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Buchholz S, Zempel H. The six brain-specific TAU isoforms and their role in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative dementia syndromes. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3606-3628. [PMID: 38556838 PMCID: PMC11095451 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alternative splicing of the human MAPT gene generates six brain-specific TAU isoforms. Imbalances in the TAU isoform ratio can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, underscoring the need for precise control over TAU isoform balance. Tauopathies, characterized by intracellular aggregates of hyperphosphorylated TAU, exhibit extensive neurodegeneration and can be classified by the TAU isoforms present in pathological accumulations. METHODS A comprehensive review of TAU and related dementia syndromes literature was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and preprint server. RESULTS While TAU is recognized as key driver of neurodegeneration in specific tauopathies, the contribution of the isoforms to neuronal function and disease development remains largely elusive. DISCUSSION In this review we describe the role of TAU isoforms in health and disease, and stress the importance of comprehending and studying TAU isoforms in both, physiological and pathological context, in order to develop targeted therapeutic interventions for TAU-associated diseases. HIGHLIGHTS MAPT splicing is tightly regulated during neuronal maturation and throughout life. TAU isoform expression is development-, cell-type and brain region specific. The contribution of TAU to neurodegeneration might be isoform-specific. Ineffective TAU-based therapies highlight the need for specific targeting strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Buchholz
- Institute of Human GeneticsFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC)University of CologneCologneGermany
- Present address:
Department Schaefer, Neurobiology of AgeingMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | - Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human GeneticsFaculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC)University of CologneCologneGermany
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2
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Paterno G, Bell BM, Riley-DiPaolo A, LaVoie MJ, Giasson BI. Polymerization of recombinant tau core fragments in vitro and seeding studies in cultured cells. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1268360. [PMID: 38161790 PMCID: PMC10757379 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1268360] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The relative polymerization of specific tau protein cores that define Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease and corticobasal degeneration were investigated using amyloid fluorometry and electron microscopy. In addition, the relative prion-like activities of polymers comprised of these respective tau protein segments were investigated in a cell-based assay. It is demonstrated that the seeding activities of specific tau core fibrils are affected by the presence of pathogenic tau missense mutations and the microtubule binding domain composition of tau. The unique impact of tau phosphorylation on seeding propensity was also investigated by altering stretches of phospho-mimetic and phospho-null residues in the presence of Alzheimer's disease tau core fibrils. These results have important mechanistic implications for mutation and isoform-specific driven pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giavanna Paterno
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Brach M. Bell
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alexis Riley-DiPaolo
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Matthew J. LaVoie
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Benoit I. Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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3
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Saatian B, Deshpande K, Herrera R, Sedighi S, Eisenbarth R, Iyer M, Das D, Julian A, Martirosian V, Lowman A, LaViolette P, Remsik J, Boire A, Sankey E, Fecci PE, Shiroishi MS, Chow F, Hurth K, Neman J. Breast-to-brain metastasis is exacerbated with chemotherapy through blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and induces Alzheimer's-like pathology. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:1900-1913. [PMID: 37787045 PMCID: PMC10769085 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25249] [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: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Control of breast-to-brain metastasis remains an urgent unmet clinical need. While chemotherapies are essential in reducing systemic tumor burden, they have been shown to promote non-brain metastatic invasiveness and drug-driven neurocognitive deficits through the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), independently. Now, in this study, we investigated the effect of chemotherapy on brain metastatic progression and promoting tumor-mediated NFT. Results show chemotherapies increase brain-barrier permeability and facilitate enhanced tumor infiltration, particularly through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). This is attributed to increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) which, in turn, mediates loss of Claudin-6 within the choroid plexus cells of the BCSFB. Importantly, increased MMP9 activity in the choroid epithelium following chemotherapy results in cleavage and release of Tau from breast cancer cells. This cleaved Tau forms tumor-derived NFT that further destabilize the BCSFB. Our results underline for the first time the importance of the BCSFB as a vulnerable point of entry for brain-seeking tumor cells post-chemotherapy and indicate that tumor cells themselves contribute to Alzheimer's-like tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Saatian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - K Deshpande
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - R Herrera
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - S Sedighi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - R Eisenbarth
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - M Iyer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - D Das
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - A Julian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - V Martirosian
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
| | - A Lowman
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin
| | - P LaViolette
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin
| | - J Remsik
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
| | - A Boire
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
| | - E Sankey
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - PE Fecci
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University School of Medicine
| | - MS Shiroishi
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
| | - F Chow
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California
| | - K Hurth
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California
| | - J Neman
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Brain Tumor Center, University of Southern California
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California
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4
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Pinzi L, Bisi N, Sorbi C, Franchini S, Tonali N, Rastelli G. Insights into the Structural Conformations of the Tau Protein in Different Aggregation Status. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28114544. [PMID: 37299020 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28114544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau is a protein characterized by large structural portions displaying extended conformational changes. Unfortunately, the accumulation of this protein into toxic aggregates in neuronal cells leads to a number of severe pathologies, collectively named tauopathies. In the last decade, significant research advancements were achieved, including a better understanding of Tau structures and their implication in different tauopathies. Interestingly, Tau is characterized by a high structural variability depending on the type of disease, the crystallization conditions, and the formation of pathologic aggregates obtained from in vitro versus ex vivo samples. In this review, we reported an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of Tau structures reported in the Protein Data Bank, with a special focus on discussing the connections between structural features, different tauopathies, different crystallization conditions, and the use of in vitro or ex vivo samples. The information reported in this article highlights very interesting links between all these aspects, which we believe may be of particular relevance for a more informed structure-based design of compounds able to modulate Tau aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Nicolò Bisi
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Paris-Saclay, BioCIS, Bat. Henri Moissan, 17 Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Claudia Sorbi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Silvia Franchini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Nicolò Tonali
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Paris-Saclay, BioCIS, Bat. Henri Moissan, 17 Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy
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5
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Driver-Dunckley ED, Zhang N, Serrano GE, Dunckley NA, Sue LI, Shill HA, Mehta SH, Belden C, Tremblay C, Atri A, Adler CH, Beach TG. Low clinical sensitivity and unexpectedly high incidence for neuropathologically diagnosed progressive supranuclear palsy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2023; 82:438-451. [PMID: 37040756 PMCID: PMC10117158 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlad025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and clinical diagnostic accuracy for neuropathologically diagnosed progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) with data from a longitudinal clinicopathological study using Rainwater criteria to define neuropathological PSP. Of 954 autopsy cases, 101 met Rainwater criteria for the neuropathologic diagnosis of PSP. Of these, 87 were termed clinicopathological PSP as they also had either dementia or parkinsonism or both. The prevalence of clinicopathologically defined PSP subjects in the entire autopsy dataset was 9.1%, while the incidence rate was estimated at 780 per 100 000 persons per year, roughly 50-fold greater than most previous clinically determined PSP incidence estimates. A clinical diagnosis of PSP was 99.6% specific but only 9.2% sensitive based on first examination, and 99.3% specific and 20.7% sensitive based on the final clinical exam. Of the clinicopathologically defined PSP cases, 35/87 (∼40%) had no form of parkinsonism at first assessment, while this decreased to 18/83 (21.7%) at final assessment. Our study confirms a high specificity but low sensitivity for the clinical diagnosis of PSP. The low clinical sensitivity for PSP is likely primarily responsible for previous underestimates of the PSP population incidence rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika D Driver-Dunckley
- Department of Neurology, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Section of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Geidy E Serrano
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Lucia I Sue
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
| | - Holly A Shill
- Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Shyamal H Mehta
- Department of Neurology, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Christine Belden
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
| | - Cecilia Tremblay
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
| | - Alireza Atri
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Mind/Brain Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charles H Adler
- Department of Neurology, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | - Thomas G Beach
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner Health, Sun City, Arizona, USA
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6
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Prajjwal P, Shashank S, Al-Ezzi SMS, Sharma B, Aubourg O, Kaushish A, Marsool MDM, Nagre A, Asharaf S. Frontotemporal dementia: Addressing the scattered harbingers of genetics and its relationship with glucose metabolism, bipolar disorder, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dis Mon 2023; 69:101545. [PMID: 36925418 DOI: 10.1016/j.disamonth.2023.101545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Frontotemporal Dementia, also known by the name Pick's disease, is a rare form of dementia that can run for several generations. The two key characteristics are argyrophilic, spherical intraneuronal inclusions, which most frequently impact the frontal and temporal poles, and localized cortical atrophy (Pick bodies). Although personality decline and memory loss are frequently more severe than the visuospatial and apraxia disorders that are common in Alzheimer's disease, clinical overlap with other non-Alzheimer degenerative disorders is being increasingly recognized. The limbic system, which includes the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and amygdala, typically experiences the greatest levels of neuronal loss and degeneration. In the hippocampus's dentate fascia, several Pick bodies are frequently seen. Leukoencephalopathy and inflated cortical neurons are less specific symptoms (Pick cells). In this paper, we review the factors leading to Picks disease along with its pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, imaging, treatment, prognosis, and a comprehensive discussion on the same. We have also discussed the relationship of frontotemporal dementia with glucose metabolism, bipolar disorder, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, all of which are emerging fields of interest and need more studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyadarshi Prajjwal
- Department of Neurology, Bharati Vidyapeeth University Medical College, Pune, India
