1
|
Marcatti M, Tumurbaatar B, Borghi M, Guptarak J, Zhang WR, Krishnan B, Kayed R, Fracassi A, Taglialatela G. Inhibition of Calcineurin with FK506 Reduces Tau Levels and Attenuates Synaptic Impairment Driven by Tau Oligomers in the Hippocampus of Male Mouse Models. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9092. [PMID: 39201779 PMCID: PMC11354963 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25169092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-associated neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory impairment, and structural brain changes, primarily involving Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Recent research highlights the significance of smaller Aβ and Tau oligomeric aggregates (AβO and TauO, respectively) in synaptic dysfunction and disease progression. Calcineurin (CaN), a key calcium/calmodulin-dependent player in regulating synaptic function in the central nervous system (CNS) is implicated in mediating detrimental effects of AβO on synapses and memory function in AD. This study aims to investigate the specific impact of CaN on both exogenous and endogenous TauO through the acute and chronic inhibition of CaN. We previously demonstrated the protective effect against AD of the immunosuppressant CaN inhibitor, FK506, but its influence on TauO remains unclear. In this study, we explored the short-term effects of acute CaN inhibition on TauO phosphorylation and TauO-induced memory deficits and synaptic dysfunction. Mice received FK506 post-TauO intracerebroventricular injection and TauO levels and phosphorylation were assessed, examining their impact on CaN and GSK-3β. The study investigated FK506 preventive/reversal effects on TauO-induced clustering of CaN and GSK-3β. Memory and synaptic function in TauO-injected mice were evaluated with/without FK506. Chronic FK506 treatment in 3xTgAD mice explored its influence on CaN, Aβ, and Tau levels. This study underscores the significant influence of CaN inhibition on TauO and associated AD pathology, suggesting therapeutic potential in targeting CaN for addressing various aspects of AD onset and progression. These findings provide valuable insights for potential interventions in AD, emphasizing the need for further exploration of CaN-targeted strategies.
Collapse
|
2
|
Granholm AC, Hamlett ED. The Role of Tau Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease and Down Syndrome. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1338. [PMID: 38592182 PMCID: PMC10932364 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13051338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit an almost complete penetrance of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology but are underrepresented in clinical trials for AD. The Tau protein is associated with microtubule function in the neuron and is crucial for normal axonal transport. In several different neurodegenerative disorders, Tau misfolding leads to hyper-phosphorylation of Tau (p-Tau), which may seed pathology to bystander cells and spread. This review is focused on current findings regarding p-Tau and its potential to seed pathology as a "prion-like" spreader. It also considers the consequences of p-Tau pathology leading to AD, particularly in individuals with Down syndrome. Methods: Scopus (SC) and PubMed (PM) were searched in English using keywords "tau AND seeding AND brain AND down syndrome". A total of 558 SC or 529 PM potentially relevant articles were identified, of which only six SC or three PM articles mentioned Down syndrome. This review was built upon the literature and the recent findings of our group and others. Results: Misfolded p-Tau isoforms are seeding competent and may be responsible for spreading AD pathology. Conclusions: This review demonstrates recent work focused on understanding the role of neurofibrillary tangles and monomeric/oligomeric Tau in the prion-like spreading of Tau pathology in the human brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Eric D. Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang L, Jasiqi Y, Lashuel H. Recombinant Full-Length TDP-43 Oligomers Retain Their Ability to Bind RNAs, Are Not Toxic, and Do Not Seed TDP-43 Aggregation in Vitro. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:193-204. [PMID: 38116987 PMCID: PMC10767740 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein with 43 kD (TDP-43) is a partially disordered protein that misfolds and accumulates in the brains of patients affected by several neurodegenerative diseases. TDP-43 oligomers have been reported to form due to aberrant misfolding or self-assembly of TDP-43 monomers. However, very little is known about the molecular and structural basis of TDP-43 oligomerization and the toxic properties of TDP-43 oligomers due to several reasons, including the lack of conditions available for isolating native TDP-43 oligomers or producing pure TDP-43 oligomers in sufficient quantities for biophysical, cellular, and in vivo studies. To address these challenges, we developed new protocols to generate different stable forms of unmodified and small-molecule-induced TDP-43 oligomers. Our results showed that co-incubation of TDP-43 with small molecules, such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), dopamine, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), increased the production yield of TDP-43 stable oligomers, which could be purified by size-exclusion chromatography. Interestingly, despite significant differences in the morphology and size distribution of the TDP-43 oligomer preparations revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), they all retained the ability to bind to nucleotide DNA. Besides, circular dichroism (CD) analysis of these oligomers did not show much difference in the secondary structure composition. Surprisingly, none of these oligomer preparations could seed the aggregation of TDP-43 core peptide 279-360. Finally, we showed that all four types of TDP-43 oligomers exert very mild cytotoxicity to primary neurons. Collectively, our results suggest that functional TDP-43 oligomers can be selectively stabilized by small-molecule compounds. This strategy may offer a new approach to halt TDP-43 aggregation in various proteinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular and
Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yllza Jasiqi
- Laboratory of Molecular and
Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and
Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mate de Gerando A, Quittot N, Frosch MP, Hyman BT. Reply: Soluble oligomers or insoluble fibrils? Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:863-866. [PMID: 37733036 PMCID: PMC10628010 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasie Mate de Gerando
