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Moore KBE, Hung TJ, Fortin JS. Hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) and drug discovery in the context of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103487. [PMID: 36634842 PMCID: PMC9975055 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and extracellular β-amyloid (βA) plaques. No disease-modifying therapy is currently available to prevent the progression of, or cure, the disease. Misfolded hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) is considered a pivotal point in the pathogenesis of AD and other tauopathies. Compelling evidence suggests that it is a key driver of the accumulation of NFTs and can be directly correlated with the extent of dementia in patients with AD. Therefore, inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation-induced aggregation could be a viable strategy to discover and develop therapeutics for patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall B E Moore
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Ta-Jung Hung
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jessica S Fortin
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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2
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Yoon JH, Hwang J, Son SU, Choi J, You SW, Park H, Cha SY, Maeng S. How Can Insulin Resistance Cause Alzheimer's Disease? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043506. [PMID: 36834911 PMCID: PMC9966425 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with cognitive decline. Despite worldwide efforts to find a cure, no proper treatment has been developed yet, and the only effective countermeasure is to prevent the disease progression by early diagnosis. The reason why new drug candidates fail to show therapeutic effects in clinical studies may be due to misunderstanding the cause of AD. Regarding the cause of AD, the most widely known is the amyloid cascade hypothesis, in which the deposition of amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau is the cause. However, many new hypotheses were suggested. Among them, based on preclinical and clinical evidence supporting a connection between AD and diabetes, insulin resistance has been pointed out as an important factor in the development of AD. Therefore, by reviewing the pathophysiological background of brain metabolic insufficiency and insulin insufficiency leading to AD pathology, we will discuss how can insulin resistance cause AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Yoon
- Age-Tech Service Convergence Major, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - JooHyun Hwang
- Age-Tech Service Convergence Major, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Un Son
- Department of Comprehensive Health Science, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhyuk Choi
- Age-Tech Service Convergence Major, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Won You
- Department of Comprehensive Health Science, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Park
- Department of Comprehensive Health Science, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
- Health Park Co., Ltd., Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Yun Cha
- Department of Comprehensive Health Science, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (S.-Y.C.); (S.M.); Tel.: +82-31-201-2916 (S.M.)
| | - Sungho Maeng
- Age-Tech Service Convergence Major, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
- Department of Comprehensive Health Science, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (S.-Y.C.); (S.M.); Tel.: +82-31-201-2916 (S.M.)
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3
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Leuzy A, Janelidze S, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Palmqvist S, Jacobs D, Cicognola C, Stomrud E, Vanmechelen E, Dage JL, Hansson O. Comparing the Clinical Utility and Diagnostic Performance of CSF P-Tau181, P-Tau217, and P-Tau231 Assays. Neurology 2021; 97:e1681-e1694. [PMID: 34493616 PMCID: PMC8605616 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in CSF is considered an important biomarker in Alzheimer disease (AD) and has been incorporated in recent diagnostic criteria. Several variants exist, including p-tau at threonines 181 (p-tau181), 217 (p-tau217), and 231 (p-tau231). However, no studies have compared their diagnostic performance or association to β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau-PET. Understanding which p-tau variant to use remains an important yet answered question. We aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of p-tau181, p-tau217, and p-tau231 in CSF for AD and their association with Aβ and tau-PET. Methods A total of 629 participants in the Swedish BioFINDER-2 study were included (cognitively unimpaired, n = 334; Aβ-positive mild cognitive impairment, n = 84; AD dementia, n = 119; and non-AD disorders, n = 92). In addition to p-tau181 and p-tau217 measured using assays with the same detector antibodies from Eli Lilly (p-tau181Lilly, p-tau217Lilly) and p-tau231, we also included p-tau181 measurements from 2 commonly used assays (Innotest and Elecsys). Results Although all p-tau variants increased across the AD continuum, p-tau217Lilly showed the greatest dynamic range (13-fold increase vs 1.9–5.4-fold increase for other p-tau variants for AD dementia vs non-AD). P-Tau217Lilly showed stronger correlations with Aβ- and tau-PET (p < 0.0001). P-Tau217Lilly exhibited higher accuracy than other p-tau variants for separating AD dementia from non-AD (area under the curve [AUC], 0.98 vs 0.88 [p < 0.0001] - 0.96 [p < 0.05]) and for identifying Aβ-PET (AUC, 0.86 vs 0.74 [p < 0.0001] and 0.83 [p < 0.001]) and tau-PET positivity (AUC, 0.94 vs 0.80—0.92, p < 0.0001). Finally, p-Tau181Lilly generally performed better than the other p-tau181 assays (e.g., AD dementia vs non-AD, AUC, 0.96 vs 0.88 [p-tau181Innotest] and 0.89 [p-tau181Elecsys]; p < 0.0001). Discussion CSF p-tau217Lilly seems to be more useful than other included p-tau assays in the workup of AD. Varied results across p-tau181 assays highlights the importance of anti-tau antibodies for biomarker performance. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class II evidence that p-tau217 provides higher diagnostic accuracy for diagnosis of AD dementia than p-tau181 or p-tau231.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Leuzy
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN.
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Sebastian Palmqvist
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Dirk Jacobs
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Claudia Cicognola
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Erik Stomrud
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Eugeen Vanmechelen
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Jeffrey L Dage
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN
| | - Oskar Hansson
- From the Clinical Memory Research Unit (A.L., S.J., N.M.-C., S.P., C.C., E.S., O.H.), Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö; Department of Neurology (N.M.-C.) and Memory Clinic (S.P., E.S., O.H.), Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (N.M.-C.), Lund University, Sweden; ADx NeuroSciences NV (D.J., E.V.), Ghent, Belgium; and Eli Lilly and Company (J.L.D.), Indianapolis, IN.
