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Singh M, Ali H, Renuka Jyothi S, Kaur I, Kumar S, Sharma N, Siva Prasad GV, Pramanik A, Hassan Almalki W, Imran M. Tau proteins and senescent Cells: Targeting aging pathways in Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res 2024; 1844:149165. [PMID: 39155034 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149165] [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: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of tau proteins and amyloid-β, leading to neuronal death and cognitive impairment. Recent studies have implicated aging pathways, including dysregulation of tau and cellular senescence in AD pathogenesis. In AD brains, tau protein, which normally stabilizes microtubules, becomes hyperphosphorylated and forms insoluble neurofibrillary tangles. These tau aggregates impair neuronal function and are propagated across the brain's neurocircuitry. Meanwhile, the number of senescent cells accumulating in the aging brain is rising, releasing a pro-inflammatory SASP responsible for neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. This review explores potential therapeutic interventions for AD targeting tau protein and senescent cells, and tau -directed compounds, senolytics, eliminating senescent cells, and agents that modulate the SASP-senomodulators. Ultimately, a combined approach that incorporates tau-directed medications and targeted senescent cell-based therapies holds promise for reducing the harmful impact of AD's shared aging pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahaveer Singh
- School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKMs NMIMS University, Shirpur campus, Maharastra India
| | - Haider Ali
- Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, India; Department of Pharmacology, Kyrgyz State Medical College, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - S Renuka Jyothi
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Irwanjot Kaur
- Department of Allied Healthcare and Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan-303012, India
| | - Sachin Kumar
- NIMS Institute of Pharmacy, NIMS University Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
| | - Naveen Sharma
- Chandigarh Pharmacy College, Chandigarh Group of College, Jhanjeri, Mohali 140307, Punjab, India
| | - G V Siva Prasad
- Department of Chemistry, Raghu Engineering College, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 531162, India
| | - Atreyi Pramanik
- School of Applied and Life Sciences, Division of Research and Innovation, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Waleed Hassan Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohd Imran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia; Center for Health Research, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
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Tiwari V, Buvarp E, Borbolis F, Puligilla C, Croteau DL, Palikaras K, Bohr VA. Loss of DNA glycosylases improves health and cognitive function in a C. elegans model of human tauopathy. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae705. [PMID: 39149885 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder representing a major burden on families and society. Some of the main pathological hallmarks of AD are the accumulation of amyloid plaques (Aβ) and tau neurofibrillary tangles. However, it is still unclear how Aβ and tau aggregates promote specific phenotypic outcomes and lead to excessive oxidative DNA damage, neuronal cell death and eventually to loss of memory. Here we utilized a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model of human tauopathy to investigate the role of DNA glycosylases in disease development and progression. Transgenic nematodes expressing a pro-aggregate form of tau displayed altered mitochondrial content, decreased lifespan, and cognitive dysfunction. Genetic ablation of either of the two DNA glycosylases found in C. elegans, NTH-1 and UNG-1, improved mitochondrial function, lifespan, and memory impairment. NTH-1 depletion resulted in a dramatic increase of differentially expressed genes, which was not apparent in UNG-1 deficient nematodes. Our findings clearly show that in addition to its enzymatic activity, NTH-1 has non-canonical functions highlighting its modulation as a potential therapeutic intervention to tackle tau-mediated pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinod Tiwari
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Elisabeth Buvarp
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Fivos Borbolis
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Chandrakala Puligilla
- Section for Telomere Maintenance, LGG, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Deborah L Croteau
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Computational Biology & Genomics Core, LGG, NIA, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Konstantinos Palikaras
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Vilhelm A Bohr
- Section on DNA Repair, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, 2200 N, Denmark
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Cristiani CM, Scaramuzzino L, Quattrone A, Parrotta EI, Cuda G, Quattrone A. Serum Oligomeric α-Synuclein and p-tau181 in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6882. [PMID: 38999992 PMCID: PMC11241320 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136882] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical differentiation of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) from Parkinson's disease (PD) is challenging due to overlapping phenotypes and the late onset of specific atypical signs. Therefore, easily assessable diagnostic biomarkers are highly needed. Since PD is a synucleopathy while PSP is a tauopathy, here, we investigated the clinical usefulness of serum oligomeric-α-synuclein (o-α-synuclein) and 181Thr-phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), which are considered as the most important pathological protein forms in distinguishing between these two parkinsonisms. We assessed serum o-α-synuclein and p-tau181 by ELISA and SIMOA, respectively, in 27 PSP patients, 43 PD patients, and 39 healthy controls (HC). Moreover, we evaluated the correlation between serum biomarkers and biological and clinical features of these subjects. We did not find any difference in serum concentrations of p-tau181 and o-α-synuclein nor in the o-α-synuclein/p-tau181 ratio between groups. However, we observed that serum p-tau181 positively correlated with age in HC and PD, while serum o-α-synuclein correlated positively with disease severity in PD and negatively with age in PSP. Finally, the o-α-synuclein/p-tau181 ratio showed a negative correlation with age in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Maria Cristiani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (C.M.C.)
| | - Luana Scaramuzzino
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (C.M.C.)
| | - Andrea Quattrone
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (C.M.C.)
| | - Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cuda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Aldo Quattrone
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (C.M.C.)