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noe Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bodily TA, Ramanathan A, Wei S, Karkisaval A, Bhatt N, Jerez C, Haque MA, Ramil A, Heda P, Wang Y, Kumar S, Leite M, Li T, Zhao J, Lal R. In pursuit of degenerative brain disease diagnosis: Dementia biomarkers detected by DNA aptamer-attached portable graphene biosensor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311565120. [PMID: 37956285 PMCID: PMC10666025 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311565120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia is a brain disease which results in irreversible and progressive loss of cognition and motor activity. Despite global efforts, there is no simple and reliable diagnosis or treatment option. Current diagnosis involves indirect testing of commonly inaccessible biofluids and low-resolution brain imaging. We have developed a portable, wireless readout-based Graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) biosensor platform that can detect viruses, proteins, and small molecules with single-molecule sensitivity and specificity. We report the detection of three important amyloids, namely, Amyloid beta (Aβ), Tau (τ), and α-Synuclein (αS) using DNA aptamer nanoprobes. These amyloids were isolated, purified, and characterized from the autopsied brain tissues of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients. The limit of detection (LoD) of the sensor is 10 fM, 1-10 pM, 10-100 fM for Aβ, τ, and αS, respectively. Synthetic as well as autopsied brain-derived amyloids showed a statistically significant sensor response with respect to derived thresholds, confirming the ability to define diseased vs. nondiseased states. The detection of each amyloid was specific to their aptamers; Aβ, τ, and αS peptides when tested, respectively, with aptamers nonspecific to them showed statistically insignificant cross-reactivity. Thus, the aptamer-based GFET biosensor has high sensitivity and precision across a range of epidemiologically significant AD and PD variants. This portable diagnostic system would allow at-home and POC testing for neurodegenerative diseases globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anirudh Ramanathan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Shanhong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200050, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
| | - Abhijith Karkisaval
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Cynthia Jerez
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX77555
| | - Armando Ramil
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Prachi Heda
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200050, China
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL61820
| | - Mikayla Leite
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| | - Tie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200050, China
| | - Jianlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai200050, China
| | - Ratnesh Lal
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Langer Horvat L, Španić Popovački E, Babić Leko M, Zubčić K, Horvat L, Mustapić M, Hof PR, Šimić G. Anterograde and Retrograde Propagation of Inoculated Human Tau Fibrils and Tau Oligomers in a Non-Transgenic Rat Tauopathy Model. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1004. [PMID: 37189622 PMCID: PMC10135744 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The tauopathy of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is first observed in the brainstem and entorhinal cortex, spreading trans-synaptically along specific pathways to other brain regions with recognizable patterns. Tau propagation occurs retrogradely and anterogradely (trans-synaptically) along a given pathway and through exosomes and microglial cells. Some aspects of in vivo tau spreading have been replicated in transgenic mice models expressing a mutated human MAPT (tau) gene and in wild-type mice. In this study, we aimed to characterize the propagation of different forms of tau species in non-transgenic 3-4 months old wild-type rats after a single unilateral injection of human tau oligomers and tau fibrils into the medial entorhinal cortex (mEC). We determined whether different variants of the inoculated human tau protein, tau fibrils, and tau oligomers, would induce similar neurofibrillary changes and propagate in an AD-related pattern, and how tau-related pathological changes would correlate with presumed cognitive impairment. We injected human tau fibrils and tau oligomers stereotaxically into the mEC and examined the distribution of tau-related changes at 3 days and 4, 8, and 11 months post-injection using antibodies AT8 and MC1, which reveal early phosphorylation and aberrant conformation of tau, respectively, HT7, anti-synaptophysin, and the Gallyas silver staining method. Human tau oligomers and tau fibrils exhibited some similarities and some differences in their ability to seed and propagate tau-related changes. Both human tau fibrils and tau oligomers rapidly propagated from the mEC anterogradely into the hippocampus and various parts of the neocortex. However, using a human tau-specific HT7 antibody, 3 days post-injection we found inoculated human tau oligomers in the red nucleus, primary motor, and primary somatosensory cortex, a finding not seen in animals inoculated with human tau fibrils. In animals inoculated with human tau fibrils, 3 days post-injection the HT7 antibody showed fibrils in the pontine reticular nucleus, a finding explained only by uptake of human tau fibrils by incoming presynaptic fibers to the mEC and retrograde transport of inoculated human tau fibrils to the brainstem. Rats inoculated with human tau fibrils showed as early as 4 months after inoculation a spread of phosphorylated tau protein at the AT8 epitopes throughout the brain, dramatically faster propagation of neurofibrillary changes than with human tau oligomers. The overall severity of tau protein changes 4, 8, and 11 months after inoculation of human tau oligomers and tau fibrils correlated well with spatial working memory and cognition impairments, as measured by the T-maze spontaneous alternation, novel object recognition, and object location tests. We concluded that this non-trangenic rat model of tauopathy, especially when using human tau fibrils, demonstrates rapidly developing pathologic alterations in neurons, synapses, and identifiable pathways together with cognitive and behavioral changes, through the anterograde and retrograde spreading of neurofibrillary degeneration. Therefore, it represents a promising model for future experimental studies of primary and secondary tauopathies, especially AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Langer Horvat
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ena Španić Popovački
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirjana Babić Leko
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Klara Zubčić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Luka Horvat
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maja Mustapić
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Moore KBE, Hung TJ, Fortin JS. Hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) and drug discovery in the context of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103487. [PMID: 36634842 PMCID: PMC9975055 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and extracellular β-amyloid (βA) plaques. No disease-modifying therapy is currently available to prevent the progression of, or cure, the disease. Misfolded hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) is considered a pivotal point in the pathogenesis of AD and other tauopathies. Compelling evidence suggests that it is a key driver of the accumulation of NFTs and can be directly correlated with the extent of dementia in patients with AD. Therefore, inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation-induced aggregation could be a viable strategy to discover and develop therapeutics for patients with AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kendall B E Moore
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Ta-Jung Hung
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jessica S Fortin
