1
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Li Y, Munoz-Mayorga D, Nie Y, Kang N, Tao Y, Lagerwall J, Pernaci C, Curtin G, Coufal NG, Mertens J, Shi L, Chen X. Microglial lipid droplet accumulation in tauopathy brain is regulated by neuronal AMPK. Cell Metab 2024; 36:1351-1370.e8. [PMID: 38657612 PMCID: PMC11153007 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) in aging and Alzheimer's disease brains is considered a pathological phenomenon with unresolved cellular and molecular mechanisms. Utilizing stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, we observed significant in situ LD accumulation in microglia of tauopathy mouse brains. SRS imaging, combined with deuterium oxide (D2O) labeling, revealed heightened lipogenesis and impaired lipid turnover within LDs in tauopathy fly brains and human neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Transfer of unsaturated lipids from tauopathy iPSC neurons to microglia induced LD accumulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and impaired phagocytosis. Neuronal AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibits lipogenesis and promotes lipophagy in neurons, thereby reducing lipid flux to microglia. AMPK depletion in prodromal tauopathy mice increased LD accumulation, exacerbated pro-inflammatory microgliosis, and promoted neuropathology. Our findings provide direct evidence of native, aberrant LD accumulation in tauopathy brains and underscore the critical role of AMPK in regulating brain lipid homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Li
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Munoz-Mayorga
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yuhang Nie
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ningxin Kang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yuren Tao
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jessica Lagerwall
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Carla Pernaci
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA; Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Genevieve Curtin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA; Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nicole G Coufal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA; Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jerome Mertens
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lingyan Shi
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
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2
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Sultanakhmetov G, Limlingan SJM, Fukuchi A, Tsuda K, Suzuki H, Kato I, Saito T, Weitemier AZ, Ando K. Mark4 ablation attenuates pathological phenotypes in a mouse model of tauopathy. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae136. [PMID: 38712317 PMCID: PMC11073748 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau proteins is linked to various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) has been genetically and pathologically associated with Alzheimer's disease and reported to enhance tau phosphorylation and toxicity in Drosophila and mouse traumatic brain-injury models but not in mammalian tauopathy models. To investigate the role of MARK4 in tau-mediated neuropathology, we crossed P301S tauopathy model (PS19) and Mark4 knockout mice. We performed behaviour, biochemical and histology analyses to evaluate changes in PS19 pathological phenotype with and without Mark4. Here, we demonstrated that Mark4 deletion ameliorated the tau pathology in a mouse model of tauopathy. In particular, we found that PS19 with Mark4 knockout showed improved mortality and memory compared with those bearing an intact Mark4 gene. These phenotypes were accompanied by reduced neurodegeneration and astrogliosis in response to the reduction of pathological forms of tau, such as those phosphorylated at Ser356, AT8-positive tau and thioflavin S-positive tau. Our data indicate that MARK4 critically contributes to tau-mediated neuropathology, suggesting that MARK4 inhibition may serve as a therapeutic avenue for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorii Sultanakhmetov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Sophia Jobien M Limlingan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Aoi Fukuchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tsuda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Hirokazu Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Iori Kato
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Taro Saito
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Adam Z Weitemier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Kanae Ando
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
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3
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Sultanakhmetov G, Kato I, Asada A, Saito T, Ando K. Microtubule-affinity regulating kinase family members distinctively affect tau phosphorylation and promote its toxicity in a Drosophila model. Genes Cells 2024; 29:337-346. [PMID: 38329182 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13101] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau and its aggregation constitute a significant hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Tau phosphorylation at Ser262 and Ser356 in the KXGS motifs of microtubule-binding repeats plays a critical role in its physiological function and AD disease progression. Major tau kinases to phosphorylate tau at Ser262 and Ser356 belong to the Microtubule Affinity Regulating Kinase family (MARK1-4), which are considered one of the major contributors to tau abnormalities in AD. However, whether and how each member affects tau toxicity in vivo is unclear. We used transgenic Drosophila as a model to compare the effect on tau-induced neurodegeneration among MARKs in vivo. MARK4 specifically promotes tau accumulation and Ser396 phosphorylation, which yields more tau toxicity than was caused by other MARKs. Interestingly, MARK1, 2, and 4 increased tau phosphorylation at Ser262 and Ser356, but only MARK4 caused tau accumulation, indicating that these sites alone did not cause pathological tau accumulation. Our results revealed MARKs are different in their effect on tau toxicity, and also in tau phosphorylation at pathological sites other than Ser262 and Ser356. Understanding the implementation of each MARK into neurodegenerative disease helps to develop more target and safety therapies to overcome AD and related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorii Sultanakhmetov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Iori Kato
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Asada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taro Saito
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanae Ando
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
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4
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Pinzi L, Conze C, Bisi N, Torre GD, Soliman A, Monteiro-Abreu N, Trushina NI, Krusenbaum A, Dolouei MK, Hellwig A, Christodoulou MS, Passarella D, Bakota L, Rastelli G, Brandt R. Quantitative live cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables the identification of a polypharmacological drug candidate that restores physiological microtubule interaction. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1679. [PMID: 38396035 PMCID: PMC10891143 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45851-6] [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: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease are characterized by aggregation and increased phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Tau's pathological changes are closely linked to neurodegeneration, making tau a prime candidate for intervention. We developed an approach to monitor pathological changes of aggregation-prone human tau in living neurons. We identified 2-phenyloxazole (PHOX) derivatives as putative polypharmacological small molecules that interact with tau and modulate tau kinases. We found that PHOX15 inhibits tau aggregation, restores tau's physiological microtubule interaction, and reduces tau phosphorylation at disease-relevant sites. Molecular dynamics simulations highlight cryptic channel-like pockets crossing tau protofilaments and suggest that PHOX15 binding reduces the protofilament's ability to adopt a PHF-like conformation by modifying a key glycine triad. Our data demonstrate that live-cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables screening of compounds that modulate tau-microtubule interaction and allows identification of a promising polypharmacological drug candidate that simultaneously inhibits tau aggregation and reduces tau phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Christian Conze
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nicolo Bisi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Gabriele Dalla Torre
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ahmed Soliman
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nanci Monteiro-Abreu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nataliya I Trushina
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Krusenbaum
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Maryam Khodaei Dolouei
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Hellwig
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael S Christodoulou
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lidia Bakota
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Roland Brandt
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
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5
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Dourlen P. Identification of Tau Toxicity Modifiers in the Drosophila Eye. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:483-498. [PMID: 38512684 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_27] [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
Drosophila is a powerful model to study human diseases thanks to its genetic tools and ease of screening. Human genes can be expressed in targeted organs and their toxicity assessed on easily scorable external phenotypes that can be used as readouts to perform genetic screens of toxicity modifiers. In this chapter, I describe how to express human Tau protein in the Drosophila eye, assess protein expression by Western blot, assess Tau toxicity by quantifying the size of the Tau-induced rough eye, and perform a genetic screen of modifiers of Tau toxicity in the Drosophila eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Dourlen
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Facteurs de risque et déterminants moléculaires des maladies liées au vieillissement, Lille, France.
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6
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Zhu Y, Li M, Wang H, Yang F, Du R, Pang X, Bai J, Huang X. Mendelian Randomization Identifies Genetically Supported Drug Targets for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Mol Neurobiol 2023:10.1007/s12035-023-03817-7. [PMID: 38019415 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03817-7] [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: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Currently, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have no effective treatments. Drug repurposing offers a rapid method to meet therapeutic need for ALS and FTD. To identify therapeutic targets associated with ALS and FTD, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and colocalization were performed. Genetic instruments were based on transcriptomic and proteomic data for 422 actionable proteins targeted by approved drugs or clinical drug candidates. The publicly available ALS GWAS summary data (including a total of 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls) and FTD GWAS summary data (including a total of 2154 patients with FTD and 4308 controls) were used. Using cis-expression quantitative trait loci and cis-protein quantitative trait loci genetic instruments, we identified several drug targets for repurposing (ALS: MARK3, false-discovery rate (FDR) = 0.043; LTBR, FDR = 0.068) (FTD: HLA-DRB1, FDR = 0.083; ADH5, FDR = 0.056). Our MR study analyzed the actionable druggable proteins and provided potential therapeutic targets for ALS and FTD. Future studies should further elucidate the underlying mechanism of corresponding drug targets in the pathogenesis of ALS and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahui Zhu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mao Li
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongfen Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Yang
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - RongRong Du
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinyuan Pang
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiongming Bai
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xusheng Huang
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.
- Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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7
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Wu M, Li Y, Miao Y, Qiao H, Wang Y. Exploring the efficient natural products for Alzheimer's disease therapy via Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) models. J Drug Target 2023; 31:817-831. [PMID: 37545435 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2023.2245582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a grievous neurodegenerative disorder and a major form of senile dementia, which is partially caused by abnormal amyloid-beta peptide deposition and Tau protein phosphorylation. But until now, the exact pathogenesis of AD and its treatment strategy still need to investigate. Fortunately, natural products have shown potential as therapeutic agents for treating symptoms of AD due to their neuroprotective activity. To identify the excellent lead compounds for AD control from natural products of herbal medicines, as well as, detect their modes of action, suitable animal models are required. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is an important model for studying genetic and cellular biological pathways in complex biological processes. Various Drosophila AD models were broadly used for AD research, especially for the discovery of neuroprotective natural products. This review focused on the research progress of natural products in AD disease based on the fruit fly AD model, which provides a reference for using the invertebrate model in developing novel anti-AD drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengdi Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaodong Miao
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Huanhuan Qiao
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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Ye C, Behnke JA, Hardin KR, Zheng JQ. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study age and sex differences in brain injury and neurodegeneration after mild head trauma. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1150694. [PMID: 37077318 PMCID: PMC10106652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive physical insults to the head, including those that elicit mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), are a known risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although most individuals who sustain mTBI typically achieve a seemingly full recovery within a few weeks, a subset experience delayed-onset symptoms later in life. As most mTBI research has focused on the acute phase of injury, there is an incomplete understanding of mechanisms related to the late-life emergence of neurodegeneration after early exposure to mild head trauma. The recent adoption of Drosophila-based brain injury models provides several unique advantages over existing preclinical animal models, including a tractable framework amenable to high-throughput assays and short relative lifespan conducive to lifelong mechanistic investigation. The use of flies also provides an opportunity to investigate important risk factors associated with neurodegenerative conditions, specifically age and sex. In this review, we survey current literature that examines age and sex as contributing factors to head trauma-mediated neurodegeneration in humans and preclinical models, including mammalian and Drosophila models. We discuss similarities and disparities between human and fly in aging, sex differences, and pathophysiology. Finally, we highlight Drosophila as an effective tool for investigating mechanisms underlying head trauma-induced neurodegeneration and for identifying therapeutic targets for treatment and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine R. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James Q. Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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9
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Yusuff T, Chang YC, Sang TK, Jackson GR, Chatterjee S. Codon-optimized TDP-43 mediates neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of ALS/FTLD. Front Genet 2023; 14:881638. [PMID: 36968586 PMCID: PMC10034021 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.881638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Transactive response DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43) is known to mediate neurodegeneration associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). The exact mechanism by which TDP-43 exerts toxicity in the brains, spinal cord, and lower motor neurons of affected patients remains unclear. In a novel Drosophila melanogaster model, we report gain-of-function phenotypes due to misexpression of insect codon-optimized version of human wild-type TDP-43 (CO-TDP-43) using both the binary GAL4/UAS system and direct promoter fusion constructs. The CO-TDP-43 model showed robust tissue specific phenotypes in the adult eye, wing, and bristles in the notum. Compared to non-codon optimized transgenic flies, the CO-TDP-43 flies produced increased amount of high molecular weight protein, exhibited pathogenic phenotypes, and showed cytoplasmic aggregation with both nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of TDP-43. Further characterization of the adult retina showed a disruption in the morphology and function of the photoreceptor neurons with the presence of acidic vacuoles that are characteristic of autophagy. Based on our observations, we propose that TDP-43 has the propensity to form toxic protein aggregates via a gain-of-function mechanism, and such toxic overload leads to activation of protein degradation pathways such as autophagy. The novel codon optimized TDP-43 model is an excellent resource that could be used in genetic screens to identify and better understand the exact disease mechanism of TDP-43 proteinopathies and find potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanzeen Yusuff
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Tanzeen Yusuff, ; Shreyasi Chatterjee,
| | - Ya-Chu Chang
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Department of Life Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - George R. Jackson
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- National Parkinson’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Center, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Shreyasi Chatterjee
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Tanzeen Yusuff, ; Shreyasi Chatterjee,
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10
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Alrouji M, DasGupta D, Ashraf GM, Bilgrami AL, Alhumaydhi FA, Al Abdulmonem W, Shahwan M, Alsayari A, Atiya A, Shamsi A. Inhibition of microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4 by an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, Huperzine A: Computational and experimental approaches. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 235:123831. [PMID: 36870649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123831] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4 (MARK4), 752 amino acids long, belonging to the AMPK superfamily, plays a vital role in regulating microtubules due to its potential to phosphorylate microtubule-associated proteins (MAP's) and thus, MARK4 plays a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. MARK4 is a druggable target for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic disorders. In this study, we have evaluated the MARK4 inhibitory potential of Huperzine A (HpA), an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI), a potential AD drug. Molecular docking revealed the key residues governing the MARK4-HpA complex formation. The structural stability and conformational dynamics of the MARK4-HpA complex was assessed by employing Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results suggested that the binding of HpA with MARK4 leads to minimal structural alterations in the native conformation of MARK4, implying the stability of the MARK4-HpA complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies deciphered that HpA binds to MARK4 spontaneously. Moreover, the kinase assay depicted significant inhibition of MARK by HpA (IC50 = 4.91 μM), implying it to be a potent MARK4 inhibitor that can be implicated in the treatment of MARK4-directed diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Alrouji
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra 11961, Saudi Arabia
| | - Debarati DasGupta
- 428 Church Street, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, University City, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anwar L Bilgrami
- Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad A Alhumaydhi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waleed Al Abdulmonem
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6655, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moyad Shahwan
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdulrhman Alsayari
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University (KKU), Guraiger St., Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia; Complementary and Alternative Medicine Unit, King Khalid University (KKU), Guraiger St., Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akhtar Atiya
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University (KKU), Guraiger St., Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Anas Shamsi
- Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates.
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11
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Wen Y, Zhang L, Li N, Tong A, Zhao C. Nutritional assessment models for Alzheimer's disease: Advances and perspectives. FOOD FRONTIERS 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/fft2.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Wen
- College of Marine Sciences Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
- Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry Faculty of Sciences Ourense Spain
| | - Lizhu Zhang
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Na Li
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Aijun Tong
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Chao Zhao
- College of Marine Sciences Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
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12
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Veselkina ER, Trostnikov MV, Roshina NV, Pasyukova EG. The Effect of the Tau Protein on D. melanogaster Lifespan Depends on GSK3 Expression and Sex. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:2166. [PMID: 36768490 PMCID: PMC9916465 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated conserved protein tau has attracted significant attention because of its essential role in the formation of pathological changes in the nervous system, which can reduce longevity. The study of the effects caused by tau dysfunction and the molecular mechanisms underlying them is complicated because different forms of tau exist in humans and model organisms, and the changes in protein expression can be multidirectional. In this article, we show that an increase in the expression of the main isoform of the Drosophila melanogaster tau protein in the nervous system has differing effects on lifespan depending on the sex of individuals but has no effect on the properties of the nervous system, in particular, the synaptic activity and distribution of another microtubule-associated protein, Futsch, in neuromuscular junctions. Reduced expression of tau in the nervous system does not affect the lifespan of wild-type flies, but it does increase the lifespan dramatically shortened by overexpression of the shaggy gene encoding the GSK3 (Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3) protein kinase, which is one of the key regulators of tau phosphorylation levels. This effect is accompanied by the normalization of the Futsch protein distribution impaired by shaggy overexpression. The results presented in this article demonstrate that multidirectional changes in tau expression can lead to effects that depend on the sex of individuals and the expression level of GSK3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina R. Veselkina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail V. Trostnikov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia V. Roshina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena G. Pasyukova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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13
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Sakakibara Y, Yamashiro R, Chikamatsu S, Hirota Y, Tsubokawa Y, Nishijima R, Takei K, Sekiya M, Iijima KM. Drosophila Toll-9 is induced by aging and neurodegeneration to modulate stress signaling and its deficiency exacerbates tau-mediated neurodegeneration. iScience 2023; 26:105968. [PMID: 36718365 PMCID: PMC9883205 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Toll-9 is most closely related to mammalian Toll-like receptors; however, physiological functions of Toll-9 remain elusive. We examined the roles of Toll-9 in fly brains in aging and neurodegeneration. Toll-9 mRNA levels were increased in aged fly heads accompanied by activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) and stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) signaling, and many of these changes were modulated by Toll-9 in glial cells. The loss of Toll-9 did not affect lifespan or brain integrity, whereas it exacerbated hydrogen peroxide-induced lethality. Toll-9 expression was also induced by nerve injury but did not affect acute stress response or glial engulfment activity, suggesting Toll-9 may modulate subsequent neurodegeneration. In a fly tauopathy model, Toll-9 deficiency enhanced neurodegeneration and disease-related tau phosphorylation with reduced SAPK activity, and blocking SAPK enhanced tau phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. In sum, Toll-9 is induced upon aging and nerve injury and affects neurodegeneration by modulating stress kinase signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Sakakibara
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Yamashiro
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Sachie Chikamatsu
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yu Hirota
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Reseach Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Tsubokawa
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Nishijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Kimi Takei
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Michiko Sekiya
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
| | - Koichi M. Iijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
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14
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Age-related changes in tau and autophagy in human brain in the absence of neurodegeneration. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0262792. [PMID: 36701399 PMCID: PMC9879510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau becomes abnormally hyper-phosphorylated and aggregated in tauopathies like Alzheimers disease (AD). As age is the greatest risk factor for developing AD, it is important to understand how tau protein itself, and the pathways implicated in its turnover, change during aging. We investigated age-related changes in total and phosphorylated tau in brain samples from two cohorts of cognitively normal individuals spanning 19-74 years, without overt neurodegeneration. One cohort utilised resected tissue and the other used post-mortem tissue. Total soluble tau levels declined with age in both cohorts. Phosphorylated tau was undetectable in the post-mortem tissue but was clearly evident in the resected tissue and did not undergo significant age-related change. To ascertain if the decline in soluble tau was correlated with age-related changes in autophagy, three markers of autophagy were tested but only two appeared to increase with age and the third was unchanged. This implies that in individuals who do not develop neurodegeneration, there is an age-related reduction in soluble tau which could potentially be due to age-related changes in autophagy. Thus, to explore how an age-related increase in autophagy might influence tau-mediated dysfunctions in vivo, autophagy was enhanced in a Drosophila model and all age-related tau phenotypes were significantly ameliorated. These data shed light on age-related physiological changes in proteins implicated in AD and highlights the need to study pathways that may be responsible for these changes. It also demonstrates the therapeutic potential of interventions that upregulate turnover of aggregate-prone proteins during aging.
