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Ressler HW, Humphrey J, Vialle RA, Babrowicz B, Kandoi S, Raj T, Dickson DW, Ertekin-Taner N, Crary JF, Farrell K. MAPT haplotype-associated transcriptomic changes in progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:135. [PMID: 39154163 PMCID: PMC11330133 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01839-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative movement and cognitive disorder characterized by abnormal accumulation of the microtubule-associated protein tau in the brain. Biochemically, inclusions in PSP are enriched for tau proteoforms with four microtubule-binding domain repeats (4R), an isoform that arises from alternative tau pre-mRNA splicing. While preferential aggregation and reduced degradation of 4R tau protein is thought to play a role in inclusion formation and toxicity, an alternative hypothesis is that altered expression of tau mRNA isoforms plays a causal role. This stems from the observation that PSP is associated with common variation in the tau gene (MAPT) at the 17q21.31 locus which contains low copy number repeats flanking a large recurrent genomic inversion. The complex genomic structural changes at the locus give rise to two dominant haplotypes, termed H1 and H2, that have the potential to markedly influence gene expression. Here, we explored haplotype-dependent differences in gene expression using a bulk RNA-seq dataset derived from human post-mortem brain tissue from PSP (n = 84) and controls (n = 77) using a rigorous computational pipeline, including alternative pre-mRNA splicing. We found 3579 differentially expressed genes in the temporal cortex and 10,011 in the cerebellum. We also found 7214 differential splicing events in the temporal cortex and 18,802 in the cerebellum. In the cerebellum, total tau mRNA levels and the proportion of transcripts encoding 4R tau were significantly increased in PSP compared to controls. In the temporal cortex, the proportion of reads that expressed 4R tau was increased in cases compared to controls. 4R tau mRNA levels were significantly associated with the H1 haplotype in the temporal cortex. Further, we observed a marked haplotype-dependent difference in KANSL1 expression that was strongly associated with H1 in both brain regions. These findings support the hypothesis that sporadic PSP is associated with haplotype-dependent increases in 4R tau mRNA that might play a causal role in this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadley W Ressler
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1194, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jack Humphrey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ricardo A Vialle
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bergan Babrowicz
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1194, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shrishtee Kandoi
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1194, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Towfique Raj
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - John F Crary
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1194, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kurt Farrell
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1194, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuropathology Brain Bank and Research CoRE, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Lantero-Rodriguez J, Camporesi E, Montoliu-Gaya L, Gobom J, Piotrowska D, Olsson M, Burmann IM, Becker B, Brinkmalm A, Burmann BM, Perkinton M, Ashton NJ, Fox NC, Lashley T, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Brinkmalm G. Tau protein profiling in tauopathies: a human brain study. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:54. [PMID: 39026372 PMCID: PMC11264707 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00741-9] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal accumulation of misfolded and hyperphosphorylated tau protein in brain is the defining feature of several neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD, this pathological change is reflected by highly specific cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau biomarkers, including both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated variants. Interestingly, despite tau pathology being at the core of all tauopathies, CSF tau biomarkers remain unchanged in certain tauopathies, e.g., progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Pick's disease (PiD), and corticobasal neurodegeneration (CBD). To better understand commonalities and differences between tauopathies, we report a multiplex assay combining immunoprecipitation and high-resolution mass spectrometry capable of detecting and quantifying peptides from different tau protein isoforms as well as non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated peptides, including those carrying multiple phosphorylations. We investigated the tau proteoforms in soluble and insoluble fractions of brain tissue from subjects with autopsy-confirmed tauopathies, including sporadic AD (n = 10), PSP (n = 11), PiD (n = 10), and CBD (n = 10), and controls (n = 10). Our results demonstrate that non-phosphorylated tau profiles differ across tauopathies, generally showing high abundance of microtubule-binding region (MTBR)-containing peptides in insoluble protein fractions compared with controls; the AD group showed 12-72 times higher levels of MTBR-containing aggregates. Quantification of tau isoforms showed the 3R being more abundant in PiD and the 4R isoform being more abundant in CBD and PSP in the insoluble fraction. Twenty-three different phosphorylated peptides were quantified. Most phosphorylated peptides were measurable in all investigated tauopathies. All phosphorylated peptides were significantly increased in AD insoluble fraction. However, doubly and triply phosphorylated peptides were significantly increased in AD even in the soluble fraction. Results were replicated using a validation cohort comprising AD (n = 10), CBD (n = 10), and controls (n = 10). Our study demonstrates that abnormal levels of phosphorylation and aggregation do indeed occur in non-AD tauopathies, however, both appear pronouncedly increased in AD, becoming a distinctive characteristic of AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Elena Camporesi
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Laia Montoliu-Gaya
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Johan Gobom
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Diana Piotrowska
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Maria Olsson
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Irena Matečko Burmann
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bruno Becker
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Ann Brinkmalm
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Björn M Burmann
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael Perkinton
- AstraZeneca Neuroscience Innovative Medicines, MedImmune Ltd, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, Maurice, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Nick C Fox
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Brinkmalm
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
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Glynn C, Rodriguez JA, Hyman BT. The structural line between prion and "prion-like": Insights from prion protein and tau. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 86:102857. [PMID: 38489865 PMCID: PMC11162956 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The concept of 'prion-like' behavior has emerged in the study of diseases involving protein misfolding where fibrillar structures, called amyloids, self-propagate and induce disease in a fashion similar to prions. From a biological standpoint, in order to be considered 'prion-like,' a protein must traverse cells and tissues and further propagate via a templated conformational change. Since 2017, cryo-electron microscopy structures from patient-derived 'prion-like' amyloids, in particular tau, have been presented and revealed structural similarities shared across amyloids. Since 2021, cryo-EM structures from prions of known infectivity have been added to the ex vivo amyloid structure family. In this review, we discuss current proposals for the 'prion-like' mechanisms of spread for tau and prion protein as well as discuss different influencers on structures of aggregates from tauopathies and prion diseases. Lastly, we discuss some of the current hypotheses for what may distinguish structures that are 'prion-like' from transmissible prion structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calina Glynn
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jose A Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Qi C, Kobayashi R, Kawakatsu S, Kametani F, Scheres SHW, Goedert M, Hasegawa M. Tau filaments with the chronic traumatic encephalopathy fold in a case of vacuolar tauopathy with VCP mutation D395G. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:86. [PMID: 38758288 PMCID: PMC7616110 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02741-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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Dominantly inherited mutation D395G in the gene encoding valosin-containing protein causes vacuolar tauopathy, a type of behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia, with marked vacuolation and abundant filamentous tau inclusions made of all six brain isoforms. Here we report that tau inclusions were concentrated in layers II/III of the frontotemporal cortex in a case of vacuolar tauopathy. By electron cryomicroscopy, tau filaments had the chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) fold. Tau inclusions of vacuolar tauopathy share this cortical location and the tau fold with CTE, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex, which are believed to be environmentally induced. Vacuolar tauopathy is the first inherited disease with the CTE tau fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Qi
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ryota Kobayashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Shinobu Kawakatsu
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Aizu Medical Center, Fukushima Medical University, Aizuwakamatsu, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sjors H W Scheres
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Michel Goedert
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
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Sugiyama M, Kosik KS, Panagiotou E. Mathematical topology and geometry-based classification of tauopathies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7560. [PMID: 38555402 PMCID: PMC10981734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58221-5] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's, are associated with the presence of neurofibrillary lesions formed by tau protein filaments in the cerebral cortex. While it is known that different morphologies of tau filaments characterize different neurodegenerative diseases, there are few metrics of global and local structure complexity that enable to quantify their structural diversity rigorously. In this manuscript, we employ for the first time mathematical topology and geometry to classify neurodegenerative diseases by using cryo-electron microscopy structures of tau filaments that are available in the Protein Data Bank. By employing mathematical topology metrics (Gauss linking integral, writhe and second Vassiliev measure) we achieve a consistent, but more refined classification of tauopathies, than what was previously observed through visual inspection. Our results reveal a hierarchy of classification from global to local topology and geometry characteristics. In particular, we find that tauopathies can be classified with respect to the handedness of their global conformations and the handedness of the relative orientations of their repeats. Progressive supranuclear palsy is identified as an outlier, with a more complex structure than the rest, reflected by a small, but observable knotoid structure (a diagrammatic structure representing non-trivial topology). This topological characteristic can be attributed to a pattern in the beginning of the R3 repeat that is present in all tauopathies but at different extent. Moreover, by comparing single filament to paired filament structures within tauopathies we find a consistent change in the side-chain orientations with respect to the alpha carbon atoms at the area of interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Sugiyama
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, USA
| | - Kenneth S Kosik
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Eleni Panagiotou
- School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA.