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Monge FA, Fanni AM, Donabedian PL, Hulse J, Maphis NM, Jiang S, Donaldson TN, Clark BJ, Whitten DG, Bhaskar K, Chi EY. Selective In Vitro and Ex Vivo Staining of Brain Neurofibrillary Tangles and Amyloid Plaques by Novel Ethylene Ethynylene-Based Optical Sensors. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:151. [PMID: 36831917 PMCID: PMC9953543 DOI: 10.3390/bios13020151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The identification of protein aggregates as biomarkers for neurodegeneration is an area of interest for disease diagnosis and treatment development. In this work, we present novel super luminescent conjugated polyelectrolyte molecules as ex vivo sensors for tau-paired helical filaments (PHFs) and amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques. We evaluated the use of two oligo-p-phenylene ethynylenes (OPEs), anionic OPE12- and cationic OPE24+, as stains for fibrillar protein pathology in brain sections of transgenic mouse (rTg4510) and rat (TgF344-AD) models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) tauopathy, and post-mortem brain sections from human frontotemporal dementia (FTD). OPE12- displayed selectivity for PHFs in fluorimetry assays and strong staining of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in mouse and human brain tissue sections, while OPE24+ stained both NFTs and Aβ plaques. Both OPEs stained the brain sections with limited background or non-specific staining. This novel family of sensors outperformed the gold-standard dye Thioflavin T in sensing capacities and co-stained with conventional phosphorylated tau (AT180) and Aβ (4G8) antibodies. As the OPEs readily bind protein amyloids in vitro and ex vivo, they are selective and rapid tools for identifying proteopathic inclusions relevant to AD. Such OPEs can be useful in understanding pathogenesis and in creating in vivo diagnostically relevant detection tools for neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florencia A. Monge
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Adeline M. Fanni
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Patrick L. Donabedian
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Graduate Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Jonathan Hulse
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Nicole M. Maphis
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Shanya Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Sartorius, Bohemia, NY 11716, USA
| | - Tia N. Donaldson
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Benjamin J. Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - David G. Whitten
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Kiran Bhaskar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Eva Y. Chi
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
George DE, Tepe JJ. Advances in Proteasome Enhancement by Small Molecules. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1789. [PMID: 34944433 PMCID: PMC8699248 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The proteasome system is a large and complex molecular machinery responsible for the degradation of misfolded, damaged, and redundant cellular proteins. When proteasome function is impaired, unwanted proteins accumulate, which can lead to several diseases including age-related and neurodegenerative diseases. Enhancing proteasome-mediated substrate degradation with small molecules may therefore be a valuable strategy for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. In this review, we discuss the structure of proteasome and how proteasome's proteolytic activity is associated with aging and various neurodegenerative diseases. We also summarize various classes of compounds that are capable of enhancing, directly or indirectly, proteasome-mediated protein degradation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jetze J. Tepe
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lo CH. Recent advances in cellular biosensor technology to investigate tau oligomerization. Bioeng Transl Med 2021; 6:e10231. [PMID: 34589603 PMCID: PMC8459642 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule binding protein which plays an important role in physiological functions but it is also involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. While insoluble and β-sheet containing tau neurofibrillary tangles have been the histopathological hallmark of these diseases, recent studies suggest that soluble tau oligomers, which are formed prior to fibrils, are the primary toxic species. Substantial efforts have been made to generate tau oligomers using purified recombinant protein strategies to study oligomer conformations as well as their toxicity. However, no specific toxic tau species has been identified to date, potentially due to the lack of cellular environment. Hence, there is a need for cell-based models for direct monitoring of tau oligomerization and aggregation. This review will summarize the recent advances in the cellular biosensor technology, with a focus on fluorescence resonance energy transfer, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and split luciferase complementation approaches, to monitor formation of tau oligomers and aggregates in living cells. We will discuss the applications of the cellular biosensors in examining the heterogeneous tau conformational ensembles and factors affecting tau self-assembly, as well as detecting cell-to-cell propagation of tau pathology. We will also compare the advantages and limitations of each type of tau biosensors, and highlight their translational applications in biomarker development and therapeutic discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ledreux A, Thomas S, Hamlett ED, Trautman C, Gilmore A, Rickman Hager E, Paredes DA, Margittai M, Fortea J, Granholm AC. Small Neuron-Derived Extracellular Vesicles from Individuals with Down Syndrome Propagate Tau Pathology in the Wildtype Mouse Brain. J Clin Med 2021; 10:3931. [PMID: 34501378 PMCID: PMC8432237 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology at a young age, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Tau pathology can spread via extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes. The cargo of neuron-derived small extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) from individuals with DS contains p-Tau at an early age. The goal of the study was to investigate whether NDEVs isolated from the blood of individuals with DS can spread Tau pathology in the brain of wildtype mice. We purified NDEVs from the plasma of patients with DS-AD and controls and injected small quantities using stereotaxic surgery into the dorsal hippocampus of adult wildtype mice. Seeding competent Tau conformers were amplified in vitro from DS-AD NDEVs but not NDEVs from controls. One month or 4 months post-injection, we examined Tau pathology in mouse brains. We found abundant p-Tau immunostaining in the hippocampus of the mice injected with DS-AD NDEVs compared to injections of age-matched control NDEVs. Double labeling with neuronal and glial markers showed that p-Tau staining was largely found in neurons and, to a lesser extent, in glial cells and that p-Tau immunostaining was spreading along the corpus callosum and the medio-lateral axis of the hippocampus. These studies demonstrate that NDEVs from DS-AD patients exhibit Tau seeding capacity and give rise to tangle-like intracellular inclusions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Ledreux
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| | - Sarah Thomas
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| | - Eric D. Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA;
| | - Camille Trautman
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| | - Anah Gilmore
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| | - Emily Rickman Hager
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (E.R.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Daniel A. Paredes
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| | - Martin Margittai
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (E.R.H.); (M.M.)
