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Halder D, Das S, Joseph A. An insight into structure-activity relationship of naturally derived biological macromolecules for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a review. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:6455-6471. [PMID: 37378526 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2230279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. There are currently no cures for AD, although various drugs are used to manage the symptoms and reduce the disease's progression. AChE inhibitors such as rivastigmine, donepezil, galantamine, and the NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist memantine are currently FDA-approved drugs used in the treatment of AD. Recently, naturally derived biological macromolecules have shown promising results in the treatment of AD. Several biological macromolecules derived from natural sources are in various stages of preclinical and clinical trials. During the literature search, it was observed that there is a lack of a comprehensive review that particularly focuses on the role of naturally derived biological macromolecules (protein, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids) in the treatment of AD and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) approach for understanding the medicinal chemistry perspective. This review focuses on the SAR and probable mechanisms of action of biological macromolecules derived from natural sources for the treatment of AD, including peptides, proteins, enzymes, and polysaccharides. The paper further addresses the therapeutic possibilities of monoclonal antibodies, enzymes, and vaccines for the treatment of AD. Overall, the review provides insight into the SAR of naturally derived biological macromolecules in the treatment of AD. The ongoing research in this field holds great promise for the future development of AD treatment and provides hope for individuals affected by this devastating disease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debojyoti Halder
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Subham Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Alex Joseph
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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2
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Chu D, Yang X, Wang J, Zhou Y, Gu JH, Miao J, Wu F, Liu F. Tau truncation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: a narrative review. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1221-1232. [PMID: 37905868 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease is characterized by two major neuropathological hallmarks-the extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles consisting of aggregated and hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. Recent studies suggest that dysregulation of the microtubule-associated protein Tau, especially specific proteolysis, could be a driving force for Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration. Tau physiologically promotes the assembly and stabilization of microtubules, whereas specific truncated fragments are sufficient to induce abnormal hyperphosphorylation and aggregate into toxic oligomers, resulting in them gaining prion-like characteristics. In addition, Tau truncations cause extensive impairments to neural and glial cell functions and animal cognition and behavior in a fragment-dependent manner. This review summarizes over 60 proteolytic cleavage sites and their corresponding truncated fragments, investigates the role of specific truncations in physiological and pathological states of Alzheimer's disease, and summarizes the latest applications of strategies targeting Tau fragments in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xingyue Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jin-Hua Gu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jin Miao
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Feng Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fei Liu
- 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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Li W, Li HL, Wang JZ, Liu R, Wang X. Abnormal protein post-translational modifications induces aggregation and abnormal deposition of protein, mediating neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:22. [PMID: 38347638 PMCID: PMC10863199 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01189-y] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein post-translational modifications (PPTMs) refer to a series of chemical modifications that occur after the synthesis of protein. Proteins undergo different modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and so on. These modifications can alter the protein's structure, function, and interaction, thereby regulating its biological activity. In neurodegenerative diseases, several proteins undergo abnormal post-translational modifications, which leads to aggregation and abnormal deposition of protein, thus resulting in neuronal death and related diseases. For example, the main pathological features of Alzheimer's disease are the aggregation of beta-amyloid protein and abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein. The abnormal ubiquitination and loss of α-synuclein are related to the onset of Parkinson's disease. Other neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and so on are also connected with abnormal PPTMs. Therefore, studying the abnormal PPTMs in neurodegenerative diseases is critical for understanding the mechanism of these diseases and the development of significant therapeutic strategies. This work reviews the implications of PPTMs in neurodegenerative diseases and discusses the relevant therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hong-Lian Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jian-Zhi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, JS, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xiaochuan Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, JS, China.
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Wuhan, China.