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Powell WC, Nahum M, Pankratz K, Herlory M, Greenwood J, Poliyenko D, Holland P, Jing R, Biggerstaff L, Stowell MHB, Walczak MA. Post-Translational Modifications Control Phase Transitions of Tau. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.583040. [PMID: 38559065 PMCID: PMC10979912 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.583040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The self-assembly of Tau(297-391) into filaments, which mirror the structures observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, raises questions about the role of AD-specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the formation of paired helical filaments (PHFs). To investigate this, we developed a synthetic approach to produce Tau(291-391) featuring N-acetyllysine, phosphoserine, phosphotyrosine, and N-glycosylation at positions commonly modified in post-mortem AD brains, thus facilitating the study of their roles in Tau pathology. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and a range of optical microscopy techniques, we discovered that these modifications generally hinder the in vitro assembly of Tau into PHFs. Interestingly, while acetylation's effect on Tau assembly displayed variability, either promoting or inhibiting phase transitions in the context of cofactor free aggregation, heparin-induced aggregation, and RNA-mediated liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), phosphorylation uniformly mitigated these processes. Our observations suggest that PTMs, particularly those situated outside the fibril's rigid core are pivotal in the nucleation of PHFs. Moreover, in scenarios involving heparin-induced aggregation leading to the formation of heterogeneous aggregates, most AD-specific PTMs, except for K311, appeared to decelerate the aggregation process. The impact of acetylation on RNA-induced LLPS was notably site-dependent, exhibiting both facilitative and inhibitory effects, whereas phosphorylation consistently reduced LLPS across all proteoforms examined. These insights underscore the complex interplay between site-specific PTMs and environmental factors in modulating Tau aggregation kinetics, enhancing our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of Tau pathology in AD and highlighting the critical role of PTMs located outside the ordered filament core in driving the self-assembly of Tau into PHF structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wyatt C. Powell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - McKinley Nahum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Karl Pankratz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Morgane Herlory
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - James Greenwood
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Darya Poliyenko
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Patrick Holland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Ruiheng Jing
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Luke Biggerstaff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Michael H. B. Stowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Maciej A. Walczak
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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Mammeri NE, Dregni AJ, Duan P, Hong M. Structures of AT8 and PHF1 phosphomimetic tau: Insights into the posttranslational modification code of tau aggregation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316175121. [PMID: 38408247 PMCID: PMC10927509 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316175121] [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: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau aggregates into amyloid fibrils in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In these tauopathies, tau is hyperphosphorylated, suggesting that this posttranslational modification (PTM) may induce tau aggregation. Tau is also phosphorylated in normal developing brains. To investigate how tau phosphorylation induces amyloid fibrils, here we report the atomic structures of two phosphomimetic full-length tau fibrils assembled without anionic cofactors. We mutated key Ser and Thr residues to Glu in two regions of the protein. One construct contains three Glu mutations at the epitope of the anti-phospho-tau antibody AT8 (AT8-3E tau), whereas the other construct contains four Glu mutations at the epitope of the antibody PHF1 (PHF1-4E tau). Solid-state NMR data show that both phosphomimetic tau mutants form homogeneous fibrils with a single set of chemical shifts. The AT8-3E tau rigid core extends from the R3 repeat to the C terminus, whereas the PHF1-4E tau rigid core spans R2, R3, and R4 repeats. Cryoelectron microscopy data show that AT8-3E tau forms a triangular multi-layered core, whereas PHF1-4E tau forms a triple-stranded core. Interestingly, a construct combining all seven Glu mutations exhibits the same conformation as PHF1-4E tau. Scalar-coupled NMR data additionally reveal the dynamics and shape of the fuzzy coat surrounding the rigid cores. These results demonstrate that specific PTMs induce structurally specific tau aggregates, and the phosphorylation code of tau contains redundancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia El Mammeri
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Aurelio J. Dregni
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Pu Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Mei Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
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8
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Alhadidy MM, Kanaan NM. Biochemical approaches to assess the impact of post-translational modifications on pathogenic tau conformations using recombinant protein. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:301-318. [PMID: 38348781 PMCID: PMC10903483 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Aggregates of tau are thought of as a main contributor to neurodegeneration in these diseases. Increasingly, evidence points to earlier, soluble conformations of abnormally modified monomers and multimeric tau as toxic forms of tau. The biological processes driving tau from physiological species to pathogenic conformations remain poorly understood, but certain avenues are currently under investigation including the functional consequences of various pathological tau changes (e.g. mutations, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and protein-protein interactions). PTMs can regulate several aspects of tau biology such as proteasomal and autophagic clearance, solubility, and aggregation. Moreover, PTMs can contribute to the transition of tau from normal to pathogenic conformations. However, our understating of how PTMs specifically regulate the transition of tau into pathogenic conformations is partly impeded by the relative lack of structured frameworks to assess and quantify these conformations. In this review, we describe a set of approaches that includes several in vitro assays to determine the contribution of PTMs to tau's transition into known pathogenic conformations. The approaches begin with different methods to create recombinant tau proteins carrying specific PTMs followed by validation of the PTMs status. Then, we describe a set of biochemical and biophysical assays that assess the contribution of a given PTM to different tau conformations, including aggregation, oligomerization, exposure of the phosphatase-activating domain, and seeding. Together, these approaches can facilitate the advancement of our understanding of the relationships between PTMs and tau conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed M. Alhadidy
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Nicholas M. Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
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9
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Kimura T, Sato H, Kano M, Tatsumi L, Tomita T. Novel aspects of the phosphorylation and structure of pathological tau: implications for tauopathy biomarkers. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:181-193. [PMID: 37391389 PMCID: PMC10839341 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13667] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of highly phosphorylated and aggregated tau is a characteristic of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. It has long been known that different isoforms of tau are aggregated in different cell types and brain regions in each tauopathy. Recent advances in analytical techniques revealed the details of the biochemical and structural biological differences of tau specific to each tauopathy. In this review, we explain recent advances in the analysis of post-translational modifications of tau, particularly phosphorylation, brought about by the development of mass-spectrometry and Phos-tag technology. We then discuss the structure of tau filaments in each tauopathy revealed by the advent of cryo-EM. Finally, we describe the progress in biofluid and imaging biomarkers for tauopathy. This review summarizes current efforts to elucidate the characteristics of pathological tau and the landscape of the use of tau as a biomarker to diagnose and determine the pathological stage of tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taeko Kimura
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesThe University of TokyoJapan
| | - Haruaki Sato
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesThe University of TokyoJapan
| | - Maria Kano
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesThe University of TokyoJapan
| | - Lisa Tatsumi
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesThe University of TokyoJapan
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical SciencesThe University of TokyoJapan
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10
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Gaikwad S, Senapati S, Haque MA, Kayed R. Senescence, brain inflammation, and oligomeric tau drive cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:709-727. [PMID: 37814508 PMCID: PMC10841264 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Aging, tau pathology, and chronic inflammation in the brain play crucial roles in synaptic loss, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline in tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Senescent cells accumulate in the aging brain, accelerate the aging process, and promote tauopathy progression through their abnormal inflammatory secretome known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Tau oligomers (TauO)-the most neurotoxic tau species-are known to induce senescence and the SASP, which subsequently promote neuropathology, inflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death, and cognitive dysfunction. TauO, brain inflammation, and senescence are associated with heterogeneity in tauopathy progression and cognitive decline. However, the underlying mechanisms driving the disease heterogeneity remain largely unknown, impeding the development of therapies for tauopathies. Based on clinical and preclinical evidence, this review highlights the critical role of TauO and senescence in neurodegeneration. We discuss key knowledge gaps and potential strategies for targeting senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies. HIGHLIGHTS: Senescence, oligomeric Tau (TauO), and brain inflammation accelerate the aging process and promote the progression of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. We discuss their role in contributing to heterogeneity in tauopathy and cognitive decline. We highlight strategies to target senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies while addressing key knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Gaikwad
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Sudipta Senapati
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Md. Anzarul Haque
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
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11
