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Song Z, Wang KW, Hagar HTC, Chen HR, Kuan CY, Zhang K, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated Tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses that Are Mitigated by Apomorphine. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2653-2671. [PMID: 37919601 PMCID: PMC11043184 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03689-x] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau in the brain is a key pathological marker for Alzheimer's disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, how hyperphosphorylated tau causes cellular dysfunction or death that underlies neurodegeneration remains an unsolved question critical for the understanding of disease mechanism and the design of efficacious drugs. Using a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) synthesized by the PIMAX approach, we examined how cells responded to the cytotoxic tau and explored means to enhance cellular resistance to tau attack. Upon p-tau uptake, the intracellular calcium levels rose promptly. Gene expression analyses revealed that p-tau potently triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, unfolded protein response (UPR), ER stress-associated apoptosis, and pro-inflammation in cells. Proteomics studies showed that p-tau diminished heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an ER stress-associated anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress regulator, while stimulated the accumulation of MIOS and other proteins. p-Tau-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis and pro-inflammation are ameliorated by apomorphine, a brain-permeable prescription drug widely used to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms, and by overexpression of HO-1. Our results reveal probable cellular functions targeted by hyperphosphorylated tau. Some of these dysfunctions and stress responses have been linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The observations that the ill effects of p-tau can be mitigated by a small compound and by overexpressing HO-1 that is otherwise diminished in the treated cells inform new directions of Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfeng Song
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Kuang-Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hsiao-Tien Chien Hagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hong-Ru Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, 112304
| | - Chia-Yi Kuan
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Kezhong Zhang
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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2
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Recent Computational Advances Regarding Amyloid-β and Tau Membrane Interactions in Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules 2023; 28:7080. [PMID: 37894559 PMCID: PMC10609340 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207080] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid proteins with membranes have been subject to many experimental and computational studies, as these interactions contribute in part to neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we report on recent simulations that have focused on the adsorption and insertion modes of amyloid-β and tau proteins in membranes. The atomistic-resolution characterization of the conformational changes of these amyloid proteins upon lipid cell membrane and free lipid interactions is of interest to rationally design drugs targeting transient oligomers in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H. Nguyen
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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3
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Song Z, Wang KW, Hagar HTC, Chen HR, Kuan CY, Zhang K, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses That Are Mitigated by Apomorphine. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.13.540661. [PMID: 37292976 PMCID: PMC10245566 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.13.540661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau in the brain is a key pathological marker for Alzheimer's disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, how hyperphosphorylated tau causes cellular dysfunction or death that underlie neurodegeneration remains an unsolved question critical for the understanding of disease mechanism and the design of efficacious drugs. Methods Using a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) synthesized by the PIMAX approach, we examined how cells responded to the cytotoxic tau and explored means to enhance cellular resistance to tau attack. Results Upon p-tau uptake, the intracellular calcium levels rose promptly. Gene expression analyses revealed that p-tau potently triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), ER stress-associated apoptosis, and pro-inflammation in cells. Proteomics studies showed that p-tau diminished heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an ER stress associated anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress regulator, while stimulated the accumulation of MIOS and other proteins. P-tau-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis and pro-inflammation are ameliorated by apomorphine, a brain-permeable prescription drug widely used to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms, and by overexpression of HO-1. Conclusion Our results reveal probable cellular functions targeted by hyperphosphorylated tau. Some of these dysfunctions and stress responses have been linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The observations that the ill effects of p-tau can be mitigated by a small compound and by overexpressing HO-1 that is otherwise diminished in the treated cells inform new directions of Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.
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4
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. An S-Shaped Aβ42 Cross-β Hexamer Embedded into a Lipid Bilayer Reveals Membrane Disruption and Permeability. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:936-946. [PMID: 36757886 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid oligomers with membranes are known to contribute to cellular toxicity. Numerous in vitro experimental studies reported on the insertion of oligomers of different sizes that can induce cell membrane disruption, extract lipids, and form ion-permeable transmembrane pores. The current repertoire of amyloid-beta (Aβ) membrane-inserted folds that was subject to high-resolution structure NMR spectroscopy and computer simulations is devoid of any cross-β fibrillar structure. In this study, we explored the dynamics of an S-shaped Aβ42 cross-β hexamer model inserted into a lipid bilayer membrane by two atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The initial model is characterized by the hydrophobic residues at the central hydrophobic core (residues 17-21, CHC) and the C-terminus (residues 30-42) embedded into the membrane. We observed major structural secondary, tertiary, and quaternary rearrangements leading to two distinct species, hexamer and two trimers, accompanied by membrane disruption and water permeation. The simulations show that some configurations, but not the majority, have the CHC and C-terminus hydrophobic residues exposed to the solvent. Overall, our computational results offer new perspectives to understand the relationship between Aβ42 assemblies and membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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5
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Hill E, Moffat KG, Wall MJ, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Karikari TK. A Validated Method to Prepare Stable Tau Oligomers. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2551:203-224. [PMID: 36310205 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2597-2_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that tau oligomers are a major pathological species in a number of tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease. However, it is still unclear what exact mechanisms underlie tau oligomer-mediated dysfunction. Studies of tau oligomers in vitro are limited by the high propensity for aggregation and consequent changes in the aggregation state of the produced tau samples over time. In this protocol, we provide a step-by-step description of a validated method for producing stable and structurally characterized oligomers of tau that can be used in biochemical, cellular, and animal model studies to evaluate mechanisms of action of tau in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Kevin G Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mark J Wall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Fišar Z. Linking the Amyloid, Tau, and Mitochondrial Hypotheses of Alzheimer's Disease and Identifying Promising Drug Targets. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1676. [PMID: 36421690 PMCID: PMC9687482 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage or loss of brain cells and impaired neurochemistry, neurogenesis, and synaptic and nonsynaptic plasticity of the brain lead to dementia in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Injury to synapses and neurons and accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are considered the main morphological and neuropathological features of AD. Age, genetic and epigenetic factors, environmental stressors, and lifestyle contribute to the risk of AD onset and progression. These risk factors are associated with structural and functional changes in the brain, leading to cognitive decline. Biomarkers of AD reflect or cause specific changes in brain function, especially changes in pathways associated with neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, bioenergetics, apoptosis, and oxidative and nitrosative stress. Even in the initial stages, AD is associated with Aβ neurotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and tau neurotoxicity. The integrative amyloid-tau-mitochondrial hypothesis assumes that the primary cause of AD is the neurotoxicity of Aβ oligomers and tau oligomers, mitochondrial dysfunction, and their mutual synergy. For the development of new efficient AD drugs, targeting the elimination of neurotoxicity, mutual potentiation of effects, and unwanted protein interactions of risk factors and biomarkers (mainly Aβ oligomers, tau oligomers, and mitochondrial dysfunction) in the early stage of the disease seems promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdeněk Fišar
- Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Ke Karlovu 11, 120 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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7
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Applications of Single-Molecule Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques for the Structural Investigation of Amyloid Oligomers. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27196448. [PMID: 36234985 PMCID: PMC9573641 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid oligomeric species, formed during misfolding processes, are believed to play a major role in neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. Deepening the knowledge about the structure of amyloid intermediates and their aggregation pathways is essential in understanding the underlying mechanisms of misfolding and cytotoxicity. However, structural investigations are challenging due to the low abundance and heterogeneity of those metastable intermediate species. Single-molecule techniques have the potential to overcome these difficulties. This review aims to report some of the recent advances and applications of vibrational spectroscopic techniques for the structural analysis of amyloid oligomers, with special focus on single-molecule studies.
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8
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Forloni G, La Vitola P, Balducci C. Oligomeropathies, inflammation and prion protein binding. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:822420. [PMID: 36081661 PMCID: PMC9445368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.822420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central role of oligomers, small soluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is recognized in numerous experimental conditions and is compatible with clinical evidence. To underline this concept, some years ago we coined the term oligomeropathies to define the common mechanism of action of protein misfolding diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson or prion diseases. Using simple experimental conditions, with direct application of synthetic β amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers intraventricularly at micromolar concentrations, we could detect differences and similarities in the biological consequences. The two oligomer species affected cognitive behavior, neuronal dysfunction and cerebral inflammatory reactions with distinct mechanisms. In these experimental conditions the proposed mediatory role of cellular prion protein in oligomer activities was not confirmed. Together with oligomers, inflammation at different levels can be important early in neurodegenerative disorders; both β amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers induce inflammation and its control strongly affects neuronal dysfunction. This review summarizes our studies with β-amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers, also considering the potential curative role of doxycycline, a well-known antibiotic with anti-amyloidogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. These actions are analyzed in terms of the therapeutic prospects.
