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Ye J, Wan H, Chen S, Liu GP. Targeting tau in Alzheimer's disease: from mechanisms to clinical therapy. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1489-1498. [PMID: 38051891 PMCID: PMC10883484 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease affecting older adults. Primary features of Alzheimer's disease include extracellular aggregation of amyloid-β plaques and the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles, formed by tau protein, in the cells. While there are amyloid-β-targeting therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, these therapies are costly and exhibit potential negative side effects. Mounting evidence suggests significant involvement of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease-related neurodegeneration. As an important microtubule-associated protein, tau plays an important role in maintaining the stability of neuronal microtubules and promoting axonal growth. In fact, clinical studies have shown that abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein occurs before accumulation of amyloid-β in the brain. Various therapeutic strategies targeting tau protein have begun to emerge, and are considered possible methods to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, abnormalities in post-translational modifications of the tau protein, including aberrant phosphorylation, ubiquitination, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)ylation, acetylation, and truncation, contribute to its microtubule dissociation, misfolding, and subcellular missorting. This causes mitochondrial damage, synaptic impairments, gliosis, and neuroinflammation, eventually leading to neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits. This review summarizes the recent findings on the underlying mechanisms of tau protein in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease and discusses tau-targeted treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwang Ye
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huali Wan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Sihua Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Gong-Ping Liu
- Co-innovation Center of Neurodegeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of China and Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
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2
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Yu Y, Martins LM. Mitochondrial One-Carbon Metabolism and Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6302. [PMID: 38928008 PMCID: PMC11203557 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126302] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism provides carbon units to several pathways, including nucleic acid synthesis, mitochondrial metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and methylation reactions. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease, characterised by impaired energy metabolism, and is potentially linked to mitochondrial bioenergetics. Here, we discuss the intersection between the molecular pathways linked to both mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. We propose that enhancing one-carbon metabolism could promote the metabolic processes that help brain cells cope with Alzheimer's disease-related injuries. We also highlight potential therapeutic avenues to leverage one-carbon metabolism to delay Alzheimer's disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Yu
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - L. Miguel Martins
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
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3
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De Plano LM, Saitta A, Oddo S, Caccamo A. Epigenetic Changes in Alzheimer's Disease: DNA Methylation and Histone Modification. Cells 2024; 13:719. [PMID: 38667333 PMCID: PMC11049073 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080719] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss, imposing a significant burden on affected individuals and their families. Despite the recent promising progress in therapeutic approaches, more needs to be done to understand the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of AD. Growing evidence points to epigenetic changes as playing a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The dynamic interplay between genetic and environmental factors influences the epigenetic landscape in AD, altering gene expression patterns associated with key pathological events associated with disease pathogenesis. To this end, epigenetic alterations not only impact the expression of genes implicated in AD pathogenesis but also contribute to the dysregulation of crucial cellular processes, including synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Understanding the complex epigenetic mechanisms in AD provides new avenues for therapeutic interventions. This review comprehensively examines the role of DNA methylation and histone modifications in the context of AD. It aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of AD pathogenesis and facilitate the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Maria De Plano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.S.); (S.O.)
| | | | | | - Antonella Caccamo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (A.S.); (S.O.)
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4
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Salmani F, Mohammadi M, Seif R, Khatami SH, Noori S, Tehrani HS, Riazi G, Balalaie S, Moosavi-Movahedi AA, Fard AM, Mahnam K, Keramatinia A, Tafakhori A, Aghamollaii V, Toutounchi AH, Shahmohammadi MR, Karima S. Lysine ε-aminolysis and incorporation of sulfhydryl groups into human brain tau 4R/1N and 306VQIVYK 311 enhances the formation of beta structures and toxicity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 263:130223. [PMID: 38365146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130223] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the effects of N-homocysteine thiolactone (tHcy) modification on expressed and purified tau protein and the synthesized VQIVYK target peptide. The modified constructs were subjected to comprehensive validation using various methodologies, including mass spectrometry. Subsequently, in vivo, in vitro, and in silico characterizations were performed under both reducing and non-reducing conditions, as well as in the presence and absence of heparin as a cofactor. Our results unequivocally confirmed that under reducing conditions and in the presence of heparin, the modified constructs exhibited a greater propensity for aggregation. This enhanced aggregative behavior can be attributed to the disruption of lysine positive charges and the subsequent influence of hydrophobic and p-stacking intermolecular forces. Notably, the modified oligomeric species induced apoptosis in the SH-SY5Y cell line, and this effect was further exacerbated with longer incubation times and higher concentrations of the modifier. These observations suggest a potential mechanism involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). To gain a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the neurotoxic effects, further investigations are warranted. Elucidating these mechanisms will contribute to the development of more effective strategies to counteract aggregation and mitigate neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Salmani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran
| | - Marjan Mohammadi
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roozbeh Seif
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Hossein Khatami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran
| | - Shokoofeh Noori
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Gholamhossein Riazi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Balalaie
- Peptide Chemistry Research Center, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Karim Mahnam
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Nanotechnology Research Center, Sharekord University, Sharekord, Iran
| | - Aliasghar Keramatinia
- Department of Community Medicine,Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Tafakhori
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Vajiheh Aghamollaii
- Neurology Department, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Haghbin Toutounchi
- Department of general surgery, Imam Hosein medical and educational center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran,Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Shahmohammadi
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Karima
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran.
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5
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Zhang JF, Fang ZT, Zhao JN, Liu GP, Shen X, Jiang GF, Liu Q. Acetylated tau exacerbates apoptosis by disturbing mitochondrial dynamics in HEK293 cells. J Neurochem 2024; 168:288-302. [PMID: 38275215 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16053] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
An increase in tau acetylation at K274 and K281 and abnormal mitochondrial dynamics have been observed in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Here, we constructed three types of tau plasmids, TauKQ (acetylated tau mutant, by mutating its K274/K281 into glutamine to mimic disease-associated lysine acetylation), TauKR (non-acetylated tau mutant, by mutating its K274/K281 into arginine), and TauWT (wild-type human full-length tau). By transfecting these tau plasmids in HEK293 cells, we found that TauWT and TauKR induced mitochondrial fusion by increasing the level of mitochondrial fusion proteins. Conversely, TauKQ induced mitochondrial fission by reducing mitochondrial fusion proteins, exacerbating mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. BGP-15 ameliorated TauKQ-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis by improving mitochondrial dynamics. Our findings suggest that acetylation of K274/281 represents an important post-translational modification site regulating mitochondrial dynamics, and that BGP-15 holds potential as a therapeutic agent for mitochondria-associated diseases such as AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Fei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhi-Ting Fang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jun-Ning Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Gong-Ping Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xin Shen
- School of Stomatology and Ophthalmology, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China
| | - Gao-Feng Jiang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of China/Hubei Province for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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6
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Alhadidy MM, Kanaan NM. Biochemical approaches to assess the impact of post-translational modifications on pathogenic tau conformations using recombinant protein. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:301-318. [PMID: 38348781 PMCID: PMC10903483 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230596] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Aggregates of tau are thought of as a main contributor to neurodegeneration in these diseases. Increasingly, evidence points to earlier, soluble conformations of abnormally modified monomers and multimeric tau as toxic forms of tau. The biological processes driving tau from physiological species to pathogenic conformations remain poorly understood, but certain avenues are currently under investigation including the functional consequences of various pathological tau changes (e.g. mutations, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and protein-protein interactions). PTMs can regulate several aspects of tau biology such as proteasomal and autophagic clearance, solubility, and aggregation. Moreover, PTMs can contribute to the transition of tau from normal to pathogenic conformations. However, our understating of how PTMs specifically regulate the transition of tau into pathogenic conformations is partly impeded by the relative lack of structured frameworks to assess and quantify these conformations. In this review, we describe a set of approaches that includes several in vitro assays to determine the contribution of PTMs to tau's transition into known pathogenic conformations. The approaches begin with different methods to create recombinant tau proteins carrying specific PTMs followed by validation of the PTMs status. Then, we describe a set of biochemical and biophysical assays that assess the contribution of a given PTM to different tau conformations, including aggregation, oligomerization, exposure of the phosphatase-activating domain, and seeding. Together, these approaches can facilitate the advancement of our understanding of the relationships between PTMs and tau conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed M. Alhadidy
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Nicholas M. Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
