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Perbet R, Mate de Gerando A, Glynn C, Donahue C, Gaona A, Taddei RN, Gomez-Isla T, Lathuiliere A, Hyman BT. In situ seeding assay: A novel technique for direct tissue localization of bioactive tau. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:870-881. [PMID: 38917443 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins exhibiting prion-like properties are implicated in tauopathies. The prion-like traits of tau influence disease progression and correlate with severity. Techniques to measure tau bioactivity such as RT-QuIC and biosensor cells lack spatial specificity. Therefore, we developed a histological probe aimed at detecting and localizing bioactive tau in situ. We first induced the recruitment of a tagged probe by bioactive Tau in human brain tissue slices using biosensor cell lysates containing a fluorescent probe. We then enhanced sensitivity and flexibility by designing a recombinant probe with a myc tag. The probe design aimed to replicate the recruitment process seen in prion-like mechanisms based on the cryo-EM structure of tau aggregates in Alzheimer disease (AD). Using this novel probe, we observed selective staining of misfolded tau in pre- and post-synaptic structures within neurofibrillary tangles and neurites, whether or not associated with neuritic plaques. The probe specifically targeted AD-associated bioactive tau and did not recognize bioactive tau from other neurodegenerative diseases. Electron microscopy and immunolabeling further confirmed the identification of fibrillar and non-fibrillar tau. Finally, we established a correlation between quantifying bioactive tau using this technique and gold standard biosensor cells. This technique presents a robust approach for detecting bioactive tau in AD tissues and has potential applications for deciphering mechanisms of tau propagation and degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Perbet
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Calina Glynn
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Structural Biology, Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Angelica Gaona
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Raquel N Taddei
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Gomez-Isla
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
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2
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Miller LVC, Papa G, Vaysburd M, Cheng S, Sweeney PW, Smith A, Franco C, Katsinelos T, Huang M, Sanford SAI, Benn J, Farnsworth J, Higginson K, Joyner H, McEwan WA, James LC. Co-opting templated aggregation to degrade pathogenic tau assemblies and improve motor function. Cell 2024:S0092-8674(24)00912-7. [PMID: 39276772 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregation causes a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. Targeting and removing aggregates, but not the functional protein, is a considerable therapeutic challenge. Here, we describe a therapeutic strategy called "RING-Bait," which employs an aggregating protein sequence combined with an E3 ubiquitin ligase. RING-Bait is recruited into aggregates, whereupon clustering dimerizes the RING domain and activates its E3 function, resulting in the degradation of the aggregate complex. We exemplify this concept by demonstrating the specific degradation of tau aggregates while sparing soluble tau. Unlike immunotherapy, RING-Bait is effective against both seeded and cell-autonomous aggregation. RING-Bait removed tau aggregates seeded from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) brain extracts and was also effective in primary neurons. We used a brain-penetrant adeno-associated virus (AAV) to treat P301S tau transgenic mice, reducing tau pathology and improving motor function. A RING-Bait strategy could be applied to other neurodegenerative proteinopathies by replacing the Bait sequence to match the target aggregate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren V C Miller
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK; MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
| | - Guido Papa
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
| | - Marina Vaysburd
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Shi Cheng
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK; GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint Laboratory for Cell Fate, Regulation and Diseases, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Paul W Sweeney
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Annabel Smith
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Catarina Franco
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Taxiarchis Katsinelos
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Melissa Huang
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Sophie A I Sanford
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Jonathan Benn
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Jasmine Farnsworth
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Katie Higginson
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Holly Joyner
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - William A McEwan
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK.
| | - Leo C James
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
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3
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Sun Z, Kwon JS, Ren Y, Chen S, Walker CK, Lu X, Cates K, Karahan H, Sviben S, Fitzpatrick JAJ, Valdez C, Houlden H, Karch CM, Bateman RJ, Sato C, Mennerick SJ, Diamond MI, Kim J, Tanzi RE, Holtzman DM, Yoo AS. Modeling late-onset Alzheimer's disease neuropathology via direct neuronal reprogramming. Science 2024; 385:adl2992. [PMID: 39088624 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl2992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is the most common form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, modeling sporadic LOAD that endogenously captures hallmark neuronal pathologies such as amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, tau tangles, and neuronal loss remains an unmet need. We demonstrate that neurons generated by microRNA (miRNA)-based direct reprogramming of fibroblasts from individuals affected by autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) and LOAD in a three-dimensional environment effectively recapitulate key neuropathological features of AD. Reprogrammed LOAD neurons exhibit Aβ-dependent neurodegeneration, and treatment with β- or γ-secretase inhibitors before (but not subsequent to) Aβ deposit formation mitigated neuronal death. Moreover inhibiting age-associated retrotransposable elements in LOAD neurons reduced both Aβ deposition and neurodegeneration. Our study underscores the efficacy of modeling late-onset neuropathology of LOAD through high-efficiency miRNA-based neuronal reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Sun
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ji-Sun Kwon
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yudong Ren
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Program in Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shawei Chen
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Courtney K Walker
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Xinguo Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kitra Cates
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Program in Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hande Karahan
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sanja Sviben
- Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - James A J Fitzpatrick
- Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Clarissa Valdez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Henry Houlden
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Randall J Bateman
- Tracy Family SILQ Center for Neurodegenerative Biology, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Chihiro Sato
- Tracy Family SILQ Center for Neurodegenerative Biology, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Steven J Mennerick
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jungsu Kim
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, McCance Center for Brain Health, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Andrew S Yoo
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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4
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Wu S, Xie J, Zhao H, Zhao X, Sánchez OF, Rochet JC, Freeman JL, Yuan C. Developmental neurotoxicity of PFOA exposure on hiPSC-derived cortical neurons. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108914. [PMID: 39079332 PMCID: PMC11406754 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
PFOA is a legacy Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), a group of chemicals widely used in various industrial applications and consumer products. Although there has been a voluntary phase out of PFOA since 2005, it is still widely detected in various water supplies. A growing body of evidence suggests an association between PFOA exposure, particularly during developmental stages, with increased risks of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). The neurotoxic mechanism of developmental PFOA exposure, however, remains poorly understood. Utilizing human induced-pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cortical neurons, we investigated the effect of PFOA exposure prior to differentiation and assessed changes in neuronal characteristics, transcriptome, and neurodegeneration markers mimicking a Developmental Origin of Health and Disease (DoHAD) paradigm. Exposure to PFOA before neuron differentiation resulted in persistent alterations in nuclear morphology, neuronal network, and calcium activity. RNA sequencing analysis further revealed transcriptomic changes aligning with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) after PFOA exposure. These observations were further corroborated by alterations in tau phosphorylation markers, the presence of fibrillar tau, an increase in liquid droplets, and a decrease in RNA translational efficiency characterized using a battery of biochemical assays. Taken together, our results revealed persistent deficits of key neuronal characteristics induced by pre-differentiation PFOA exposure, suggesting impairments in several AD-related pathways that can together contribute to the elevation of AD risk after pre-differentiation PFOA exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichen Wu
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Junkai Xie
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Han Zhao
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Xihui Zhao
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Oscar F Sánchez
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907; Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907
| | | | - Chongli Yuan
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907.
