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Perbet R, Mate de Gerando A, Glynn C, Donahue C, Gaona A, Taddei RN, Gomez-Isla T, Lathuiliere A, Hyman BT. In situ seeding assay: A novel technique for direct tissue localization of bioactive tau. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024:nlae059. [PMID: 38917443 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae059] [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] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins exhibiting prion-like properties are implicated in tauopathies. The prion-like traits of tau influence disease progression and correlate with severity. Techniques to measure tau bioactivity such as RT-QuIC and biosensor cells lack spatial specificity. Therefore, we developed a histological probe aimed at detecting and localizing bioactive tau in situ. We first induced the recruitment of a tagged probe by bioactive Tau in human brain tissue slices using biosensor cell lysates containing a fluorescent probe. We then enhanced sensitivity and flexibility by designing a recombinant probe with a myc tag. The probe design aimed to replicate the recruitment process seen in prion-like mechanisms based on the cryo-EM structure of tau aggregates in Alzheimer disease (AD). Using this novel probe, we observed selective staining of misfolded tau in pre- and post-synaptic structures within neurofibrillary tangles and neurites, whether or not associated with neuritic plaques. The probe specifically targeted AD-associated bioactive tau and did not recognize bioactive tau from other neurodegenerative diseases. Electron microscopy and immunolabeling further confirmed the identification of fibrillar and non-fibrillar tau. Finally, we established a correlation between quantifying bioactive tau using this technique and gold standard biosensor cells. This technique presents a robust approach for detecting bioactive tau in AD tissues and has potential applications for deciphering mechanisms of tau propagation and degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Perbet
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Calina Glynn
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Structural Biology, Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Angelica Gaona
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Raquel N Taddei
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Gomez-Isla
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
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Wang P, Lynn A, Miskimen K, Song YE, Wisniewski T, Cohen M, Appleby BS, Safar JG, Haines JL. Genome-wide association studies identify novel loci in rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2034-2046. [PMID: 38184787 PMCID: PMC10984493 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13655] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent data suggest that distinct prion-like amyloid beta and tau strains are associated with rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease (rpAD). The role of genetic factors in rpAD is largely unknown. METHODS Previously known AD risk loci were examined in rpAD cases. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed to identify variants that influence rpAD. RESULTS We identified 115 pathology-confirmed rpAD cases and 193 clinical rpAD cases, 80% and 69% were of non-Hispanic European ancestry. Compared to the clinical cohort, pathology-confirmed rpAD had higher frequencies of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 and rare missense variants in AD risk genes. A novel genome-wide significant locus (P < 5×10-8 ) was observed for clinical rpAD on chromosome 21 (rs2832546); 102 loci showed suggestive associations with pathology-confirmed rpAD (P < 1×10-5 ). DISCUSSION rpAD constitutes an extreme subtype of AD with distinct features. GWAS found previously known and novel loci associated with rpAD. Highlights Rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease (rpAD) was defined with different criteria. Whole genome sequencing identified rare missense variants in rpAD. Novel variants were identified for clinical rpAD on chromosome 21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Wang
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Audrey Lynn
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational BiologyClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Kristy Miskimen
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Yeunjoo E. Song
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Departments of NeurologyPathology and PsychiatryCenter for Cognitive Neurology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Mark Cohen
- Department of PathologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance CenterCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Brian S. Appleby
- Department of PathologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance CenterCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of NeurologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of PsychiatryCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Jiri G. Safar
- Department of PathologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of NeurologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Department of NeurosciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Jonathan L. Haines
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health SciencesSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational BiologyClevelandOhioUSA