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7
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Song H, Liu J, Wang L, Hu X, Li J, Zhu L, Pang R, Zhang A. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid: a bile acid that may be used for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1348844. [PMID: 38440398 PMCID: PMC10909943 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1348844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease that has become one of the main factors affecting human health. It has serious impacts on individuals, families, and society. With the development of population aging, the incidence of AD will further increase worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that many physiological metabolic processes, such as lipid metabolism, are implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. Bile acids, as the main undertakers of lipid metabolism, play an important role in the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, an endogenous bile acid, has been proven to possess therapeutic effects in different neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. This review tries to find the relationship between bile acid metabolism and AD, as well as explore the therapeutic potential of bile acid taurocursodeoxycholic acid for this disease. The potential mechanisms of taurocursodeoxycholic acid may include reducing the deposition of Amyloid-β protein, regulating apoptotic pathways, preventing tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation, protecting neuronal synapses, exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties, and improving metabolic disorders. The objective of this study is to shed light on the use of tauroursodeoxycholic acid preparations in the prevention and treatment of AD, with the aim of identifying effective treatment targets and clarifying various treatment mechanisms involved in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Song
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Linjie Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaomin Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiayu Li
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Zhu
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Rizhao Pang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, China
| | - Anren Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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8
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Ayoub CA, Moore KI, Kuret J. Quantification of Methylation and Phosphorylation Stoichiometry. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:221-235. [PMID: 38512670 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_13] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodegenerative disorders accompanied by the conversion of functional forms of the microtubule associated protein Tau into non-functional aggregates. A variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on Tau precede or accompany the conversion, placing them in position to modulate Tau function as well as its propensity to aggregate. Although Tau PTMs can be characterized by their sites of modification, their total stoichiometry when summed over all sites also is an important metric of their potential impact on function. Here we provide a protocol for rapidly producing recombinant Tau with enzyme-specific PTMs at high stoichiometry in vitro and demonstrate its utility in the context of hyperphosphorylation. Additionally, protocols for estimating phosphorylation and methylation stoichiometry on Tau proteins isolated from any source are presented. Together these methods support experimentation on Tau PTM function over a wide range of experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Ayoub
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Khadijah I Moore
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jeff Kuret
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
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9
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Schneeweis A, Pak DTS. Wherefore Art Tau? Functional importance of site-specific tau phosphorylation in diverse subcellular domains. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 164:106475. [PMID: 37778693 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106475] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Tau has canonically been considered as an axonal protein, but studies have observed tau localization in other subcellular domains of neurons. This relocated tau has been identified in both physiological and pathological conditions, and it is often labeled mislocalized. Furthermore, these forms of tau are referred to as "hyperphosphorylated" without specifying the phosphosites involved. On the contrary, we speculate that tau may have multiple physiological functions in various locations regulated via specific phosphorylation sites, although this picture is obscured by a lack of comprehensive phosphosite analysis. Here, we examine findings in the literature on the subcellular location of tau and potential roles tau has in those regions. We intentionally focus on the site-specific phosphorylated patterns involved in governing these properties, which are not well elucidated. To facilitate understanding of these events, we have begun establishing a comprehensive map of tau phosphorylation signatures. Such efforts may clarify tau's diverse physiological functions beyond the axon as well as promote development of novel therapeutic strategies directed against distinct tau subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Schneeweis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Daniel T S Pak
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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10
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Shah SJA, Zhang Q, Guo J, Liu H, Liu H, Villà-Freixa J. Identification of Aggregation Mechanism of Acetylated PHF6* and PHF6 Tau Peptides Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Markov State Modeling. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3959-3971. [PMID: 37830541 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) has a critical role in the development and preservation of the nervous system. However, tau's dysfunction and accumulation in the human brain can lead to several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome, and frontotemporal dementia. The microtubule binding (MTB) domain plays a significant, important role in determining the tau's pathophysiology, as the core of paired helical filaments PHF6* (275VQIINK280) and PHF6 (306VQIVYK311) of R2 and R3 repeat units, respectively, are formed in this region, which promotes tau aggregation. Post-translational modifications, and in particular lysine acetylation at K280 of PHF6* and K311 of PHF6, have been previously established to promote tau misfolding and aggregation. However, the exact aggregation mechanism is not known. In this study, we established an atomic-level nucleation-extension mechanism of the separated aggregation of acetylated PHF6* and PHF6 hexapeptides, respectively, of tau. We show that the acetylation of the lysine residues promotes the formation of β-sheet enriched high-ordered oligomers. The Markov state model analysis of ac-PHF6* and ac-PHF6 aggregation revealed the formation of an antiparallel dimer nucleus which could be extended from both sides in a parallel manner to form mixed-oriented and high-ordered oligomers. Our study describes the detailed mechanism for acetylation-driven tau aggregation, which provides valuable insights into the effect of post-translation modification in altering the pathophysiology of tau hexapeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, 999078 Macao, SAR, China
| | - Jingjing Guo
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, 999078 Macao, SAR, China
| | - Hongli Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, 221004 Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, 999078 Macao, SAR, China
| | - Jordi Villà-Freixa
- Departament de Biociències, Universitat de Vic─Universitat Central de Catalunya, 08500 Vic, Spain
- Institut de Recerca i Innovació en Ciències de la Vida i de la Salut a la Catalunya Central (IRIS-CC), 08500 Vic, Spain
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11
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Hu J, Sha W, Yuan S, Wu J, Huang Y. Aggregation, Transmission, and Toxicity of the Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau: A Complex Comprehension. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15023. [PMID: 37834471 PMCID: PMC10573976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241915023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau is an intrinsically disordered protein containing a few short and transient secondary structures. Tau physiologically associates with microtubules (MTs) for its stabilization and detaches from MTs to regulate its dynamics. Under pathological conditions, tau is abnormally modified, detaches from MTs, and forms protein aggregates in neuronal and glial cells. Tau protein aggregates can be found in a number of devastating neurodegenerative diseases known as "tauopathies", such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), etc. However, it is still unclear how the tau protein is compacted into ordered protein aggregates, and the toxicity of the aggregates is still debated. Fortunately, there has been considerable progress in the study of tau in recent years, particularly in the understanding of the intercellular transmission of pathological tau species, the structure of tau aggregates, and the conformational change events in the tau polymerization process. In this review, we summarize the concepts of tau protein aggregation and discuss the views on tau protein transmission and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Wenchi Sha
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shuangshuang Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yunpeng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
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12
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Singh R, Hussain J, Kaur A, Jamdare BG, Pathak D, Garg K, Kaur R, Shankar S, Sunkaria A. The hidden players: Shedding light on the significance of post-translational modifications and miRNAs in Alzheimer's disease development. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 90:102002. [PMID: 37423542 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent, expensive, lethal, and burdening neurodegenerative disease of this century. The initial stages of this disease are characterized by a reduced ability to encode and store new memories. Subsequent cognitive and behavioral deterioration occurs during the later stages. Abnormal cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) resulting in amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation along with hyperphosphorylation of tau protein are the two characteristic hallmarks of AD. Recently, several post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been identified on both Aβ as well as tau proteins. However, a complete understanding of how different PTMs influence the structure and function of proteins in both healthy and diseased conditions is still lacking. It has been speculated that these PTMs might play vital roles in the progression of AD. In addition, several short non-coding microRNA (miRNA) sequences have been found to be deregulated in the peripheral blood of Alzheimer patients. The miRNAs are single-stranded RNAs that control gene expression by causing mRNA degradation, deadenylation, or translational repression and have been implicated in the regulation of several neuronal and glial activities. The lack of comprehensive understanding regarding disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets greatly hampers the development of effective strategies for early diagnosis and the identification of viable therapeutic targets. Moreover, existing treatment options for managing the disease have proven to be ineffective and provide only temporary relief. Therefore, understanding the role of miRNAs and PTMs in AD can provide valuable insights into disease mechanisms, aid in the identification of biomarkers, facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic targets, and inspire innovative treatments for this challenging condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravinder Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Julfequar Hussain
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Amandeep Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Balaji Gokul Jamdare
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Deepti Pathak
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Kanchan Garg
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Ramanpreet Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Shivani Shankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Aditya Sunkaria
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India.