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5
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Ryder BD, Ustyantseva E, Boyer DR, Mendoza-Oliva A, Kuska MI, Wydorski PM, Macierzyńska P, Morgan N, Sawaya MR, Diamond MI, Kampinga HH, Joachimiak LA. DNAJB8 oligomerization is mediated by an aromatic-rich motif that is dispensable for substrate activity. Structure 2024; 32:662-678.e8. [PMID: 38508190 PMCID: PMC11162344 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.02.015] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
J-domain protein (JDP) molecular chaperones have emerged as central players that maintain a healthy proteome. The diverse members of the JDP family function as monomers/dimers and a small subset assemble into micron-sized oligomers. The oligomeric JDP members have eluded structural characterization due to their low-complexity, intrinsically disordered middle domains. This in turn, obscures the biological significance of these larger oligomers in protein folding processes. Here, we identified a short, aromatic motif within DNAJB8 that drives self-assembly through π-π stacking and determined its X-ray structure. We show that mutations in the motif disrupt DNAJB8 oligomerization in vitro and in cells. DNAJB8 variants that are unable to assemble bind to misfolded tau seeds more specifically and retain capacity to reduce protein aggregation in vitro and in cells. We propose a new model for DNAJB8 function in which the sequences in the low-complexity domains play distinct roles in assembly and substrate activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D Ryder
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Elizaveta Ustyantseva
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - David R Boyer
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ayde Mendoza-Oliva
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Mikołaj I Kuska
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Paweł M Wydorski
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Paulina Macierzyńska
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nabil Morgan
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Michael R Sawaya
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Harm H Kampinga
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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6
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Batra S, Vaquer-Alicea JI, Valdez C, Taylor SP, Manon VA, Vega AR, Kashmer OM, Kolay S, Lemoff A, Cairns NJ, White CL, Diamond MI. VCP regulates early tau seed amplification via specific cofactors. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4307848. [PMID: 38826306 PMCID: PMC11142303 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4307848/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Background Neurodegenerative tauopathies may progress based on seeding by pathological tau assemblies, whereby an aggregate is released from one cell, gains entry to an adjacent or connected cell, and serves as a specific template for its own replication in the cytoplasm. In vitro seeding reactions typically take days, yet seeding into the complex cytoplasmic milieu happens within hours, implicating a machinery with unknown players that controls this process in the acute phase. Methods We used proximity labeling to identify factors that control seed amplification within 5h of seed exposure. We fused split-APEX2 to the C-terminus of tau repeat domain (RD) to reconstitute peroxidase activity 5h after seeded intracellular tau aggregation. Valosin containing protein (VCP/p97) was the top hit. VCP harbors dominant mutations that underlie two neurodegenerative diseases, multisystem proteinopathy and vacuolar tauopathy, but its mechanistic role is unclear. We used immortalized cells and human neurons to study the effects of VCP on tau seeding. We exposed cells to fibrils or brain homogenates in cell culture media and measured effects on uptake and induction of intracellular tau aggregation following various genetic and chemical manipulations of VCP. Results VCP knockdown reduced tau seeding. Chemical inhibitors had opposing effects on aggregation in HEK293T tau biosensor cells and human neurons alike: ML-240 increased seeding efficiency, whereas NMS-873 decreased it. The inhibitors were effective only when administered within 8h of seed exposure, indicating a role for VCP early in seed processing. We screened 30 VCP co-factors in HEK293T biosensor cells by genetic knockout or knockdown. Reduction of ATXN3, NSFL1C, UBE4B, NGLY1, and OTUB1 decreased tau seeding, as did NPLOC4, which also uniquely increased soluble tau levels. By contrast, reduction of FAF2 increased tau seeding. Conclusions Divergent effects on tau seeding of chemical inhibitors and cofactor reduction indicate that VCP regulates this process. This is consistent with a dedicated cytoplasmic processing complex based on VCP that directs seeds acutely towards degradation vs. amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushobhna Batra
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | | | - Clarissa Valdez
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Skyler P Taylor
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Victor A Manon
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Anthony R Vega
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Omar M Kashmer
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Sourav Kolay
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Andrew Lemoff
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Nigel J Cairns
- University of Exeter Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
| | - Charles L White
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
| | - Marc I Diamond
- UT Southwestern: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
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7
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Böken D, Cox D, Burke M, Lam JYL, Katsinelos T, Danial JSH, Fertan E, McEwan WA, Rowe JB, Klenerman D. Single-Molecule Characterization and Super-Resolution Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease-Relevant Tau Aggregates in Human Samples. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317756. [PMID: 38523073 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317756] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the protein tau play key roles in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the molecular structure of the filamentous tau aggregates has been determined to atomic resolution, there is far less information available about the smaller, soluble aggregates, which are believed to be more toxic. Traditional techniques are limited to bulk measures and struggle to identify individual aggregates in complex biological samples. To address this, we developed a novel single-molecule pull-down-based assay (MAPTau) to detect and characterize individual tau aggregates in AD and control post-mortem brain and biofluids. Using MAPTau, we report the quantity, as well as the size and circularity of tau aggregates measured using super-resolution microscopy, revealing AD-specific differences in tau aggregate morphology. By adapting MAPTau to detect multiple phosphorylation markers in individual aggregates using two-color coincidence detection, we derived compositional profiles of the individual aggregates. We find an AD-specific phosphorylation profile of tau aggregates with more than 80 % containing multiple phosphorylations, compared to 5 % in age-matched non-AD controls. Our results show that MAPTau is able to identify disease-specific subpopulations of tau aggregates phosphorylated at different sites, that are invisible to other methods and enable the study of disease mechanisms and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Böken
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Dezerae Cox
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Melanie Burke
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Jeff Y L Lam
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Taxiarchis Katsinelos
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - John S H Danial
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Emre Fertan
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - William A McEwan
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
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8
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Pinzi L, Conze C, Bisi N, Torre GD, Soliman A, Monteiro-Abreu N, Trushina NI, Krusenbaum A, Dolouei MK, Hellwig A, Christodoulou MS, Passarella D, Bakota L, Rastelli G, Brandt R. Quantitative live cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables the identification of a polypharmacological drug candidate that restores physiological microtubule interaction. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1679. [PMID: 38396035 PMCID: PMC10891143 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45851-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease are characterized by aggregation and increased phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Tau's pathological changes are closely linked to neurodegeneration, making tau a prime candidate for intervention. We developed an approach to monitor pathological changes of aggregation-prone human tau in living neurons. We identified 2-phenyloxazole (PHOX) derivatives as putative polypharmacological small molecules that interact with tau and modulate tau kinases. We found that PHOX15 inhibits tau aggregation, restores tau's physiological microtubule interaction, and reduces tau phosphorylation at disease-relevant sites. Molecular dynamics simulations highlight cryptic channel-like pockets crossing tau protofilaments and suggest that PHOX15 binding reduces the protofilament's ability to adopt a PHF-like conformation by modifying a key glycine triad. Our data demonstrate that live-cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables screening of compounds that modulate tau-microtubule interaction and allows identification of a promising polypharmacological drug candidate that simultaneously inhibits tau aggregation and reduces tau phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Christian Conze
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nicolo Bisi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Gabriele Dalla Torre
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ahmed Soliman
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nanci Monteiro-Abreu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nataliya I Trushina
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Krusenbaum
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Maryam Khodaei Dolouei
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Hellwig
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael S Christodoulou
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lidia Bakota
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Roland Brandt
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
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9
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Ryder BD, Ustyantseva E, Boyer DR, Mendoza-Oliva A, Kuska M, Wydorski PM, Macierzynska P, Morgan N, Sawaya MR, Diamond MI, Kampinga HH, Joachimiak L. DNAJB8 oligomerization is mediated by an aromatic-rich motif that is dispensable for substrate activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.06.531355. [PMID: 36945632 PMCID: PMC10028812 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.06.531355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
J-domain protein (JDP) molecular chaperones have emerged as central players that maintain a healthy proteome. The diverse members of the JDP family function as monomers/dimers and a small subset assemble into micron-sized oligomers. The oligomeric JDP members have eluded structural characterization due to their low-complexity, intrinsically disordered middle domains. This in turn, obscures the biological significance of these larger oligomers in protein folding processes. Here, we identified a short, aromatic motif within DNAJB8, that drives self-assembly through pi-pi stacking and determined its X-ray structure. We show that mutations in the motif disrupt DNAJB8 oligomerization in vitro and in cells. DNAJB8 variants that are unable to assemble bind to misfolded tau seeds more specifically and retain capacity to reduce protein aggregation in vitro and in cells. We propose a new model for DNAJB8 function in which the sequences in the low-complexity domains play distinct roles in assembly and substrate activity.