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4
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Xu M, Zhang X, Yu J, Guo Z, Li Y, Song X, He K, Li G, Chi Y. Proteome-Wide Analysis of Lysine 2-Hydroxyisobutyrylation in Aspergillus niger in Peanuts. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:719337. [PMID: 34489910 PMCID: PMC8418202 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.719337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus niger is a very destructive pathogen causing severe peanut root rot, especially in the seeding stage of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), and often leading to the death of the plant. Protein lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a newly detected post-translational modification identified in several species. In this study, we identified 5041 Khib sites on 1,453 modified proteins in A. niger. Compared with five other species, A. niger has conserved and novel proteins. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Khib proteins are widely distributed in A. niger and are involved in many biological processes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that Khib proteins were significantly enriched in many cellular compartments and pathways, such as ribosomes and proteasome subunits. A total of 223 Khib proteins were part of the PPI network, thus, suggesting that Khib proteins are associated with a large range of protein interactions and diverse pathways in the life processes of A. niger. Several identified proteins are involved in pathogenesis regulation. Our research provides the first comprehensive report of Khib and an extensive database for potential functional studies on Khib proteins in this economically important fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlin Xu
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhiqing Guo
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Ying Li
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Xinying Song
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Kang He
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Guowei Li
- Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources, SAAS, Jinan, China
| | - Yucheng Chi
- Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China
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5
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Li S, Yi Y, Cui K, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Han D, Sun L, Zhang X, Chen F, Zhang Y, Yang Y. A Single-Chain Variable Fragment Antibody Inhibits Aggregation of Phosphorylated Tau and Ameliorates Tau Toxicity in vitro and in vivo. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 79:1613-1629. [PMID: 33459708 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common cause of dementia among elderly people. Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau correlates with the clinical progression of AD; therefore, therapies targeting the aggregation of tau may have potential applications for anti-AD drug development. Several inhibitors of tau aggregation, including small molecules and antibodies, have been found to decrease the aggregation of tau and the corresponding pathology. OBJECTIVE To screen one kind of single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody which could inhibit the aggregation of tau and ameliorate its cytotoxicity. METHODS/RESULTS Using phosphorylated tau (pTau) as an antigen, we obtained a scFv antibody via the screening of a high-capacity phage antibody library. Biochemical analysis revealed that this scFv antibody (scFv T1) had a strong ability to inhibit pTau aggregation both in dilute solutions and under conditions of macromolecular crowding. ScFv T1 could also depolymerize preformed pTau aggregates in vitro. Furthermore, scFv T1 was found to be able to inhibit the cytotoxicity of extracellular pTau aggregates and ameliorate tau-mediated toxicity when coexpressed with a hTauR406W mutant in the eye of transgenic Drosophila flies. CONCLUSION This scFv T1 antibody may be a potential new therapeutic agent against AD. Our methods can be used to develop novel strategies against protein aggregation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yushan Yi
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Ke Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yange Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Dou Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Ling Sun
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Fei Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Yufeng Yang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
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6
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Barthélemy NR, Li Y, Joseph-Mathurin N, Gordon BA, Hassenstab J, Benzinger TLS, Buckles V, Fagan AM, Perrin RJ, Goate AM, Morris JC, Karch CM, Xiong C, Allegri R, Mendez PC, Berman SB, Ikeuchi T, Mori H, Shimada H, Shoji M, Suzuki K, Noble J, Farlow M, Chhatwal J, Graff-Radford NR, Salloway S, Schofield PR, Masters CL, Martins RN, O'Connor A, Fox NC, Levin J, Jucker M, Gabelle A, Lehmann S, Sato C, Bateman RJ, McDade E. A soluble phosphorylated tau signature links tau, amyloid and the evolution of stages of dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease. Nat Med 2020; 26:398-407. [PMID: 32161412 PMCID: PMC7309367 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0781-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Development of tau-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease requires an understanding of the timing of disease-related changes in tau. We quantified the phosphorylation state at multiple sites of the tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid markers across four decades of disease progression in dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease. We identified a pattern of tau staging where site-specific phosphorylation changes occur at different periods of disease progression and follow distinct trajectories over time. These tau phosphorylation state changes are uniquely associated with structural, metabolic, neurodegenerative and clinical markers of disease, and some (p-tau217 and p-tau181) begin with the initial increases in aggregate amyloid-β as early as two decades before the development of aggregated tau pathology. Others (p-tau205 and t-tau) increase with atrophy and hypometabolism closer to symptom onset. These findings provide insights into the pathways linking tau, amyloid-β and neurodegeneration, and may facilitate clinical trials of tau-based treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas R Barthélemy
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.,Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nelly Joseph-Mathurin
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Brian A Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jason Hassenstab
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tammie L S Benzinger
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Virginia Buckles
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Anne M Fagan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Richard J Perrin
- Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alison M Goate
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - John C Morris
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chengjie Xiong
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ricardo Allegri
- Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia (FLENI) Instituto de Investigaciones Neurológicas Raúl Correa, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricio Chrem Mendez
- Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia (FLENI) Instituto de Investigaciones Neurológicas Raúl Correa, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sarah B Berman
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - James Noble
- Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin Farlow
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jasmeer Chhatwal
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Stephen Salloway
- Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.,Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Peter R Schofield
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Colin L Masters
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Antoinette O'Connor
- Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nick C Fox
- Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Johannes Levin
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias Jucker
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.,Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Audrey Gabelle
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Protéomique Clinique and CRB, INSERM-UM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France, Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvain Lehmann
- Laboratoire de Biochimie et Protéomique Clinique and CRB, INSERM-UM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France, Montpellier, France
| | - Chihiro Sato
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Randall J Bateman
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Eric McDade
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
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7