| | - Juan Fortea
- Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Catalan Down Syndrome Foundation, 08041 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA; (S.T.); (C.T.); (A.G.); (D.A.P.); (A.-C.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kayed R, Dettmer U, Lesné SE. Soluble endogenous oligomeric α-synuclein species in neurodegenerative diseases: Expression, spreading, and cross-talk. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2021; 10:791-818. [PMID: 32508330 PMCID: PMC7458533 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-201965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There is growing recognition in the field of neurodegenerative diseases that mixed proteinopathies are occurring at greater frequency than originally thought. This is particularly true for three amyloid proteins defining most of these neurological disorders, amyloid-beta (Aβ), tau, and alpha-synuclein (αSyn). The co-existence and often co-localization of aggregated forms of these proteins has led to the emergence of concepts positing molecular interactions and cross-seeding between Aβ, tau, and αSyn aggregates. Amongst this trio, αSyn has received particular attention in this context during recent years due to its ability to modulate Aβ and tau aggregation in vivo, to interact at a molecular level with Aβ and tau in vivo and to cross-seed tau in mice. Here we provide a comprehensive, critical, and accessible review about the expression, role and nature of endogenous soluble αSyn oligomers because of recent developments in the understanding of αSyn multimerization, misfolding, aggregation, cross-talk, spreading and cross-seeding in neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease. We will also discuss our current understanding about the relative toxicity of endogenous αSyn oligomers in vivo and in vitro, and introduce potential opportunities to counter their deleterious effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology & Neuroscience & Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA,George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ulf Dettmer
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylvain E. Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,Correspondence to: Sylvain E. Lesné, PhD, University of Minnesota, Wallin Medical Biosciences Building (Room 4-114), 2101 Sixth Street SE, CDC 2641, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA. Tel.: +1 612 626 8341; E-mail: ; Website: https://lesnelab.org
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gaikwad S, Puangmalai N, Bittar A, Montalbano M, Garcia S, McAllen S, Bhatt N, Sonawane M, Sengupta U, Kayed R. Tau oligomer induced HMGB1 release contributes to cellular senescence and neuropathology linked to Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109419. [PMID: 34289368 PMCID: PMC8341760 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging, pathological tau oligomers (TauO), and chronic inflammation in the brain play a central role in tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, the underlying mechanism of TauO-induced aging-related neuroinflammation remains unclear. Here, we show that TauO-associated astrocytes display a senescence-like phenotype in the brains of patients with AD and FTD. TauO exposure triggers astrocyte senescence through high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release and inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which mediates paracrine senescence in adjacent cells. HMGB1 release inhibition using ethyl pyruvate (EP) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) prevents TauO-induced senescence through inhibition of p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-the essential signaling pathways for SASP development. Despite the developed tauopathy in 12-month-old hTau mice, EP+GA treatment significantly decreases TauO and senescent cell loads in the brain, reduces neuroinflammation, and thus ameliorates cognitive functions. Collectively, TauO-induced HMGB1 release promotes cellular senescence and neuropathology, which could represent an important common pathomechanism in tauopathies including AD and FTD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Gaikwad
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Alice Bittar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Stephanie Garcia
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Salome McAllen
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Minal Sonawane
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Gu JL, Liu F. Tau in Alzheimer's Disease: Pathological Alterations and an Attractive Therapeutic Target. Curr Med Sci 2021; 40:1009-1021. [PMID: 33428128 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-020-2282-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease with two major hallmarks: extracellular amyloid plaques made of amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau. The number of NFTs correlates positively with the severity of dementia in AD patients. However, there is still no efficient therapy available for AD treatment and prevention so far. A deeper understanding of AD pathogenesis has identified novel strategies for the generation of specific therapies over the past few decades. Several studies have suggested that the prion-like seeding and spreading of tau pathology in the brain may be a key driver of AD. Tau protein is considered as a promising candidate target for the development of therapeutic interventions due to its considerable pathological role in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Abnormal tau hyperphosphorylation plays a detrimental pathological role, eventually leading to neurodegeneration. In the present review, we describe the recent research progresses in the pathological mechanisms of tau protein in AD and briefly discuss tau-based therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Lan Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China. .,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration and Ministry of Education of Jiangsu, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Montalbano M, McAllen S, Cascio FL, Sengupta U, Garcia S, Bhatt N, Ellsworth A, Heidelman EA, Johnson OD, Doskocil S, Kayed R. TDP-43 and Tau Oligomers in Alzheimer's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Frontotemporal Dementia. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 146:105130. [PMID: 33065281 PMCID: PMC7703712 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteinaceous aggregates are major hallmarks of several neurodegenerative diseases. Aggregates of post-translationally modified transactive response (TAR)-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies are characteristic features in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent studies have also reported TDP-43 aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). TDP-43 is an RNA/DNA binding protein (RBP) mainly present in the nucleus. In addition to several RBPs, TDP-43 has also been reported in stress granules in FTD and ALS pathologies. Despite knowledge of cytoplasmic mislocalization of TDP-43, the cellular effects of TDP-43 aggregates and their cytotoxic mechanism(s) remain to be clarified. We hypothesize that TDP-43 forms oligomeric assemblies that associate with tau, another key protein involved in ALS and FTD. However, no prior studies have investigated the interactions between TDP-43 oligomers and tau. It is therefore important to thoroughly investigate the cross-seeding properties and cellular localization of both TDP-43 and tau oligomers in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we demonstrate the effect of tau on the cellular localization of TDP-43 in WT and P301L tau-inducible cell models (iHEK) and in WT HEK-293 cells treated exogenously with soluble human recombinant tau oligomers (Exo-rTauO). We observed cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation o in the presence of tau in these cell models. We also studied the occurrence of TDP-43 oligomers in AD, ALS, and FTD human brain tissue using novel antibodies generated against TDP-43 oligomers as well as generic TDP-43 antibodies. Finally, we examined the cross-seeding property of AD, ALS, and FTD brain-derived TDP-43 oligomers (BDT43Os) on tau aggregation using biochemical and biophysical assays. Our results allow us to speculate that TDP-43/tau interactions might play a role in AD, ALS, and FTD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Salome McAllen
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Filippa Lo Cascio
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Stephanie Garcia
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Anna Ellsworth
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Eric A Heidelman
- School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, UTMB, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Omar D Johnson
- School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, UTMB, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Samantha Doskocil
- Neuroscience Summer Undergraduate Research Program, NSURP Program 2018, University of Texas Medical Branch, UTMB, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lo CH, Sachs JN. The role of wild-type tau in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. JOURNAL OF LIFE SCIENCES (WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF.) 2020; 2:1-17. [PMID: 33665646 PMCID: PMC7929479 DOI: 10.36069/jols/20201201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Tau oligomers have recently emerged as the principal toxic species in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies. Tau oligomers are spontaneously self-assembled soluble tau proteins that are formed prior to fibrils, and they have been shown to play a central role in neuronal cell death and in the induction of neurodegeneration in animal models. As the therapeutic paradigm shifts to targeting toxic tau oligomers, this suggests the focus to study tau oligomerization in species that are less susceptible to fibrillization. While truncated and mutation containing tau as well as the isolated repeat domains are particularly prone to fibrillization, the wild-type (WT) tau proteins have been shown to be resistant to fibril formation in the absence of aggregation inducers. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the toxicity of WT tau both in vitro and in vivo, as well as its involvement in tau oligomerization and cell-to-cell propagation of pathology. Understanding the role of WT tau will enable more effective biomarker development and therapeutic discovery for treatment of AD and tauopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jonathan N. Sachs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Montalbano M, McAllen S, Puangmalai N, Sengupta U, Bhatt N, Johnson OD, Kharas MG, Kayed R. RNA-binding proteins Musashi and tau soluble aggregates initiate nuclear dysfunction. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4305. [PMID: 32855391 PMCID: PMC7453003 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligomeric assemblies of tau and the RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) Musashi (MSI) are reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role of MSI and tau interaction in their aggregation process and its effects are nor clearly known in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we investigated the expression and cellular localization of MSI1 and MSI2 in the brains tissues of Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as well as in the wild-type mice and tau knock-out and P301L tau mouse models. We observed that formation of pathologically relevant protein inclusions was driven by the aberrant interactions between MSI and tau in the nuclei associated with age-dependent extracellular depositions of tau/MSI complexes. Furthermore, tau and MSI interactions induced impairment of nuclear/cytoplasm transport, chromatin remodeling and nuclear lamina formation. Our findings provide mechanistic insight for pathological accumulation of MSI/tau aggregates providing a potential basis for therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative proteinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Salome McAllen
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Omar D Johnson
- School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Michael G Kharas
- Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute Cancer Center, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA. .,Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Farmer KM, Ghag G, Puangmalai N, Montalbano M, Bhatt N, Kayed R. P53 aggregation, interactions with tau, and impaired DNA damage response in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:132. [PMID: 32778161 PMCID: PMC7418370 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01012-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor, p53, is critical for many important cellular functions involved in genome integrity, including cell cycle control, DNA damage response, and apoptosis. Disruption of p53 results in a wide range of disorders including cancer, metabolic diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by protein aggregates that contribute to disease pathology. Although p53 is known to aggregate, its propensity to aggregate in AD has never been assessed. Moreover, AD neuropathology includes lethal cell cycle re-entry, excessive DNA damage, and abnormal cell death which are all controlled by p53. Here, we show p53 forms oligomers and fibrils in human AD brain, but not control brain. p53 oligomers can also be detected in htau and P301L mouse models. Additionally, we demonstrate that p53 interacts with tau, specifically tau oligomers, in AD brain and can be recapitulated by in vitro exogenous tau oligomer treatment in C57BL/6 primary neurons. p53 oligomers also colocalize, potentially seeding, endogenous p53 in primary neurons. Lastly, we demonstrate that in the presence of DNA damage, phosphorylated p53 is mislocalized outside the nucleus and p53-mediated DNA damage responders are significantly decreased in AD brain. Control brain shows a healthy DNA damage response, indicating a loss of nuclear p53 function in AD may be due to p53 aggregation and/or interactions with tau oligomers. Given the critical role of p53 in cellular physiology, the disruption of this crucial transcription factor may set an irreversible course towards neurodegeneration in AD and potentially other tauopathies, warranting further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M. Farmer