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10
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LaCroix MS, Artikis E, Hitt BD, Beaver JD, Estill-Terpack SJ, Gleason K, Tamminga CA, Evers BM, White CL, Caughey B, Diamond MI. Tau seeding without tauopathy. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105545. [PMID: 38072056 PMCID: PMC10797195 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105545] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) are caused by brain accumulation of tau assemblies. Evidence suggests tau functions as a prion, and cells and animals can efficiently propagate unique, transmissible tau pathologies. This suggests a dedicated cellular replication machinery, potentially reflecting a normal physiologic function for tau seeds. Consequently, we hypothesized that healthy control brains would contain seeding activity. We have recently developed a novel monoclonal antibody (MD3.1) specific for tau seeds. We used this antibody to immunopurify tau from the parietal and cerebellar cortices of 19 healthy subjects without any neuropathology, ranging 19 to 65 years. We detected seeding in lysates from the parietal cortex, but not in the cerebellum. We also detected no seeding in brain homogenates from wildtype or human tau knockin mice, suggesting that cellular/genetic context dictates development of seed-competent tau. Seeding did not correlate with subject age or brain tau levels. We confirmed our essential findings using an orthogonal assay, real-time quaking-induced conversion, which amplifies tau seeds in vitro. Dot blot analyses revealed no AT8 immunoreactivity above background levels in parietal and cerebellar extracts and ∼1/100 of that present in AD. Based on binding to a panel of antibodies, the conformational characteristics of control seeds differed from AD, suggesting a unique underlying assembly, or structural ensemble. Tau's ability to adopt self-replicating conformations under nonpathogenic conditions may reflect a normal function that goes awry in disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S LaCroix
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | | | - Brian D Hitt
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua D Beaver
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Sandi-Jo Estill-Terpack
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Kelly Gleason
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Carol A Tamminga
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Bret M Evers
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Byron Caughey
- NIH/NIAID, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
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11
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Diamond MI. Travels with tau prions. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:83-88. [PMID: 37950616 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21806] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Tau was originally identified as a microtubule associated protein, and subsequently recognized to constitute the fibrillar assemblies found in Alzheimer disease and related neurodegenerative tauopathies. Point mutations in the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) gene cause dominantly inherited tauopathies, and most predispose it to aggregate. This indicates tau aggregation underlies pathogenesis of tauopathies. Our work has suggested that tau functions as a prion, forming unique intracellular pathological assemblies that subsequently move to other cells, inducing further aggregation that underlies disease progression. Remarkably, in simple cells tau forms stably propagating aggregates of distinct conformation, termed strains. Each strain induces a unique and, in some cases, transmissible, neuropathological phenotype upon inoculation into a mouse model. After binding heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the plasma membrane, tau assemblies enter cells via macropinocytosis. From within a vesicle, if not trafficked to the endolysosomal system, tau subsequently enters the cytoplasm, where it becomes a template for its own replication, apparently after processing by valosin containing protein. The smallest seed unit is a stable monomer, which suggests that initial folding events in tau presage subsequent pathological aggregation. The study of tau prions has raised important questions about basic cell biological processes that underlie their replication and propagation, with implications for therapy of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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12
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Esquivel AR, Hill SE, Blair LJ. DnaJs are enriched in tau regulators. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127486. [PMID: 37852393 PMCID: PMC10842427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127486] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The aberrant accumulation of tau protein is implicated as a pathogenic factor in many neurodegenerative diseases. Tau seeding may underlie its predictable spread in these diseases. Molecular chaperones can modulate tau pathology, but their effects have mainly been studied in isolation. This study employed a semi-high throughput assay to identify molecular chaperones influencing tau seeding using Tau RD P301S FRET Biosensor cells, which express a portion of tau containing the frontotemporal dementia-related P301S tau mutation fused to a FRET biosensor. Approximately fifty chaperones from five major families were screened using live cell imaging to monitor FRET-positive tau seeding. Among the tested chaperones, five exhibited significant effects on tau in the primary screen. Notably, three of these were from the DnaJ family. In subsequent studies, overexpression of DnaJA2, DnaJB1, and DnaJB6b resulted in significant reductions in tau levels. Knockdown experiments by shRNA revealed an inverse correlation between DnaJB1 and DnaJB6b with tau levels. DnaJB6b overexpression, specifically, reduced total tau levels in a cellular model with a pre-existing pool of tau, partially through enhanced proteasomal degradation. Further, DnaJB6b interacted with tau complexes. These findings highlight the potent chaperone activity within the DnaJ family, particularly DnaJB6b, towards tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R Esquivel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - Shannon E Hill
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613, USA
| | - Laura J Blair
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613, USA; Research Service, James A Haley Veterans Hospital, 13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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13
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Frey B, Holzinger D, Taylor K, Ehrnhoefer DE, Striebinger A, Biesinger S, Gasparini L, O'Neill MJ, Wegner F, Barghorn S, Höglinger GU, Heym RG. Tau seed amplification assay reveals relationship between seeding and pathological forms of tau in Alzheimer's disease brain. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:181. [PMID: 37964332 PMCID: PMC10644662 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau seed amplification assays (SAAs) directly measure the seeding activity of tau and would therefore be ideal biomarkers for clinical trials targeting seeding-competent tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise relationship between tau seeding measured by SAA and the levels of pathological forms of tau in the AD brain remains unknown. We developed a new tau SAA based on full-length 0N3R tau with sensitivity in the low fg/ml range and used it to characterize 103 brain samples from three independent cohorts. Tau seeding clearly discriminated between AD and control brain samples. Interestingly, seeding was absent in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) putamen, suggesting that our tau SAA did not amplify 4R tau aggregates from PSP brain. The specificity of our tau SAA for AD brain was further supported by analysis of matched hippocampus and cerebellum samples. While seeding was detected in hippocampus from Braak stages I-II, no seeding was present in AD cerebellum that is devoid of tau inclusions. Analysis of 40 middle frontal gyrus samples encompassing all Braak stages showed that tau SAA seeding activity gradually increased with Braak stage. This relationship between seeding activity and the presence of tau inclusions in AD brain was further supported by robust correlations between tau SAA results and the levels of phosphorylated tau212/214, phosphorylated tau181, aggregated tau, and sarkosyl-insoluble tau. Strikingly, we detected tau seeding in the middle frontal gyrus already at Braak stage II-III, suggesting that tau SAA can detect tau pathology earlier than conventional immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, our data suggest a quantitative relationship between tau seeding activity and pathological forms of tau in the human brain and provides an important basis for further development of tau SAA for accessible human samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Frey
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
| | - David Holzinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Keenan Taylor
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine Technologies, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Andreas Striebinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sandra Biesinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Michael J O'Neill
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Florian Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Barghorn
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases E.V. (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Roland G Heym
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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14
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Hitt BD, Gupta A, Singh R, Yang T, Beaver JD, Shang P, White CL, Joachimiak LA, Diamond MI. Anti-tau antibodies targeting a conformation-dependent epitope selectively bind seeds. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105252. [PMID: 37714465 PMCID: PMC10582770 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative tauopathies are caused by the transition of tau protein from a monomer to a toxic aggregate. They include Alzheimer disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and Pick disease (PiD). We have previously proposed that tau monomer exists in two conformational ensembles: an inert form (Mi), which does not self-assemble, and seed-competent form (Ms), which self-assembles and templates ordered assembly growth. We proposed that cis/trans isomerization of tau at P301, the site of dominant disease-associated S/L missense mutations, might underlie the transition of wild-type tau to a seed-competent state. Consequently, we created monoclonal antibodies using non-natural antigens consisting of fluorinated proline (P∗) at the analogous P270 in repeat 1 (R1), biased toward the trans-configuration at either the R1/R2 (TENLKHQP∗GGGKVQIINKK) or the R1/R3 (TENLKHQP∗GGGKVQIVYK) interfaces. Two antibodies, MD2.2 and MD3.1, efficiently immunoprecipitated soluble seeds from AD and PSP but not CBD or PiD brain samples. The antibodies efficiently stained brain samples of AD, PSP, and PiD, but not CBD. They did not immunoprecipitate or immunostain tau from the control brain. Creation of potent anti-seed antibodies based on the trans-proline epitope implicates local unfolding around P301 in pathogenesis. MD2.2 and MD3.1 may also be useful for therapy and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Hitt