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Tarutani A, Kametani F, Tahira M, Saito Y, Yoshida M, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Murayama S, Tomita T, Hasegawa M. Distinct tau folds initiate templated seeding and alter the post-translational modification profile. Brain 2023; 146:4988-4999. [PMID: 37904205 PMCID: PMC10690015 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathological tau accumulates in the brain in tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, and forms amyloid-like filaments incorporating various post-translational modifications (PTMs). Cryo-electron microscopic (cryo-EM) studies have demonstrated that tau filaments extracted from tauopathy brains are characteristic of the disease and share a common fold(s) in the same disease group. Furthermore, the tau PTM profile changes during tau pathology formation and disease progression, and disease-specific PTMs are detected in and around the filament core. In addition, templated seeding has been suggested to trigger pathological tau amplification and spreading in vitro and in vivo, although the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Recently, we reported that the cryo-EM structures of tau protofilaments in SH-SY5Y cells seeded with patient-derived tau filaments show a core structure(s) resembling that of the original seeds. Here, we investigated PTMs of tau filaments accumulated in the seeded cells by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and compared them with the PTMs of patient-derived tau filaments. Examination of insoluble tau extracted from SH-SY5Y cells showed that numerous phosphorylation, deamidation and oxidation sites detected in the fuzzy coat in the original seeds were well reproduced in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, templated tau filament formation preceded both truncation of the N-/C-terminals of tau and PTMs in and around the filament core, indicating these PTMs may predominantly be introduced after the degradation of the fuzzy coat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Marina Tahira
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology (Brain Bank for Aging Research), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Geratrics and Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, The University of Manchester, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford M6 8HD, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, The University of Manchester, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford M6 8HD, UK
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology (Brain Bank for Aging Research), Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Geratrics and Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
- Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
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12
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Tanaka Y, Ito SI, Honma Y, Hasegawa M, Kametani F, Suzuki G, Kozuma L, Takeya K, Eto M. Dysregulation of the progranulin-driven autophagy-lysosomal pathway mediates secretion of the nuclear protein TDP-43. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105272. [PMID: 37739033 PMCID: PMC10641265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The cytoplasmic accumulation of the nuclear protein transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) has been linked to the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. TDP-43 secreted into the extracellular space has been suggested to contribute to the cell-to-cell spread of the cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 throughout the brain; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We herein demonstrated that the secretion of TDP-43 was stimulated by the inhibition of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway driven by progranulin (PGRN), a causal protein of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Among modulators of autophagy, only vacuolar-ATPase inhibitors, such as bafilomycin A1 (Baf), increased the levels of the full-length and cleaved forms of TDP-43 and the autophagosome marker LC3-II (microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B) in extracellular vesicle fractions prepared from the culture media of HeLa, SH-SY5Y, or NSC-34 cells, whereas vacuolin-1, MG132, chloroquine, rapamycin, and serum starvation did not. The C-terminal fragment of TDP-43 was required for Baf-induced TDP-43 secretion. The Baf treatment induced the translocation of the aggregate-prone GFP-tagged C-terminal fragment of TDP-43 and mCherry-tagged LC3 to the plasma membrane. The Baf-induced secretion of TDP-43 was attenuated in autophagy-deficient ATG16L1 knockout HeLa cells. The knockdown of PGRN induced the secretion of cleaved TDP-43 in an autophagy-dependent manner in HeLa cells. The KO of PGRN in mouse embryonic fibroblasts increased the secretion of the cleaved forms of TDP-43 and LC3-II. The treatment inducing TDP-43 secretion increased the nuclear translocation of GFP-tagged transcription factor EB, a master regulator of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway in SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggest that the secretion of TDP-43 is promoted by dysregulation of the PGRN-driven autophagy-lysosomal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Tanaka
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan.
| | - Shun-Ichi Ito
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan
| | - Yuki Honma
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Genjiro Suzuki
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lina Kozuma
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan
| | - Kosuke Takeya
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan
| | - Masumi Eto
- Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari-shi, Ehime, Japan
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13
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Ahn S, Suh JS, Jang YK, Kim H, Han K, Lee Y, Choi G, Kim TJ. TAUCON and TAUCOM: A novel biosensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer for detecting tau hyperphosphorylation-associated cellular pathologies. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115533. [PMID: 37517333 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115533] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal conformational changes in tau protein. Early hyperphosphorylation-induced conformational changes are considered a hallmark of tauopathy, but real-time tracking methods are lacking. Here, we present two novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based tau biosensors that detect such changes with high spatiotemporal resolution at the single-cell level. The TAUCON biosensor measures instantaneous conformational changes in hyperphosphorylated tau within 20 min, while the TAUCOM biosensor detects changes in the paper-clip structure of microtubule-associated tau. Our biosensors provide faster and more precise detection than conventional methods and can serve as valuable tools for investigating the initial causes, mechanisms, progression, and treatment of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghyun Ahn
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Soo Suh
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon-Kwan Jang
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Heonsu Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiseok Han
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Yerim Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyuho Choi
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jin Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea; Institute of System Biology, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
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14
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Chakraborty P, Rivière G, Hebestreit A, de Opakua AI, Vorberg IM, Andreas LB, Zweckstetter M. Acetylation discriminates disease-specific tau deposition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5919. [PMID: 37739953 PMCID: PMC10517010 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41672-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic aggregation of the protein tau is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and several other tauopathies. Tauopathies are characterized by the deposition of specific tau isoforms as disease-related tau filament structures. The molecular processes that determine isoform-specific deposition of tau are however enigmatic. Here we show that acetylation of tau discriminates its isoform-specific aggregation. We reveal that acetylation strongly attenuates aggregation of four-repeat tau protein, but promotes amyloid formation of three-repeat tau. We further identify acetylation of lysine 298 as a hot spot for isoform-specific tau aggregation. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that amyloid fibrils formed by unmodified and acetylated three-repeat tau differ in structure indicating that site-specific acetylation modulates tau structure. The results implicate acetylation as a critical regulator that guides the selective aggregation of three-repeat tau and the development of tau isoform-specific neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pijush Chakraborty
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gwladys Rivière
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alina Hebestreit
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Alain Ibáñez de Opakua
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ina M Vorberg
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - Loren B Andreas
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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15
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Vidal-Palencia L, Font C, Rebollada-Merino A, Santpere G, Andrés-Benito P, Ferrer I, Pumarola M. Primary Feline Tauopathy: Clinical, Morphological, Immunohistochemical, and Genetic Studies. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2985. [PMID: 37760385 PMCID: PMC10525166 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the pathological aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons and glia. Primary tauopathies are not uncommon in humans but exceptional in other species. We evaluate the clinical, neuropathological, and genetic alterations related to tau pathology in 16 cats aged from 1 to 21 years with different clinical backgrounds. Interestingly, a 10-year-old female cat presented a six-year progressive history of mental status and gait abnormalities. The imaging study revealed generalized cortical atrophy. Due to the poor prognosis, the cat was euthanatized at the age of ten. Neuropathological lesions were characterized by massive neuronal loss with marked spongiosis and associated moderate reactive gliosis in the parietal cortex, being less severe in other areas of the cerebral cortex, and the loss of Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Immunohistochemical methods revealed a 4R-tauopathy with granular pre-tangles in neurons and coiled bodies in oligodendrocytes. Deposits were recognized with several phospho-site antibodies (4Rtau, tau5, AT8, PFH, tau-P Thr181, tau-P-Ser 262, tau-P Ser 422) and associated with increased granular expression of active tau kinases (p38-P Thr180/Tyr182 and SAPK/JNK-P Thr138/Thr185). The genetic study revealed well-preserved coding regions of MAPT. No similar alterations related to tau pathology were found in the other 15 cats processed in parallel. To our knowledge, this is the first case reporting a primary 4R-tauopathy with severe cerebral and Purkinje cell degeneration in an adult cat with neurological signs starting at a young age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vidal-Palencia
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
- Unitat de Patologia Murina i Comparada, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Campus UAB, Travessera dels Turons s/n, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Cristina Font
- Hospital Veterinari Canis, Can Pau Birol, 38, 17006 Girona, Spain;
| | - Agustín Rebollada-Merino
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Department of Internal Medicine and Animal Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriel Santpere
- Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), 08908 Barcelona, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (I.F.)
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), 08908 Barcelona, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (I.F.)