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15
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Guru A, Saravanan S, Sharma D, Narasimha M. The microtubule end-binding proteins EB1 and Patronin modulate the spatiotemporal dynamics of myosin and pattern pulsed apical constriction. Development 2022; 149:284823. [PMID: 36440630 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199759] [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: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Apical constriction powers amnioserosa contraction during Drosophila dorsal closure. The nucleation, movement and dispersal of apicomedial actomyosin complexes generates pulsed apical constrictions during early closure. Persistent apicomedial and circumapical actomyosin complexes drive unpulsed constrictions that follow. Here, we show that the microtubule end-binding proteins EB1 and Patronin pattern constriction dynamics and contraction kinetics by coordinating the balance of actomyosin forces in the apical plane. We find that microtubule growth from moving Patronin platforms governs the spatiotemporal dynamics of apicomedial myosin through the regulation of RhoGTPase signaling by transient EB1-RhoGEF2 interactions. We uncover the dynamic reorganization of a subset of short non-centrosomally nucleated apical microtubules that surround the coalescing apicomedial myosin complex, trail behind it as it moves and disperse as the complex dissolves. We demonstrate that apical microtubule reorganization is sensitive to Patronin levels. Microtubule depolymerization compromised apical myosin enrichment and altered constriction dynamics. Together, our findings uncover the importance of reorganization of an intact apical microtubule meshwork, by moving Patronin platforms and growing microtubule ends, in enabling the spatiotemporal modulation of actomyosin contractility and, through it, apical constriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Guru
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Surat Saravanan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Deepanshu Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Maithreyi Narasimha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, India
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16
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Dzaki N, Bu S, Lau SSY, Yong WL, Yu F. Drosophila GSK3β promotes microtubule disassembly and dendrite pruning in sensory neurons. Development 2022; 149:281771. [PMID: 36264221 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200844] [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: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β (GSK3β), a negative regulator of microtubules, is crucial for neuronal polarization, growth and migration during animal development. However, it remains unknown whether GSK3β regulates neuronal pruning, which is a regressive process. Here, we report that the Drosophila GSK3β homologue Shaggy (Sgg) is cell-autonomously required for dendrite pruning of ddaC sensory neurons during metamorphosis. Sgg is necessary and sufficient to promote microtubule depolymerization, turnover and disassembly in the dendrites. Although Sgg is not required for the minus-end-out microtubule orientation in dendrites, hyperactivated Sgg can disturb the dendritic microtubule orientation. Moreover, our pharmacological and genetic data suggest that Sgg is required to promote dendrite pruning at least partly via microtubule disassembly. We show that Sgg and Par-1 kinases act synergistically to promote microtubule disassembly and dendrite pruning. Thus, Sgg and Par-1 might converge on and phosphorylate a common downstream microtubule-associated protein(s) to disassemble microtubules and thereby facilitate dendrite pruning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najat Dzaki
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Shufeng Bu
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Samuel Song Yuan Lau
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Wei Lin Yong
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Fengwei Yu
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604.,Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
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17
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Downey J, Lam JC, Li VO, Gozes I. Somatic Mutations and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:475-493. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-220643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents a global health challenge, with an estimated 55 million people suffering from the non-curable disease across the world. While amyloid-β plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain define AD proteinopathy, it has become evident that diverse coding and non-coding regions of the genome may significantly contribute to AD neurodegeneration. The diversity of factors associated with AD pathogenesis, coupled with age-associated damage, suggests that a series of triggering events may be required to initiate AD. Since somatic mutations accumulate with aging, and aging is a major risk factor for AD, there is a great potential for somatic mutational events to drive disease. Indeed, recent data from the Gozes team/laboratories as well as other leading laboratories correlated the accumulation of somatic brain mutations with the progression of tauopathy. In this review, we lay the current perspectives on the principal genetic factors associated with AD and the potential causes, highlighting the contribution of somatic mutations to the pathogenesis of late onset Alzheimer’s disease. The roles that artificial intelligence and big data can play in accelerating the progress of causal somatic mutation markers/biomarkers identification, and the associated drug discovery/repurposing, have been highlighted for future AD and other neurodegenerative studies, with the aim to bring hope for the vulnerable aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Downey
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jacqueline C.K. Lam
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Victor O.K. Li
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Illana Gozes
- The Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Adams Super Center for Brain Studies and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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18
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Xiao G, Zhao M, Liu Z, Du F, Zhou B. Zinc antagonizes iron-regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and dopamine production in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Biol 2021; 19:236. [PMID: 34732185 PMCID: PMC8564973 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01168-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter that plays roles in movement, cognition, attention, and reward responses, and deficient DA signaling is associated with the progression of a number of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease. Due to its critical functions, DA expression levels in the brain are tightly controlled, with one important and rate-limiting step in its biosynthetic pathway being catalyzed by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), an enzyme that uses iron ion (Fe2+) as a cofactor. A role for metal ions has additionally been associated with the etiology of Parkinson’s disease. However, the way dopamine synthesis is regulated in vivo or whether regulation of metal ion levels is a component of DA synthesis is not fully understood. Here, we analyze the role of Catsup, the Drosophila ortholog of the mammalian zinc transporter SLC39A7 (ZIP7), in regulating dopamine levels. Results We found that Catsup is a functional zinc transporter that regulates intracellular zinc distribution between the ER/Golgi and the cytosol. Loss-of-function of Catsup leads to increased DA levels, and we showed that the increased dopamine production is due to a reduction in zinc levels in the cytosol. Zinc ion (Zn2+) negatively regulates dopamine synthesis through direct inhibition of TH activity, by antagonizing Fe2+ binding to TH, thus rendering the enzyme ineffective or non-functional. Conclusions Our findings uncovered a previously unknown mechanism underlying the control of cellular dopamine expression, with normal levels of dopamine synthesis being maintained through a balance between Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions. The findings also provide support for metal modulation as a possible therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other dopamine-related diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01168-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiran Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, China
| | - Mengran Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhihua Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, China
| | - Fan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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19
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Liu XY, Zhang N, Zhang SX, Xu P. Potential new therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease: Glucagon-like peptide-1. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:7749-7769. [PMID: 34676939 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15502] [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: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence shows a close relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a gut incretin hormone, has become a well-established treatment for T2DM and is likely to be involved in treating cognitive impairment. In this mini review, the similarities between AD and T2DM are summarised with the main focus on GLP-1-based therapeutics in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yu Liu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Ni Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Sheng-Xiao Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Key laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, Shanxi, China
| | - Ping Xu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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20
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Ismael S, Sindi G, Colvin RA, Lee D. Activity-dependent release of phosphorylated human tau from Drosophila neurons in primary culture. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101108. [PMID: 34473990 PMCID: PMC8455371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal activity can enhance tau release and thus accelerate tauopathies. This activity-dependent tau release can be used to study the progression of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD), as hyperphosphorylated tau is implicated in AD pathogenesis and related tauopathies. However, our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate activity-dependent tau release from neurons and the role that tau phosphorylation plays in modulating activity-dependent tau release is still rudimentary. In this study, Drosophila neurons in primary culture expressing human tau (hTau) were used to study activity-dependent tau release. We found that hTau release was markedly increased by 50 mM KCl treatment for 1 h. A similar level of release was observed using optogenetic techniques, where genetically targeted neurons were stimulated for 30 min using blue light (470 nm). Our results showed that activity-dependent release of phosphoresistant hTauS11A was reduced when compared with wildtype hTau. In contrast, release of phosphomimetic hTauE14 was increased upon activation. We found that released hTau was phosphorylated in its proline-rich and C-terminal domains using phosphorylation site-specific tau antibodies (e.g., AT8). Fold changes in detectable levels of total or phosphorylated hTau in cell lysates or following immunopurification from conditioned media were consistent with preferential release of phosphorylated hTau after light stimulation. This study establishes an excellent model to investigate the mechanism of activity-dependent hTau release and to better understand the role of phosphorylated tau release in the pathogenesis of AD since it relates to alterations in the early stage of neurodegeneration associated with increased neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sazan Ismael
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Ghadir Sindi
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Robert A Colvin
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Daewoo Lee
- Neuroscience Program, Department of Biological Sciences, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.