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Ankit Gupta
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ruhar Singh
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ting Yang
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua D Beaver
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ping Shang
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA; Peter O'Donnell Jr Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
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15
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Hromadkova L, Kim C, Haldiman T, Peng L, Zhu X, Cohen M, de Silva R, Safar JG. Evolving prion-like tau conformers differentially alter postsynaptic proteins in neurons inoculated with distinct isolates of Alzheimer's disease tau. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:174. [PMID: 37723591 PMCID: PMC10507869 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although accumulation of misfolded tau species has been shown to predict cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies but with the remarkable diversity of clinical manifestations, neuropathology profiles, and time courses of disease progression remaining unexplained by current genetic data. We considered the diversity of misfolded tau conformers present in individual AD cases as an underlying driver of the phenotypic variations of AD and progressive loss of synapses. METHODS To model the mechanism of tau propagation and synaptic toxicity of distinct tau conformers, we inoculated wild-type primary mouse neurons with structurally characterized Sarkosyl-insoluble tau isolates from the frontal cortex of six AD cases and monitored the impact for fourteen days. We analyzed the accumulation rate, tau isoform ratio, and conformational characteristics of de novo-induced tau aggregates with conformationally sensitive immunoassays, and the dynamics of synapse formation, maintenance, and their loss using a panel of pre-and post-synaptic markers. RESULTS At the same concentrations of tau, the different AD tau isolates induced accumulation of misfolded predominantly 4-repeat tau aggregates at different rates in mature neurons, and demonstrated distinct conformational characteristics corresponding to the original AD brain tau. The time-course of the formation of misfolded tau aggregates and colocalization correlated with significant loss of synapses in tau-inoculated cell cultures and the reduction of synaptic connections implicated the disruption of postsynaptic compartment as an early event. CONCLUSIONS The data obtained with mature neurons expressing physiological levels and adult isoforms of tau protein demonstrate markedly different time courses of endogenous tau misfolding and differential patterns of post-synaptic alterations. These and previous biophysical data argue for an ensemble of various misfolded tau aggregates in individual AD brains and template propagation of their homologous conformations in neurons with different rates and primarily postsynaptic interactors. Modeling tau aggregation in mature differentiated neurons provides a platform for investigating divergent molecular mechanisms of tau strain propagation and for identifying common structural features of misfolded tau and critical interactors for new therapeutic targets and approaches in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Hromadkova
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Chae Kim
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Tracy Haldiman
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Lihua Peng
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Xiongwei Zhu
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mark Cohen
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Rohan de Silva
- Reta Lila Weston Institute, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Jiri G Safar
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Departments of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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Batra S, Vaquer-Alicea J, Manon VA, Kashmer OM, Lemoff A, Cairns NJ, White CL, Diamond MI. VCP increases or decreases tau seeding using specific cofactors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.30.555637. [PMID: 37693404 PMCID: PMC10491269 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.30.555637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Background Neurodegenerative tauopathies may progress based on seeding by pathological tau assemblies, whereby an aggregate is released from one cell, gains entry to an adjacent or connected cell, and serves as a specific template for its own replication in the cytoplasm. In vitro seeding reactions typically take days, yet seeding into the complex cytoplasmic milieu can happen within hours. A cellular machinery might regulate this process, but potential players are unknown. Methods We used proximity labeling to identify factors that control seed amplification. We fused split-APEX2 to the C-terminus of tau repeat domain (RD) to reconstitute peroxidase activity upon seeded intracellular tau aggregation. We identified valosin containing protein (VCP/p97) 5h after seeding. Mutations in VCP underlie two neurodegenerative diseases, multisystem proteinopathy and vacuolar tauopathy, but its mechanistic role is unclear. We utilized tau biosensors, a cellular model for tau aggregation, to study the effects of VCP on tau seeding. Results VCP knockdown reduced tau seeding. However, distinct chemical inhibitors of VCP and the proteasome had opposing effects on aggregation, but only when given <8h of seed exposure. ML-240 increased seeding efficiency ~40x, whereas NMS-873 decreased seeding efficiency by 50%, and MG132 increased seeding ~10x. We screened VCP co-factors in HEK293 biosensor cells by genetic knockout or knockdown. Reduction of ATXN3, NSFL1C, UBE4B, NGLY1, and OTUB1 decreased tau seeding, as did NPLOC4, which also uniquely increased soluble tau levels. Reduction of FAF2 and UBXN6 increased tau seeding. Conclusions VCP uses distinct cofactors to determine seed replication efficiency, consistent with a dedicated cytoplasmic processing complex that directs seeds towards dissolution vs. amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushobhna Batra
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Jaime Vaquer-Alicea
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Victor A Manon
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Omar M Kashmer
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Andrew Lemoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Nigel J Cairns
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- Department of Neurology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
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17
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Lathuiliere A, Jo Y, Perbet R, Donahue C, Commins C, Quittot N, Fan Z, Bennett RE, Hyman BT. Specific detection of tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease using rationally designed biosensor cells. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:53. [PMID: 37553663 PMCID: PMC10408046 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prion-like propagation of tau in neurodegenerative disorders implies that misfolded pathological tau can recruit the normal protein and template its aggregation. Here, we report the methods for the development of sensitive biosensor cell lines for the detection of tau seeding activity. RESULTS We performed the rational design of novel tau probes based on the current structural knowledge of pathological tau aggregates in Alzheimer's disease. We generated Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor stable cell lines and characterized their sensitivity, specificity, and overall ability to detect bioactive tau in human samples. As compared to the reference biosensor line, the optimized probe design resulted in an increased efficiency in the detection of tau seeding. The increased sensitivity allowed for the detection of lower amount of tau seeding competency in human brain samples, while preserving specificity for tau seeds found in Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS This next generation of FRET-based biosensor cells is a novel tool to study tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease human samples, especially in samples with low levels of seeding activity, which may help studying early tau-related pathological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Youhwa Jo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Romain Perbet
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Noé Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhanyun Fan
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Rachel E Bennett
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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18
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Xie J, Wu S, Szadowski H, Min S, Yang Y, Bowman AB, Rochet JC, Freeman JL, Yuan C. Developmental Pb exposure increases AD risk via altered intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis in hiPSC-derived cortical neurons. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105023. [PMID: 37423307 PMCID: PMC10413359 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to environmental chemicals such as lead (Pb) during vulnerable developmental periods can result in adverse health outcomes later in life. Human cohort studies have demonstrated associations between developmental Pb exposure and Alzheimer's disease (AD) onset in later life which were further corroborated by findings from animal studies. The molecular pathway linking developmental Pb exposure and increased AD risk, however, remains elusive. In this work, we used human iPSC-derived cortical neurons as a model system to study the effects of Pb exposure on AD-like pathogenesis in human cortical neurons. We exposed neural progenitor cells derived from human iPSC to 0, 15, and 50 ppb Pb for 48 h, removed Pb-containing medium, and further differentiated them into cortical neurons. Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, RNA-sequencing, ELISA, and FRET reporter cell lines were used to determine changes in AD-like pathogenesis in differentiated cortical neurons. Exposing neural progenitor cells to low-dose Pb, mimicking a developmental exposure, can result in altered neurite morphology. Differentiated neurons exhibit altered calcium homeostasis, synaptic plasticity, and epigenetic landscape along with elevated AD-like pathogenesis markers, including phosphorylated tau, tau aggregates, and Aβ42/40. Collectively, our findings provide an evidence base for Ca dysregulation caused by developmental Pb exposure as a plausible molecular mechanism accounting for increased AD risk in populations with developmental Pb exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junkai Xie