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Siano G, Caiazza MC, Ollà I, Varisco M, Madaro G, Quercioli V, Calvello M, Cattaneo A, Di Primio C. Identification of an ERK Inhibitor as a Therapeutic Drug Against Tau Aggregation in a New Cell-Based Assay. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:386. [PMID: 31496937 PMCID: PMC6712076 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Formation of Tau aggregates is a common pathological feature of tauopathies and their accumulation directly correlates with cytotoxicity and neuronal degeneration. Great efforts have been made to understand Tau aggregation and to find therapeutics halting or reversing the process, however, progress has been slowed due to the lack of a suitable method for monitoring Tau aggregation. We developed a cell-based assay allowing to detect and quantify Tau aggregation in living cells. The system is based on the FRET biosensor CST able to monitor the molecular dynamic of Tau aggregation in different cellular conditions. We probed candidate compounds that could block Tau hyperphosphorylation. In particular, to foster the drug discovery process, we tested kinase inhibitors approved for the treatment of other diseases. We identified the ERK inhibitor PD-901 as a promising therapeutic molecule since it reduces and prevents Tau aggregation. This evidence establishes the CST cell-based aggregation assay as a reliable tool for drug discovery and suggests that PD-901 might be a promising compound to be tested for further preclinical studies on AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Siano
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Ivana Ollà
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Martina Varisco
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Madaro
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonino Cattaneo
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy.,Neurotrophins and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Rita Levi-Montalcini European Brain Research Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Di Primio
- Laboratorio di Biologia (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
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8
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Naseri NN, Wang H, Guo J, Sharma M, Luo W. The complexity of tau in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett 2019; 705:183-194. [PMID: 31028844 PMCID: PMC7060758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by two major pathological lesions in the brain, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and hyperphosphorylated tau, respectively. Although accumulation of toxic Aβ species in the brain has been proposed as one of the important early events in AD, continued lack of success of clinical trials based on Aβ-targeting drugs has triggered the field to seek out alternative disease mechanisms and related therapeutic strategies. One of the new approaches is to uncover novel roles of pathological tau during disease progression. This review will primarily focus on recent advances in understanding the contributions of tau to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima N Naseri
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Hong Wang
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Jennifer Guo
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Manu Sharma
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Wenjie Luo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
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9
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Koppel J, Jimenez H, Adrien L, Chang EH, Malhotra AK, Davies P. Increased tau phosphorylation follows impeded dopamine clearance in a P301L and novel P301L/COMT-deleted (DM) tau mouse model. J Neurochem 2019; 148:127-135. [PMID: 30238463 PMCID: PMC6758923 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, the phosphorylation of tau is a critical event preceding the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Previous work exploring the impact of a dopamine blocking antipsychotic on tau phosphorylation in a tau transgenic model suggested that extracellular dopamine may play a regulatory role in the phosphorylation state of tau. In order to test this hypothesis, and in order to develop a mouse model of impaired dopamine metabolism and tauopathy, an extant P301L transgenic tau model of Alzheimer's disease and a novel P301L/catechol-O-methyltransferase deleted model (DM mouse) were treated with the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine, and prefrontal dopamine concentrations and the phosphorylated state of tau was quantified. In two experiments, male and female P301L+/+//COMT+/+ and P301L+/+//COMT-/- (DM) mice were treated with reboxetine 20 mg/kg IP. In one experiment, acutely following reboxetine injection, the prefrontal cortex of mice were microdialyzed for dopamine, and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, utilizing the MetaQuant technique. In another experiment, acutely following reboxetine injections, tau phosphorylation was quantified in the frontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus of the mice. Reboxetine injections were followed by significant increases from baseline in extracellular dopamine concentrations in P301L and DM mice, with significantly higher peak levels in the DM mice. Treatment was also followed by increases in tau phosphorylation spread throughout brain regions, with a larger impact on female mice. Extracellular dopamine concentrations exert an influence on the phosphorylation state of tau, with surges in dopamine associating with acute increases in tau phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Koppel
- The Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
- The Zucker Hillside Hospital, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Great Neck, New York, USA
| | - Heidy Jimenez
- The Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Leslie Adrien
- The Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Eric H. Chang
- The Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Anil K. Malhotra
- The Zucker Hillside Hospital, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Great Neck, New York, USA
| | - Peter Davies
- The Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
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10
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Lajarín-Cuesta R, Arribas RL, Nanclares C, García-Frutos EM, Gandía L, de los Ríos C. Design and synthesis of multipotent 3-aminomethylindoles and 7-azaindoles with enhanced protein phosphatase 2A-activating profile and neuroprotection. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 157:294-309. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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11
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Medina M. An Overview on the Clinical Development of Tau-Based Therapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19041160. [PMID: 29641484 PMCID: PMC5979300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration, or progressive supranuclear palsy constitute a group of brain disorders defined by neurodegeneration and the presence of tau aggregates in the affected brains regions. Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that accumulates in the cytosol under pathological conditions, steering the formation of aggregates or inclusions thought to be involved in the degeneration and neuronal death associated with these diseases. Despite a substantial and unmet medical need for novel, more effective disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of AD and tauopathies, the last couple of decades have seen numerous drug development undertakings primarily focused on β-amyloid, with disappointing results to date. On the other hand, tau-focused approaches have not received much attention until recently, notwithstanding that the presence of extensive tau pathology is fundamental for the disease and tau pathology shows a better correlation with impaired cognitive function than with amyloid pathology in AD patients. The last few years have brought us advances in our comprehension of tau biological functions beyond its well-established role as a microtubule-associated protein, unveiling novel physiological tau functions that may also be involved in pathogenesis and thus provide novel targets for therapeutic intervention. This review describes several emerging, encouraging therapeutic approaches aimed at tackling the underlying causes of tau pathology in AD and other tauopathies that have recently reached the clinical development stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Medina
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Center, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, 28031 Madrid, Spain.
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12
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Understanding Miro GTPases: Implications in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:7352-7365. [PMID: 29411264 PMCID: PMC6096957 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0927-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The Miro GTPases represent an unusual subgroup of the Ras superfamily and have recently emerged as important mediators of mitochondrial dynamics and for maintaining neuronal health. It is now well-established that these enzymes act as essential components of a Ca2+-sensitive motor complex, facilitating the transport of mitochondria along microtubules in several cell types, including dopaminergic neurons. The Miros appear to be critical for both anterograde and retrograde mitochondrial transport in axons and dendrites, both of which are considered essential for neuronal health. Furthermore, the Miros may be significantly involved in the development of several serious pathological processes, including the development of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss the molecular structure and known mitochondrial functions of the Miro GTPases in humans and other organisms, in the context of neurodegenerative disease. Finally, we consider the potential human Miros hold as novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of such disease.