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21
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Giong HK, Subramanian M, Yu K, Lee JS. Non-Rodent Genetic Animal Models for Studying Tauopathy: Review of Drosophila, Zebrafish, and C. elegans Models. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8465. [PMID: 34445171 PMCID: PMC8395099 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathy refers to a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, which correlate with the malfunction of microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) due to abnormal hyperphosphorylation, leading to the formation of intracellular aggregates in the brain. Despite extensive efforts to understand tauopathy and develop an efficient therapy, our knowledge is still far from complete. To find a solution for this group of devastating diseases, several animal models that mimic diverse disease phenotypes of tauopathy have been developed. Rodents are the dominating tauopathy models because of their similarity to humans and established disease lines, as well as experimental approaches. However, powerful genetic animal models using Drosophila, zebrafish, and C. elegans have also been developed for modeling tauopathy and have contributed to understanding the pathophysiology of tauopathy. The success of these models stems from the short lifespans, versatile genetic tools, real-time in-vivo imaging, low maintenance costs, and the capability for high-throughput screening. In this review, we summarize the main findings on mechanisms of tauopathy and discuss the current tauopathy models of these non-rodent genetic animals, highlighting their key advantages and limitations in tauopathy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoi-Khoanh Giong
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Manivannan Subramanian
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Kweon Yu
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Jeong-Soo Lee
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
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22
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Behnke JA, Ye C, Setty A, Moberg KH, Zheng JQ. Repetitive mild head trauma induces activity mediated lifelong brain deficits in a novel Drosophila model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9738. [PMID: 33958652 PMCID: PMC8102574 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89121-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mild head trauma, including concussion, can lead to chronic brain dysfunction and degeneration but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a novel head impact system to investigate the long-term effects of mild head trauma on brain structure and function, as well as the underlying mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster. We find that Drosophila subjected to repetitive head impacts develop long-term deficits, including impaired startle-induced climbing, progressive brain degeneration, and shortened lifespan, all of which are substantially exacerbated in female flies. Interestingly, head impacts elicit an elevation in neuronal activity and its acute suppression abrogates the detrimental effects in female flies. Together, our findings validate Drosophila as a suitable model system for investigating the long-term effects of mild head trauma, suggest an increased vulnerability to brain injury in female flies, and indicate that early altered neuronal excitability may be a key mechanism linking mild brain trauma to chronic degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Aayush Setty
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Kenneth H Moberg
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - James Q Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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23
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Xiao QY, Ye TY, Wang XL, Han L, Wang TX, Qi DM, Cheng XR, Wang SQ. A network pharmacology-based study on key pharmacological pathways and targets of Qi Fu Yin acting on Alzheimer's disease. Exp Gerontol 2021; 149:111336. [PMID: 33785395 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a central nervous system (CNS) disease characterized by progressive cognitive dysfunction and memory loss. Qi Fu Yin is mainly used to treat dementia, particularly AD, in the clinic, but its comprehensive mechanisms are not known. OBJECTIVE In this research, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of Qi Fu Yin in AD by network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS First, the chemical constituents in Qi Fu Yin were obtained from five databases and classified according to their structure. Targets of chemical constituents and AD-related targets were also collected from the databases. Then, overlapping genes between Qi Fu Yin and AD were identified by intersection analysis. MetaCore was used to gather enrichment information. Combination synergy analysis was performed by Cytoscape. After ligand-receptor docking, the binding affinity was verified by ADP-Glo™ kinase assay and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay. RESULTS We found 12 classes with 977 components in Qi Fu Yin. A total of 511 compounds and 577 potential target proteins in Qi Fu Yin were found to be related to AD. The pathways of Qi Fu Yin in AD included oxidative stress and immune response. There was the best binding affinity between 11 pairs of genes and compounds. Furthermore, CDK5 was inhibited by nepetin with an IC50 of 3.172 μM and kaempferol with an IC50 of 2.659 μM. Ceanothic acid and 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid inhibited GSK3β, and the IC50 values were 8.732 μM and 8.06 μM, respectively. CONCLUSION Qi Fu Yin might alleviate Tau hyperphosphorylation by nepetin, kaempferol, ceanothic acid and 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Yue Xiao
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Tian-Yuan Ye
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Xiao-Long Wang
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Lu Han
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing 100850, China
| | | | - Dong-Mei Qi
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Xiao-Rui Cheng
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
| | - Sheng-Qi Wang
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing 100850, China.
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Holubová M, Lobaz V, Loukotová L, Rabyk M, Hromádková J, Trhlíková O, Pechrová Z, Groborz O, Štěpánek P, Hrubý M. Does polysaccharide glycogen behave as a promoter of amyloid fibril formation at physiologically relevant concentrations? SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:1628-1641. [PMID: 33355589 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01884h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the influence of glycogen (GG), phytoglycogen (PG), mannan (MAN) and cinnamoyl-modified GG (GG-CIN) on amyloid fibril formation. We used hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) as a model system and amyloid beta peptide (1-42) (Aβ1-42) as an Alzheimer's disease-relevant system. For brief detection of fibrils was used thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay and the results were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We also deal with the interaction of polysaccharides and HEWL with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). We found that all polysaccharides accelerated the formation of amyloid fibrils from both HEWL and Aβ1-42. At high but physiologically relevant concentrations of GG, amyloid fibril formation was extremely accelerated for HEWL. Therefore, on the basis of the herein presented in vitro data, we hypothesize, that dietary d-glucose intake may influence amyloid fibril formation not only by influencing regulatory pathways, but also by direct glycogen-amyloid precursor protein molecular interaction, as glycogen levels in tissues are highly dependent on d-glucose intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Holubová
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic. and Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Volodymyr Lobaz
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Lenka Loukotová
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Mariia Rabyk
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiřina Hromádková
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Olga Trhlíková
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Zdislava Pechrová
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Ondřej Groborz
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic. and Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Štěpánek
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Martin Hrubý
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovský Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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The Two Cysteines of Tau Protein Are Functionally Distinct and Contribute Differentially to Its Pathogenicity in Vivo. J Neurosci 2020; 41:797-810. [PMID: 33334867 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1920-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Tau accumulation is clearly linked to pathogenesis in Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies, the mechanism that initiates the aggregation of this highly soluble protein in vivo remains largely unanswered. Interestingly, in vitro Tau can be induced to form fibrillar filaments by oxidation of its two cysteine residues, generating an intermolecular disulfide bond that promotes dimerization and fibrillization. The recently solved structures of Tau filaments revealed that the two cysteine residues are not structurally equivalent since Cys-322 is incorporated into the core of the fibril, whereas Cys-291 projects away from the core to form the fuzzy coat. Here, we examined whether mutation of these cysteines to alanine affects differentially Tau mediated toxicity and dysfunction in the well-established Drosophila Tauopathy model. Experiments were conducted with both sexes, or with either sex. Each cysteine residue contributes differentially to Tau stability, phosphorylation status, aggregation propensity, resistance to stress, learning, and memory. Importantly, our work uncovers a critical role of Cys-322 in determining Tau toxicity and dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cysteine-291 and Cysteine-322, the only two cysteine residues of Tau present in only 4-Repeat or all isoforms, respectively, have competing functions: as the key residues in the catalytic center, they enable Tau auto-acetylation; and as residues within the microtubule-binding repeat region are important not only for Tau function but also instrumental in the initiation of Tau aggregation. In this study, we present the first in vivo evidence that their substitution leads to differential consequences on Tau's physiological and pathophysiological functions. These differences raise the possibility that cysteine residues play a potential role in determining the functional diversity between isoforms.