| | - Singam Shashank
- Department of Neurology, Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Bhavya Sharma
- Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Medical College, Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
| | - Obed Aubourg
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Akshita Kaushish
- MSc Biochemistry, Dolphin Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Abhijit Nagre
- Medical Student, Department of Medicine, Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai, India
| | - Shahnaz Asharaf
- Department of Neurology, Travancore Medical College, Kollam, Kerala, India
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7
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Sahara N, Yanai R. Limitations of human tau-expressing mouse models and novel approaches of mouse modeling for tauopathy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1149761. [PMID: 37152607 PMCID: PMC10157230 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1149761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein are primarily neuropathological features of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, collectively termed tauopathy. There is no disease-modifying drug available for tauopathy except anti-amyloid antibody therapies for Alzheimer's disease. For tau-targeting therapy, experimental models recapitulating human tau pathologies are indispensable. However, there are limited numbers of animal models that display intracellular filamentous tau aggregations. At present, several lines of P301L/S mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice successfully developed neurofibrillary pathology in the central nervous system, while most non-mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice rarely developed tau pathology. Importantly, recent studies have revealed that transgenes disrupt the coding sequence of endogenous genes, resulting in deletions and/or structural variations at the insertion site. Although any impact on the pathogenesis of tauopathy is unknown, gene disruptions may affect age-related neurodegeneration including tangle formation and brain atrophy. Moreover, some mouse lines show strain-dependent pathological features. These limitations (FTDP-17 mutations, insertion/deletion mutations, and genetic background) are a major hindrance to the establishment of a precise disease model of tauopathy. In this review, we noticed both the utility and the pitfalls of current P301L/S mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice, and we propose future strategies of mouse modeling to replicate human tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhiko Sahara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Rin Yanai
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
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8
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Oligomeric α-synuclein and tau aggregates in NDEVs differentiate Parkinson's disease from atypical parkinsonisms. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105947. [PMID: 36481435 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The early differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and atypical Parkinsonian syndromes (APS), including corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), is challenging because of an overlap of clinical features and the lack of reliable biomarkers. Neural-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) isolated from blood provide a window into the brain's biochemistry and may assist in distinguishing between PD and APS. We verified in a case-control study whether oligomeric α-Synuclein and Tau aggregates isolated from NDEVs could allow the differential diagnosis of these conditions. Blood sampling and clinical data, including disease duration, motor severity, global cognition, and levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD), were collected from patients with a diagnosis of either PD (n = 70), PSP (n = 21), or CBD (n = 19). NDEVs were isolated from serum by immunocapture using an antibody against the neuronal surface marker L1CAM; oligomeric α-Synuclein and aggregated Tau were measured by ELISA. NDEVs analyses showed that oligomeric α-Synuclein is significantly augmented in PD compared to APS, whereas Tau aggregates are significantly increased in APS compared to PD (p < 0.0001). ROC analyses showed that these two biomarkers have a "good" power of classification (p < 0.0001 for both proteins), with high sensitivity and specificity, with NDEVs concentration of Tau aggregates and oligomeric α-Synuclein being respectively the best biomarker for PD/PSP and PD/CBD diagnostic differentiation. Logistic and multiple regression analysis confirmed that NDEVs-derived oligomeric α-Synuclein and Tau aggregates differentiate PD from CBD and PSP (p < 0.001). Notably, a positive correlation between NDEVs oligomeric α-Synuclein and disease severity (disease duration, p = 0.023; Modified H&Y, p = 0.015; UPDRS motor scores, p = 0.004) was found in PD patients and, in these same patients, NDEVs Tau aggregates concentration inversely correlated with global cognitive scores (p = 0.043). A minimally invasive blood test measuring the concentration of α-synuclein and Tau aggregates in NDEVs can represent a promising tool to distinguish with high sensitivity and specificity PD from CBD or PSP patients. Optimization and validation of these data will be needed to confirm the diagnostic value of these biomarkers in distinguishing synucleinopathies from taupathies.
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Common and Specific Marks of Different Tau Strains Following Intra-Hippocampal Injection of AD, PiD, and GGT Inoculum in hTau Transgenic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415940. [PMID: 36555581 PMCID: PMC9787745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous hTau mice were used for the study of tau seeding. These mice express the six human tau isoforms, with a high predominance of 3Rtau over 4Rtau. The following groups were assessed: (i) non-inoculated mice aged 9 months (n = 4); (ii) Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iii) Globular Glial Tauopathy (GGT)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iv) Pick's disease (PiD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (v) control-inoculated mice (n = 4); and (vi) inoculated with vehicle alone (n = 2). AD-inoculated mice showed AT8-immunoreactive neuronal pre-tangles, granular aggregates, and dots in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG), and hilus, and threads and dots in the ipsilateral corpus callosum. GGT-inoculated mice showed unique or multiple AT8-immunoreactive globular deposits in neurons, occasionally extended to the proximal dendrites. PiD-inoculated mice showed a few loose pre-tangles in the CA1 region, DG, and cerebral cortex near the injection site. Coiled bodies were formed in the corpus callosum in AD-inoculated mice, but GGT-inoculated mice lacked globular glial inclusions. Tau deposits in inoculated mice co-localized active kinases p38-P and SAPK/JNK-P, thus suggesting active phosphorylation of the host tau. Tau deposits were absent in hTau mice inoculated with control homogenates and vehicle alone. Deposits in AD-inoculated hTau mice contained 3Rtau and 4Rtau; those in GGT-inoculated mice were mainly stained with anti-4Rtau antibodies, but a small number of deposits contained 3Rtau. Deposits in PiD-inoculated mice were stained with anti-3Rtau antibodies, but rare neuronal, thread-like, and dot-like deposits showed 4Rtau immunoreactivity. These findings show that tau strains produce different patterns of active neuronal seeding, which also depend on the host tau. Unexpected 3Rtau and 4Rtau deposits after inoculation of homogenates from 4R and 3R tauopathies, respectively, suggests the regulation of exon 10 splicing of the host tau during the process of seeding, thus modulating the plasticity of the cytoskeleton.
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10
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Kavanagh T, Halder A, Drummond E. Tau interactome and RNA binding proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:66. [PMID: 36253823 PMCID: PMC9575286 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00572-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological tau aggregation is a primary neuropathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases. Intriguingly, despite the common presence of tau aggregates in these diseases the affected brain regions, clinical symptoms, and morphology, conformation, and isoform ratio present in tau aggregates varies widely. The tau-mediated disease mechanisms that drive neurodegenerative disease are still unknown. Tau interactome studies are critically important for understanding tauopathy. They reveal the interacting partners that define disease pathways, and the tau interactions present in neuropathological aggregates provide potential insight into the cellular environment and protein interactions present during pathological tau aggregation. Here we provide a combined analysis of 12 tau interactome studies of human brain tissue, human cell culture models and rodent models of disease. Together, these studies identified 2084 proteins that interact with tau in human tissue and 1152 proteins that interact with tau in rodent models of disease. Our combined analysis of the tau interactome revealed consistent enrichment of interactions between tau and proteins involved in RNA binding, ribosome, and proteasome function. Comparison of human and rodent tau interactome studies revealed substantial differences between the two species. We also performed a second analysis to identify the tau interacting proteins that are enriched in neurons containing granulovacuolar degeneration or neurofibrillary tangle pathology. These results revealed a timed dysregulation of tau interactions as pathology develops. RNA binding proteins, particularly HNRNPs, emerged as early disease-associated tau interactors and therefore may have an important role in driving tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Kavanagh
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Aditi Halder
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Eleanor Drummond
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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11
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Petry S, Nateghi B, Keraudren R, Sergeant N, Planel E, Hébert SS, St-Amour I. Differential Regulation of Tau Exon 2 and 10 Isoforms in Huntington's Disease Brain. Neuroscience 2022; 518:54-63. [PMID: 35868517 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of CAG repeats in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Accumulating evidence suggests that the microtubule-associated tau protein participates in the pathogenesis of HD. Recently, we have identified changes in tau alternative splicing of exons 2, 3 and 10 in the putamen of HD patients (St-Amour et al, 2018). In this study, we sought to determine whether tau mis-splicing events were equally observed in other brain regions that are less prone to neurodegeneration. Using Western blot and PCR, we characterized the relationship between MAPT splicing of exons 2, 3 and 10, tauopathy and Htt pathologies, as well as neurodegeneration markers in matching putamen and cortical samples from HD (N = 48) and healthy control (N = 25) subjects. We first show that levels of 4R-tau (exon 10 inclusion) isoforms are higher in both the putamen and the cortex of individuals with HD, consistent with earlier findings. On the other hand, higher 0N-tau (exclusion of exons 2 and 3) and lower 1N-tau (exclusion of exon 3) isoforms were seen exclusively in the putamen of HD individuals. Interestingly, investigated splicing factors were deregulated in both regions whereas exon 2 differences coincided with increased tau hyperphosphorylation, aggregation and markers of neurodegeneration. Overall, these results imply a differential regulation of tau exon 2 and exon 10 alternative splicing in HD putamen that could provide a useful biomarker or therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Petry
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada
| | - Behnaz Nateghi
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada
| | - Rémi Keraudren
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Sergeant
- Inserm, CHU Lille, University of Lille, Lille, France; Alzheimer and Tauopathies, LabEx DISTALZ, Lille France
| | - Emmanuel Planel
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada; Faculté de médecine, Département de psychiatrie et de neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Sébastien S Hébert
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada; Faculté de médecine, Département de psychiatrie et de neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
| | - Isabelle St-Amour
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, CHUL, Axe Neurosciences, Québec, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, Canada; Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
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12
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Kametani F, Hasegawa M. Structures of tau and α-synuclein filaments from brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochem Int 2022; 158:105362. [PMID: 35659527 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulations and aggregates of abnormal protein, consisting of amyloid-like fibrils, are common neuropathological features of many neurodegenerative diseases. The distributions and spreading of these pathological proteins are closely correlated with clinical symptoms and progression. Recent evidence supports the idea that template-mediated amplification of amyloid-like fibrils and intracellular propagation of fibril seeds are the main mechanisms by which pathological features spread along the neural circuits in the brain. Here, we review recent developments in the structural analysis of amyloid-like fibrils from brains of patients with various types of tauopathy and alpha-synucleinopathy, focusing on cryo-electron microscopy and mass analysis, and we discuss their relevance to the mechanisms of template-mediated amplification and intracellular propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan.