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Seitkazina A, Kim KH, Fagan E, Sung Y, Kim YK, Lim S. The Fate of Tau Aggregates Between Clearance and Transmission. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:932541. [PMID: 35923541 PMCID: PMC9339952 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.932541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal accumulation of mis-folded tau is the pathological hallmark of multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Distinct from amyloid plaques, which appear simultaneously throughout the brain, tau pathology develops first in a specific brain region and then propagates to neuroanatomically connected brain regions, exacerbating the disease. Due to the implication in disease progression, prevention of tau transmission is recognized as an important therapeutic strategy that can halt disease progression in the brain. Recently, accumulating studies have demonstrated diverse cellular mechanisms associated with cell-to-cell transmission of tau. Once transmitted, mis-folded tau species act as a prion-like seed for native tau aggregation in the recipient neuron. In this review, we summarize the diverse cellular mechanisms associated with the secretion and uptake of tau, and highlight tau-trafficking receptors, which mediate tau clearance or cell-to-cell tau transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assel Seitkazina
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyu Hyeon Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Erin Fagan
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Yoonsik Sung
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yun Kyung Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Yun Kyung Kim,
| | - Sungsu Lim
- Convergence Research Center for Brain Science, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Sungsu Lim,
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10
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Khan FZ, Mostaid MS, Apu MNH. Molecular Signaling Pathway Targeted Therapeutic Potential of Thymoquinone in Alzheimer’s disease. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09874. [PMID: 35832342 PMCID: PMC9272348 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with rapid progression. Black cumin (Nigella sativa) is a nutraceutical that has been investigated as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for this disease due to its ability to prevent or retard the progression of neurodegeneration. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main bioactive compound isolated from the seeds of black cumin. Several reports have shown that it has promising potential in the prevention and treatment of AD due to its significant antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties along with several other mechanisms that target the altered signaling pathways due to the disease pathogenesis. In addition, it shows anticholinesterase activity and prevents α-synuclein induced synaptic damage. The aim of this review is to summarize the potential aspects and mechanisms by which TQ imparts its action in AD.
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11
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Osorio C, Sfera A, Anton JJ, Thomas KG, Andronescu CV, Li E, Yahia RW, Avalos AG, Kozlakidis Z. Virus-Induced Membrane Fusion in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:845580. [PMID: 35531328 PMCID: PMC9070112 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.845580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of epidemiological and research data has associated neurotropic viruses with accelerated brain aging and increased risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Many viruses replicate optimally in senescent cells, as they offer a hospitable microenvironment with persistently elevated cytosolic calcium, abundant intracellular iron, and low interferon type I. As cell-cell fusion is a major driver of cellular senescence, many viruses have developed the ability to promote this phenotype by forming syncytia. Cell-cell fusion is associated with immunosuppression mediated by phosphatidylserine externalization that enable viruses to evade host defenses. In hosts, virus-induced immune dysfunction and premature cellular senescence may predispose to neurodegenerative disorders. This concept is supported by novel studies that found postinfectious cognitive dysfunction in several viral illnesses, including human immunodeficiency virus-1, herpes simplex virus-1, and SARS-CoV-2. Virus-induced pathological syncytia may provide a unified framework for conceptualizing neuronal cell cycle reentry, aneuploidy, somatic mosaicism, viral spreading of pathological Tau and elimination of viable synapses and neurons by neurotoxic astrocytes and microglia. In this narrative review, we take a closer look at cell-cell fusion and vesicular merger in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. We present a "decentralized" information processing model that conceptualizes neurodegeneration as a systemic illness, triggered by cytoskeletal pathology. We also discuss strategies for reversing cell-cell fusion, including, TMEM16F inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, senolytics, and tubulin stabilizing agents. Finally, going beyond neurodegeneration, we examine the potential benefit of harnessing fusion as a therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Osorio
- Department of Psychiatry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Adonis Sfera
- Department of Psychiatry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan J. Anton
- Department of Psychiatry, Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Karina G. Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, Patton State Hospital, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - Christina V. Andronescu
- Medical Anthropology – Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Erica Li
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Rayan W. Yahia
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Andrea García Avalos
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Facultad de Medicina Campus, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
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12
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Robbins M, Clayton E, Kaminski Schierle GS. Synaptic tau: A pathological or physiological phenomenon? Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:149. [PMID: 34503576 PMCID: PMC8428049 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01246-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the synaptic aspects of Tau pathology occurring during Alzheimer's disease (AD) and how this may relate to memory impairment, a major hallmark of AD. Whilst the clinical diagnosis of AD patients is a loss of working memory and long-term declarative memory, the histological diagnosis is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau and Amyloid-beta plaques. Tau pathology spreads through synaptically connected neurons to impair synaptic function preceding the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, synaptic loss, axonal retraction and cell death. Alongside synaptic pathology, recent data suggest that Tau has physiological roles in the pre- or post- synaptic compartments. Thus, we have seen a shift in the research focus from Tau as a microtubule-stabilising protein in axons, to Tau as a synaptic protein with roles in accelerating spine formation, dendritic elongation, and in synaptic plasticity coordinating memory pathways. We collate here the myriad of emerging interactions and physiological roles of synaptic Tau, and discuss the current evidence that synaptic Tau contributes to pathology in AD.
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13
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Membrane interaction and disulphide-bridge formation in the unconventional secretion of Tau. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:229358. [PMID: 34308969 PMCID: PMC8350431 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolded, pathological tau protein propagates from cell to cell causing neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. The molecular mechanisms of this process have remained elusive. Unconventional secretion of tau takes place via several different routes, including direct penetration through the plasma membrane. Here, we show that tau secretion requires membrane interaction via disulphide bridge formation. Mutating residues that reduce tau interaction with membranes or formation of disulphide bridges decrease both tau secretion from cells, and penetration through artificial lipid membranes. Our results demonstrate that tau is indeed able to penetrate protein-free membranes in a process independent of active cellular processes and that both membrane interaction and disulphide bridge formation are needed for this process. QUARK-based de novo modelling of the second and third microtubule-binding repeat domains (MTBDs), in which the two cysteine residues of 4R isoforms of tau are located, supports the concept that this region of tau could form transient amphipathic helices for membrane interaction.
