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Wang B, Pan X, Teng IT, Li X, Kobeissy F, Wu ZY, Zhu J, Cai G, Yan H, Yan X, Liang M, Yu F, Lu J, Yang Z, Biondi E, Haskins W, Cao YC, Benner SA, Tan W, Wang KK. Functional Selection of Tau Oligomerization-Inhibiting Aptamers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202402007. [PMID: 38407551 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202402007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Pathological hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of microtubule-associated Tau protein contribute to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other related tauopathies. Currently, no cure exists for Alzheimer's Disease. Aptamers offer significant potential as next-generation therapeutics in biotechnology and the treatment of neurological disorders. Traditional aptamer selection methods for Tau protein focus on binding affinity rather than interference with pathological Tau. In this study, we developed a new selection strategy to enrich DNA aptamers that bind to surviving monomeric Tau protein under conditions that would typically promote Tau aggregation. Employing this approach, we identified a set of aptamer candidates. Notably, BW1c demonstrates a high binding affinity (Kd=6.6 nM) to Tau protein and effectively inhibits arachidonic acid (AA)-induced Tau protein oligomerization and aggregation. Additionally, it inhibits GSK3β-mediated Tau hyperphosphorylation in cell-free systems and okadaic acid-mediated Tau hyperphosphorylation in cellular milieu. Lastly, retro-orbital injection of BW1c tau aptamer shows the ability to cross the blood brain barrier and gain access to neuronal cell body. Through further refinement and development, these Tau aptamers may pave the way for a first-in-class neurotherapeutic to mitigate tauopathy-associated neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bang Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, 13709 Progress Boulevard, No. 7, Alachua, FL 32615, USA
| | - Xiaoshu Pan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - I-Ting Teng
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Xiaowei Li
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers, Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, (USA). Department of Emergency Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Zo-Yu Wu
- Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers, Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, (USA). Department of Emergency Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jiepei Zhu
- Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers, Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, (USA). Department of Emergency Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Guangzheng Cai
- Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers, Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, (USA). Department of Emergency Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - He Yan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Xin Yan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Mingwei Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UF Health Cancer Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Fahong Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jianrong Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UF Health Cancer Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Zunyi Yang
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, 13709 Progress Boulevard, No. 7, Alachua, FL 32615, USA
| | - Elisa Biondi
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, 13709 Progress Boulevard, No. 7, Alachua, FL 32615, USA
| | - William Haskins
- Gryphon Bio, Inc., 611 Gateway Blvd. Suite 120 #253, South San Francisco, CA 94080-7066, USA
| | - Y Charles Cao
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Steven A Benner
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, 13709 Progress Boulevard, No. 7, Alachua, FL 32615, USA
| | - Weihong Tan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Kevin K Wang
- Center for Neurotrauma, Multiomics & Biomarkers, Department of Neurobiology, Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30310-1458, (USA). Department of Emergency Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Gryphon Bio, Inc., 611 Gateway Blvd. Suite 120 #253, South San Francisco, CA 94080-7066, USA
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
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2
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Hou SJ, Huang YR, Zhu J, Jia YB, Niu XY, Yang JJ, Yu XL, Du XY, Liang SY, Cui F, Li LJ, Tian C, Liu RT. Mouse serum albumin induces neuronal apoptosis and tauopathies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:66. [PMID: 38654316 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01771-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The elderly frequently present impaired blood-brain barrier which is closely associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. However, how the albumin, the most abundant protein in the plasma, leaking through the disrupted BBB, contributes to the neuropathology remains poorly understood. We here demonstrated that mouse serum albumin-activated microglia induced astrocytes to A1 phenotype to remarkably increase levels of Elovl1, an astrocytic synthase for very long-chain saturated fatty acids, significantly promoting VLSFAs secretion and causing neuronal lippoapoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress response pathway. Moreover, MSA-activated microglia triggered remarkable tau phosphorylation at multiple sites through NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Intracerebroventricular injection of MSA into the brains of C57BL/6J mice to a similar concentration as in patient brains induced neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, increased tau phosphorylation, and decreased the spatial learning and memory abilities, while Elovl1 knockdown significantly prevented the deleterious effect of MSA. Overall, our study here revealed that MSA induced tau phosphorylation and neuron apoptosis based on MSA-activated microglia and astrocytes, respectively, showing the critical roles of MSA in initiating the occurrence of tauopathies and cognitive decline, and providing potential therapeutic targets for MSA-induced neuropathology in multiple neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Jie Hou
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ya-Ru Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ying-Bo Jia
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiao-Yun Niu
- Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Jin-Ju Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Du
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shi-Yu Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fang Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling-Jie Li
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chen Tian
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Rui-Tian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China.
