1
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Santi MD, Carvalho D, Dapueto R, Bentura M, Zeni M, Martínez-González L, Martínez A, Peralta MA, Rey A, Giglio J, Ortega MG, Savio E, Abin-Carriquiry JA, Arredondo F. Prenylated Flavanone Isolated from Dalea Species as a Potential Multitarget-Neuroprotector in an In Vitro Alzheimer's Disease Mice Model. Neurotox Res 2024; 42:23. [PMID: 38578482 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-024-00703-5] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves a neurodegenerative process that has not yet been prevented, reversed, or stopped. Continuing with the search for natural pharmacological treatments, flavonoids are a family of compounds with proven neuroprotective effects and multi-targeting behavior. The American genus Dalea L. (Fabaceae) is an important source of bioactive flavonoids. In this opportunity, we tested the neuroprotective potential of three prenylated flavanones isolated from Dalea species in a new in vitro pre-clinical AD model previously developed by us. Our approach consisted in exposing neural cells to conditioned media (3xTg-AD ACM) from neurotoxic astrocytes derived from hippocampi and cortices of old 3xTg-AD mice, mimicking a local neurodegenerative microenvironment. Flavanone 1 and 3 showed a neuroprotective effect against 3xTg-AD ACM, being 1 more active than 3. The structural requirements to afford neuroprotective activity in this model are a 5'-dimethylallyl and 4'-hydroxy at the B ring. In order to search the mechanistic performance of the most active flavanone, we focus on the flavonoid-mediated regulation of GSK-3β-mediated tau phosphorylation previously reported. Flavanone 1 treatment decreased the rise of hyperphosphorylated tau protein neuronal levels induced after 3xTg-AD ACM exposure and inhibited the activity of GSK-3β. Finally, direct exposure of these neurotoxic 3xTg-AD astrocytes to flavanone 1 resulted in toxicity to these cells and reduced the neurotoxicity of 3xTg-AD ACM as well. Our results allow us to present compound 1 as a natural prenylated flavanone that could be used as a precursor to development and design of future drug therapies for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria D Santi
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV-CONICET), Ciudad Universitaria. X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Diego Carvalho
- Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, 11600, Uruguay
- Área de Matemática - DETEMA, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rosina Dapueto
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Manuela Bentura
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Maia Zeni
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Área de Radioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Loreto Martínez-González
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Calle Ramiro Maétzu 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Avda Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Ana Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Calle Ramiro Maétzu 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Avda Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Mariana A Peralta
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV-CONICET), Ciudad Universitaria. X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
- Farmacognosia, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, Haya de la torre y Medina Allende, Edificio Ciencias II, X5000HUA Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ana Rey
- Área de Radioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier Giglio
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Área de Radioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Maria G Ortega
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV-CONICET), Ciudad Universitaria. X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
- Farmacognosia, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, Haya de la torre y Medina Allende, Edificio Ciencias II, X5000HUA Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Savio
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Florencia Arredondo
- I+D Biomédico y Química Farmacéutica, Centro Uruguayo de Imagenología Molecular (CUDIM), Montevideo, Uruguay.
- Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, 11600, Uruguay.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shi H, Zhao Y. Modulation of Tau Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease by Dietary Bioactive Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:831. [PMID: 38255905 PMCID: PMC10815728 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020831] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein essential for microtubule assembly and stability in neurons. The abnormal intracellular accumulation of tau aggregates is a major characteristic of brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. In AD, the presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which is composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, is positively correlated with the severity of the cognitive decline. Evidence suggests that the accumulation and aggregation of tau cause synaptic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration. Thus, the prevention of abnormal tau phosphorylation and elimination of tau aggregates have been proposed as therapeutic strategies for AD. However, currently tau-targeting therapies for AD and other tauopathies are limited. A number of dietary bioactive compounds have been found to modulate the posttranslational modifications of tau, including phosphorylation, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) mediated modification (SUMOylation) and acetylation, as well as inhibit tau aggregation and/or promote tau degradation. The advantages of using these dietary components over synthetic substances in AD prevention and intervention are their safety and accessibility. This review summarizes the mechanisms leading to tau pathology in AD and highlights the effects of bioactive compounds on the hyperphosphorylation, aggregation and clearance of tau protein. The potential of using these bioactive compounds for AD prevention and intervention is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huahua Shi
- Department of Bioengineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai 264209, China;
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai 264209, China;
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cai Q, Tai HC. Super-Resolution Imaging of Tau Proteins in Isolated and Immobilized Brain Synaptosomes. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:445-456. [PMID: 38512681 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_24] [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] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein has important physiological functions at both presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals. Pathological tau species are also associated with synaptic dysfunctions in several neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease. To understand tau distribution inside synaptic compartments, super-resolution imaging is required. Here, we describe a facile protocol to immobilize and image brain synaptosomes without aggregation artefacts, by substituting the standard fixative paraformaldehyde with ethylene glycol bis(succinimidyl succinate) (EGS). Super-resolution imaging of tau proteins is achieved through three-color direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). Tau protein is found to colocalize with synaptic vesicles as well as postsynaptic densities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qixu Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tseng JH, Cohen TJ. The emerging nontraditional roles for tau in the brain. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:89-94. [PMID: 38063261 PMCID: PMC11068308 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jui-Heng Tseng
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Todd J. Cohen
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bell-Simons M, Buchholz S, Klimek J, Zempel H. Laser-Induced Axotomy of Human iPSC-Derived and Murine Primary Neurons Decreases Somatic Tau and AT8 Tau Phosphorylation: A Single-Cell Approach to Study Effects of Acute Axonal Damage. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:3497-3510. [PMID: 37171549 PMCID: PMC10477226 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01359-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein Tau is highly enriched in axons of brain neurons where it regulates axonal outgrowth, plasticity, and transport. Efficient axonal Tau sorting is critical since somatodendritic Tau missorting is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. However, the molecular mechanisms of axonal Tau sorting are still not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to unravel to which extent anterograde protein transport contributes to axonal Tau sorting. We developed a laser-based axotomy approach with single-cell resolution and combined it with spinning disk confocal microscopy enabling multi live-cell monitoring. We cultivated human iPSC-derived cortical neurons and mouse primary forebrain neurons in specialized chambers allowing reliable post-fixation identification and Tau analysis. Using this approach, we achieved high post-axotomy survival rates and observed axonal regrowth in a subset of neurons. When we assessed somatic missorting and phosphorylation levels of endogenous human or murine Tau at different time points after axotomy, we surprisingly did not observe somatic Tau accumulation or hyperphosphorylation, regardless of their regrowing activity, consistent for both models. These results indicate that impairment of anterograde transit of Tau protein and acute axonal damage may not play a role for the development of somatic Tau pathology. In sum, we developed a laser-based axotomy model suitable for studying the impact of different Tau sorting mechanisms in a highly controllable and reproducible setting, and we provide evidence that acute axon loss does not induce somatic Tau accumulation and AT8 Tau phosphorylation. UV laser-induced axotomy of human iPSC-derived and mouse primary neurons results in decreased somatic levels of endogenous Tau and AT8 Tau phosphorylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Bell-Simons
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - S Buchholz
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - J Klimek
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - H Zempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Forrest SL, Lee S, Nassir N, Martinez-Valbuena I, Sackmann V, Li J, Ahmed A, Tartaglia MC, Ittner LM, Lang AE, Uddin M, Kovacs GG. Cell-specific MAPT gene expression is preserved in neuronal and glial tau cytopathologies in progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:395-414. [PMID: 37354322 PMCID: PMC10412651 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02604-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) aggregates in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Tau is a target of therapy and the strategy includes either the elimination of pathological tau aggregates or reducing MAPT expression, and thus the amount of tau protein made to prevent its aggregation. Disease-associated tau affects brain regions in a sequential manner that includes cell-to-cell spreading. Involvement of glial cells that show tau aggregates is interpreted as glial cells taking up misfolded tau assuming that glial cells do not express enough MAPT. Although studies have evaluated MAPT expression in human brain tissue homogenates, it is not clear whether MAPT expression is compromised in cells accumulating pathological tau. To address these perplexing aspects of disease pathogenesis, this study used RNAscope combined with immunofluorescence (AT8), and single-nuclear(sn) RNAseq to systematically map and quantify MAPT expression dynamics across different cell types and brain regions in controls (n = 3) and evaluated whether tau cytopathology affects MAPT expression in PSP (n = 3). MAPT transcripts were detected in neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and varied between brain regions and within each cell type, and were preserved in all cell types with tau aggregates in PSP. These results propose a complex scenario in all cell types, where, in addition to the ingested misfolded tau, the preserved cellular MAPT expression provides a pool for local protein production that can (1) be phosphorylated and aggregated, or (2) feed the seeding of ingested misfolded tau by providing physiological tau, both accentuating the pathological process. Since tau cytopathology does not compromise MAPT gene expression in PSP, a complete loss of tau protein expression as an early pathogenic component is less likely. These observations provide rationale for a dual approach to therapy by decreasing cellular MAPT expression and targeting removal of misfolded tau.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shelley L Forrest
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- Laboratory Medicine Program and Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Seojin Lee
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Nasna Nassir
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Valerie Sackmann
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Jun Li
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Awab Ahmed
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- University Health Network Memory Clinic, Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anthony E Lang
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Rossy PSP Centre and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
- Cellular Intelligence (Ci) Lab, GenomeArc Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada.