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan
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13
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Riley KJ, Graner BD, Veronesi MC. The tauopathies: Neuroimaging characteristics and emerging experimental therapies. J Neuroimaging 2022; 32:565-581. [PMID: 35470528 PMCID: PMC9545715 DOI: 10.1111/jon.13001] [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: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The tauopathies are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders in which the prevailing underlying disease process is intracellular deposition of abnormal misfolded tau protein. Diseases often categorized as tauopathies include progressive supranuclear palsy, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, corticobasal degeneration, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Tauopathies can be classified through clinical assessment, imaging findings, histologic validation, or molecular biomarkers tied to the underlying disease mechanism. Many tauopathies vary in their clinical presentation and overlap substantially in presentation, making clinical diagnosis of a specific primary tauopathy difficult. Anatomic imaging findings are also rarely specific to a single tauopathy, and when present may not manifest until well after the point at which therapy may be most impactful. Molecular biomarkers hold the most promise for patient care and form a platform upon which emerging diagnostic and therapeutic applications could be developed. One of the most exciting developments utilizing these molecular biomarkers for assessment of tau deposition within the brain is tau‐PET imaging utilizing novel ligands that specifically target tau protein. This review will discuss the background, significance, and clinical presentation of each tauopathy with additional attention to the pathologic mechanisms at the protein level. The imaging characteristics will be outlined with select examples of emerging imaging techniques. Finally, current treatment options and emerging therapies will be discussed. This is by no means a comprehensive review of the literature but is instead intended for the practicing radiologist as an overview of a rapidly evolving topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalen J Riley
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Brian D Graner
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Michael C Veronesi
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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14
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Tau mRNA Metabolism in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Tangle Journey. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020241. [PMID: 35203451 PMCID: PMC8869323 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau proteins are known to be mainly involved in regulation of microtubule dynamics. Besides this function, which is critical for axonal transport and signal transduction, tau proteins also have other roles in neurons. Moreover, tau proteins are turned into aggregates and consequently trigger many neurodegenerative diseases termed tauopathies, of which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the figurehead. Such pathological aggregation processes are critical for the onset of these diseases. Among the various causes of tau protein pathogenicity, abnormal tau mRNA metabolism, expression and dysregulation of tau post-translational modifications are critical steps. Moreover, the relevance of tau function to general mRNA metabolism has been highlighted recently in tauopathies. In this review, we mainly focus on how mRNA metabolism impacts the onset and development of tauopathies. Thus, we intend to portray how mRNA metabolism of, or mediated by, tau is associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
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15
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Rainwater Charitable Foundation criteria for the neuropathologic diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 144:603-614. [PMID: 35947184 PMCID: PMC9468104 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02479-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Neuropathologic criteria for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) proposed by a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) working group were published in 1994 and based on the presence of neurofibrillary tangles in basal ganglia and brainstem. These criteria did not stipulate detection methods or incorporate glial tau pathology. In this study, a group of 14 expert neuropathologists scored digital slides from 10 brain regions stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and phosphorylated tau (AT8) immunohistochemistry. The cases included 15 typical and atypical PSP cases and 10 other tauopathies. Blinded to clinical and neuropathological information, raters provided a categorical diagnosis (PSP or not-PSP) based upon provisional criteria that required neurofibrillary tangles or pretangles in two of three regions (substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus) and tufted astrocytes in one of two regions (peri-Rolandic cortices, putamen). The criteria showed high sensitivity (0.97) and specificity (0.91), as well as almost perfect inter-rater reliability for diagnosing PSP and differentiating it from other tauopathies (Fleiss kappa 0.826). Most cases (17/25) had 100% agreement across all 14 raters. The Rainwater Charitable Foundation criteria for the neuropathologic diagnosis of PSP feature a simplified diagnostic algorithm based on phosphorylated tau immunohistochemistry and incorporate tufted astrocytes as an essential diagnostic feature.
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16
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Huber N, Korhonen S, Hoffmann D, Leskelä S, Rostalski H, Remes AM, Honkakoski P, Solje E, Haapasalo A. Deficient neurotransmitter systems and synaptic function in frontotemporal lobar degeneration-Insights into disease mechanisms and current therapeutic approaches. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1300-1309. [PMID: 34799692 PMCID: PMC9095474 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01384-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) comprises a heterogenous group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases and, to date, no validated diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers or effective disease-modifying therapies exist for the different clinical or genetic subtypes of FTLD. Current treatment strategies rely on the off-label use of medications for symptomatic treatment. Changes in several neurotransmitter systems including the glutamatergic, GABAergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems have been reported in FTLD spectrum disease patients. Many FTLD-related clinical and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as aggressive and compulsive behaviour, agitation, as well as altered eating habits and hyperorality can be explained by disturbances in these neurotransmitter systems, suggesting that their targeting might possibly offer new therapeutic options for treating patients with FTLD. This review summarizes the present knowledge on neurotransmitter system deficits and synaptic dysfunction in model systems and patients harbouring the most common genetic causes of FTLD, the hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 and mutations in the granulin (GRN) and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) genes. We also describe the current pharmacological treatment options for FLTD that target different neurotransmitter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Huber
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sonja Korhonen
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Dorit Hoffmann
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Stina Leskelä
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hannah Rostalski
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Anne M. Remes
- grid.10858.340000 0001 0941 4873Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurology, University of Oulu, P. O. Box 8000, University of Oulu, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland ,grid.412326.00000 0004 4685 4917MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, P. O. Box 8000, University of Oulu, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Paavo Honkakoski
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70210 Kuopio, Finland ,grid.10698.360000000122483208Department of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Eino Solje
- grid.9668.10000 0001 0726 2490Institute of Clinical Medicine—Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70210 Kuopio, Finland ,grid.410705.70000 0004 0628 207XNeuro Center, Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 100, KYS, FI-70029 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Annakaisa Haapasalo
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211, Kuopio, Finland.
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17
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Mutations in DISC1 alter IP 3R and voltage-gated Ca 2+ channel functioning, implications for major mental illness. Neuronal Signal 2021; 5:NS20180122. [PMID: 34956649 PMCID: PMC8663806 DOI: 10.1042/ns20180122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) participates in a wide variety of
developmental processes of central neurons. It also serves critical roles that
underlie cognitive functioning in adult central neurons. Here we summarize
DISC1’s general properties and discuss its use as a model system for
understanding major mental illnesses (MMIs). We then discuss the cellular
actions of DISC1 that involve or regulate Ca2+ signaling in adult
central neurons. In particular, we focus on the tethering role DISC1 plays in
transporting RNA particles containing Ca2+ channel subunit RNAs,
including IP3R1, CACNA1C and CACNA2D1, and in transporting mitochondria into
dendritic and axonal processes. We also review DISC1’s role in modulating
IP3R1 activity within mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM).
Finally, we discuss DISC1-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)
signaling that regulates functional expression of voltage-gated Ca2+
channels (VGCCs) at central synapses. In each case, DISC1 regulates the movement
of molecules that impact Ca2+ signaling in neurons.
