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Ollen-Bittle N, Roseborough AD, Wang W, Wu JLD, Whitehead SN. Connecting cellular mechanisms and extracellular vesicle cargo in traumatic brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2119-2131. [PMID: 38488547 PMCID: PMC11034607 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.391329] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury is followed by a cascade of dynamic and complex events occurring at the cellular level. These events include: diffuse axonal injury, neuronal cell death, blood-brain barrier break down, glial activation and neuroinflammation, edema, ischemia, vascular injury, energy failure, and peripheral immune cell infiltration. The timing of these events post injury has been linked to injury severity and functional outcome. Extracellular vesicles are membrane bound secretory vesicles that contain markers and cargo pertaining to their cell of origin and can cross the blood-brain barrier. These qualities make extracellular vesicles intriguing candidates for a liquid biopsy into the pathophysiologic changes occurring at the cellular level post traumatic brain injury. Herein, we review the most commonly reported cargo changes in extracellular vesicles from clinical traumatic brain injury samples. We then use knowledge from animal and in vitro models to help infer what these changes may indicate regrading cellular responses post traumatic brain injury. Future research should prioritize labeling extracellular vesicles with markers for distinct cell types across a range of timepoints post traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Ollen-Bittle
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Austyn D. Roseborough
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Wenxuan Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jeng-liang D. Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Shawn N. Whitehead
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Deparment of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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2
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Theofilas P, Wang C, Butler D, Morales DO, Petersen C, Ambrose A, Chin B, Yang T, Khan S, Ng R, Kayed R, Karch CM, Miller BL, Gestwicki JE, Gan L, Temple S, Arkin MR, Grinberg LT. iPSC-induced neurons with the V337M MAPT mutation are selectively vulnerable to caspase-mediated cleavage of tau and apoptotic cell death. Mol Cell Neurosci 2024; 130:103954. [PMID: 39032719 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2024.103954] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tau post-translational modifications (PTMs) result in the gradual build-up of abnormal tau and neuronal degeneration in tauopathies, encompassing variants of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Tau proteolytically cleaved by active caspases, including caspase-6, may be neurotoxic and prone to self-aggregation. Also, our recent findings show that caspase-6 truncated tau represents a frequent and understudied aspect of tau pathology in AD in addition to phospho-tau pathology. In AD and Pick's disease, a large percentage of caspase-6 associated cleaved-tau positive neurons lack phospho-tau, suggesting that many vulnerable neurons to tau pathology go undetected when using conventional phospho-tau antibodies and possibly will not respond to phospho-tau based therapies. Therefore, therapeutic strategies against caspase cleaved-tau pathology could be necessary to modulate the extent of tau abnormalities in AD and other tauopathies. METHODS To understand the timing and progression of caspase activation, tau cleavage, and neuronal death, we created two mAbs targeting caspase-6 tau cleavage sites and probed postmortem brain tissue from an individual with FTLD due to the V337M MAPT mutation. We then assessed tau cleavage and apoptotic stress response in cortical neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) carrying the FTD-related V337M MAPT mutation. Finally, we evaluated the neuroprotective effects of caspase inhibitors in these iPSC-derived neurons. RESULTS FTLD V337M MAPT postmortem brain showed positivity for both cleaved tau mAbs and active caspase-6. Relative to isogenic wild-type MAPT controls, V337M MAPT neurons cultured for 3 months post-differentiation showed a time-dependent increase in pathogenic tau in the form of caspase-cleaved tau, phospho-tau, and higher levels of tau oligomers. Accumulation of toxic tau species in V337M MAPT neurons was correlated with increased vulnerability to pro-apoptotic stress. Notably, this mutation-associated cell death was pharmacologically rescued by the inhibition of effector caspases. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest an upstream, time-dependent accumulation of caspase-6 cleaved tau in V337M MAPT neurons promoting neurotoxicity. These processes can be reversed by caspase inhibition. These results underscore the potential of developing caspase-6 inhibitors as therapeutic agents for FTLD and other tauopathies. Additionally, they highlight the promise of using caspase-cleaved tau as biomarkers for these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panos Theofilas
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chao Wang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Dulce O Morales
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cathrine Petersen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Ambrose
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Shireen Khan
- ChemPartner San Francisco, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Raymond Ng
- ChemPartner San Francisco, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA, USA; Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Michelle R Arkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Small Molecule Discovery Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Brazil.
