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Ondrejcak T, Klyubin I, Hu NW, Yang Y, Zhang Q, Rodriguez BJ, Rowan MJ. Rapidly reversible persistent long-term potentiation inhibition by patient-derived brain tau and amyloid ß proteins. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230234. [PMID: 38853565 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
How the two pathognomonic proteins of Alzheimer's disease (AD); amyloid ß (Aß) and tau, cause synaptic failure remains enigmatic. Certain synthetic and recombinant forms of these proteins are known to act concurrently to acutely inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP). Here, we examined the effect of early amyloidosis on the acute disruptive action of synaptotoxic tau prepared from recombinant protein and tau in patient-derived aqueous brain extracts. We also explored the persistence of the inhibition of LTP by different synaptotoxic tau preparations. A single intracerebral injection of aggregates of recombinant human tau that had been prepared by either sonication of fibrils (SτAs) or disulfide bond formation (oTau) rapidly and persistently inhibited LTP in rat hippocampus. The threshold for the acute inhibitory effect of oTau was lowered in amyloid precursor protein (APP)-transgenic rats. A single injection of synaptotoxic tau-containing AD or Pick's disease brain extracts also inhibited LTP, for over two weeks. Remarkably, the persistent disruption of synaptic plasticity by patient-derived brain tau was rapidly reversed by a single intracerebral injection of different anti-tau monoclonal antibodies, including one directed to a specific human tau amino acid sequence. We conclude that patient-derived LTP-disrupting tau species persist in the brain for weeks, maintaining their neuroactivity often in concert with Aß. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College , Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College , Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College , Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue , Zhengzhou 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yin Yang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College , Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue , Zhengzhou 450001, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiancheng Zhang
- School of Physics and Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin , Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Brian J Rodriguez
- School of Physics and Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin , Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Michael J Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College , Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
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2
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Ghosh D, Biswas A, Radhakrishna M. Advanced computational approaches to understand protein aggregation. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021302. [PMID: 38681860 PMCID: PMC11045254 DOI: 10.1063/5.0180691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a widespread phenomenon implicated in debilitating diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and cataracts, presenting complex hurdles for the field of molecular biology. In this review, we explore the evolving realm of computational methods and bioinformatics tools that have revolutionized our comprehension of protein aggregation. Beginning with a discussion of the multifaceted challenges associated with understanding this process and emphasizing the critical need for precise predictive tools, we highlight how computational techniques have become indispensable for understanding protein aggregation. We focus on molecular simulations, notably molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, spanning from atomistic to coarse-grained levels, which have emerged as pivotal tools in unraveling the complex dynamics governing protein aggregation in diseases such as cataracts, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. MD simulations provide microscopic insights into protein interactions and the subtleties of aggregation pathways, with advanced techniques like replica exchange molecular dynamics, Metadynamics (MetaD), and umbrella sampling enhancing our understanding by probing intricate energy landscapes and transition states. We delve into specific applications of MD simulations, elucidating the chaperone mechanism underlying cataract formation using Markov state modeling and the intricate pathways and interactions driving the toxic aggregate formation in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Transitioning we highlight how computational techniques, including bioinformatics, sequence analysis, structural data, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence have become indispensable for predicting protein aggregation propensity and locating aggregation-prone regions within protein sequences. Throughout our exploration, we underscore the symbiotic relationship between computational approaches and empirical data, which has paved the way for potential therapeutic strategies against protein aggregation-related diseases. In conclusion, this review offers a comprehensive overview of advanced computational methodologies and bioinformatics tools that have catalyzed breakthroughs in unraveling the molecular basis of protein aggregation, with significant implications for clinical interventions, standing at the intersection of computational biology and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepshikha Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Anushka Biswas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
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3