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Shichen Wu
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Hailey Szadowski
- Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Sehong Min
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Rochet
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jennifer L Freeman
- Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Center of Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Chongli Yuan
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Institute of Integrated Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Center of Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
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19
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Zeng Z, Vijayan V, Tsay K, Frost MP, Quddus A, Albert A, Vigers M, Woerman AL, Han S. CBD and PSP cell-passaged Tau Seeds Generate Heterogeneous Fibrils with A sub-population Adopting Disease Folds. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.19.549721. [PMID: 37502998 PMCID: PMC10370138 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.19.549721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery by cryo-electron microscopy that the neuropatho-logical hallmarks of different tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), are caused by unique misfolded conformations of the protein tau is among the most profound developments in neurodegenerative disease research. To capitalize on these discoveries for therapeutic development, one must achieve in vitro replication of tau fibrils that adopt the rep-resentative tauopathy disease folds - a grand challenge. To understand whether the commonly used, but imperfect, fragment of the tau pro-tein, K18, is capable of inducing specific protein folds, fibril seeds derived from CBD- and PSP-infected biosensor cells expressing K18, were used to achieve cell-free assembly of naïve, recombinant 4R tau into fibrils without the addition of any cofactors. Using Double Electron Electron Resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, we discovered that cell-passaged patho-logical seeds generate heterogeneous fibrils that are distinct between the CBD and PSP lysate-seeded fibrils, and are also unique from heparin-induced tau fibril populations. Moreover, the lysate-seeded fibrils contain a characteristic sub-population that resembles either the CBD or PSP disease fold, corresponding with the respective starting patient sam-ple. These findings indicate that CBD and PSP patient-derived fibrils retain strain properties after passaging through K18 reporter cells.
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20
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Manca M, Standke HG, Browne DF, Huntley ML, Thomas OR, Orrú CD, Hughson AG, Kim Y, Zhang J, Tatsuoka C, Zhu X, Hiniker A, Coughlin DG, Galasko D, Kraus A. Tau seeds occur before earliest Alzheimer's changes and are prevalent across neurodegenerative diseases. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:31-50. [PMID: 37154939 PMCID: PMC10261243 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02574-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Tau neurofibrillary tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease neuropathological change. However, it remains largely unclear how distinctive Alzheimer's disease tau seeds (i.e. 3R/4R) correlate with histological indicators of tau accumulation. Furthermore, AD tau co-pathology is thought to influence features and progression of other neurodegenerative diseases including Lewy body disease; yet measurements of different types of tau seeds in the setting of such diseases is an unmet need. Here, we use tau real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays to selectively quantitate 3R/4R tau seeds in the frontal lobe which accumulates histologically identifiable tau pathology at late disease stages of AD neuropathologic change. Seed quantitation across a spectrum of neurodegenerative disease cases and controls indicated tau seeding activity can be detected well before accompanying histopathological indication of tau deposits, and even prior to the earliest evidence of Alzheimer's-related tau accumulation anywhere in the brain. In later stages of AD, 3R/4R tau RT-QuIC measures correlated with immunohistochemical tau burden. In addition, Alzheimer's tau seeds occur in the vast majority of cases evaluated here inclusive of primary synucleinopathies, frontotemporal lobar degeneration and even controls albeit at multi-log lower levels than Alzheimer's cases. α-synuclein seeding activity confirmed synucleinopathy cases and further indicated the co-occurrence of α-synuclein seeds in some Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathy cases. Our analysis indicates that 3R/4R tau seeds in the mid-frontal lobe correlate with the overall Braak stage and Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic change, supporting the quantitative predictive value of tau RT-QuIC assays. Our data also indicate 3R/4R tau seeds are elevated in females compared to males at high (≥ IV) Braak stages. This study suggests 3R/4R tau seeds are widespread even prior to the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease changes, including in normal, and even young individuals, with prevalence across multiple neurodegenerative diseases to further define disease subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Manca
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Heidi G Standke
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Danielle F Browne
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mikayla L Huntley
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Olivia R Thomas
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Christina D Orrú
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Andrew G Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Yongya Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Curtis Tatsuoka
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - Xiongwei Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Annie Hiniker
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - David G Coughlin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Douglas Galasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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21
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Perez VA, Sanders DW, Mendoza-Oliva A, Stopschinski BE, Mullapudi V, White CL, Joachimiak LA, Diamond MI. DnaJC7 specifically regulates tau seeding. eLife 2023; 12:e86936. [PMID: 37387473 PMCID: PMC10473839 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative tauopathies are caused by accumulation of toxic tau protein assemblies. This appears to involve template-based seeding events, whereby tau monomer changes conformation and is recruited to a growing aggregate. Several large families of chaperone proteins, including Hsp70s and J domain proteins (JDPs), cooperate to regulate the folding of intracellular proteins such as tau, but the factors that coordinate this activity are not well known. The JDP DnaJC7 binds tau and reduces its intracellular aggregation. However, it is unknown whether this is specific to DnaJC7 or if other JDPs might be similarly involved. We used proteomics within a cell model to determine that DnaJC7 co-purified with insoluble tau and colocalized with intracellular aggregates. We individually knocked out every possible JDP and tested the effect on intracellular aggregation and seeding. DnaJC7 knockout decreased aggregate clearance and increased intracellular tau seeding. This depended on the ability of the J domain (JD) of DnaJC7 to stimulate Hsp70 ATPase activity, as JD mutations that block this interaction abrogated the protective activity. Disease-associated mutations in the JD and substrate binding site of DnaJC7 also abolished its protective activity. DnaJC7 thus specifically regulates tau aggregation in cooperation with Hsp70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Ann Perez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - David W Sanders
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Ayde Mendoza-Oliva
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Barbara Elena Stopschinski
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Vishruth Mullapudi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasUnited States
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22
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Sun Z, Kwon JS, Ren Y, Chen S, Cates K, Lu X, Walker CK, Karahan H, Sviben S, Fitzpatrick JAJ, Valdez C, Houlden H, Karch CM, Bateman RJ, Sato C, Mennerick SJ, Diamond MI, Kim J, Tanzi RE, Holtzman DM, Yoo AS. Endogenous recapitulation of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology through human 3D direct neuronal reprogramming. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.24.542155. [PMID: 37292658 PMCID: PMC10245934 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.542155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects elderly individuals, and is characterized by hallmark neuronal pathologies including extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque deposition, intracellular tau tangles, and neuronal death. However, recapitulating these age-associated neuronal pathologies in patient-derived neurons has remained a significant challenge, especially for late-onset AD (LOAD), the most common form of the disorder. Here, we applied the high efficiency microRNA-mediated direct neuronal reprogramming of fibroblasts from AD patients to generate cortical neurons in three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel and self-assembled neuronal spheroids. Our findings indicate that neurons and spheroids reprogrammed from both autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) and LOAD patients exhibited AD-like phenotypes linked to neurons, including extracellular Aβ deposition, dystrophic neurites with hyperphosphorylated, K63-ubiquitin-positive, seed-competent tau, and spontaneous neuronal death in culture. Moreover, treatment with β- or γ-secretase inhibitors in LOAD patient-derived neurons and spheroids before Aβ deposit formation significantly lowered Aβ deposition, as well as tauopathy and neurodegeneration. However, the same treatment after the cells already formed Aβ deposits only had a mild effect. Additionally, inhibiting the synthesis of age-associated retrotransposable elements (RTEs) by treating LOAD neurons and spheroids with the reverse transcriptase inhibitor, lamivudine, alleviated AD neuropathology. Overall, our results demonstrate that direct neuronal reprogramming of AD patient fibroblasts in a 3D environment can capture age-related neuropathology and reflect the interplay between Aβ accumulation, tau dysregulation, and neuronal death. Moreover, miRNA-based 3D neuronal conversion provides a human-relevant AD model that can be used to identify compounds that can potentially ameliorate AD-associated pathologies and neurodegeneration.