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18
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Boyarko B, Hook V. Human Tau Isoforms and Proteolysis for Production of Toxic Tau Fragments in Neurodegeneration. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:702788. [PMID: 34744602 PMCID: PMC8566764 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.702788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The human tau protein is implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative “tauopathy” diseases, consisting of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration which includes progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Pick’s disease, and FTLD-tau (frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism caused by MAPT mutations). Tau gene transcripts in the human brain undergo alternative splicing to yield 6 different tau protein isoforms that are expressed in different ratios in neurodegeneration which result in tau pathology of paired-helical filaments, neurofibrillary tangles, and tau fibrillar aggregates with detrimental microtubule destabilization. Protease-mediated tau truncation is an important post-translational modification (PTM) which drives neurodegeneration in a tau fragment-dependent manner. While numerous tau fragments have been identified, knowledge of the proteolytic steps that convert each parent tau isoform into specific truncated tau fragments has not yet been fully defined. An improved understanding of the relationships between tau isoforms and their proteolytic processing to generate neurotoxic tau fragments is important to the field. This review evaluates tau isoform expression patterns including PTMs and mutations that influence proteolysis of tau to generate toxic fragments that drive cognitive deficits in AD and other tauopathy models. This assessment identifies the gap in the field on understanding the details of proteolytic steps used to convert each tau isoform into fragments. Knowledge of the processing mechanisms of tau isoforms can lead to new protease targeted drug strategies to prevent the formation of toxic tau fragments in tauopathy neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Boyarko
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Department of Neurosciences and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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19
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. To target Tau pathologies, we must embrace and reconstruct their complexities. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 161:105536. [PMID: 34718129 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated fibrillar Tau aggregates in the brain is one of the defining hallmarks of Tauopathy diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the primary events or molecules responsible for initiation of the pathological Tau aggregation and spreading remain unknown. The discovery of heparin as an effective inducer of Tau aggregation in vitro was instrumental to enabling different lines of research into the role of Tau aggregation in the pathogenesis of Tauopathies. However, recent proteomics and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies have revealed that heparin-induced Tau fibrils generated in vitro do not reproduce the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of disease-associated brain-derived Tau fibrils. These observations demand that we reassess our current approaches for investigating the mechanisms underpinning Tau aggregation and pathology formation. Our review article presents an up-to-date survey and analyses of 1) the evolution of our understanding of the interactions between Tau and heparin, 2) the various structural and mechanistic models of the heparin-induced Tau aggregation, 3) the similarities and differences between brain-derived and heparin-induced Tau fibrils; and 4) emerging concepts on the biochemical and structural determinants underpinning Tau pathological heterogeneity in Tauopathies. Our analyses identify specific knowledge gaps and call for 1) embracing the complexities of Tau pathologies; 2) reassessment of current approaches to investigate, model and reproduce pathological Tau aggregation as it occurs in the brain; 3) more research towards a better understanding of the naturally-occurring cofactor molecules that are associated with Tau brain pathology initiation and propagation; and 4) developing improved approaches for in vitro production of the Tau aggregates and fibrils that recapitulate and/or amplify the biochemical and structural complexity and diversity of pathological Tau in Tauopathies. This will result in better and more relevant tools, assays, and mechanistic models, which could significantly improve translational research and the development of drugs and antibodies that have higher chances for success in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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20
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Structural mapping techniques distinguish the surfaces of fibrillar 1N3R and 1N4R human tau. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101252. [PMID: 34592311 PMCID: PMC8551503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The rigid core of intracellular tau filaments from Alzheimer's disease (AD), Pick's disease (PiD), and Corticobasal disease (CBD) brains has been shown to differ in their cryo-EM atomic structure. Despite providing critical information on the intimate arrangement of a fraction of htau molecule within the fibrillar scaffold, the cryo-EM studies neither yield a complete picture of tau fibrillar assemblies structure nor contribute insights into the surfaces that define their interactions with numerous cellular components. Here, using proteomic approaches such as proteolysis and molecular covalent painting, we mapped the exposed amino acid stretches at the surface and those constituting the fibrillar core of in vitro-assembled fibrils of human htau containing one N-terminal domain and three (1N3R) or four (1N4R) C-terminal microtubule-binding repeat domains as a result of alternative splicing. Using limited proteolysis, we identified the proteolytic fragments composing the molecular “bar-code” for each type of fibril. Our results are in agreement with structural data reported for filamentous tau from AD, PiD, and CBD cases predigested with the protease pronase. Finally, we report two amino acid stretches, exposed to the solvent in 1N4R not in 1N3R htau, which distinguish the surfaces of these two kinds of fibrils. Our findings open new perspectives for the design of highly specific ligands with diagnostic and therapeutic potential.
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21
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Imbimbo BP, Ippati S, Watling M, Balducci C. A critical appraisal of tau-targeting therapies for primary and secondary tauopathies. Alzheimers Dement 2021; 18:1008-1037. [PMID: 34533272 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Primary tauopathies are neurological disorders in which tau protein deposition is the predominant pathological feature. Alzheimer's disease is a secondary tauopathy with tau forming hyperphosphorylated insoluble aggregates. Tau pathology can propagate from region to region in the brain, while alterations in tau processing may impair tau physiological functions. METHODS We reviewed literature on tau biology and anti-tau drugs using PubMed, meeting abstracts, and ClnicalTrials.gov. RESULTS The past 15 years have seen >30 drugs interfering with tau aggregation, processing, and accumulation reaching the clinic. Initial results with tau aggregation inhibitors and anti-tau monoclonal antibodies have not shown clinical efficacy. DISCUSSION The reasons for these clinical failures are unclear but could be linked to the clearing of physiological forms of tau by non-specific drugs. Research is now concentrating efforts on developing reliable translational animal models and selective compounds targeting specific tau epitopes, neurotoxic tau aggregates, and post-translational tau modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno P Imbimbo
- Department of Research & Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy
| | - Stefania Ippati
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Mark Watling
- CNS & Pain Department, TranScrip Ltd, Reading, UK
| | - Claudia Balducci
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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22
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Kim SH, Farrell K, Cosentino S, Vonsattel JPG, Faust PL, Cortes EP, Bennet DA, Louis ED, Crary JF. Tau Isoform Profile in Essential Tremor Diverges From Other Tauopathies. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2021; 80:835-843. [PMID: 34363663 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlab073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with essential tremor (ET) frequently develop concurrent dementia, which is often assumed to represent co-morbid Alzheimer disease (AD). Autopsy studies have identified a spectrum of tau pathologies in ET and tau isoforms have not been examined in ET. We performed immunoblotting using autopsy cerebral cortical tissue from patients with ET (n = 13), progressive supranuclear palsy ([PSP], n = 10), Pick disease ([PiD], n = 2), and AD (n = 7). Total tau in ET samples was similar to that in PSP and PiD but was significantly lower than that in AD. Abnormal tau levels measured using the AT8 phospho-tau specific (S202/T205/S208) monoclonal antibody in ET were similar to those in PSP but were lower than in PiD and AD. In aggregates, tau with 3 microtubule-binding domain repeats (3R) was significantly higher in AD than ET, while tau with 4 repeats (4R) was significantly higher in PSP. Strikingly, the total tau without N-terminal inserts in ET was significantly lower than in PSP, PiD, and AD, but total tau with other N-terminal inserts was not. Monomeric tau with one insert in ET was similar to that in PSP and PiD was lower than in AD. Thus, ET brains exhibit an expression profile of tau protein isoforms that diverges from that of other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soong Ho Kim
- From the Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, JFC).,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC)
| | - Kurt Farrell
- From the Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC)
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (SC); G.H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (SC, JPV).,Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA (SC, JPV)
| | - Jean-Paul G Vonsattel
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (SC); G.H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA (SC, JPV).,Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA (SC, JPV).,Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA (JPV, PLF)
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA (JPV, PLF)
| | - Etty P Cortes
- From the Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Neuropathology Brain Bank & Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (EC, JFC)
| | - David A Bennet
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA (DAB)
| | - Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, USA (EDL)
| | - John F Crary
- From the Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, JFC).,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (SHK, KF, EC, JFC).,Neuropathology Brain Bank & Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA (EC, JFC)
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23
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McCann H, Durand B, Shepherd CE. Aging-Related Tau Astrogliopathy in Aging and Neurodegeneration. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11070927. [PMID: 34356161 PMCID: PMC8306417 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are of vital importance to neuronal function and the health of the central nervous system (CNS), and astrocytic dysfunction as a primary or secondary event may predispose to neurodegeneration. Until recently, the main astrocytic tauopathies were the frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau (FTLD-tau) group of disorders; however, aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG) has now been defined. This condition is a self-describing neuropathology mainly found in individuals over 60 years of age. Astrocytic tau accumulates with a thorny or granular/fuzzy morphology and is commonly found in normal aging as well as coexisting with diverse neurodegenerative disorders. However, there are still many unknown factors associated with ARTAG, including the cause/s, the progression, and the nature of any clinical associations. In addition to FTLD-tau, ARTAG has recently been associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), where it has been proposed as a potential precursor to these conditions, with the different ARTAG morphological subtypes perhaps having separate etiologies. This is an emerging area of exciting research that encompasses complex neurobiological and clinicopathological investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather McCann
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia; (H.M.); (B.D.)
| | - Briony Durand
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia; (H.M.); (B.D.)
| | - Claire E. Shepherd
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia; (H.M.); (B.D.)
- Department of Pathology, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
- Correspondence:
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24
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Bachmann S, Bell M, Klimek J, Zempel H. Differential Effects of the Six Human TAU Isoforms: Somatic Retention of 2N-TAU and Increased Microtubule Number Induced by 4R-TAU. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:643115. [PMID: 34113229 PMCID: PMC8185039 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the adult human brain, six isoforms of the microtubule-associated protein TAU are expressed, which result from alternative splicing of exons 2, 3, and 10 of the MAPT gene. These isoforms differ in the number of N-terminal inserts (0N, 1N, 2N) and C-terminal repeat domains (3R or 4R) and are differentially expressed depending on the brain region and developmental stage. Although all TAU isoforms can aggregate and form neurofibrillary tangles, some tauopathies, such as Pick's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, are characterized by the accumulation of specific TAU isoforms. The influence of the individual TAU isoforms in a cellular context, however, is understudied. In this report, we investigated the subcellular localization of the human-specific TAU isoforms in primary mouse neurons and analyzed TAU isoform-specific effects on cell area and microtubule dynamics in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Our results show that 2N-TAU isoforms are particularly retained from axonal sorting and that axonal enrichment is independent of the number of repeat domains, but that the additional repeat domain of 4R-TAU isoforms results in a general reduction of cell size and an increase of microtubule counts in cells expressing these specific isoforms. Our study points out that individual TAU isoforms may influence microtubule dynamics differentially both by different sorting patterns and by direct effects on microtubule dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Bachmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Bell
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jennifer Klimek
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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25
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Kowalska M, Wize K, Prendecki M, Lianeri M, Kozubski W, Dorszewska J. Genetic Variants and Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer's Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2021; 17:208-223. [PMID: 32091332 DOI: 10.2174/1567205017666200224121447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In an aging society, the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is still growing. Currently, intensive research is being carried out on the pathogenesis of AD. The results of these studies indicated that oxidative stress plays an important role in the onset and development of this disease. Moreover, in AD oxidative stress is generated by both genetic and biochemical factors as well as the functioning of the systems responsible for their formation and removal. The genetic factors associated with the regulation of the redox system include TOMM40, APOE, LPR, MAPT, APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2 genes. The most important biochemical parameters related to the formation of oxidative species in AD are p53, Homocysteine (Hcy) and a number of others. The formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is also related to the efficiency of the DNA repair system, the effectiveness of the apoptosis, autophagy and mitophagy processes as well as the antioxidant potential. However, these factors are responsible for the development of many disorders, often with similar clinical symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. The discovery of markers of the early diagnosis of AD may contribute to the introduction of pharmacotherapy and slow down the progression of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kowalska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Wize
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Michał Prendecki
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Margarita Lianeri
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wojciech Kozubski
- Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jolanta Dorszewska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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26
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Tau Exon 10 Inclusion by PrP C through Downregulating GSK3β Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105370. [PMID: 34065232 PMCID: PMC8161268 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is largely responsible for tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where it accumulates in the brain as insoluble aggregates. Tau mRNA is regulated by alternative splicing, and inclusion or exclusion of exon 10 gives rise to the 3R and 4R isoforms respectively, whose balance is physiologically regulated. In this sense, one of the several factors that regulate alternative splicing of tau is GSK3β, whose activity is inhibited by the cellular prion protein (PrPC), which has different physiological functions in neuroprotection and neuronal differentiation. Moreover, a relationship between PrPC and tau expression levels has been reported during AD evolution. For this reason, in this study we aimed to analyze the role of PrPC and the implication of GSK3β in the regulation of tau exon 10 alternative splicing. We used AD human samples and mouse models of PrPC ablation and tau overexpression. In addition, we used primary neuronal cultures to develop functional studies. Our results revealed a paralleled association between PrPC expression and tau 4R isoforms in all models analyzed. In this sense, reduction or ablation of PrPC levels induces an increase in tau 3R/4R balance. More relevantly, our data points to GSK3β activity downstream from PrPC in this phenomenon. Our results indicate that PrPC plays a role in tau exon 10 inclusion through the inhibitory capacity of GSK3β.