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3
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Yang J, Shen N, Shen J, Yang Y, Li HL. Complicated Role of Post-translational Modification and Protease-Cleaved Fragments of Tau in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Tauopathies. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:4712-4731. [PMID: 38114762 PMCID: PMC11236937 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03867-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Tau, a microtubule-associated protein predominantly localized in neuronal axons, plays a crucial role in promoting microtubule assembly, stabilizing their structure, and participating in axonal transport. Perturbations in tau's structure and function are implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases collectively known as tauopathies, the most common disorder of which is Alzheimer's disease (AD). In tauopathies, it has been found that tau has a variety of post-translational modification (PTM) abnormalities and/or tau is cleaved into a variety of fragments by some specific proteolytic enzymes; however, the precise contributions of these abnormal modifications and fragments to disease onset and progression remain incompletely understood. Herein, we provide an overview about the involvement of distinctive abnormal tau PTMs and different tau fragments in the pathogenesis of AD and other tauopathies and discuss the involvement of proteolytic enzymes such as caspases, calpains, and asparagine endopeptidase in mediating tau cleavage while also addressing the intercellular transmission role played by tau. We anticipate that further exploration into PTMs and fragmented forms of tau will yield valuable insights for diagnostic approaches and therapeutic interventions targeting AD and other related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Naiting Shen
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jianying Shen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry, Hubei Province of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry, Hubei Province of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hong-Lian Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry, Hubei Province of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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4
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Catlin JP, Schaner Tooley CE. Exploring potential developmental origins of common neurodegenerative disorders. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:1035-1044. [PMID: 38661189 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In the United States, it is now estimated that 6.7 million people over the age of 65 are afflicted by Alzheimer's disease (AD), over 1 million people are living with Parkinson's disease (PD), and over 200 000 have or are at risk for developing Huntington's disease (HD). All three of these neurodegenerative diseases result in the ultimate death of distinct neuronal subtypes, and it is widely thought that age-related damage is the single biggest contributing factor to this neuronal death. However, recent studies are now suggesting that developmental defects during early neurogenesis could also play a role in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Loss or overexpression of proteins associated with HD, PD, and AD also result in embryonic phenotypes but whether these developmental defects slowly unmask over time and contribute to age-related neurodegeneration remains highly debated. Here, we discuss known links between embryonic neurogenesis and neurodegenerative disorders (including common signaling pathways), potential compensatory mechanisms that could delay presentation of neurodegenerative disorders, and the types of model systems that could be used to study these links in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Catlin
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, U.S.A
| | - Christine E Schaner Tooley
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, U.S.A
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5
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Bullmann T, Kaas T, Ritzau-Jost A, Wöhner A, Kirmann T, Rizalar FS, Holzer M, Nerlich J, Puchkov D, Geis C, Eilers J, Kittel RJ, Arendt T, Haucke V, Hallermann S. Human iPSC-Derived Neurons with Reliable Synapses and Large Presynaptic Action Potentials. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0971232024. [PMID: 38724283 PMCID: PMC11170674 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0971-23.2024] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the function of the human brain requires determining basic properties of synaptic transmission in human neurons. One of the most fundamental parameters controlling neurotransmitter release is the presynaptic action potential, but its amplitude and duration remain controversial. Presynaptic action potentials have so far been measured with high temporal resolution only in a limited number of vertebrate but not in human neurons. To uncover properties of human presynaptic action potentials, we exploited recently developed tools to generate human glutamatergic neurons by transient expression of Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) in pluripotent stem cells. During maturation for 3 to 9 weeks of culturing in different established media, the proportion of cells with multiple axon initial segments decreased, while the amount of axonal tau protein and neuronal excitability increased. Super-resolution microscopy revealed the alignment of the pre- and postsynaptic proteins, Bassoon and Homer. Synaptic transmission was surprisingly reliable at frequencies of 20, 50, and 100 Hz. The synchronicity of synaptic transmission during high-frequency transmission increased during 9 weeks of neuronal maturation. To analyze the mechanisms of synchronous high-frequency glutamate release, we developed direct presynaptic patch-clamp recordings from human neurons. The presynaptic action potentials had large overshoots to ∼25 mV and short durations of ∼0.5 ms. Our findings show that Ngn2-induced neurons represent an elegant model system allowing for functional, structural, and molecular analyses of glutamatergic synaptic transmission with high spatiotemporal resolution in human neurons. Furthermore, our data predict that glutamatergic transmission is mediated by large and rapid presynaptic action potentials in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Bullmann
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Thomas Kaas
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Andreas Ritzau-Jost