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Han M, Saxton A, Currey H, Waldherr SM, Liachko NF, Kraemer BC. Transgenic Dendra2::tau expression allows in vivo monitoring of tau proteostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050473. [PMID: 38469687 PMCID: PMC10985736 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050473] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein homeostasis is perturbed in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, which are pathologically characterized by aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau (encoded by the human MAPT gene). Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans serve as a powerful model organism to study tauopathy disease mechanisms, but moderating transgenic expression level has proven problematic. To study neuronal tau proteostasis, we generated a suite of transgenic strains expressing low, medium or high levels of Dendra2::tau fusion proteins by comparing integrated multicopy transgene arrays with single-copy safe-harbor locus strains generated by recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Multicopy Dendra2::tau strains exhibited expression level-dependent neuronal dysfunction that was modifiable by known genetic suppressors or an enhancer of tauopathy. Single-copy Dendra2::tau strains lacked distinguishable phenotypes on their own but enabled detection of enhancer-driven neuronal dysfunction. We used multicopy Dendra2::tau strains in optical pulse-chase experiments measuring tau turnover in vivo and found that Dendra2::tau turned over faster than the relatively stable Dendra2. Furthermore, Dendra2::tau turnover was dependent on the protein expression level and independent of co-expression with human TDP-43 (officially known as TARDBP), an aggregating protein interacting with pathological tau. We present Dendra2::tau transgenic C. elegans as a novel tool for investigating molecular mechanisms of tau proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Han
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Aleen Saxton
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Heather Currey
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Sarah M. Waldherr
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Nicole F. Liachko
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Brian C. Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Devkota S, Zhou R, Nagarajan V, Maesako M, Do H, Noorani A, Overmeyer C, Bhattarai S, Douglas JT, Saraf A, Miao Y, Ackley BD, Shi Y, Wolfe MS. Familial Alzheimer mutations stabilize synaptotoxic γ-secretase-substrate complexes. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113761. [PMID: 38349793 PMCID: PMC10941010 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations that cause familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) are found in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin, the catalytic component of γ-secretase, that together produce amyloid β-peptide (Aβ). Nevertheless, whether Aβ is the primary disease driver remains controversial. We report here that FAD mutations disrupt initial proteolytic events in the multistep processing of APP substrate C99 by γ-secretase. Cryoelectron microscopy reveals that a substrate mimetic traps γ-secretase during the transition state, and this structure aligns with activated enzyme-substrate complex captured by molecular dynamics simulations. In silico simulations and in cellulo fluorescence microscopy support stabilization of enzyme-substrate complexes by FAD mutations. Neuronal expression of C99 and/or presenilin-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans leads to synaptic loss only with FAD-mutant transgenes. Designed mutations that stabilize the enzyme-substrate complex and block Aβ production likewise led to synaptic loss. Collectively, these findings implicate the stalled process-not the products-of γ-secretase cleavage of substrates in FAD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujan Devkota
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Rui Zhou
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Masato Maesako
- Alzheimer Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hung Do
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Arshad Noorani
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Caitlin Overmeyer
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Sanjay Bhattarai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Justin T Douglas
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Core Lab, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Anita Saraf
- Mass Spectrometry and Analytical Proteomic Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Yinglong Miao
- Center for Computational Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Brian D Ackley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Yigong Shi
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Science and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, and Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Michael S Wolfe
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
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Wu Y, Chen Y, Yu X, Zhang M, Li Z. Towards Understanding Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:443. [PMID: 38203614 PMCID: PMC10778690 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010443] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The elevated occurrence of debilitating neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), demands urgent disease-modifying therapeutics. Owing to the evolutionarily conserved molecular signalling pathways with mammalian species and facile genetic manipulation, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) emerges as a powerful and manipulative model system for mechanistic insights into neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we review several representative C. elegans models established for five common neurodegenerative diseases, which closely simulate disease phenotypes specifically in the gain-of-function aspect. We exemplify applications of high-throughput genetic and drug screenings to illustrate the potential of C. elegans to probe novel therapeutic targets. This review highlights the utility of C. elegans as a comprehensive and versatile platform for the dissection of neurodegenerative diseases at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Zhaoyu Li
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Y.W.); (Y.C.); (X.Y.); (M.Z.)