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Oba T, Saito T, Asada A, Shimizu S, Iijima KM, Ando K. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 with an Alzheimer's disease-related mutation promotes tau accumulation and exacerbates neurodegeneration. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:17138-17147. [PMID: 33020179 PMCID: PMC7863894 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.014420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of the microtubule-associated protein tau is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD brain, tau is abnormally phosphorylated at many sites, and phosphorylation at Ser-262 and Ser-356 plays critical roles in tau accumulation and toxicity. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) phosphorylates tau at those sites, and a double de novo mutation in the linker region of MARK4, ΔG316E317D, is associated with an elevated risk of AD. However, it remains unclear how this mutation affects phosphorylation, aggregation, and accumulation of tau and tau-induced neurodegeneration. Here, we report that MARK4ΔG316E317D increases the abundance of highly phosphorylated, insoluble tau species and exacerbates neurodegeneration via Ser-262/356-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Using transgenic Drosophila expressing human MARK4 (MARK4wt) or a mutant version of MARK4 (MARK4ΔG316E317D), we found that coexpression of MARK4wt and MARK4ΔG316E317D increased total tau levels and enhanced tau-induced neurodegeneration and that MARK4ΔG316E317D had more potent effects than MARK4wt Interestingly, the in vitro kinase activities of MARK4wt and MARK4ΔG316E317D were similar. When tau phosphorylation at Ser-262 and Ser-356 was blocked by alanine substitutions, MARK4wt did not promote tau accumulation or exacerbate neurodegeneration, whereas coexpression of MARK4ΔG316E317D did. Both MARK4wt and MARK4ΔG316E317D increased the levels of oligomeric forms of tau; however, only MARK4ΔG316E317D further increased the detergent insolubility of tau in vivo Together, these findings suggest that MARK4ΔG316E317D increases tau levels and exacerbates tau toxicity via a novel gain-of-function mechanism and that modification in this region of MARK4 may affect disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Oba
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taro Saito
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Asada
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sawako Shimizu
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi M Iijima
- Department of Alzheimer's Disease Research, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan; Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kanae Ando
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan.
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27
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Chi H, Sun L, Shiu RH, Han R, Hsieh CP, Wei TM, Lo CC, Chang HY, Sang TK. Cleavage of human tau at Asp421 inhibits hyperphosphorylated tau induced pathology in a Drosophila model. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13482. [PMID: 32778728 PMCID: PMC7417559 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70423-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylated and truncated tau variants are enriched in neuropathological aggregates in diseases known as tauopathies. However, whether the interaction of these posttranslational modifications affects tau toxicity as a whole remains unresolved. By expressing human tau with disease-related Ser/Thr residues to simulate hyperphosphorylation, we show that despite severe neurodegeneration in full-length tau, with the truncation at Asp421, the toxicity is ameliorated. Cytological and biochemical analyses reveal that hyperphosphorylated full-length tau distributes in the soma, the axon, and the axonal terminal without evident distinction, whereas the Asp421-truncated version is mostly restricted from the axonal terminal. This discrepancy is correlated with the fact that fly expressing hyperphosphorylated full-length tau, but not Asp421-cleaved one, develops axonopathy lesions, including axonal spheroids and aberrant actin accumulations. The reduced presence of hyperphosphorylated tau in the axonal terminal is corroborated with the observation that flies expressing Asp421-truncated variants showed less motor deficit, suggesting synaptic function is preserved. The Asp421 cleavage of tau is a proteolytic product commonly found in the neurofibrillary tangles. Our finding suggests the coordination of different posttranslational modifications on tau may have an unexpected impact on the protein subcellular localization and cytotoxicity, which may be valuable when considering tau for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Lee Sun
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ren-Huei Shiu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Rui Han
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ping Hsieh
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Min Wei
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Chuan Lo
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yun Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Kang Sang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan. .,Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan. .,Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
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28
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Viswanathan GK, Shwartz D, Losev Y, Arad E, Shemesh C, Pichinuk E, Engel H, Raveh A, Jelinek R, Cooper I, Gosselet F, Gazit E, Segal D. Purpurin modulates Tau-derived VQIVYK fibrillization and ameliorates Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms in animal model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:2795-2813. [PMID: 31562564 PMCID: PMC11104911 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03312-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles of the Tau protein and plaques of the amyloid β peptide are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by the conversion of monomeric proteins/peptides into misfolded β-sheet rich fibrils. Halting the fibrillation process and disrupting the existing aggregates are key challenges for AD drug development. Previously, we performed in vitro high-throughput screening for the identification of potent inhibitors of Tau aggregation using a proxy model, a highly aggregation-prone hexapeptide fragment 306VQIVYK311 (termed PHF6) derived from Tau. Here we have characterized a hit molecule from that screen as a modulator of Tau aggregation using in vitro, in silico, and in vivo techniques. This molecule, an anthraquinone derivative named Purpurin, inhibited ~ 50% of PHF6 fibrillization in vitro at equimolar concentration and disassembled pre-formed PHF6 fibrils. In silico studies showed that Purpurin interacted with key residues of PHF6, which are responsible for maintaining its β-sheets conformation. Isothermal titration calorimetry and surface plasmon resonance experiments with PHF6 and full-length Tau (FL-Tau), respectively, indicated that Purpurin interacted with PHF6 predominantly via hydrophobic contacts and displayed a dose-dependent complexation with FL-Tau. Purpurin was non-toxic when fed to Drosophila and it significantly ameliorated the AD-related neurotoxic symptoms of transgenic flies expressing WT-FL human Tau (hTau) plausibly by inhibiting Tau accumulation and reducing Tau phosphorylation. Purpurin also reduced hTau accumulation in cell culture overexpressing hTau. Importantly, Purpurin efficiently crossed an in vitro human blood-brain barrier model. Our findings suggest that Purpurin could be a potential lead molecule for AD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guru Krishnakumar Viswanathan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dana Shwartz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yelena Losev
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Elad Arad
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Chen Shemesh
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Edward Pichinuk
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hamutal Engel
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Avi Raveh
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Ilse Katz Institute (IKI) for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Itzik Cooper
- The Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
| | - Fabien Gosselet
- Blood-Brain Barrier Laboratory (LBHE), Université d'Artois, Lens, France
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- The Interdisciplinary Sagol School of Neurosciences, Tel-Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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29
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Pharmacological Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21134621. [PMID: 32610577 PMCID: PMC7370071 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134621] [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: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is an ineluctable law of life. During the process of aging, the occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders is prevalent in the elderly population and the predominant type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The clinical symptoms of AD include progressive memory loss and impairment of cognitive functions that interfere with daily life activities. The predominant neuropathological features in AD are extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of hyperphosphorylated Tau. Because of its complex pathobiology, some tangible treatment can only ameliorate the symptoms, but not prevent the disease altogether. Numerous drugs during pre-clinical or clinical studies have shown no positive effect on the disease outcome. Therefore, understanding the basic pathophysiological mechanism of AD is imperative for the rational design of drugs that can be used to prevent this disease. Drosophilamelanogaster has emerged as a highly efficient model system to explore the pathogenesis and treatment of AD. In this review we have summarized recent advancements in the pharmacological research on AD using Drosophila as a model species, discussed feasible treatment strategies and provided further reference for the mechanistic study and treatment of age-related AD.