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Zheng H, Sun H, Cai Q, Tai HC. The Enigma of Tau Protein Aggregation: Mechanistic Insights and Future Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4969. [PMID: 38732197 PMCID: PMC11084794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094969] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein misfolding and aggregation are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and over twenty neurodegenerative disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms of tau aggregation in vivo remain incompletely understood. There are two types of tau aggregates in the brain: soluble aggregates (oligomers and protofibrils) and insoluble filaments (fibrils). Compared to filamentous aggregates, soluble aggregates are more toxic and exhibit prion-like transmission, providing seeds for templated misfolding. Curiously, in its native state, tau is a highly soluble, heat-stable protein that does not form fibrils by itself, not even when hyperphosphorylated. In vitro studies have found that negatively charged molecules such as heparin, RNA, or arachidonic acid are generally required to induce tau aggregation. Two recent breakthroughs have provided new insights into tau aggregation mechanisms. First, as an intrinsically disordered protein, tau is found to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) both in vitro and inside cells. Second, cryo-electron microscopy has revealed diverse fibrillar tau conformations associated with different neurodegenerative disorders. Nonetheless, only the fibrillar core is structurally resolved, and the remainder of the protein appears as a "fuzzy coat". From this review, it appears that further studies are required (1) to clarify the role of LLPS in tau aggregation; (2) to unveil the structural features of soluble tau aggregates; (3) to understand the involvement of fuzzy coat regions in oligomer and fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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4
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Qiu C, Li Z, Leigh DA, Duan B, Stucky JE, Kim N, Xie G, Lu KP, Zhou XZ. The role of the Pin1- cis P-tau axis in the development and treatment of vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia and preeclampsia. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1343962. [PMID: 38628595 PMCID: PMC11019028 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1343962] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by deposits of abnormal Tau protein in the brain. Conventional tauopathies are often defined by a limited number of Tau epitopes, notably neurofibrillary tangles, but emerging evidence suggests structural heterogeneity among tauopathies. The prolyl isomerase Pin1 isomerizes cis P-tau to inhibit the development of oligomers, tangles and neurodegeneration in multiple neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and preeclampsia (PE). Thus, cis P-tau has emerged as an early etiological driver, blood marker and therapeutic target for multiple neurodegenerative diseases, with clinical trials ongoing. The discovery of cis P-tau and other tau pathologies in VCID and PE calls attention for simplistic classification of tauopathy in neurodegenerative diseases. These recent advances have revealed the exciting novel role of the Pin1-cis P-tau axis in the development and treatment of vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia and preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhixiong Li
- Departments of Biochemistry and Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - David A. Leigh
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bingbing Duan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Joseph E. Stucky
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nami Kim
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - George Xie
- Departments of Biochemistry and Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kun Ping Lu
- Departments of Biochemistry and Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Xiao Zhen Zhou
- Departments of Biochemistry and Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, and Lawson Health Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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5
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Martinez‐Valbuena I. Phenotype parallels protein seeding capacity in neurodegenerative diseases. Brain Pathol 2024; 34:e13238. [PMID: 38214380 PMCID: PMC10901614 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
With the new era of disease-modifying therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, a novel approach for the molecular classification of neurodegenerative diseases is needed. In this research letter, there is a summary of the advances made in Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disorders, and progressive supranuclear palsy toward this classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Martinez‐Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Rossy Progressive Supranuclear Palsy CentreToronto Western HospitalTorontoOntarioCanada
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6
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Zhuang S, Chakraborty P, Zweckstetter M. Regulation of tau by peptidyl-prolyl isomerases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102739. [PMID: 38061261 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein found abundantly in axons, where it binds to microtubules. Since tau is a central player in the dynamic microtubule network, it is highly regulated by post-translational modifications. Abnormal hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau characterize a group of diseases called tauopathies. A specific protein family of cis/trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerases (PPIases) can interact with tau to regulate its aggregation and neuronal resilience. Structural interactions between tau and specific PPIases have been determined, establishing possible mechanisms for tau regulation and modification. While there have been numerous in vivo studies evaluating the impact of PPIase expression on tau biology/pathology, the direct roles of PPIases have yet to be fully characterized. Different PPIases correlate to either increased or decreased levels of tau-associated degeneration. Therefore, the ability of PPIases to structurally modify and regulate tau should be further investigated due to its potential therapeutic implications for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Zhuang
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pijush Chakraborty
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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7