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14
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Diociaiuti M, Bonanni R, Cariati I, Frank C, D’Arcangelo G. Amyloid Prefibrillar Oligomers: The Surprising Commonalities in Their Structure and Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126435. [PMID: 34208561 PMCID: PMC8235680 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that a “common core” of pathologic pathways exists for the large family of amyloid-associated neurodegenerations, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type II diabetes and Creutzfeldt–Jacob’s Disease. Aggregates of the involved proteins, independently from their primary sequence, induced neuron membrane permeabilization able to trigger an abnormal Ca2+ influx leading to synaptotoxicity, resulting in reduced expression of synaptic proteins and impaired synaptic transmission. Emerging evidence is now focusing on low-molecular-weight prefibrillar oligomers (PFOs), which mimic bacterial pore-forming toxins that form well-ordered oligomeric membrane-spanning pores. At the same time, the neuron membrane composition and its chemical microenvironment seem to play a pivotal role. In fact, the brain of AD patients contains increased fractions of anionic lipids able to favor cationic influx. However, up to now the existence of a specific “common structure” of the toxic aggregate, and a “common mechanism” by which it induces neuronal damage, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission, is still an open hypothesis. In this review, we gathered information concerning this hypothesis, focusing on the proteins linked to several amyloid diseases. We noted commonalities in their structure and membrane activity, and their ability to induce Ca2+ influx, neurotoxicity, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Diociaiuti
- Centro Nazionale Malattie Rare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Roberto Bonanni
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
| | - Ida Cariati
- PhD in Medical-Surgical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Frank
- UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant’Alessandro 8, 00131 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giovanna D’Arcangelo
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
- Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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15
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Naveh Tassa S, Ben Zichri S, Lacham-Hartman S, Oren O, Slobodnik Z, Eremenko E, Toiber D, Jelinek R, Papo N. A Mechanism for the Inhibition of Tau Neurotoxicity: Studies with Artificial Membranes, Isolated Mitochondria, and Intact Cells. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1563-1577. [PMID: 33904703 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
It is currently believed that molecular agents that specifically bind to and neutralize the toxic proteins/peptides, amyloid β (Aβ42), tau, and the tau-derived peptide PHF6, hold the key to attenuating the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We thus tested our previously developed nonaggregating Aβ42 double mutant (Aβ42DM) as a multispecific binder for three AD-associated molecules, wild-type Aβ42, the tauK174Q mutant, and a synthetic PHF6 peptide. Aβ42DM acted as a functional inhibitor of these molecules in in vitro assays and in neuronal cell-based models of AD. The double mutant bound both cytotoxic tauK174Q and synthetic PHF6 and protected neuronal cells from the accumulation of tau in cell lysates and mitochondria. Aβ42DM also reduced toxic intracellular levels of calcium and the overall cell toxicity induced by overexpressed tau, synthetic PHF6, Aβ42, or a combination of PHF6and Aβ42. Aβ42DM inhibited PHF6-induced overall mitochondrial dysfunction: In particular, Aβ42DM inhibited PHF6-induced damage to submitochondrial particles (SMPs) and suppressed PHF6-induced elevation of the ζ-potential of inverted SMPs (proxy for the inner mitochondrial membrane, IMM). PHF6 reduced the lipid fluidity of cardiolipin/DOPC vesicles (that mimic the IMM) but not DOPC (which mimics the outer mitochondrial membrane), and this effect was inhibited by Aβ42DM. This inhibition may be explained by the conformational changes in PHF6 induced by Aβ42DM in solution and in membrane mimetics. On this basis, the paper presents a mechanistic explanation for the inhibitory activity of Aβ42DM against Aβ42- and tau-induced membrane permeability and cell toxicity and provides confirmatory evidence for its protective function in neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Segev Naveh Tassa
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Shani Ben Zichri
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Shiran Lacham-Hartman
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Ofek Oren
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Zeev Slobodnik
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Ekaterina Eremenko
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Debra Toiber
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
- The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Niv Papo
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
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16
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Tau internalization: A complex step in tau propagation. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 67:101272. [PMID: 33571704 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) may underlie abnormalities of the intracellular matrix and neuronal death in tauopathies. Tau proteins can be secreted to the extracellular space and internalized into adjacent cells. The internalization of Tau is a complex but critical step in Tau propagation. This review summarizes the internalization pathways of Tau, including macropinocytosis, Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), lipid raft dependent endocytosis, Tunneling nanotubes dependent endocytosis (TNTs) and phagocytosis. The conformation of Tau fibrils and the types of recipient cell determine the internalization pathway. However, the HSPGs-dependent endocytosis seems to be the predominant pathway of Tau internalization. After internalization, Tau fibrils undergo clearance and seeding. Imbalance among Tau secretion, internalization and clearance may result in the propagation of misfolded Tau in the brain, thereby inducing Tauopathies. A better understanding of the internalization of Tau proteins may facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies to block the propagation of Tau pathology.
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17
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Nguyen PH, Ramamoorthy A, Sahoo BR, Zheng J, Faller P, Straub JE, Dominguez L, Shea JE, Dokholyan NV, De Simone A, Ma B, Nussinov R, Najafi S, Ngo ST, Loquet A, Chiricotto M, Ganguly P, McCarty J, Li MS, Hall C, Wang Y, Miller Y, Melchionna S, Habenstein B, Timr S, Chen J, Hnath B, Strodel B, Kayed R, Lesné S, Wei G, Sterpone F, Doig AJ, Derreumaux P. Amyloid Oligomers: A Joint Experimental/Computational Perspective on Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Type II Diabetes, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Chem Rev 2021; 121:2545-2647. [PMID: 33543942 PMCID: PMC8836097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 386] [Impact Index Per Article: 128.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation is observed in many amyloidogenic diseases affecting either the central nervous system or a variety of peripheral tissues. Structural and dynamic characterization of all species along the pathways from monomers to fibrils is challenging by experimental and computational means because they involve intrinsically disordered proteins in most diseases. Yet understanding how amyloid species become toxic is the challenge in developing a treatment for these diseases. Here we review what computer, in vitro, in vivo, and pharmacological experiments tell us about the accumulation and deposition of the oligomers of the (Aβ, tau), α-synuclein, IAPP, and superoxide dismutase 1 proteins, which have been the mainstream concept underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), type II diabetes (T2D), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, respectively, for many years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Biophysics and Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1055, United States
| | - Bikash R Sahoo
- Biophysics and Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1055, United States
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Peter Faller
- Institut de Chimie, UMR 7177, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - John E Straub
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Laura Dominguez
- Facultad de Química, Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Joan-Emma Shea
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Department of Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80138, Italy
| | - Buyong Ma
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
- Sackler Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Saeed Najafi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Son Tung Ngo
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Biophysics & Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Antoine Loquet
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, (UMR5248 CBMN), CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Mara Chiricotto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K
| | - Pritam Ganguly
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - James McCarty
- Chemistry Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225, United States
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute for Computational Science and Technology, SBI Building, Quang Trung Software City, Tan Chanh Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Carol Hall
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Yiming Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
| | - Yifat Miller
- Department of Chemistry and The Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel
| | | | - Birgit Habenstein
- Institute of Chemistry & Biology of Membranes & Nanoobjects, (UMR5248 CBMN), CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Stepan Timr
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Jiaxing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Brianna Hnath
- Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Birgit Strodel
- Institute of Complex Systems: Structural Biochemistry (ICS-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Sylvain Lesné
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Science, Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
| | - Andrew J Doig
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, UPR9080, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Theoretical Biochemistry, IBPC, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, PSL Research University, Paris 75005, France
- Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Ton Duc Thang University, 33000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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18
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Pampuscenko K, Morkuniene R, Krasauskas L, Smirnovas V, Tomita T, Borutaite V. Distinct Neurotoxic Effects of Extracellular Tau Species in Primary Neuronal-Glial Cultures. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:658-667. [PMID: 33001416 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02150-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent data from various experimental models support the link between extracellular tau and neurodegeneration; however, the exact mechanisms by which extracellular tau or its modified forms or aggregates cause neuronal death remain unclear. We have previously shown that exogenously applied monomers and oligomers of the longest tau isoform (2N4R) at micromolar concentrations induced microglial phagocytosis of stressed-but-viable neurons in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether extracellular phosphorylated tau2N4R (p-tau2N4R), isoform 1N4R (tau1N4R) and K18 peptide can induce neuronal death or loss in primary neuronal-glial cell cultures. We found that p-tau2N4R at 30 nM concentration induced loss of viable neurons; however, 700 nM p-tau2N4R caused necrosis of both neurons and microglia, and this neuronal death was partially glial cell-dependent. We also found that extracellular tau1N4R oligomers, but not monomers, at 3 μM concentration caused neuronal death in mixed cell cultures: self-assembly tau1N4R dimers-tetramers induced neuronal necrosis and apoptosis, whereas Aβ-promoted tau1N4R oligomers caused glial cell-dependent loss of neurons without signs of increased cell death. Monomeric and pre-aggregated tau peptide containing 4R repeats (K18) had no effect in mixed cultures, suggesting that tau neurotoxicity might be dependent on N-terminal part of the protein. Taken together, our results show that extracellular p-tau2N4R is the most toxic form among investigated tau species inducing loss of neurons at low nanomolar concentrations and that neurotoxicity of tau1N4R is dependent on its aggregation state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katryna Pampuscenko
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Ramune Morkuniene
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Lukas Krasauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vilmante Borutaite
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
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19
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Niewiadomska G, Niewiadomski W, Steczkowska M, Gasiorowska A. Tau Oligomers Neurotoxicity. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:28. [PMID: 33418848 PMCID: PMC7824853 DOI: 10.3390/life11010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the mechanisms of toxic activity of tau are not fully recognized, it is supposed that the tau toxicity is related rather not to insoluble tau aggregates but to its intermediate forms. It seems that neurofibrillar tangles (NFTs) themselves, despite being composed of toxic tau, are probably neither necessary nor sufficient for tau-induced neuronal dysfunction and toxicity. Tau oligomers (TauOs) formed during the early stages of tau aggregation are the pathological forms that play a key role in eliciting the loss of neurons and behavioral impairments in several neurodegenerative disorders called tauopathies. They can be found in tauopathic diseases, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease (AD). Evidence of co-occurrence of b-amyloid, α-synuclein, and tau into their most toxic forms, i.e., oligomers, suggests that these species interact and influence each other's aggregation in several tauopathies. The mechanism responsible for oligomeric tau neurotoxicity is a subject of intensive investigation. In this review, we summarize the most recent literature on the damaging effect of TauOs on the stability of the genome and the function of the nucleus, energy production and mitochondrial function, cell signaling and synaptic plasticity, the microtubule assembly, neuronal cytoskeleton and axonal transport, and the effectiveness of the protein degradation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazyna Niewiadomska
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wiktor Niewiadomski
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (W.N.); (M.S.); (A.G.)
| | - Marta Steczkowska
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (W.N.); (M.S.); (A.G.)
| | - Anna Gasiorowska
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (W.N.); (M.S.); (A.G.)
