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Buchholz S, Zempel H. The six brain-specific TAU isoforms and their role in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative dementia syndromes. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3606-3628. [PMID: 38556838 PMCID: PMC11095451 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13784] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alternative splicing of the human MAPT gene generates six brain-specific TAU isoforms. Imbalances in the TAU isoform ratio can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, underscoring the need for precise control over TAU isoform balance. Tauopathies, characterized by intracellular aggregates of hyperphosphorylated TAU, exhibit extensive neurodegeneration and can be classified by the TAU isoforms present in pathological accumulations. METHODS A comprehensive review of TAU and related dementia syndromes literature was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and preprint server. RESULTS While TAU is recognized as key driver of neurodegeneration in specific tauopathies, the contribution of the isoforms to neuronal function and disease development remains largely elusive. DISCUSSION In this review we describe the role of TAU isoforms in health and disease, and stress the importance of comprehending and studying TAU isoforms in both, physiological and pathological context, in order to develop targeted therapeutic interventions for TAU-associated diseases. HIGHLIGHTS MAPT splicing is tightly regulated during neuronal maturation and throughout life. TAU isoform expression is development-, cell-type and brain region specific. The contribution of TAU to neurodegeneration might be isoform-specific. Ineffective TAU-based therapies highlight the need for specific targeting strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Buchholz
- Institute of Human GeneticsFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC)University of CologneCologneGermany
- Present address:
Department Schaefer, Neurobiology of AgeingMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | - Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human GeneticsFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC)University of CologneCologneGermany
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Brackhan M, Arribas-Blazquez M, Lastres-Becker I. Aging, NRF2, and TAU: A Perfect Match for Neurodegeneration? Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1564. [PMID: 37627559 PMCID: PMC10451380 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the trigger for the neurodegenerative disease process is unknown, the relevance of aging stands out as a major risk for the development of neurodegeneration. In this review, we highlighted the relationship between the different cellular mechanisms that occur as a consequence of aging and transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and the connection with the TAU protein. We focused on the relevance of NRF2 in the main processes involved in neurodegeneration and associated with aging, such as genomic instability, protein degradation systems (proteasomes/autophagy), cellular senescence, and stem cell exhaustion, as well as inflammation. We also analyzed the effect of aging on TAU protein levels and its aggregation and spread process. Finally, we investigated the interconnection between NRF2 and TAU and the relevance of alterations in the NRF2 signaling pathway in both primary and secondary tauopathies. All these points highlight NRF2 as a possible therapeutic target for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Brackhan
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” UAM-CSIC, c/Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Arribas-Blazquez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Lastres-Becker
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” UAM-CSIC, c/Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Institute Teófilo Hernando for Drug Discovery, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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Mees I, Nisbet R, Hannan A, Renoir T. Implications of Tau Dysregulation in Huntington's Disease and Potential for New Therapeutics. J Huntingtons Dis 2023; 12:1-13. [PMID: 37092231 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder. The disease, characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric impairments, is caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene. Despite the discovery of the mutation in 1993, no disease-modifying treatments are yet available. Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in HD is therefore crucial for the development of novel treatments. Emerging research has found that HD might be classified as a secondary tauopathy, with the presence of tau insoluble aggregates in late HD. Increased total tau protein levels have been observed in both HD patients and animal models of HD. Tau hyperphosphorylation, the main feature of tau pathology, has also been investigated and our own published results suggest that the protein phosphorylation machinery is dysregulated in the early stages of HD in R6/1 transgenic mice, primarily in the cortex and striatum. Protein phosphorylation, catalysed by kinases, regulates numerous cellular mechanisms and has been shown to be dysregulated in other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. While it is still unclear how the mutation in the huntingtin gene leads to tau dysregulation in HD, several hypotheses have been explored. Evidence suggests that the mutant huntingtin does not directly interact with tau, but instead interacts with tau kinases, phosphatases, and proteins involved in tau alternative splicing, which could result in tau dysregulation as observed in HD. Altogether, there is increasing evidence that tau is undergoing pathological changes in HD and may be a good therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaline Mees