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
- Laboratory Medicine Program and Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Rossy PSP Centre and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yonemura Y, Sakai Y, Nakata R, Hagita-Tatsumoto A, Miyasaka T, Misonou H. Active Transport by Cytoplasmic Dynein Maintains the Localization of MAP2 in Developing Neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.26.538370. [PMID: 37163107 PMCID: PMC10168327 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.26.538370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
MAP2 has been widely used as a marker of neuronal dendrites because of its extensive restriction in the somatodendritic region of neurons. Despite that, how the precise localization of such a soluble protein is established and maintained against thermal forces and diffusion has been elusive and long remained a mystery in neuroscience. In this study, we aimed to uncover the mechanism behind how MAP2 is retained in the somatodendritic region. Using GFP-tagged MAP2 expressed in cultured hippocampal neurons, we discovered a crucial protein region responsible for the localization of MAP2, the serine/proline-rich (S/P) region. Our pulse-chase live-cell imaging revealed the slow but steady migration of MAP2 toward distal dendrites, which was not observed in a MAP2 mutant lacking the S/P region, indicating that S/P-dependent transport is vital for the proper localization of MAP2. Furthermore, our experiments using an inhibitor of cytoplasmic Dynein, ciliobrevin D, as well as Dynein knockdown, showed that cytoplasmic Dynein is involved in the transport of MAP2 in dendrites. We also found that Dynein complex binds to MAP2 through the S/P region in heterologous cells. Using mathematical modeling based on experimental data, we confirmed that an intermittent active transport mechanism is essential. Thus, we propose that the cytoplasmic Dynein recruits and transports free MAP2 toward distal dendrites, thereby maintaining the precise dendritic localization of MAP2 in neurons. Our findings shed light on the previously unknown mechanism behind MAP2 localization and provide a new direction for soluble protein trafficking research in the field of cell biology of neurons.
Collapse
|
9
|
Chen Z, Wang S, Meng Z, Ye Y, Shan G, Wang X, Zhao X, Jin Y. Tau protein plays a role in the mechanism of cognitive disorders induced by anesthetic drugs. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1145318. [PMID: 36937655 PMCID: PMC10015606 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1145318] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive disorders are mental health disorders that can affect cognitive ability. Surgery and anesthesia have been proposed to increase the incidence of cognitive dysfunction, including declines in memory, learning, attention and executive function. Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein located in the axons of neurons and is important for microtubule assembly and stability; its biological function is mainly regulated by phosphorylation. Phosphorylated tau protein has been associated with cognitive dysfunction mediated by disrupting the stability of the microtubule structure. There is an increasing consensus that anesthetic drugs can cause cognitive impairment. Herein, we reviewed the latest literature and compared the relationship between tau protein and cognitive impairment caused by different anesthetics. Our results substantiated that tau protein phosphorylation is essential in cognitive dysfunction caused by anesthetic drugs, and the possible mechanism can be summarized as "anesthetic drugs-kinase/phosphatase-p-Tau-cognitive impairment".
Collapse
|
10
|
Kaniyappan S, Balaji V, Wang Y, Mandelkow E. Microfluidic Chamber Technology to Study Missorting and Spreading of Tau Protein in Alzheimer's Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2551:111-123. [PMID: 36310200 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2597-2_9] [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] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein found mainly in the axons of neurons in the brain. Abnormal changes in Tau (e.g., aggregation, hyperphosphorylation) are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Two processes of relocalization of Tau may be related to early states of the pathology and have received much attention: (1) the redistribution of Tau within cells (termed "somatodendritic missorting") and (2) the release and reuptake of Tau from donor to acceptor cells (termed "spreading"). Because of the tripartite nature of neurons (cell body, dendrites, axons), these changes can be studied by microfluidic chambers (MFCs) which allow separation and observation of Tau in neuronal compartments. In this chapter, we present some methods and research results obtained by using microfluidic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Varun Balaji
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yipeng Wang
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
- Shanghai Qiangrui Biotech Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
- CAESAR Research Center, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Shilian M, Even A, Gast H, Nguyen L, Weil M. Elongator promotes neuritogenesis via regulation of tau stability through acly activity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1015125. [PMID: 36393857 PMCID: PMC9644021 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1015125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The six subunits (Elp1 to Elp6) Elongator complex promotes specific uridine modifications in tRNA’s wobble site. Moreover, this complex has been indirectly involved in the regulation of α-tubulin acetylation in microtubules (MTs) via the stabilization of ATP-Citrate Lyase (Acly), the main cytosolic source of acetyl-CoA production in cells, a key substrate used for global protein acetylation. Here, we report additional evidence that Elongator activity is important for proper cytoskeleton remodeling as cells lacking expression of Elp1 show morphology impairment; including distinct neurite process formation and disorganization and instability of MTs. Here, we show that loss of Elongator results in a reduction of expression of the microtubule associated protein Tau (MAPT). Tau, is a well-known key MT regulator in neurons whose lysines can be competitively acetylated or ubiquitylated. Therefore, we tested whether Tau is an indirect acetylation target of Elongator. We found that a reduction of Elongator activity leads to a decrease of lysine acetylation on Tau that favors its proteasomal degradation. This phenotype was prevented by using selective deacetylase or proteasomal inhibitors. Moreover, our data demonstrate that Acly’s activity regulates the mechanism underlying Tau mediated neurite morphology defects found in Elp1 KD since both Tau levels and neurites morphology are restored due to Acly overexpression. This suggests a possible involvement of both Tau and Acly dysfunction in Familial Dysautonomia (FD), which is an autosomal recessive peripheral neuropathy caused by mutation in the ELP1 gene that severely affects Elp1 expression levels in the nervous system in FD patients in a similar way as found previously in Elp1 KD neuroblastoma cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Shilian
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Personalized Medicine, The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, The George S. Wise Faculty for Life Sciences, Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Aviel Even
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Personalized Medicine, The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, The George S. Wise Faculty for Life Sciences, Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hila Gast
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Personalized Medicine, The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, The George S. Wise Faculty for Life Sciences, Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Laurent Nguyen
- GIGA-Stem Cells and GIGA-Neurosciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGAR), University of Liège, C.H.U. Sart Tilman, Belgium, BIOMED Research Institute, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Miguel Weil
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Personalized Medicine, The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, The George S. Wise Faculty for Life Sciences, Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- *Correspondence: Miguel Weil,
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Prikas E, Paric E, Asih PR, Stefanoska K, Stefen H, Fath T, Poljak A, Ittner A. Tau target identification reveals NSF-dependent effects on AMPA receptor trafficking and memory formation. EMBO J 2022; 41:e10242. [PMID: 35993331 PMCID: PMC9475529 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021110242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau is a central factor in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. However, the physiological functions of tau are unclear. Here, we used proximity-labelling proteomics to chart tau interactomes in primary neurons and mouse brains in vivo. Tau interactors map onto pathways of cytoskeletal, synaptic vesicle and postsynaptic receptor regulation and show significant enrichment for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and prion disease. We find that tau interacts with and dose-dependently reduces the activity of N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF), a vesicular ATPase essential for AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) trafficking. Tau-deficient (tau-/- ) neurons showed mislocalised expression of NSF and enhanced synaptic AMPAR surface levels, reversible through the expression of human tau or inhibition of NSF. Consequently, enhanced AMPAR-mediated associative and object recognition memory in tau-/- mice is suppressed by both hippocampal tau and infusion with an NSF-inhibiting peptide. Pathologic mutant tau from mouse models or Alzheimer's disease significantly enhances NSF inhibition. Our results map neuronal tau interactomes and delineate a functional link of tau with NSF in plasticity-associated AMPAR-trafficking and memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Prikas
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Esmeralda Paric
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Prita R Asih
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Kristie Stefanoska
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| | - Holly Stefen
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Thomas Fath
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Anne Poljak
- Mark Wainwright Analytical CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Arne Ittner
- Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Schmidt S, Holzer M, Arendt T, Sonntag M, Morawski M. Tau Protein Modulates Perineuronal Extracellular Matrix Expression in the TauP301L-acan Mouse Model. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12040505. [PMID: 35454094 PMCID: PMC9027016 DOI: 10.3390/biom12040505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau mutations promote the formation of tau oligomers and filaments, which are neuropathological signs of several tau-associated dementias. Types of neurons in the CNS are spared of tau pathology and are surrounded by a specialized form of extracellular matrix; called perineuronal nets (PNs). Aggrecan, the major PN proteoglycans, is suggested to mediate PNs neuroprotective function by forming an external shield preventing the internalization of misfolded tau. We recently demonstrated a correlation between aggrecan amount and the expression and phosphorylation of tau in a TauP310L-acan mouse model, generated by crossbreeding heterozygous aggrecan mice with a significant reduction of aggrecan and homozygous TauP301L mice. Neurodegenerative processes have been associated with changes of PN structure and protein signature. In this study, we hypothesized that the structure and protein expression of PNs in this TauP310L-acan mouse is regulated by tau. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses demonstrate that protein levels of PN components differ between TauP301LHET-acanWT and TauP301LHET-acanHET mice, accompanied by changes in the expression of protein phosphatase 2 A. In addition, tau can modulate PN components such as brevican. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed a physical connection between PN components and tau. These data demonstrate a complex, mutual interrelation of tau and the proteoglycans of the PN.