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13
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Flavin WP, Hosseini H, Ruberti JW, Kavehpour HP, Giza CC, Prins ML. Traumatic brain injury and the pathways to cerebral tau accumulation. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1239653. [PMID: 37638180 PMCID: PMC10450935 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1239653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau is a protein that has received national mainstream recognition for its potential negative impact to the brain. This review succinctly provides information on the structure of tau and its normal physiological functions, including in hibernation and changes throughout the estrus cycle. There are many pathways involved in phosphorylating tau including diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain injury, aging, and drug use. The common mechanisms for these processes are put into context with changes observed in mild and repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The phosphorylation of tau is a part of the progression to pathology, but the ability for tau to aggregate and propagate is also addressed. Summarizing both the functional and dysfunctional roles of tau can help advance our understanding of this complex protein, improve our care for individuals with a history of TBI, and lead to development of therapeutic interventions to prevent or reverse tau-mediated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P. Flavin
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Helia Hosseini
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey W. Ruberti
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - H. Pirouz Kavehpour
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Christopher C. Giza
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Injury Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mayumi L. Prins
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Injury Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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14
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Romero-Fernandez W, Carvajal-Tapia C, Prusky A, Katdare KA, Wang E, Shostak A, Ventura-Antunes L, Harmsen HJ, Lippmann ES, Fuxe K, MacGurn JA, Borroto-Escuela DO, Schrag MS. Detection, visualization and quantification of protein complexes in human Alzheimer's disease brains using proximity ligation assay. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11948. [PMID: 37488165 PMCID: PMC10366145 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38000-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Examination of healthy and diseased human brain is essential to translational neuroscience. Protein-protein interactions play a pivotal role in physiological and pathological processes, but their detection is difficult, especially in aged and fixed human brain tissue. We used the in-situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) to broaden the range of molecular interactions assessable in-situ in the human neuropathology. We adapted fluorescent in-situ PLA to detect ubiquitin-modified proteins in human brains with Alzheimer's disease (AD), including approaches for the management of autofluorescence and quantification using a high-content image analysis system. We confirmed that phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau (Serine202, Threonine205) aggregates were modified by ubiquitin and that phospho-tau-ubiquitin complexes were increased in hippocampal and frontal cortex regions in AD compared to non-AD brains. Overall, we refined PLA for use in human neuropathology, which has revealed a profound change in the distribution of ubiquitin in AD brain and its association with characteristic tau pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilber Romero-Fernandez
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA.
| | - Cristian Carvajal-Tapia
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Alex Prusky
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Ketaki A Katdare
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Emmeline Wang
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Alena Shostak
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Lissa Ventura-Antunes
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Hannah J Harmsen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Ethan S Lippmann
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Kjell Fuxe
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jason A MacGurn
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Dasiel O Borroto-Escuela
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
- Receptomics and Brain Disorders Lab, Department of Human Physiology, Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaga, Edificio Lopez-Penalver, Jimenez Fraud 10, 29071, Málaga, Spain
| | - Matthew S Schrag
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MRBIII 465 21St Avenue S, Suite 6158, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA.
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
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15
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Chen Y, Yu Y. Tau and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease: interplay mechanisms and clinical translation. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:165. [PMID: 37452321 PMCID: PMC10349496 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02853-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) contributes to most cases of dementia. Its prominent neuropathological features are the extracellular neuritic plaques and intercellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of aggregated β-amyloid (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, respectively. In the past few decades, disease-modifying therapy targeting Aβ has been the focus of AD drug development. Even though it is encouraging that two of these drugs have recently received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval for AD treatment, their efficacy or long-term safety is controversial. Tau has received increasing attention as a potential therapeutic target, since evidence indicates that tau pathology is more associated with cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, inflammation, especially neuroinflammation, accompanies AD pathological processes and is also linked to cognitive deficits. Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation has a complex and tight interplay with tau pathology. Here, we review recent evidence on the interaction between tau pathology, focusing on tau post-translational modification and dissemination, and neuroinflammatory responses, including glial cell activation and inflammatory signaling pathways. Then, we summarize the latest clinical trials targeting tau and neuroinflammation. Sustained and increased inflammatory responses in glial cells and neurons are pivotal cellular drivers and regulators of the exacerbation of tau pathology, which further contributes to its worsening by aggravating inflammatory responses. Unraveling the precise mechanisms underlying the relationship between tau pathology and neuroinflammation will provide new insights into the discovery and clinical translation of therapeutic targets for AD and other tau-related diseases (tauopathies). Targeting multiple pathologies and precision therapy strategies will be the crucial direction for developing drugs for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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16
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Xia Y, Bell BM, Giasson BI. Tau Lysine Pseudomethylation Regulates Microtubule Binding and Enhances Prion-like Tau Aggregation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098286. [PMID: 37175990 PMCID: PMC10179186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can be classified as tauopathies, which are a group of neurodegenerative diseases that develop toxic tau aggregates in specific brain regions. These pathological tau inclusions are altered by various post-translational modifications (PTMs) that include phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation. Tau methylation has emerged as a target of interest for its potential involvement in tau pathomechanisms. Filamentous tau aggregates isolated from patients with AD are methylated at multiple lysine residues, although the exact methyltransferases have not been identified. One strategy to study the site-specific effects of methylation is to create methylation mimetics using a KFC model, which replaces lysine (K) with a hydrophobic group such as phenylalanine (F) to approximate the effects of lysine methylation (C or methyl group). In this study, tau methylmimetics were used to model several functional aspects of tau methylation such as effects on microtubule binding and tau aggregation in cell models. Overall, several tau methylmimetics displayed impaired microtubule binding, and tau methylmimetics enhanced prion-like seeded aggregation in the context of the FTD tau mutation P301L. Like other PTMs, tau methylation is a contributing factor to tau pathogenesis and could be a potential therapeutic drug target for the treatment of different tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Xia
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Brach M Bell
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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17
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The Involvement of Post-Translational Modifications in Regulating the Development and Progression of Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3617-3632. [PMID: 36877359 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03277-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been recently reported to be involved in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In detail, PTMs include phosphorylation, glycation, acetylation, sumoylation, ubiquitination, methylation, nitration, and truncation, which are associated with pathological functions of AD-related proteins, such as β-amyloid (Aβ), β-site APP-cleavage enzyme 1 (BACE1), and tau protein. In particular, the roles of aberrant PTMs in the trafficking, cleavage, and degradation of AD-associated proteins, leading to the cognitive decline of the disease, are summarized under AD conditions. By summarizing these research progress, the gaps will be filled between PMTs and AD, which will facilitate the discovery of potential biomarkers, leading to the establishment of novel clinical intervention methods against AD.
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18
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Romero-Fernandez W, Carvajal-Tapia C, Prusky A, Katdare K, Wang E, Shostak A, Ventura-Antunes L, Harmsen H, Lippmann E, Borroto-Escuela D, MacGurn J, Fuxe K, Schrag M. Detection, Visualization and Quantification of Protein Complexes in Human Alzheimer's Disease Brains using Proximity Ligation Assay. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2570335. [PMID: 36824944 PMCID: PMC9949263 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2570335/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Examination of healthy and diseased human brain is essential to translational neuroscience. Protein-protein interactions play a pivotal role in physiological and pathological processes, but their detection is difficult, especially in aged and fixed human brain tissue. We used the proximity ligation assay (PLA) to broaden the range of molecular interactions assessable in-situ in human neuropathology. We adapted fluorescent in-situ PLA to detect ubiquitin-modified proteins in human brains with Alzheimer's disease (AD), including approaches for the management of autofluorescence and quantification using a high-content image analysis system. We confirmed that hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau (Serine202, Threonine205) aggregates were modified by ubiquitin and that phospho-tau-ubiquitin complexes were increased in hippocampal and frontal cortex regions in AD compared to non-AD brains. Overall, we refined PLA for use in human neuropathology, which has revealed a profound change in the distribution of ubiquitin in AD brain and its association with characteristic tau pathologies.