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Lantero-Rodriguez J, Tissot C, Snellman A, Servaes S, Benedet AL, Rahmouni N, Montoliu-Gaya L, Therriault J, Brum WS, Stevenson J, Lussier FZ, Bezgin G, Macedo AC, Chamoun M, Mathotaarachi SS, Pascoal TA, Ashton NJ, Zetterberg H, Neto PR, Blennow K. Plasma and CSF concentrations of N-terminal tau fragments associate with in vivo neurofibrillary tangle burden. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:5343-5354. [PMID: 37190913 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fluid biomarkers capable of specifically tracking tau tangle pathology in vivo are greatly needed. METHODS We measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma concentrations of N-terminal tau fragments (NTA-tau), using a novel immunoassay (NTA) in the TRIAD cohort, consisting of 272 individuals assessed with amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET), tau PET, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive assessments. RESULTS CSF and plasma NTA-tau concentrations were specifically increased in cognitively impaired Aβ-positive groups. CSF and plasma NTA-tau concentrations displayed stronger correlations with tau PET than with Aβ PET and MRI, both in global uptake and at the voxel level. Regression models demonstrated that both CSF and plasma NTA-tau are preferentially associated with tau pathology. Moreover, plasma NTA-tau was associated with longitudinal tau PET accumulation across the aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum. DISCUSSION NTA-tau is a biomarker closely associated with in vivo tau deposition in the AD continuum and has potential as a tau tangle biomarker in clinical settings and trials. HIGHLIGHTS An assay for detecting N-terminal tau fragments (NTA-tau) in plasma and CSF was evaluated. NTA-tau is more closely associated with tau PET than amyloid PET or neurodegeneration. NTA-tau can successfully track in vivo tau deposition across the AD continuum. Plasma NTA-tau increased over time only in cognitively impaired amyloid-β positive individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Cécile Tissot
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Anniina Snellman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Stijn Servaes
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Andrea L Benedet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Nesrine Rahmouni
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Laia Montoliu-Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Joseph Therriault
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Wagner S Brum
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jenna Stevenson
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Firoza Z Lussier
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gleb Bezgin
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Arthur C Macedo
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sulantha S Mathotaarachi
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Tharick A Pascoal
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Pedro Rosa Neto
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest de l'Île de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
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5
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Morello G, Guarnaccia M, La Cognata V, Latina V, Calissano P, Amadoro G, Cavallaro S. Transcriptomic Analysis in the Hippocampus and Retina of Tg2576 AD Mice Reveals Defective Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation and Recovery by Tau 12A12mAb Treatment. Cells 2023; 12:2254. [PMID: 37759477 PMCID: PMC10527038 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182254] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence implicates decreased energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunctions among the earliest pathogenic events of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying bioenergetic dysfunctions in AD remain, to date, largely unknown. In this work, we analyzed transcriptomic changes occurring in the hippocampus and retina of a Tg2576 AD mouse model and wild-type controls, evaluating their functional implications by gene set enrichment analysis. The results revealed that oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial-related pathways are significantly down-regulated in both tissues of Tg2576 mice, supporting the role of these processes in the pathogenesis of AD. In addition, we also analyzed transcriptomic changes occurring in Tg2576 mice treated with the 12A12 monoclonal antibody that neutralizes an AD-relevant tau-derived neurotoxic peptide in vivo. Our analysis showed that the mitochondrial alterations observed in AD mice were significantly reverted by treatment with 12A12mAb, supporting bioenergetic pathways as key mediators of its in vivo neuroprotective and anti-amyloidogenic effects. This study provides, for the first time, a comprehensive characterization of molecular events underlying the disrupted mitochondrial bioenergetics in AD pathology, laying the foundation for the future development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (M.G.); (V.L.C.)
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (M.G.); (V.L.C.)
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (M.G.); (V.L.C.)
| | - Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (G.A.)
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95126 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (M.G.); (V.L.C.)