Collapse
|
14
|
Caamaño-Moreno M, Gargini R. Tauopathies: the role of tau in cellular crosstalk and synaptic dysfunctions. Neuroscience 2022; 518:38-53. [PMID: 35272005 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases among which are many of the most prevalent and with higher incidence worldwide, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to the World Health Organization, this set of diseases will continue to increase their incidence, affecting millions of people by 2050. All of them are characterized by aberrant aggregation of tau protein in neurons and glia that are distributed in different brain regions according to their susceptibility. Numerous studies reveal that synaptic regulation not only has a neuronal component, but glia plays a fundamental role in it beyond its neuroinflammatory role. Despite this, it has not been emphasized how the glial inclusions of tau in this cell type directly affect this and many other essential functions, whose alterations have been related to the development of tauopathies. In this way, this review shows how tau inclusions in glia influence the synaptic dysfunctions that result in the cognitive symptoms characteristic of tauopathies. Thus, the mechanisms affected by inclusions in neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes are unraveled.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Caamaño-Moreno
- Instituto de investigaciones Biomédicas I+12, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Gargini
- Instituto de investigaciones Biomédicas I+12, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; Neurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tau mRNA Metabolism in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Tangle Journey. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020241. [PMID: 35203451 PMCID: PMC8869323 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau proteins are known to be mainly involved in regulation of microtubule dynamics. Besides this function, which is critical for axonal transport and signal transduction, tau proteins also have other roles in neurons. Moreover, tau proteins are turned into aggregates and consequently trigger many neurodegenerative diseases termed tauopathies, of which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the figurehead. Such pathological aggregation processes are critical for the onset of these diseases. Among the various causes of tau protein pathogenicity, abnormal tau mRNA metabolism, expression and dysregulation of tau post-translational modifications are critical steps. Moreover, the relevance of tau function to general mRNA metabolism has been highlighted recently in tauopathies. In this review, we mainly focus on how mRNA metabolism impacts the onset and development of tauopathies. Thus, we intend to portray how mRNA metabolism of, or mediated by, tau is associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
|
16
|
Dai L, Shen Y. Insights into T-cell dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13511. [PMID: 34725916 PMCID: PMC8672785 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells, the critical immune cells of the adaptive immune system, are often dysfunctional in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and are involved in AD pathology. Reports highlight neuroinflammation as a crucial modulator of AD pathogenesis, and aberrant T cells indirectly contribute to neuroinflammation by secreting proinflammatory mediators via direct crosstalk with glial cells infiltrating the brain. However, the mechanisms underlying T‐cell abnormalities in AD appear multifactorial. Risk factors for AD and pathological hallmarks of AD have been tightly linked with immune responses, implying the potential regulatory effects of these factors on T cells. In this review, we discuss how the risk factors for AD, particularly Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), Aβ, α‐secretase, β‐secretase, γ‐secretase, Tau, and neuroinflammation, modulate T‐cell activation and the association between T cells and pathological AD hallmarks. Understanding these associations is critical to provide a comprehensive view of appropriate therapeutic strategies for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linbin Dai
- Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC Division of Life Sciences and Medicine University of Sciences and Technology of China Hefei China
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Yong Shen
- Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC Division of Life Sciences and Medicine University of Sciences and Technology of China Hefei China
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Sallaberry CA, Voss BJ, Majewski J, Biernat J, Mandelkow E, Chi EY, Vander Zanden CM. Tau and Membranes: Interactions That Promote Folding and Condensation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:725241. [PMID: 34621743 PMCID: PMC8491580 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.725241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau misfolding and assembly is linked to a number of neurodegenerative diseases collectively described as tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease. Anionic cellular membranes, such as the cytosolic leaflet of the plasma membrane, are sites that concentrate and neutralize tau, primarily due to electrostatic interactions with tau’s microtubule binding repeat domain (RD). In addition to electrostatic interactions with lipids, tau also has interactions with membrane proteins, which are important for tau’s cellular functions. Tau also interacts with lipid tails to facilitate direct translocation across the membrane and can form stable protein-lipid complexes involved in cell-to-cell transport. Concentrated tau monomers at the membrane surface can form reversible condensates, change secondary structures, and induce oligomers, which may eventually undergo irreversible crosslinking and fibril formation. These β-sheet rich tau structures are capable of disrupting membrane organization and are toxic in cell-based assays. Given the evidence for relevant membrane-based tau assembly, we review the emerging hypothesis that polyanionic membranes may serve as a site for phase-separated tau condensation. Membrane-mediated phase separation may have important implications for regulating tau folding/misfolding, and may be a powerful mechanism to spatially direct tau for native membrane-mediated functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chad A Sallaberry
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Barbie J Voss
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Jaroslaw Majewski
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, United States.,Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biomedical Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Jacek Biernat
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR) Center, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eva Y Chi
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biomedical Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Crystal M Vander Zanden
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Yin X, Zhao C, Qiu Y, Zhou Z, Bao J, Qian W. Dendritic/Post-synaptic Tau and Early Pathology of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:671779. [PMID: 34248498 PMCID: PMC8270001 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.671779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau forms insoluble neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which is one of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many studies have demonstrated that tau causes early functional deficits prior to the formation of neurofibrillary aggregates. The redistribution of tau from axons to the somatodendritic compartment of neurons and dendritic spines causes synaptic impairment, and then leads to the loss of synaptic contacts that correlates better with cognitive deficits than amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates do in AD patients. In this review, we discuss the underlying mechanisms by which tau is mislocalized to dendritic spines and contributes to synaptic dysfunction in AD. We also discuss the synergistic effects of tau and oligomeric forms of Aβ on promoting synaptic dysfunction in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chenhao Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yanyan Qiu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Junze Bao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Wei Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Alternative Targets to Fight Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on Astrocytes. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11040600. [PMID: 33921556 PMCID: PMC8073475 DOI: 10.3390/biom11040600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The available treatments for patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are not curative. Numerous clinical trials have failed during the past decades. Therefore, scientists need to explore new avenues to tackle this disease. In the present review, we briefly summarize the pathological mechanisms of AD known so far, based on which different therapeutic tools have been designed. Then, we focus on a specific approach that is targeting astrocytes. Indeed, these non-neuronal brain cells respond to any insult, injury, or disease of the brain, including AD. The study of astrocytes is complicated by the fact that they exert a plethora of homeostatic functions, and their disease-induced changes could be context-, time-, and disease specific. However, this complex but fervent area of research has produced a large amount of data targeting different astrocytic functions using pharmacological approaches. Here, we review the most recent literature findings that have been published in the last five years to stimulate new hypotheses and ideas to work on, highlighting the peculiar ability of palmitoylethanolamide to modulate astrocytes according to their morpho-functional state, which ultimately suggests a possible potential disease-modifying therapeutic approach for AD.