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martí Pumarola
- Unitat de Patologia Murina i Comparada, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Campus UAB, Travessera dels Turons s/n, 08193 Barcelona, Spain;
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16
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Lathuiliere A, Jo Y, Perbet R, Donahue C, Commins C, Quittot N, Fan Z, Bennett RE, Hyman BT. Specific detection of tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease using rationally designed biosensor cells. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:53. [PMID: 37553663 PMCID: PMC10408046 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prion-like propagation of tau in neurodegenerative disorders implies that misfolded pathological tau can recruit the normal protein and template its aggregation. Here, we report the methods for the development of sensitive biosensor cell lines for the detection of tau seeding activity. RESULTS We performed the rational design of novel tau probes based on the current structural knowledge of pathological tau aggregates in Alzheimer's disease. We generated Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor stable cell lines and characterized their sensitivity, specificity, and overall ability to detect bioactive tau in human samples. As compared to the reference biosensor line, the optimized probe design resulted in an increased efficiency in the detection of tau seeding. The increased sensitivity allowed for the detection of lower amount of tau seeding competency in human brain samples, while preserving specificity for tau seeds found in Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS This next generation of FRET-based biosensor cells is a novel tool to study tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease human samples, especially in samples with low levels of seeding activity, which may help studying early tau-related pathological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Youhwa Jo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Romain Perbet
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Noé Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhanyun Fan
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Rachel E Bennett
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Kyalu Ngoie Zola N, Balty C, Pyr Dit Ruys S, Vanparys AAT, Huyghe NDG, Herinckx G, Johanns M, Boyer E, Kienlen-Campard P, Rider MH, Vertommen D, Hanseeuw BJ. Specific post-translational modifications of soluble tau protein distinguishes Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathies. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3706. [PMID: 37349319 PMCID: PMC10287718 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39328-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau protein aggregates in several neurodegenerative disorders, referred to as tauopathies. The tau isoforms observed in post mortem human brain aggregates is used to classify tauopathies. However, distinguishing tauopathies ante mortem remains challenging, potentially due to differences between insoluble tau in aggregates and soluble tau in body fluids. Here, we demonstrated that tau isoforms differ between tauopathies in insoluble aggregates, but not in soluble brain extracts. We therefore characterized post-translational modifications of both the aggregated and the soluble tau protein obtained from post mortem human brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease, cortico-basal degeneration, Pick's disease, and frontotemporal lobe degeneration. We found specific soluble signatures for each tauopathy and its specific aggregated tau isoforms: including ubiquitination on Lysine 369 for cortico-basal degeneration and acetylation on Lysine 311 for Pick's disease. These findings provide potential targets for future development of fluid-based biomarker assays able to distinguish tauopathies in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Kyalu Ngoie Zola
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and de Duve Institute (DDUV), Protein Phosphorylation (PHOS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Clémence Balty
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and de Duve Institute (DDUV), Protein Phosphorylation (PHOS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Pyr Dit Ruys
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UClouvain) and Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Integrated Pharmacometrics, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacokinetics Group (PMGK), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Axelle A T Vanparys
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas D G Huyghe
- Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gaëtan Herinckx
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), de Duve Institute (DDUV), and MASSPROT Platform, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Manuel Johanns
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and de Duve Institute (DDUV), Protein Phosphorylation (PHOS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emilien Boyer
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
- Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Neurology Department, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pascal Kienlen-Campard
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mark H Rider
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and de Duve Institute (DDUV), Protein Phosphorylation (PHOS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Didier Vertommen
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), de Duve Institute (DDUV), and MASSPROT Platform, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard J Hanseeuw
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) and Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
- Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Neurology Department, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
- Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), WELBIO department, WEL Research Institute, avenue Pasteur, 6, 1300, Wavre, Belgium.
- Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA.
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18
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Kobayashi K, Iwaide S, Sakai H, Kametani F, Murakami T. Keratinic amyloid deposition in canine hair follicle tumors. Vet Pathol 2023; 60:60-68. [PMID: 36219102 DOI: 10.1177/03009858221128924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Keratinic primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis is a disease in humans; however, no similar condition has been reported in animals. This study aimed to investigate cutaneous keratinic amyloid deposition in dogs and elucidate its etiology. Canine hair follicle tumor tissues were histopathologically analyzed. Immunohistochemistry and mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses were performed to identify precursor protein candidates. Structural prediction and in vitro fibrillization analyses were conducted to determine the amyloidogenic region and gene sequencing analysis was performed to assess mutations. Of the 266 samples, 16 had amyloid deposition. Amyloid deposits were found in the stroma of tumors and in the margins of keratin debris and around normal hair follicles. Cytokeratin 5 (CK5) was identified as a precursor protein candidate. C-terminal truncation of CK5 was observed in amyloid deposits, and the truncation sites varied depending on the deposition pattern. There was a significantly higher incidence of amyloid deposition in Shiba dogs, and CK5 amino acid polymorphisms were identified in these dogs. A part of the C-terminal region of both canine and human CK5 exhibited highly amyloidogenic properties in vitro. This study revealed the existence of cutaneous keratinic amyloid deposition in animals and identified CK5 as an amyloid precursor protein, providing novel insights into understanding the etiology of cutaneous amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Kobayashi
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu-shi, Japan
| | - Susumu Iwaide
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu-shi, Japan
| | | | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Murakami
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu-shi, Japan
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19
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Common and Specific Marks of Different Tau Strains Following Intra-Hippocampal Injection of AD, PiD, and GGT Inoculum in hTau Transgenic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415940. [PMID: 36555581 PMCID: PMC9787745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415940] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous hTau mice were used for the study of tau seeding. These mice express the six human tau isoforms, with a high predominance of 3Rtau over 4Rtau. The following groups were assessed: (i) non-inoculated mice aged 9 months (n = 4); (ii) Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iii) Globular Glial Tauopathy (GGT)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iv) Pick's disease (PiD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (v) control-inoculated mice (n = 4); and (vi) inoculated with vehicle alone (n = 2). AD-inoculated mice showed AT8-immunoreactive neuronal pre-tangles, granular aggregates, and dots in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG), and hilus, and threads and dots in the ipsilateral corpus callosum. GGT-inoculated mice showed unique or multiple AT8-immunoreactive globular deposits in neurons, occasionally extended to the proximal dendrites. PiD-inoculated mice showed a few loose pre-tangles in the CA1 region, DG, and cerebral cortex near the injection site. Coiled bodies were formed in the corpus callosum in AD-inoculated mice, but GGT-inoculated mice lacked globular glial inclusions. Tau deposits in inoculated mice co-localized active kinases p38-P and SAPK/JNK-P, thus suggesting active phosphorylation of the host tau. Tau deposits were absent in hTau mice inoculated with control homogenates and vehicle alone. Deposits in AD-inoculated hTau mice contained 3Rtau and 4Rtau; those in GGT-inoculated mice were mainly stained with anti-4Rtau antibodies, but a small number of deposits contained 3Rtau. Deposits in PiD-inoculated mice were stained with anti-3Rtau antibodies, but rare neuronal, thread-like, and dot-like deposits showed 4Rtau immunoreactivity. These findings show that tau strains produce different patterns of active neuronal seeding, which also depend on the host tau. Unexpected 3Rtau and 4Rtau deposits after inoculation of homogenates from 4R and 3R tauopathies, respectively, suggests the regulation of exon 10 splicing of the host tau during the process of seeding, thus modulating the plasticity of the cytoskeleton.
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20
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Hou Y, Wei W, Li G, Sang N. Prenatal PM 2.5 exposure contributes to neuronal tau lesion in male offspring mice through mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated insulin resistance. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 246:114151. [PMID: 36228359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The epidemiological evidence has linked prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution with neurological diseases in offspring. However, the biological process and toxicological mechanisms remain unclear. Tau protein is a neuronal microtubule-associated protein expressed in fetal brain and plays a critical role in mediating neuronal development. Aberrant expression of tau is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. To study whether prenatal exposure to PM2.5 pollution induce tau lesion in mice offspring and elucidate the underlying pathogenic mechanism, we exposed pregnant mice to PM2.5 (3 mg/kg b.w.) by oropharyngeal aspiration every other day. The results indicate that prenatal PM2.5 exposure induced hyperphosphorylation of tau in the cortex of postnatal male offspring, which was accompanied by insulin resistance through the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Importantly, we further found that prenatal PM2.5 exposure induced mitochondrial dysfunction by disrupting mitochondrial ultrastructure and decreasing the expression of rate-limiting enzymes (CS, IDH2 and FH) in the Krebs cycle and the subunits of mitochondrial complex IV and V (CO1, CO4, ATP6, and ATP8) during postnatal neurodevelopment. The findings suggest that prenatal PM2.5 exposure could induce tauopathy-like changes in male offspring, in which mitochondrial dysfunction-induced insulin resistance might play an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwen Hou
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Guangke Li
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Nan Sang
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China.