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27
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Abstract
Two pathologically distinct neurodegenerative conditions, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, share in common deposits of tau proteins that differ both molecularly and ultrastructurally from the common tau deposits diagnostic of Alzheimer disease. The proteinopathy in these disorders is characterized by fibrillary aggregates of 4R tau proteins. The clinical presentations of progressive supranuclear palsy and of corticobasal degeneration are often confused with more common disorders such as Parkinson disease or subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neither of these 4R tau disorders has effective therapy, and while there are emerging molecular imaging approaches to identify patients earlier in the course of disease, there are as yet no reliably sensitive and specific approaches to diagnoses in life. In this review, aspects of the clinical syndromes, neuropathology, and molecular biomarker imaging studies applicable to progressive supranuclear palsy and to corticobasal degeneration will be presented. Future development of more accurate molecular imaging approaches is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk A Frey
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, The University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.
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28
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Rini J, Asken B, Geier E, Rankin K, Kramer J, Boxer A, Miller B, Yokoyama J, Spina S. Genetic pleiotropy and the shared pathological features of corticobasal degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy: a case report and a review of the literature. Neurocase 2021; 27:120-128. [PMID: 33754963 PMCID: PMC8137543 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2021.1879869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Though distinct pathological entities, corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) share multiple biochemical and genetic features suggesting overlapping pathophysiology. We report the case of a patient with an 18-year clinical course consistent with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. The neuropathological assessment revealed unclassifiable frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau-immunoreactive inclusions sharing features of both CBD and PSP. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a unique combination of pleiotropic genetic risk variants associated with both PSP and CBD. These findings support the observation that CBD and PSP share genetic co-expression networks that influence neurodegenerative pathogenesis common to 4R tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Rini
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Breton Asken
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ethan Geier
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Katherine Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Joel Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Adam Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Bruce Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer Yokoyama
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
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29
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Transcript Variants of Genes Involved in Neurodegeneration Are Differentially Regulated by the APOE and MAPT Haplotypes. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12030423. [PMID: 33804213 PMCID: PMC7999745 DOI: 10.3390/genes12030423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variations at the Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) loci have been implicated in multiple neurogenerative diseases, but their exact molecular mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we performed transcript level linear modelling using the blood whole transcriptome data and genotypes of the 570 subjects in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort. ApoE, MAPT haplotypes and two SNPs at the SNCA locus (rs356181, rs3910105) were used to detect expression quantitative trait loci eQTLs associated with the transcriptome and differential usage of transcript isoforms. As a result, we identified 151 genes associated with the genotypic variations, 29 cis and 122 trans eQTL positions. Profound effect with genome-wide significance of ApoE e4 haplotype on the expression of TOMM40 transcripts was identified. This finding potentially explains in part the frequently established genetic association with the APOE e4 haplotypes in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, MAPT haplotypes had significant differential impact on 23 transcripts from the 17q21.31 and 17q24.1 loci. MAPT haplotypes had also the largest up-regulating (256) and the largest down-regulating (−178) effect sizes measured as β values on two different transcripts from the same gene (LRRC37A2). Intronic SNP in the SNCA gene, rs3910105, differentially induced expression of three SNCA isoforms. In conclusion, this study established clear association between well-known haplotypic variance and transcript specific regulation in the blood. APOE e4 and MAPT H1/H2 haplotypic variants are associated with the expression of several genes related to the neurodegeneration.
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30
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Baker JD, Uhrich RL, Strovas TJ, Saxton AD, Kraemer BC. AlphaScreen Identifies MSUT2 Inhibitors for Tauopathy-Targeting Therapeutic Discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2021; 26:400-409. [PMID: 32981422 PMCID: PMC8592089 DOI: 10.1177/2472555220958387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurological disorders characterized by intracellular tau deposits forming neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads, or other disease-specific aggregates composed of the protein tau. Tauopathy disorders include frontotemporal lobar degeneration, corticobasal degeneration, Pick's disease, and the largest cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease. The lack of disease-modifying therapeutic strategies to address tauopathies remains a critical unmet need in dementia care. Thus, novel broad-spectrum tau-targeted therapeutics could have a profound impact in multiple tauopathy disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Here we have designed a drug discovery paradigm to identify inhibitors of the pathological tau-enabling protein, MSUT2. We previously showed that activity of the RNA-binding protein MSUT2 drives tauopathy, including tau-mediated neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction, in mouse models. Thus, we hypothesized that MSUT2 inhibitors could be therapeutic for tauopathy disorders. Our pipeline for MSUT2 inhibitory compound identification included a primary AlphaScreen, followed by dose-response validation, a secondary fluorescence polarization orthogonal assay, a tertiary specificity screen, and a preliminary toxicity screen. Our work here serves as a proof-of-principle methodology for finding specific inhibitors of the poly(A) RNA-binding protein MSUT2 interaction. Here we identify 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-sulfonic acid (DIDS) as a potential tool compound for future work probing the mechanism of MSUT2-induced tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D. Baker
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rikki L. Uhrich
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Timothy J. Strovas
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aleen D. Saxton
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian C. Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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31
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Lindberg A, Knight AC, Sohn D, Rakos L, Tong J, Radelet A, Mason NS, Stehouwer JS, Lopresti BJ, Klunk WE, Sandell J, Sandberg A, Hammarström P, Svensson S, Mathis CA, Vasdev N. Radiosynthesis, In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of [ 18F]CBD-2115 as a First-in-Class Radiotracer for Imaging 4R-Tauopathies. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:596-602. [PMID: 33497190 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CBD-2115 was selected from a library of 148 compounds based on a pyridinyl-indole scaffold as a first-in-class 4R-tau radiotracer. In vitro binding assays showed [3H]CBD-2115 had a KD value of 6.9 nM and a nominal Bmax of 500 nM in 4R-tau expressing P301L transgenic mouse tissue. In binding assays with human brain tissue homogenates, [3H]CBD-2115 has a higher affinity (4.9 nM) for progressive supranuclear palsy specific 4R-tau deposits than [3H]flortaucipir (45 nM) or [3H]MK-6240 (>50 nM). [18F]CBD-2115 was reliably synthesized (3-11% radiochemical yield with molar activity of 27-111 GBq/μmol and >97% radiochemical purity). Dynamic PET imaging was conducted in mice, rats, and nonhuman primates, and all species showed initial brain uptake of 0.5-0.65 standardized uptake value with fast clearance from normal tissues. [3H]CBD-2115 could be a useful lead radioligand for further research in 4R-tauopathies, and PET radiotracer development will focus on improving brain uptake and binding affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Lindberg
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Ashley C. Knight
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Daniel Sohn
- CBD Solutions, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Novandi Chemistry AB, SE-15136 Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Laszlo Rakos
- CBD Solutions, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Novandi Chemistry AB, SE-15136 Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Junchao Tong
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - April Radelet
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - N. Scott Mason
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jeffrey S. Stehouwer
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Brian J. Lopresti
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - William E. Klunk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | | | - Alexander Sandberg
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Hammarström
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Samuel Svensson
- CBD Solutions, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Chester A. Mathis
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry/Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
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32
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Arber C, Alatza A, Leckey CA, Paterson RW, Zetterberg H, Wray S. Mass spectrometry analysis of tau and amyloid-beta in iPSC-derived models of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. J Neurochem 2021; 159:305-317. [PMID: 33539581 PMCID: PMC8613538 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables the generation of human neurons in vitro, which contain the precise genome of the cell donor, therefore permitting the generation of disease models from individuals with a disease-associated genotype of interest. This approach has been extensively used to model inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. The combination of iPSC-derived neuronal models with targeted mass spectrometry analysis has provided unprecedented insights into the regulation of specific proteins in human neuronal physiology and pathology. For example enabling investigations into tau and APP/Aβ, specifically: protein isoform expression, relative levels of cleavage fragments, aggregated species and functionally critical post-translational modifications. The use of mass spectrometry has enabled a determination of how closely iPSC-derived models recapitulate disease profiles observed in the human brain. This review will highlight the progress to date in studies using iPSCs and mass spectrometry to model Alzheimer's disease and dementia. We go on to convey our optimism, as studies in the near future will make use of this precedent, together with novel techniques such as genome editing and stable isotope labelling, to provide real progress towards an in depth understanding of early neurodegenerative processes and development of novel therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Arber
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Argyro Alatza
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Claire A Leckey
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Translational Mass Spectrometry Research Group, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Ross W Paterson
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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33
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Latimer CS, Lucot KL, Keene CD, Cholerton B, Montine TJ. Genetic Insights into Alzheimer's Disease. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY 2021; 16:351-376. [PMID: 33497263 PMCID: PMC8664069 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-012419-032551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a pervasive, relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder that includes both hereditary and sporadic forms linked by common underlying neuropathologic changes and neuropsychological manifestations. While a clinical diagnosis is often made on the basis of initial memory dysfunction that progresses to involve multiple cognitive domains, definitive diagnosis requires autopsy examination of the brain to identify amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary degeneration. Over the past 100 years, there has been remarkable progress in our understanding of the underlying pathophysiologic processes, pathologic changes, and clinical phenotypes of AD, largely because genetic pathways that include but expand beyond amyloid processing have been uncovered. This review discusses the current state of understanding of the genetics of AD with a focus on how these advances are both shaping our understanding of the disease and informing novel avenues and approaches for development of potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin S Latimer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA
| | - Katherine L Lucot
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94304, USA;
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA
| | - Brenna Cholerton
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94304, USA;
| | - Thomas J Montine
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94304, USA;
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34