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Anne Wöhner
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Toni Kirmann
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Filiz Sila Rizalar
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Max Holzer
- Paul-Flechsig-Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jana Nerlich
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Dmytro Puchkov
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Christian Geis
- Section Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena 07747, Germany
| | - Jens Eilers
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Robert J Kittel
- Institute of Biology, Department of Animal Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Paul-Flechsig-Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Volker Haucke
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Berlin 13125, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Stefan Hallermann
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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6
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Fiock KL, Hook J, Hefti MM. Determinants of Astrocytic Pathology in Stem Cell Models of Primary Tauopathies. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.18.549558. [PMID: 37546981 PMCID: PMC10401936 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytic tau aggregates are seen in several primary and secondary tauopathies, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In all cases, astrocytic tau consists exclusively of the longer (4R) tau isoform, even when adjacent neuronal aggregates consist of a mixture of 3- and 4R tau, as in CTE. The reasons for this and the mechanisms by which astrocytic tau aggregates form remain unclear. We used a combination of RNA in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence in post-mortem human brain tissue, as well as tau uptake studies in human stem cell-derived astrocytes, to determine the origins of astrocytic tau in 4R tauopathies. We found that astrocytes across tauopathies do not upregulate tau mRNA expression between diseases or between tau-positive and -negative astrocytes within PSP. We then found that stem cell-derived astrocytes preferentially take up long isoform (4R) labeled recombinant tau and that this uptake is impaired by induction of reactivity with inflammatory stimuli or nutritional stress. Astrocytes exposed to either 3R or 4R tau also showed downregulation of genes related to astrocyte differentiation. Our findings suggest that astrocytes preferentially take up neuronal 4R tau from the extracellular space, which potentially explains why astrocytic tau aggregates contain only 4R tau, and that tau uptake is impaired by decreased nutrient availability or neuroinflammation, both of which are common in the aging brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L. Fiock
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jordan Hook
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Marco M. Hefti
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
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7
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Nwadiugwu M, Shen H, Deng HW. Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease from Genetic Studies. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040602. [PMID: 37106802 PMCID: PMC10136191 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are yet to be ameliorated due to the absence of curative treatment options. AD is an aging-related disease that affects cognition, and molecular imbalance is one of its hallmarks. There is a need to identify common causes of molecular imbalance in AD and their potential mechanisms for continuing research. A narrative synthesis of molecular mechanisms in AD from primary studies that employed single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) or spatial genomics was conducted using Embase and PubMed databases. We found that differences in molecular mechanisms in AD could be grouped into four key categories: sex-specific features, early-onset features, aging, and immune system pathways. The reported causes of molecular imbalance were alterations in bile acid (BA) synthesis, PITRM1, TREM2, olfactory mucosa (OM) cells, cholesterol catabolism, NFkB, double-strand break (DSB) neuronal damage, P65KD silencing, tau and APOE expression. What changed from previous findings in contrast to results obtained were explored to find potential factors for AD-modifying investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Nwadiugwu
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Hui Shen
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Hong-Wen Deng
- Tulane Center for Biomedical Informatics and Genomics, Deming Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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8
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Fiock KL, Betters RK, Hefti MM. Thioflavin S Staining and Amyloid Formation Are Unique to Mixed Tauopathies. J Histochem Cytochem 2023; 71:73-86. [PMID: 36861683 PMCID: PMC10071402 DOI: 10.1369/00221554231158428] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau phosphorylation, aggregation, and toxicity are the main drivers of neurodegeneration in multiple tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau. Although aggregation and amyloid formation are often assumed to be synonymous, the ability of tau aggregates in different diseases to form amyloids in vivo has not been systematically studied. We used the amyloid dye Thioflavin S to look at tau aggregates in mixed tauopathies such as AD and primary age-related tauopathy, as well as pure 3R or 4R tauopathies such as Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration. We found that aggregates of tau protein only form thioflavin-positive amyloids in mixed (3R/4R), but not pure (3R or 4R), tauopathies. Interestingly, neither astrocytic nor neuronal tau pathology was thioflavin-positive in pure tauopathies. As most current positron emission tomography tracers are based on thioflavin derivatives, this suggests that they may be more useful for differential diagnosis than the identification of a general tauopathy. Our findings also suggest that thioflavin staining may have utility as an alternative to traditional antibody staining for distinguishing between tau aggregates in patients with multiple pathologies and that the mechanisms for tau toxicity may differ between different tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L. Fiock
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa,
Iowa City, Iowa