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21
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Phase separation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:1013-1021. [PMID: 36251053 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220066] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aggregation and misfolding of the neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is closely linked to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence suggest that tau undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro and forms or associates with membrane-less organelles in cells. Biomolecular condensation driven by phase separation can influence the biological activities of tau including its ability to polymerize tubulin into microtubules. In addition, the high concentrations that tau can reach in biomolecular condensates provide a mechanism to promote its aggregation and the formation of amyloid fibrils potentially contributing to the pathology of different tauopathies. Here, the authors discuss the role of tau phase separation in physiology and disease.
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22
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Kavanagh T, Halder A, Drummond E. Tau interactome and RNA binding proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:66. [PMID: 36253823 PMCID: PMC9575286 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00572-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological tau aggregation is a primary neuropathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases. Intriguingly, despite the common presence of tau aggregates in these diseases the affected brain regions, clinical symptoms, and morphology, conformation, and isoform ratio present in tau aggregates varies widely. The tau-mediated disease mechanisms that drive neurodegenerative disease are still unknown. Tau interactome studies are critically important for understanding tauopathy. They reveal the interacting partners that define disease pathways, and the tau interactions present in neuropathological aggregates provide potential insight into the cellular environment and protein interactions present during pathological tau aggregation. Here we provide a combined analysis of 12 tau interactome studies of human brain tissue, human cell culture models and rodent models of disease. Together, these studies identified 2084 proteins that interact with tau in human tissue and 1152 proteins that interact with tau in rodent models of disease. Our combined analysis of the tau interactome revealed consistent enrichment of interactions between tau and proteins involved in RNA binding, ribosome, and proteasome function. Comparison of human and rodent tau interactome studies revealed substantial differences between the two species. We also performed a second analysis to identify the tau interacting proteins that are enriched in neurons containing granulovacuolar degeneration or neurofibrillary tangle pathology. These results revealed a timed dysregulation of tau interactions as pathology develops. RNA binding proteins, particularly HNRNPs, emerged as early disease-associated tau interactors and therefore may have an important role in driving tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Kavanagh
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Aditi Halder
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Eleanor Drummond
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Sydney, NSW Australia
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23
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Aquino Nunez W, Combs B, Gamblin TC, Ackley BD. Age-dependent accumulation of tau aggregation in Caenorhabditis elegans. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:928574. [PMID: 36062211 PMCID: PMC9437221 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.928574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Aging is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders (ADRDs). Tau aggregation is a hallmark of AD and other tauopathies. Even in normal aging, tau aggregation is found in brains, but in disease states, significantly more aggregated tau is present in brain regions demonstrating synaptic degeneration and neuronal loss. It is unclear how tau aggregation and aging interact to give rise to the phenotypes observed in disease states. Most AD/ADRD animal models have focused on late stages, after significant tau aggregation has occurred. There are fewer where we can observe the early aggregation events and progression during aging. In an attempt to address this gap, we created C. elegans models expressing a GFP-tagged version of the human tau protein. Here we examined how tau-gfp behaved during aging, comparing wild-type tau (hTau40), a disease-associated mutation (P301S), and an aggregation-prone variant (3PO). We measured age-dependent changes in GFP intensity and correlated those changes to normal aging in the nematode. We found differences in tau stability and accumulation depending on the tau variant expressed. hTau40GFP and P301SGFP were localized to axons and cell bodies, while 3POGFP was more concentrated within cell bodies. Expression of 3POGFP resulted in decreased lifespan and variations in locomotor rate, consistent with a pathological effect. Finally, we found that the human tau interacted genetically with the C. elegans ortholog of human tau, ptl-1, where the loss of ptl-1 significantly accelerated the time to death in animals expressing 3PO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Aquino Nunez
- Laboratory Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Benjamin Combs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - T. Chris Gamblin
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Brian D. Ackley
- Laboratory Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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24
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Tarutani A, Adachi T, Akatsu H, Hashizume Y, Hasegawa K, Saito Y, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Yoshida M, Murayama S, Hasegawa M. Ultrastructural and biochemical classification of pathogenic tau, α-synuclein and TDP-43. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:613-640. [PMID: 35513543 PMCID: PMC9107452 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulation of abnormal proteins with conformational changes is the defining neuropathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases. The pathogenic proteins that accumulate in patients' brains adopt an amyloid-like fibrous structure and exhibit various ultrastructural features. The biochemical analysis of pathogenic proteins in sarkosyl-insoluble fractions extracted from patients' brains also shows disease-specific features. Intriguingly, these ultrastructural and biochemical features are common within the same disease group. These differences among the pathogenic proteins extracted from patients' brains have important implications for definitive diagnosis of the disease, and also suggest the existence of pathogenic protein strains that contribute to the heterogeneity of pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent experimental evidence has shown that prion-like propagation of these pathogenic proteins from host cells to recipient cells underlies the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The reproduction of the pathological features that characterize each disease in cellular and animal models of prion-like propagation also implies that the structural differences in the pathogenic proteins are inherited in a prion-like manner. In this review, we summarize the ultrastructural and biochemical features of pathogenic proteins extracted from the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases that accumulate abnormal forms of tau, α-synuclein, and TDP-43, and we discuss how these disease-specific properties are maintained in the brain, based on recent experimental insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tadashi Adachi
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori, 683-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Akatsu
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
- Department of Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshio Hashizume
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
| | - Kazuko Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.
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25
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Kametani F, Hasegawa M. Structures of tau and α-synuclein filaments from brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochem Int 2022; 158:105362. [PMID: 35659527 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulations and aggregates of abnormal protein, consisting of amyloid-like fibrils, are common neuropathological features of many neurodegenerative diseases. The distributions and spreading of these pathological proteins are closely correlated with clinical symptoms and progression. Recent evidence supports the idea that template-mediated amplification of amyloid-like fibrils and intracellular propagation of fibril seeds are the main mechanisms by which pathological features spread along the neural circuits in the brain. Here, we review recent developments in the structural analysis of amyloid-like fibrils from brains of patients with various types of tauopathy and alpha-synucleinopathy, focusing on cryo-electron microscopy and mass analysis, and we discuss their relevance to the mechanisms of template-mediated amplification and intracellular propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan.
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan
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26
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Landrieu I, Dupré E, Sinnaeve D, El Hajjar L, Smet-Nocca C. Deciphering the Structure and Formation of Amyloids in Neurodegenerative Diseases With Chemical Biology Tools. Front Chem 2022; 10:886382. [PMID: 35646824 PMCID: PMC9133342 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.886382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation into highly ordered, regularly repeated cross-β sheet structures called amyloid fibrils is closely associated to human disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, or systemic diseases like type II diabetes. Yet, in some cases, such as the HET-s prion, amyloids have biological functions. High-resolution structures of amyloids fibrils from cryo-electron microscopy have very recently highlighted their ultrastructural organization and polymorphisms. However, the molecular mechanisms and the role of co-factors (posttranslational modifications, non-proteinaceous components and other proteins) acting on the fibril formation are still poorly understood. Whether amyloid fibrils play a toxic or protective role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, such aberrant protein-protein interactions challenge the search of small-molecule drugs or immunotherapy approaches targeting amyloid formation. In this review, we describe how chemical biology tools contribute to new insights on the mode of action of amyloidogenic proteins and peptides, defining their structural signature and aggregation pathways by capturing their molecular details and conformational heterogeneity. Challenging the imagination of scientists, this constantly expanding field provides crucial tools to unravel mechanistic detail of amyloid formation such as semisynthetic proteins and small-molecule sensors of conformational changes and/or aggregation. Protein engineering methods and bioorthogonal chemistry for the introduction of protein chemical modifications are additional fruitful strategies to tackle the challenge of understanding amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Landrieu
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Elian Dupré
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Davy Sinnaeve
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Léa El Hajjar
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
| | - Caroline Smet-Nocca
- University Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, Lille, France
- CNRS EMR9002 Integrative Structural Biology, Lille, France
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27
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Chang A, Xiang X, Wang J, Lee C, Arakhamia T, Simjanoska M, Wang C, Carlomagno Y, Zhang G, Dhingra S, Thierry M, Perneel J, Heeman B, Forgrave LM, DeTure M, DeMarco ML, Cook CN, Rademakers R, Dickson DW, Petrucelli L, Stowell MHB, Mackenzie IRA, Fitzpatrick AWP. Homotypic fibrillization of TMEM106B across diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Cell 2022; 185:1346-1355.e15. [PMID: 35247328 PMCID: PMC9018563 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of disease-specific proteins, resulting in the formation of filamentous cellular inclusions, is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease with characteristic filament structures, or conformers, defining each proteinopathy. Here we show that a previously unsolved amyloid fibril composed of a 135 amino acid C-terminal fragment of TMEM106B is a common finding in distinct human neurodegenerative diseases, including cases characterized by abnormal aggregation of TDP-43, tau, or α-synuclein protein. A combination of cryoelectron microscopy and mass spectrometry was used to solve the structures of TMEM106B fibrils at a resolution of 2.7 Å from postmortem human brain tissue afflicted with frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 pathology (FTLD-TDP, n = 8), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP, n = 2), or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB, n = 1). The commonality of abundant amyloid fibrils composed of TMEM106B, a lysosomal/endosomal protein, to a broad range of debilitating human disorders indicates a shared fibrillization pathway that may initiate or accelerate neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Chang
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Xinyu Xiang
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Carolyn Lee
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Tamta Arakhamia
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Marija Simjanoska
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Chi Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yari Carlomagno
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Guoan Zhang
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Shikhar Dhingra
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Manon Thierry
- Centre for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jolien Perneel
- Applied and Translational Neurogenomics, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bavo Heeman
- Applied and Translational Neurogenomics, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lauren M Forgrave
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael DeTure
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Mari L DeMarco
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Casey N Cook
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Rosa Rademakers
- Applied and Translational Neurogenomics, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | | | - Michael H B Stowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Ian R A Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada.
