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Wu S, Du L. Protein Aggregation in the Pathogenesis of Ischemic Stroke. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:1183-1194. [PMID: 32529541 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00899-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite the distinction between ischemic stroke and neurodegenerative disorders, they share numerous pathophysiologies particularly those mediated by inflammation and oxidative stress. Although protein aggregation is considered to be a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases, the formation of protein aggregates can be also induced within a short time after cerebral ischemia, aggravating cerebral ischemic injury. Protein aggregation uncovers a previously unappreciated molecular overlap between neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic stroke. Unfortunately, compared with neurodegenerative disease, mechanism of protein aggregation after cerebral ischemia and how this can be averted remain unclear. This review highlights current understanding on protein aggregation and its intrinsic role in ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusheng Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Longfei Du
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Villa González M, Vallés-Saiz L, Hernández IH, Avila J, Hernández F, Pérez-Alvarez MJ. Focal cerebral ischemia induces changes in oligodendrocytic tau isoforms in the damaged area. Glia 2020; 68:2471-2485. [PMID: 32515854 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a major cause of death and the first leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. The only therapeutic strategy available to date is reperfusion and not all the patients are suitable for this treatment. Blood flow blockage or reduction leads to considerable brain damage, affecting both gray and white matter. The detrimental effects of ischemia have been studied extensively in the former but not in the latter. Previous reports indicate that preservation of white matter integrity reduces deleterious effect of ischemia on the brain. Oligodendrocytes are sensitive to ischemic damage, however, some reports demonstrate that oligodendrogenesis occurs after ischemia. These glial cells have a complex cytoskeletal network, including tau, that plays a key role to proper myelination. 4R-Tau/3R-Tau, which differ in the presence/absence of Exon 10, are found in oligodendrocytes; but the precise role of each isoform is not understood. Using permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion model and immunofluorescence, we demonstrate that cerebral ischemia induces an increase in 3R-Tau versus 4R-Tau in oligodendrocytes in the damaged area. In addition, cellular distribution of Tau undergoes a change after ischemia, with some oligodendrocytic processes showing positive staining for 3R-Tau. This occurs simultaneously with the amelioration of neurological damage in ischemic rats. We propose that ischemia triggers an endogenous mechanism involving 3R-Tau, that induces colonization of the ischemic damaged area by oligodendrocytes in an attempt to myelinate-injured axons. Understanding the molecular mechanism of this phenomenon could pave the way for the design of therapeutic strategies that exploit glial cells for the treatment of ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Villa González
- Departamento de Biología (Fisiología Animal), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Vallés-Saiz
- Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain
| | - Ivó H Hernández
- Departamento de Biología (Fisiología Animal), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Avila
- Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Félix Hernández
- Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Pérez-Alvarez
- Departamento de Biología (Fisiología Animal), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Neuropatología Molecular CSIC-UAM, Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
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Hefti MM, Farrell K, Kim S, Bowles KR, Fowkes ME, Raj T, Crary JF. High-resolution temporal and regional mapping of MAPT expression and splicing in human brain development. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195771. [PMID: 29634760 PMCID: PMC5892924 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule associated protein tau plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Recent studies suggest that tau also plays a role in disorders of neuronal connectivity, including epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder. Animal studies have shown that the MAPT gene, which codes for the tau protein, undergoes complex pre-mRNA alternative splicing to produce multiple isoforms during brain development. Human data, particularly on temporal and regional variation in tau splicing during development are however lacking. In this study, we present the first detailed examination of the temporal and regional sequence of MAPT alternative splicing in the developing human brain. We used a novel computational analysis of large transcriptomic datasets (total n = 502 patients), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting to examine tau expression and splicing in post-mortem human fetal, pediatric and adult brains. We found that MAPT exons 2 and 10 undergo abrupt shifts in expression during the perinatal period that are unique in the canonical human microtubule-associated protein family, while exon 3 showed small but significant temporal variation. Tau isoform expression may be a marker of neuronal maturation, temporally correlated with the onset of axonal growth. Immature brain regions such as the ganglionic eminence and rhombic lip had very low tau expression, but within more mature regions, there was little variation in tau expression or splicing. We thus demonstrate an abrupt, evolutionarily conserved shift in tau isoform expression during the human perinatal period that may be due to tau expression in maturing neurons. Alternative splicing of the MAPT pre-mRNA may play a vital role in normal brain development across multiple species and provides a basis for future investigations into the developmental and pathological functions of the tau protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco M. Hefti