Collapse
|
20
|
Tan B, Aslan-Gülpınar E, Dursun N, Süer C. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade reduces plasticity-related tau expression and phosphorylation of tau at Ser416 residue but not Thr231 residue. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1627-1637. [PMID: 33768378 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06090-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms regulating N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity are complex, and the contribution of Tau protein in the physiological process is not fully understood. Herein, we investigated whether the blockade of NMDA receptor activation might change Tau phosphorylation during long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) via contribution of GSK3β as a major Tau kinase. For this, we recorded two components (synaptic and population spike components) of hippocampal field potential, which is evoked by the stimulation of the perforant pathway with high- and low-frequency stimulation (HFS and LFS). We found under a 20-µl volume of D-AP5 infusion lasting 1 h that,HFS caused significant synaptic depression, whereas LFS induced a synaptic potentiation. Both the HFS and LFS protocols resulted in a significant increase in population spike component but were characterized by a slow increase in amplitude that occurred with the LFS. D-AP5 attenuated HFS-induced population spike potentiation, but augmented LFS-induced population spike potentiation. The enzymatic activity of GSK-3β was decreased by D-AP5 infusion in the hippocampus, indicating that NMDA receptor activity modulates the enzymatic activity of GSK-3β. In addition, NMDA receptor blockade reduced tau expression and phosphorylation of tau at Ser416 residue, but not Thr231 residue. These findings confirm previous studies that D-AP5 applied to the DG in vivo blocks HFS-induced LTP, but we further also showed that the same dose of D-AP5 resulted in a slowly rising LFS-induced LTP and HFS-induced LTD. The formation of such an LTP, together with reduced enzymatic activity of GSK-3β and tau phosphorylation at Ser416 epitope, can make it a candidate mechanism for prevention of taupathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Burak Tan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Ezgi Aslan-Gülpınar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Nurcan Dursun
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Cem Süer
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
The Seaweed Diet in Prevention and Treatment of the Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:md19030128. [PMID: 33652930 PMCID: PMC7996752 DOI: 10.3390/md19030128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Edible marine algae are rich in bioactive compounds and are, therefore, a source of bioavailable proteins, long chain polysaccharides that behave as low-calorie soluble fibers, metabolically necessary minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants. Marine algae were used primarily as gelling agents and thickeners (phycocolloids) in food and pharmaceutical industries in the last century, but recent research has revealed their potential as a source of useful compounds for the pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic industries. The green, red, and brown algae have been shown to have useful therapeutic properties in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis, and other chronic diseases. In this review are listed and described the main components of a suitable diet for patients with these diseases. In addition, compounds derived from macroalgae and their neurophysiological activities are described.
Collapse
|
22
|
Wu R, Gu J, Zhou D, Tung YC, Jin N, Chu D, Hu W, Wegiel J, Gong CX, Iqbal K, Liu F. Seeding-Competent Tau in Gray Matter Versus White Matter of Alzheimer's Disease Brain. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 79:1647-1659. [PMID: 33459649 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurofibrillary pathology of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau spreads along neuroanatomical connections, underlying the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The propagation of tau pathology to axonally connected brain regions inevitably involves trafficking of seeding-competent tau within the axonal compartment of the neuron. OBJECTIVE To determine the seeding activity of tau in cerebral gray and white matters of AD. METHODS Levels of total tau, hyperphosphorylation of tau, and SDS- and β-mercaptoethanol-resistant high molecular weight tau (HMW-tau) in crude extracts from gray and white matters of AD frontal lobes were analyzed by immuno-blots. Tau seeding activity was quantitatively assessed by measuring RIPA buffer-insoluble tau in HEK-293FT/tau151-391 cells treated with brain extracts. RESULTS We found a comparable level of soluble tau in gray matter versus white matter of control brains, but a higher level of soluble tau in gray matter than white matter of AD brains. In AD brains, tau is hyperphosphorylated in both gray and white matters, with a higher level in the former. The extracts of both gray and white matters of AD brains seeded tau aggregation in HEK-293FT/tau151-391 cells but the white matter showed less potency. Seeding activity of tau in brain extracts was positively correlated with the levels of tau hyperphosphorylation and HMW-tau. RIPA-insoluble tau, but not RIPA-soluble tau, was hyperphosphorylated tau at multiple sites. CONCLUSION Both gray and white matters of AD brain contain seeding-competent tau that can template aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau, but the seeding potency is markedly higher in gray matter than in white matter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruozhen Wu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianlan Gu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dingwei Zhou
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Nana Jin
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dandan Chu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.,Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wen Hu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Hole KL, Williams RJ. Flavonoids as an Intervention for Alzheimer's Disease: Progress and Hurdles Towards Defining a Mechanism of Action. Brain Plast 2021; 6:167-192. [PMID: 33782649 PMCID: PMC7990465 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-200098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attempts to develop a disease modifying intervention for Alzheimer's disease (AD) through targeting amyloid β (Aβ) have so far been unsuccessful. There is, therefore, a need for novel therapeutics against alternative targets coupled with approaches which may be suitable for early and sustained use likely required for AD prevention. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that flavonoids can act within processes and pathways relevant to AD, such as Aβ and tau pathology, increases in BDNF, inflammation, oxidative stress and neurogenesis. However, the therapeutic development of flavonoids has been hindered by an ongoing lack of clear mechanistic data that fully takes into consideration metabolism and bioavailability of flavonoids in vivo. With a focus on studies that incorporate these considerations into their experimental design, this review will evaluate the evidence for developing specific flavonoids as therapeutics for AD. Given the current lack of success of anti-Aβ targeting therapeutics, particular attention will be given to flavonoid-mediated regulation of tau phosphorylation and aggregation, where there is a comparable lack of study. Reflecting on this evidence, the obstacles that prevent therapeutic development of flavonoids will be examined. Finally, the significance of recent advances in flavonoid metabolomics, modifications and influence of the microbiome on the therapeutic capacity of flavonoids in AD are explored. By highlighting the potential of flavonoids to target multiple aspects of AD pathology, as well as considering the hurdles, this review aims to promote the efficient and effective identification of flavonoid-based approaches that have potential as therapeutic interventions for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katriona L. Hole
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, UK
| | - Robert J. Williams
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Microtubule Dysfunction: A Common Feature of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197354. [PMID: 33027950 PMCID: PMC7582320 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons are particularly susceptible to microtubule (MT) defects and deregulation of the MT cytoskeleton is considered to be a common insult during the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence that dysfunctions in the MT system have a direct role in neurodegeneration comes from findings that several forms of neurodegenerative diseases are associated with changes in genes encoding tubulins, the structural units of MTs, MT-associated proteins (MAPs), or additional factors such as MT modifying enzymes which modulating tubulin post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate MT functions and dynamics. Efforts to use MT-targeting therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases are underway. Many of these agents have provided several benefits when tested on both in vitro and in vivo neurodegenerative model systems. Currently, the most frequently addressed therapeutic interventions include drugs that modulate MT stability or that target tubulin PTMs, such as tubulin acetylation. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the relevance of MT dysfunctions to the process of neurodegeneration and briefly discuss advances in the use of MT-targeting drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
|
25
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Teravskis PJ, Ashe KH, Liao D. The Accumulation of Tau in Postsynaptic Structures: A Common Feature in Multiple Neurodegenerative Diseases? Neuroscientist 2020; 26:503-520. [PMID: 32389059 DOI: 10.1177/1073858420916696] [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: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases and dementias are caused not by unique, solitary cellular mechanisms, but by multiple contributory mechanisms manifesting as heterogeneous clinical presentations. However, diverse neurodegenerative diseases also share common pathological hallmarks and cellular mechanisms. One such mechanism involves the redistribution of the microtubule associated protein tau from the axon into the somatodendritic compartment of neurons, followed by the mislocalization of tau into dendritic spines, resulting in postsynaptic functional deficits. Here we review various signaling pathways that trigger the redistribution of tau to the cell body and dendritic tree, and its mislocalization to dendritic spines. The convergence of multiple pathways in different disease models onto this final common pathway suggests that it may be an attractive pathway to target for developing new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Teravskis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Karen H Ashe