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30
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Matiytsiv NP, Chernyk YI. Drosophila melanogaster as a Model System for the Study of Human Neuropathy and the Testing of Neuroprotectors. CYTOL GENET+ 2020. [DOI: 10.3103/s0095452720030081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Pakdeepak K, Chokchaisiri R, Tocharus J, Jearjaroen P, Tocharus C, Suksamrarn A. 5,6,7,4'-Tetramethoxyflavanone protects against neuronal degeneration induced by dexamethasone by attenuating amyloidogenesis in mice. EXCLI JOURNAL 2020; 19:16-32. [PMID: 32038114 PMCID: PMC7003641 DOI: 10.17179/excli2019-1940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to high glucocorticoid levels induces memory impairment and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) by increasing the expression of amyloid β and tau hyperphosphorylation (pTau). Previous studies showed beneficial effects of flavonoids in neurodegenerative models. 5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavanone (TMF) is one of the active ingredients in Chromolaena odorata (L.), which R. M. King and H. Rob discovered in Thailand. This study focused on the effects of TMF on dexamethasone (DEX)-induced neurodegeneration, amyloidogenesis, pTau expression, neuron synaptic function, and cognitive impairment and the potential mechanisms involved. Mice were intraperitoneally administered DEX for 28 days before being treated with TMF for 30 days. The mice were randomly divided into six groups (twelve mice per group): control; TMF administration (40 mg/kg); pioglitazone administration (20 mg/kg); DEX administration (60 mg/kg); DEX administration plus TMF; and DEX administration plus pioglitazone. Behavioral tests showed that TMF significantly attenuated the memory impairment triggered by DEX. Consistently, TMF reduced DEX-induced amyloid beta production by reducing the expression of beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and presenilin 1 (PS1), whereas it increased the gene expression of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10). TMF treatment also decreased pTau expression, inhibited phosphonuclear factor-kappa B (pNF-kB) and inhibited glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) activity by increasing GSK3 phosphorylation (pGSK3). In addition, TMF also improved synaptic function by increasing the expression of synaptophysin (Syn) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) while decreasing acetylcholine esterase activity. Conclusively, TMF provided neuroprotection against DEX-induced neurodegeneration. These findings suggest that TMF might have potential as a therapeutic drug for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanet Pakdeepak
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.,Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | | | - Jiraporn Tocharus
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | | | - Chainarong Tocharus
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Apichart Suksamrarn
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
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32
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Wang Y, Huang Y, Liu J, Zhang J, Xu M, You Z, Peng C, Gong Z, Liu W. Acetyltransferase GCN5 regulates autophagy and lysosome biogenesis by targeting TFEB. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e48335. [PMID: 31750630 PMCID: PMC6945067 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201948335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence highlights the role of histone acetyltransferase GCN5 in the regulation of cell metabolism in metazoans. Here, we report that GCN5 is a negative regulator of autophagy, a lysosome-dependent catabolic mechanism. In animal cells and Drosophila, GCN5 inhibits the biogenesis of autophagosomes and lysosomes by targeting TFEB, the master transcription factor for autophagy- and lysosome-related gene expression. We show that GCN5 is a specific TFEB acetyltransferase, and acetylation by GCN5 results in the decrease in TFEB transcriptional activity. Induction of autophagy inactivates GCN5, accompanied by reduced TFEB acetylation and increased lysosome formation. We further demonstrate that acetylation at K274 and K279 disrupts the dimerization of TFEB and the binding of TFEB to its target gene promoters. In a Tau-based neurodegenerative Drosophila model, deletion of dGcn5 improves the clearance of Tau protein aggregates and ameliorates the neurodegenerative phenotypes. Together, our results reveal GCN5 as a novel conserved TFEB regulator, and the regulatory mechanisms may be involved in autophagy- and lysosome-related physiological and pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusha Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Yewei Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Jinna Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Mingming Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Zhiyuan You
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Chao Peng
- National Center for Protein Science ShanghaiInstitute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyShanghai Institutes of Biological SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Zhefeng Gong
- Department of NeurobiologyKey Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of ChinaZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious DiseaseFirst Affiliated HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
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33
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Drosophila Tau Negatively Regulates Translation and Olfactory Long-Term Memory, But Facilitates Footshock Habituation and Cytoskeletal Homeostasis. J Neurosci 2019; 39:8315-8329. [PMID: 31488613 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0391-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the involvement of pathological tau in neurodegenerative dementias is indisputable, its physiological roles have remained elusive in part because its abrogation has been reported without overt phenotypes in mice and Drosophila This was addressed using the recently described Drosophila tauKO and Mi{MIC} mutants and focused on molecular and behavioral analyses. Initially, we show that Drosophila tau (dTau) loss precipitates dynamic cytoskeletal changes in the adult Drosophila CNS and translation upregulation. Significantly, we demonstrate for the first time distinct roles for dTau in adult mushroom body (MB)-dependent neuroplasticity as its downregulation within α'β'neurons impairs habituation. In accord with its negative regulation of translation, dTau loss specifically enhances protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (PSD-LTM), but not anesthesia-resistant memory. In contrast, elevation of the protein in the MBs yielded premature habituation and depressed PSD-LTM. Therefore, tau loss in Drosophila dynamically alters brain cytoskeletal dynamics and profoundly affects neuronal proteostasis and plasticity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We demonstrate that despite modest sequence divergence, the Drosophila tau (dTau) is a true vertebrate tau ortholog as it interacts with the neuronal microtubule and actin cytoskeleton. Novel physiological roles for dTau in regulation of translation, long-term memory, and footshock habituation are also revealed. These emerging insights on tau physiological functions are invaluable for understanding the molecular pathways and processes perturbed in tauopathies.
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Park SY, Seo J, Chun YS. Targeted Downregulation of kdm4a Ameliorates Tau-engendered Defects in Drosophila melanogaster. J Korean Med Sci 2019; 34:e225. [PMID: 31436053 PMCID: PMC6706347 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tauopathies, a class of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Alzheimer's disease (AD), are characterized by the deposition of neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the human brain. As abnormal alterations in histone acetylation and methylation show a cause and effect relationship with AD, we investigated the role of several Jumonji domain-containing histone demethylase (JHDM) genes, which have yet to be studied in AD pathology. METHODS To examine alterations of several JHDM genes in AD pathology, we performed bioinformatics analyses of JHDM gene expression profiles in brain tissue samples from deceased AD patients. Furthermore, to investigate the possible relationship between alterations in JHDM gene expression profiles and AD pathology in vivo, we examined whether tissue-specific downregulation of JHDM Drosophila homologs (kdm) can affect tauR406W-induced neurotoxicity using transgenic flies containing the UAS-Gal4 binary system. RESULTS The expression levels of JHDM1A, JHDM2A/2B, and JHDM3A/3B were significantly higher in postmortem brain tissue from patients with AD than from non-demented controls, whereas JHDM1B mRNA levels were downregulated in the brains of patients with AD. Using transgenic flies, we revealed that knockdown of kdm2 (homolog to human JHDM1), kdm3 (homolog to human JHDM2), kdm4a (homolog to human JHDM3A), or kdm4b (homolog to human JHDM3B) genes in the eye ameliorated the tauR406W-engendered defects, resulting in less severe phenotypes. However, kdm4a knockdown in the central nervous system uniquely ameliorated tauR406W-induced locomotion defects by restoring heterochromatin. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that downregulation of kdm4a expression may be a potential therapeutic target in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Yeon Park
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jieun Seo
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yang Sook Chun
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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35
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Chatterjee S, Ambegaokar SS, Jackson GR, Mudher A. Insulin-Mediated Changes in Tau Hyperphosphorylation and Autophagy in a Drosophila Model of Tauopathy and Neuroblastoma Cells. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:801. [PMID: 31427921 PMCID: PMC6688711 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost 50 million people in the world are affected by dementia; the most prevalent form of which is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although aging is considered to be the main risk factor for AD, growing evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases the risk of dementia including AD. Defective brain insulin signaling has been suggested as an early event in AD and other tauopathies but the mechanisms that link these diseases are largely unknown. Tau hyperphosphorylation is a hallmark of neurofibrillary pathology and insulin resistance increases the number of neuritic plaques particularly in AD. Utilizing a combination of our Drosophila models of tauopathy (expressing the 2N4R-Tau) and neuroblastoma cells, we have attempted to decipher the pathways downstream of the insulin signaling cascade that lead to tau hyperphosphorylation, aggregation and autophagic defects. Using cell-based, genetic, and biochemical approaches we have demonstrated that tau phosphorylation at AT8 and PHF1 residues is enhanced in an insulin-resistant environment. We also show that insulin-induced changes in total and phospho-tau are mediated by the crosstalk of AKT, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and extracellular regulating kinase located downstream of the insulin receptor pathway. Finally, we demonstrate a significant change in the levels of the key proteins in the mammalian target of rapamycin/autophagy pathway, implying an increased impairment of aggregated protein clearance in our transgenic Drosophila models and cultured neuroblastoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyasi Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Suren S Ambegaokar
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States.,Department of Botany and Microbiology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, United States
| | - George R Jackson
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States.,Department of Neurology, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Malcolm JC, Breuillaud L, Do Carmo S, Hall H, Welikovitch LA, Macdonald JA, Goedert M, Cuello AC. Neuropathological changes and cognitive deficits in rats transgenic for human mutant tau recapitulate human tauopathy. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 127:323-338. [PMID: 30905766 PMCID: PMC6597947 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of tau protein into abnormal filaments and brain cell degeneration are characteristic of a number of human neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. Several murine models have been generated to better understand the mechanisms contributing to tau assembly and neurodegeneration. Taking advantage of the more elaborate central nervous system and higher cognitive abilities of the rat, we generated a model expressing the longest human tau isoform (2N4R) with the P301S mutation. This transgenic rat line, R962-hTau, exhibits the main features of human tauopathies, such as: age-dependent increase in inclusions comprised of aggregated-tau, neuronal loss, global neurodegeneration as reflected by brain atrophy and ventricular dilation, alterations in astrocytic and microglial morphology, and myelin loss. In addition, substantial deficits across multiple memory and learning paradigms, including novel object recognition, fear conditioning and Morris water maze tasks, were observed at the time of advanced tauopathy. These results support the concept that progressive tauopathy correlates with brain atrophy and cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice C Malcolm
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Lionel Breuillaud
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Hélène Hall
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Welikovitch
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | | | - Michel Goedert
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.