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Latina V, Atlante A, Malerba F, La Regina F, Balzamino BO, Micera A, Pignataro A, Stigliano E, Cavallaro S, Calissano P, Amadoro G. The Cleavage-Specific Tau 12A12mAb Exerts an Anti-Amyloidogenic Action by Modulating the Endocytic and Bioenergetic Pathways in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119683. [PMID: 37298634 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Beyond deficits in hippocampal-dependent episodic memory, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) features sensory impairment in visual cognition consistent with extensive neuropathology in the retina. 12A12 is a monoclonal cleavage specific antibody (mAb) that in vivo selectively neutralizes the AD-relevant, harmful N-terminal 20-22 kDa tau fragment(s) (i.e., NH2htau) without affecting the full-length normal protein. When systemically injected into the Tg2576 mouse model overexpressing a mutant form of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), APPK670/671L linked to early onset familial AD, this conformation-specific tau mAb successfully reduces the NH2htau accumulating both in their brain and retina and, thus, markedly alleviates the phenotype-associated signs. By means of a combined biochemical and metabolic experimental approach, we report that 12A12mAb downregulates the steady state expression levels of APP and Beta-Secretase 1 (BACE-1) and, thus, limits the Amyloid beta (Aβ) production both in the hippocampus and retina from this AD animal model. The local, antibody-mediated anti-amyloidogenic action is paralleled in vivo by coordinated modulation of the endocytic (BIN1, RIN3) and bioenergetic (glycolysis and L-Lactate) pathways. These findings indicate for the first time that similar molecular and metabolic retino-cerebral pathways are modulated in a coordinated fashion in response to 12A12mAb treatment to tackle the neurosensorial Aβ accumulation in AD neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Atlante
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Malerba
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico La Regina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bijorn Omar Balzamino
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Micera
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Annabella Pignataro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Egidio Stigliano
- Area of Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Hu Z, Ondrejcak T, Yu P, Zhang Y, Yang Y, Klyubin I, Kennelly SP, Rowan MJ, Hu NW. Do tau-synaptic long-term depression interactions in the hippocampus play a pivotal role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease? Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1213-1219. [PMID: 36453396 PMCID: PMC9838152 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.360166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease correlates with the extent of tau pathology, in particular tau hyperphosphorylation that initially appears in the transentorhinal and related regions of the brain including the hippocampus. Recent evidence indicates that tau hyperphosphorylation caused by either amyloid-β or long-term depression, a form of synaptic weakening involved in learning and memory, share similar mechanisms. Studies from our group and others demonstrate that long-term depression-inducing low-frequency stimulation triggers tau phosphorylation at different residues in the hippocampus under different experimental conditions including aging. Conversely, certain forms of long-term depression at hippocampal glutamatergic synapses require endogenous tau, in particular, phosphorylation at residue Ser396. Elucidating the exact mechanisms of interaction between tau and long-term depression may help our understanding of the physiological and pathological functions of tau/tau (hyper)phosphorylation. We first summarize experimental evidence regarding tau-long-term depression interactions, followed by a discussion of possible mechanisms by which this interplay may influence the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Finally, we conclude with some thoughts and perspectives on future research about these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengtao Hu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui Province, China
| | - Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Pengpeng Yu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yangyang Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yin Yang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sean P. Kennelly
- Department of Age-Related Healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland,Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael J. Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland,Correspondence to: Neng-Wei Hu, .
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8
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Rawat P, Sehar U, Bisht J, Selman A, Culberson J, Reddy PH. Phosphorylated Tau in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Tauopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12841. [PMID: 36361631 PMCID: PMC9654278 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in elderly people. Amyloid beta (Aβ) deposits and neurofibrillary tangles are the major pathological features in an Alzheimer's brain. These proteins are highly expressed in nerve cells and found in most tissues. Tau primarily provides stabilization to microtubules in the part of axons and dendrites. However, tau in a pathological state becomes hyperphosphorylated, causing tau dysfunction and leading to synaptic impairment and degeneration of neurons. This article presents a summary of the role of tau, phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in AD, and other tauopathies. Tauopathies, including Pick's disease, frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, argyrophilic grain disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Huntington's disease, are the result of misprocessing and accumulation of tau within the neuronal and glial cells. This article also focuses on current research on the post-translational modifications and genetics of tau, tau pathology, the role of tau in tauopathies and the development of new drugs targeting p-tau, and the therapeutics for treating and possibly preventing tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Rawat
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Ujala Sehar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Jasbir Bisht
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Ashley Selman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - John Culberson
- Department of Family Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - P. Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Nutritional Sciences Department, College Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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9