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20
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Lo CH, Sachs JN. The role of wild-type tau in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. JOURNAL OF LIFE SCIENCES (WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF.) 2020; 2:1-17. [PMID: 33665646 PMCID: PMC7929479 DOI: 10.36069/jols/20201201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Tau oligomers have recently emerged as the principal toxic species in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies. Tau oligomers are spontaneously self-assembled soluble tau proteins that are formed prior to fibrils, and they have been shown to play a central role in neuronal cell death and in the induction of neurodegeneration in animal models. As the therapeutic paradigm shifts to targeting toxic tau oligomers, this suggests the focus to study tau oligomerization in species that are less susceptible to fibrillization. While truncated and mutation containing tau as well as the isolated repeat domains are particularly prone to fibrillization, the wild-type (WT) tau proteins have been shown to be resistant to fibril formation in the absence of aggregation inducers. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the toxicity of WT tau both in vitro and in vivo, as well as its involvement in tau oligomerization and cell-to-cell propagation of pathology. Understanding the role of WT tau will enable more effective biomarker development and therapeutic discovery for treatment of AD and tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jonathan N. Sachs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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21
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Liu M, Sui D, Dexheimer T, Hovde S, Deng X, Wang KW, Lin HL, Chien HT, Kweon HK, Kuo NS, Ayoub CA, Jimenez-Harrison D, Andrews PC, Kwok R, Bochar DA, Kuret J, Fortin J, Tsay YG, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylation Renders Tau Prone to Aggregate and to Cause Cell Death. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4704-4719. [PMID: 32780352 PMCID: PMC7530023 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02034-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder without a cure or prevention to date. Hyperphosphorylated tau forms the neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) that correlate well with the progression of cognitive impairments. Animal studies demonstrated the pathogenic role of hyperphosphorylated tau. Understanding how abnormal phosphorylation renders a normal tau prone to form toxic fibrils is key to delineating molecular pathology and to developing efficacious drugs for AD. Production of a tau bearing the disease-relevant hyperphosphorylation and molecular characters is a pivotal step. Here, we report the preparation and characterization of a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) with strong relevance to disease. P-tau generated by the PIMAX approach resulted in phosphorylation at multiple epitopes linked to the progression of AD neuropathology. In stark contrast to unmodified tau that required an aggregation inducer, and which had minimal effects on cell functions, p-tau formed inducer-free fibrils that triggered a spike of mitochondrial superoxide, induced apoptosis, and caused cell death at sub-micromolar concentrations. P-tau-induced apoptosis was suppressed by inhibitors for reactive oxygen species. Hyperphosphorylation apparently caused rapid formation of a disease-related conformation. In both aggregation and cytotoxicity, p-tau exhibited seeding activities that converted the unmodified tau into a cytotoxic species with an increased propensity for fibrillization. These characters of p-tau are consistent with the emerging view that hyperphosphorylation causes tau to become an aggregation-prone and cytotoxic species that underlies diffusible pathology in AD and other tauopathies. Our results further suggest that p-tau affords a feasible tool for Alzheimer's disease mechanistic and drug discovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Dexin Sui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Thomas Dexheimer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Stacy Hovde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Kuang-Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hsin Lian Lin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Hsiao-Tien Chien
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Hye Kyong Kweon
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nora Sheen Kuo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christopher A Ayoub
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Daniela Jimenez-Harrison
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Philip C Andrews
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Roland Kwok
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Jeff Kuret
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jessica Fortin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yeou-Guang Tsay
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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22
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Liu M, Dexheimer T, Sui D, Hovde S, Deng X, Kwok R, Bochar DA, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated tau aggregation and cytotoxicity modulators screen identified prescription drugs linked to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive functions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16551. [PMID: 33024171 PMCID: PMC7539012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73680-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more than 30 million people worldwide. There is thus far no cure or prevention for AD. Aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain correlates with the cognitive decline of patients of AD and other neurodegenerative tauopathies. Intracerebral injection of tau aggregates isolated from tauopathy brains causes similar pathology in the recipient mice, demonstrating the pathogenic role of abnormally phosphorylated tau. Compounds controlling the aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau therefore are probable modulators for the disease. Here we report the use of recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) to identify potential tauopathy therapeutics and risk factors. Hyperphosphorylation renders tau prone to aggregate and to impair cell viability. Taking advantage of these two characters of p-tau, we performed a screen of a 1280-compound library, and tested a selective group of prescription drugs in p-tau aggregation and cytotoxicity assays. R-(-)-apomorphine and raloxifene were found to be p-tau aggregation inhibitors that protected p-tau-treated cells. In contrast, a subset of benzodiazepines exacerbated p-tau cytotoxicity apparently via enhancing p-tau aggregation. R-(-)apomorphine and raloxifene have been shown to improve cognition in animals or in humans, whereas benzodiazepines were linked to increased risks of dementia. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and potential of using hyperphosphorylated tau-based assays for AD drug discovery and risk factor identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Thomas Dexheimer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dexin Sui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Stacy Hovde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Roland Kwok
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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23
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Sun XY, Dong QX, Zhu J, Sun X, Zhang LF, Qiu M, Yu XL, Liu RT. Resveratrol Rescues Tau-Induced Cognitive Deficits and Neuropathology in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy. Curr Alzheimer Res 2020; 16:710-722. [PMID: 31368873 DOI: 10.2174/1567205016666190801153751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles assembled by the microtubuleassociated protein tau. Increasing evidence demonstrated that tau pathology played an important role in AD progression. Resveratrol (RSV) has previously proved to exert neuroprotective effect against AD by inhibiting Aβ generation and Aβ-induced neurocytotoxicity, while its effect on tau pathology is still unknown. METHODS The effect of RSV on tau aggregation was measured by Thioflavin T fluorescence and Transmission electron microscope imaging. The effect of RSV on tau oligomer-induced cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assay and the uptake of extracellular tau by N2a cells was determined by immunocytochemistry. 6-month-old male PS19 mice were treated with RSV or vehicle by oral administration (gavage) once a day for 5 weeks. The cognitive performance was determined using Morris water maze test, object recognition test and Y-maze test. The levels of phosphorylated-tau, gliosis, proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β, and synaptic proteins including synaptophysin and PSD95 in the brains of the mice were evaluated by immunoblotting, immunostaining and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS RSV significantly inhibited tau aggregation and tau oligomer-induced cytotoxicity, and blocked the uptake of extracellular tau oligomers by N2a cells. When applied to PS19 mice, RSV treatment effectively rescued cognitive deficits, reducing the levels of phosphorylated tau, neuroinflammation and synapse loss in the brains of mice. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that RSV has promising therapeutic potential for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Quan-Xiu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li-Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Mandy Qiu
- University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Xiao-Lin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Rui-Tian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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24
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Merezhko M, Uronen RL, Huttunen HJ. The Cell Biology of Tau Secretion. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:569818. [PMID: 33071756 PMCID: PMC7539664 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.569818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The progressive accumulation and spread of misfolded tau protein in the nervous system is the hallmark of tauopathies, progressive neurodegenerative diseases with only symptomatic treatments available. A growing body of evidence suggests that spreading of tau pathology can occur via cell-to-cell transfer involving secretion and internalization of pathological forms of tau protein followed by templated misfolding of normal tau in recipient cells. Several studies have addressed the cell biological mechanisms of tau secretion. It now appears that instead of a single mechanism, cells can secrete tau via three coexisting pathways: (1) translocation through the plasma membrane; (2) membranous organelles-based secretion; and (3) ectosomal shedding. The relative importance of these pathways in the secretion of normal and pathological tau is still elusive, though. Moreover, glial cells contribute to tau propagation, and the involvement of different cell types, as well as different secretion pathways, complicates the understanding of prion-like propagation of tauopathy. One of the important regulators of tau secretion in neuronal activity, but its mechanistic connection to tau secretion remains unclear and may involve all three secretion pathways of tau. This review article summarizes recent advancements in the field of tau secretion with an emphasis on cell biological aspects of the secretion process and discusses the role of neuronal activity and glial cells in the spread of pathological forms of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Merezhko
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Henri J Huttunen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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25
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Significance of Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease: Sensitivity, Specificity and Potential for Clinical Use. J Pers Med 2020; 10:jpm10030116. [PMID: 32911755 PMCID: PMC7565390 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10030116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, affecting more than 5 million Americans, with steadily increasing mortality and incredible socio-economic burden. Not only have therapeutic efforts so far failed to reach significant efficacy, but the real pathogenesis of the disease is still obscure. The current theories are based on pathological findings of amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles that accumulate in the brain parenchyma of affected patients. These findings have defined, together with the extensive neurodegeneration, the diagnostic criteria of the disease. The ability to detect changes in the levels of amyloid and tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) first, and more recently in blood, has allowed us to use these biomarkers for the specific in-vivo diagnosis of AD in humans. Furthermore, other pathological elements of AD, such as the loss of neurons, inflammation and metabolic derangement, have translated to the definition of other CSF and blood biomarkers, which are not specific of the disease but, when combined with amyloid and tau, correlate with the progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD dementia, or identify patients who will develop AD pathology. In this review, we discuss the role of current and hypothetical biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, their specificity, and the caveats of current high-sensitivity platforms for their peripheral detection.