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19
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Jorge-Oliva M, Smits JFM, Wiersma VI, Hoozemans JJM, Scheper W. Granulovacuolar degeneration bodies are independently induced by tau and α-synuclein pathology. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:187. [PMID: 36517915 PMCID: PMC9749177 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01128-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Granulovacuolar degeneration bodies (GVBs) are intracellular vesicular structures that commonly accompany pathological tau accumulations in neurons of patients with tauopathies. Recently, we developed the first model for GVBs in primary neurons, that requires exogenous tau seeds to elicit tau aggregation. This model allowed the identification of GVBs as proteolytically active lysosomes induced by tau pathology. GVBs selectively accumulate cargo in a dense core, that shows differential and inconsistent immunopositivity for (phosphorylated) tau epitopes. Despite the strong evidence connecting GVBs to tau pathology, these structures have been reported in neurons without apparent pathology in brain tissue of tauopathy patients. Additionally, GVBs and putative GVBs have also been reported in the brain of patients with non-tau proteinopathies. Here, we investigated the connection between pathological protein assemblies and GVBs in more detail. METHODS This study combined newly developed primary neuron models for tau and α-synuclein pathology with observations in human brain tissue from tauopathy and Parkinson's disease patients. Immunolabeling and imaging techniques were employed for extensive characterisation of pathological proteins and GVBs. Quantitative data were obtained by high-content automated microscopy as well as single-cell analysis of confocal images. RESULTS Employing a novel seed-independent neuronal tau/GVB model, we show that in the context of tauopathy, GVBs are inseparably associated with the presence of cytosolic pathological tau and that intracellular tau aggregation precedes GVB formation, strengthening the causal relationship between pathological accumulation of tau and GVBs. We also report that GVBs are inseparably associated with pathological tau at the single-cell level in the hippocampus of tauopathy patients. Paradoxically, we demonstrate the presence of GVBs in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease patients and in a primary neuron model for α-synuclein pathology. GVBs in this newly developed α-synuclein/GVB model are induced in the absence of cytosolic pathological tau accumulations. GVBs in the context of tau or α-synuclein pathology showed similar immunoreactivity for different phosphorylated tau epitopes. The phosphorylated tau immunoreactivity signature of GVBs is therefore independent of the presence of cytosolic tau pathology. CONCLUSION Our data identify the emergence of GVBs as a more generalised response to cytosolic protein pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Jorge-Oliva
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit (VU), De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jasper F. M. Smits
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit (VU), De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Vera I. Wiersma
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit (VU), De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J. M. Hoozemans
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wiep Scheper
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit (VU), De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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20
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Zhu Y, Gandy L, Zhang F, Liu J, Wang C, Blair LJ, Linhardt RJ, Wang L. Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Tauopathy. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1792. [PMID: 36551220 PMCID: PMC9776397 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, and are characterized by intraneuronal tau inclusion in the brain and the patient's cognitive decline with obscure pathogenesis. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, a major type of extracellular matrix, have been believed to involve in tauopathies. The heparan sulfate proteoglycans co-deposit with tau in Alzheimer's patient brain, directly bind to tau and modulate tau secretion, internalization, and aggregation. This review summarizes the current understanding of the functions and the modulated molecular pathways of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in tauopathies, as well as the implication of dysregulated heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression in tau pathology and the potential of targeting heparan sulfate proteoglycan-tau interaction as a novel therapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology, Byrd Alzheimer’s Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Lauren Gandy
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Laura J. Blair
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Byrd Alzheimer’s Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - Robert J. Linhardt
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
| | - Lianchun Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology, Byrd Alzheimer’s Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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21
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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: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [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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22
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Tabassum Z, Tseng JH, Isemann C, Tian X, Chen Y, Herring LE, Cohen TJ. Identification of a reciprocal negative feedback loop between tau-modifying proteins MARK2 kinase and CBP acetyltransferase. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101977. [PMID: 35469920 PMCID: PMC9136110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The posttranslational regulation of the neuronal proteome is critical for brain homeostasis but becomes dysregulated in the aged or diseased brain, in which abnormal posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are frequently observed. While the full extent of modified substrates that comprise the "PTM-ome" are slowly emerging, how the upstream enzymes catalyzing these processes are regulated themselves is not well understood, particularly in the context of neurodegeneration. Here, we describe the reciprocal regulation of a kinase, the microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 2 (MARK2), and an acetyltransferase, CREB-binding protein (CBP), two enzymes known to extensively modify tau proteins in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. We found that MARK2 negatively regulates CBP and, conversely, CBP directly acetylates and inhibits MARK2 kinase activity. These findings highlight a reciprocal negative feedback loop between a kinase and an acetyltransferase, which has implications for how PTM interplay is coordinated on substrates including tau. Our study suggests that PTM profiles occur through the posttranslational control of the master PTM remodeling enzymes themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarin Tabassum
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jui-Heng Tseng
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Camryn Isemann
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xu Tian
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Youjun Chen
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Laura E Herring
- UNC Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Todd J Cohen
- Department of Neurology, UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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23
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Mass Spectrometry for Neurobiomarker Discovery: The Relevance of Post-Translational Modifications. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081279. [PMID: 35455959 PMCID: PMC9031030 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable, heterogeneous, and age-dependent disorders that challenge modern medicine. A deeper understanding of the pathogenesis underlying neurodegenerative diseases is necessary to solve the unmet need for new diagnostic biomarkers and disease-modifying therapy and reduce these diseases’ burden. Specifically, post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a significant role in neurodegeneration. Due to its proximity to the brain parenchyma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has long been used as an indirect way to measure changes in the brain. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis in neurodegenerative diseases focusing on PTMs and in the context of biomarker discovery has improved and opened venues for analyzing more complex matrices such as brain tissue and blood. Notably, phosphorylated tau protein, truncated α-synuclein, APP and TDP-43, and many other modifications were extensively characterized by MS. Great potential is underlying specific pathological PTM-signatures for clinical application. This review focuses on PTM-modified proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases and highlights the most important and recent breakthroughs in MS-based biomarker discovery.
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Ye H, Han Y, Li P, Su Z, Huang Y. The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Structure and Function of Tau Protein. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1557-1571. [PMID: 35325356 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Involving addition of chemical groups or protein units to specific residues of the target protein, post-translational modifications (PTMs) alter the charge, hydrophobicity, and conformation of a protein, which in tune influences protein function, protein - protein interaction, and protein aggregation. While the occurrence of PTMs is dynamic and subject to regulations, conformational disorder of the target protein facilitates PTMs. The microtubule-associated protein tau is a typical intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes a variety of PTMs including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, methylation, and oxidation. Accumulated evidence shows that these PTMs play a critical role in regulating tau-microtubule interaction, tau localization, tau degradation and aggregation, and reinforces the correlation between tau PTMs and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review tau PTMs with an emphasis on their influence on tau structure. With available biophysical characterization results, we describe how PTMs induce conformational changes in tau monomer and regulate tau aggregation. Compared to functional analysis of tau PTMs, biophysical characterization of tau PTMs is lagging. While it is challenging, characterizing the specific effects of PTMs on tau conformation and interaction is indispensable to unravel the tau PTM code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yue Han
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
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25
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Shams H, Matsunaga A, Ma Q, Mofrad MR, Didonna A. Methylation at a conserved lysine residue modulates tau assembly and cellular functions. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 120:103707. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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26
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Torres AK, Rivera BI, Polanco CM, Jara C, Tapia-Rojas C. Phosphorylated tau as a toxic agent in synaptic mitochondria: implications in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1645-1651. [PMID: 35017410 PMCID: PMC8820692 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.332125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During normal aging, there is a decline in all physiological functions in the organism. One of the most affected organs is the brain, where neurons lose their proper synaptic function leading to cognitive impairment. Aging is one of the main risk factors for the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. One of the main responsible factors for synaptic dysfunction in aging and neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of abnormal proteins forming aggregates. The most studied brain aggregates are the senile plaques, formed by Aβ peptide; however, the aggregates formed by phosphorylated tau protein have gained relevance in the last years by their toxicity. It is reported that neurons undergo severe mitochondrial dysfunction with age, with a decrease in adenosine 5′-triphosphate production, loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, redox imbalance, impaired mitophagy, and loss of calcium buffer capacity. Interestingly, abnormal tau protein interacts with several mitochondrial proteins, suggesting that it could induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Nevertheless, whether tau-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction occurs indirectly or directly is still unknown. A recent study of our laboratory shows that phosphorylated tau at Ser396/404 (known as PHF-1), an epitope commonly related to pathology, accumulates inside mitochondria during normal aging. This accumulation occurs preferentially in synaptic mitochondria, which suggests that it may contribute to the synaptic failure and cognitive impairment seen in aged individuals. Here, we review the main tau modifications promoting mitochondrial dysfunction, and the possible mechanism involved. Also, we discuss the evidence that supports the possibility that phosphorylated tau accumulation in synaptic mitochondria promotes synaptic and cognitive impairment in aging. Finally, we show evidence and argue about the presence of phosphorylated tau PHF-1 inside mitochondria in Alzheimer’s disease, which could be considered as an early event in the neurodegenerative process. Thus, phosphorylated tau PHF-1 inside the mitochondria could be considered such a potential therapeutic target to prevent or attenuate age-related cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie K Torres