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37
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Saito T, Oba T, Shimizu S, Asada A, Iijima KM, Ando K. Cdk5 increases MARK4 activity and augments pathological tau accumulation and toxicity through tau phosphorylation at Ser262. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:3062-3071. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinases (MARK) 1–4 and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) are tau kinases under physiological and pathological conditions. However, their functional relationship remains elusive. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which Cdk5 activates MARK4 and augments tau phosphorylation, accumulation and toxicity. MARK4 is highly phosphorylated at multiple sites in the brain and in cultured neurons, and inhibition of Cdk5 activity reduces phosphorylation levels of MARK4. MARK4 is known to be activated by phosphorylation at its activation loop by liver kinase B1 (LKB1). In contrast, Cdk5 increased phosphorylation of MARK4 in the spacer domain, but not in the activation loop, and enhanced its kinase activity, suggesting a novel mechanism by which Cdk5 regulates MARK4 activity. We also demonstrated that co-expression of Cdk5 and MARK4 in mammalian cultured cells significantly increased the levels of tau phosphorylation at both Cdk5 target sites (SP/TP sites) and MARK target sites (Ser262), as well as the levels of total tau. Furthermore, using a Drosophila model of tau toxicity, we demonstrated that Cdk5 promoted tau accumulation and tau-induced neurodegeneration via increasing tau phosphorylation levels at Ser262 by a fly ortholog of MARK, Par-1. This study suggests a novel mechanism by which Cdk5 and MARK4 synergistically increase tau phosphorylation and accumulation, consequently promoting neurodegeneration in disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Saito
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiya Oba
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sawako Shimizu
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Asada
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi M Iijima
- Department of Alzheimer’s Disease Research, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kanae Ando
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
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Sivanantharajah L, Mudher A, Shepherd D. An evaluation of Drosophila as a model system for studying tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 319:77-88. [PMID: 30633936 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Work spanning almost two decades using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to study tau-mediated neurodegeneration has provided valuable and novel insights into the causes and mechanisms of tau-mediated toxicity and dysfunction in tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The fly has proven to be an excellent model for human diseases because of its cost efficiency, and the availability of powerful genetic tools for use in a comparatively less-complicated, but evolutionarily conserved, in vivo system. In this review, we provide a critical evaluation of the insights provided by fly models, highlighting both the advantages and limitations of the system. The fly has contributed to a greater understanding of the causes of tau abnormalities, the role of these abnormalities in mediating toxicity and/or dysfunction, and the nature of causative species mediating tau-toxicity. However, it is not possible to perfectly model all aspects of human degenerative diseases. What sets the fly apart from other animal models is its genetic tractability, which makes it highly amenable to overcoming experimental limitations. The explosion of genetic technology since the first fly disease models were established has translated into fly lines that allow for greater temporal control in restricting tau expression to single neuron types, and lines that can label and monitor the function of subcellular structures and components; thus, fly models offer an unprecedented view of the neurodegenerative process. Emerging genetic technology means that the fly provides an ever-evolving experimental platform for studying disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - David Shepherd
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
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39
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Mutreja Y, Combs B, Gamblin TC. FTDP-17 Mutations Alter the Aggregation and Microtubule Stabilization Propensity of Tau in an Isoform-Specific Fashion. Biochemistry 2018; 58:742-754. [PMID: 30562452 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
More than 50 different intronic and exonic autosomal dominant mutations in the tau gene have been linked to the neurodegenerative disorder frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome-17 (FTDP-17). Although the pathological and clinical presentation of this disorder is heterogeneous among patients, the deposition of tau as pathological aggregates is a common feature. Collectively, FTDP-17 mutations have been shown to alter tau's ability to stabilize microtubules, enhance its aggregation, alter mRNA splicing, or induce its hyperphosphorylation, among other effects. Previous in vitro studies from our lab revealed that these mutations differ markedly from each other in the longest 2N4R isoform of tau. However, it is not entirely known whether the effect of a single mutation varies when compared between different isoforms of tau. Differences in the isoelectric points of the N-terminal region of tau isoforms lead to changes in their biochemical properties, raising the possibility that isoforms could also be disproportionately affected by disease-related mechanisms such as mutations. We therefore performed a comparative study of three FTDP-17 mutations present in different regions of tau (R5L, P301L, and R406W) in the three 4R isoforms of tau. We observed significant differences in the effect these mutations exert on the total amount and kinetics of aggregation, aggregate length distributions, and microtubule stabilizing propensity of 4R tau isoforms for all three selected mutants. These results demonstrate that different combinations of FTDP-17 mutations and tau isoforms are functionally distinct and could have important implications for our understanding of disease and animal models of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamini Mutreja
- Department of Molecular Biosciences , University of Kansas , 1200 Sunnyside Ave , Lawrence , Kansas 66045 , United States
| | - Benjamin Combs
- Department of Molecular Biosciences , University of Kansas , 1200 Sunnyside Ave , Lawrence , Kansas 66045 , United States.,Department of Translational Science & Molecular Medicine, College of Human Medicine , Michigan State University , Grand Rapids , Michigan 49503 , United States
| | - T Chris Gamblin
- Department of Molecular Biosciences , University of Kansas , 1200 Sunnyside Ave , Lawrence , Kansas 66045 , United States
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40
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Chatterjee S, Mudher A. Alzheimer's Disease and Type 2 Diabetes: A Critical Assessment of the Shared Pathological Traits. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:383. [PMID: 29950970 PMCID: PMC6008657 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are two of the most prevalent diseases in the elderly population worldwide. A growing body of epidemiological studies suggest that people with T2DM are at a higher risk of developing AD. Likewise, AD brains are less capable of glucose uptake from the surroundings resembling a condition of brain insulin resistance. Pathologically AD is characterized by extracellular plaques of Aβ and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau. T2DM, on the other hand is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. In this review we have discussed how Insulin resistance in T2DM directly exacerbates Aβ and tau pathologies and elucidated the pathophysiological traits of synaptic dysfunction, inflammation, and autophagic impairments that are common to both diseases and indirectly impact Aβ and tau functions in the neurons. Elucidation of the underlying pathways that connect these two diseases will be immensely valuable for designing novel drug targets for Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyasi Chatterjee
- Centre of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- Centre of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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41
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Taylor LM, McMillan PJ, Liachko NF, Strovas TJ, Ghetti B, Bird TD, Keene CD, Kraemer BC. Pathological phosphorylation of tau and TDP-43 by TTBK1 and TTBK2 drives neurodegeneration. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:7. [PMID: 29409526 PMCID: PMC5802059 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0237-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Progressive neuron loss in the frontal and temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex typifies frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). FTLD sub types are classified on the basis of neuronal aggregated protein deposits, typically containing either aberrantly phosphorylated TDP-43 or tau. Our recent work demonstrated that tau tubulin kinases 1 and 2 (TTBK1/2) robustly phosphorylate TDP-43 and co-localize with phosphorylated TDP-43 in human postmortem neurons from FTLD patients. Both TTBK1 and TTBK2 were initially identified as tau kinases and TTBK1 has been shown to phosphorylate tau epitopes commonly observed in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. METHODS To further elucidate how TTBK1/2 activity contributes to both TDP-43 and tau phosphorylation in the context of the neurodegeneration seen in FTLD, we examined the consequences of elevated human TTBK1/2 kinase expression in transgenic animal models of disease. RESULTS We show that C. elegans co-expressing tau/TTBK1 tau/TTBK2, or TDP-43/TTBK1 transgenes in combination exhibit synergistic exacerbation of behavioral abnormalities and increased pathological protein phosphorylation. We also show that C. elegans co-expressing tau/TTBK1 or tau/TTBK2 transgenes in combination exhibit aberrant neuronal architecture and neuron loss. Surprisingly, the TTBK2/TDP-43 transgenic combination showed no exacerbation of TDP-43 proteinopathy related phenotypes. Additionally, we observed elevated TTBK1/2 protein expression in cortical and hippocampal neurons of FTLD-tau and FTLD-TDP cases relative to normal controls. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a possible etiology for the two most common FTLD subtypes through a kinase activation driven mechanism of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Taylor
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, S182, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
| | - Pamela J McMillan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA
| | - Nicole F Liachko
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, S182, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - Timothy J Strovas
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, S182, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Thomas D Bird
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, S182, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Brian C Kraemer
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, S182, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA.