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Barbolina MV. Targeting Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau in Chemotherapy-Resistant Models of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4535. [PMID: 36139693 PMCID: PMC9496900 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsed, recurrent, chemotherapy-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is the deadliest stage of this disease. Expression of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) has been linked to resistance to paclitaxel treatment. Here, I used models of platinum-resistant and created models of platinum/paclitaxel-resistant high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma to examine the impact of reducing tau expression on cell survival and tumor burden in cell culture and xenograft and syngeneic models of the disease. Tau was overexpressed in platinum/paclitaxel-resistant models; expression of phosphoSer396 and phosphoThr181 species was also found. A treatment with leucomethylene blue reduced the levels of tau in treated cells, was cytotoxic in cell cultures, and efficiently reduced the tumor burden in xenograft models. Furthermore, a combination of leucomethylene blue and paclitaxel synergized in eliminating cancer cells in cell culture and xenograft models. These findings underscore the feasibility of targeting tau as a treatment option in terminal-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Barbolina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60091, USA
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10
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Ruiz-Gabarre D, Carnero-Espejo A, Ávila J, García-Escudero V. What's in a Gene? The Outstanding Diversity of MAPT. Cells 2022; 11:840. [PMID: 35269461 PMCID: PMC8909800 DOI: 10.3390/cells11050840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein encoded by the MAPT gene that carries out a myriad of physiological functions and has been linked to certain pathologies collectively termed tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, etc. Alternative splicing is a physiological process by which cells generate several transcripts from one single gene and may in turn give rise to different proteins from the same gene. MAPT transcripts have been proven to be subjected to alternative splicing, generating six main isoforms in the central nervous system. Research throughout the years has demonstrated that the splicing landscape of the MAPT gene is far more complex than that, including at least exon skipping events, the use of 3' and 5' alternative splice sites and, as has been recently discovered, also intron retention. In addition, MAPT alternative splicing has been showed to be regulated spatially and developmentally, further evidencing the complexity of the gene's splicing regulation. It is unclear what would drive the need for the existence of so many isoforms encoded by the same gene, but a wide range of functions have been ascribed to these Tau isoforms, both in physiology and pathology. In this review we offer a comprehensive up-to-date exploration of the mechanisms leading to the outstanding diversity of isoforms expressed from the MAPT gene and the functions in which such isoforms are involved, including their potential role in the onset and development of tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruiz-Gabarre
- Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-G.); (A.C.-E.)
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (UAM-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena Carnero-Espejo
- Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-G.); (A.C.-E.)
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Ávila
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (UAM-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Vega García-Escudero
- Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.R.-G.); (A.C.-E.)
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (UAM-CSIC), 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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11
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Latina V, Giacovazzo G, Calissano P, Atlante A, La Regina F, Malerba F, Dell’Aquila M, Stigliano E, Balzamino BO, Micera A, Coccurello R, Amadoro G. Tau Cleavage Contributes to Cognitive Dysfunction in Strepto-Zotocin-Induced Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease (sAD) Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212158. [PMID: 34830036 PMCID: PMC8618605 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau cleavage plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a widespread neurodegenerative disease whose incidence is expected to increase in the next years. While genetic and familial forms of AD (fAD) occurring early in life represent less than 1%, the sporadic and late-onset ones (sAD) are the most common, with ageing being an important risk factor. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of streptozotocin (STZ)—a compound used in the systemic induction of diabetes due to its ability to damage the pancreatic β cells and to induce insulin resistance—mimics in rodents several behavioral, molecular and histopathological hallmarks of sAD, including memory/learning disturbance, amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress and brain glucose hypometabolism. We have demonstrated that pathological truncation of tau at its N-terminal domain occurs into hippocampi from two well-established transgenic lines of fAD animal models, such as Tg2576 and 3xTg mice, and that it’s in vivo neutralization via intravenous (i.v.) administration of the cleavage-specific anti-tau 12A12 monoclonal antibody (mAb) is strongly neuroprotective. Here, we report the therapeutic efficacy of 12A12mAb in STZ-infused mice after 14 days (short-term immunization, STIR) and 21 days (long-term immunization regimen, LTIR) of i.v. delivery. A virtually complete recovery was detected after three weeks of 12A12mAb immunization in both novel object recognition test (NORT) and object place recognition task (OPRT). Consistently, three weeks of this immunization regimen relieved in hippocampi from ICV-STZ mice the AD-like up-regulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP), the tau hyperphosphorylation and neuroinflammation, likely due to modulation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3-β axis and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activities. Cerebral oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment, synaptic and histological alterations occurring in STZ-infused mice were also strongly attenuated by 12A12mAb delivery. These results further strengthen the causal role of N-terminal tau cleavage in AD pathogenesis and indicate that its specific neutralization by non-invasive administration of 12A12mAb can be a therapeutic option for both fAD and sAD patients, as well as for those showing type 2 diabetes as a comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (F.L.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Giacomo Giacovazzo
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy;
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (F.L.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Anna Atlante
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM)-CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Federico La Regina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (F.L.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Francesca Malerba
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (F.L.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Marco Dell’Aquila
- Area of Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.D.); (E.S.)