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,N. Budd Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Dezhi Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Birol M, Melo AM. Untangling the Conformational Polymorphism of Disordered Proteins Associated With Neurodegeneration at the Single-Molecule Level. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 12:309. [PMID: 31998071 PMCID: PMC6965022 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A large fraction of the human genome encodes intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPs/IDRs) that are involved in diverse cellular functions/regulation and dysfunctions. Moreover, several neurodegenerative disorders are associated with the pathological self-assembly of neuronal IDPs, including tau [Alzheimer's disease (AD)], α-synuclein [Parkinson's disease (PD)], and huntingtin exon 1 [Huntington's disease (HD)]. Therefore, there is an urgent and emerging clinical interest in understanding the physical and structural features of their functional and disease states. However, their biophysical characterization is inherently challenging by traditional ensemble techniques. First, unlike globular proteins, IDPs lack stable secondary/tertiary structures under physiological conditions and may interact with multiple and distinct biological partners, subsequently folding differentially, thus contributing to the conformational polymorphism. Second, amyloidogenic IDPs display a high aggregation propensity, undergoing complex heterogeneous self-assembly mechanisms. In this review article, we discuss the advantages of employing cutting-edge single-molecule fluorescence (SMF) techniques to characterize the conformational ensemble of three selected neuronal IDPs (huntingtin exon 1, tau, and α-synuclein). Specifically, we survey the versatility of these powerful approaches to describe their monomeric conformational ensemble under functional and aggregation-prone conditions, and binding to biological partners. Together, the information gained from these studies provides unique insights into the role of gain or loss of function of these disordered proteins in neurodegeneration, which may assist the development of new therapeutic molecules to prevent and treat these devastating human disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Birol
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ana M Melo
- Centro de Química-Física Molecular- IN and iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ma X, Zhu Y, Lu J, Xie J, Li C, Shin WS, Qiang J, Liu J, Dou S, Xiao Y, Wang C, Jia C, Long H, Yang J, Fang Y, Jiang L, Zhang Y, Zhang S, Zhai RG, Liu C, Li D. Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase uses its NAD + substrate-binding site to chaperone phosphorylated Tau. eLife 2020; 9:51859. [PMID: 32250733 PMCID: PMC7136026 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau hyper-phosphorylation and deposition into neurofibrillary tangles have been found in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Molecular chaperones are involved in regulating the pathological aggregation of phosphorylated Tau (pTau) and modulating disease progression. Here, we report that nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT), a well-known NAD+ synthase, serves as a chaperone of pTau to prevent its amyloid aggregation in vitro as well as mitigate its pathology in a fly tauopathy model. By combining NMR spectroscopy, crystallography, single-molecule and computational approaches, we revealed that NMNAT adopts its enzymatic pocket to specifically bind the phosphorylated sites of pTau, which can be competitively disrupted by the enzymatic substrates of NMNAT. Moreover, we found that NMNAT serves as a co-chaperone of Hsp90 for the specific recognition of pTau over Tau. Our work uncovers a dedicated chaperone of pTau and suggests NMNAT as a key node between NAD+ metabolism and Tau homeostasis in aging and neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Ma
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiUnited States
| | - Jinxia Lu
- Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina,Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jingfei Xie
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Chong Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiUnited States
| | - Woo Shik Shin
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Biology Institute, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Jiali Qiang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- 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 UniversityYantaiChina
| | - Shuai Dou
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Yi Xiao
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Chuchu Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Chunyu Jia
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Houfang Long
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina,University of the Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Juntao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yanshan Fang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Biology Institute, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Yaoyang Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Rong Grace Zhai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiUnited States
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X-Renji Hospital Research Center, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina,Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Safinya CR, Chung PJ, Song C, Li Y, Miller HP, Choi MC, Raviv U, Ewert KK, Wilson L, Feinstein SC. Minireview - Microtubules and Tubulin Oligomers: Shape Transitions and Assembly by Intrinsically Disordered Protein Tau and Cationic Biomolecules. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:15970-15978. [PMID: 31539262 PMCID: PMC6988848 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
In this minireview, which is part of a special issue in honor of Jacob N. Israelachvili's remarkable research career on intermolecular forces and interfacial science, we present studies of structures, phase behavior, and forces in reaction mixtures of microtubules (MTs) and tubulin oligomers with either intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) Tau, cationic vesicles, or the polyamine spermine (4+). Bare MTs consist of 13 protofilaments (PFs), on average, where each PF is made of a linear stack of αβ-tubulin dimers (i.e., tubulin oligomers). We begin with a series of experiments which demonstrate the flexibility of PFs toward shape changes in response to local environmental cues. First, studies show that MT-associated protein (MAP) Tau controls the diameter of microtubules upon binding to the outer surface, implying a shape change in the cross-sectional area of PFs forming the MT perimeter. The diameter of a MT may also be controlled by the charge density of a lipid bilayer membrane that coats the outer surface. We further describe an experimental study where it is unexpectedly found that the biologically relevant polyamine spermine (+4e) is able to depolymerize taxol-stabilized microtubules with efficiency that increases with decreasing temperature. This MT destabilization drives a dynamical structural transition where inside-out curving of PFs, during the depolymerization peeling process, is followed by reassembly of ring-like curved PF building blocks into an array of helical inverted tubulin tubules. We finally turn to a very recent study on pressure-distance measurements in bundles of MTs employing the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)-osmotic pressure technique, which complements the surface-forces-apparatus technique developed by Jacob N. Israelachvili. These latter studies are among the very few which are beginning to shed light on the precise nature of the interactions between MTs mediated by MAP Tau in 37 °C reaction mixtures containing GTP and lacking taxol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cyrus R. Safinya
- Materials Department, Physics Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Peter J. Chung
- James Franck Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Chaeyeon Song
- Amorepacific Corporation R&D Center, Yongin 17074, Republic of Korea
| | - Youli Li
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Herbert P. Miller
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Myung Chul Choi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Uri Raviv
- Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Kai K. Ewert
- Materials Department, Physics Department, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Leslie Wilson
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Stuart C. Feinstein
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Kobayashi S, Tanaka T, Soeda Y, Takashima A. Enhanced Tau Protein Translation by Hyper-Excitation. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:322. [PMID: 31824301 PMCID: PMC6879554 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, localizing mainly in the axon of mature neurons. Phenotypic analysis of Tau knockout mice has revealed an impairment of synaptic plasticity but without gross changes in brain morphology. Since we previously described the presence of tau mRNA in the somatodendritic compartment, including the postsynapse, and demonstrated that it could be locally translated in response to glutamate, it appears that the regulated translation of synaptic tau can have a direct impact on synaptic function. Using SH-SY5Y cells, we herein confirm that glutamate dose-dependently regulates the translation of tau protein without altering tau mRNA levels. This is supported by the finding that cycloheximide blocks glutamate-stimulated increases in tau protein levels. Our observation that neural excitation can directly upregulate tau mRNA translation helps explain the pathological accumulation of tau in the somatodendrite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Kobayashi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Toru Tanaka
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Soeda
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Takashima
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Boese AC, Hamblin MH, Lee JP. Neural stem cell therapy for neurovascular injury in Alzheimer's disease. Exp Neurol 2019; 324:113112. [PMID: 31730762 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.113112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration leading to severe cognitive decline and eventual death. AD pathophysiology is complex, but neurotoxic accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylation of Tau are believed to be main drivers of neurodegeneration in AD. The formation and deposition of Aβ plaques occurs in the brain parenchyma as well as in the cerebral vasculature. Thus, proper blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cerebrovascular functioning are crucial for clearance of Aβ from the brain, and neurovascular dysfunction may be a critical component of AD development. Further, neuroinflammation and dysfunction of angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and neurorestorative capabilities play a role in AD pathophysiology. Currently, there is no effective treatment to prevent or restore loss of brain tissue and cognitive decline in patients with AD. Based on multifactorial and complex pathophysiological cascades in multiple Alzheimer's disease stages, effective AD therapies need to focus on targeting early AD pathology and preserving cerebrovascular function. Neural stem cells (NSCs) participate extensively in mammalian brain homeostasis and repair and exhibit pleiotropic intrinsic properties that likely make them attractive candidates for the treatment of AD. In the review, we summarize the current advances in knowledge regarding neurovascular aspects of AD-related neurodegeneration and discuss multiple actions of NSCs from preclinical studies of AD to evaluate their potential for future clinical treatment of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Austin C Boese
- Department of Physiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Milton H Hamblin
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jean-Pyo Lee