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Iowa City,
Iowa
| | - Ryan K. Betters
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa,
Iowa City, Iowa
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate
Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Iowa City,
Iowa
| | - Marco M. Hefti
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa,
Iowa City, Iowa
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Iowa City,
Iowa
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9
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Magalhães TNC, Casseb RF, Gerbelli CLB, Pimentel-Siva LR, Nogueira MH, Teixeira CVL, Carletti AFMK, de Rezende TJR, Joaquim HPG, Talib LL, Forlenza OV, Cendes F, Balthazar MLF. Whole-brain DTI parameters associated with tau protein and hippocampal volume in Alzheimer's disease. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2863. [PMID: 36601694 PMCID: PMC9927845 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The causes of the neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are not completely known. Recent studies have shown that white matter (WM) damage could be more severe and widespread than whole-brain cortical atrophy and that such damage may appear even before the damage to the gray matter (GM). In AD, Amyloid-beta (Aβ42 ) and tau proteins could directly affect WM, spreading across brain networks. Since hippocampal atrophy is common in the early phase of disease, it is reasonable to expect that hippocampal volume (HV) might be also related to WM integrity. Our study aimed to evaluate the integrity of the whole-brain WM, through diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters, in mild AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) due to AD (with Aβ42 alteration in cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) in relation to controls; and possible correlations between those measures and the CSF levels of Aβ42 , phosphorylated tau protein (p-Tau) and total tau (t-Tau). We found a widespread WM alteration in the groups, and we also observed correlations between p-Tau and t-Tau with tracts directly linked to mesial temporal lobe (MTL) structures (fornix and hippocampal cingulum). However, linear regressions showed that the HV better explained the variation found in the DTI measures (with weak to moderate effect sizes, explaining from 9% to 31%) than did CSF proteins. In conclusion, we found widespread alterations in WM integrity, particularly in regions commonly affected by the disease in our group of early-stage disease and patients with Alzheimer's disease. Nonetheless, in the statistical models, the HV better predicted the integrity of the MTL tracts than the biomarkers in CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamires Naela Cardoso Magalhães
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raphael Fernandes Casseb
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Seaman Family MR Research Center, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Christian Luiz Baptista Gerbelli
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Luciana Ramalho Pimentel-Siva
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mateus Henrique Nogueira
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Vieira Ligo Teixeira
- Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil.,National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ana Flávia Mac Knight Carletti
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Thiago Junqueira Ribeiro de Rezende
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Leda Leme Talib
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM-27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Orestes Vicente Forlenza
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM-27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando Cendes
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcio Luiz Figueredo Balthazar
- Department of Neurology and Neuroimaging Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, São Paulo, Brazil
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10
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Altendorf T, Gering I, Santiago-Schübel B, Aghabashlou Saisan S, Tamgüney G, Tusche M, Honold D, Schemmert S, Hoyer W, Mohrlüder J, Willbold D. Stabilization of Monomeric Tau Protein by All D-Enantiomeric Peptide Ligands as Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Tauopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032161. [PMID: 36768484 PMCID: PMC9917023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies are the world's leading causes of dementia and memory loss. These diseases are thought to be caused by the misfolding and aggregation of the intracellular tau protein, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration. The tau protein is involved in a multitude of different neurodegenerative diseases. During the onset of tauopathies, tau undergoes structural changes and posttranslational modifications and aggregates into amyloid fibrils that are able to spread with a prion-like behavior. Up to now, there is no therapeutic agent which effectively controls or reverses the disease. Most of the therapeutics that were developed and underwent clinical trials targeted misfolded or aggregated forms of tau. In the current manuscript, we present the selection and characterization of two all D-enantiomeric peptides that bind monomeric tau protein with a low nanomolar KD, stabilize tau in its monomeric intrinsically disordered conformation, and stop the conversion of monomers into aggregates. We show that the effect of the two all D-enantiomeric peptides is strong enough to stop ongoing tau aggregation in vitro and is able to significantly reduce tau fibril assembly in cell culture. Both compounds may serve as new lead components for the development of therapeutic agents against Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Altendorf
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ian Gering
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Beatrix Santiago-Schübel
- Zentralinstitut für Engineering, Elektronik und Analytik, ZEA-3, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Selma Aghabashlou Saisan
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gültekin Tamgüney
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Markus Tusche
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dominik Honold
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Sarah Schemmert
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jeannine Mohrlüder
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (D.W.); Tel.: +49-2461-613518 (J.M.); +49-2461-612100 (D.W.)