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26
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d'Errico P, Meyer-Luehmann M. Mechanisms of Pathogenic Tau and Aβ Protein Spreading in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:265. [PMID: 33061903 PMCID: PMC7481386 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is pathologically defined by extracellular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides generated by the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP), strings of hyperphosphorylated Tau proteins accumulating inside neurons known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and neuronal loss. The association between the two hallmarks and cognitive decline has been known since the beginning of the 20th century when the first description of the disease was carried out by Alois Alzheimer. Today, more than 40 million people worldwide are affected by AD that represents the most common cause of dementia and there is still no effective treatment available to cure the disease. In general, the aggregation of Aβ is considered an essential trigger in AD pathogenesis that gives rise to NFTs, neuronal dysfunction and dementia. During the process leading to AD, tau and Aβ first misfold and form aggregates in one brain region, from where they spread to interconnected areas of the brain thereby inducing its gradual morphological and functional deterioration. In this mini-review article, we present an overview of the current literature on the spreading mechanisms of Aβ and tau pathology in AD since a more profound understanding is necessary to design therapeutic approaches aimed at preventing or halting disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo d'Errico
- Department of Neurology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Meyer-Luehmann
- Department of Neurology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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27
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Hill E, Wall MJ, Moffat KG, Karikari TK. Understanding the Pathophysiological Actions of Tau Oligomers: A Critical Review of Current Electrophysiological Approaches. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:155. [PMID: 32973448 PMCID: PMC7468384 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a predominantly neuronal protein that is normally bound to microtubules, where it acts to modulate neuronal and axonal stability. In humans, pathological forms of tau are implicated in a range of diseases that are collectively known as tauopathies. Kinases and phosphatases are responsible for maintaining the correct balance of tau phosphorylation to enable axons to be both stable and labile enough to function properly. In the early stages of tauopathies, this balance is interrupted leading to dissociation of tau from microtubules. This leaves microtubules prone to damage and phosphorylated tau prone to aggregation. Initially, phosphorylated tau forms oligomers, then fibrils, and ultimately neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). It is widely accepted that the initial soluble oligomeric forms of tau are probably the most pathologically relevant species but there is relatively little quantitative information to explain exactly what their toxic effects are at the individual neuron level. Electrophysiology provides a valuable tool to help uncover the mechanisms of action of tau oligomers on synaptic transmission within single neurons. Understanding the concentration-, time-, and neuronal compartment-dependent actions of soluble tau oligomers on neuronal and synaptic properties are essential to understanding how best to counteract its effects and to develop effective treatment strategies. Here, we briefly discuss the standard approaches used to elucidate these actions, focusing on the advantages and shortcomings of the experimental procedures. Subsequently, we will describe a new approach that addresses specific challenges with the current methods, thus allowing real-time toxicity evaluation at the single-neuron level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J Wall
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin G Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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28
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Muralidar S, Ambi SV, Sekaran S, Thirumalai D, Palaniappan B. Role of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease: The prime pathological player. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 163:1599-1617. [PMID: 32784025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.07.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalently found tauopathy characterized by memory loss and cognitive insufficiency. AD is an age-related neurodegenerative disease with two major hallmarks which includes extracellular amyloid plaques made of amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau. With population aging worldwide, there is an indispensable need for treatment strategies that can potentially manage this developing dementia. Despite broad researches on targeting Aβ in the past two decades, research findings on Aβ targeted therapeutics failed to prove efficacy in the treatment of AD. Tau protein with its extensive pathological role in several neurodegenerative diseases can be considered as a promising target candidate for developing therapeutic interventions. The abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau plays detrimental pathological functions which ultimately lead to neurodegeneration. This review will divulge the importance of tau in AD pathogenesis, the interplay of Aβ and tau, the pathological functions of tau, and potential therapeutic strategies for an effective management of neuronal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibi Muralidar
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Senthil Visaga Ambi
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Saravanan Sekaran
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India; Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Diraviyam Thirumalai
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Balamurugan Palaniappan
- School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed-to-be-University, Thanjavur 613401, Tamil Nadu, India
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29
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Ke PC, Zhou R, Serpell LC, Riek R, Knowles TPJ, Lashuel HA, Gazit E, Hamley IW, Davis TP, Fändrich M, Otzen DE, Chapman MR, Dobson CM, Eisenberg DS, Mezzenga R. Half a century of amyloids: past, present and future. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:5473-5509. [PMID: 32632432 PMCID: PMC7445747 DOI: 10.1039/c9cs00199a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 304] [Impact Index Per Article: 76.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid diseases are global epidemics with profound health, social and economic implications and yet remain without a cure. This dire situation calls for research into the origin and pathological manifestations of amyloidosis to stimulate continued development of new therapeutics. In basic science and engineering, the cross-β architecture has been a constant thread underlying the structural characteristics of pathological and functional amyloids, and realizing that amyloid structures can be both pathological and functional in nature has fuelled innovations in artificial amyloids, whose use today ranges from water purification to 3D printing. At the conclusion of a half century since Eanes and Glenner's seminal study of amyloids in humans, this review commemorates the occasion by documenting the major milestones in amyloid research to date, from the perspectives of structural biology, biophysics, medicine, microbiology, engineering and nanotechnology. We also discuss new challenges and opportunities to drive this interdisciplinary field moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Chun Ke
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 111 Yixueyuan Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Roland Riek
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hilal A. Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Neuroproteomics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ian W. Hamley
- School of Chemistry, Food Biosciences and Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, UK
| | - Thomas P. Davis
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Marcus Fändrich
- Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Center for Insoluble Protein Structures (inSPIN), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Matthew R. Chapman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Centre for Microbial Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048, USA
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - David S. Eisenberg
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department of Health Science & Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, LFO, E23, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang Pauli Strasse 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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30
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Puangmalai N, Bhatt N, Montalbano M, Sengupta U, Gaikwad S, Ventura F, McAllen S, Ellsworth A, Garcia S, Kayed R. Internalization mechanisms of brain-derived tau oligomers from patients with Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and dementia with Lewy bodies. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:314. [PMID: 32366836 PMCID: PMC7198578 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2503-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Tau aggregates propagate in brain cells and transmit to neighboring cells as well as anatomically connected brain regions by prion-like mechanisms. Soluble tau aggregates (tau oligomers) are the most toxic species that initiate neurodegeneration in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Exogenous tau aggregates have been shown to be internalized by brain cells; however, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the internalization of tau oligomers (TauO) remain elusive. Using brain-derived tau oligomers (BDTOs) from AD, PSP, and DLB patients, we investigated neuronal internalization mechanisms of BDTOs, including the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-mediated pathway, clathrin-mediated pathway, and caveolae-mediated pathway. Here, we demonstrated that the HSPG-mediated pathway regulates internalization of BDTOs from AD and DLB, while HSPG-mediated and other alternative pathways are involved in the internalization of PSP-derived tau oligomers. HSPG antagonism significantly reduced the internalization of TauO, prevented tau translocation to the endosomal-lysosomal system, and decreased levels of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons, the well-known contributor for neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) accumulation, degeneration of neurons, and cognitive decline. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated silencing of heparan sulfate (HS)-synthesizing enzyme, exostosin-2, leads to decreased internalization of BDTOs, prevented tau-induced autophagy-lysosomal pathway impairment, and decreased hyperphosphorylated tau levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that HSPG-mediated endocytosis and exostsin-2 are involved in neuronal internalization of TauO and subsequent tau-dependent neuropathology in AD and DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Mauro Montalbano
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Sagar Gaikwad
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Frank Ventura
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Salome McAllen
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Anna Ellsworth
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Stephanie Garcia
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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31