| | - Egidio Stigliano
- Area of Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.D.); (E.S.)
| | - Bijorn Omar Balzamino
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6I, 00184 Rome, Italy; (B.O.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Alessandra Micera
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6I, 00184 Rome, Italy; (B.O.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Roberto Coccurello
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy;
- Institute for Complex System (ISC)-CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy; (V.L.); (P.C.); (F.L.R.); (F.M.)
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT)-CNR, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (R.C.); (G.A.)
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12
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Boyarko B, Hook V. Human Tau Isoforms and Proteolysis for Production of Toxic Tau Fragments in Neurodegeneration. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:702788. [PMID: 34744602 PMCID: PMC8566764 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.702788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The human tau protein is implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative “tauopathy” diseases, consisting of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration which includes progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Pick’s disease, and FTLD-tau (frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism caused by MAPT mutations). Tau gene transcripts in the human brain undergo alternative splicing to yield 6 different tau protein isoforms that are expressed in different ratios in neurodegeneration which result in tau pathology of paired-helical filaments, neurofibrillary tangles, and tau fibrillar aggregates with detrimental microtubule destabilization. Protease-mediated tau truncation is an important post-translational modification (PTM) which drives neurodegeneration in a tau fragment-dependent manner. While numerous tau fragments have been identified, knowledge of the proteolytic steps that convert each parent tau isoform into specific truncated tau fragments has not yet been fully defined. An improved understanding of the relationships between tau isoforms and their proteolytic processing to generate neurotoxic tau fragments is important to the field. This review evaluates tau isoform expression patterns including PTMs and mutations that influence proteolysis of tau to generate toxic fragments that drive cognitive deficits in AD and other tauopathy models. This assessment identifies the gap in the field on understanding the details of proteolytic steps used to convert each tau isoform into fragments. Knowledge of the processing mechanisms of tau isoforms can lead to new protease targeted drug strategies to prevent the formation of toxic tau fragments in tauopathy neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Boyarko
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Neurosciences and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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13
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Carroll T, Guha S, Nehrke K, Johnson GVW. Tau Post-Translational Modifications: Potentiators of Selective Vulnerability in Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:1047. [PMID: 34681146 PMCID: PMC8533264 DOI: 10.3390/biology10101047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and its severity is characterized by the progressive formation of tau neurofibrillary tangles along a well-described path through the brain. This spatial progression provides the basis for Braak staging of the pathological progression for AD. Tau protein is a necessary component of AD pathology, and recent studies have found that soluble tau species with selectively, but not extensively, modified epitopes accumulate along the path of disease progression before AD-associated insoluble aggregates form. As such, modified tau may represent a key cellular stressing agent that potentiates selective vulnerability in susceptible neurons during AD progression. Specifically, studies have found that tau phosphorylated at sites such as T181, T231, and S396 may initiate early pathological changes in tau by disrupting proper tau localization, initiating tau oligomerization, and facilitating tau accumulation and extracellular export. Thus, this review elucidates potential mechanisms through which tau post-translational modifications (PTMs) may simultaneously serve as key modulators of the spatial progression observed in AD development and as key instigators of early pathology related to neurodegeneration-relevant cellular dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trae Carroll
- Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Rochester, NY 14642, USA;
| | - Sanjib Guha
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Rochester, NY 14642, USA;
| | - Keith Nehrke
- Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Rochester, NY 14642, USA;
| | - Gail V. W. Johnson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Rochester, NY 14642, USA;
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14