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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42
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Mishra SK, Singh S, Shukla S, Shukla R. Intracerebroventricular streptozotocin impairs adult neurogenesis and cognitive functions via regulating neuroinflammation and insulin signaling in adult rats. Neurochem Int 2018; 113:56-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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43
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Higham JP. Tangled tau: Active pathology or footprint of disease? ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2017; 3:658-659. [PMID: 29255792 PMCID: PMC5725285 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James P Higham
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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44
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Fernius J, Starkenberg A, Pokrzywa M, Thor S. Human TTBK1, TTBK2 and MARK1 kinase toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster is exacerbated by co-expression of human Tau. Biol Open 2017; 6:1013-1023. [PMID: 28711868 PMCID: PMC5550906 DOI: 10.1242/bio.022749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is involved in numerous human neurodegenerative diseases, and Tau hyper-phosphorylation has been linked to Tau aggregation and toxicity. Previous studies have addressed toxicity and phospho-biology of human Tau (hTau) in Drosophila melanogaster. However, hTau transgenes have most often been randomly inserted in the genome, thus making it difficult to compare between different hTau isoforms and phospho-mutants. In addition, many studies have expressed hTau also in mitotic cells, causing non-physiological toxic effects. Here, we overcome these confounds by integrating UAS-hTau isoform transgenes into specific genomic loci, and express hTau post-mitotically in the Drosophila nervous system. Lifespan and locomotor analyses show that all six of the hTau isoforms elicit similar toxicity in flies, although hTau2N3R showed somewhat elevated toxicity. To determine if Tau phosphorylation is responsible for toxicity, we analyzed the effects of co-expressing hTau isoforms together with Tau-kinases, focusing on TTBK1, TTBK2 and MARK1. We observed toxicity when expressing each of the three kinases alone, or in combination. Kinase toxicity was enhanced by hTau co-expression, with strongest co-toxicity for TTBK1. Mutagenesis and phosphorylation analysis indicates that hTau-MARK1 combinatorial toxicity may be due to direct phosphorylation of hTau, while hTau-TTBK1/2 combinatorial toxicity may result from independent toxicity mechanisms. Summary: Tau hyper-phosphorylation has been linked to toxicity, but the Tau isoforms, kinases and residues remain unclear. Using the Drosophila model, we find evidence for involvement of TTBK and MARK kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Fernius
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, Linkoping SE-581 85, Sweden
| | - Annika Starkenberg
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, Linkoping SE-581 85, Sweden
| | - Malgorzata Pokrzywa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, Linkoping SE-581 85, Sweden
| | - Stefan Thor
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoping University, Linkoping SE-581 85, Sweden
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45
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Functional screening of Alzheimer risk loci identifies PTK2B as an in vivo modulator and early marker of Tau pathology. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:874-883. [PMID: 27113998 PMCID: PMC5444024 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A recent genome-wide association meta-analysis for Alzheimer's disease (AD) identified 19 risk loci (in addition to APOE) in which the functional genes are unknown. Using Drosophila, we screened 296 constructs targeting orthologs of 54 candidate risk genes within these loci for their ability to modify Tau neurotoxicity by quantifying the size of >6000 eyes. Besides Drosophila Amph (ortholog of BIN1), which we previously implicated in Tau pathology, we identified p130CAS (CASS4), Eph (EPHA1), Fak (PTK2B) and Rab3-GEF (MADD) as Tau toxicity modulators. Of these, the focal adhesion kinase Fak behaved as a strong Tau toxicity suppressor in both the eye and an independent focal adhesion-related wing blister assay. Accordingly, the human Tau and PTK2B proteins biochemically interacted in vitro and PTK2B co-localized with hyperphosphorylated and oligomeric Tau in progressive pathological stages in the brains of AD patients and transgenic Tau mice. These data indicate that PTK2B acts as an early marker and in vivo modulator of Tau toxicity.
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46
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Altered protein glycosylation predicts Alzheimer's disease and modulates its pathology in disease model Drosophila. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 56:159-171. [PMID: 28552182 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are pathogenic oligomers and fibrils of misfolded amyloidogenic proteins (e.g., β-amyloid and hyper-phosphorylated tau in AD), which cause progressive loss of neurons in the brain and nervous system. Although deviations from normal protein glycosylation have been documented in AD, their role in disease pathology has been barely explored. Here our analysis of available expression data sets indicates that many glycosylation-related genes are differentially expressed in brains of AD patients compared with healthy controls. The robust differences found enabled us to predict the occurrence of AD with remarkable accuracy in a test cohort and identify a set of key genes whose expression determines this classification. We then studied in vivo the effect of reducing expression of homologs of 6 of these genes in transgenic Drosophila overexpressing human tau, a well-established invertebrate AD model. These experiments have led to the identification of glycosylation genes that may augment or ameliorate tauopathy phenotypes. Our results indicate that OstDelta, l(2)not and beta4GalT7 are tauopathy suppressors, whereas pgnat5 and CG33303 are enhancers, of tauopathy. These results suggest that specific alterations in protein glycosylation may play a causal role in AD etiology.
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Kilian JG, Hsu HW, Mata K, Wolf FW, Kitazawa M. Astrocyte transport of glutamate and neuronal activity reciprocally modulate tau pathology in Drosophila. Neuroscience 2017; 348:191-200. [PMID: 28215745 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal buildup of the microtubule associated protein tau is a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and various tauopathies. The mechanisms by which pathological tau accumulates and spreads throughout the brain remain largely unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that a restoration of the major astrocytic glutamate transporter, GLT1, ameliorated a buildup of tau pathology and rescued cognition in a mouse model of AD. We hypothesized that aberrant extracellular glutamate and abnormal neuronal excitatory activities promoted tau pathology. In the present study, we investigated genetic interactions between tau and the GLT1 homolog dEaat1 in Drosophila melanogaster. Neuronal-specific overexpression of human wildtype tau markedly shortened lifespan and impaired motor behavior. RNAi depletion of dEaat1 in astrocytes worsened these phenotypes, whereas overexpression of dEaat1 improved them. However, the synaptic neuropil appeared unaffected, and we failed to detect any major neuronal loss with tau overexpression in combination with dEaat1 depletion. To mimic glutamate-induced aberrant excitatory input in neurons, repeated depolarization of neurons via transgenic TrpA1 was applied to the adult Drosophila optic nerves, and we examined the change of tau deposits. Repeated depolarization significantly increased the accumulation of tau in these neurons. We propose that increased neuronal excitatory activity exacerbates tau-mediated neuronal toxicity and behavioral deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason G Kilian
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States; Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Heng-Wei Hsu
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States; Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Kenneth Mata
- Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Fred W Wolf
- Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Masashi Kitazawa
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States; Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, United States.
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Abstract
Drosophila is a powerful model to study human diseases thanks to its genetic tools and ease of screening. Human genes can be expressed in targeted organs and their toxicity assessed on easily scorable external phenotypes that can be used as readout to perform genetic screen of toxicity modifiers. In this chapter, I describe how to express human Tau protein in the Drosophila eye, assess protein expression by western blot, assess Tau toxicity by quantifying the size of the Tau-induced rough eye, and perform a genetic screen of modifiers of Tau toxicity in the Drosophila eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Dourlen
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, INSERM, UMR1167, Université de Lille, 1 rue du Prof. Calmette, 59019, Lille, France.
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49
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50
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Majd S, Power JHT, Koblar SA, Grantham HJM. The impact of tau hyperphosphorylation at Ser 262 on memory and learning after global brain ischaemia in a rat model of reversible cardiac arrest. IBRO Rep 2016; 2:1-13. [PMID: 30135928 PMCID: PMC6084925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
An increase in phosphorylated tau (p-tau) is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and brain hypoxia. Investigation of the association of residue-specific tau hyperphosphorylation and changes in cognition, leads to greater understanding of its potential role in the pathology of memory impairment. The aims of this study are to investigate the involvement of the main metabolic kinases, Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1) and Adenosine Monophosphate Kinase Protein Kinase (AMPK), in tau phosphorylation-derived memory impairment, and to study the potential contribution of the other tau kinases and phosphatases including Glycogen Synthase Kinase (GSK-3β), Protein kinase A (PKA) and Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Spatial memory and learning were tested in a rat global brain ischemic model of reversible cardiac arrest (CA). The phosphorylation levels of LKB1, AMPK, GSK-3β, PP2A, PKA and tau-specific phosphorylation were assessed in rats, subjected to ischaemia/reperfusion and in clinically diagnosed AD and normal human brains. LKB1 and AMPK phosphorylation increased 4 weeks after CA as did AMPK related p-tau (Ser262). The animals showed unchanged levels of GSK-3β specific p-tau (Ser202/Thr205), phospho-PP2A (Tyr307), total GSK-3β, PP2A, phospho-cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) which is an indicator of PKA activity, and no memory deficits. AD brains had hyperphosphorylated tau in all the residues of Ser262, Ser202 and Thr205, with increased phosphorylation of both AMPK (Thr172) and GSK-3β (Ser9), and reduced PP2A levels. Our data suggests a crucial role for a combined activation of tau kinases and phosphatases in adversely affecting memory and that hyperphosphorylation of tau in more than one specific site may be required to create memory deficits. Short-term brain ischaemia causes AMPK activation and tau phosphorylation at its AMPK-sensitive site (Ser262). Activation of GSK-3β, PP2A and PKA are remained unchanged in short-term brain ischaemia/reperfusion. In clinical cases of AD, activation of AMPK, GSK-3β, PP2A and multiple site hyperphosphorylation of tau are observed. Hyperphosphorylation of tau (Ser262) alone without involving the other tau kinases/phosphatase does not affect memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohreh Majd
- Neuronal Injury and Repair Laboratory, Centre for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - John H T Power
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Simon A Koblar
- School of Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) Campus, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Hugh J M Grantham
- Neuronal Injury and Repair Laboratory, Centre for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
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