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Rebecca Nisbet
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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Castellani RJ, Perry G. Tau Biology, Tauopathy, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Diagnostic Challenges. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 67:447-467. [PMID: 30584140 PMCID: PMC6398540 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in the pathobiology of tau protein, given its potential role in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Tau is an important microtubule associated protein, required for the assembly of tubulin into microtubules and maintaining structural integrity of axons. Tau has other diverse cellular functions involving signal transduction, cellular proliferation, developmental neurobiology, neuroplasticity, and synaptic activity. Alternative splicing results in tau isoforms with differing microtubule binding affinity, differing representation in pathological inclusions in certain disease states, and differing roles in developmental biology and homeostasis. Tau haplotypes confer differing susceptibility to neurodegeneration. Tau phosphorylation is a normal metabolic process, critical in controlling tau's binding to microtubules, and is ongoing within the brain at all times. Tau may be hyperphosphorylated, and may aggregate as detectable fibrillar deposits in tissues, in both aging and neurodegenerative disease. The hypothesis that p-tau is neurotoxic has prompted constructs related to isomers, low-n assembly intermediates or oligomers, and the "tau prion". Human postmortem studies have elucidated broad patterns of tauopathy, with tendencies for those patterns to differ as a function of disease phenotype. However, there is extensive overlap, not only between genuine neurodegenerative diseases, but also between aging and disease. Recent studies highlight uniqueness to pathological patterns, including a pattern attributed to repetitive head trauma, although clinical correlations have been elusive. The diagnostic process for tauopathies and neurodegenerative diseases in general is challenging in many respects, and may be particularly problematic for postmortem evaluation of former athletes and military service members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudy J. Castellani
- Departments of Pathology and Neuroscience, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - George Perry
- College of Sciences, University of Texas, San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are two devastating and lethal neurodegenerative diseases seen comorbidly in up to 15% of patients. Despite several decades of research, no effective treatment or disease-modifying strategies have been developed. We now understand more than before about the genetics and biology behind ALS and FTD, but the genetic etiology for the majority of patients is still unknown and the phenotypic variability observed across patients, even those carrying the same mutation, is enigmatic. Additionally, susceptibility factors leading to neuronal vulnerability in specific central nervous system regions involved in disease are yet to be identified. As the inherited but dynamic epigenome acts as a cell-specific interface between the inherited fixed genome and both cell-intrinsic mechanisms and environmental input, adaptive epigenetic changes might contribute to the ALS/FTD aspects we still struggle to comprehend. This chapter summarizes our current understanding of basic epigenetic mechanisms, how they relate to ALS and FTD, and their potential as therapeutic targets. A clear understanding of the biological mechanisms driving these two currently incurable diseases is urgent-well-needed therapeutic strategies need to be developed soon. Disease-specific epigenetic changes have already been observed in patients and these might be central to this endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark T W Ebbert
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Rebecca J Lank
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Veronique V Belzil
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA. .,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Arendt T, Stieler JT, Holzer M. Tau and tauopathies. Brain Res Bull 2016; 126:238-292. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 333] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Valenca GT, Srivastava GP, Oliveira-Filho J, White CC, Yu L, Schneider JA, Buchman AS, Shulman JM, Bennett DA, De Jager PL. The Role of MAPT Haplotype H2 and Isoform 1N/4R in Parkinsonism of Older Adults. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157452. [PMID: 27458716 PMCID: PMC4961370 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective Recently, we have shown that the Parkinson’s disease (PD) susceptibility locus MAPT (microtubule associated protein tau) is associated with parkinsonism in older adults without a clinical diagnosis of PD. In this study, we investigated the relationship between parkinsonian signs and MAPT transcripts by assessing the effect of MAPT haplotypes on alternative splicing and expression levels of the most common isoforms in two prospective clinicopathologic studies of aging. Materials and Methods using regression analysis, controlling for age, sex, study and neuropathology, we evaluated 976 subjects with clinical, genotyping and brain pathology data for haplotype analysis. For transcript analysis, we obtained MAPT gene and isoform-level expression from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 505 of these subjects. Results The MAPT H2 haplotype was associated with lower total MAPT expression (p = 1.2x10-14) and global parkinsonism at both study entry (p = 0.001) and proximate to death (p = 0.050). Specifically, haplotype H2 was primarily associated with bradykinesia in both assessments (p<0.001 and p = 0.008). MAPT total expression was associated with age and decreases linearly with advancing age (p<0.001). Analysing MAPT alternative splicing, the expression of 1N/4R isoform was inversely associated with global parkinsonism (p = 0.008) and bradykinesia (p = 0.008). Diminished 1N/4R isoform expression was also associated with H2 (p = 0.001). Conclusions Overall, our results suggest that age and H2 are associated with higher parkinsonism score and decreased total MAPT RNA expression. Additionally, we found that H2 and parkinsonism are associated with altered expression levels of specific isoforms. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the association between MAPT locus and parkinsonism in elderly subjects and in some extent to age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme T. Valenca