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3
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Tanaka H, Martinez-Valbuena I, Forrest SL, Couto B, Reyes NG, Morales-Rivero A, Lee S, Li J, Karakani AM, Tang-Wai DF, Tator C, Khadadadi M, Sadia N, Tartaglia MC, Lang AE, Kovacs GG. Distinct involvement of the cranial and spinal nerves in progressive supranuclear palsy. Brain 2024; 147:1399-1411. [PMID: 37972275 PMCID: PMC10994524 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The most frequent neurodegenerative proteinopathies include diseases with deposition of misfolded tau or α-synuclein in the brain. Pathological protein aggregates in the PNS are well-recognized in α-synucleinopathies and have recently attracted attention as a diagnostic biomarker. However, there is a paucity of observations in tauopathies. To characterize the involvement of the PNS in tauopathies, we investigated tau pathology in cranial and spinal nerves (PNS-tau) in 54 tauopathy cases [progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), n = 15; Alzheimer's disease (AD), n = 18; chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), n = 5; and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), n = 6; Pick's disease, n = 9; limbic-predominant neuronal inclusion body 4-repeat tauopathy (LNT), n = 1] using immunohistochemistry, Gallyas silver staining, biochemistry, and seeding assays. Most PSP cases revealed phosphorylated and 4-repeat tau immunoreactive tau deposits in the PNS as follows: (number of tau-positive cases/available cases) cranial nerves III: 7/8 (88%); IX/X: 10/11 (91%); and XII: 6/6 (100%); anterior spinal roots: 10/10 (100%). The tau-positive inclusions in PSP often showed structures with fibrillary (neurofibrillary tangle-like) morphology in the axon that were also recognized with Gallyas silver staining. CBD cases rarely showed fine granular non-argyrophilic tau deposits. In contrast, tau pathology in the PNS was not evident in AD, CTE and Pick's disease cases. The single LNT case also showed tau pathology in the PNS. In PSP, the severity of PNS-tau involvement correlated with that of the corresponding nuclei, although, occasionally, p-tau deposits were present in the cranial nerves but not in the related brainstem nuclei. Not surprisingly, most of the PSP cases presented with eye movement disorder and bulbar symptoms, and some cases also showed lower-motor neuron signs. Using tau biosensor cells, for the first time we demonstrated seeding capacity of tau in the PNS. In conclusion, prominent PNS-tau distinguishes PSP from other tauopathies. The morphological differences of PNS-tau between PSP and CBD suggest that the tau pathology in PNS could reflect that in the central nervous system. The high frequency and early presence of tau lesions in PSP suggest that PNS-tau may have clinical and biomarker relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetomo Tanaka
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Shelley L Forrest
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program and Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Blas Couto
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Rossy Program for PSP Research and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Nikolai Gil Reyes
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Rossy Program for PSP Research and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Alonso Morales-Rivero
- University Health Network Memory Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Seojin Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Ali M Karakani
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - David F Tang-Wai
- University Health Network Memory Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Medicine/Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H2, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Charles Tator
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Mozhgan Khadadadi
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Nusrat Sadia
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- University Health Network Memory Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Medicine/Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H2, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Canadian Concussion Centre, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Anthony E Lang
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease, Rossy Program for PSP Research and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Medicine/Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H2, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Medicine/Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H2, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
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4
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Basheer N, Buee L, Brion JP, Smolek T, Muhammadi MK, Hritz J, Hromadka T, Dewachter I, Wegmann S, Landrieu I, Novak P, Mudher A, Zilka N. Shaping the future of preclinical development of successful disease-modifying drugs against Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of tau propagation models. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:52. [PMID: 38576010 PMCID: PMC10993623 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01748-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcellular propagation of the aberrantly modified protein tau along the functional brain network is a key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Inoculation-based tau propagation models can recapitulate the stereotypical spread of tau and reproduce various types of tau inclusions linked to specific tauopathy, albeit with varying degrees of fidelity. With this systematic review, we underscore the significance of judicious selection and meticulous functional, biochemical, and biophysical characterization of various tau inocula. Furthermore, we highlight the necessity of choosing suitable animal models and inoculation sites, along with the critical need for validation of fibrillary pathology using confirmatory staining, to accurately recapitulate disease-specific inclusions. As a practical guide, we put forth a framework for establishing a benchmark of inoculation-based tau propagation models that holds promise for use in preclinical testing of disease-modifying drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Basheer
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Luc Buee
- Inserm, CHU Lille, CNRS, LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France.