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bastián I Rivera
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina M Polanco
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia Jara
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cheril Tapia-Rojas
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Aging, Centro de Biología Celular y Biomedicina (CEBICEM), Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones, Santiago, Chile
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27
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Salem A, Wilson CJ, Rutledge BS, Dilliott A, Farhan S, Choy WY, Duennwald ML. Matrin3: Disorder and ALS Pathogenesis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:794646. [PMID: 35083279 PMCID: PMC8784776 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.794646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. ALS is associated with protein misfolding and inclusion formation involving RNA-binding proteins, including TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS). The 125-kDa Matrin3 is a highly conserved nuclear DNA/RNA-binding protein that is implicated in many cellular processes, including binding and stabilizing mRNA, regulating mRNA nuclear export, modulating alternative splicing, and managing chromosomal distribution. Mutations in MATR3, the gene encoding Matrin3, have been identified as causal in familial ALS (fALS). Matrin3 lacks a prion-like domain that characterizes many other ALS-associated RNA-binding proteins, including TDP-43 and FUS, however, our bioinformatics analyses and preliminary studies document that Matrin3 contains long intrinsically disordered regions that may facilitate promiscuous interactions with many proteins and may contribute to its misfolding. In addition, these disordered regions in Matrin3 undergo numerous post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination and acetylation that modulate the function and misfolding of the protein. Here we discuss the disordered nature of Matrin3 and review the factors that may promote its misfolding and aggregation, two elements that might explain its role in ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Salem
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Carter J. Wilson
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin S. Rutledge
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Allison Dilliott
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill Universty, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sali Farhan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill Universty, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill Universty, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Wing-Yiu Choy
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Martin L. Duennwald
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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28
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Bichmann M, Prat Oriol N, Ercan-Herbst E, Schöndorf DC, Gomez Ramos B, Schwärzler V, Neu M, Schlüter A, Wang X, Jin L, Hu C, Tian Y, Ried JS, Haberkant P, Gasparini L, Ehrnhoefer DE. SETD7-mediated monomethylation is enriched on soluble Tau in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:46. [PMID: 34215303 PMCID: PMC8254302 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00468-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterized by alterations in the post-translational modification (PTM) pattern of Tau, which parallel the formation of insoluble Tau aggregates, neuronal dysfunction and degeneration. While PTMs on aggregated Tau have been studied in detail, much less is known about the modification patterns of soluble Tau. Furthermore, PTMs other than phosphorylation have only come into focus recently and are still understudied. Soluble Tau species are likely responsible for the spreading of pathology during disease progression and are currently being investigated as targets for immunotherapies. A better understanding of their biochemical properties is thus of high importance. METHODS We used a mass spectrometry approach to characterize Tau PTMs on a detergent-soluble fraction of human AD and control brain tissue, which led to the discovery of novel lysine methylation events. We developed specific antibodies against Tau methylated at these sites and biochemically characterized methylated Tau species in extracts from human brain, the rTg4510 mouse model and in hiPSC-derived neurons. RESULTS Our study demonstrates that methylated Tau levels increase with Tau pathology stage in human AD samples as well as in a mouse model of Tauopathy. Methylated Tau is enriched in soluble brain extracts and is not associated with hyperphosphorylated, high molecular weight Tau species. We also show that in hiPSC-derived neurons and mouse brain, methylated Tau preferentially localizes to the cell soma and nuclear fractions and is absent from neurites. Knock down and inhibitor studies supported by proteomics data led to the identification of SETD7 as a novel lysine methyltransferase for Tau. SETD7 specifically methylates Tau at K132, an event that facilitates subsequent methylation at K130. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that methylated Tau has a specific somatic and nuclear localization, suggesting that the methylation of soluble Tau species may provide a signal for their translocation to different subcellular compartments. Since the mislocalization and depletion of Tau from axons is associated with tauopathies, our findings may shed light onto this disease-associated phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bichmann
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nuria Prat Oriol
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Present address: Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ebru Ercan-Herbst
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David C Schöndorf
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Borja Gomez Ramos
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Present address: Life Sciences Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Vera Schwärzler
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marie Neu
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Annabelle Schlüter
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Xue Wang
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center (ABC), 100 Research Dr, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Liang Jin
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center (ABC), 100 Research Dr, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Chenqi Hu
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center (ABC), 100 Research Dr, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Yu Tian
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center (ABC), 100 Research Dr, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Janina S Ried
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Genomics Research Center, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Per Haberkant
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- BioMed X Institute, Im Neuenheimer Feld 515, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstr. 50, 67061, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany.
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29
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Gupta R, Sahu M, Srivastava D, Tiwari S, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Post-translational modifications: Regulators of neurodegenerative proteinopathies. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 68:101336. [PMID: 33775891 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
One of the hallmark features in the neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) is the accumulation of aggregated and/or non-functional protein in the cellular milieu. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are an essential regulator of non-functional protein aggregation in the pathogenesis of NDDs. Any alteration in the post-translational mechanism and the protein quality control system, for instance, molecular chaperone, ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy-lysosomal degradation pathway, enhances the accumulation of misfolded protein, which causes neuronal dysfunction. Post-translational modification plays many roles in protein turnover rate, accumulation of aggregate and can also help in the degradation of disease-causing toxic metabolites. PTMs such as acetylation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, palmitoylation, SUMOylation, nitration, oxidation, and many others regulate protein homeostasis, which includes protein structure, functions and aggregation propensity. Different studies demonstrated the involvement of PTMs in the regulation of signaling cascades such as PI3K/Akt/GSK3β, MAPK cascade, AMPK pathway, and Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of NDDs. Further, mounting evidence suggests that targeting different PTMs with small chemical molecules, which acts as an inhibitor or activator, reverse misfolded protein accumulation and thus enhances the neuroprotection. Herein, we briefly discuss the protein aggregation and various domain structures of different proteins involved in the NDDs, indicating critical amino acid residues where PTMs occur. We also describe the implementation and involvement of various PTMs on signaling cascade and cellular processes in NDDs. Lastly, we implement our current understanding of the therapeutic importance of PTMs in neurodegeneration, along with emerging techniques targeting various PTMs.
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30
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Robert A, Schöll M, Vogels T. Tau Seeding Mouse Models with Patient Brain-Derived Aggregates. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6132. [PMID: 34200180 PMCID: PMC8201271 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a heterogeneous class of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by intracellular inclusions of aggregated tau proteins. Tau aggregates in different tauopathies have distinct structural features and can be found in different cell types. Transgenic animal models overexpressing human tau have been used for over two decades in the research of tau pathology. However, these models poorly recapitulate the heterogeneity of tauopathies found in human brains. Recent findings demonstrate that injection of purified tau aggregates from the brains of human tauopathy patients recapitulates both the structural features and cell-type specificity of the tau pathology of the donor tauopathy. These models may therefore have unique translational value in the study of functional consequences of tau pathology, tau-based diagnostics, and tau targeting therapeutics. This review provides an update of the literature relating to seeding-based tauopathy and their potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiko Robert
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (A.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Michael Schöll
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (A.R.); (M.S.)
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Thomas Vogels
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; (A.R.); (M.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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31
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Balmik AA, Chinnathambi S. Methylation as a key regulator of Tau aggregation and neuronal health in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:51. [PMID: 33962636 PMCID: PMC8103764 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00732-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease involves abnormal aggregation and accumulation of toxic proteins aggregates. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the causative proteins play an important role in the etiology of disease as they could either slow down or accelerate the disease progression. Alzheimer disease is associated with the aggregation and accumulation of two major protein aggregates-intracellular neurofibrillary tangles made up of microtubule-associated protein Tau and extracellular Amyloid-β plaques. Post-translational modifications are important for the regulation of Tau`s function but an imbalance in PTMs may lead to abnormal Tau function and aggregation. Tau methylation is one of the important PTM of Tau in its physiological state. However, the methylation signature on Tau lysine changes once it acquires pathological aggregated form. Tau methylation can compete with other PTMs such as acetylation and ubiquitination. The state of PTM at these sites determines the fate of Tau protein in terms of its function and stability. The global methylation in neurons, microglia and astrocytes are involved in multiple cellular functions involving their role in epigenetic regulation of gene expression via DNA methylation. Here, we have discussed the effect of methylation on Tau function in a site-specific manner and their cross-talk with other lysine modifications. We have also elaborated the role of methylation in epigenetic aspects and neurodegenerative conditions associated with the imbalance in methylation metabolism affecting global methylation state of cells. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Ankur Balmik
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, 411008,, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002,, India
| | - Subashchandrabose Chinnathambi
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, 411008,, Pune, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002,, India.