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Hromadkova L, Kim C, Haldiman T, Peng L, Zhu X, Cohen M, de Silva R, Safar JG. Evolving prion-like tau conformers differentially alter postsynaptic proteins in neurons inoculated with distinct isolates of Alzheimer's disease tau. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:174. [PMID: 37723591 PMCID: PMC10507869 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01133-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although accumulation of misfolded tau species has been shown to predict cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies but with the remarkable diversity of clinical manifestations, neuropathology profiles, and time courses of disease progression remaining unexplained by current genetic data. We considered the diversity of misfolded tau conformers present in individual AD cases as an underlying driver of the phenotypic variations of AD and progressive loss of synapses. METHODS To model the mechanism of tau propagation and synaptic toxicity of distinct tau conformers, we inoculated wild-type primary mouse neurons with structurally characterized Sarkosyl-insoluble tau isolates from the frontal cortex of six AD cases and monitored the impact for fourteen days. We analyzed the accumulation rate, tau isoform ratio, and conformational characteristics of de novo-induced tau aggregates with conformationally sensitive immunoassays, and the dynamics of synapse formation, maintenance, and their loss using a panel of pre-and post-synaptic markers. RESULTS At the same concentrations of tau, the different AD tau isolates induced accumulation of misfolded predominantly 4-repeat tau aggregates at different rates in mature neurons, and demonstrated distinct conformational characteristics corresponding to the original AD brain tau. The time-course of the formation of misfolded tau aggregates and colocalization correlated with significant loss of synapses in tau-inoculated cell cultures and the reduction of synaptic connections implicated the disruption of postsynaptic compartment as an early event. CONCLUSIONS The data obtained with mature neurons expressing physiological levels and adult isoforms of tau protein demonstrate markedly different time courses of endogenous tau misfolding and differential patterns of post-synaptic alterations. These and previous biophysical data argue for an ensemble of various misfolded tau aggregates in individual AD brains and template propagation of their homologous conformations in neurons with different rates and primarily postsynaptic interactors. Modeling tau aggregation in mature differentiated neurons provides a platform for investigating divergent molecular mechanisms of tau strain propagation and for identifying common structural features of misfolded tau and critical interactors for new therapeutic targets and approaches in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Hromadkova
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Chae Kim
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Tracy Haldiman
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Lihua Peng
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Xiongwei Zhu
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Departments of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mark Cohen
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Rohan de Silva
- Reta Lila Weston Institute, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Jiri G Safar
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2085 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
- Departments of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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Kell DB, Pretorius E. Are fibrinaloid microclots a cause of autoimmunity in Long Covid and other post-infection diseases? Biochem J 2023; 480:1217-1240. [PMID: 37584410 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230241] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the blood-clotting protein fibrinogen can polymerise into an anomalous form of fibrin that is amyloid in character; the resultant clots and microclots entrap many other molecules, stain with fluorogenic amyloid stains, are rather resistant to fibrinolysis, can block up microcapillaries, are implicated in a variety of diseases including Long COVID, and have been referred to as fibrinaloids. A necessary corollary of this anomalous polymerisation is the generation of novel epitopes in proteins that would normally be seen as 'self', and otherwise immunologically silent. The precise conformation of the resulting fibrinaloid clots (that, as with prions and classical amyloid proteins, can adopt multiple, stable conformations) must depend on the existing small molecules and metal ions that the fibrinogen may (and is some cases is known to) have bound before polymerisation. Any such novel epitopes, however, are likely to lead to the generation of autoantibodies. A convergent phenomenology, including distinct conformations and seeding of the anomalous form for initiation and propagation, is emerging to link knowledge in prions, prionoids, amyloids and now fibrinaloids. We here summarise the evidence for the above reasoning, which has substantial implications for our understanding of the genesis of autoimmunity (and the possible prevention thereof) based on the primary process of fibrinaloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 200, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
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Tsoi PS, Quan MD, Ferreon JC, Ferreon ACM. Aggregation of Disordered Proteins Associated with Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3380. [PMID: 36834792 PMCID: PMC9966039 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular deposition of protein aggregates, one of the hallmarks of neurodegeneration, disrupts cellular functions and leads to neuronal death. Mutations, posttranslational modifications, and truncations are common molecular underpinnings in the formation of aberrant protein conformations that seed aggregation. The major proteins involved in neurodegeneration include amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau in Alzheimer's disease, α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease, and TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These proteins are described as intrinsically disordered and possess enhanced ability to partition into biomolecular condensates. In this review, we discuss the role of protein misfolding and aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases, specifically highlighting implications of changes to the primary/secondary (mutations, posttranslational modifications, and truncations) and the quaternary/supramolecular (oligomerization and condensation) structural landscapes for the four aforementioned proteins. Understanding these aggregation mechanisms provides insights into neurodegenerative diseases and their common underlying molecular pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Josephine C. Ferreon
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Allan Chris M. Ferreon
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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