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (D.W.); Tel.: +49-2461-613518 (J.M.); +49-2461-612100 (D.W.)
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11
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Wang S, Fu Y, Miyata T, Matsumoto S, Shinoda T, Itoh K, Harada A, Hirotsune S, Jin M. Functional Cooperation of α-Synuclein and Tau Is Essential for Proper Corticogenesis. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7031-7046. [PMID: 35906071 PMCID: PMC9480882 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0396-22.2022] [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: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and tau are abundant multifunctional neuronal proteins, and their intracellular deposits have been linked to many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Despite the disease relevance, their physiological roles remain elusive, as mice with knock-out of either of these genes do not exhibit overt phenotypes. To reveal functional cooperation, we generated αSyn-/-tau-/- double-knock-out mice and characterized the functional cross talk between these proteins during brain development. Intriguingly, deletion of αSyn and tau reduced Notch signaling and accelerated interkinetic nuclear migration of G2 phase at early embryonic stage. This significantly altered the balance between the proliferative and neurogenic divisions of progenitor cells, resulting in an overproduction of early born neurons and enhanced neurogenesis, by which the brain size was enlarged during the embryonic stage in both sexes. On the other hand, a reduction in the number of neural progenitor cells in the middle stage of corticogenesis diminished subsequent gliogenesis in the αSyn-/-tau-/- cortex. Additionally, the expansion and maturation of macroglial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) were suppressed in the αSyn-/-tau-/- postnatal brain, which in turn reduced the male αSyn-/-tau-/- brain size and cortical thickness to less than the control values. Our study identifies important functional cooperation of αSyn and tau during corticogenesis.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Correct understanding of the physiological functions of αSyn and tau in CNS is critical to elucidate pathogenesis involved in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. We show here that αSyn and tau are cooperatively involved in brain development via maintenance of progenitor cells. αSyn and tau double-knock-out mice exhibited an overproduction of early born neurons and accelerated neurogenesis at early corticogenesis. Furthermore, loss of αSyn and tau also perturbed gliogenesis at later embryonic stage, as well as the subsequent glial expansion and maturation at postnatal brain. Our findings provide new mechanistic insights and extend therapeutic opportunities for neurodegenerative diseases caused by aberrant αSyn and tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengming Wang
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Yu Fu
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Takaki Miyata
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Sakiko Matsumoto
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Shinoda
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Kyoko Itoh
- Department of Pathology and Applied Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Akihiro Harada
- Department of Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shinji Hirotsune
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Mingyue Jin
- Department of Genetic Disease Research, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541199, China
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12
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Human Brain Organoid: A Versatile Tool for Modeling Neurodegeneration Diseases and for Drug Screening. Stem Cells Int 2022; 2022:2150680. [PMID: 36061149 PMCID: PMC9436613 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2150680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials serve as the fundamental prerequisite for clinical therapy of human disease, which is primarily based on biomedical studies in animal models. Undoubtedly, animal models have made a significant contribution to gaining insight into the developmental and pathophysiological understanding of human diseases. However, none of the existing animal models could efficiently simulate the development of human organs and systems due to a lack of spatial information; the discrepancy in genetic, anatomic, and physiological basis between animals and humans limits detailed investigation. Therefore, the translational efficiency of the research outcomes in clinical applications was significantly weakened, especially for some complex, chronic, and intractable diseases. For example, the clinical trials for human fragile X syndrome (FXS) solely based on animal models have failed such as mGluR5 antagonists. To mimic the development of human organs more faithfully and efficiently translate in vitro biomedical studies to clinical trials, extensive attention to organoids derived from stem cells contributes to a deeper understanding of this research. The organoids are a miniaturized version of an organ generated in vitro, partially recapitulating key features of human organ development. As such, the organoids open a novel avenue for in vitro models of human disease, advantageous over the existing animal models. The invention of organoids has brought an innovative breakthrough in regeneration medicine. The organoid-derived human tissues or organs could potentially function as invaluable platforms for biomedical studies, pathological investigation of human diseases, and drug screening. Importantly, the study of regeneration medicine and the development of therapeutic strategies for human diseases could be conducted in a dish, facilitating in vitro analysis and experimentation. Thus far, the pilot breakthrough has been made in the generation of numerous types of organoids representing different human organs. Most of these human organoids have been employed for in vitro biomedical study and drug screening. However, the efficiency and quality of the organoids in recapitulating the development of human organs have been hindered by engineering and conceptual challenges. The efficiency and quality of the organoids are essential for downstream applications. In this article, we highlight the application in the modeling of human neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as FXS, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), and organoid-based drug screening. Additionally, challenges and weaknesses especially for limits of the brain organoid models in modeling late onset NDDs such as AD and PD., and future perspectives regarding human brain organoids are addressed.