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Canepa E, Fossati S. Impact of Tau on Neurovascular Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurol 2021; 11:573324. [PMID: 33488493 PMCID: PMC7817626 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.573324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder and the most prevalent cause of dementia. The main cerebral histological hallmarks are represented by parenchymal insoluble deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ plaques) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), intracellular filamentous inclusions of tau, a microtubule-associated protein. It is well-established that cerebrovascular dysfunction is an early feature of AD pathology, but the detrimental mechanisms leading to blood vessel impairment and the associated neurovascular deregulation are not fully understood. In 90% of AD cases, Aβ deposition around the brain vasculature, known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), alters blood brain barrier (BBB) essential functions. While the effects of vascular Aβ accumulation are better documented, the scientific community has only recently started to consider the impact of tau on neurovascular pathology in AD. Emerging compelling evidence points to transmission of neuronal tau to different brain cells, including astrocytes, as well as to the release of tau into brain interstitial fluids, which may lead to perivascular neurofibrillar tau accumulation and toxicity, affecting vessel architecture, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and vascular permeability. BBB integrity and functionality may therefore be impacted by pathological tau, consequentially accelerating the progression of the disease. Tau aggregates have also been shown to induce mitochondrial damage: it is known that tau impairs mitochondrial localization, distribution and dynamics, alters ATP and reactive oxygen species production, and compromises oxidative phosphorylation systems. In light of this previous knowledge, we postulate that tau can initiate neurovascular pathology in AD through mitochondrial dysregulation. In this review, we will explore the literature investigating tau pathology contribution to the malfunction of the brain vasculature and neurovascular unit, and its association with mitochondrial alterations and caspase activation, in cellular, animal, and human studies of AD and tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Canepa
- Alzheimer's Center at Temple (ACT), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Silvia Fossati
- Alzheimer's Center at Temple (ACT), Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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35
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Kametani F, Yoshida M, Matsubara T, Murayama S, Saito Y, Kawakami I, Onaya M, Tanaka H, Kakita A, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Hasegawa M. Comparison of Common and Disease-Specific Post-translational Modifications of Pathological Tau Associated With a Wide Range of Tauopathies. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:581936. [PMID: 33250706 PMCID: PMC7672045 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.581936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are the most common type of neurodegenerative proteinopathy, being characterized by cytoplasmic aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. The formation and morphologies of these tau inclusions, the distribution of the lesions and related metabolic changes in cytoplasm differ among different tauopathies. The aim of this study was to examine whether there are differences in the post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the pathological tau proteins. We analyzed sarkosyl-insoluble pathological tau proteins prepared from brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, globular glial tauopathy, and frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonisms linked to chromosome 17 with tau inclusions using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. In pathological tau proteins associated with a wide range of tauopathies, 170 PTMs in total were identified including new PTMs. Among them, common PTMs were localized in the N- and C-terminal flanking regions of the microtubule binding repeats and PTMs, which were considered to be disease-specific, were found in microtubule binding repeats forming filament core. These suggested that the differences in PTMs reflected the differences in tau filament core structures in each disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Matsubara
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ito Kawakami
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsumoto Onaya
- Department of Psychiatry, National Hospital Organization Shimofusa Psychiatric Medical Center, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hidetomo Tanaka
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Andrew C. Robinson
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - David M. A. Mann
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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Arya S, Ganguly P, Arsiccio A, Claud SL, Trapp B, Schonfeld GE, Liu X, Lazar Cantrell K, Shea JE, Bowers MT. Terminal Capping of an Amyloidogenic Tau Fragment Modulates Its Fibrillation Propensity. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:8772-8783. [PMID: 32816481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c05768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant protein folding leading to the formation of characteristic cross-β-sheet-rich amyloid structures is well known for its association with a variety of debilitating human diseases. Often, depending upon amino acid composition, only a small segment of a large protein participates in amyloid formation and is in fact capable of self-assembling into amyloid, independent of the rest of the protein. Therefore, such peptide fragments serve as useful model systems for understanding the process of amyloid formation. An important factor that has often been overlooked while using peptides to mimic full-length protein is the charge on the termini of these peptides. Here, we show the influence of terminal charges on the aggregation of an amyloidogenic peptide from microtubule-associated protein Tau, implicated in Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies. We found that modification of terminal charges by capping the peptide at one or both of the termini drastically modulates the fibrillation of the hexapeptide sequence paired helical filament 6 (PHF6) from repeat 3 of Tau, both with and without heparin. Without heparin, the PHF6 peptide capped at both termini and PHF6 capped only at the N-terminus self-assembled to form amyloid fibrils. With heparin, all capping variants of PHF6, except for PHF6 with both termini free, formed typical amyloid fibrils. However, the rate and extent of aggregation both with and without heparin as well as the morphology of aggregates were found to be highly dependent on the terminal charges. Our molecular dynamics simulations on PHF6 capping variants corroborated our experiments and provided critical insights into the mechanism of PHF6 self-assembly. Overall, our results emphasize the importance of terminal modifications in fibrillation of small peptide fragments and provide significant insights into the aggregation of a small Tau fragment, which is considered essential for Tau filament assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Arya
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Pritam Ganguly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Andrea Arsiccio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Sarah L Claud
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Benjamin Trapp
- Neon Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Grace E Schonfeld
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Xikun Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Kristi Lazar Cantrell
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Joan-Emma Shea
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Michael T Bowers
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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Karikari TK, Keeling S, Hill E, Lantero Rodrı́guez J, Nagel DA, Becker B, Höglund K, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Hill EJ, Moffat KG. Extensive Plasmid Library to Prepare Tau Protein Variants and Study Their Functional Biochemistry. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3117-3129. [PMID: 32833429 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau neurofibrillary tangles are key pathological features of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Recombinant protein technology is vital for studying the structure and function of tau in physiology and aggregation in pathophysiology. However, open-source and well-characterized plasmids for efficiently expressing and purifying different tau variants are lacking. We generated 44 sequence-verified plasmids including those encoding full length (FL) tau-441, its four-repeat microtubule-binding (K18) fragment, and their respective selected familial pathological variants (N279K, V337M, P301L, C291R, and S356T). Moreover, plasmids for expressing single (C291A), double (C291A/C322A), and triple (C291A/C322A/I260C) cysteine-modified variants were generated to study alterations in cysteine content and locations. Furthermore, protocols for producing representative tau forms were developed. We produced and characterized the aggregation behavior of the triple cysteine-modified tau-K18, often used in real-time cell internalization and aggregation studies because it can be fluorescently labeled on a cysteine outside the microtubule-binding core. Similar to the wild type (WT), triple cysteine-modified tau-K18 aggregated by progressive β-sheet enrichment, albeit at a slower rate. On prolonged incubation, cysteine-modified K18 formed paired helical filaments similar to those in Alzheimer's disease, sharing morphological phenotypes with WT tau-K18 filaments. Nonetheless, cysteine-modified tau-K18 filaments were significantly shorter (p = 0.002) and mostly wider than WT filaments, explainable by their different principal filament elongation pathways: vertical (end-to-end) and lateral growth for WT and cysteine-modified, respectively. Cysteine rearrangement may therefore induce filament polymorphism. Together, the plasmid library, the protein production methods, and the new insights into cysteine-dependent aggregation should facilitate further studies and the design of antiaggregation agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Karikari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
| | - Sophie Keeling
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Juan Lantero Rodrı́guez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
| | - David A. Nagel
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, U.K
| | - Bruno Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Kina Höglund
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Eric J. Hill
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, U.K
| | - Kevin G. Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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Valentino RR, Tamvaka N, Heckman MG, Johnson PW, Soto-Beasley AI, Walton RL, Koga S, Uitti RJ, Wszolek ZK, Dickson DW, Ross OA. Associations of mitochondrial genomic variation with corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and neuropathological tau measures. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:162. [PMID: 32943110 PMCID: PMC7495714 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01035-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial health is important in ageing and dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) accelerates ageing and influences neurodegeneration. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) codes for vital OXPHOS subunits and mtDNA background has been associated with neurodegeneration; however, no study has characterised mtDNA variation in Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) or Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) risk or pathogenesis. In this case-control study, 910 (42.6% male) neurologically-healthy controls, 1042 (54.1% male) pathologically-confirmed PSP cases, and 171 (52.0% male) pathologically-confirmed CBD cases were assessed to determine how stable mtDNA polymorphisms, in the form of mtDNA haplogroups, were associated with risk of PSP, risk of CBD, age of PSP onset, PSP disease duration, and neuropathological tau pathology measures for neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), neuropil threads (NT), tufted astrocytes (TA), astrocytic plaques (AP), and oligodendroglial coiled bodies (CB). 764 PSP cases and 150 CBD cases had quantitative tau pathology scores. mtDNA was genotyped for 39 unique SNPs using Agena Bioscience iPlex technologies and mitochondrial haplogroups were defined to mitochondrial phylogeny. After adjustment for multiple testing, we observed an association with risk of CBD for mtDNA sub-haplogroup H4 (OR = 4.51, P = 0.001) and the HV/HV0a haplogroup was associated with a decreased severity of NT tau pathology in PSP cases (P = 0.0023). Our study reports that mitochondrial genomic background may be associated with risk of CBD and may be influencing tau pathology measures in PSP. Replication of these findings will be important.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikoleta Tamvaka
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- SURF Program Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Michael G Heckman
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Patrick W Johnson
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Ronald L Walton
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Shunsuke Koga
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Ryan J Uitti
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Owen A Ross
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
- Neuroscience Track, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
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Protein Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease at Different Stages of Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186749. [PMID: 32942527 PMCID: PMC7554800 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mainly obtained from familial Alzheimer’s disease patients’ data, we know that some features of the neurodegenerative start several years before the appearance of clinical symptoms. In this brief review, we comment on some molecular and cellular markers appearing at different stages of the disease, before or once the clinical symptoms are evident. These markers are present in biological fluids or could be identified by image techniques. The combined use of molecular and cellular markers will be of interest to determine the development of the different phases of the disease.