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The Association between Tau Protein Level in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Cognitive Status: A Large-Scale Analysis of GAAIN Database. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070861. [PMID: 34209512 PMCID: PMC8301769 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the associated neurodegenerative dementia have become of increasing concern in healthcare. The tau protein has been considered a key hallmark of progressive neurodegeneration. In this paper, a large-scale analysis of five datasets (more than 2500 people) from the Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network (GAAIN) databases was performed to investigate the association between the level of tau protein, including total tau and phosphorylated tau (p-tau), in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cognitive status. Statistically significant (or marginally significant) high total tau or p-tau concentrations in CSF were observed in dementia patients compared with healthy people in all datasets. There is also a statistically significant (or marginally significant) negative correlation between p-tau concentrations in CSF and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. In addition, transcriptomic data derived from mouse microglial cells showed multiple genes upregulated in Toll-like receptor signaling and Alzheimer’s disease pathways, including TNF, TLR2, IL-1β, and COX subunits, suggesting that the mechanism of action that relates p-tau and MMSE scores may be through overactivation of pro-inflammatory microglial activity by Aβ peptides, TNF-mediated hyperphosphorylation of tau, and the infectious spread of pathological tau across healthy neurons. Our results not only confirmed the association between tau protein level and cognitive status in a large population but also provided useful information for the understanding of the role of tau in neurodegeneration and the development of dementia.
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15
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Latina V, Giacovazzo G, Cordella F, Balzamino BO, Micera A, Varano M, Marchetti C, Malerba F, Florio R, Ercole BB, La Regina F, Atlante A, Coccurello R, Di Angelantonio S, Calissano P, Amadoro G. Systemic delivery of a specific antibody targeting the pathological N-terminal truncated tau peptide reduces retinal degeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:38. [PMID: 33750467 PMCID: PMC7942014 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01138-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Retina and optic nerve are sites of extra-cerebral manifestations of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein are detected in eyes from AD patients and transgenic animals in correlation with inflammation, reduction of synapses, visual deficits, loss of retinal cells and nerve fiber. However, neither the pathological relevance of other post-translational tau modifications-such as truncation with generation of toxic fragments-nor the potential neuroprotective action induced by their in vivo clearance have been investigated in the context of AD retinal degeneration. We have recently developed a monoclonal tau antibody (12A12mAb) which selectively targets the neurotoxic 20-22 kDa NH2-derived peptide generated from pathological truncation at the N-terminal domain of tau without cross-reacting with its full-length normal protein. Previous studies have shown that 12A12mAb, when intravenously (i.v.)-injected into 6-month-old Tg2576 animals, markedly improves their AD-like, behavioural and neuropathological syndrome. By taking advantage of this well-established tau-directed immunization regimen, we found that 12A12mAb administration also exerts a beneficial action on biochemical, morphological and metabolic parameters (i.e. APP/Aβ processing, tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, synaptic proteins, microtubule stability, mitochondria-based energy production, neuronal death) associated with ocular injury in the AD phenotype. These findings prospect translational implications in the AD field by: (1) showing for the first time that cleavage of tau takes part in several pathological changes occurring in vivo in affected retinas and vitreous bodies and that its deleterious effects are successfully antagonized by administration of the specific 12A12mAb; (2) shedding further insights on the tight connections between neurosensory retina and brain, in particular following tau-based immunotherapy. In our view, the parallel response we detected in this preclinical animal model, both in the eye and in the hippocampus, following i.v. 12A12mAb injection opens novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for the clinical management of cerebral and extracerebral AD signs in human beings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Giacovazzo
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Cordella
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bijorn Omar Balzamino
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Micera
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Varano
- Research Laboratories in Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 6, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchetti
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Malerba
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Bruni Ercole
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico La Regina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Atlante
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM)-CNR, Via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Coccurello
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Fosso del Fiorano 64-65, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Institute for Complex System (ISC)-CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
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16
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Amadoro G, Latina V, Calissano P. A long story for a short peptide: therapeutic efficacy of a cleavage-specific tau antibody. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:2417-2419. [PMID: 33907025 PMCID: PMC8374586 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.313043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Amadoro
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT)-National Research Council (CNR), Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133-Rome; European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161-Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Latina