| | - Anthony W P Fitzpatrick
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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28
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Ye H, Han Y, Li P, Su Z, Huang Y. The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on the Structure and Function of Tau Protein. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1557-1571. [PMID: 35325356 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Involving addition of chemical groups or protein units to specific residues of the target protein, post-translational modifications (PTMs) alter the charge, hydrophobicity, and conformation of a protein, which in tune influences protein function, protein - protein interaction, and protein aggregation. While the occurrence of PTMs is dynamic and subject to regulations, conformational disorder of the target protein facilitates PTMs. The microtubule-associated protein tau is a typical intrinsically disordered protein that undergoes a variety of PTMs including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, methylation, and oxidation. Accumulated evidence shows that these PTMs play a critical role in regulating tau-microtubule interaction, tau localization, tau degradation and aggregation, and reinforces the correlation between tau PTMs and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review tau PTMs with an emphasis on their influence on tau structure. With available biophysical characterization results, we describe how PTMs induce conformational changes in tau monomer and regulate tau aggregation. Compared to functional analysis of tau PTMs, biophysical characterization of tau PTMs is lagging. While it is challenging, characterizing the specific effects of PTMs on tau conformation and interaction is indispensable to unravel the tau PTM code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqiong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yue Han
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
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29
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Snellman A, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Emeršič A, Vrillon A, Karikari TK, Ashton NJ, Gregorič Kramberger M, Čučnik S, Paquet C, Rot U, Zetterberg H, Blennow K. N-terminal and mid-region tau fragments as fluid biomarkers in neurological diseases. Brain 2022; 145:2834-2848. [PMID: 35311972 PMCID: PMC9420020 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived tau secreted into CSF and blood consists of different N-terminal and mid-domain fragments, which may have a differential temporal course and thus, biomarker potential across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum or in other neurological diseases. While current clinically validated total tau assays target mid-domain epitopes, comparison of these assays with new biomarkers targeting N-terminal epitopes using the same analytical platform may be important to increase the understanding of tau pathophysiology. We developed three total tau immunoassays targeting specific N-terminal (NTA and NTB total tau) or mid-region (MR total tau) epitopes, using single molecule array technology. After analytical validation, the diagnostic performance of these biomarkers was evaluated in CSF and compared with the Innotest total tau (and as proof of concept, with N-p-tau181 and N-p-tau217) in three clinical cohorts (n = 342 total). The cohorts included participants across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum (n = 276), other dementias (n = 22), Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (n = 24), acute neurological disorders (n = 18) and progressive supranuclear palsy (n = 22). Furthermore, we evaluated all three new total tau biomarkers in plasma (n = 44) and replicated promising findings with NTA total tau in another clinical cohort (n = 50). In CSF, all total tau biomarkers were increased in Alzheimer’s disease compared with controls (P < 0.0001) and correlated with each other (rs = 0.53−0.95). NTA and NTB total tau, but not other total tau assays, distinguished amyloid-positive and amyloid-negative mild cognitive impairment with high accuracies (AUCs 84% and 82%, P < 0.001) matching N-p-tau217 (AUC 83%; DeLong test P = 0.93 and 0.88). All total tau assays were excellent in differentiating Alzheimer’s disease from other dementias (P < 0.001, AUCs 89–100%). In Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and acute neurological disorders, N-terminal total tau biomarkers had significantly higher fold changes versus controls in CSF (45–133-fold increase) than Innotest or MR total tau (11–42-fold increase, P < 0.0001 for all). In progressive supranuclear palsy, CSF concentrations of all total tau biomarkers were similar to those in controls. Plasma NTA total tau concentrations were increased in Alzheimer’s disease compared with controls in two independent cohorts (P = 0.0056 and 0.0033), while Quanterix total tau performed poorly (P = 0.55 and 0.44). Taken together, N-terminal-directed CSF total tau biomarkers increase ahead of standard total tau alternatives in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum, increase to higher degrees in Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and acute neurological diseases and show better potential than Quanterix total tau as Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers. For progressive supranuclear palsy, other tau biomarkers should continue to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anniina Snellman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Andreja Emeršič
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Agathe Vrillon
- Université de Paris, Cognitive Neurology Center, GHU Nord APHP Hospital Lariboisière Fernand Widal, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Inserm UMR S11-44 Therapeutic Optimization in Neuropsychopharmacology, Paris, France
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health & Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Milica Gregorič Kramberger
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Saša Čučnik
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Claire Paquet
- Université de Paris, Cognitive Neurology Center, GHU Nord APHP Hospital Lariboisière Fernand Widal, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Inserm UMR S11-44 Therapeutic Optimization in Neuropsychopharmacology, Paris, France
| | - Uroš Rot
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK.,Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
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30
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Park H, Yamanaka T, Nukina N. Proteomic analysis of heat-stable proteins revealed an increased proportion of proteins with compositionally biased regions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4347. [PMID: 35289333 PMCID: PMC8921518 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08044-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have been in the spotlight for their unique properties, such as their lack of secondary structures and low sequence complexity. Alpha-synuclein and tau are representative disease-related IDPs with low complexity regions in their sequences, accumulating in the brains of patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease, respectively. Their heat resistance in particular was what attracted our attention. We assumed that there exist many other unidentified proteins that are resistant to heat-treatment, referred to as heat-stable proteins, which would also have low sequence complexity. In this study, we performed proteomic analysis of heat-stable proteins of mouse brains and found that proteins with compositionally biased regions are abundant in the heat-stable proteins. The proteins related to neurodegeneration are known to undergo different types of post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination. We then investigated the heat-stability and aggregation properties of phosphorylated synuclein and tau with different phosphorylation sites. We suggest that PTMs can be important factors that determine the heat-stability and aggregation properties of a protein. IDPs identified in the heat-stable proteins of mouse brains would be candidates for the pathogenic proteins for neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongsun Park
- Laboratory of Structural Neuropathology, Doshisha University Graduate School of Brain Science, 1-3 Miyakodanitatara, Kyotanabe-shi, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Yamanaka
- Laboratory of Structural Neuropathology, Doshisha University Graduate School of Brain Science, 1-3 Miyakodanitatara, Kyotanabe-shi, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan.,Department of Neuroscience of Disease, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Nukina
- Laboratory of Structural Neuropathology, Doshisha University Graduate School of Brain Science, 1-3 Miyakodanitatara, Kyotanabe-shi, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan.