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13
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Hugon J, Mouton-Liger F, Dumurgier J, Paquet C. PKR involvement in Alzheimer's disease. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2017; 9:83. [PMID: 28982375 PMCID: PMC5629792 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-017-0308-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain lesions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are characterized by Aβ accumulation, neurofibrillary tangles, and synaptic and neuronal vanishing. According to the amyloid cascade hypothesis, Aβ1-42 oligomers could trigger a neurotoxic cascade with kinase activation that leads to tau phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. Detrimental pathways that are associated with kinase activation could also be linked to the triggering of direct neuronal death, the production of free radicals, and neuroinflammation. RESULTS Among these kinases, PKR (eukaryotic initiation factor 2α kinase 2) is a pro-apoptotic enzyme that inhibits translation and that has been implicated in several molecular pathways that lead to AD brain lesions and disturbed memory formation. PKR accumulates in degenerating neurons and is activated by Aβ1-42 neurotoxicity. It might modulate Aβ synthesis through BACE 1 induction. PKR is increased in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment and can induce the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways leading to TNFα and IL1-β production. In addition, experimentally, PKR seems to down-regulate the molecular processes of memory consolidation. This review highlights the major findings linking PKR and abnormal brain metabolism associated with AD lesions. CONCLUSIONS Studying the detrimental role of PKR signaling in AD could pave the way for a neuroprotective strategy in which PKR inhibition could reduce neuronal demise and alleviate cognitive decline as well as the cumbersome burden of AD for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Hugon
- Center of Cognitive Neurology and Inserm U942 Lariboisière Hospital AP-HP University Paris Diderot, 75010, Paris, France. .,Center of Cognitive Neurology, Lariboisière FW Hospital, 200 rue du Faubourg Saint Denis, 75010, Paris, France.
| | | | - Julien Dumurgier
- Center of Cognitive Neurology and Inserm U942 Lariboisière Hospital AP-HP University Paris Diderot, 75010, Paris, France
| | - Claire Paquet
- Center of Cognitive Neurology and Inserm U942 Lariboisière Hospital AP-HP University Paris Diderot, 75010, Paris, France
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14
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Panza F, Solfrizzi V, Seripa D, Imbimbo BP, Lozupone M, Santamato A, Tortelli R, Galizia I, Prete C, Daniele A, Pilotto A, Greco A, Logroscino G. Tau-based therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease: active and passive immunotherapy. Immunotherapy 2017; 8:1119-34. [PMID: 27485083 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2016-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological manipulation of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease included microtubule-stabilizing agents, tau protein kinase inhibitors, tau aggregation inhibitors, active and passive immunotherapies and, more recently, inhibitors of tau acetylation. Animal studies have shown that both active and passive approaches can remove tau pathology and, in some cases, improve cognitive function. Two active vaccines targeting either nonphosphorylated (AAD-vac1) and phosphorylated tau (ACI-35) have entered Phase I testing. Notwithstanding, the recent discontinuation of the monoclonal antibody RG7345 for Alzheimer's disease, two other antitau antibodies, BMS-986168 and C2N-8E12, are also currently in Phase I testing for progressive supranuclear palsy. After the recent impressive results in animal studies obtained by salsalate, the dimer of salicylic acid, inhibitors of tau acetylation are being actively pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Panza
- Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, & Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico,' Tricase, Lecce, Italy.,Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology & Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza,' San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Solfrizzi
- Geriatric Medicine-Memory Unit & Rare Disease Centre, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Davide Seripa
- Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology & Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza,' San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Bruno P Imbimbo
- Research & Development Department, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy
| | - Madia Lozupone
- Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, & Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Andrea Santamato
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Section, 'OORR' Hospital, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Rosanna Tortelli
- Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, & Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico,' Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Ilaria Galizia
- Psychiatric Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, & Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Camilla Prete
- Department of OrthoGeriatrics, Rehabilitation & Stabilization, Frailty Area, E.O. Galliera NR-HS Hospital, Genova, Italy
| | - Antonio Daniele
- Institute of Neurology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Pilotto
- Department of OrthoGeriatrics, Rehabilitation & Stabilization, Frailty Area, E.O. Galliera NR-HS Hospital, Genova, Italy
| | - Antonio Greco
- Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology & Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza,' San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, & Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico,' Tricase, Lecce, Italy.,Institute of Neurology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
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15
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Prokopovich DV, Whittaker JW, Muthee MM, Ahmed A, Larini L. Impact of Phosphorylation and Pseudophosphorylation on the Early Stages of Aggregation of the Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:2095-2103. [PMID: 28218850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau regulates the stability of microtubules within neurons in the central nervous system. In turn, microtubules are responsible for the remodeling of the cytoskeleton that ultimately leads to the formation or pruning of new connections among neurons. As a consequence, dysfunction of tau is associated with many forms of dementia as well as Alzheimer's disease. In the brain, tau activity is regulated by its phosphorylation state. Phosphorylation is a post-translational modification of proteins that adds a phosphate group to the side chain of an amino acid. Phosphorylation at key locations in the tau sequence leads to a higher or lower affinity for microtubules. In Alzheimer's disease, tau is present in an abnormal phosphorylation state. However, studying the effect of phosphorylation experimentally has been extremely challenging as there is no viable way of exactly selecting the location and the number of phosphorylated sites. For this reason, researchers have turned to pseudophosphorylation. In this technique, actual phosphorylation is mimicked by mutating the selected amino acid into glutamate or aspartate. Whether this methodology is equivalent to actual phosphorylation is still open to debate. In this study, we will show that phosphorylation and pseudophosphorylation are not exactly equivalent. Although for larger aggregates the two techniques lead to similar structures, the kinetics of the process may be altered. In addition, very little is known about the impact that this may have on the early stages of aggregation, such as nucleation and conformational rearrangement. In this study, we show that the two methods may produce a similar ensemble of conformations, even though the kinetic and chemical details that lead to it are quite different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitriy V Prokopovich