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Lee Y, Morrow EM. Quantitative Measurement of Tau Aggregation in Genetically Modified Rats with Neurodegeneration. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2761:291-299. [PMID: 38427245 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3662-6_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Animal models of neurodegenerative diseases have helped us to better understand the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. However, recent failure to translate pre-clinical model studies to the clinic urges us to develop more rigorous and faithful animal models in neurodegenerative diseases. As genetic manipulation of rats becomes much more accessible due to availability of CRISPR-Cas9 and other genomic editing toolboxes, rats have been emerging as a new model system for neurodegenerative diseases. Even though mouse models have been dominant over the last decades, rats may provide advantages over mice. Rats are more genetically and physiologically closer to humans than to mice. Also, certain rat models can represent deposition of tau, which is one of the key pathological features of Alzheimer's diseases and tauopathies. However, there is an unmet need for standardized, rigorous testing in rat models. We adopted two commonly used biochemical and immunofluorescence methods from mice and human postmortem brains to measure tau aggregation. Due to the intrinsic differences between mice and rats, e.g., size of rat brains, certain equipment is required for rat models to study tau pathologies. Along with specific tools, here we describe the detailed methods for rat models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- YouJin Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Eric M Morrow
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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8
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Ramsden CE, Zamora D, Horowitz MS, Jahanipour J, Calzada E, Li X, Keyes GS, Murray HC, Curtis MA, Faull RM, Sedlock A, Maric D. ApoER2-Dab1 disruption as the origin of pTau-associated neurodegeneration in sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:197. [PMID: 38093390 PMCID: PMC10720169 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01693-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) specific regions, layers and neurons accumulate hyperphosphorylated Tau (pTau) and degenerate early while others remain unaffected even in advanced disease. ApoER2-Dab1 signaling suppresses Tau phosphorylation as part of a four-arm pathway that regulates lipoprotein internalization and the integrity of actin, microtubules, and synapses; however, the role of this pathway in sAD pathogenesis is not fully understood. We previously showed that multiple ApoER2-Dab1 pathway components including ApoE, Reelin, ApoER2, Dab1, pP85αTyr607, pLIMK1Thr508, pTauSer202/Thr205 and pPSD95Thr19 accumulate together within entorhinal-hippocampal terminal zones in sAD, and proposed a unifying hypothesis wherein disruption of this pathway underlies multiple aspects of sAD pathogenesis. However, it is not yet known whether ApoER2-Dab1 disruption can help explain the origin(s) and early progression of pTau pathology in sAD. In the present study, we applied in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to characterize ApoER2 expression and accumulation of ApoER2-Dab1 pathway components in five regions known to develop early pTau pathology in 64 rapidly autopsied cases spanning the clinicopathological spectrum of sAD. We found that (1) these selectively vulnerable neuron populations strongly express ApoER2; and (2) multiple ApoER2-Dab1 components representing all four arms of this pathway accumulate in abnormal neurons and neuritic plaques in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and sAD cases and correlate with histological progression and cognitive deficits. Multiplex-IHC revealed that Dab1, pP85αTyr607, pLIMK1Thr508, pTauSer202/Thr205 and pPSD95Thr19 accumulate together within many of the same ApoER2-expressing neurons and in the immediate vicinity of ApoE/ApoJ-enriched extracellular plaques. Collective findings reveal that pTau is only one of many ApoER2-Dab1 pathway components that accumulate in multiple neuroanatomical sites in the earliest stages of sAD and provide support for the concept that ApoER2-Dab1 disruption drives pTau-associated neurodegeneration in human sAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Ramsden
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
- Intramural Program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Daisy Zamora
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Mark S Horowitz
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jahandar Jahanipour
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Elizabeth Calzada
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Xiufeng Li
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Gregory S Keyes
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH (NIA/NIH), 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Helen C Murray
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
- Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
| | - Richard M Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Sedlock
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Mate de Gerando A, Quittot N, Frosch MP, Hyman BT. Reply: Soluble oligomers or insoluble fibrils? Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:863-866. [PMID: 37733036 PMCID: PMC10628010 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasie Mate de Gerando
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noe Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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10
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Martinez-Valbuena I, Lee S, Santamaria E, Irigoyen JF, Forrest S, Li J, Tanaka H, Couto B, Reyes NG, Qamar H, Karakani AM, Kim A, Senkevich K, Rogaeva E, Fox SH, Tartaglia C, Visanji NP, Andrews T, Lang AE, Kovacs GG. 4R-Tau seeding activity unravels molecular subtypes in patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.28.559953. [PMID: 37808843 PMCID: PMC10557711 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.559953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Progressive Supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a 4-repeat (4-R) tauopathy. We hypothesized that the molecular diversity of tau could explain the heterogeneity seen in PSP disease progression. To test this hypothesis, we performed an extensive biochemical characterisation of the high molecular weight tau species (HMW-Tau) in 20 different brain regions of 25 PSP patients. We found a correlation between the HMW-Tau species and tau seeding capacity in the primary motor cortex, where we confirmed that an elevated 4R-Tau seeding activity correlates with a shorter disease duration. To identify factors that contribute to these differences, we performed proteomic and spatial transcriptomic analysis that revealed key mechanistic pathways, in particular those involving the immune system, that defined patients demonstrating high and low tau seeding capacity. These observations suggest that differences in the tau seeding activity may contribute to the considerable heterogeneity seen in disease progression of patients suffering from PSP.