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Younas N, Saleem T, Younas A, Zerr I. Nuclear face of Tau: an inside player in neurodegeneration. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:196. [PMID: 38087392 PMCID: PMC10714511 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01702-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau (Tubulin associated unit) protein is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies. Tau is predominantly an axonal protein with a crucial role in the stabilization and dynamics of the microtubules. Since the discovery of Tau protein in 1975, research efforts were concentrated on the pathophysiological role of Tau protein in the context of the microtubules. Although, for more than three decades, different localizations of Tau protein have been discovered e.g., in the nuclear compartments. Discovery of the role of Tau protein in various cellular compartments especially in the nucleus opens up a new fold of complexity in tauopathies. Data from cellular models, animal models, and the human brain indicate that nuclear Tau is crucial for genome stability and to cope with cellular distress. Moreover, it's nature of nuclear translocation, its interactions with the nuclear DNA/RNA and proteins suggest it could play multiple roles in the nucleus. To comprehend Tau pathophysiology and efficient Tau-based therapies, there is an urgent need to understand whole repertoire of Tau species (nuclear and cytoplasmic) and their functional relevance. To complete the map of Tau repertoire, understanding of various species of Tau in the nucleus and cytoplasm, identification if specific transcripts of Tau, isoforms and post-translational modifications could foretell Tau's localizations and functions, and how they are modified in neurodegenerative diseases like AD, is urgently required. In this review, we explore the nuclear face of Tau protein, its nuclear localizations and functions and its linkage with Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelam Younas
- University Medical Center Göttingen, National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, Robert-Koch strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, 37075, Germany.
| | - Tayyaba Saleem
- University Medical Center Göttingen, National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, Robert-Koch strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, 37075, Germany
| | - Abrar Younas
- University Medical Center Göttingen, National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, Robert-Koch strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, 37075, Germany
| | - Inga Zerr
- University Medical Center Göttingen, National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, Robert-Koch strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, 37075, Germany
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Olesen MA, Quintanilla RA. Pathological Impact of Tau Proteolytical Process on Neuronal and Mitochondrial Function: a Crucial Role in Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5691-5707. [PMID: 37332018 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03434-4] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Tau protein plays a pivotal role in the central nervous system (CNS), participating in microtubule stability, axonal transport, and synaptic communication. Research interest has focused on studying the role of post-translational tau modifications in mitochondrial failure, oxidative damage, and synaptic impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Soluble tau forms produced by its pathological cleaved induced by caspases could lead to neuronal injury contributing to oxidative damage and cognitive decline in AD. For example, the presence of tau cleaved by caspase-3 has been suggested as a relevant factor in AD and is considered a previous event before neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) formation.Interestingly, we and others have shown that caspase-cleaved tau in N- or C- terminal sites induce mitochondrial bioenergetics defects, axonal transport impairment, neuronal injury, and cognitive decline in neuronal cells and murine models. All these abnormalities are considered relevant in the early neurodegenerative manifestations such as memory and cognitive failure reported in AD. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss for the first time the importance of truncated tau by caspases activation in the pathogenesis of AD and how its negative actions could impact neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margrethe A Olesen
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, El Llano Subercaseaux 2801, 5to Piso, San Miguel, 8910060, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo A Quintanilla
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, El Llano Subercaseaux 2801, 5to Piso, San Miguel, 8910060, Santiago, Chile.
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Brackhan M, Arribas-Blazquez M, Lastres-Becker I. Aging, NRF2, and TAU: A Perfect Match for Neurodegeneration? Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1564. [PMID: 37627559 PMCID: PMC10451380 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the trigger for the neurodegenerative disease process is unknown, the relevance of aging stands out as a major risk for the development of neurodegeneration. In this review, we highlighted the relationship between the different cellular mechanisms that occur as a consequence of aging and transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and the connection with the TAU protein. We focused on the relevance of NRF2 in the main processes involved in neurodegeneration and associated with aging, such as genomic instability, protein degradation systems (proteasomes/autophagy), cellular senescence, and stem cell exhaustion, as well as inflammation. We also analyzed the effect of aging on TAU protein levels and its aggregation and spread process. Finally, we investigated the interconnection between NRF2 and TAU and the relevance of alterations in the NRF2 signaling pathway in both primary and secondary tauopathies. All these points highlight NRF2 as a possible therapeutic target for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Brackhan
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Paz (IdiPaz), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” UAM-CSIC, c/Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Arribas-Blazquez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda. Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Neuroquímica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Lastres-Becker
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Alberto Sols” UAM-CSIC, c/Arturo Duperier 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Institute Teófilo Hernando for Drug Discovery, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain
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