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JFC); (MMH)
| | - Kurt Farrell
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - SoongHo Kim
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Kathryn R. Bowles
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Mary E. Fowkes
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Towfique Raj
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - John F. Crary
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JFC); (MMH)
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Fujii H, Takahashi T, Mukai T, Tanaka S, Hosomi N, Maruyama H, Sakai N, Matsumoto M. Modifications of tau protein after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rats are similar to those occurring in Alzheimer's disease - Hyperphosphorylation and cleavage of 4- and 3-repeat tau. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2017; 37:2441-2457. [PMID: 27629097 PMCID: PMC5531343 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x16668889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have suggested a close relationship between cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). To clarify the pathological association of tau dynamics in both diseases, we performed comprehensive studies on the posttranslational modification of tau in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) in rats. The present study suggests that both 4-repeat and 3-repeat tau isoforms are hyperphosphorylated in cerebral I/R, similar to the case in AD. The generation of a 60-kDa Asp421-truncated tau in cerebral I/R preceded the emergence of a 17-kDa 3-repeat tau fragment and a 25-kDa 4-repeat tau fragment. The regional redistribution of tau from the neuropil to neuronal perikarya in our stroke model is thought to share similarity with that occurring in AD. In addition, immunofluorescence staining revealed the formation of axonal varicosities in cerebral I/R. Altered tau distribution may influence microtubule stability, disturbances in axonal transport, and the resulting formation of axonal varicosities. The staining profiles of granules in the ischemic cortex that were immunopositive for RD3, RD4, and AT8 in neuronal perikarya and that were argyrophilic on Gallyas-Braak staining were similar to those in AD. These findings suggest that transient cerebral ischemia shares a common pathology with AD, in the modification of tau protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Fujii
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Takahashi
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoya Mukai
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.,2 Department of Stroke Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Shigeru Tanaka
- 3 Department of Molecular and Pharmacological Neuroscience, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Naohisa Hosomi
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Maruyama
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Norio Sakai
- 3 Department of Molecular and Pharmacological Neuroscience, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masayasu Matsumoto
- 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
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Moussavi Nik SH, Newman M, Ganesan S, Chen M, Martins R, Verdile G, Lardelli M. Hypoxia alters expression of zebrafish microtubule-associated protein tau (mapta, maptb) gene transcripts. BMC Res Notes 2014; 7:767. [PMID: 25359609 PMCID: PMC4236441 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) is abundant in neurons and functions in assembly and stabilization of microtubules to maintain cytoskeletal structure. Human MAPT transcripts undergo alternative splicing to produce 3R and 4R isoforms normally present at approximately equal levels in the adult brain. Imbalance of the 3R-4R isoform ratio can affect microtubule binding and assembly and may promote tau hyperphosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangle formation as seen in neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Conditions involving hypoxia such as cerebral ischemia and stroke can promote similar tau pathology but whether hypoxic conditions cause changes in MAPT isoform formation has not been widely explored. We previously identified two paralogues (co-orthologues) of MAPT in zebrafish, mapta and maptb. RESULTS In this study we assess the splicing of transcripts of these genes in adult zebrafish brain under hypoxic conditions. We find hypoxia causes increases in particular mapta and maptb transcript isoforms, particularly the 6R and 4R isoforms of mapta and maptb respectively. Expression of the zebrafish orthologue of human TRA2B, tra2b, that encodes a protein binding to MAPT transcripts and regulating splicing, was reduced under hypoxic conditions, similar to observations in AD brain. CONCLUSION Overall, our findings indicate that hypoxia can alter splicing of zebrafish MAPT co-orthologues promoting formation of longer transcripts and possibly generating Mapt proteins more prone to hyperphosphorylation. This supports the use of zebrafish to provide insight into the mechanisms regulating MAPT transcript splicing under conditions that promote neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Hani Moussavi Nik
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005 Adelaide, Australia.