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161-Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Calissano
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Viale Regina Elena 295, 00161-Rome, Italy
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17
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Saeedi M, Felegari P, Iraji A, Hariri R, Rastegari A, Mirfazli SS, Edraki N, Firuzi O, Mahdavi M, Akbarzadeh T. Novel N-benzylpiperidine derivatives of 5-arylisoxazole-3-carboxamides as anti-Alzheimer's agents. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2020; 354:e2000258. [PMID: 33226157 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202000258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The complex pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has prompted researchers to develop multitarget-directed molecules to find an effective therapy against the disease. In this context, a novel series of N-(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)-5-arylisoxazole-3-carboxamide derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). In vitro biological evaluation demonstrated that compound 4e was the best AChE (IC50 = 16.07 μM) and BuChE inhibitor (IC50 = 15.16 μM). A kinetic study of 4e was also conducted, which presented a mixed-type inhibition for both enzymes. Molecular docking studies revealed that compound 4e fitted well into the active sites of AChE and BuChE, forming stable and strong interactions with key residues Glu199, Trp84, Asp72, Tyr121, and Phe288 in AChE and His438, Trp82, Ala328, Tyr332, Phe329, Thr120, and Pro285 in BuChE. Besides, the inhibition of BACE1 by 4e and the biometal chelation activity of 4e were measured. The neuroprotective assessment revealed that 4e exhibited 23.2% protection at 50 µM toward amyloid-beta-induced PC12 neuronal cells. Overall, this study exhibited that compound 4e was a promising compound targeting multiple factors associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Saeedi
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Persian Medicine and Pharmacy Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Peyman Felegari
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aida Iraji
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Roshanak Hariri
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arezoo Rastegari
- Persian Medicine and Pharmacy Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - S Sara Mirfazli
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy-International Campus, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Najmeh Edraki
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Omidreza Firuzi
- Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdavi
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tahmineh Akbarzadeh
- Persian Medicine and Pharmacy Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Luna-Viramontes NI, Campa-Córdoba BB, Ontiveros-Torres MÁ, Harrington CR, Villanueva-Fierro I, Guadarrama-Ortíz P, Garcés-Ramírez L, de la Cruz F, Hernandes-Alejandro M, Martínez-Robles S, González-Ballesteros E, Pacheco-Herrero M, Luna-Muñoz J. PHF-Core Tau as the Potential Initiating Event for Tau Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:247. [PMID: 33132840 PMCID: PMC7511711 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among the elderly worldwide. Clinically, AD is characterized by impaired memory accompanied by other deficiencies in the cognitive domain. Neuritic plaques (NPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are histopathological lesions that define brains with AD. NFTs consist of abundant intracellular paired helical filaments (PHFs) whose main constituent is tau protein. Tau undergoes posttranslational changes including hyperphosphorylation and truncation, both of which favor conformational changes in the protein. The sequential pathological processing of tau is illustrated with the following specific markers: pT231, TG3, AT8, AT100, and Alz50. Two proteolysis sites for tau have been described-truncation at glutamate 391 and at aspartate 421-and which can be demonstrated by reactivity with the antibodies 423 and TauC-3, respectively. In this review, we describe the molecular changes in tau protein as pre-NFTs progress to extracellular NFTs and during which the formation of a minimal nucleus of the filament, as the PHF core, occurs. We also analyzed the PHF core as the initiator of PHFs and tau phosphorylation as a protective neuronal mechanism against the assembly of the PHF core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Itzi Luna-Viramontes
- National Dementia BioBank, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.,Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - B Berenice Campa-Córdoba
- National Dementia BioBank, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.,Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Charles R Harrington
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | | | - Parménides Guadarrama-Ortíz
- Departamento de Neurocirugía, Centro Especializado en Neurocirugía y Neurociencias México, CENNM, CDMX, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Linda Garcés-Ramírez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fidel de la Cruz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mario Hernandes-Alejandro
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (UPIBI-IPN), Mexico City, México
| | - Sandra Martínez-Robles
- National Dementia BioBank, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Erik González-Ballesteros
- National Dementia BioBank, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mar Pacheco-Herrero
- Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
| | - José Luna-Muñoz