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Brunello CA, Merezhko M, Uronen RL, Huttunen HJ. Mechanisms of secretion and spreading of pathological tau protein. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:1721-1744. [PMID: 31667556 PMCID: PMC7190606 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03349-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of misfolded and aggregated forms of tau protein in the brain is a neuropathological hallmark of tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Tau aggregates have the ability to transfer from one cell to another and to induce templated misfolding and aggregation of healthy tau molecules in previously healthy cells, thereby propagating tau pathology across different brain areas in a prion-like manner. The molecular mechanisms involved in cell-to-cell transfer of tau aggregates are diverse, not mutually exclusive and only partially understood. Intracellular accumulation of misfolded tau induces several mechanisms that aim to reduce the cellular burden of aggregated proteins and also promote secretion of tau aggregates. However, tau may also be released from cells physiologically unrelated to protein aggregation. Tau secretion involves multiple vesicular and non-vesicle-mediated pathways, including secretion directly through the plasma membrane. Consequently, extracellular tau can be found in various forms, both as a free protein and in vesicles, such as exosomes and ectosomes. Once in the extracellular space, tau aggregates can be internalized by neighboring cells, both neurons and glial cells, via endocytic, pinocytic and phagocytic mechanisms. Importantly, accumulating evidence suggests that prion-like propagation of misfolding protein pathology could provide a general mechanism for disease progression in tauopathies and other related neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review the recent literature on cellular mechanisms involved in cell-to-cell transfer of tau, with a particular focus in tau secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A Brunello
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Merezhko
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka-Liisa Uronen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henri J Huttunen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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32
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Karikari TK, Thomas R, Moffat KG. The C291R Tau Variant Forms Different Types of Protofibrils. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:39. [PMID: 32256313 PMCID: PMC7093375 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the MAPT gene can lead to disease-associated variants of tau. However, the pathological mechanisms behind these genetic tauopathies are poorly understood. Here, we characterized the aggregation stages and conformational changes of tau C291R, a recently described MAPT mutation with potential pathogenic functions. The C291R variant of the tau four-repeat domain (tau-K18; a functional fragment with increased aggregation propensity compared with the full-length protein), aggregated into a mix of granular oligomers, amorphous and annular pore-like aggregates, in native-state and heparin-treated reactions as observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and negative-stained electron microscopy. On extended incubation in the native-state, tau-K18 C291R oligomers, unlike wild type (WT) tau-K18, aggregated to form protofibrils of four different phenotypes: (1) spherical annular; (2) spherical annular encapsulating granular oligomers; (3) ring-like annular but non-spherical; and (4) linear protofibrils. The ring-like tau-K18 C291R aggregates shared key properties of annular protofibrils previously described for other amyloidogenic proteins, in addition to two unique features: irregular/non-spherical-shaped annular protofibrils, and spherical protofibrils encapsulating granular oligomers. Tau-K18 C291R monomers had a circular dichroism (CD) peak at ~210 nm compared with ~199 nm for tau-K18 WT. These data suggest mutation-enhanced β-sheet propensity. Together, we describe the characterization of tau-K18 C291R, the first genetic mutation substituting a cysteine residue. The aggregation mechanism of tau-K18 C291R appears to involve β-sheet-rich granular oligomers which rearrange to form unique protofibrillar structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Karikari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Rachel Thomas
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin G Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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33
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Ono K, Tsuji M. Protofibrils of Amyloid-β are Important Targets of a Disease-Modifying Approach for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21030952. [PMID: 32023927 PMCID: PMC7037706 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by unique pathological hallmarks in the brain, including plaques composed of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein. Genetic studies, biochemical data, and animal models have suggested that Aβ is responsible for the pathogenesis of AD (i.e., the amyloid hypothesis). Indeed, Aβ molecules tend to aggregate, forming oligomers, protofibrils, and mature fibrils. However, while these Aβ species form amyloid plaques of the type implicated in AD neurodegeneration, recent clinical trials designed to reduce the production of Aβ and/or the plaque burden have not demonstrated clinical efficacy. In addition, recent studies using synthetic Aβ peptides, cell culture models, Arctic transgenic mice, and human samples of AD brain tissues have suggested that the pre-fibrillar forms of Aβ, particularly Aβ protofibrils, may be the most critical species, compared with extracellular fibrillar forms. We recently reported that protofibrils of Aβ1-42 disturbed membrane integrity by inducing reactive oxygen species generation and lipid peroxidation, resulting in decreased membrane fluidity, intracellular calcium dysregulation, depolarization, and synaptic toxicity. Therefore, the therapeutic reduction of protofibrils may prevent the progression of AD by ameliorating neuronal damage and cognitive dysfunction through multiple mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenjiro Ono
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Neurology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo 142-8666, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-3784-8710
| | - Mayumi Tsuji
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo 142-8666, Japan;
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Merezhko M, Brunello CA, Yan X, Vihinen H, Jokitalo E, Uronen RL, Huttunen HJ. Secretion of Tau via an Unconventional Non-vesicular Mechanism. Cell Rep 2019; 25:2027-2035.e4. [PMID: 30463001 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.10.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are characterized by cerebral accumulation of Tau protein aggregates that appear to spread throughout the brain via a cell-to-cell transmission process that includes secretion and uptake of pathological Tau, followed by templated misfolding of normal Tau in recipient cells. Here, we show that phosphorylated, oligomeric Tau clusters at the plasma membrane in N2A cells and is secreted in vesicle-free form in an unconventional process sensitive to changes in membrane properties, particularly cholesterol and sphingomyelin content. Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans support Tau secretion, possibly by facilitating its release after membrane penetration. Notably, secretion of endogenous Tau from primary cortical neurons is mediated, at least partially, by a similar mechanism. We suggest that Tau is released from cells by an unconventional secretory mechanism that involves its phosphorylation and oligomerization and that membrane interaction may help Tau to acquire properties that allow its escape from cells directly through the plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Merezhko
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Cecilia A Brunello
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xu Yan
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Vihinen
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eija Jokitalo
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka-Liisa Uronen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henri J Huttunen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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Camilleri A, Ghio S, Caruana M, Weckbecker D, Schmidt F, Kamp F, Leonov A, Ryazanov S, Griesinger C, Giese A, Cauchi RJ, Vassallo N. Tau-induced mitochondrial membrane perturbation is dependent upon cardiolipin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2019; 1862:183064. [PMID: 31521630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2019.183064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregate formation by the tau protein has been closely related with neurotoxicity in a large group of human neurodegenerative disorders, which includes Alzheimer's disease. Here, we investigate the membrane-active properties of tau oligomers on mitochondrial membranes, using minimalist in vitro model systems. Thus, exposure of isolated mitochondria to oligomeric tau evoked a disruption of mitochondrial membrane integrity, as evidenced by a combination of organelle swelling, efflux of cytochrome c and loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Tau-induced mitochondrial dysfunction occurred independently of the mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) pore complex. Notably, mitochondria were rescued by pre-incubation with 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO), a molecule that specifically binds cardiolipin (CL), the signature phospholipid of mitochondrial membranes. Additionally, NAO prevented direct binding of tau oligomers to isolated mitochondria. At the same time, tau proteins exhibited high affinity to CL-enriched membranes, whilst permeabilisation of lipid vesicles also strongly correlated with CL content. Intriguingly, using single-channel electrophysiology, we could demonstrate the formation of non-selective ion-conducting tau nanopores exhibiting multilevel conductances in mito-mimetic bilayers. Taken together, the data presented here advances a scenario in which toxic cytosolic entities of tau protein would target mitochondrial organelles by associating with their CL-rich membrane domains, leading to membrane poration and compromised mitochondrial structural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique Camilleri
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Stephanie Ghio
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Mario Caruana
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | | | - Felix Schmidt
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Frits Kamp
- Biomedical Center-BMC, Metabolic Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrei Leonov
- MODAG GmbH, Wendelsheim, Germany; Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sergey Ryazanov
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Ruben J Cauchi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
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Naseri NN, Wang H, Guo J, Sharma M, Luo W. The complexity of tau in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett 2019; 705:183-194. [PMID: 31028844 PMCID: PMC7060758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by two major pathological lesions in the brain, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and hyperphosphorylated tau, respectively. Although accumulation of toxic Aβ species in the brain has been proposed as one of the important early events in AD, continued lack of success of clinical trials based on Aβ-targeting drugs has triggered the field to seek out alternative disease mechanisms and related therapeutic strategies. One of the new approaches is to uncover novel roles of pathological tau during disease progression. This review will primarily focus on recent advances in understanding the contributions of tau to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima N Naseri