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40
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Ding Y, Lei L, Lai C, Tang Z. Tau Protein and Zebrafish Models for Tau-Induced Neurodegeneration. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 69:339-353. [PMID: 31006683 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a specific type of slow and progressive neurodegeneration, which involves intracellular deposition of fibrillar material composed of abnormal hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule associated protein (MAP) tau. Despite many years of intensive research, our understanding of the molecular events that lead to neurodegeneration is far from complete. No effective therapeutic treatments have been defined, and questions surround the validity and utility of existing animal models. It is an urgent need to develop a novel animal model to study the underlying neurodegenerative mechanisms of tauopathies. Zebrafish models of tauopathies could complement existing models by providing an in vivo platform for genetic and chemical screens in order to identify new therapeutic targets and compounds, meanwhile zebrafish models have permitted discovery of unique characteristics of these genes that could have been difficultly observed in other models. Novel transgenic zebrafish models expressing wild-type or mutant forms of human 4R-tau in neurons have recently been reported. These studies show disease-relevant changes including tau hyperphosphorylation, aggregation and somato-dendritic relocalization. This review highlights the availability of transgenic tau zebrafish models that allow more detailed biochemical studies of tau in the zebrafish CNS to characterize solubility, fibril morphology and further clarify phosphorylation proceedings. Furthermore, a deeper knowledge of the zebrafish brain and a better characterization of tau caused by alterations in neurodegenerative disorders are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanting Ding
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Lijuan Lei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chencen Lai
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhi Tang
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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41
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Tau Protein as a New Regulator of Cellular Prion Protein Transcription. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4170-4186. [PMID: 32683652 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02025-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is largely responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) when it becomes the abnormally processed and protease resistant form PrPSC. Physiological functions of PrPC include protective roles against oxidative stress and excitotoxicity. Relevantly, PrPC downregulates tau levels, whose accumulation and modification are a hallmark in the advance of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to the accumulation of misfolded proteins, in the initial stages of AD-affected brains display both increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) markers and levels of PrPC. However, the factors responsible for the upregulation of PrPC are unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to uncover the different molecular actors promoting PrPC overexpression. In order to mimic early stages of AD, we used β-amyloid-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs) and tau cellular treatments, as well as ROS generation, to elucidate their particular roles in human PRNP promoter activity. In addition, we used specific chemical inhibitors and site-specific mutations of the PRNP promoter sequence to analyze the contribution of the main transcription factors involved in PRNP transcription under the analyzed conditions. Our results revealed that tau is a new modulator of PrPC expression independently of ADDL treatment and ROS levels. Lastly, we discovered that the JNK/c-jun-AP-1 pathway is involved in increased PRNP transcription activity by tau but not in the promoter response to ROS.
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42
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Arena JD, Smith DH, Lee EB, Gibbons GS, Irwin DJ, Robinson JL, Lee VMY, Trojanowski JQ, Stewart W, Johnson VE. Tau immunophenotypes in chronic traumatic encephalopathy recapitulate those of ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2020; 143:1572-1587. [PMID: 32390044 PMCID: PMC7241956 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Preliminary consensus criteria define the pathognomonic lesion of CTE as patchy tau pathology within neurons and astrocytes at the depths of cortical sulci. However, the specific tau isoform composition and post-translational modifications in CTE remain largely unexplored. Using immunohistochemistry, we performed tau phenotyping of CTE neuropathologies and compared this to a range of tau pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, primary age-related tauopathy, ageing-related tau astrogliopathy and multiple subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau inclusions. Cases satisfying preliminary consensus diagnostic criteria for CTE neuropathological change (CTE-NC) were identified (athletes, n = 10; long-term survivors of moderate or severe TBI, n = 4) from the Glasgow TBI Archive and Penn Neurodegenerative Disease Brain Bank. In addition, material from a range of autopsy-proven ageing-associated and primary tauopathies in which there was no known history of exposure to TBI was selected as non-injured controls (n = 32). Each case was then stained with a panel of tau antibodies specific for phospho-epitopes (PHF1, CP13, AT100, pS262), microtubule-binding repeat domains (3R, 4R), truncation (Tau-C3) or conformation (GT-7, GT-38) and the extent and distribution of staining assessed. Cell types were confirmed with double immunofluorescent labelling. Results demonstrate that astroglial tau pathology in CTE is composed of 4R-immunoreactive thorn-shaped astrocytes, echoing the morphology and immunophenotype of astrocytes encountered in ageing-related tau astrogliopathy. In contrast, neurofibrillary tangles of CTE contain both 3R and 4R tau, with post-translational modifications and conformations consistent with Alzheimer's disease and primary age-related tauopathy. Our observations establish that the astroglial and neurofibrillary tau pathologies of CTE are phenotypically distinct from each other and recapitulate the tau immunophenotypes encountered in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. As such, the immunohistochemical distinction of CTE neuropathology from other mixed 3R/4R tauopathies of Alzheimer's disease and ageing may rest solely on the pattern and distribution of pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Arena
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Douglas H Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Translational Neuropathology Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Garrett S Gibbons
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John L Robinson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Virginia M -Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - William Stewart
- Department of Neuropathology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow G51 4TF, UK
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Victoria E Johnson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Verelst J, Geukens N, Eddarkaoui S, Vliegen D, De Smidt E, Rosseels J, Franssens V, Molenberghs S, Francois C, Stoops E, Bjerke M, Engelborghs S, Laghmouchi M, Carmans S, Buée L, Vanmechelen E, Winderickx J, Thomas D. A Novel Tau Antibody Detecting the First Amino-Terminal Insert Reveals Conformational Differences Among Tau Isoforms. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:48. [PMID: 32296712 PMCID: PMC7136581 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As human Tau undergoes pathologically relevant post-translational modifications when expressed in yeast, the use of humanized yeast models for the generation of novel Tau monoclonal antibodies has previously been proven to be successful. In this study, human Tau2N4R-ΔK280 purified from yeast was used for the immunization of mice and subsequent selection of high affinity Tau-specific monoclonal antibodies. The characterization of four novel antibodies in different Tau model systems yielded a phosphorylation-dependent antibody (15A10), an antibody directed to the first microtubule-binding repeat domain (16B12), a carboxy-terminal antibody (20G10) and an antibody targeting an epitope on the hinge of the first and second amino-terminal insert (18F12). The latter was found to be conformation-dependent, suggesting structural differences between the Tau splicing isoforms and allowing insight in the roles played by the amino-terminal inserts. As this monoclonal antibody also has the capacity to detect tangle-like structures in different transgenic Tau mice and neurofibrillary tangles in brain sections of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, we also tested the diagnostic potential of 18F12 in a pilot study and found this monoclonal antibody to have the ability to discriminate Alzheimer's disease patients from control individuals based on increased Tau levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke Verelst
- Functional Biology, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | | | - Sabiha Eddarkaoui
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, UMRS1172, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, Alzheimer & Tauopathies, Lille, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Bjerke
- Reference Center for Biological Markers of Dementia (BIODEM), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universtieit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Engelborghs
- Reference Center for Biological Markers of Dementia (BIODEM), Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universtieit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Luc Buée
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, UMRS1172, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, LabEx DISTALZ, Alzheimer & Tauopathies, Lille, France
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Gavín R, Lidón L, Ferrer I, del Río JA. The Quest for Cellular Prion Protein Functions in the Aged and Neurodegenerating Brain. Cells 2020; 9:cells9030591. [PMID: 32131451 PMCID: PMC7140396 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular (also termed ‘natural’) prion protein has been extensively studied for many years for its pathogenic role in prionopathies after misfolding. However, neuroprotective properties of the protein have been demonstrated under various scenarios. In this line, the involvement of the cellular prion protein in neurodegenerative diseases other than prionopathies continues to be widely debated by the scientific community. In fact, studies on knock-out mice show a vast range of physiological functions for the protein that can be supported by its ability as a cell surface scaffold protein. In this review, we first summarize the most commonly described roles of cellular prion protein in neuroprotection, including antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities and modulation of glutamate receptors. Second, in light of recently described interaction between cellular prion protein and some amyloid misfolded proteins, we will also discuss the molecular mechanisms potentially involved in protection against neurodegeneration in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalina Gavín
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Science Park of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (L.L.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), 28031 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-93-4031185
| | - Laia Lidón
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Science Park of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (L.L.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), 28031 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), 28031 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
- Senior Consultant, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Antonio del Río
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Science Park of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (L.L.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ciberned), 28031 Barcelona, Spain;
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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45
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Xenobiotics, Trace Metals and Genetics in the Pathogenesis of Tauopathies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17041269. [PMID: 32079163 PMCID: PMC7068520 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17041269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a disease group characterized by either pathological accumulation or release of fragments of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins originating from the central nervous system. The tau hypotheses of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases contain a clinically diverse spectrum of tauopathies. Studies of case records of various tauopathies may reveal clinical phenotype characteristics of the disease. In addition, improved understanding of different tauopathies would disclose environmental factors, such as xenobiotics and trace metals, that can precipitate or modify the progression of the disorder. Important for diagnostics and monitoring of these disorders is a further development of adequate biomarkers, including refined neuroimaging, or proteomics. Our goal is to provide an in-depth review of the current literature regarding the pathophysiological roles of tau proteins and the pathogenic factors leading to various tauopathies, with the perspective of future advances in potential therapeutic strategies.