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13
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Pradhan LK, Sahoo PK, Chauhan S, Das SK. Recent Advances Towards Diagnosis and Therapeutic Fingerprinting for Alzheimer's Disease. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1143-1165. [PMID: 35553375 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since the report of "a peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex" by Alois Alzheimer in 1906, it was considered to be a rare condition characterized by loss of cognition, memory impairment, and pathological markers such as senile plaques or neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Later on, the report was published in the textbook "Psychiatrie" and the disease was named as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and was known to be the consequences of aging; however, owing to its complex etiology, there is no cure for the progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Our current understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of AD is still at the mechanistic level. The treatment strategies applied currently only alleviate the symptoms and co-morbidities. For instance, the available treatments such as the usage of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl D-aspartate antagonists have minimal impact on the disease progression and target the later aspects of the disease. The recent advancements in the last two decades have made us more clearly understand the pathophysiology of the disease which has led to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This review gives a brief idea about the various facets of AD pathophysiology and its management through modern investigational therapies to give a new direction for development of targeted therapeutic measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilesh Kumar Pradhan
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Centre for Biotechnology, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to Be University), Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751003, India
| | - Pradyumna Kumar Sahoo
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Centre for Biotechnology, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to Be University), Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751003, India
| | - Santosh Chauhan
- Autophagy Laboratory, Infectious Disease Biology Division, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar-751023, India.
| | - Saroj Kumar Das
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Centre for Biotechnology, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to Be University), Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751003, India.
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14
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Han ZZ, Kang SG, Arce L, Westaway D. Prion-like strain effects in tauopathies. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:179-199. [PMID: 35460367 PMCID: PMC9034081 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that plays crucial roles in physiology and pathophysiology. In the realm of dementia, tau protein misfolding is associated with a wide spectrum of clinicopathologically diverse neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies. As proposed by the tau strain hypothesis, the intrinsic heterogeneity of tauopathies may be explained by the existence of structurally distinct tau conformers, “strains”. Tau strains can differ in their associated clinical features, neuropathological profiles, and biochemical signatures. Although prior research into infectious prion proteins offers valuable lessons for studying how a protein-only pathogen can encompass strain diversity, the underlying mechanism by which tau subtypes are generated remains poorly understood. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding different tau conformers through in vivo and in vitro experimental paradigms, and the implications of heterogeneity of pathological tau species for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Zhuang Han
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Luis Arce
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada. .,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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15
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Morris SL, Brady ST. Tau phosphorylation and PAD exposure in regulation of axonal growth. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1023418. [PMID: 36742197 PMCID: PMC9893789 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1023418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Tau is a microtubule associated phosphoprotein found principally in neurons. Prevailing dogma continues to define microtubule stabilization as the major function of tau in vivo, despite several lines of evidence suggesting this is not the case. Most importantly, tau null mice have deficits in axonal outgrowth and neuronal migration while still possessing an extensive microtubule network. Instead, mounting evidence suggests that tau may have a major function in the regulation of fast axonal transport (FAT) through activation of neuronal signaling pathways. Previous studies identified a phosphatase activating domain (PAD) at the tau N-terminal that is normally sequestered, but is constitutively exposed in tauopathies. When exposed, the PAD activates a signaling cascade involving PP1 and GSK3β which affects cellular functions including release of cargo from kinesin. Furthermore, we discovered that PAD exposure can be regulated by a single phosphorylation at T205. Exposure of the PAD is an early event in multiple tauopathies and a major contributing factor to neurodegeneration associated with tau hyperphosphorylation. However, effects of tau PAD exposure on anterograde FAT raised the interesting possibility that this pathway may be a mechanism for physiological regulation of cargo delivery through site-specific phosphorylation of tau and transient activation of PP1 and GSK3β. Significantly, there is already evidence of local control of PP1 and GSK3β at sites which require cargo delivery. Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, first we evaluated cellular localization of tau PAD exposure, pT205 tau phosphorylation, and active GSK3β in primary hippocampal neurons during development. Second, we analyzed the axonal outgrowth of tau knockout neurons following transfection with full length hTau40-WT, hTau40-ΔPAD, or hTau40-T205A. Results and Discussion: The results presented here suggest that transient activation of a PP1-GSK3β signaling pathway through locally regulated PAD exposure is a mechanism for cargo delivery, and thereby important for neurite outgrowth of developing neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Morris