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Gaurav Ghag
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
- Protein Sciences, Merck & Co Incorporated, South San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Medical Research Building, Room 10.138C, Galveston, TX 77555-1045 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wang Y, Liu Y, Nham A, Sherbaf A, Quach D, Yahya E, Ranburger D, Bi X, Baudry M. Calpain-2 as a therapeutic target in repeated concussion-induced neuropathy and behavioral impairment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/27/eaba5547. [PMID: 32937436 PMCID: PMC7458466 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba5547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Repeated concussion represents a serious health problem as it can result in various brain pathologies, ranging from minor focal tissue injury to severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The calcium-dependent protease, calpain, participates in the development of neurodegeneration following concussion, but there is no information regarding the relative contribution of calpain-1 and calpain-2, the major calpain isoforms in the brain. We used a mouse model of repeated concussions, which reproduces most of the behavioral and neuropathological features of the human condition, to address this issue. Deletion of calpain-2 or treatment with a selective calpain-2 inhibitor for 2 weeks prevented most of these neuropathological features. Changes in TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) subcellular localization similar to those found in human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia were also prevented by deletion of calpain-2 or treatment with calpain-2 inhibitor. Our results indicate that a selective calpain-2 inhibitor represents a therapeutic approach for concussion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yubin Wang
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Amy Nham
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Arash Sherbaf
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Diana Quach
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Emad Yahya
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Davis Ranburger
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Bi
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Michel Baudry
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Montalbano M, McAllen S, Sengupta U, Puangmalai N, Bhatt N, Ellsworth A, Kayed R. Tau oligomers mediate aggregation of RNA-binding proteins Musashi1 and Musashi2 inducing Lamin alteration. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e13035. [PMID: 31532069 PMCID: PMC6826126 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The exact mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies are not yet entirely understood. However, it is known that several RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) form toxic aggregates and also interact with tau in such granules in tauopathies, including AD. The Musashi (MSI) family of RBPs, consisting of two homologues: Musashi1 and Musashi2, have not been extensively investigated in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, using a tau inducible HEK (iHEK) model we investigate whether MSI proteins contribute to the aggregation of toxic tau oligomers (TauO). Wild-type and mutant P301L tau iHEK cells are used to study the effect of different tau variants on the cellular localization of MSI proteins. Interestingly, we observe that tau co-localizes with MSI in the cytoplasm and nuclei, altering the nuclear transport of MSI. Furthermore, incremental changes in the size and density of nuclear MSI/tau foci are observed. We also report here that TauO interact with MSI to cause the formation of distinct nuclear aggregates. Moreover, tau/MSI aggregates induce structural changes to LaminB1, leading to nuclear instability. These results illustrate a possible mechanism of neurodegeneration mediated by the aggregation of MSI proteins and TauO, suggesting that MSI plays a critical role in cellular dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Salome McAllen
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Anna Ellsworth
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTXUSA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ha Y, Liu W, Liu H, Zhu S, Xia F, Gerson JE, Azhar NA, Tilton RG, Motamedi M, Kayed R, Zhang W. AAV2-mediated GRP78 Transfer Alleviates Retinal Neuronal Injury by Downregulating ER Stress and Tau Oligomer Formation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 59:4670-4682. [PMID: 30267089 PMCID: PMC6155472 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.18-24427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death following axonal injury occurring in traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) causes irreversible vision loss. GRP78 is a molecular chaperone that enhances protein folding and controls activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways. This study determined whether adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer of GRP78 protected RGCs from death in a mouse model of TON induced by optic nerve crush (ONC). Methods ONC was induced by a transient crush of optic nerve behind the eye globe. AAV was used to deliver genes into retina. Molecules in the ER stress branches, tau oligomers, and RGC injury were determined by immunohistochemistry or Western blot. Results Among tested AAV serotypes, AAV2 was the most efficient for delivering genes to RGCs. Intravitreal delivery of AAV2-GRP78 markedly attenuated ER stress and RGC death 3 days after ONC, and significantly improved RGC survival and function 7 days after ONC. Protein aggregation is increased during ER stress and aggregated proteins such as tau oligomers are key players in neurodegenerative diseases. AAV2-GRP78 alleviated ONC-induced increases in tau phosphorylation and oligomerization. Furthermore, tau oligomers directly induced RGC death, and blocking tau oligomers with tau oligomer monoclonal antibody (TOMA) attenuated ONC-induced RGC loss. Conclusion These data indicate that the beneficial effect of AAV2-GRP78 is partially mediated by the reduction of misfolded tau, and provide compelling evidence that gene therapy with AAV2-GRP78 or immunotherapy with TOMA offers novel therapeutic approaches to alleviate RGC loss in TON.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yonju Ha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hua Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Shuang Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Fan Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Julia E Gerson