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31
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Kovacs GG, Ghetti B, Goedert M. Classification of Diseases with Accumulation of Tau Protein. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2022; 48:e12792. [PMID: 35064600 PMCID: PMC9352145 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory Medicine Program & Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana, USA
| | - Michel Goedert
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, UK
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32
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Arseni D, Hasegawa M, Murzin AG, Kametani F, Arai M, Yoshida M, Ryskeldi-Falcon B. Structure of pathological TDP-43 filaments from ALS with FTLD. Nature 2022; 601:139-143. [PMID: 34880495 PMCID: PMC7612255 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04199-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The abnormal aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) in neurons and glia is the defining pathological hallmark of the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple forms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)1,2. It is also common in other diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. No disease-modifying therapies exist for these conditions and early diagnosis is not possible. The structures of pathological TDP-43 aggregates are unknown. Here we used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structures of aggregated TDP-43 in the frontal and motor cortices of an individual who had ALS with FTLD and from the frontal cortex of a second individual with the same diagnosis. An identical amyloid-like filament structure comprising a single protofilament was found in both brain regions and individuals. The ordered filament core spans residues 282-360 in the TDP-43 low-complexity domain and adopts a previously undescribed double-spiral-shaped fold, which shows no similarity to those of TDP-43 filaments formed in vitro3,4. An abundance of glycine and neutral polar residues facilitates numerous turns and restricts β-strand length, which results in an absence of β-sheet stacking that is associated with cross-β amyloid structure. An uneven distribution of residues gives rise to structurally and chemically distinct surfaces that face external densities and suggest possible ligand-binding sites. This work enhances our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of ALS and FTLD and informs the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents that target aggregated TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Arseni
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Arai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan
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33
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. Revisiting the grammar of Tau aggregation and pathology formation: how new insights from brain pathology are shaping how we study and target Tauopathies. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 51:513-565. [PMID: 34889934 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00127b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence continues to point towards Tau aggregation and pathology formation as central events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies. Despite significant advances in understanding the morphological and structural properties of Tau fibrils, many fundamental questions remain about what causes Tau to aggregate in the first place. The exact roles of cofactors, Tau post-translational modifications, and Tau interactome in regulating Tau aggregation, pathology formation, and toxicity remain unknown. Recent studies have put the spotlight on the wide gap between the complexity of Tau structures, aggregation, and pathology formation in the brain and the simplicity of experimental approaches used for modeling these processes in research laboratories. Embracing and deconstructing this complexity is an essential first step to understanding the role of Tau in health and disease. To help deconstruct this complexity and understand its implication for the development of effective Tau targeting diagnostics and therapies, we firstly review how our understanding of Tau aggregation and pathology formation has evolved over the past few decades. Secondly, we present an analysis of new findings and insights from recent studies illustrating the biochemical, structural, and functional heterogeneity of Tau aggregates. Thirdly, we discuss the importance of adopting new experimental approaches that embrace the complexity of Tau aggregation and pathology as an important first step towards developing mechanism- and structure-based therapies that account for the pathological and clinical heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease and Tauopathies. We believe that this is essential to develop effective diagnostics and therapies to treat these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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34
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Miyazaki S, Kobayashi Y, Kametani F, Kobayashi K, Iwaide S, Yanai T, Murakami T. Systemic amyloidosis derived from EFEMP1 in a captive Tsushima leopard cat. Vet Pathol 2021; 59:152-156. [PMID: 34763604 DOI: 10.1177/03009858211048650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In animals, most cases of systemic amyloidosis are of amyloid A type, and the other types of systemic amyloidoses are rare. This study analyzed systemic amyloidosis in a 15-year-old female Tsushima leopard cat. Amyloid deposits strongly positive for Congo red staining were observed in the arterial walls as well as the interstitium in multiple organs. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis with laser microdissection of amyloid deposits identified epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) as a prime amyloidogenic protein candidate. Immunohistochemistry showed that the amyloid deposits were positive for the N-terminal region of EFEMP1. From these results, the present case was diagnosed as EFEMP1-derived amyloidosis. It is the first such case in an animal. EFEMP1-derived amyloidosis in humans has recently been reported as a systemic amyloidosis, and it is known as an age-related venous amyloidosis. The present case showed different characteristics from human EFEMP1-derived amyloidosis, including the amyloid deposition sites and the amyloidogenic region of the EFEMP1 protein, suggesting a different pathogenesis between Tsushima leopard cat and human EFEMP1-derived amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Miyazaki
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Kobayashi
- Nihon University Veterinary Research Center, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kyoko Kobayashi
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Iwaide
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tokuma Yanai
- Hiwa Museum for Natural History, Shobara City, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Murakami
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
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35
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. To target Tau pathologies, we must embrace and reconstruct their complexities. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 161:105536. [PMID: 34718129 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated fibrillar Tau aggregates in the brain is one of the defining hallmarks of Tauopathy diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the primary events or molecules responsible for initiation of the pathological Tau aggregation and spreading remain unknown. The discovery of heparin as an effective inducer of Tau aggregation in vitro was instrumental to enabling different lines of research into the role of Tau aggregation in the pathogenesis of Tauopathies. However, recent proteomics and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies have revealed that heparin-induced Tau fibrils generated in vitro do not reproduce the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of disease-associated brain-derived Tau fibrils. These observations demand that we reassess our current approaches for investigating the mechanisms underpinning Tau aggregation and pathology formation. Our review article presents an up-to-date survey and analyses of 1) the evolution of our understanding of the interactions between Tau and heparin, 2) the various structural and mechanistic models of the heparin-induced Tau aggregation, 3) the similarities and differences between brain-derived and heparin-induced Tau fibrils; and 4) emerging concepts on the biochemical and structural determinants underpinning Tau pathological heterogeneity in Tauopathies. Our analyses identify specific knowledge gaps and call for 1) embracing the complexities of Tau pathologies; 2) reassessment of current approaches to investigate, model and reproduce pathological Tau aggregation as it occurs in the brain; 3) more research towards a better understanding of the naturally-occurring cofactor molecules that are associated with Tau brain pathology initiation and propagation; and 4) developing improved approaches for in vitro production of the Tau aggregates and fibrils that recapitulate and/or amplify the biochemical and structural complexity and diversity of pathological Tau in Tauopathies. This will result in better and more relevant tools, assays, and mechanistic models, which could significantly improve translational research and the development of drugs and antibodies that have higher chances for success in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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36
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Shi Y, Zhang W, Yang Y, Murzin AG, Falcon B, Kotecha A, van Beers M, Tarutani A, Kametani F, Garringer HJ, Vidal R, Hallinan GI, Lashley T, Saito Y, Murayama S, Yoshida M, Tanaka H, Kakita A, Ikeuchi T, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Kovacs GG, Revesz T, Ghetti B, Hasegawa M, Goedert M, Scheres SHW. Structure-based classification of tauopathies. Nature 2021; 598:359-363. [PMID: 34588692 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03911-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 410] [Impact Index Per Article: 136.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The ordered assembly of tau protein into filaments characterizes several neurodegenerative diseases, which are called tauopathies. It was previously reported that, by cryo-electron microscopy, the structures of tau filaments from Alzheimer's disease1,2, Pick's disease3, chronic traumatic encephalopathy4 and corticobasal degeneration5 are distinct. Here we show that the structures of tau filaments from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) define a new three-layered fold. Moreover, the structures of tau filaments from globular glial tauopathy are similar to those from PSP. The tau filament fold of argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) differs, instead resembling the four-layered fold of corticobasal degeneration. The AGD fold is also observed in ageing-related tau astrogliopathy. Tau protofilament structures from inherited cases of mutations at positions +3 or +16 in intron 10 of MAPT (the microtubule-associated protein tau gene) are also identical to those from AGD, suggesting that relative overproduction of four-repeat tau can give rise to the AGD fold. Finally, the structures of tau filaments from cases of familial British dementia and familial Danish dementia are the same as those from cases of Alzheimer's disease and primary age-related tauopathy. These findings suggest a hierarchical classification of tauopathies on the basis of their filament folds, which complements clinical diagnosis and neuropathology and also allows the identification of new entities-as we show for a case diagnosed as PSP, but with filament structures that are intermediate between those of globular glial tauopathy and PSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Shi
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Yang Yang
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Abhay Kotecha
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Kametani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Holly J Garringer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Grace I Hallinan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Hidetomo Tanaka
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ikeuchi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Clinical Sciences Building, University of Manchester, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Clinical Sciences Building, University of Manchester, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tamas Revesz
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
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Molecular Pathways Involved in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration with TDP-43 Proteinopathy: What Can We Learn from Proteomics? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910298. [PMID: 34638637 PMCID: PMC8508653 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by behavioral, language, and motor symptoms, with major impact on the lives of patients and their families. TDP-43 proteinopathy is the underlying neuropathological substrate in the majority of cases, referred to as FTLD-TDP. Several genetic causes have been identified, which have revealed some components of its pathophysiology. However, the exact mechanisms driving FTLD-TDP remain largely unknown, forestalling the development of therapies. Proteomic approaches, in particular high-throughput mass spectrometry, hold promise to help elucidate the pathogenic molecular and cellular alterations. In this review, we describe the main findings of the proteomic profiling studies performed on human FTLD-TDP brain tissue. Subsequently, we address the major biological pathways implicated in FTLD-TDP, by reviewing these data together with knowledge derived from genomic and transcriptomic literature. We illustrate that an integrated perspective, encompassing both proteomic, genetic, and transcriptomic discoveries, is vital to unravel core disease processes, and to enable the identification of disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this devastating disorder.