- National Dementia BioBank, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Imbimbo BP, Ippati S, Watling M. Should drug discovery scientists still embrace the amyloid hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease or should they be looking elsewhere? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:1241-1251. [PMID: 32686970 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1793755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's Disease (AD) represents a large and growing challenge to patients, carers and healthcare systems, yet extensive efforts to develop therapeutics to modify its course have been met with repeated failure in recent decades. Although the evident presence of accumulated β-amyloid (Aβ) in AD brains has singled it out as an obvious therapeutic target, the effective reduction of plaque load or soluble Aβ by numerous drug candidates has not produced commensurate clinical benefits - calling into question the Aβ cascade hypothesis of AD. A similar path is now unfolding in the pursuit of therapeutics targeting hyperphosphorylated tau-comprised neurofibrillary tangles. AREAS COVERED This perspective reviews the basis of the Aβ cascade hypothesis of AD and how clinical trials of anti-Aβ drugs have failed to support it, and reflects upon the early findings suggesting that a similar path is being followed with therapeutics targeting tau. Other potential approaches to identifying therapeutics for AD are explored herein. EXPERT OPINION The relevance of the Aβ cascade hypothesis to the development of therapeutics for AD appears disproven. Drugs targeting tau appear to be suffering the same fate but may yet produce better results. Alternative approaches are being pursued, some of them with initial small-scale, but promising, results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefania Ippati
- Experimental Imaging Center, San Raffaele Scientific Institute , Milano, Italy
| | - Mark Watling
- CNS & Pain Department, Transcrip Partners LLP Reading , Berkshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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20
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Corsetti V, Borreca A, Latina V, Giacovazzo G, Pignataro A, Krashia P, Natale F, Cocco S, Rinaudo M, Malerba F, Florio R, Ciarapica R, Coccurello R, D’Amelio M, Ammassari-Teule M, Grassi C, Calissano P, Amadoro G. Passive immunotherapy for N-truncated tau ameliorates the cognitive deficits in two mouse Alzheimer's disease models. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa039. [PMID: 32954296 PMCID: PMC7425324 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and neuropathological studies have shown that tau pathology better correlates with the severity of dementia than amyloid plaque burden, making tau an attractive target for the cure of Alzheimer's disease. We have explored whether passive immunization with the 12A12 monoclonal antibody (26-36aa of tau protein) could improve the Alzheimer's disease phenotype of two well-established mouse models, Tg2576 and 3xTg mice. 12A12 is a cleavage-specific monoclonal antibody which selectively binds the pathologically relevant neurotoxic NH226-230 fragment (i.e. NH2htau) of tau protein without cross-reacting with its full-length physiological form(s). We found out that intravenous administration of 12A12 monoclonal antibody into symptomatic (6 months old) animals: (i) reaches the hippocampus in its biologically active (antigen-binding competent) form and successfully neutralizes its target; (ii) reduces both pathological tau and amyloid precursor protein/amyloidβ metabolisms involved in early disease-associated synaptic deterioration; (iii) improves episodic-like type of learning/memory skills in hippocampal-based novel object recognition and object place recognition behavioural tasks; (iv) restores the specific up-regulation of the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein involved in consolidation of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity; (v) relieves the loss of dendritic spine connectivity in pyramidal hippocampal CA1 neurons; (vi) rescues the Alzheimer's disease-related electrophysiological deficits in hippocampal long-term potentiation at the CA3-CA1 synapses; and (vii) mitigates the neuroinflammatory response (reactive gliosis). These findings indicate that the 20-22 kDa NH2-terminal tau fragment is crucial target for Alzheimer's disease therapy and prospect immunotherapy with 12A12 monoclonal antibody as safe (normal tau-preserving), beneficial approach in contrasting the early Amyloidβ-dependent and independent neuropathological and cognitive alterations in affected subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antonella Borreca
- Humanitas University Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Pathology, Neuro Center, 20089 Milan, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Paraskevi Krashia
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Department of Science and Technology for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Natale
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Cocco
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Rinaudo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Coccurello
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Institute for Complex Systems (ISC), CNR, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Amelio
- IRCSS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Department of Science and Technology for Humans and Environment, University Campus Bio-medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Grassi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Human Physiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppina Amadoro
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT)–National Research Council (CNR), 00133 Rome, Italy
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