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - S T Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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16
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Sierra-Fonseca JA, Rodriguez M, Themann A, Lira O, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Vargas-Medrano J, Gadad BS, Iñiguez SD. Autophagy Induction and Accumulation of Phosphorylated Tau in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex of Adult C57BL/6 Mice Subjected to Adolescent Fluoxetine Treatment. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:1691-1702. [PMID: 34420960 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fluoxetine (FLX) represents the antidepressant of choice for the management of pediatric mood-related illnesses. Accumulating preclinical evidence suggests that ontogenic FLX exposure leads to deregulated affect-related phenotypes in adulthood. Mood-related symptomatology constitutes a risk-factor for various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), making it possible for juvenile FLX history to exacerbate the development of neurodegenerative diseases. OBJECTIVE Because AD is characterized by the pathological accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau, which can result from impaired function of protein degradation pathways, such as autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), we evaluated the long-term effects of adolescent FLX exposure on these pathways, using mice as a model system. METHODS We subjected C57BL/6 adolescent male mice to FLX (20 mg/kg/day) from postnatal day (PD) 35 to PD49. Twenty-one days after the last FLX injection (i.e., adulthood; PD70), mice were euthanized and, using immunoblotting analysis, we evaluated protein markers of autophagy (Beclin-1, LC3-II, p62) and the UPS (K48-pUb), as well as AD-associated forms of phosphorylated tau, within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. RESULTS Juvenile FLX pre-exposure mediated long-term changes in the expression of protein markers (increased LC3-II and decreased p62) that is consistent with autophagy activation, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, FLX history induced persistent accumulation of AD-associated variants of tau in both the hippocampus and prefrontal cortexConclusion: Adolescent FLX treatment may have enduring effects in the neuronal protein degradation machinery, which could adversely influence clearance of abnormal proteins, potentially predisposing individuals to developing AD in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Minerva Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Anapaula Themann
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Omar Lira
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | | | - Javier Vargas-Medrano
- Department of Psychiatry, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Bharathi S Gadad
- Department of Psychiatry, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Sergio D Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
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17
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Izsak J, Vizlin-Hodzic D, Iljin M, Strandberg J, Jadasz J, Olsson Bontell T, Theiss S, Hanse E, Ågren H, Funa K, Illes S. TGF-β1 Suppresses Proliferation and Induces Differentiation in Human iPSC Neural in vitro Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:571332. [PMID: 33195202 PMCID: PMC7655796 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.571332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation is, among others, a hallmark of immaturity in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based neural models. TGF-β1 is known to regulate NSCs in vivo during embryonic development in rodents. Here we examined the role of TGF-β1 as a potential candidate to promote in vitro differentiation of hiPSCs-derived NSCs and maturation of neuronal progenies. We present that TGF-β1 is specifically present in early phases of human fetal brain development. We applied confocal imaging and electrophysiological assessment in hiPSC-NSC and 3D neural in vitro models and demonstrate that TGF-β1 is a signaling protein, which specifically suppresses proliferation, enhances neuronal and glial differentiation, without effecting neuronal maturation. Moreover, we demonstrate that TGF-β1 is equally efficient in enhancing neuronal differentiation of human NSCs as an artificial synthetic small molecule. The presented approach provides a proof-of-concept to replace artificial small molecules with more physiological signaling factors, which paves the way to improve the physiological relevance of human neural developmental in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Izsak
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dzeneta Vizlin-Hodzic
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Oncology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Margarita Iljin
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joakim Strandberg
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Janusz Jadasz
- Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Olsson Bontell
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Stephan Theiss
- Result Medical GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eric Hanse
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Hans Ågren
- Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Keiko Funa
- Oncology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Illes
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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