- Department of Physics and ‡Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden , Camden, New Jersey 08102, United States
| | - John W Whittaker
- Department of Physics and ‡Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden , Camden, New Jersey 08102, United States
| | - Micaiah M Muthee
- Department of Physics and ‡Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden , Camden, New Jersey 08102, United States
| | - Azka Ahmed
- Department of Physics and ‡Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden , Camden, New Jersey 08102, United States
| | - Luca Larini
- Department of Physics and ‡Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden , Camden, New Jersey 08102, United States
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16
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Ku T, Chen M, Li B, Yun Y, Li G, Sang N. Synergistic effects of particulate matter (PM 2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2) on neurodegeneration via the microRNA-mediated regulation of tau phosphorylation. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2017; 6:7-16. [PMID: 30090473 PMCID: PMC6060696 DOI: 10.1039/c6tx00314a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Because air pollution is a complex mixture of pollutants consisting of both particulate and gaseous components, understanding the health risks from these pollutants requires an evaluation of their combined effects rather than predictions based on the toxicities of single chemicals alone. Particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) commonly co-exist in the atmospheric environment, and epidemiological studies have linked air pollution to the development of neurodegenerative disorders, in addition to increased morbidity from cardiopulmonary diseases. However, few studies have examined the potential effects from combinations of these pollutants on neurodegeneration, especially at NOEC doses. In the present study, we first found that PM2.5 and SO2 co-exposure leads to neurodegeneration at low doses, including neuronal apoptosis, the reduction of synaptic structural protein postsynaptic density (PSD-95) and synaptic functional protein N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits (NR2B), and the elevation of tau phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo, which did not induce clear effects when the compounds were tested separately. Furthermore, we clarified that the microRNA (miRNA) miR-337-5p, which is homologous to a human miRNA that targets tau, was involved in the combined effect and contributed to synergistic neurodegeneration. This work implies the potential risk of neuronal dysfunction from the co-existence of PM2.5 and SO2 in coal-burning areas and provides new insights into the molecular markers for the relevant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Ku
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
| | - Minjun Chen
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
| | - Ben Li
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
| | - Yang Yun
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
| | - Guangke Li
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
| | - Nan Sang
- College of Environment and Resource , Research Center of Environment and Health , Shanxi University , Taiyuan , Shanxi , 030006 PR China . ; ; Tel: +86-351-7011932
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17
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Seripa D, Solfrizzi V, Imbimbo BP, Daniele A, Santamato A, Lozupone M, Zuliani G, Greco A, Logroscino G, Panza F. Tau-directed approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: focus on leuco-methylthioninium. Expert Rev Neurother 2016; 16:259-77. [PMID: 26822031 DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2016.1140039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Small molecular weight compounds able to inhibit formation of tau oligomers and fibrils have already been tested for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment. The most advanced tau aggregation inhibitor (TAI) is methylthioninium (MT), a drug existing in equilibrium between a reduced (leuco-methylthioninium) and oxidized form (MT(+)). MT chloride (also known as methylene blue) was investigated in a 24-week Phase II study in 321 mild-to-moderate AD patients at the doses of 69, 138, and 228 mg/day. This trial failed to show significant positive effects of MT in the overall patient population. The dose of 138 mg/day showed potential benefits on cognitive performance of moderately affected patients and cerebral blood flow in mildly affected patients. A follow-up compound (TRx0237) claimed to be more bioavailable and less toxic than MT, is now being developed. Phase III clinical trials on this novel TAI in AD and in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia are underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Seripa
- a Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences , IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza' , San Giovanni Rotondo , Foggia , Italy
| | - Vincenzo Solfrizzi
- b Geriatric Medicine-Memory Unit and Rare Disease Centre , University of Bari Aldo Moro , Bari , Italy
| | - Bruno P Imbimbo
- c Research & Development Department , Chiesi Farmaceutici , Parma , Italy
| | - Antonio Daniele
- d Institute of Neurology , Catholic University of Sacred Heart , Rome , Italy
| | - Andrea Santamato
- e Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Section, 'OORR' Hospital , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy
| | - Madia Lozupone
- f Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs , University of Bari Aldo Moro , Bari , Italy
| | - Giovanni Zuliani
- g Department of Medical Science, Section of Internal and Cardiopulmonary Medicine , University of Ferrara
| | - Antonio Greco
- a Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences , IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza' , San Giovanni Rotondo , Foggia , Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- f Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs , University of Bari Aldo Moro , Bari , Italy.,h Department of Clinical Research in Neurology , University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico' , Tricase , Lecce , Italy
| | - Francesco Panza
- a Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences , IRCCS 'Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza' , San Giovanni Rotondo , Foggia , Italy.,f Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs , University of Bari Aldo Moro , Bari , Italy.,h Department of Clinical Research in Neurology , University of Bari Aldo Moro, 'Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico' , Tricase , Lecce , Italy
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18
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Wu Y, Teng N, Li S. Effects of macromolecular crowding and osmolyte on human Tau fibrillation. Int J Biol Macromol 2016; 90:27-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.11.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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19