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38
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Wang D, Huang X, Yan L, Zhou L, Yan C, Wu J, Su Z, Huang Y. The Structure Biology of Tau and Clue for Aggregation Inhibitor Design. Protein J 2021; 40:656-668. [PMID: 34401998 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-021-10017-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that is mainly expressed in central and peripheral nerve systems. Tau binds to tubulin and regulates assembly and stabilization of microtubule, thus playing a critical role in neuron morphology, axon development and navigation. Tau is highly stable under normal conditions; however, there are several factors that can induce or promote aggregation of tau, forming neurofibrillary tangles. Neurofibrillary tangles are toxic to neurons, which may be related to a series of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. Thus, tau is widely accepted as an important therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. While the monomeric structure of tau is highly disordered, the aggregate structure of tau is formed by closed packing of β-stands. Studies on the structure of tau and the structural transition mechanism provide valuable information on the occurrence, development, and therapy of tauopathies. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the structural investigation of tau and based on which we discuss aggregation inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Xianlong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Lu Yan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Luoqi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Chang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Jinhu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Zhengding Su
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China
| | - Yongqi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China. .,Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Department of Biological Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, Hubei, China.
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39
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Orti F, Navarro AM, Rabinovich A, Wodak SJ, Marino-Buslje C. Insight into membraneless organelles and their associated proteins: Drivers, Clients and Regulators. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3964-3977. [PMID: 34377363 PMCID: PMC8318826 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, attention has been devoted to proteins forming immiscible liquid phases within the liquid intracellular medium, commonly referred to as membraneless organelles (MLO). These organelles enable the spatiotemporal associations of cellular components that exchange dynamically with the cellular milieu. The dysregulation of these liquid-liquid phase separation processes (LLPS) may cause various diseases including neurodegenerative pathologies and cancer, among others. Until very recently, databases containing information on proteins forming MLOs, as well as tools and resources facilitating their analysis, were missing. This has recently changed with the publication of 4 databases that focus on different types of experiments, sets of proteins, inclusion criteria, and levels of annotation or curation. In this study we integrate and analyze the information across these databases, complement their records, and produce a consolidated set of proteins that enables the investigation of the LLPS phenomenon. To gain insight into the features that characterize different types of MLOs and the roles of their associated proteins, they were grouped into categories: High Confidence MLO associated (including Drivers and reviewed proteins), Potential Clients and Regulators, according to their annotated functions. We show that none of the databases taken alone covers the data sufficiently to enable meaningful analysis, validating our integration effort as essential for gaining better understanding of phase separation and laying the foundations for the discovery of new proteins potentially involved in this important cellular process. Lastly, we developed a server, enabling customized selections of different sets of proteins based on MLO location, database, disorder content, among other attributes (https://forti.shinyapps.io/mlos/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Orti
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fundación Instituto Leloir. Avda. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires B1405WE, Argentina
| | - Alvaro M. Navarro
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fundación Instituto Leloir. Avda. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires B1405WE, Argentina
| | - Andres Rabinovich
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fundación Instituto Leloir. Avda. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires B1405WE, Argentina
| | - Shoshana J. Wodak
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Flemish Institute for Biotechnology, Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cristina Marino-Buslje
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fundación Instituto Leloir. Avda. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires B1405WE, Argentina
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40
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Ji C, Sigurdsson EM. Current Status of Clinical Trials on Tau Immunotherapies. Drugs 2021; 81:1135-1152. [PMID: 34101156 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-021-01546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Tau immunotherapies have advanced from proof-of-concept studies to over a dozen clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Mechanistic studies in animal and culture models have provided valuable insight into how these therapies may work but multiple pathways are likely involved. Different groups have emphasized the importance of intracellular vs extracellular antibody-mediated clearance of the tau protein and there is no consensus on which pool of tau should ideally be targeted. Likewise, various normal and disease-selective epitopes are being targeted, and the antibody isotypes either favor phagocytosis of the tau-antibody complex or are neutral in that aspect. Most of the clinical trials are in early stages, thus their efficacy is not yet known, but all have been without any major adverse effects and some have reported target engagement. A few have been discontinued. One in phase I, presumably because of a poor pharmacokinetic profile, and three in phase II for a lack of efficacy although this trial stage is not well powered for efficacy measures. In these phase II studies, trials with two antibodies in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy or other primary tauopathies were halted but are continuing in patients with AD, and one antibody trial was stopped in early-stage AD but is continuing in moderate AD. These three antibodies have been reported to only work extracellularly and tau is not increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of primary tauopathies, which may explain the failures of two of them. In the discontinued AD trial, there are some concerns about how much of extracellular tau contains the N-terminal epitope that is being targeted. In addition, extracellular tau is only a small part of total tau, compared to intracellular tau. Targeting only the former may not be sufficient for functional benefits. Given these outcomes, decision makers within the pharmaceutical companies who green light these trials should attempt to target tau not only extracellularly but also intracellularly to increase their chances of success. Hopefully, some of the ongoing trials will provide some functional benefits to the large number of patients with tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Ji
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Science Building, 11th floor, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Science Building, 11th floor, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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41
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Tarutani A, Miyata H, Nonaka T, Hasegawa K, Yoshida M, Saito Y, Murayama S, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Tomita T, Hasegawa M. Human tauopathy-derived tau strains determine the substrates recruited for templated amplification. Brain 2021; 144:2333-2348. [PMID: 33693528 PMCID: PMC8418341 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a subset of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal tau inclusions. Specifically, three-repeat tau and four-repeat tau in Alzheimer’s disease, three-repeat tau in Pick’s disease (PiD) and four-repeat tau in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) form amyloid-like fibrous structures that accumulate in neurons and/or glial cells. Amplification and cell-to-cell transmission of abnormal tau based on the prion hypothesis are believed to explain the onset and progression of tauopathies. Recent studies support not only the self-propagation of abnormal tau, but also the presence of conformationally distinct tau aggregates, namely tau strains. Cryogenic electron microscopy analyses of patient-derived tau filaments have revealed disease-specific ordered tau structures. However, it remains unclear whether the ultrastructural and biochemical properties of tau strains are inherited during the amplification of abnormal tau in the brain. In this study, we investigated template-dependent amplification of tau aggregates using a cellular model of seeded aggregation. Tau strains extracted from human tauopathies caused strain-dependent accumulation of insoluble filamentous tau in SH-SY5Y cells. The seeding activity towards full-length four-repeat tau substrate was highest in CBD-tau seeds, followed by PSP-tau and Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-tau seeds, while AD-tau seeds showed higher seeding activity than PiD-tau seeds towards three-repeat tau substrate. Abnormal tau amplified in cells inherited the ultrastructural and biochemical properties of the original seeds. These results strongly suggest that the structural differences of patient-derived tau strains underlie the diversity of tauopathies, and that seeded aggregation and filament formation mimicking the pathogenesis of sporadic tauopathy can be reproduced in cultured cells. Our results indicate that the disease-specific conformation of tau aggregates determines the tau isoform substrate that is recruited for templated amplification, and also influences the prion-like seeding activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.,Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Haruka Miyata
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Takashi Nonaka
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Kazuko Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan.,Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, The University of Manchester, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, The University of Manchester, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
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42
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Arber C, Alatza A, Leckey CA, Paterson RW, Zetterberg H, Wray S. Mass spectrometry analysis of tau and amyloid-beta in iPSC-derived models of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. J Neurochem 2021; 159:305-317. [PMID: 33539581 PMCID: PMC8613538 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables the generation of human neurons in vitro, which contain the precise genome of the cell donor, therefore permitting the generation of disease models from individuals with a disease-associated genotype of interest. This approach has been extensively used to model inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. The combination of iPSC-derived neuronal models with targeted mass spectrometry analysis has provided unprecedented insights into the regulation of specific proteins in human neuronal physiology and pathology. For example enabling investigations into tau and APP/Aβ, specifically: protein isoform expression, relative levels of cleavage fragments, aggregated species and functionally critical post-translational modifications. The use of mass spectrometry has enabled a determination of how closely iPSC-derived models recapitulate disease profiles observed in the human brain. This review will highlight the progress to date in studies using iPSCs and mass spectrometry to model Alzheimer's disease and dementia. We go on to convey our optimism, as studies in the near future will make use of this precedent, together with novel techniques such as genome editing and stable isotope labelling, to provide real progress towards an in depth understanding of early neurodegenerative processes and development of novel therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Arber
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Argyro Alatza
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Claire A Leckey
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Translational Mass Spectrometry Research Group, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Ross W Paterson
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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