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Nisha A Azhar
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Ronald G Tilton
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Massoud Motamedi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States.,Departments of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are considered as major targets for AD therapies. However, no effective therapy is available to cure or prevent the progression of AD up until now. Accumulation of NFTs, which consist of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau, is directly correlated with the degree of dementia in AD patients. Emerging evidence indicates that the prion-like seeding and spreading of tau pathology may be the key driver of AD. In the past decades, greater understanding of tau pathway reveals new targets for the development of specific therapies. Here, we review the recent research progress in the mechanism underlying tau pathology in AD and briefly introduce tau-based therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York 10314, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Press-Sandler O, Miller Y. Molecular mechanisms of membrane-associated amyloid aggregation: Computational perspective and challenges. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:1889-1905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|
24
|
Gerson JE, Farmer KM, Henson N, Castillo-Carranza DL, Carretero Murillo M, Sengupta U, Barrett A, Kayed R. Tau oligomers mediate α-synuclein toxicity and can be targeted by immunotherapy. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:13. [PMID: 29544548 PMCID: PMC5856311 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0245-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have evaluated the efficacy of targeting the toxic, oligomeric form of tau protein by passive immunotherapy in a mouse model of synucleinopathy. Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia are two of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and are primarily characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein in Lewy bodies. However, evidence shows that smaller, oligomeric aggregates are likely the most toxic form of the protein. Moreover, a large body of research suggests that α-synuclein interacts with tau in disease and may act in a synergistic mechanism, implicating tau oligomers as a potential therapeutic target. METHODS We treated seven-month-old mice overexpressing mutated α-synuclein (A53T mice) with tau oligomer-specific monoclonal antibody (TOMA) and a control antibody and assessed both behavioral and pathological phenotypes. RESULTS We found that A53T mice treated with TOMA were protected from cognitive and motor deficits two weeks after a single injection. Levels of toxic tau oligomers were specifically decreased in the brains of TOMA-treated mice. Tau oligomer depletion also protected against dopamine and synaptic protein loss. CONCLUSION These results indicate that targeting tau oligomers is beneficial for a mouse model of synucleinopathy and may be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating diseases in which tau and α-synuclein have a synergistic toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Gerson
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.,Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Kathleen M Farmer
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Natalie Henson
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Diana L Castillo-Carranza
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Mariana Carretero Murillo
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Alan Barrett
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA. .,Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Bittar A, Sengupta U, Kayed R. Prospects for strain-specific immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies. NPJ Vaccines 2018; 3:9. [PMID: 29507776 PMCID: PMC5829136 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-018-0046-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing age, as the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is increasing, finding a therapeutic intervention is becoming critically important to either prevent or slow down the progression of the disease. Passive immunotherapy has been demonstrated as a successful way of reducing large aggregates and improving cognition in animal models of both tauopathies and Alzheimer's disease. However, with all the continuous attempts and significant success of immunotherapy in preclinical studies, finding a successful clinical therapy has been a great challenge, possibly indicating a lack of accuracy in targeting the toxic species. Both active and passive immunotherapy approaches in transgenic animals have been demonstrated to have pros and cons. Passive immunotherapy has been favored and many mechanisms have been shown to clear toxic amyloid and tau aggregates and improve memory. These mechanisms may differ depending on the antibodie's' target and administration route. In this regard, deciding on affinity vs. specificity of the antibodies plays a significant role in terms of avoiding the clearance of the physiological forms of the targeted proteins and reducing adverse side effects. In addition, knowing that a single protein can exist in different conformational states, termed as strains, with varying degrees of neurotoxicity and seeding properties, presents an additional level of complexity. Therefore, immunotherapy targeting specifically the toxic strains will aid in developing potential strategies for intervention. Moreover, an approach of combinatorial immunotherapies against different amyloidogenic proteins, at distinct levels of the disease progression, might offer an effective therapy in many neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bittar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Biundo F, Del Prete D, Zhang H, Arancio O, D'Adamio L. A role for tau in learning, memory and synaptic plasticity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3184. [PMID: 29453339 PMCID: PMC5816660 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21596-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders: mutations in the gene encoding for tau (MAPT) are linked to Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD) and hyper-phosphorylated aggregates of tau forming neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) that constitute a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD) and FTD. Accordingly, tau is a favored therapeutic target for the treatment of these diseases. Given the criticality of tau to dementia's pathogenesis and therapy, it is important to understand the physiological function of tau in the central nervous system. Analysis of Mapt knock out (Mapt-/-) mice has yielded inconsistent results. Some studies have shown that tau deletion does not alter memory while others have described synaptic plasticity and memory alterations in Mapt-/- mice. To help clarifying these contrasting results, we analyzed a distinct Mapt-/- model on a B6129PF3/J genetic background. We found that tau deletion leads to aging-dependent short-term memory deficits, hyperactivity and synaptic plasticity defects. In contrast, Mapt+/- mice only showed a mild short memory deficit in the novel object recognition task. Thus, while tau is important for normal neuronal functions underlying learning and memory, partial reduction of tau expression may have fractional deleterious effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Biundo