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Hong Wang
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Jennifer Guo
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Manu Sharma
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Wenjie Luo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
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37
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Overk C, Masliah E. Dale Schenk One Year Anniversary: Fighting to Preserve the Memories. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 62:1-13. [PMID: 29439357 DOI: 10.3233/jad-171071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
It has been a year since we lost Dale Schenk on September 30, 2016. Dale's visionary work resulted in the remarkable discovery in 1999 that an experimental amyloid-β (Aβ) vaccine reduced the neurodegeneration in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Following Dale's seminal work, several active and passive immunotherapies have since been developed and tested in the clinic for AD, Parkinson's disease (PD), and other neurodegenerative disorders. Here we provide a brief overview of the current state of development of immunotherapy for AD, PD, and other neurodegenerative disorders in the context of this anniversary. The next steps in the development of immunotherapies will require combinatorial approaches mixing antibodies against various targets (e.g., Aβ, α-syn, Tau, and TDP43) with small molecules that block toxicity, aggregation, inflammation, and promote cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassia Overk
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Division of Neurosciences and Molecular Neuropathology Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Demaegd K, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. Transcellular Spreading of Tau in Tauopathies. Chembiochem 2018; 19:2424-2432. [PMID: 30133080 PMCID: PMC6391987 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Tau, a microtubule-associated protein playing a key role in a group of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, spreads throughout the brain, inducing pathology. A model akin to the spreading of prions has been raised owing to similar characteristics of inducing an abnormal protein conformation as a method of self-amplification, spreading protein aggregates over anatomically linked pathways. The search to identify the "seeds" that induce conformational change has received much attention; however, less is known about the mechanisms by which tau is transmitted from cell to cell, so-called "transcellular spreading". In this review, we gather evidence regarding the spreading of tau throughout the brain and provide an overview of methods by which tau can be released from neurons as well as taken up. Furthermore, we bring together mechanisms of neurotoxicity behind tau spreading. Advancing our understanding about the spreading of tau can guide the search for therapeutic options for multiple neurodegenerative diseases aggregating tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Demaegd
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch LaboratoryDepartment of Cellular and Molecular MedicineKULeuvenHerestraat 49Box 802Room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
- Switch LaboratoryVIB Center for Brain and Disease ResearchHerestraat 49, box 802, room 08.6833000LeuvenBelgium
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39
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Press-Sandler O, Miller Y. Molecular mechanisms of membrane-associated amyloid aggregation: Computational perspective and challenges. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018; 1860:1889-1905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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40
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Prion-Like Propagation of Post-Translationally Modified Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Hypothesis. J Mol Neurosci 2018; 65:480-490. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-018-1111-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Pathologically, AD is characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, with associated loss of synapses and neurons, resulting in cognitive deficits and eventually dementia. Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and tau protein are the primary components of the plaques and tangles, respectively. In the decades since Aβ and tau were identified, development of therapies for AD has primarily focused on Aβ, but tau has received more attention in recent years, in part because of the failure of various Aβ-targeting treatments in clinical trials. In this article, we review the current status of tau-targeting therapies for AD. Initially, potential anti-tau therapies were based mainly on inhibition of kinases or tau aggregation, or on stabilization of microtubules, but most of these approaches have been discontinued because of toxicity and/or lack of efficacy. Currently, the majority of tau-targeting therapies in clinical trials are immunotherapies, which have shown promise in numerous preclinical studies. Given that tau pathology correlates better with cognitive impairments than do Aβ lesions, targeting of tau is expected to be more effective than Aβ clearance once the clinical symptoms are evident. With future improvements in diagnostics, these two hallmarks of the disease might be targeted prophylactically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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42
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Therefore, finding effective interventions and therapies is extremely important. AD is one of over 20 different disorders known as tauopathies, characterized by the pathological aggregation and accumulation of tau, a microtubule-associated protein. Tau aggregates are heterogeneous and can be divided into two major groups: large metastable fibrils, including neurofibrillary tangles, and oligomers. The smaller, soluble and dynamic tau oligomers have been shown to be more toxic with more proficient seeding properties for the propagation of tau pathology as compared to the fibrillar Paired Helical Filaments (PHFs). Therefore, developing small molecules that target and interact with toxic tau oligomers can be beneficial to modulate their aggregation pathways and toxicity, preventing progression of the pathology. In this study, we show that Azure C (AC) is capable of modulating tau oligomer aggregation pathways at micromolar concentrations and rescues tau oligomers-induced toxicity in cell culture. We used both biochemical and biophysical in vitro techniques to characterize preformed tau oligomers in the presence and absence of AC. Interestingly, AC prevents toxicity not by disassembling the oligomers but rather by converting them into clusters of aggregates with nontoxic conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippa Lo Cascio
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
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43
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Lee JH, Jahrling JB, Denner L, Dineley KT. Targeting Insulin for Alzheimer’s Disease: Mechanisms, Status and Potential Directions. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 64:S427-S453. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-179923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hyun Lee
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jordan B. Jahrling
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Larry Denner
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kelly T. Dineley
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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44
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Bittar A, Sengupta U, Kayed R. Prospects for strain-specific immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies. NPJ Vaccines 2018; 3:9. [PMID: 29507776 PMCID: PMC5829136 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-018-0046-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing age, as the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is increasing, finding a therapeutic intervention is becoming critically important to either prevent or slow down the progression of the disease. Passive immunotherapy has been demonstrated as a successful way of reducing large aggregates and improving cognition in animal models of both tauopathies and Alzheimer's disease. However, with all the continuous attempts and significant success of immunotherapy in preclinical studies, finding a successful clinical therapy has been a great challenge, possibly indicating a lack of accuracy in targeting the toxic species. Both active and passive immunotherapy approaches in transgenic animals have been demonstrated to have pros and cons. Passive immunotherapy has been favored and many mechanisms have been shown to clear toxic amyloid and tau aggregates and improve memory. These mechanisms may differ depending on the antibodie's' target and administration route. In this regard, deciding on affinity vs. specificity of the antibodies plays a significant role in terms of avoiding the clearance of the physiological forms of the targeted proteins and reducing adverse side effects. In addition, knowing that a single protein can exist in different conformational states, termed as strains, with varying degrees of neurotoxicity and seeding properties, presents an additional level of complexity. Therefore, immunotherapy targeting specifically the toxic strains will aid in developing potential strategies for intervention. Moreover, an approach of combinatorial immunotherapies against different amyloidogenic proteins, at distinct levels of the disease progression, might offer an effective therapy in many neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bittar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555 USA
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Piacentini R, Puma DDL, Mainardi M, Lazzarino G, Tavazzi B, Arancio O, Grassi C. Reduced gliotransmitter release from astrocytes mediates tau-induced synaptic dysfunction in cultured hippocampal neurons. Glia 2017; 65:1302-1316. [PMID: 28519902 PMCID: PMC5520670 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein exerting several physiological functions in neurons. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) misfolded tau accumulates intraneuronally and leads to axonal degeneration. However, tau has also been found in the extracellular medium. Recent studies indicated that extracellular tau uploaded from neurons causes synaptic dysfunction and contributes to tau pathology propagation. Here we report novel evidence that extracellular tau oligomers are abundantly and rapidly accumulated in astrocytes where they disrupt intracellular Ca2+ signaling and Ca2+ -dependent release of gliotransmitters, especially ATP. Consequently, synaptic vesicle release, the expression of pre- and postsynaptic proteins, and mEPSC frequency and amplitude were reduced in neighboring neurons. Notably, we found that tau uploading from astrocytes required the amyloid precursor protein, APP. Collectively, our findings suggests that astrocytes play a critical role in the synaptotoxic effects of tau via reduced gliotransmitter availability, and that astrocytes are major determinants of tau pathology in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Piacentini
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenica Donatella Li Puma
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Mainardi
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Lazzarino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Tavazzi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Ottavio Arancio