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Abstract
A hallmark feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies is the misfolding, aggregation and cerebral accumulation of tau deposits. Compelling evidence indicates that misfolded tau aggregates are neurotoxic, producing synaptic loss and neuronal damage. Misfolded tau aggregates are able to spread the pathology from cell-to-cell by a prion like seeding mechanism. The factors implicated in the initiation and progression of tau misfolding and aggregation are largely unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of DNA extracted from diverse prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in tau misfolding and aggregation. Our results show that DNA from various, unrelated gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria results in a more pronounced tau misfolding compared to eukaryotic DNA. Interestingly, a higher effect in promoting tau aggregation was observed for DNA extracted from certain bacterial species previously detected in the brain, CSF or oral cavity of patients with AD. Our findings indicate that microbial DNA may play a previously overlooked role in the propagation of tau protein misfolding and AD pathogenesis, providing a new conceptual framework that positions the compromised blood-brain and intestinal barriers as important sources of microbial DNA in the CNS, opening novel opportunities for therapeutic interventions.
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Hernández F, Merchán-Rubira J, Vallés-Saiz L, Rodríguez-Matellán A, Avila J. Differences Between Human and Murine Tau at the N-terminal End. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:11. [PMID: 32063841 PMCID: PMC6999090 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tauopathies, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have been widely studied in transgenic mice overexpressing human tau in the brain. The longest brain isoforms of Tau in mice and humans show 89% amino acid identity; however, the expression of the isoforms of this protein in the adult brain of the two species differs. Tau 3R isoforms are not present in adult mice. In contrast, the adult human brain contains Tau 3R and also Tau 4R isoforms. In addition, the N-terminal sequence of Tau protein in mice and humans differs, a Tau peptide (residues 17–28) being present in the latter but absent in the former. Here we review the main published data on this N-terminal sequence that suggests that human and mouse Tau proteins interact with different endogenous proteins and also show distinct secretion patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Hernández
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Merchán-Rubira
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Vallés-Saiz
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rodríguez-Matellán
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Avila
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
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48
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Reelin reverts biochemical, physiological and cognitive alterations in mouse models of Tauopathy. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 186:101743. [PMID: 31870804 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.101743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Reelin is an extracellular protein crucial for adult brain plasticity. Moreover, Reelin is protective against amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), reducing plaque deposition, synaptic loss and cognitive decline. Given that Tau protein plays a key role in AD pathogenesis, and that the Reelin pathway modulates Tau phosphorylation, here we explored the involvement of Reelin in AD-related Tau pathology. We found that Reelin overexpression modulates the levels of Tau phosphorylation in AD-related epitopes in VLW mice expressing human mutant Tau. in vitro, Reelin reduced the Aβ-induced missorting of axonal Tau and neurofilament proteins to dendrites. Reelin also reverted in vivo the toxic somatodendritic localization of phosphorylated Tau. Finally, overexpression of Reelin in VLW mice improved long-term potentiation and long-term memory cognitive performance thus masking the cognitive and physiological deficits in VLW mice. These data suggest that the Reelin pathway, which is also protective against Aβ pathology, modulates fundamental traits of Tau pathology, strengthening the potential of Reelin as a therapeutic target in AD.
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Pires G, McElligott S, Drusinsky S, Halliday G, Potier MC, Wisniewski T, Drummond E. Secernin-1 is a novel phosphorylated tau binding protein that accumulates in Alzheimer's disease and not in other tauopathies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:195. [PMID: 31796108 PMCID: PMC6892024 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0848-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently identified Secernin-1 (SCRN1) as a novel amyloid plaque associated protein using localized proteomics. Immunohistochemistry studies confirmed that SCRN1 was present in plaque-associated dystrophic neurites and also revealed distinct and abundant co-localization with neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Little is known about the physiological function of SCRN1 and its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases has not been studied. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive study of SCRN1 distribution in neurodegenerative diseases. Immunohistochemistry was used to map SCRN1 accumulation throughout the progression of AD in a cohort of 58 patients with a range of NFT pathology (Abundant NFT, n = 21; Moderate NFT, n = 22; Low/No NFT, n = 15), who were clinically diagnosed as having AD, mild cognitive impairment or normal cognition. SCRN1 accumulation was also examined in two cases with both Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD)-Tau and AD-related neuropathology, cases of Down Syndrome (DS) with AD (n = 5), one case of hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis - Dutch type (HCHWA-D) and other non-AD tauopathies including: primary age-related tauopathy (PART, [n = 5]), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD, [n = 5]), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP, [n = 5]) and Pick's disease (PiD, [n = 4]). Immunohistochemistry showed that SCRN1 was a neuronal protein that abundantly accumulated in NFTs and plaque-associated dystrophic neurites throughout the progression of AD. Quantification of SCRN1 immunohistochemistry confirmed that SCRN1 preferentially accumulated in NFTs in comparison to surrounding non-tangle containing neurons at both early and late stages of AD. Similar results were observed in DS with AD and PART. However, SCRN1 did not co-localize with phosphorylated tau inclusions in CBD, PSP or PiD. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that SCRN1 interacted with phosphorylated tau in human AD brain tissue. Together, these results suggest that SCRN1 is uniquely associated with tau pathology in AD, DS and PART. As such, SCRN1 has potential as a novel therapeutic target and could serve as a useful biomarker to distinguish AD from other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Pires
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Sacha McElligott
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Shiron Drusinsky
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Glenda Halliday
- Brain & Mind Centre and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Marie-Claude Potier
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR7225, INSERM U1127, UPMC, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 Bd de l'Hôpital, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Departments of Pathology and Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Eleanor Drummond
- Center for Cognitive Neurology and Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, Rm 1017, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Brain & Mind Centre and Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
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50
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Tanaka H, Toyoshima Y, Kawakatsu S, Kobayashi R, Yokota O, Terada S, Kuroda S, Miura T, Higuchi Y, Otsu H, Sanpei K, Otani K, Ikeuchi T, Onodera O, Kakita A, Takahashi H. Morphological characterisation of glial and neuronal tau pathology in globular glial tauopathy (Types II and III). Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2019; 46:344-358. [DOI: 10.1111/nan.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. Tanaka
- Department of Pathology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - Y. Toyoshima
- Department of Pathology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - S. Kawakatsu
- Department of Neuropsychiatry Aizu Medical Center Fukushima Medical University Aizu Fukushima Japan
| | - R. Kobayashi
- Department of Psychiatry Yamagata University School of Medicine Yamagata Japan
| | - O. Yokota
- Department of Psychiatry Kinoko Espoir Hospital Okayama Japan
| | - S. Terada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Okayama Japan
| | - S. Kuroda
- Department of Psychiatry Zikei Institute of Psychiatry Okayama Japan
| | - T. Miura
- Department of Neurology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - Y. Higuchi
- Department of Neurology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - H. Otsu
- Department of Neurology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - K. Sanpei
- Department of Neurology Sado General Hospital Niigata Japan
| | - K. Otani
- Department of Psychiatry Yamagata University School of Medicine Yamagata Japan
| | - T. Ikeuchi
- Department of Molecular Genetics Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - O. Onodera
- Department of Neurology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - A. Kakita
- Department of Pathology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
| | - H. Takahashi
- Department of Pathology Brain Research Institute Niigata University Niigata Japan
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