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Dolores Del Prete
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, 630 168 St., New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Ottavio Arancio
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, 630 168 St., New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Luciano D'Adamio
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience New Jersey Medical School, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Krishnan B, Kayed R, Taglialatela G. Elevated phospholipase D isoform 1 in Alzheimer's disease patients' hippocampus: Relevance to synaptic dysfunction and memory deficits. ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2018; 4:89-102. [PMID: 29560412 PMCID: PMC5857521 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Phospholipase D (PLD), a lipolytic enzyme that breaks down membrane phospholipids, is also involved in signaling mechanisms downstream of seven transmembrane receptors. Abnormally elevated levels of PLD activity are well-established in Alzheimer's disease (AD), implicating the two isoforms of mammalian phosphatidylcholine cleaving PLD (PC-PLD1 and PC-PLD2). Therefore, we took a systematic approach of investigating isoform-specific expression in human synaptosomes and further investigated the possibility of therapeutic intervention using preclinical studies. Methods Synaptosomal Western blot analyses on the postmortem human hippocampus, temporal cortex, and frontal cortex of AD patient brains/age-matched controls and the 3XTg-AD mice hippocampus (mouse model with overexpression of human amyloid precursor protein, presenilin-1 gene, and microtubule-associated protein tau causing neuropathology progressing comparable to that in human AD patients) were used to detect the levels of neuronal PLD1 expression. Mouse hippocampal long-term potentiation of PLD1-dependent changes was studied using pharmacological approaches in ex vivo slice preparations from wild-type and transgenic mouse models. Finally, PLD1-dependent changes in novel object recognition memory were assessed following PLD1 inhibition. Results We observed elevated synaptosomal PLD1 in the hippocampus/temporal cortex from postmortem tissues of AD patients compared to age-matched controls and age-dependent hippocampal PLD1 increases in 3XTg-AD mice. PLD1 inhibition blocked effects of oligomeric amyloid β or toxic oligomeric tau species on high-frequency stimulation long-term potentiation and novel object recognition deficits in wild-type mice. Finally, PLD1 inhibition blocked long-term potentiation deficits normally observed in aging 3XTg-AD mice. Discussion Using human studies, we propose a novel role for PLD1-dependent signaling as a critical mechanism underlying oligomer-driven synaptic dysfunction and consequent memory disruption in AD. We, further, provide the first set of preclinical studies toward future therapeutics targeting PLD1 in slowing down/stopping the progression of AD-related memory deficits as a complementary approach to immunoscavenging clinical trials that are currently in progress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Balaji Krishnan
- Corresponding author. Tel.: 409 772 8069; Fax: 409 747 0015.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Nübling G, Schuberth M, Feldmer K, Giese A, Holdt LM, Teupser D, Lorenzl S. Cathepsin S increases tau oligomer formation through limited cleavage, but only IL-6, not cathespin S serum levels correlate with disease severity in the neurodegenerative tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy. Exp Brain Res 2017; 235:2407-2412. [PMID: 28493068 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-4978-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Limited cleavage promotes the aggregation propensity of protein tau in neurodegenerative tauopathies. Cathepsin S (CatS) is overexpressed in brains of patients suffering from tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, CatS serum levels correlate with survival in the elderly. The current study investigates whether limited cleavage by CatS promotes tau aggregation, and whether CatS serum levels may correlate with disease severity in tauopathies. Oligomer formation of fluorescently labeled protein tau was monitored by single particle fluorescence spectroscopy after coincubation with CatS. Tau cleavage patterns were investigated by SDS-PAGE. For serum analyses, samples were collected from 42 patients with probable progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) according to NINDS-PSP criteria. Disease severity was assessed by PSP rating scale (PSP-RS), PSP staging system (PSP-S) and Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living (SEADL). CatS, cystatin C (CysC) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) serum levels were determined by ELISA, ECLIA and turbidimetry, respectively. SDS-PAGE demonstrated a distinct cleavage pattern of protein tau after coincubation with CatS. Furthermore, tau oligomer formation was increased 2.4-fold (p < 0.05) after limited cleavage. Serum CatS and CysC levels did not correlate with disease severity in PSP. Of note, IL-6 correlated with PSP-S (r = 0.41; 95% CI 0.11-0.65; p = 0.008), SEADL (r = -0.37; 95% CI -0.61 to -0.06; p = 0.017) and the history and gait/midline subdomains of the PSP-RS. While CatS facilitates tau aggregation in vitro, serum levels of CatS appear not to correlate with disease severity. The observed correlation of IL-6 with disease severity warrants further investigation of inflammatory markers in PSP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Nübling
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Palliative Care, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - M Schuberth
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - K Feldmer
- Department of Palliative Care, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - A Giese
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - L M Holdt
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - D Teupser
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Lorenzl
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Palliative Care, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- Endowed Professorship for Palliative Care, Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|