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23
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Liu F, Wu R, Jin N, Chu D, Gu J, Tung YC, Hu Z, Gong CX, Iqbal K. Two simple assays for assessing the seeding activity of proteopathic tau. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1073774. [PMID: 37091523 PMCID: PMC10117769 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1073774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The regional distribution of neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau aggregates is associated with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Misfolded proteopathic tau recruits naïve tau and templates its misfolding and aggregation in a prion-like fashion, which is believed to be the molecular basis of propagation of tau pathology. A practical way to assess tau seeding activity is to measure its ability to recruit/bind other tau molecules and to induce tau aggregation. Based on the properties of proteopathic tau, here we report the development of two simple assays to assess tau seeding activity ----- capture assay in vitro and seeded-tau aggregation assay in cultured cells. In the capture assay, proteopathic tau was applied onto a nitrocellulose membrane and the membrane was incubated with cell lysate containing HA-tagged tau151-391 (HA-tau151-391). The captured tau on the membrane was determined by immuno-blots developed with anti-HA. For the seeded-tau aggregation assay, HEK-293FT cells transiently expressing HA-tau151-391 were treated with proteopathic tau in the presence of Lipofectamine 2000 and then lysed with RIPA buffer. RIPA-insoluble fraction containing aggregated tau was obtained by ultracentrifugation and analyzed by immuno-blot developed with anti-HA. To validate these two assays, we assessed the seeding activity of tau in the middle frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and basal forebrain of AD and control brains and found that AD, but not control, brain extracts effectively captured and seeded tau151-391 aggregation. Basal forebrain contained less phospho-tau and tau seeding activity. The levels of captured tau or seeded-tau aggregates were positively correlated to the levels of phospho-tau, Braak stages and tangle sores. These two assays are specific and sensitive and can be carried out in a regular biomedical laboratory setting by using routine biochemical techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Fei Liu, ;
| | - Ruozhen Wu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Nana Jin
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dandan Chu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianlan Gu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zhihao Hu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States
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24
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Perez VA, Sanders DW, Mendoza-Oliva A, Stopschinski BE, Mullapudi V, White CL, Joachimiak LA, Diamond MI. DnaJC7 specifically regulates tau seeding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.16.532880. [PMID: 36993367 PMCID: PMC10055123 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.16.532880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative tauopathies are caused by accumulation of toxic tau protein assemblies. This appears to involve template-based seeding events, whereby tau monomer changes conformation and is recruited to a growing aggregate. Several large families of chaperone proteins, including Hsp70s and J domain proteins (JDPs) cooperate to regulate the folding of intracellular proteins such as tau, but the factors that coordinate this activity are not well known. The JDP DnaJC7 binds tau and reduces its intracellular aggregation. However, it is unknown whether this is specific to DnaJC7 or if other JDPs might be similarly involved. We used proteomics within a cell model to determine that DnaJC7 co-purified with insoluble tau and colocalized with intracellular aggregates. We individually knocked out every possible JDP and tested the effect on intracellular aggregation and seeding. DnaJC7 knockout decreased aggregate clearance and increased intracellular tau seeding. This depended on the ability of the J domain (JD) of DnaJC7 to bind to Hsp70, as JD mutations that block binding to Hsp70 abrogated the protective activity. Disease-associated mutations in the JD and substrate binding site of DnaJC7 also abrogated its protective activity. DnaJC7 thus specifically regulates tau aggregation in cooperation with Hsp70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Perez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - David W Sanders
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Ayde Mendoza-Oliva
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Barbara E Stopschinski
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Vishruth Mullapudi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- Department of Biochemistry, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- Department of Neurology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
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25
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Cecon E, Oishi A, Luka M, Ndiaye-Lobry D, François A, Lescuyer M, Panayi F, Dam J, Machado P, Jockers R. Novel repertoire of tau biosensors to monitor pathological tau transformation and seeding activity in living cells. eLife 2023; 12:78360. [PMID: 36917493 PMCID: PMC10014071 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregates of the tau protein are a well-known hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, collectively referred to as tauopathies, including frontal temporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Monitoring the transformation process of tau from physiological monomers into pathological oligomers or aggregates in a high-throughput, quantitative manner and in a cellular context is still a major challenge in the field. Identifying molecules able to interfere with those processes is of high therapeutic interest. Here, we developed a series of inter- and intramolecular tau biosensors based on the highly sensitive Nanoluciferase (Nluc) binary technology (NanoBiT) able to monitor the pathological conformational change and self-interaction of tau in living cells. Our repertoire of tau biosensors reliably reports i. molecular proximity of physiological full-length tau at microtubules; ii. changes in tau conformation and self-interaction associated with tau phosphorylation, as well as iii. tau interaction induced by seeds of recombinant tau or from mouse brain lysates of a mouse model of tau pathology. By comparing biosensors comprising different tau forms (i.e. full-length or short fragments, wild-type, or the disease-associated tau(P301L) variant) further insights into the tau transformation process are obtained. Proof-of-concept data for the high-throughput suitability and identification of molecules interfering with the pathological tau transformation processes are presented. This novel repertoire of tau biosensors is aimed to boost the disclosure of molecular mechanisms underlying pathological tau transformation in living cells and to discover new drug candidates for tau-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Cecon
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Atsuro Oishi
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Marine Luka
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | | | - Mathias Lescuyer
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | - Julie Dam
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | | | - Ralf Jockers
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de ParisParisFrance
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26
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Park G, Xu K, Chea L, Kim K, Safarta L, Song KH, Wu J, Park S, Min H, Hiramatsu N, Han J, Lin JH. Neurodegeneration risk factor, EIF2AK3 (PERK), influences tau protein aggregation. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102821. [PMID: 36563857 PMCID: PMC9852698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases caused by pathologic misfolded tau protein aggregation in the nervous system. Population studies implicate EIF2AK3 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 3), better known as PERK (protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase), as a genetic risk factor in several tauopathies. PERK is a key regulator of intracellular proteostatic mechanisms-unfolded protein response and integrated stress response. Previous studies found that tauopathy-associated PERK variants encoded functional hypomorphs with reduced signaling in vitro. But, it remained unclear how altered PERK activity led to tauopathy. Here, we chemically or genetically modulated PERK signaling in cell culture models of tau aggregation and found that PERK pathway activation prevented tau aggregation, whereas inhibition exacerbated tau aggregation. In primary tauopathy patient brain tissues, we found that reduced PERK signaling correlated with increased tau neuropathology. We found that tauopathy-associated PERK variants targeted the endoplasmic reticulum luminal domain; and two of these variants damaged hydrogen bond formation. Our studies support that PERK activity protects against tau aggregation and pathology. This may explain why people carrying hypomorphic PERK variants have increased risk for developing tauopathies. Finally, our studies identify small-molecule augmentation of PERK signaling as an attractive therapeutic strategy to treat tauopathies by preventing tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goonho Park
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA,VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Leon Chea
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA,VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Kyle Kim
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA,VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Lance Safarta
- VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Keon-Hyoung Song