- Department of Physiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Ittner A, Ittner LM. Dendritic Tau in Alzheimer's Disease. Neuron 2019; 99:13-27. [PMID: 30001506 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) are key players in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ and tau are linked in a molecular pathway at the post-synapse with tau-dependent synaptic dysfunction being a major pathomechanism in AD. Recent work on site-specific modification of dendritic and more specifically post-synaptic tau has revealed new endogenous functions of tau that limits synaptic Aβ toxicity. Thus, molecular studies opened a new perspective on tau, placing it at the center of neurotoxic and neuroprotective signaling at the post-synapse. Here, we review recent advances on tau in the dendritic compartments, with implications for understanding and treatment of AD and related neurological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Strang KH, Golde TE, Giasson BI. MAPT mutations, tauopathy, and mechanisms of neurodegeneration. J Transl Med 2019; 99:912-928. [PMID: 30742061 PMCID: PMC7289372 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-019-0197-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prominent pathological feature is the aberrant aggregation and inclusion formation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Because of the pathological association, these disorders are often referred to as tauopathies. Mutations in the MAPT gene that encodes tau can cause frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), providing the clearest evidence that tauopathy plays a causal role in neurodegeneration. However, large gaps in our knowledge remain regarding how various FTDP-17-linked tau mutations promote tau aggregation and neurodegeneration, and, more generally, how the tauopathy is linked to neurodegeneration. Herein, we review what is known about how FTDP-17-linked pathogenic MAPT mutations cause disease, with a major focus on the prion-like properties of wild-type and mutant tau proteins. The hypothesized mechanisms by which mutations in the MAPT gene promote tauopathy are quite varied and may not provide definitive insights into how tauopathy arises in the absence of mutation. Further, differences in the ability of tau and mutant tau proteins to support prion-like propagation in various model systems raise questions about the generalizability of this mechanism in various tauopathies. Notably, understanding the mechanisms of tauopathy induction and spread and tau-induced neurodegeneration has important implications for tau-targeting therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H. Strang
- 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
| | - Todd E. Golde
- 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
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are considered as major targets for AD therapies. However, no effective therapy is available to cure or prevent the progression of AD up until now. Accumulation of NFTs, which consist of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau, is directly correlated with the degree of dementia in AD patients. Emerging evidence indicates that the prion-like seeding and spreading of tau pathology may be the key driver of AD. In the past decades, greater understanding of tau pathway reveals new targets for the development of specific therapies. Here, we review the recent research progress in the mechanism underlying tau pathology in AD and briefly introduce tau-based therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York 10314, United States
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Mechanisms of Axonal Sorting of Tau and Influence of the Axon Initial Segment on Tau Cell Polarity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1184:69-77. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9358-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
|
36
|
Zhang S, Wang C, Lu J, Ma X, Liu Z, Li D, Liu Z, Liu C. In-Cell NMR Study of Tau and MARK2 Phosphorylated Tau. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010090. [PMID: 30587819 PMCID: PMC6337406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The intrinsically disordered protein, Tau, is abundant in neurons and contributes to the regulation of the microtubule (MT) and actin network, while its intracellular abnormal aggregation is closely associated with Alzheimer's disease. Here, using in-cell Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we investigated the conformations of two different isoforms of Tau, Tau40 and k19, in mammalian cells. Combined with immunofluorescence imaging and western blot analyses, we found that the isotope-enriched Tau, which was delivered into the cultured mammalian cells by electroporation, is partially colocalized with MT and actin filaments (F-actin). We acquired the NMR spectrum of Tau in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293T) cells, and compared it with the NMR spectra of Tau added with MT, F-actin, and a variety of crowding agents, respectively. We found that the NMR spectrum of Tau in complex with MT best recapitulates the in-cell NMR spectrum of Tau, suggesting that Tau predominantly binds to MT at its MT-binding repeats in HEK-293T cells. Moreover, we found that disease-associated phosphorylation of Tau was immediately eliminated once phosphorylated Tau was delivered into HEK-293T cells, implying a potential cellular protection mechanism under stressful conditions. Collectively, the results of our study reveal that Tau utilizes its MT-binding repeats to bind MT in mammalian cells and highlight the potential of using in-cell NMR to study protein structures at the residue level in mammalian cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 26 Qiuyue Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Chuchu Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 26 Qiuyue Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jinxia Lu
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Xiaojuan Ma
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 26 Qiuyue Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Zhenying Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 26 Qiuyue Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Zhijun Liu
- National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 26 Qiuyue Road, Shanghai 201210, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
McKenzie-Nickson S, Chan J, Perez K, Hung LW, Cheng L, Sedjahtera A, Gunawan L, Adlard PA, Hayne DJ, McInnes LE, Donnelly PS, Finkelstein DI, Hill AF, Barnham KJ. Modulating Protein Phosphatase 2A Rescues Disease Phenotype in Neurodegenerative Tauopathies. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:2731-2740. [PMID: 29920069 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide accounting for around 70% of all cases. There is currently no treatment for AD beyond symptom management and attempts at developing disease-modifying therapies have yielded very little. These strategies have traditionally targeted the peptide Aβ, which is thought to drive pathology. However, the lack of clinical translation of these Aβ-centric strategies underscores the need for diverse treatment strategies targeting other aspects of the disease. Metal dyshomeostasis is a common feature of several neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, Parkinson's disease, and frontotemporal dementia, and manipulation of metal homeostasis has been explored as a potential therapeutic avenue for these diseases. The copper ionophore glyoxalbis-[N4-methylthiosemicarbazonato]Cu(II) (CuII(gtsm)) has previously been shown to improve the cognitive deficits seen in an AD animal model; however, the molecular mechanism remained unclear. Here we report that the treatment of two animal tauopathy models (APP/PS1 and rTg4510) with CuII(gtsm) recovers the cognitive deficits seen in both neurodegenerative models. In both models, markers of tau pathology were significantly reduced with CuII(gtsm) treatment, and in the APP/PS1 model, the levels of Aβ remained unchanged. Analysis of tau kinases (GSK3β and CDK5) revealed no drug induced changes; however, both models exhibited a significant increase in the levels of the structural subunit of the tau phosphatase, PP2A. These findings suggest that targeting the tau phosphatase PP2A has therapeutic potential for preventing memory impairments and reducing the tau pathology seen in AD and other tauopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon McKenzie-Nickson
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jacky Chan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Keyla Perez
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Lin W. Hung
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Lesley Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Amelia Sedjahtera
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Lydia Gunawan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Paul A. Adlard
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | | | | | | | - David I. Finkelstein
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew F. Hill
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Kevin J. Barnham
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Balaji V, Kaniyappan S, Mandelkow E, Wang Y, Mandelkow EM. Pathological missorting of endogenous MAPT/Tau in neurons caused by failure of protein degradation systems. Autophagy 2018; 14:2139-2154. [PMID: 30145931 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2018.1509607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Missorting of MAPT/Tau represents one of the early signs of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease. The triggers for this are still a matter of debate. Here we investigated the sorting mechanisms of endogenous MAPT in mature primary neurons using microfluidic chambers (MFCs) where cell compartments can be observed separately. Blocking protein degradation pathways with proteasomal or autophagy inhibitors dramatically increased the missorting of MAPT in dendrites on the neuritic side, suggesting that degradation of MAPT in dendrites is a major determinant for the physiological axonal distribution of MAPT. Such missorted dendritic MAPT differed in its phosphorylation pattern from axonal MAPT. By contrast, enhancing autophagy or proteasomal pathways strongly reduced MAPT missorting, thereby confirming the role of protein degradation pathways in the polar distribution of MAPT. Dendritic missorting of MAPT by blocking protein degradation resulted in the loss of spines but not in overall cell toxicity. Inhibition of local protein synthesis in dendrites eliminated the missorting of MAPT, indicating that the accumulation of dendritic MAPT is locally generated. In support of this, a substantial fraction of Mapt/Tau mRNA was detected in dendrites. Taken together, our results indicate that the autophagy and proteasomal pathways play important roles in fine-tuning dendritic MAPT levels and thereby prevent synaptic toxicity caused by MAPT accumulation. Abbreviations Ani: anisomycin; Baf: bafilomycin A1; BSA: bovine serum albumin; cAMP: cyclic adenosine monophosphate; CHX: cycloheximide; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; DIV: days in vitro; Epo: epoxomicin; E18: embryonic day 18; FISH: fluorescence in situ hybridization; IgG: immunoglobulin; kDa: kilodalton; Lac: lactacystin; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; MFC: microfluidic chambers; MAPs: microtubule-associated proteins; MAPT/Tau: microtubule-associated protein tau; PVDF: polyvinylidene difluoride; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PRKA: protein kinase AMP-activated; RD150: round device 150; RT: room temperature; SDS: sodium dodecyl sulfate; SEM: standard error of the mean; Wor: wortmannin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Varun Balaji