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Bodea L, Eckert A, Ittner LM, Piguet O, Götz J. Tau physiology and pathomechanisms in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. J Neurochem 2016; 138 Suppl 1:71-94. [PMID: 27306859 PMCID: PMC5094566 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) has been associated with toxic intracellular aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau (FTLD-tau). Moreover, genetic studies identified mutations in the MAPT gene encoding tau in familial cases of the disease. In this review, we cover a range of aspects of tau function, both in the healthy and diseased brain, discussing several in vitro and in vivo models. Tau structure and function in the healthy brain is presented, accentuating its distinct compartmentalization in neurons and its role in microtubule stabilization and axonal transport. Furthermore, tau-driven pathology is discussed, introducing current concepts and the underlying experimental evidence. Different aspects of pathological tau phosphorylation, the protein's genomic and domain organization as well as its spreading in disease, together with MAPT-associated mutations and their respective models are presented. Dysfunction related to other post-transcriptional modifications and their effect on normal neuronal functions such as cell cycle, epigenetics and synapse dynamics are also discussed, providing a mechanistic explanation for the observations made in FTLD-tau cases, with the possibility for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we cover aspects of tau function, both in the healthy and diseased brain, referring to different in vitro and in vivo models. In healthy neurons, tau is compartmentalized, with higher concentrations found in the distal part of the axon. Cargo molecules are sensitive to this gradient. A disturbed tau distribution, as found in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-tau), has severe consequences for cellular physiology: tau accumulates in the neuronal soma and dendrites, leading among others to microtubule depolymerization and impaired axonal transport. Tau forms insoluble aggregates that sequester additional molecules stalling cellular physiology. Neuronal communication is gradually lost as toxic tau accumulates in dendritic spines with subsequent degeneration of synapses and synaptic loss. Thus, by providing a mechanistic explanation for the observations made in FTLD-tau cases, arises a possibility for therapeutic interventions. This article is part of the Frontotemporal Dementia special issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liviu‐Gabriel Bodea
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia ResearchQueensland Brain InstituteThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | - Anne Eckert
- Neurobiology LaboratoryPsychiatric University Clinics BaselUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Lars Matthias Ittner
- Dementia Research UnitSchool of Medical SciencesFaculty of MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | | | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia ResearchQueensland Brain InstituteThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLDAustralia
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20
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Lössl P, Brunner AM, Liu F, Leney AC, Yamashita M, Scheltema RA, Heck AJR. Deciphering the Interplay among Multisite Phosphorylation, Interaction Dynamics, and Conformational Transitions in a Tripartite Protein System. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2016; 2:445-55. [PMID: 27504491 PMCID: PMC4965854 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.6b00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Multisite phosphorylation is a common pathway to regulate protein function, activity, and interaction pattern in vivo, but routine biochemical analysis is often insufficient to identify the number and order of individual phosphorylation reactions and their mechanistic impact on the protein behavior. Here, we integrate complementary mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches to characterize a multisite phosphorylation-regulated protein system comprising Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) and its coactivators Aurora kinase A (Aur-A) and Bora, the interplay of which is essential for mitotic entry after DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest. Native MS and cross-linking-MS revealed that Aur-A/Bora-mediated Plk1 activation is accompanied by the formation of Aur-A/Bora and Plk1/Bora heterodimers. We found that the Aur-A/Bora interaction is independent of the Bora phosphorylation state, whereas the Plk1/Bora interaction is dependent on extensive Bora multisite phosphorylation. Bottom-up and top-down proteomics analyses showed that Bora multisite phosphorylation proceeds via a well-ordered sequence of site-specific phosphorylation reactions, whereby we could reveal the involvement of up to 16 phosphorylated Bora residues. Ion mobility spectrometry-MS demonstrated that this multisite phosphorylation primes a substantial structural rearrangement of Bora, explaining the interdependence between extensive Bora multisite phosphorylation and Plk1/Bora complex formation. These results represent a first benchmark of our multipronged MS strategy, highlighting its potential to elucidate the mechanistic and structural implications of multisite protein phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Lössl
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea M. Brunner
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fan Liu
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Aneika C. Leney
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Masami Yamashita
- Department
of Structural Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz
18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Richard A. Scheltema
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert J. R. Heck
- Biomolecular
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular
Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Netherlands
Proteomics Center, Padualaan
8, 3584CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- E-mail:
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21
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Tau-Centric Targets and Drugs in Clinical Development for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:3245935. [PMID: 27429978 PMCID: PMC4939203 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3245935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The failure of several Phase II/III clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease (AD) with drugs targeting β-amyloid accumulation in the brain fuelled an increasing interest in alternative treatments against tau pathology, including approaches targeting tau phosphatases/kinases, active and passive immunization, and anti-tau aggregation. The most advanced tau aggregation inhibitor (TAI) is methylthioninium (MT), a drug existing in equilibrium between a reduced (leuco-methylthioninium) and oxidized form (MT+). MT chloride (methylene blue) was investigated in a 24-week Phase II clinical trial in 321 patients with mild to moderate AD that failed to show significant positive effects in mild AD patients, although long-term observations (50 weeks) and biomarker studies suggested possible benefit. The dose of 138 mg/day showed potential benefits on cognitive performance of moderately affected AD patients and cerebral blood flow in mildly affected patients. Further clinical evidence will come from the large ongoing Phase III trials for the treatment of AD and the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia on a new form of this TAI, more bioavailable and less toxic at higher doses, called TRx0237. More recently, inhibitors of tau acetylation are being actively pursued based on impressive results in animal studies obtained by salsalate, a clinically used derivative of salicylic acid.
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Haloperidol inactivates AMPK and reduces tau phosphorylation in a tau mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2016; 2:121-130. [PMID: 29067299 PMCID: PMC5644277 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2016.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The use of antipsychotic medications in Alzheimer's disease has been associated with an increased risk of mortality in clinical trials. However, an older postmortem literature suggests that those with schizophrenia treated in an era of exclusively conventional antipsychotic medications had a surprisingly low incidence of tau pathology. No previously published studies have investigated the impact of conventional antipsychotic exposure on tau outcomes in a tau mouse model of AD. METHODS In two experiments, transgenic rTg (tauP301L) 4510 tau mice were treated with either haloperidol or vehicle and phosphotau epitopes were quantified using high-sensitivity tau ELISA. RESULTS After treatments of 2 and 6 week's duration, mice treated with haloperidol evidenced a significant reduction in tau phosphorylation associated with an inactivation of the tau kinase AMPK. DISCUSSION The data suggest that D2 receptor blockade reduces tau phosphorylation in vivo. Future studies are necessary to investigate the impact of this reduction on tau neuropathology.