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32
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Wei Y, Liu M, Wang D. The propagation mechanisms of extracellular tau in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurol 2021; 269:1164-1181. [PMID: 33913022 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10573-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Tubulin-associated unit (tau) is an important microtubule-associated protein. The abnormal intracellular aggregation of tau has been strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Accumulating evidence has conclusively demonstrated that tau is present in the cytoplasm of neurons and is also actively released into the extracellular space. However, the types of tau species that are released are unclear, as is the mechanism of their release by donor neurons and subsequent uptake by recipient neurons in AD. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of abnormal tau cell-to-cell transmission can provide novel insights into the etiology and pathogenesis of AD and can help identify new targets for the development of AD therapies focused on counteracting neurodegeneration or even preventing it. From this perspective, the present review focuses on recent advances in understanding the mechanisms regulating the levels of extracellular tau and discusses the role of such mechanisms in the propagation of tau-associated pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wei
- Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing city, 100091, China.
| | - Meixia Liu
- Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing city, 100091, China
| | - Dongxin Wang
- Jining Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Shandong province, 272000, China
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33
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Wegmann S, Biernat J, Mandelkow E. A current view on Tau protein phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:131-138. [PMID: 33892381 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The functions of the neuronal microtubule-associated protein Tau in the central nervous system are regulated by manifold posttranslational modifications at more than 50 sites. Tau in healthy neurons carries multiple phosphate groups, mostly in its microtubule assembly domain. Elevated phosphorylation and aggregation of Tau are widely considered pathological hallmarks in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies, triggering the quest for Tau posttranslational modifications in the disease context. However, the phosphorylation patterns of physiological and pathological Tau are surprisingly similar and heterogenous, making it difficult to identify specific modifications as therapeutic targets and biomarkers for AD. We present a concise summary of - and view on - important previous and recent advances in Tau phosphorylation analysis in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jacek Biernat
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) & CAESAR Research Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) & CAESAR Research Center, Bonn, Germany
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34
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Tau Is Truncated in Five Regions of the Normal Adult Human Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073521. [PMID: 33805376 PMCID: PMC8036332 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The truncation of Tau is thought to be important in promoting aggregation, with this feature characterising the pathology of dementias such as Alzheimer disease. Antibodies to the C-terminal and N-terminal regions of Tau were employed to examine Tau cleavage in five human brain regions: the entorhinal cortex, prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. These were obtained from normal subjects ranging in age from 18 to 104 years. Tau fragments of approximately 40 kDa and 45 kDa with an intact N-terminus retained were found in soluble and insoluble brain fractions. In addition, smaller C-terminal Tau fragments ranging in mass from 17 kDa to 25 kDa were also detected. These findings are consistent with significant Tau cleavage taking place in brain regions from 18 years onwards. It appears that site-specific cleavage of Tau is widespread in the normal human brain, and that large Tau fragments that contain the N-terminus, as well as shorter C-terminal Tau fragments, are present in brain cells across the age range.
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35
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Nguyen PH, Ramamoorthy A, Sahoo BR, Zheng J, Faller P, Straub JE, Dominguez L, Shea JE, Dokholyan NV, De Simone A, Ma B, Nussinov R, Najafi S, Ngo ST, Loquet A, Chiricotto M, Ganguly P, McCarty J, Li MS, Hall C, Wang Y, Miller Y, Melchionna S, Habenstein B, Timr S, Chen J, Hnath B, Strodel B, Kayed R, Lesné S, Wei G, Sterpone F, Doig AJ, Derreumaux P. Amyloid Oligomers: A Joint Experimental/Computational Perspective on Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Type II Diabetes, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Chem Rev 2021; 121:2545-2647. [PMID: 33543942 PMCID: PMC8836097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 126.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation is observed in many amyloidogenic diseases affecting either the central nervous system or a variety of peripheral tissues. Structural and dynamic characterization of all species along the pathways from monomers to fibrils is challenging by experimental and computational means because they involve intrinsically disordered proteins in most diseases. Yet understanding how amyloid species become toxic is the challenge in developing a treatment for these diseases. Here we review what computer, in vitro, in vivo, and pharmacological experiments tell us about the accumulation and deposition of the oligomers of the (Aβ, tau), α-synuclein, IAPP, and superoxide dismutase 1 proteins, which have been the mainstream concept underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), type II diabetes (T2D), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, respectively, for many years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Biophysics and Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1055, United States
| | - Bikash R Sahoo
- Biophysics and Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1055, United States
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Peter Faller
- Institut de Chimie, UMR 7177, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - John E Straub
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Laura Dominguez
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Joan-Emma Shea
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Department of Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80138, Italy
| | - Buyong Ma
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Sackler Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Saeed Najafi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Son Tung Ngo
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics & Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Antoine Loquet
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, (UMR5248 CBMN), CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Mara Chiricotto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Pritam Ganguly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - James McCarty
- Chemistry Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225, United States
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology, SBI Building, Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Carol Hall
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Yiming Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Yifat Miller
- Department of Chemistry and The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel
| | | | - Birgit Habenstein
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, (UMR5248 CBMN), CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Stepan Timr
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Jiaxing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Brianna Hnath
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Birgit Strodel
- Institute of Complex Systems: Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Sylvain Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Science, Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Andrew J Doig
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
- Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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36
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Di Blasi R, Blyuss O, Timms JF, Conole D, Ceroni F, Whitwell HJ. Non-Histone Protein Methylation: Biological Significance and Bioengineering Potential. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:238-250. [PMID: 33411495 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Protein methylation is a key post-translational modification whose effects on gene expression have been intensively studied over the last two decades. Recently, renewed interest in non-histone protein methylation has gained momentum for its role in regulating important cellular processes and the activity of many proteins, including transcription factors, enzymes, and structural complexes. The extensive and dynamic role that protein methylation plays within the cell also highlights its potential for bioengineering applications. Indeed, while synthetic histone protein methylation has been extensively used to engineer gene expression, engineering of non-histone protein methylation has not been fully explored yet. Here, we report the latest findings, highlighting how non-histone protein methylation is fundamental for certain cellular functions and is implicated in disease, and review recent efforts in the engineering of protein methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Di Blasi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Oleg Blyuss
- School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, U.K
- Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - John F Timms
- Department of Women's Cancer, EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, U.K
| | - Daniel Conole
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Francesca Ceroni
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, U.K
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, U.K
| | - Harry J Whitwell
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- National Phenome Centre and Imperial Clinical Phenotyping Centre, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, IRDB Building, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, London, W12 0NN, U.K
- Division of Systems Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
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37
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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.