- Movement Disorders Clinic, Roberto Santos General Hospital, Salvador, BA, Brazil
- Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Reconcavo of Bahia, Santo Antonio de Jesus, BA, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
- Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gyan P. Srivastava
- Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jamary Oliveira-Filho
- Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Charles C. White
- Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lei Yu
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Julie A. Schneider
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Aron S. Buchman
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Joshua M. Shulman
- Departments of Neurology, Molecular and Human Genetics, and Neuroscience, and Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Philip L. De Jager
- Program in Translational Neuropsychiatric Genomics, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Gratuze M, Cisbani G, Cicchetti F, Planel E. Is Huntington's disease a tauopathy? Brain 2016; 139:1014-25. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/aww021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Avila J, Pallas N, Bolós M, Sayas CL, Hernandez F. Intracellular and extracellular microtubule associated protein tau as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer disease and other tauopathies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2016; 20:653-61. [PMID: 26652296 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2016.1131269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Microtubule associated protein tau, a protein mainly expressed in neurons, plays an important role in several diseases related to dementia, named tauopathies. Alzheimer disease is the most relevant tauopathy. The role of tau protein in dementia is now a topic under discussion, and is the focus of this review. AREAS COVERED We have covered two major areas: tau pathology and tau as a therapeutic target. Tau pathology is mainly related to a gain of toxic function due to an abnormal accumulation, aberrant modifications (such as hyperphosphorylation and truncation, among others) and self-aggregation of tau into oligomers or larger structures. Also, tau can be found extracellularly in a toxic form. Tau-based therapy is mainly centered on avoiding the gain of these toxic functions of tau. EXPERT OPINION Tau therapies are focused on lowering tau levels, mainly of modified tau species that could be toxic for neurons (phosphorylated, truncated or aggregated tau), in intracellular or extracellular form. Decreasing the levels of those toxic species is a possible therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Avila
- a Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) , Madrid , Spain.,b Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' CSIC-UAM , Madrid , Spain
| | - Noemí Pallas
- a Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) , Madrid , Spain.,b Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' CSIC-UAM , Madrid , Spain
| | - Marta Bolós
- a Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) , Madrid , Spain.,b Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' CSIC-UAM , Madrid , Spain
| | - C Laura Sayas
- c Centre for Biomedical Research of the Canary Islands (CIBICAN), Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB) , University of La Laguna (ULL) , Tenerife , Spain
| | - Felix Hernandez
- a Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) , Madrid , Spain.,b Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' CSIC-UAM , Madrid , Spain
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Alpha-synuclein and tau: teammates in neurodegeneration? Mol Neurodegener 2014; 9:43. [PMID: 25352339 PMCID: PMC4230508 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-9-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates is the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease, and more generally of synucleinopathies. The accumulation of tau aggregates however is classically found in the brains of patients with dementia, and this type of neuropathological feature specifically defines the tauopathies. Nevertheless, in numerous cases α-synuclein positive inclusions are also described in tauopathies and vice versa, suggesting a co-existence or crosstalk of these proteinopathies. Interestingly, α-synuclein and tau share striking common characteristics suggesting that they may work in concord. Tau and α-synuclein are both partially unfolded proteins that can form toxic oligomers and abnormal intracellular aggregates under pathological conditions. Furthermore, mutations in either are responsible for severe dominant familial neurodegeneration. Moreover, tau and α-synuclein appear to promote the fibrillization and solubility of each other in vitro and in vivo. This suggests that interactions between tau and α-synuclein form a deleterious feed-forward loop essential for the development and spreading of neurodegeneration. Here, we review the recent literature with respect to elucidating the possible links between α-synuclein and tau.