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23
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Medina M, Hernández F, Avila J. New Features about Tau Function and Dysfunction. Biomolecules 2016; 6:biom6020021. [PMID: 27104579 PMCID: PMC4919916 DOI: 10.3390/biom6020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a brain microtubule-associated protein that directly binds to a microtubule and dynamically regulates its structure and function. Under pathological conditions, tau self-assembles into filamentous structures that end up forming neurofibrillary tangles. Prominent tau neurofibrillary pathology is a common feature in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, collectively referred to as tauopathies, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Beyond its classical role as a microtubule-associated protein, recent advances in our understanding of tau cellular functions have revealed novel insights into their important role during pathogenesis and provided potential novel therapeutic targets. Regulation of tau behavior and function under physiological and pathological conditions is mainly achieved through post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, glycosylation, acetylation, and truncation, among others, indicating the complexity and variability of factors influencing regulation of tau toxicity, all of which have significant implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches in various neurodegenerative disorders. A more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating tau function and dysfunction will provide us with a better outline of tau cellular networking and, hopefully, offer new clues for designing more efficient approaches to tackle tauopathies in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Medina
- CIBERNED (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas), Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain.
- CIEN Foundation, Valderrebollo 5, 28041 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Félix Hernández
- CIBERNED (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas), Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Nicolás cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jesús Avila
- CIBERNED (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas), Valderrebollo 5, 28031 Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Nicolás cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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24
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Lin CH, Hsieh YS, Wu YR, Hsu CJ, Chen HC, Huang WH, Chang KH, Hsieh-Li HM, Su MT, Sun YC, Lee GC, Lee-Chen GJ. Identifying GSK-3β kinase inhibitors of Alzheimer's disease: Virtual screening, enzyme, and cell assays. Eur J Pharm Sci 2016; 89:11-9. [PMID: 27094783 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) is widely known as a critical target protein for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). We utilized virtual screening to search databases for compounds with the potential to be used in drugs targeting GSK-3β kinase, and kinase as well as cell assays to investigate top-scored, selected compounds. Virtual screening of >1.1 million compounds in the ZINC and in-house databases was conducted using an optimized computational protocol in the docking program GOLD. Of the top-ranked compounds, 16 underwent a luminescent kinase assay and a cell assay using HEK293 cells expressing DsRed-tagged ΔK280 in the repeat domain of tau (tauRD). The compounds VB-003 (a potent GSK-3β inhibitor) and VB-008 (AM404, an anandamide transport inhibitor), with determined IC50 values of 0.25 and 5.4μM, respectively, were identified as reducing tau aggregation. Both compounds increased expression of phospho-GSK-3β (Ser9) and reduced endogenous tau phosphorylation at the sites of Ser202, Thr231, and Ser396. In the ∆K280 tauRD-DsRed SH-SY5Y cells, VB-008, but not VB-003, enhanced HSPB1 and GRP78 expression, increased ∆K280 tauRD-DsRed solubility, and promoted neurite outgrowth. Thus VB-008 performed best to the end of the present study. The identified compound VB-008 may guide the identification and synthesis of potential inhibitors analogous to this compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hsin Lin
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taipei 10507, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shao Hsieh
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Ru Wu
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taipei 10507, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jen Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Chiang Chen
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Wun-Han Huang
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Hsuan Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taipei 10507, Taiwan
| | - Hsiu Mei Hsieh-Li
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tsan Su
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Chieh Sun
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan.
| | - Guan-Chiun Lee
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan.
| | - Guey-Jen Lee-Chen
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Ting Chow Road Section 4, Taipei 11677, Taiwan.
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25
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Qi ZP, Wang GX, Xia P, Hou TT, Zhou HL, Wang TJ, Yang XY. Effects of microtubule-associated protein tau expression on neural stem cell migration after spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2016; 11:332-7. [PMID: 27073389 PMCID: PMC4811000 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.177744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our preliminary proteomics analysis suggested that expression of microtubule-associated protein tau is elevated in the spinal cord after injury. Therefore, the first aim of the present study was to examine tau expression in the injured spinal cord. The second aim was to determine whether tau can regulate neural stem cell migration, a critical factor in the successful treatment of spinal cord injury. We established rat models of spinal cord injury and injected them with mouse hippocampal neural stem cells through the tail vein. We used immunohistochemistry to show that the expression of tau protein and the number of migrated neural stem cells were markedly increased in the injured spinal cord. Furthermore, using a Transwell assay, we showed that neural stem cell migration was not affected by an elevated tau concentration in the outer chamber, but it was decreased by changes in intracellular tau phosphorylation state. These results demonstrate that neural stem cells have targeted migration capability at the site of injury, and that although tau is not a chemokine for targeted migration of neural stem cells, intracellular tau phosphorylation/dephosphorylation can inhibit cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Ping Qi
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Guo-Xiang Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Peng Xia
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Ting-Ting Hou
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Hong-Li Zhou
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Tie-Jun Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
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26
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Vargas-Caballero M, Willaime-Morawek S, Gomez-Nicola D, Perry VH, Bulters D, Mudher A. The use of human neurons for novel drug discovery in dementia research. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2016; 11:355-67. [PMID: 26878555 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2016.1154528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although many disease models exist for neurodegenerative disease, the translation of basic research findings to clinic is very limited. Studies using freshly resected human brain tissue, commonly discarded from neurosurgical procedures, should complement on-going work using stem cell-derived human neurons and glia thus increasing the likelihood of success in clinical trials. AREAS COVERED Herein, the authors discuss key issues in the lack of translation from basic research to clinic. They also review the evidence that human neurons, both freshly resected brain tissue and stem cell-derived neurons, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), can be used for analysis of physiological and molecular mechanisms in health and disease. Furthermore, the authors compare and contrast studies using live human brain tissue and studies using induced human stem cell-derived neuron models. Using an example from the area of neurodegeneration, the authors suggest that replicating elements of research findings from animals and stem cell models in resected human brain tissue would strengthen our understanding of disease mechanisms and the therapeutic strategies and aid translation. EXPERT OPINION The use of human brain tissue alongside iPSC-derived neural models can validate molecular mechanisms identified in rodent disease models and strengthen their relevance to humans. If drug target engagement and mechanism of cellular action can be validated in human brain tissue, this will increase the success rate in clinical research. The combined use of resected human brain tissue, alongside iPSC-derived neural models, could be considered a standard step in pre-clinical research and help to bridge the gap to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Vargas-Caballero