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11
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Ondrejcak T, Klyubin I, Hu NW, O'Malley TT, Corbett GT, Winters R, Perkinton MS, Billinton A, Prenderville JA, Walsh DM, Rowan MJ. Tau and Amyloid β Protein in Patient-Derived Aqueous Brain Extracts Act Concomitantly to Disrupt Long-Term Potentiation in Vivo. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5870-5879. [PMID: 37491315 PMCID: PMC10423043 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0082-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β protein (Aβ) and tau, the two main proteins implicated in causing Alzheimer's disease (AD), are posited to trigger synaptic dysfunction long before significant synaptic loss occurs in vulnerable circuits. Whereas soluble Aβ aggregates from AD brain are well recognized potent synaptotoxins, less is known about the synaptotoxicity of soluble tau from AD or other tauopathy patient brains. Minimally manipulated patient-derived aqueous brain extracts contain the more diffusible native forms of these proteins. Here, we explore how intracerebral injection of Aβ and tau present in such aqueous extracts of patient brain contribute to disruption of synaptic plasticity in the CA1 area of the male rat hippocampus. Aqueous extracts of certain AD brains acutely inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission in a manner that required both Aβ and tau. Tau-containing aqueous extracts of a brain from a patient with Pick's disease (PiD) also impaired LTP, and diffusible tau from either AD or PiD brain lowered the threshold for AD brain Aβ to inhibit LTP. Remarkably, the disruption of LTP persisted for at least 2 weeks after a single injection. These findings support a critical role for diffusible tau in causing rapid onset, persistent synaptic plasticity deficits, and promoting Aβ-mediated synaptic dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The microtubule-associated protein tau forms relatively insoluble fibrillar deposits in the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Pick's diseases. More soluble aggregates of disease-associated tau may diffuse between cells and could cause damage to synapses in vulnerable circuits. We prepared aqueous extracts of diseased cerebral cortex and tested their ability to interfere with synaptic function in the brains of live rats. Tau in these extracts rapidly and persistently disrupted synaptic plasticity and facilitated impairments caused by amyloid β protein, the other major pathologic protein in Alzheimer's disease. These findings show that certain diffusible forms of tau can mediate synaptic dysfunction and may be a target for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Tiernan T O'Malley
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Grant T Corbett
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Róisín Winters
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michael S Perkinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Billinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Jack A Prenderville
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Michael J Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
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12
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Chen Y, Yu Y. Tau and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease: interplay mechanisms and clinical translation. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:165. [PMID: 37452321 PMCID: PMC10349496 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02853-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) contributes to most cases of dementia. Its prominent neuropathological features are the extracellular neuritic plaques and intercellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of aggregated β-amyloid (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, respectively. In the past few decades, disease-modifying therapy targeting Aβ has been the focus of AD drug development. Even though it is encouraging that two of these drugs have recently received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval for AD treatment, their efficacy or long-term safety is controversial. Tau has received increasing attention as a potential therapeutic target, since evidence indicates that tau pathology is more associated with cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, inflammation, especially neuroinflammation, accompanies AD pathological processes and is also linked to cognitive deficits. Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation has a complex and tight interplay with tau pathology. Here, we review recent evidence on the interaction between tau pathology, focusing on tau post-translational modification and dissemination, and neuroinflammatory responses, including glial cell activation and inflammatory signaling pathways. Then, we summarize the latest clinical trials targeting tau and neuroinflammation. Sustained and increased inflammatory responses in glial cells and neurons are pivotal cellular drivers and regulators of the exacerbation of tau pathology, which further contributes to its worsening by aggravating inflammatory responses. Unraveling the precise mechanisms underlying the relationship between tau pathology and neuroinflammation will provide new insights into the discovery and clinical translation of therapeutic targets for AD and other tau-related diseases (tauopathies). Targeting multiple pathologies and precision therapy strategies will be the crucial direction for developing drugs for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Drug Target Identification and Delivery, Engineering Research Center of Cell and Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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13