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D'Alton S, Lewis J. Therapeutic and diagnostic challenges for frontotemporal dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:204. [PMID: 25191265 PMCID: PMC4137452 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the search for therapeutic modifiers, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has traditionally been overshadowed by other conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). A clinically and pathologically diverse condition, FTD has been galvanized by a number of recent discoveries such as novel genetic variants in familial and sporadic forms of disease and the identification of TAR DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) as the defining constituent of inclusions in more than half of cases. In combination with an ever-expanding knowledge of the function and dysfunction of tau-a protein which is pathologically aggregated in the majority of the remaining cases-there exists a greater understanding of FTD than ever before. These advances may indicate potential approaches for the development of hypothetical therapeutics, but FTD remains highly complex and the roles of tau and TDP-43 in neurodegeneration are still wholly unclear. Here the challenges facing potential therapeutic strategies are discussed, which include sufficiently accurate disease diagnosis and sophisticated technology to deliver effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon D'Alton
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jada Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
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Qian W, Liu F. Regulation of alternative splicing of tau exon 10. Neurosci Bull 2014; 30:367-77. [PMID: 24627328 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-013-1411-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and aggregated into neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The adult human brain expresses six isoforms of tau generated by alternative splicing of exons 2, 3, and 10 of its pre-mRNA. Exon 10 encodes the second microtubule-binding repeat of tau. Its alternative splicing produces tau isoforms with either three or four microtubule-binding repeats, termed 3R-tau and 4Rtau. In the normal adult human brain, the level of 3R-tau is approximately equal to that of 4R-tau. Several silent and intronic mutations of the tau gene associated with FTDP-17T (frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 and specifically characterized by tau pathology) only disrupt exon 10 splicing, but do not influence the primary sequence of the tau protein. Thus, abnormal exon 10 splicing is sufficient to cause neurodegeneration and dementia. Here, we review the regulation of tau exon 10 splicing by cis-elements and trans-factors and summarize all the mutations associated with FTDP-17T and related tauopathies. The findings suggest that correction of exon 10 splicing may be a potential target for tau exon 10 splicing-related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
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Gozes I. Tau pathology: predictive diagnostics, targeted preventive and personalized medicine and application of advanced research in medical practice. EPMA J 2010. [PMID: 23199066 PMCID: PMC3405325 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-010-0029-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are key cytoskeletal elements found in all eukaryotic cells. The microtubule shaft is composed of the heterodimer protein, tubulin and decorated with multiple microtubule associated protein, regulating microtubule function. Tau (tubulin associated unit) or MAPT (microtubule associated protein tau), among the first microtubule associated proteins to be identified, was implicated in microtubule initiation as well as assembly, with increased expression in neurons and specific association with axonal microtubules. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent tauopathy, exhibiting tau-neurofibrillary tangles associated with cognitive dysfunction. AD is also characterized by β-amyloid plaques. An abundance of tau inclusions, in the absence of β-amyloid deposits, can be found in Pick’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and other diseases, collectively described as tauopathies. The increase in tau pathology in AD correlates with the associated cognitive decline. The current manuscript touches on the variability as well as common denominators of the various tau pathologies coupled to new approaches/current innovation in treatment of tauopathies in favor of advanced technologies in predictive diagnostics, targeted preventive and personalized medicine (PPPM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Illana Gozes
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry The Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors and The Adams Super Center for Brain Studies Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978 Israel
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