- a Centre for Biological Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK.,b Institute for Life Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - Sandrine Willaime-Morawek
- c Clinical Neurosciences and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - Diego Gomez-Nicola
- a Centre for Biological Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - V Hugh Perry
- a Centre for Biological Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
| | - Diederik Bulters
- d Wessex Neurological Centre , Southampton General Hospital , Southampton , UK
| | - Amrit Mudher
- a Centre for Biological Sciences , University of Southampton , Southampton , UK
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27
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Zha GB, Shen M, Gu XS, Yi S. Changes in microtubule-associated protein tau during peripheral nerve injury and regeneration. Neural Regen Res 2016; 11:1506-1511. [PMID: 27857758 PMCID: PMC5090857 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.191227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau, a primary component of microtubule-associated protein, promotes microtubule assembly and/or disassembly and maintains the stability of the microtubule structure. Although the importance of tau in neurodegenerative diseases has been well demonstrated, whether tau is involved in peripheral nerve regeneration remains unknown. In the current study, we obtained sciatic nerve tissue from adult rats 0, 1, 4, 7, and 14 days after sciatic nerve crush and examined tau mRNA and protein expression levels and the location of tau in the sciatic nerve following peripheral nerve injury. The results from our quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that compared with the uninjured control sciatic nerve, mRNA expression levels for both tau and tau tubulin kinase 1, a serine/threonine kinase that regulates tau phosphorylation, were decreased following peripheral nerve injury. Our western blot assay results suggested that the protein expression levels of tau and phosphorylated tau initially decreased 1 day post nerve injury but then gradually increased. The results of our immunohistochemical labeling showed that the location of tau protein was not altered by nerve injury. Thus, these results showed that the expression of tau was changed following sciatic nerve crush, suggesting that tau may be involved in peripheral nerve repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Bin Zha
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mi Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiao-Song Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Sheng Yi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
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28
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Frost B, Bardai FH, Feany MB. Lamin Dysfunction Mediates Neurodegeneration in Tauopathies. Curr Biol 2015; 26:129-36. [PMID: 26725200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The filamentous meshwork formed by the lamin nucleoskeleton provides a scaffold for the anchoring of highly condensed heterochromatic DNA to the nuclear envelope, thereby establishing the three-dimensional architecture of the genome [1]. Insight into the importance of lamins to cellular viability can be gleaned from laminopathies, severe disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding lamins. A cellular consequence of lamin dysfunction in laminopathies is relaxation of heterochromatic DNA [1]. Similarly, we have recently reported the widespread relaxation of heterochromatin in tauopathies [1]: age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, that are pathologically characterized by aggregates of phosphorylated tau protein in the brain [2, 3]. Here we demonstrate that acquired lamin misregulation though aberrant cytoskeletal-nucleoskeletal coupling promotes relaxation of heterochromatin and neuronal death in an in vivo model of neurodegenerative tauopathy. Genetic manipulation of lamin function significantly modifies neurodegeneration in vivo, demonstrating that lamin pathology plays a causal role in tau-mediated neurotoxicity. We show that lamin dysfunction is conserved in human tauopathy, as super-resolution microscopy reveals a significantly disrupted nuclear lamina in postmortem tissue from human Alzheimer's disease brain. Our study provides strong evidence that tauopathies are neurodegenerative laminopathies and identifies a new pathway mediating neuronal death in currently untreatable human neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bess Frost
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Farah H Bardai
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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29
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Cowan CM, Quraishe S, Hands S, Sealey M, Mahajan S, Allan DW, Mudher A. Rescue from tau-induced neuronal dysfunction produces insoluble tau oligomers. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17191. [PMID: 26608845 PMCID: PMC4660438 DOI: 10.1038/srep17191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of highly phosphorylated tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s
disease and other tauopathies. Nevertheless, animal models demonstrate that
tau-mediated dysfunction/toxicity may not require large tau aggregates but instead
may be caused by soluble hyper-phosphorylated tau or by small tau oligomers.
Challenging this widely held view, we use multiple techniques to show that insoluble
tau oligomers form in conditions where tau-mediated dysfunction is rescued in
vivo. This shows that tau oligomers are not necessarily always toxic.
Furthermore, their formation correlates with increased tau levels, caused
intriguingly, by either pharmacological or genetic inhibition of tau kinase
glycogen-synthase-kinase-3beta (GSK-3β). Moreover, contrary to common
belief, these tau oligomers were neither highly phosphorylated, and nor did they
contain beta-pleated sheet structure. This may explain their lack of toxicity. Our
study makes the novel observation that tau also forms non-toxic insoluble oligomers
in vivo in addition to toxic oligomers, which have been reported by
others. Whether these are inert or actively protective remains to be established.
Nevertheless, this has wide implications for emerging therapeutic strategies such as
those that target dissolution of tau oligomers as they may be ineffective or even
counterproductive unless they act on the relevant toxic oligomeric tau species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Cowan
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Shmma Quraishe
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Sarah Hands
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Megan Sealey
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Sumeet Mahajan
- Institute of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Douglas W Allan
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Science Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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30
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Sun MK, Nelson TJ, Alkon DL. Towards universal therapeutics for memory disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2015; 36:384-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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