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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
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38
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Alquezar C, Arya S, Kao AW. Tau Post-translational Modifications: Dynamic Transformers of Tau Function, Degradation, and Aggregation. Front Neurol 2021; 11:595532. [PMID: 33488497 PMCID: PMC7817643 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.595532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) on tau have long been recognized as affecting protein function and contributing to neurodegeneration. The explosion of information on potential and observed PTMs on tau provides an opportunity to better understand these modifications in the context of tau homeostasis, which becomes perturbed with aging and disease. Prevailing views regard tau as a protein that undergoes abnormal phosphorylation prior to its accumulation into the toxic aggregates implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. However, the phosphorylation of tau may, in fact, represent part of the normal but interrupted function and catabolism of the protein. In addition to phosphorylation, tau undergoes another forms of post-translational modification including (but not limited to), acetylation, ubiquitination, glycation, glycosylation, SUMOylation, methylation, oxidation, and nitration. A holistic appreciation of how these PTMs regulate tau during health and are potentially hijacked in disease remains elusive. Recent studies have reinforced the idea that PTMs play a critical role in tau localization, protein-protein interactions, maintenance of levels, and modifying aggregate structure. These studies also provide tantalizing clues into the possibility that neurons actively choose how tau is post-translationally modified, in potentially competitive and combinatorial ways, to achieve broad, cellular programs commensurate with the distinctive environmental conditions found during development, aging, stress, and disease. Here, we review tau PTMs and describe what is currently known about their functional impacts. In addition, we classify these PTMs from the perspectives of protein localization, electrostatics, and stability, which all contribute to normal tau function and homeostasis. Finally, we assess the potential impact of tau PTMs on tau solubility and aggregation. Tau occupies an undoubtedly important position in the biology of neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to provide an integrated perspective of how post-translational modifications actively, purposefully, and dynamically remodel tau function, clearance, and aggregation. In doing so, we hope to enable a more comprehensive understanding of tau PTMs that will positively impact future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Alquezar
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Shruti Arya
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Aimee W Kao
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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39
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Meng F, Liang Z, Zhao K, Luo C. Drug design targeting active posttranslational modification protein isoforms. Med Res Rev 2020; 41:1701-1750. [PMID: 33355944 DOI: 10.1002/med.21774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Modern drug design aims to discover novel lead compounds with attractable chemical profiles to enable further exploration of the intersection of chemical space and biological space. Identification of small molecules with good ligand efficiency, high activity, and selectivity is crucial toward developing effective and safe drugs. However, the intersection is one of the most challenging tasks in the pharmaceutical industry, as chemical space is almost infinity and continuous, whereas the biological space is very limited and discrete. This bottleneck potentially limits the discovery of molecules with desirable properties for lead optimization. Herein, we present a new direction leveraging posttranslational modification (PTM) protein isoforms target space to inspire drug design termed as "Post-translational Modification Inspired Drug Design (PTMI-DD)." PTMI-DD aims to extend the intersections of chemical space and biological space. We further rationalized and highlighted the importance of PTM protein isoforms and their roles in various diseases and biological functions. We then laid out a few directions to elaborate the PTMI-DD in drug design including discovering covalent binding inhibitors mimicking PTMs, targeting PTM protein isoforms with distinctive binding sites from that of wild-type counterpart, targeting protein-protein interactions involving PTMs, and hijacking protein degeneration by ubiquitination for PTM protein isoforms. These directions will lead to a significant expansion of the biological space and/or increase the tractability of compounds, primarily due to precisely targeting PTM protein isoforms or complexes which are highly relevant to biological functions. Importantly, this new avenue will further enrich the personalized treatment opportunity through precision medicine targeting PTM isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanwang Meng
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, the Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zhongjie Liang
- Center for Systems Biology, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kehao Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Cheng Luo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, the Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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40
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Chatterjee S, Salimi A, Lee JY. Intrinsic Origin of Tau Protein Aggregation: Effects of Histidine Tautomerism on Tau 267-312 Monomer. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3814-3822. [PMID: 33147004 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Histidine tautomerism is considered a crucial component that affects the constitutional and accumulation characteristics of the tau267-312 monomer in the neutral condition, which are connected with the pathobiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Interpreting the organizational characteristics and accumulation procedure is a challenging task because two tautomeric conformations (the Nε-H or Nδ-H tautomer) can occur in the open neutral condition. In the current work, replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations were performed to investigate the structural properties of the tau267-312 monomer considering the histidine tautomeric effect. Based on the simulation outcomes, the histidine 268 (H268) (δ)-H299 (δ) (δδ) isomer had the highest β-sheet content with a value of 26.2%, which acquires a sheet-governing toxic conformer with the first abundant conformational state of 22.6%. In addition, δδ displayed notable antiparallel β-sheets between lysine 8 (K8)-asparagine 13 (N13) and valine 40 (V40)-tyrosine 44 (Y44) as well as between K32-H33 and V40-Y44 (β-meander supersecondary structure), indicating this tautomeric isomer may exist to stimulate tau oligomerization. Furthermore, H299 was found to play an essential role in the structural stabilization of the δδ isomer compared with H268. The present research will aid in obtaining insight into the organizational and accumulation properties of tau protein in the presence of histidine tautomerism to control AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abbas Salimi
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Korea
| | - Jin Yong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Korea
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41
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Huseby CJ, Hoffman CN, Cooper GL, Cocuron JC, Alonso AP, Thomas SN, Yang AJ, Kuret J. Quantification of Tau Protein Lysine Methylation in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 71:979-991. [PMID: 31450505 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that normally interacts in monomeric form with the neuronal cytoskeleton. In Alzheimer's disease, however, it aggregates to form the structural component of neurofibrillary lesions. The transformation is controlled in part by age- and disease-associated post-translational modifications. Recently we reported that tau isolated from cognitively normal human brain was methylated on lysine residues, and that high-stoichiometry methylation depressed tau aggregation propensity in vitro. However, whether methylation stoichiometry reached levels needed to influence aggregation propensity in human brain was unknown. Here we address this problem using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approaches and human-derived tau samples. Results revealed that lysine methylation was present in soluble tau isolated from cognitively normal elderly cases at multiple sites that only partially overlapped with the distributions reported for cognitively normal middle aged and AD cohorts, and that the quality of methylation shifted from predominantly dimethyl-lysine to monomethyl-lysine with aging and disease. However, bulk mol methylation/mol tau stoichiometries never exceeded 1 mol methyl group/mol tau protein. We conclude that lysine methylation is a physiological post-translational modification of tau protein that changes qualitatively with aging and disease, and that pharmacological elevation of tau methylation may provide a means for protecting against pathological tau aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol J Huseby
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Claire N Hoffman
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Grace L Cooper
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Ana P Alonso
- BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Stefani N Thomas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Molecular & Structural Biology Program, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Austin J Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Molecular & Structural Biology Program, Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeff Kuret
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Department of Biological Chemistry & Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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42
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Sheng J, Olrichs NK, Gadella BM, Kaloyanova DV, Helms JB. Regulation of Functional Protein Aggregation by Multiple Factors: Implications for the Amyloidogenic Behavior of the CAP Superfamily Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6530. [PMID: 32906672 PMCID: PMC7554809 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea that amyloid fibrils and other types of protein aggregates are toxic for cells has been challenged by the discovery of a variety of functional aggregates. However, an identification of crucial differences between pathological and functional aggregation remains to be explored. Functional protein aggregation is often reversible by nature in order to respond properly to changing physiological conditions of the cell. In addition, increasing evidence indicates that fast fibril growth is a feature of functional amyloids, providing protection against the long-term existence of potentially toxic oligomeric intermediates. It is becoming clear that functional protein aggregation is a complexly organized process that can be mediated by a multitude of biomolecular factors. In this overview, we discuss the roles of diverse biomolecules, such as lipids/membranes, glycosaminoglycans, nucleic acids and metal ions, in regulating functional protein aggregation. Our studies on the protein GAPR-1 revealed that several of these factors influence the amyloidogenic properties of this protein. These observations suggest that GAPR-1, as well as the cysteine-rich secretory proteins, antigen 5 and pathogenesis-related proteins group 1 (CAP) superfamily of proteins that it belongs to, require the assembly into an amyloid state to exert several of their functions. A better understanding of functional aggregate formation may also help in the prevention and treatment of amyloid-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - J. Bernd Helms
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (J.S.); (N.K.O.); (B.M.G.); (D.V.K.)
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43
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AMPK Ameliorates Tau Acetylation and Memory Impairment Through Sirt1. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:5011-5025. [PMID: 32820462 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02079-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, but its underlying mechanism is still unclear and the identities of drugs for AD also lack. Tau acetylation has become potentially important post-translational modification of tau. Levels of tau acetylation are significantly enhanced in AD patients and transgenic mouse models of AD, but the underlying mechanism and roles of tau hyperacetylation in AD onset maintain elusive. In the current study, we found that tau acetylation is obviously enhanced and the activities of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin1 (Sirt1) are significantly decreased in APP/PS1 and streptozotocin (STZ) mice and high glucose (HG)-treated cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that activation of AMPK reduces the level of tau acetylation and ameliorates memory impairment, and its mechanism is associated with activation of Sirt1. Taken together, AMPK might be a crucial upstream molecular to regulate acetylation of tau and become a new target for AD therapy in the future.