- a DZNE, German Center for Neurodeg. Diseases , Bonn , Germany
| | | | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- a DZNE, German Center for Neurodeg. Diseases , Bonn , Germany.,b CAESAR Research Center , Bonn , Germany.,c MPI for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY , Hamburg , Germany
| | - Yipeng Wang
- a DZNE, German Center for Neurodeg. Diseases , Bonn , Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- a DZNE, German Center for Neurodeg. Diseases , Bonn , Germany.,b CAESAR Research Center , Bonn , Germany.,c MPI for Metabolism Research, Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY , Hamburg , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Tortosa E, Hoogenraad CC. Polarized trafficking: the palmitoylation cycle distributes cytoplasmic proteins to distinct neuronal compartments. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2018; 50:64-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
40
|
Hwang H, Rhim H. Functional significance of O-GlcNAc modification in regulating neuronal properties. Pharmacol Res 2017; 129:295-307. [PMID: 29223644 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) covalently modify proteins and diversify protein functions. Along with protein phosphorylation, another common PTM is the addition of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to serine and/or threonine residues. O-GlcNAc modification is similar to phosphorylation in that it occurs to serine and threonine residues and cycles on and off with a similar time scale. However, a striking difference is that the addition and removal of the O-GlcNAc moiety on all substrates are mediated by the two enzymes regardless of proteins, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. O-GlcNAcylation can interact or potentially compete with phosphorylation on serine and threonine residues, and thus serves as an important molecular mechanism to modulate protein functions and activation. However, it has been challenging to address the role of O-GlcNAc modification in regulating protein functions at the molecular level due to the lack of convenient tools to determine the sites and degrees of O-GlcNAcylation. Studies in this field have only begun to expand significantly thanks to the recent advances in detection and manipulation methods such as quantitative proteomics and highly selective small-molecule inhibitors for OGT and OGA. Interestingly, multiple brain regions, especially hippocampus, express high levels of both OGT and OGA, and a number of neuron-specific proteins have been reported to undergo O-GlcNAcylation. This review aims to discuss the recent updates concerning the impacts of O-GlcNAc modification on neuronal functions at multiple levels ranging from intrinsic neuronal properties to synaptic plasticity and animal behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongik Hwang
- Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyewhon Rhim
- Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Sotiropoulos I, Galas MC, Silva JM, Skoulakis E, Wegmann S, Maina MB, Blum D, Sayas CL, Mandelkow EM, Mandelkow E, Spillantini MG, Sousa N, Avila J, Medina M, Mudher A, Buee L. Atypical, non-standard functions of the microtubule associated Tau protein. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:91. [PMID: 29187252 PMCID: PMC5707803 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0489-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of the microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) over 40 years ago, most studies have focused on Tau's role in microtubule stability and regulation, as well as on the neuropathological consequences of Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. In recent years, however, research efforts identified new interaction partners and different sub-cellular localizations for Tau suggesting additional roles beyond its standard function as microtubule regulating protein. Moreover, despite the increasing research focus on AD over the last decades, Tau was only recently considered as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of AD as well as for neurological pathologies beyond AD e.g. epilepsy, excitotoxicity, and environmental stress. This review will focus on atypical, non-standard roles of Tau on neuronal function and dysfunction in AD and other neurological pathologies providing novel insights about neuroplastic and neuropathological implications of Tau in both the central and the peripheral nervous system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Sotiropoulos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
| | | | - Joana M Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal
| | - Efthimios Skoulakis
- Division of Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Laboratory, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Mahmoud Bukar Maina
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - David Blum
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Carmen Laura Sayas
- Centre for Biomedical Research of the Canary Islands (CIBICAN), Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Institute, Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Köln, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Institute, Bonn, Germany; Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, Köln, Germany
| | | | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), Medical School, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal
| | - Jesus Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Valderrebollo 5, 28041, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Medina
- CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Madrid, Spain
- CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Center, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amrit Mudher
- Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton Highfield Campus, Center for Biological Sciences, Southampton, UK
| | - Luc Buee
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172 - JPArc, 59000, Lille, France
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Effects of Gualou Guizhi Decoction Aqueous Extract on Axonal Regeneration in Organotypic Cortical Slice Culture after Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2017; 2017:5170538. [PMID: 29075304 PMCID: PMC5624132 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5170538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) is effective for the clinical treatment of limb spasms caused by ischemic stroke, but its underlying mechanism is unclear. Propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL), immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time qPCR were used to observe the axonal regeneration and neuroprotective effects of GLGZD aqueous extract on organotypic cortical slices exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and further elucidate the potential mechanisms. Compared with the OGD group, the GLGZD aqueous extract decreased the red PI fluorescence intensity; inhibited neuronal apoptosis; improved the growth of slice axons; upregulated the protein expression of tau and growth-associated protein-43; and decreased protein and mRNA expression of neurite outgrowth inhibitor protein-A (Nogo-A), Nogo receptor 1 (NgR1), ras homolog gene family A (RhoA), rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK), and phosphorylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2). Our study found that GLGZD had a strong neuroprotective effect on brain slices after OGD injury. GLGZD plays a vital role in promoting axonal remodeling and functional remodeling, which may be related to regulation of the expression of Nogo-A and its receptor NgR1, near the injured axons, inhibition of the Rho-ROCK pathway, and reduction of CRMP2 phosphorylation.
Collapse
|
43
|
Yang SY, Chiu MJ, Chen TF, Lin CH, Jeng JS, Tang SC, Lee YF, Yang CC, Liu BH, Chen HH, Wu CC. Analytical performance of reagent for assaying tau protein in human plasma and feasibility study screening neurodegenerative diseases. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9304. [PMID: 28839167 PMCID: PMC5571227 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09009-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunomagnetic reduction (IMR), which involves the use of antibody-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles to specifically label target biomarkers, was utilized to develop an assay for total tau protein in human plasma. The analytic properties of the IMR assay on tau protein were investigated. The limit of detection was found to be 0.026 pg/ml. Other properties such as Hook effect, assay linearity, dilution recovery range, reagent stability, interference test, and spiked recovery were also characterized. The ultra-sensitive IMR assay was applied to detect the plasma tau protein levels of subjects with prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD, Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and vascular dementia (VD). The concentrations of plasma tau protein in patients with VD, PD, MCI due to AD, FTD, and AD patients were higher than that of healthy controls. Using an ROC curve analysis, the cutoff value for discriminating dementia patients from healthy controls was 17.43 pg/ml, resulting in 0.856 and 0.727 for clinical sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.908. These results imply that the IMR plasma tau assay would be useful to screen for prevalent neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shieh-Yueh Yang
- MagQu Co., Ltd., Xindian District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Jang Chiu
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 116, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Fu Chen
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Hsien Lin
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Jiann-Shing Jeng
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Chun Tang
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Fu Lee
- MagQu Co., Ltd., Xindian District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan
| | - Che-Chuan Yang
- MagQu Co., Ltd., Xindian District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Hsien Liu
- MagQu Co., Ltd., Xindian District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hsien Chen
- MagQu Co., Ltd., Xindian District, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Chung Wu
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Primary Care Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Dynamic Palmitoylation Targets MAP6 to the Axon to Promote Microtubule Stabilization during Neuronal Polarization. Neuron 2017; 94:809-825.e7. [PMID: 28521134 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are main candidates to stabilize neuronal microtubules, playing an important role in establishing axon-dendrite polarity. However, how MAPs are selectively targeted to specific neuronal compartments remains poorly understood. Here, we show specific localization of microtubule-associated protein 6 (MAP6)/stable tubule-only polypeptide (STOP) throughout neuronal maturation and its role in axonal development. In unpolarized neurons, MAP6 is present at the Golgi complex and in secretory vesicles. As neurons mature, MAP6 is translocated to the proximal axon, where it binds and stabilizes microtubules. Further, we demonstrate that dynamic palmitoylation, mediated by the family of α/β Hydrolase domain-containing protein 17 (ABHD17A-C) depalmitoylating enzymes, controls shuttling of MAP6 between membranes and microtubules and is required for MAP6 retention in axons. We propose a model in which MAP6's palmitoylation mediates microtubule stabilization, allows efficient organelle trafficking, and controls axon maturation in vitro and in situ.