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA,VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA,Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jian Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Soyoung Park
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejung Min
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Nobuhiko Hiramatsu
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Jaeseok Han
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan H. Lin
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA,VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA,For correspondence: Jonathan H. Lin
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27
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Bespalov A, Courade JP, Khiroug L, Terstappen GC, Wang Y. A call for better understanding of target engagement in Tau antibody development. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103338. [PMID: 35973661 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Significant efforts have been channeled into developing antibodies for the treatment of CNS indications. Disappointment with the first generation of clinical Tau antibodies in Alzheimer's disease has highlighted the challenges in understanding whether an antibody can reach or affect the target in the compartment where it is involved in pathological processes. Here, we highlight different aspects essential for improving translatability of Tau-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yipeng Wang
- Shanghai Qiangrui Biotech, Shanghai, PR China
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LaCroix MS, Mirbaha H, Shang P, Zandee S, Foong C, Prat A, White CL, Stuve O, Diamond MI. Tau seeding in cases of multiple sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:146. [PMID: 36221144 PMCID: PMC9552360 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01444-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that in many cases leads to progressive MS, a neurodegenerative disease. Progressive MS is untreatable and relentless, and its cause is unknown. Prior studies of MS have documented neuronal accumulation of phosphorylated tau protein, which characterizes another heterogeneous group of neurogenerative disorders, the tauopathies. Known causes of tauopathy are myriad, and include point mutations within the tau gene, amyloid beta accumulation, repeated head trauma, and viral infection. We and others have proposed that tau has essential features of a prion. It forms intracellular assemblies that can exit a cell, enter a secondary cell, and serve as templates for their own replication in a process termed "seeding." We have previously developed specialized "biosensor" cell systems to detect and quantify tau seeds in brain tissues. We hypothesized that progressive MS is a tauopathy, potentially triggered by inflammation. We tested for and detected tau seeding in frozen brain tissue of 6/8 subjects with multiple sclerosis. We then evaluated multiple brain regions from a single subject for whom we had detailed clinical history. We observed seeding outside of MS plaques that was enriched by immunopurification with two anti-tau antibodies (HJ8.5 and MD3.1). Immunohistochemistry with AT8 and MD3.1 confirmed prior reports of tau accumulation in MS. Although larger studies are required, our data suggest that progressive MS may be considered a secondary tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S LaCroix
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Hilda Mirbaha
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ping Shang
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie Zandee
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Neuroimmunology Research Laboratory, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Chan Foong
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Alexandre Prat
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Neuroimmunology Research Laboratory, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 0A9, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Charles L White
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Olaf Stuve
- Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Neurology Section, VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Department of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Towards a Mechanistic Model of Tau-Mediated Pathology in Tauopathies: What Can We Learn from Cell-Based In Vitro Assays? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911527. [PMID: 36232835 PMCID: PMC9570106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911527] [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: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the hyperphosphorylation and deposition of tau proteins in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, and other related tauopathies, the pattern of tau deposition follows a stereotypical progression between anatomically connected brain regions. Increasing evidence suggests that tau behaves in a “prion-like” manner, and that seeding and spreading of pathological tau drive progressive neurodegeneration. Although several advances have been made in recent years, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. Since there are no effective therapies for any tauopathy, there is a growing need for reliable experimental models that would provide us with better knowledge and understanding of their etiology and identify novel molecular targets. In this review, we will summarize the development of cellular models for modeling tau pathology. We will discuss their different applications and contributions to our current understanding of the “prion-like” nature of pathological tau.
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Jin N, Gu J, Wu R, Chu D, Tung YC, Wegiel J, Wisniewski T, Gong CX, Iqbal K, Liu F. Tau seeding activity in various regions of down syndrome brain assessed by two novel assays. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:132. [PMID: 36064460 PMCID: PMC9446852 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01436-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Propagation of tau pathology via the seeding of naive tau aggregation underlies the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) develop tau pathology at the fourth decade of life, but tau seeding activity in DS brain has not yet been determined. To measure tau seeding activity, we developed capture assay and seeded-tau aggregation assay with truncated tau151-391. By using brain extracts from AD and related tauopathies, we validated these two methods and found that the brain extracts from AD and related tauopathies, but not from controls and the diseases in which tau was not hyperphosphorylated, captured in vitro and seeded 3R-tau151-391 and 4R-tau151-391 to aggregate in cultured cells similarly. Captured tau151-391 levels were strongly correlated with the seeded-tau151-391 aggregation. Employing these two newly developed assays, we analyzed tau seeding activity in the temporal (TC), frontal (FC), and occipital cortex (OC); corpus callosum (CC); and cerebellar cortex (CBC) of DS and control brains. We found that the extracts of TC, FC, or OC, but not the CC or CBC of DS or the corresponding brain regions of control cases, captured tau151-391. Levels of the captured tau151-391 by brain extracts were positively correlated with their levels of phosphorylated tau. Extracts of cerebral cortex and CC, but not CBC of DS with a similar tau level, induced more tau151-391 aggregation than did the corresponding samples from the control cases. Thus, higher tau seeding activity associated with tau hyperphosphorylation was found in the TC, FC, and OC of DS compared with the corresponding control regions as well as with the CBC and CC of DS. Of note, these two assays are sensitive, specific, and repeatable at a low cost and provide a platform for measuring tau seeding activity and for drug screening that targets tau propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Jin
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Jianlan Gu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Ruozhen Wu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Dandan Chu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Yunn Chyn Tung
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Cheng-Xin Gong
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
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31
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Zeng Z, Fichou Y, Vigers M, Tsay K, Han S. Illuminating the Structural Basis of Tau Aggregation by Intramolecular Distance Tracking: A Perspective on Methods. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:6384-6395. [PMID: 35994024 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c02022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aggregation of the tau protein is central to several neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies. High-resolution views of tau tangles accumulated under pathological conditions in post-mortem brains have been revealed recently by cryogenic electron microscopy. One of the striking discoveries was that fibril folds are unique to and homogeneous within one disease family, but typically different between different tauopathies. It is widely believed that seeded aggregation can achieve structural propagation of tau fibrils and generate pathological fibril structures. However, direct molecular level measurement of structural evolution during aggregation is missing. Here, we discuss our perspective on the biophysical approaches that can contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the prion-like propagation of tau and the role of cofactors. We discuss the unique potential of double electron-electron resonance (DEER)-based intramolecular distance measurement, sensitive to two to several nanometers distances. DEER can track the structural evolution of tau along the course of aggregation from the completely disordered state, to partially ordered and highly ordered fibril states, and has the potential to be a key tool to elucidate the disease-specific tau aggregation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikai Zeng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Yann Fichou