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44
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Yadikar H, Torres I, Aiello G, Kurup M, Yang Z, Lin F, Kobeissy F, Yost R, Wang KK. Screening of tau protein kinase inhibitors in a tauopathy-relevant cell-based model of tau hyperphosphorylation and oligomerization. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0224952. [PMID: 32692785 PMCID: PMC7373298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by abnormal deposition of post-translationally modified tau protein in the human brain. Tauopathies are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and other diseases. Hyperphosphorylation increases tau tendency to aggregate and form neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), a pathological hallmark of AD. In this study, okadaic acid (OA, 100 nM), a protein phosphatase 1/2A inhibitor, was treated for 24h in mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) and differentiated rat primary neuronal cortical cell cultures (CTX) to induce tau-hyperphosphorylation and oligomerization as a cell-based tauopathy model. Following the treatments, the effectiveness of different kinase inhibitors was assessed using the tauopathy-relevant tau antibodies through tau-immunoblotting, including the sites: pSer202/pThr205 (AT8), pThr181 (AT270), pSer202 (CP13), pSer396/pSer404 (PHF-1), and pThr231 (RZ3). OA-treated samples induced tau phosphorylation and oligomerization at all tested epitopes, forming a monomeric band (46-67 kDa) and oligomeric bands (170 kDa and 240 kDa). We found that TBB (a casein kinase II inhibitor), AR and LiCl (GSK-3 inhibitors), cyclosporin A (calcineurin inhibitor), and Saracatinib (Fyn kinase inhibitor) caused robust inhibition of OA-induced monomeric and oligomeric p-tau in both N2a and CTX culture. Additionally, a cyclin-dependent kinase 5 inhibitor (Roscovitine) and a calcium chelator (EGTA) showed contrasting results between the two neuronal cultures. This study provides a comprehensive view of potential drug candidates (TBB, CsA, AR, and Saracatinib), and their efficacy against tau hyperphosphorylation and oligomerization processes. These findings warrant further experimentation, possibly including animal models of tauopathies, which may provide a putative Neurotherapy for AD, CTE, and other forms of tauopathy-induced neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamad Yadikar
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Laboratory Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Isabel Torres
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Gabrielle Aiello
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Milin Kurup
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Fan Lin
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Richard Yost
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Laboratory Building, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Kevin K. Wang
- Program for Neurotrauma, Neuroproteomics & Biomarkers Research, Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
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45
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Tau and Alpha Synuclein Synergistic Effect in Neurodegenerative Diseases: When the Periphery Is the Core. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21145030. [PMID: 32708732 PMCID: PMC7404325 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21145030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In neuronal cells, tau is a microtubule-associated protein placed in axons and alpha synuclein is enriched at presynaptic terminals. They display a propensity to form pathologic aggregates, which are considered the underlying cause of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Their functional impairment induces loss of axonal transport, synaptic and mitochondrial disarray, leading to a "dying back" pattern of degeneration, which starts at the periphery of cells. In addition, pathologic spreading of alpha-synuclein from the peripheral nervous system to the brain through anatomical connectivity has been demonstrated for Parkinson's disease. Thus, examination of the extent and types of tau and alpha-synuclein in peripheral tissues and their relation to brain neurodegenerative diseases is of relevance since it may provide insights into patterns of protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Moreover, peripheral nervous tissues are easily accessible in-vivo and can play a relevant role in the early diagnosis of these conditions. Up-to-date investigations of tau species in peripheral tissues are scant and have mainly been restricted to rodents, whereas, more evidence is available on alpha synuclein in peripheral tissues. Here we aim to review the literature on the functional role of tau and alpha synuclein in physiological conditions and disease at the axonal level, their distribution in peripheral tissues, and discuss possible commonalities/diversities as well as their interaction in proteinopathies.
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46
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Guo T, Zhang D, Zeng Y, Huang TY, Xu H, Zhao Y. Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2020; 15:40. [PMID: 32677986 PMCID: PMC7364557 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00391-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 394] [Impact Index Per Article: 98.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder seen in age-dependent dementia. There is currently no effective treatment for AD, which may be attributed in part to lack of a clear underlying mechanism. Studies within the last few decades provide growing evidence for a central role of amyloid β (Aβ) and tau, as well as glial contributions to various molecular and cellular pathways in AD pathogenesis. Herein, we review recent progress with respect to Aβ- and tau-associated mechanisms, and discuss glial dysfunction in AD with emphasis on neuronal and glial receptors that mediate Aβ-induced toxicity. We also discuss other critical factors that may affect AD pathogenesis, including genetics, aging, variables related to environment, lifestyle habits, and describe the potential role of apolipoprotein E (APOE), viral and bacterial infection, sleep, and microbiota. Although we have gained much towards understanding various aspects underlying this devastating neurodegenerative disorder, greater commitment towards research in molecular mechanism, diagnostics and treatment will be needed in future AD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Guo
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Denghong Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuzhe Zeng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Orthopaedic Center of People's Liberation Army, The Affiliated Southeast Hospital of Xiamen University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Timothy Y Huang
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.
| | - Huaxi Xu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
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Walker C, Burggren W. Remodeling the epigenome and (epi)cytoskeleton: a new paradigm for co-regulation by methylation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/13/jeb220632. [PMID: 32620673 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.220632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The epigenome determines heritable patterns of gene expression in the absence of changes in DNA sequence. The result is programming of different cellular-, tissue- and organ-specific phenotypes from a single organismic genome. Epigenetic marks that comprise the epigenome (e.g. methylation) are placed upon or removed from chromatin (histones and DNA) to direct the activity of effectors that regulate gene expression and chromatin structure. Recently, the cytoskeleton has been identified as a second target for the cell's epigenetic machinery. Several epigenetic 'readers, writers and erasers' that remodel chromatin have been discovered to also remodel the cytoskeleton, regulating structure and function of microtubules and actin filaments. This points to an emerging paradigm for dual-function remodelers with 'chromatocytoskeletal' activity that can integrate cytoplasmic and nuclear functions. For example, the SET domain-containing 2 methyltransferase (SETD2) has chromatocytoskeletal activity, methylating both histones and microtubules. The SETD2 methyl mark on chromatin is required for efficient DNA repair, and its microtubule methyl mark is required for proper chromosome segregation during mitosis. This unexpected convergence of SETD2 activity on histones and microtubules to maintain genomic stability suggests the intriguing possibility of an expanded role in the cell for chromatocytoskeletal proteins that read, write and erase methyl marks on the cytoskeleton as well as chromatin. Coordinated use of methyl marks to remodel both the epigenome and the (epi)cytoskeleton opens the possibility for integrated regulation (which we refer to as 'epiregulation') of other higher-level functions, such as muscle contraction or learning and memory, and could even have evolutionary implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Walker
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Warren Burggren
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX 76203, USA
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LI LY, WANG XY. Progress in Analysis of Tau Protein. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2040(20)60024-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Do Post-Translational Modifications Influence Protein Aggregation in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040232. [PMID: 32290481 PMCID: PMC7226274 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates represents a universal hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate protein structure and function. Dysregulated PTMs may influence the propensity for protein aggregation in NDD-proteinopathies. To investigate this, we systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate effects of PTMs on aggregation propensity for major proteins linked to the pathogenesis and/or progression of NDDs. A search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science Core Collection was conducted to retrieve studies that investigated an association between PTMs and protein aggregation in seven NDDs: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinocerebellar ataxias, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, and multiple sclerosis. Together, 1222 studies were identified, of which 69 met eligibility criteria. We identified that the following PTMs, in isolation or combination, potentially act as modulators of proteinopathy in NDDs: isoaspartate formation in Aβ, phosphorylation of Aβ or tau in AD; acetylation, 4-hydroxy-2-neonal modification, O-GlcNAcylation or phosphorylation of α-synuclein in PD; acetylation or phosphorylation of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 in ALS, and SUMOylation of superoxide dismutase-1 in ALS; and phosphorylation of huntingtin in HD. The potential pharmacological manipulation of these aggregation-modulating PTMs represents an as-yet untapped source of therapy to treat NDDs.
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McKibben KM, Rhoades E. Independent tubulin binding and polymerization by the proline-rich region of Tau is regulated by Tau's N-terminal domain. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:19381-19394. [PMID: 31699899 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered, microtubule-associated protein that has a role in regulating microtubule dynamics. Despite intensive research, the molecular mechanisms of Tau-mediated microtubule polymerization are poorly understood. Here we used single-molecule fluorescence to investigate the role of Tau's N-terminal domain (NTD) and proline-rich region (PRR) in regulating interactions of Tau with soluble tubulin. We assayed both full-length Tau isoforms and truncated variants for their ability to bind soluble tubulin and stimulate microtubule polymerization. We found that Tau's PRR is an independent tubulin-binding domain that has tubulin polymerization capacity. In contrast to the relatively weak interactions with tubulin mediated by sites distributed throughout Tau's microtubule-binding region (MTBR), resulting in heterogeneous Tau: tubulin complexes, the PRR bound tubulin tightly and stoichiometrically. Moreover, we demonstrate that interactions between the PRR and MTBR are reduced by the NTD through a conserved conformational ensemble. On the basis of these results, we propose that Tau's PRR can serve as a core tubulin-binding domain, whereas the MTBR enhances polymerization capacity by increasing the local tubulin concentration. Moreover, the NTD appears to negatively regulate tubulin-binding interactions of both of these domains. The findings of our study draw attention to a central role of the PRR in Tau function and provide mechanistic insight into Tau-mediated polymerization of tubulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M McKibben
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Elizabeth Rhoades
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 .,Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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