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, 630 W 168th St., NY 10032 USA
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
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Shafiei SS, Guerrero-Muñoz MJ, Castillo-Carranza DL. Tau Oligomers: Cytotoxicity, Propagation, and Mitochondrial Damage. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:83. [PMID: 28420982 PMCID: PMC5378766 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging has long been considered as the main risk factor for several neurodegenerative disorders including a large group of diseases known as tauopathies. Even though neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) have been examined as the main histopathological hallmark, they do not seem to play a role as the toxic entities leading to disease. Recent studies suggest that an intermediate form of tau, prior to NFT formation, the tau oligomer, is the true toxic species. However, the mechanisms by which tau oligomers trigger neurodegeneration remain unknown. This review summarizes recent findings regarding the role of tau oligomers in disease, including release from cells, propagation from affected to unaffected brain regions, uptake into cells, and toxicity via mitochondrial dysfunction. A greater understanding of tauopathies may lead to future advancements in regards to prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott S Shafiei
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
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47
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Nilson AN, English KC, Gerson JE, Barton Whittle T, Nicolas Crain C, Xue J, Sengupta U, Castillo-Carranza DL, Zhang W, Gupta P, Kayed R. Tau Oligomers Associate with Inflammation in the Brain and Retina of Tauopathy Mice and in Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Alzheimers Dis 2017; 55:1083-1099. [PMID: 27716675 PMCID: PMC5147514 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
It is well-established that inflammation plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD). Inflammation and synapse loss occur in disease prior to the formation of larger aggregates, but the contribution of tau to inflammation has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Tau pathologically aggregates to form large fibrillar structures known as tangles. However, evidence suggests that smaller soluble aggregates, called oligomers, are the most toxic species and form prior to tangles. Furthermore, tau oligomers can spread to neighboring cells and between anatomically connected brain regions. In addition, recent evidence suggests that inspecting the retina may be a window to brain pathology. We hypothesized that there is a relationship between tau oligomers and inflammation, which are hallmarks of early disease. We conducted immunofluorescence and biochemical analyses on tauopathy mice, FTLD, and AD subjects. We showed that oligomers co-localize with astrocytes, microglia, and HMGB1, a pro-inflammatory cytokine. Additionally, we show that tau oligomers are present in the retina and are associated with inflammatory cells suggesting that the retina may be a valid non-invasive biomarker for brain pathology. These results suggest that there may be a toxic relationship between tau oligomers and inflammation. Therefore, the ability of tau oligomers to spread may initiate a feed-forward cycle in which tau oligomers induce inflammation, leading to neuronal damage, and thus more inflammation. Further mechanistic studies are warranted in order to understand this relationship, which may have critical implications for improving the treatment of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N. Nilson
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kelsey C. English
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Julia E. Gerson
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - T. Barton Whittle
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - C. Nicolas Crain
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Judy Xue
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Diana L. Castillo-Carranza
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Praveena Gupta
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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48
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Pires RH, Saraiva MJ, Damas AM, Kellermayer MSZ. Force spectroscopy reveals the presence of structurally modified dimers in transthyretin amyloid annular oligomers. J Mol Recognit 2016; 30. [PMID: 27808434 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxicity in amyloidogenic protein misfolding disorders is thought to involve intermediate states of aggregation associated with the formation of amyloid fibrils. Despite their relevance, the heterogeneity and transience of these oligomers have placed great barriers in our understanding of their structural properties. Among amyloid intermediates, annular oligomers or annular protofibrils have raised considerable interest because they may contribute to a mechanism of cellular toxicity via membrane permeation. Here we investigated, by using AFM force spectroscopy, the structural detail of amyloid annular oligomers from transthyretin (TTR), a protein involved in systemic and neurodegenerative amyloidogenic disorders. Manipulation was performed in situ, in the absence of molecular handles and using persistence length-fit values to select relevant curves. Force curves reveal the presence of dimers in TTR annular oligomers that unfold via a series of structural intermediates. This is in contrast with the manipulation of native TTR that was more often manipulated over length scales compatible with a TTR monomer and without unfolding intermediates. Imaging and force spectroscopy data suggest that dimers are formed by the assembly of monomers in a head-to-head orientation with a nonnative interface along their β-strands. Furthermore, these dimers stack through nonnative contacts that may enhance the stability of the misfolded structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo H Pires
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Saraiva
- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana M Damas
- Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miklós S Z Kellermayer
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-SE Molecular Biophysics Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
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49
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Gerson JE, Mudher A, Kayed R. Potential mechanisms and implications for the formation of tau oligomeric strains. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 51:482-496. [PMID: 27650389 PMCID: PMC5285467 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2016.1226251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The culmination of many years of increasing research into the toxicity of tau aggregation in neurodegenerative disease has led to the consensus that soluble, oligomeric forms of tau are likely the most toxic entities in disease. While tauopathies overlap in the presence of tau pathology, each disease has a unique combination of symptoms and pathological features; however, most study into tau has grouped tau oligomers and studied them as a homogenous population. Established evidence from the prion field combined with the most recent tau and amyloidogenic protein research suggests that tau is a prion-like protein, capable of seeding the spread of pathology throughout the brain. Thus, it is likely that tau may also form prion-like strains or diverse conformational structures that may differ by disease and underlie some of the differences in symptoms and pathology in neurodegenerative tauopathies. The development of techniques and new technology for the detection of tau oligomeric strains may, therefore, lead to more efficacious diagnostic and treatment strategies for neurodegenerative disease. [Formula: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E. Gerson
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1045, USA
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1045, USA
| | - Amrit Mudher
- Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Rakez Kayed
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1045, USA
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1045, USA
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50
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Gerson J, Castillo-Carranza DL, Sengupta U, Bodani R, Prough DS, DeWitt DS, Hawkins BE, Kayed R. Tau Oligomers Derived from Traumatic Brain Injury Cause Cognitive Impairment and Accelerate Onset of Pathology in Htau Mice. J Neurotrauma 2016; 33:2034-2043. [PMID: 26729399 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.4262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregation is a pathological feature of numerous neurodegenerative disorders and has also been shown to occur under certain conditions of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Currently, no effective treatments exist for the long-term effects of TBI. In some cases, TBI not only induces cognitive changes immediately post-injury, but also leads to increased incidence of neurodegeneration later in life. Growing evidence from our lab and others suggests that the oligomeric forms of tau initiate the onset and spread of neurodegenerative tauopathies. Previously, we have shown increased levels of brain-derived tau oligomers in autopsy samples from patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. We have also shown similar increases in tau oligomers in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases and TBI. In the current study, we evaluated the presence of tau oligomers in blast-induced TBI. To test the direct impact of TBI-derived tau oligomer toxicity, we isolated tau oligomers from brains of rats that underwent either a blast- or a fluid percussion injury-induced TBI. Oligomers were characterized biochemically and morphologically and were then injected into hippocampi of mice overexpressing human tau (Htau). Mice were cognitively evaluated and brains were collected for immunological analysis after testing. We found that tau oligomers form as a result of brain injury in two different models of TBI. Additionally, these oligomers accelerated onset of cognitive deficits when injected into brains of Htau mice. Tau oligomer levels increased in the hippocampal injection sites and cerebellum, suggesting that tau oligomers may be responsible for seeding the spread of pathology post-TBI. Our results suggest that tau oligomers play an important role in the toxicity underlying TBI and may be a viable therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Gerson
- 1 Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,2 Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Diana L Castillo-Carranza
- 1 Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,2 Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- 1 Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,2 Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Riddhi Bodani
- 1 Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,2 Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Donald S Prough
- 3 Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,5 Moody Project for Translational Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Douglas S DeWitt
- 3 Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,5 Moody Project for Translational Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Bridget E Hawkins
- 3 Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,4 Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,5 Moody Project for Translational Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
| | - Rakez Kayed
- 1 Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,2 Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,4 Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas.,5 Moody Project for Translational Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, Texas
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