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Fang P, Xu W, Wu C, Zhu M, Li X, Hong D. MAPT as a predisposing gene for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population. Neural Regen Res 2014; 8:3116-23. [PMID: 25206632 PMCID: PMC4158701 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.33.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) gene was significantly associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis. Here, we tested this association in 107 sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and 100 healthy controls from the Chinese Han population. We screened the mutation-susceptible regions of MAPT - the 3' and 5' untranslated regions as well as introns 9, 10, 11, and 12 - by direct sequencing, and identified 33 genetic variations. Two of these, 105788 A > G in intron 9 and 123972 T > A in intron 11, were not present in the control group. The age of onset in patients with the 105788 A > G and/or the 123972 T > A variant was younger than that in patients without either genetic variation. Moreover, the pa-tients with a genetic variation were more prone to bulbar palsy and breathing difficulties than those with the wild-type genotype. This led to a shorter survival period in patients with a MAPT genetic variant. Our study suggests that the MAPT gene is a potential risk gene for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Fang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Wenyuan Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Chengsi Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Daojun Hong
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
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Li Y, Chen JA, Sears RL, Gao F, Klein ED, Karydas A, Geschwind MD, Rosen HJ, Boxer AL, Guo W, Pellegrini M, Horvath S, Miller BL, Geschwind DH, Coppola G. An epigenetic signature in peripheral blood associated with the haplotype on 17q21.31, a risk factor for neurodegenerative tauopathy. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004211. [PMID: 24603599 PMCID: PMC3945475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how changes in DNA methylation mediate risk for human diseases including dementia. Analysis of genome-wide methylation patterns in patients with two forms of tau-related dementia--progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)--revealed significant differentially methylated probes (DMPs) in patients versus unaffected controls. Remarkably, DMPs in PSP were clustered within the 17q21.31 region, previously known to harbor the major genetic risk factor for PSP. We identified and replicated a dose-dependent effect of the risk-associated H1 haplotype on methylation levels within the region in blood and brain. These data reveal that the H1 haplotype increases risk for tauopathy via differential methylation at that locus, indicating a mediating role for methylation in dementia pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Chen
- Interdepartmental Program in Bioinformatics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Renee L. Sears
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Fuying Gao
- Department of Psychiatry and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Eric D. Klein
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Anna Karydas
- Memory and Aging Center/Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Geschwind
- Memory and Aging Center/Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Howard J. Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center/Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Adam L. Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center/Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Weilong Guo
- Bioinformatics Division and Center for Synthetic & Systems Biology, TNLIST, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Steve Horvath
- Departments of Biostatistics and Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Memory and Aging Center/Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel H. Geschwind
- Department of Psychiatry and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Department of Psychiatry and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Twice is better: highlights of the second meeting focused on tau biology and pathology. Biochem Soc Trans 2012; 40:641-3. [PMID: 22817708 DOI: 10.1042/bst20120136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It is an exciting time for tau researchers as it is now generally accepted that abnormal tau species are required to mediate the toxic effects of amyloid β-peptide oligomers in Alzheimer's disease. Tau may play multiple roles in neurophysiology and there may be further pathologically relevant tau alterations, besides hyperphosphorylation and aggregation. The recent Biology and Pathology of Tau and its Role in Tauopathies II meeting explored these various aspects of tau, and presentations at the meeting, described in the following articles in this issue of Biochemical Society Transactions, are outlined in the present paper.
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