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Ramsden CE, Zamora D, Horowitz MS, Jahanipour J, Keyes GS, Li X, Murray HC, Curtis MA, Faull RM, Sedlock A, Maric D. ApoER2-Dab1 disruption as the origin of pTau-related neurodegeneration in sporadic Alzheimer's disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.19.23290250. [PMID: 37333406 PMCID: PMC10274982 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.23290250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporadic Alzheimer's disease (sAD) is not a global brain disease. Specific regions, layers and neurons degenerate early while others remain untouched even in advanced disease. The prevailing model used to explain this selective neurodegeneration-prion-like Tau spread-has key limitations and is not easily integrated with other defining sAD features. Instead, we propose that in humans Tau hyperphosphorylation occurs locally via disruption in ApoER2-Dab1 signaling and thus the presence of ApoER2 in neuronal membranes confers vulnerability to degeneration. Further, we propose that disruption of the Reelin/ApoE/ApoJ-ApoER2-Dab1-P85α-LIMK1-Tau-PSD95 (RAAAD-P-LTP) pathway induces deficits in memory and cognition by impeding neuronal lipoprotein internalization and destabilizing actin, microtubules, and synapses. This new model is based in part on our recent finding that ApoER2-Dab1 disruption is evident in entorhinal-hippocampal terminal zones in sAD. Here, we hypothesized that neurons that degenerate in the earliest stages of sAD (1) strongly express ApoER2 and (2) show evidence of ApoER2-Dab1 disruption through co-accumulation of multiple RAAAD-P-LTP components. METHODS We applied in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to characterize ApoER2 expression and accumulation of RAAAD-P-LTP components in five regions that are prone to early pTau pathology in 64 rapidly autopsied cases spanning the clinicopathological spectrum of sAD. RESULTS We found that: (1) selectively vulnerable neuron populations strongly express ApoER2; (2) numerous RAAAD-P-LTP pathway components accumulate in neuritic plaques and abnormal neurons; and (3) RAAAD-P-LTP components were higher in MCI and sAD cases and correlated with histological progression and cognitive deficits. Multiplex-IHC revealed that Dab1, pP85αTyr607, pLIMK1Thr508, pTau and pPSD95Thr19 accumulated together within dystrophic dendrites and soma of ApoER2-expressing neurons in the vicinity of ApoE/ApoJ-enriched extracellular plaques. These observations provide evidence for molecular derangements that can be traced back to ApoER2-Dab1 disruption, in each of the sampled regions, layers, and neuron populations that are prone to early pTau pathology. CONCLUSION Findings support the RAAAD-P-LTP hypothesis, a unifying model that implicates dendritic ApoER2-Dab1 disruption as the major driver of both pTau accumulation and neurodegeneration in sAD. This model provides a new conceptual framework to explain why specific neurons degenerate and identifies RAAAD-P-LTP pathway components as potential mechanism-based biomarkers and therapeutic targets for sAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Ramsden
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Intramural Program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Daisy Zamora
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Mark S. Horowitz
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jahandar Jahanipour
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Gregory S. Keyes
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Xiufeng Li
- Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH 251 Bayview Blvd., Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Helen C. Murray
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
- Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Maurice A. Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
| | - Richard M. Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging and Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, 92019, New Zealand
| | - Andrea Sedlock
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Dragan Maric
- Flow and Imaging Cytometry Core Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Rayman JB. Focusing on oligomeric tau as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37140480 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2206561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau has commanded much attention as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases. Tau pathology is a hallmark of primary tauopathies, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and subtypes of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as secondary tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of tau therapeutics must reconcile with the structural complexity of the tau proteome, as well as an incomplete understanding of the role of tau in both physiology and disease. AREAS COVERED This review offers a current perspective on tau biology, discusses key barriers to the development of effective tau-based therapeutics, and promotes the idea that pathogenic (as opposed to merely pathological) tau should be at the center of drug development efforts. EXPERT OPINION An efficacious tau therapeutic will exhibit several primary features: 1) selectivity for pathogenic tau versus other tau species; 2) blood-brain barrier and cell membrane permeability, enabling access to intracellular tau in disease-relevant brain regions; and 3) minimal toxicity. Oligomeric tau is proposed as a major pathogenic form of tau and a compelling drug target in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Rayman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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Man VH, He X, Han F, Cai L, Wang L, Niu T, Zhai J, Ji B, Gao J, Wang J. Phosphorylation at Ser289 Enhances the Oligomerization of Tau Repeat R2. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1351-1361. [PMID: 36786552 PMCID: PMC10032562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
In tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), aberrant phosphorylation causes the dissociation of tau proteins from microtubules. The dissociated tau then aggregates into sequent forms from soluble oligomers to paired helical filaments and insoluble neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). NFTs is a hallmark of AD, while oligomers are found to be the most toxic form of the tau aggregates. Therefore, understanding tau oligomerization with regard to abnormal phosphorylation is important for the therapeutic development of AD. In this study, we investigated the impact of phosphorylated Ser289, one of the 40 aberrant phosphorylation sites of full-length tau proteins, on monomeric and dimeric structures of tau repeat R2 peptides. We carried out intensive replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation with a total simulation time of up to 0.1 ms. Our result showed that the phosphorylation significantly affected the structures of both the monomer and the dimer. For the monomer, the phosphorylation enhanced ordered-disordered structural transition and intramolecular interaction, leading to more compactness of the phosphorylated R2 compared to the wild-type one. As to the dimer, the phosphorylation increased intermolecular interaction and β-sheet formation, which can accelerate the oligomerization of R2 peptides. This result suggests that the phosphorylation at Ser289 is likely to promote tau aggregation. We also observed a phosphorylated Ser289-Na+-phosphorylated Ser289 bridge in the phosphorylated R2 dimer, suggesting an important role of cation ions in tau aggregation. Our findings suggest that phosphorylation at Ser289 should be taken into account in the inhibitor screening of tau oligomerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet Hoang Man
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Xibing He
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Fengyang Han
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Lianjin Cai
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Luxuan Wang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Taoyu Niu
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jingchen Zhai
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Beihong Ji
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jie Gao
- Department
of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University
Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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16
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Man VH, He X, Gao J, Wang J. Phosphorylation of Tau R2 Repeat Destabilizes Its Binding to Microtubules: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:458-467. [PMID: 36669127 PMCID: PMC10032563 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylation, the most popular post-translational modification of tau protein, plays an important role in regulating tau physiological functions. However, aberrant phosphorylation attenuates the binding affinity of tau to a microtubule (MT), resulting in MT destabilization followed by accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. There are in total 85 potential phosphorylation sites in a full-length tau protein, and about half of them are abnormal as they occur in tau of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain only. In this work, we investigated the impact of abnormal Ser289, Ser293, and Ser289/Ser293 phosphorylation on tau R2-MT binding and the conformation of tau R2 using molecular dynamics simulation. We found that the phosphorylation significantly affected R2-MT interaction and reduced the binding affinity of tau R2 peptides to MTs. Free energy decomposition analysis suggested that the post-translational modified residues themselves made a significant contribution to destabilize tau repeat R2-MT binding. Therefore, the phosphorylation may attenuate the binding affinity of tau to MTs. Additionally, the phosphorylation also enhanced helix-coil transition of monomeric R2 peptides, which may result in the acceleration of tau aggregation. Since these phosphorylated sites have not been examined in previous experimental studies, our finding through all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and free energy analysis can inspire experimental scientists to investigate the impact of the phosphorylation on MT binding and aggregation of full-length tau and the pathological roles of the phosphorylation at those sites in AD development through in vitro/in vivo assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viet Hoang Man
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15261, United States
| | - Xibing He
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15261, United States
| | - Jie Gao
- Department
of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University
Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio43210, United States
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening
Center, School of Pharmacy, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15261, United States
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