Collapse
|
45
|
Zempel H, Dennissen FJA, Kumar Y, Luedtke J, Biernat J, Mandelkow EM, Mandelkow E. Axodendritic sorting and pathological missorting of Tau are isoform-specific and determined by axon initial segment architecture. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:12192-12207. [PMID: 28536263 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.784702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Subcellular mislocalization of the microtubule-associated protein Tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Six Tau isoforms, differentiated by the presence or absence of a second repeat or of N-terminal inserts, exist in the human CNS, but their physiological and pathological differences have long remained elusive. Here, we investigated the properties and distributions of human and rodent Tau isoforms in primary forebrain rodent neurons. We found that the Tau diffusion barrier (TDB), located within the axon initial segment (AIS), controls retrograde (axon-to-soma) and anterograde (soma-to-axon) traffic of Tau. Tau isoforms without the N-terminal inserts were sorted efficiently into the axon. However, the longest isoform (2N4R-Tau) was partially retained in cell bodies and dendrites, where it accelerated spine and dendrite growth. The TDB (located within the AIS) was impaired when AIS components (ankyrin G, EB1) were knocked down or when glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β; an AD-associated kinase tethered to the AIS) was overexpressed. Using superresolution nanoscopy and live-cell imaging, we observed that microtubules within the AIS appeared highly dynamic, a feature essential for the TDB. Pathomechanistically, amyloid-β insult caused cofilin activation and F-actin remodeling and decreased microtubule dynamics in the AIS. Concomitantly with these amyloid-β-induced disruptions, the AIS/TDB sorting function failed, causing AD-like Tau missorting. In summary, we provide evidence that the human and rodent Tau isoforms differ in axodendritic sorting and amyloid-β-induced missorting and that the axodendritic distribution of Tau depends on AIS integrity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Zempel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, 50931 Cologne, Germany; University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Frank J A Dennissen
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Yatender Kumar
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Julia Luedtke
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jacek Biernat
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany; CAESAR Research Center, 53175 Bonn, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein with an important role in maintaining the dynamic instability of neuronal microtubules. Despite intensive study, a detailed understanding of the functional mechanism of tau is lacking. Here, we address this deficiency by using intramolecular single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) to characterize the conformational ensemble of tau bound to soluble tubulin heterodimers. Tau adopts an open conformation on binding tubulin, in which the long-range contacts between both termini and the microtubule binding region that characterize its compact solution structure are diminished. Moreover, the individual repeats within the microtubule binding region that directly interface with tubulin expand to accommodate tubulin binding, despite a lack of extension in the overall dimensions of this region. These results suggest that the disordered nature of tau provides the significant flexibility required to allow for local changes in conformation while preserving global features. The tubulin-associated conformational ensemble is distinct from its aggregation-prone one, highlighting differences between functional and dysfunctional states of tau. Using constraints derived from our measurements, we construct a model of tubulin-bound tau, which draws attention to the importance of the role of tau's conformational plasticity in function.
Collapse
|
47
|
Abdullah RH, Yaseen NY, Salih SM, Al-Juboory AA, Hassan A, Al-Shammari AM. Induction of mice adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into functional motor neuron-like cells. J Chem Neuroanat 2016; 77:129-142. [PMID: 27417692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) into acetylcholine secreted motor neuron-like cells, followed by elongation of the cell axon, is a promising treatment for spinal cord injury and motor neuron cell dysfunction in mammals. Differentiation is induced through a pre-induction step using Beta- mercaptoethanol (BME) followed by four days of induction with retinoic acid and sonic hedgehog. This process results in a very efficient differentiation of BM-MSCs into motor neuron-like cells. Immunocytochemistry showed that these treated cells had specific motor neural markers: microtubule associated protein-2 and acetylcholine transferase. The ability of these cells to function as motor neuron cells was assessed by measuring acetylcholine levels in a culture media during differentiation. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the differentiated cells were functional. Motor neuron axon elongation was then induced by adding different concentrations of a nerve growth factor (NGF) to the differentiation media. Using a collagen matrix to mimic the natural condition of neural cells in a three-dimensional model showed that the MSCs were successfully differentiated into motor neuron-like cells. This process can efficiently differentiate MSCs into functional motor neurons that can be used for autologous nervous system therapy and especially for treating spinal cord injuries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafal H Abdullah
- Experimental Therapy Department, Iraqi Center for Cancer and Medical Genetic Research, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Nahi Y Yaseen
- Experimental Therapy Department, Iraqi Center for Cancer and Medical Genetic Research, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Shahlaa M Salih
- Department of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | | | - Ayman Hassan
- Experimental Therapy Department, Iraqi Center for Cancer and Medical Genetic Research, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq; Department of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq; Neurosurgery Department, Neuroscience Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Majeed Al-Shammari
- Experimental Therapy Department, Iraqi Center for Cancer and Medical Genetic Research, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Pallas-Bazarra N, Jurado-Arjona J, Navarrete M, Esteban JA, Hernández F, Ávila J, Llorens-Martín M. Novel function of Tau in regulating the effects of external stimuli on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. EMBO J 2016; 35:1417-36. [PMID: 27198172 PMCID: PMC4876034 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201593518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule‐associated neuronal protein found mainly in axons. However, its presence in dendrites and dendritic spines is particularly relevant due to its involvement in synaptic plasticity and neurodegeneration. Here, we show that Tau plays a novel in vivo role in the morphological and synaptic maturation of newborn hippocampal granule neurons under basal conditions. Furthermore, we reveal that Tau is involved in the selective cell death of immature granule neurons caused by acute stress. Also, Tau deficiency protects newborn neurons from the stress‐induced dendritic atrophy and loss of postsynaptic densities (PSDs). Strikingly, we also demonstrate that Tau regulates the increase in newborn neuron survival triggered by environmental enrichment (EE). Moreover, newborn granule neurons from Tau−/− mice did not show any stimulatory effect of EE on dendritic development or on PSD generation. Thus, our data demonstrate that Tau−/− mice show impairments in the maturation of newborn granule neurons under basal conditions and that they are insensitive to the modulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis exerted by both stimulatory and detrimental stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemí Pallas-Bazarra
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jerónimo Jurado-Arjona
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Navarrete
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose A Esteban
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Félix Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain Sciences Faculty, Autonoma University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Ávila
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Llorens-Martín
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Ohlemacher SK, Sridhar A, Xiao Y, Hochstetler AE, Sarfarazi M, Cummins TR, Meyer JS. Stepwise Differentiation of Retinal Ganglion Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Enables Analysis of Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration. Stem Cells 2016; 34:1553-62. [PMID: 26996528 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, possess the unique ability to readily differentiate into any cell type of the body, including cells of the retina. Although previous studies have demonstrated the ability to differentiate hPSCs to a retinal lineage, the ability to derive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from hPSCs has been complicated by the lack of specific markers with which to identify these cells from a pluripotent source. In the current study, the definitive identification of hPSC-derived RGCs was accomplished by their directed, stepwise differentiation through an enriched retinal progenitor intermediary, with resultant RGCs expressing a full complement of associated features and proper functional characteristics. These results served as the basis for the establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient with a genetically inherited form of glaucoma, which results in damage and loss of RGCs. Patient-derived RGCs specifically exhibited a dramatic increase in apoptosis, similar to the targeted loss of RGCs in glaucoma, which was significantly rescued by the addition of candidate neuroprotective factors. Thus, the current study serves to establish a method by which to definitively acquire and identify RGCs from hPSCs and demonstrates the ability of hPSCs to serve as an effective in vitro model of disease progression. Moreover, iPSC-derived RGCs can be utilized for future drug screening approaches to identify targets for the treatment of glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. Stem Cells 2016;34:1553-1562.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Ohlemacher
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Akshayalakshmi Sridhar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yucheng Xiao
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Alexandra E Hochstetler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Mansoor Sarfarazi
- Molecular Ophthalmic Genetics Laboratory, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Theodore R Cummins
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Lee TH, Park S, You MH, Lim JH, Min SH, Kim BM. A potential therapeutic effect of saikosaponin C as a novel dual-target anti-Alzheimer agent. J Neurochem 2016; 136:1232-1245. [PMID: 26710244 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease and the risk of developing it increases with advancing age. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of saikosaponin C (SSc), one of the main bioactive components produced by the traditional Chinese herb, radix bupleuri, the root of Bupleurum falcatum, against AD in various neuronal models. Interestingly, we found that SSc has dual effects on AD by targeting amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau, two key proteins in AD. SSc significantly suppressed the release of both Aβ peptides 1-40 and 1-42 into cell culture supernatants, though it does not affect BACE1 activity and expression. SSc also inhibited abnormal tau phosphorylation at multiple AD-related residues. Moreover, SSc seems to have beneficial effects on cellular tau function; it accelerated nerve growth factor-mediated neurite outgrowth and increased the assembly of microtubules. In addition, SSc increased synaptic marker proteins such as synaptophysin and PSD-95. Considering its various biological activities, our results suggest that SSc might be a novel therapeutic tool for treating human AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Tau and amyloid beta are two key features in Alzheimer's disease. Saikosaponin C, an active component of Bupleuri Radix, inhibits abnormal tau phosphorylation and amyloid beta production, thereby promoting synaptic integrity. Saikosaponin C also prevents amyloid beta-induced apoptosis in brain vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, Saikosaponin C may provide a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae Ho Lee
- Division of Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sungha Park
- Severance Integrative Research Institute for Cerebral & Cardiovascular Diseases (SIRIC), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi-Hyeon You
- Division of Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ji-Hong Lim
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea
| | | | - Byeong Mo Kim
- Severance Integrative Research Institute for Cerebral & Cardiovascular Diseases (SIRIC), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| |
Collapse
|