- CNRS, Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nanoobjects (CBMN) UMR 5348, Institut Europeen de Chimie et Biologie (IECB), University of Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Michael Vigers
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Karen Tsay
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Songi Han
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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Zwierzchowski-Zarate AN, Mendoza-Oliva A, Kashmer OM, Collazo-Lopez JE, White CL, Diamond MI. RNA induces unique tau strains and stabilizes Alzheimer's disease seeds. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102132. [PMID: 35700826 PMCID: PMC9364032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregation underlies neurodegenerative tauopathies, and trans-cellular propagation of tau assemblies of unique structure, i.e. strains, may underlie the diversity of these disorders. Polyanions have been reported to induce tau aggregation in vitro, but the precise trigger to convert tau from an inert to a seed-competent form in disease states is unknown. RNA triggers tau fibril formation in vitro and has been observed to associate with neurofibrillary tangles in human brain. Here we have tested whether RNA exerts sequence-specific effects on tau assembly and strain formation. We found that three RNA homopolymers, polyA, polyU, and polyC, all bound tau, but only polyA RNA triggered seed and fibril formation. In addition, polyA:tau seeds and fibrils were sensitive to RNase. We also observed that the origin of the RNA influenced the ability of tau to adopt a structure that would form stable strains. Human RNA potently induced tau seed formation and created tau conformations that preferentially formed stable strains in a HEK293T cell model, whereas RNA from other sources, or heparin, produced strains that were not stably maintained in cultured cells. Finally, we found that soluble, but not insoluble seeds from Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain were also sensitive to RNase. We conclude that human RNA specifically induces formation of stable tau strains, and may trigger the formation of dominant pathological assemblies that propagate in AD, and possibly other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Zwierzchowski-Zarate
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Aydé Mendoza-Oliva
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Omar M Kashmer
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Josue E Collazo-Lopez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Charles L White
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA.
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Kolay S, Vega AR, Dodd DA, Perez VA, Kashmer OM, White CL, Diamond MI. The dual fates of exogenous tau seeds: lysosomal clearance vs. cytoplasmic amplification. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102014. [PMID: 35525272 PMCID: PMC9163595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau assembly movement from the extracellular to intracellular space may underlie transcellular propagation of neurodegenerative tauopathies. This begins with tau binding to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which triggers macropinocytosis. Pathological tau assemblies are proposed then to exit the vesicular compartment as “seeds” for replication in the cytoplasm. Tau uptake is highly efficient, but only ∼1 to 10% of cells that endocytose aggregates exhibit seeding. Consequently, we studied fluorescently tagged full-length (FL) tau fibrils added to native U2OS cells or “biosensor” cells expressing FL tau or repeat domain. FL tau fibrils bound tubulin. Seeds triggered its aggregation in multiple locations simultaneously in the cytoplasm, generally independent of visible exogenous aggregates. Most exogenous tau trafficked to the lysosome, but fluorescence imaging revealed a small percentage that steadily accumulated in the cytosol. Intracellular expression of Gal3-mRuby, which binds intravesicular galactosides and forms puncta upon vesicle rupture, revealed no evidence of vesicle damage following tau exposure, and most seeded cells had no evidence of endolysosome rupture. However, live-cell imaging indicated that cells with pre-existing Gal3-positive puncta were seeded at a slightly higher rate than the general population, suggesting a potential predisposing role for vesicle instability. Clearance of tau seeds occurred rapidly in both vesicular and cytosolic fractions. The lysosome/autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin inhibited vesicular clearance, whereas the proteasome inhibitor MG132 inhibited cytosolic clearance. Tau seeds that enter the cell thus have at least two fates: lysosomal clearance that degrades most tau, and entry into the cytosol, where seeds amplify, and are cleared by the proteasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Kolay
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Anthony R Vega
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Dana A Dodd
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Valerie A Perez
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Omar M Kashmer
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Charles L White
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
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Stopschinski BE, Del Tredici K, Estill-Terpack SJ, Ghebremedhin E, Yu FF, Braak H, Diamond MI. Anatomic survey of seeding in Alzheimer's disease brains reveals unexpected patterns. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:164. [PMID: 34635189 PMCID: PMC8507321 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01255-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are heterogeneous neurodegenerative diseases defined by progressive brain accumulation of tau aggregates. The most common tauopathy, sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), involves progressive tau deposition that can be divided into specific stages of neurofibrillary tangle pathology. This classification is consistent with experimental data which suggests that network-based propagation is mediated by cell-cell transfer of tau "seeds", or assemblies, that serve as templates for their own replication. Until now, seeding assays of AD brain have largely been limited to areas previously defined by NFT pathology. We now expand this work to additional regions. We selected 20 individuals with AD pathology of NFT stages I, III, and V. We stained and classified 25 brain regions in each using the anti-phospho-tau monoclonal antibody AT8. We measured tau seeding in each of the 500 samples using a cell-based tau "biosensor" assay in which induction of intracellular tau aggregation is mediated by exogenous tau assemblies. We observed a progressive increase in tau seeding according to NFT stage. Seeding frequently preceded NFT pathology, e.g., in the basolateral subnucleus of the amygdala and the substantia nigra, pars compacta. We observed seeding in brain regions not previously known to develop tau pathology, e.g., the globus pallidus and internal capsule, where AT8 staining revealed mainly axonal accumulation of tau. AT8 staining in brain regions identified because of tau seeding also revealed pathology in a previously undescribed cell type: Bergmann glia of the cerebellar cortex. We also detected tau seeding in brain regions not previously examined, e.g., the intermediate reticular zone, dorsal raphe nucleus, amygdala, basal nucleus of Meynert, and olfactory bulb. In conclusion, tau histopathology and seeding are complementary analytical tools. Tau seeding assays reveal pathology in the absence of AT8 signal in some instances, and previously unrecognized sites of tau deposition. The variation in sites of seeding between individuals could underlie differences in the clinical presentation and course of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara E Stopschinski
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Kelly Del Tredici
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section/Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sandi-Jo Estill-Terpack
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | | | - Fang F Yu
- Department for Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Heiko Braak
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section/Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, NL10.120, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Abstract
Pathogenesis of tauopathies involves conversion of tau monomer into pathological tau conformers that serve as templates to recruit native tau into growing assemblies. Small soluble tau seeds have been proposed to drive pathological tau assembly in vitro, in cells and in vivo. We have previously described the isolation of monomeric pathogenic tau seeds derived from recombinant samples and tauopathy tissues but in-depth biophysical characterization of these species has not been done. Here we describe a chromatographic method to isolate recombinant soluble tau seeds derived from heparin treatment. We used biochemical and biophysical approaches to show that the seeds are predominantly monomeric and have the capacity to nucleate aggregation of inert forms of tau in vitro and in cells. Finally, we used crosslinking mass spectrometry to identify the topological changes in tau as it converts from an inert state to a pathogenic seed. Future studies will reveal the relationship between soluble seeds and structural polymorphs derived from tauopathies to help diagnose and develop therapeutics targeting specific tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Hou
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Dailu Chen
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Bryan D Ryder
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
- Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Lukasz A Joachimiak
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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