götz J. Extracellular Vesicles Containing P301L Mutant Tau Accelerate Pathological Tau Phosphorylation and Oligomer Formation but Do Not Seed Mature Neurofibrillary Tangles in ALZ17 Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 54:1207-1217. [PMID: 27567840 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, the distribution of neurofibrillary tangles, a histological hallmark comprised of phosphorylated forms of the protein tau, follows a distinct pattern through anatomically connected brain regions. The well-documented correlation between the severity of tau pathology and disease progression implies a prion-like seeding and spreading mechanism for tau. Experimentally, this has been addressed in transgenic mice by the injection of protein lysates isolated from brains of transgenic mice or patients with tauopathies, including AD, that were shown to behave like seeds, accelerating tau pathology and tangle formation in predisposed mice. More specifically, in vivo data suggest that brain lysates from mice harboring the P301S mutation of tau can seed protein aggregation when injected into the hippocampi of human wild-type tau transgenic ALZ17 mice. Here, we compared the seeding potential of lysates and extracellular vesicles enriched for exosomes (EVs) from wild-type and human P301L tau transgenic rTg4510 mouse brains. We show that transgenic EVs cause increased tau phosphorylation and soluble oligomer formation in a manner comparable to that of freely available proteins in brain lysates, a prerequisite for the formation of mature protein aggregates.
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346
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Young ZT, Mok SA, Gestwicki JE. Therapeutic Strategies for Restoring Tau Homeostasis. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2018; 8:cshperspect.a024612. [PMID: 28159830 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a024612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Normal tau homeostasis is achieved when the synthesis, processing, and degradation of the protein is balanced. Together, the pathways that regulate tau homeostasis ensure that the protein is at the proper levels and that its posttranslational modifications and subcellular localization are appropriately controlled. These pathways include the enzymes responsible for posttranslational modifications, those systems that regulate mRNA splicing, and the molecular chaperones that control tau turnover and its binding to microtubules. In tauopathies, this delicate balance is disturbed. Tau becomes abnormally modified by posttranslational modification, it loses affinity for microtubules, and it accumulates in proteotoxic aggregates. How and why does this imbalance occur? In this review, we discuss how molecular chaperones and other components of the protein homeostasis (e.g., proteostasis) network normally govern tau quality control. We also discuss how aging might reduce the capacity of these systems and how tau mutations might further affect this balance. Finally, we discuss how small-molecule inhibitors are being used to probe and perturb the tau quality-control systems, playing a particularly prominent role in revealing the logic of tau homeostasis. As such, there is now interest in developing these chemical probes into therapeutics, with the goal of restoring normal tau homeostasis to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zapporah T Young
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Sue Ann Mok
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
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347
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Abstract
Senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the principal histopathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer disease. The essential constituents of these lesions are structurally abnormal variants of normally generated proteins: Aβ protein in plaques and tau protein in tangles. At the molecular level, both proteins in a pathogenic state share key properties with classic prions, i.e., they consist of alternatively folded, β-sheet-rich forms of the proteins that autopropagate by the seeded corruption and self-assembly of like proteins. Other similarities with prions include the ability to manifest as polymorphic and polyfunctional strains, resistance to chemical and enzymatic destruction, and the ability to spread within the brain and from the periphery to the brain. In Alzheimer disease, current evidence indicates that the pathogenic cascade follows from the endogenous, sequential corruption of Aβ and then tau. Therapeutic options include reducing the production or multimerization of the proteins, uncoupling the Aβ-tauopathy connection, or promoting the inactivation or removal of anomalous assemblies from the brain. Although aberrant Aβ appears to be the prime mover of Alzheimer disease pathogenesis, once set in motion by Aβ, the prion-like propagation of tauopathy may proceed independently of Aβ; if so, Aβ might be solely targeted as an early preventive measure, but optimal treatment of Alzheimer disease at later stages of the cascade could require intervention in both pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lary C Walker
- Department of Neurology and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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348
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Rey NL, Wesson DW, Brundin P. The olfactory bulb as the entry site for prion-like propagation in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 109:226-248. [PMID: 28011307 PMCID: PMC5972535 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfactory deficits are present in numerous neurodegenerative disorders and are accompanied by pathology in related brain regions. In several of these disorders, olfactory disturbances appear early and are considered as prodromal symptoms of the disease. In addition, pathological protein aggregates affect olfactory regions prior to other regions, suggesting that the olfactory system might be particularly vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases. Exposed to the external environment, the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb allow pathogen and toxin penetration into the brain, a process that has been proposed to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases. Determining whether the olfactory bulb could be a starting point of pathology and of pathology spread is crucial to understanding how neurodegenerative diseases evolve. We argue that pathological changes following environmental insults contribute to the initiation of protein aggregation in the olfactory bulb, which then triggers the spread of the pathology within the brain by a templating mechanism in a prion-like manner. We review the evidence for the early involvement of olfactory structures in neurodegenerative diseases and the relationship between neuropathology and olfactory function. We discuss the vulnerability and putative underlying mechanisms by which pathology could be initiated in the olfactory bulb, from the entry of pathogens (promoted by increased permeability of the olfactory epithelium with aging or inflammation) to the sensitivity of the olfactory system to oxidative stress and inflammation. Finally, we review changes in protein expression and neural excitability triggered by pathogenic proteins that can promote pathogenesis in the olfactory bulb and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nolwen L Rey
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
| | - Daniel W Wesson
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Patrik Brundin
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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349
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Alzheimer’s Disease and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: Mouse Models. NEURODEGENER DIS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-72938-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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350
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Sengupta U, Carretero-Murillo M, Kayed R. Preparation and Characterization of Tau Oligomer Strains. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1779:113-146. [PMID: 29886531 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7816-8_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the existence of multiple conformational entities of tau, as have been observed for prion protein. We have developed and optimized techniques to isolate and study oligomeric tau strains both in vitro and ex vivo. Moreover, we have modified protocols that demonstrate the seeding properties of oligomeric tau strains that are capable of propagating in vivo. These methods and protocols are explained in this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Sengupta
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Mariana Carretero-Murillo
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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