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Histology, Alzheimer and Other Tauopathies Research Group (CP 620), ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Muhammad Khalid Muhammadi
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Hritz
- CEITEC Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Hromadka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ilse Dewachter
- Biomedical Research Institute, BIOMED, Hasselt University, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, 59000, Lille, France
- Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Petr Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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5
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Chen C, Kumbhar R, Wang H, Yang X, Gadhave K, Rastegar C, Kimura Y, Behensky A, Kotha S, Kuo G, Katakam S, Jeong D, Wang L, Wang A, Chen R, Zhang S, Jin L, Workman CJ, Vignali DAA, Pletinkova O, Jia H, Peng W, Nauen DW, Wong PC, Redding-Ochoa J, Troncoso JC, Ying M, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, Mao X. Lymphocyte-Activation Gene 3 Facilitates Pathological Tau Neuron-to-Neuron Transmission. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024; 11:e2303775. [PMID: 38327094 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The spread of prion-like protein aggregates is a common driver of pathogenesis in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related Tauopathies. Tau pathologies exhibit a clear progressive spreading pattern that correlates with disease severity. Clinical observation combined with complementary experimental studies has shown that Tau preformed fibrils (PFF) are prion-like seeds that propagate pathology by entering cells and templating misfolding and aggregation of endogenous Tau. While several cell surface receptors of Tau are known, they are not specific to the fibrillar form of Tau. Moreover, the underlying cellular mechanisms of Tau PFF spreading remain poorly understood. Here, it is shown that the lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (Lag3) is a cell surface receptor that binds to PFF but not the monomer of Tau. Deletion of Lag3 or inhibition of Lag3 in primary cortical neurons significantly reduces the internalization of Tau PFF and subsequent Tau propagation and neuron-to-neuron transmission. Propagation of Tau pathology and behavioral deficits induced by injection of Tau PFF in the hippocampus and overlying cortex are attenuated in mice lacking Lag3 selectively in neurons. These results identify neuronal Lag3 as a receptor of pathologic Tau in the brain,and for AD and related Tauopathies, a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan Chen
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ramhari Kumbhar
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Hu Wang
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Xiuli Yang
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kundlik Gadhave
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Cyrus Rastegar
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Yasuyoshi Kimura
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Adam Behensky
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sumasri Kotha
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Grace Kuo
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sruthi Katakam
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Deok Jeong
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Liang Wang
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Anthony Wang
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rong Chen
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shu Zhang
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Lingtao Jin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Creg J Workman
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Dario A A Vignali
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Olga Pletinkova
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Hongpeng Jia
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Weiyi Peng
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd., Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - David W Nauen
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Philip C Wong
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Javier Redding-Ochoa
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Juan C Troncoso
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mingyao Ying
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, 707 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Valina L Dawson
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation, New Orleans, LA, 70130-2685, USA
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ted M Dawson
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Xiaobo Mao
- Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
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6
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Iwasaki Y. [Neuropathology of the Neurodegenerative Diseases]. Brain Nerve 2024; 76:343-351. [PMID: 38589279 DOI: 10.11477/mf.1416202611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
A definite diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases is required for neuropathological examination during an autopsy. Each neurodegenerative disease has specific vulnerable regions and affected systems (system degeneration), and is typified by an accumulation of abnormal protein with the formation of characteristic morphological aggregates in the nerve and glial cells, called proteinopathy. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are tauopathy, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and Pick's disease (PiD); α-synucleinopathy, including multiple system atrophy (MSA); and TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) proteinopathy, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). PSP and CBD show characteristic tau-positive astrocytic inclusions known as tufted astrocytes and astrocytic plaques, respectively. PiD shows tau-positive neuronal inclusions termed Pick bodies. MSA is characterized by α-synuclein-positive oligodendroglial inclusions, called glial cytoplasmic inclusions. ALS- and FTLD-TDP show TDP-43-positive neuronal inclusions, such as skein-like and round inclusions. Huntington's disease shows polyglutamine-positive neuronal inclusions, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease shows diffuse deposition of granular prions in the neuropil. The atypical proteins in these diseases have abnormal conformational properties. A comprehensive comparison of the clinical findings and neuropathological observations, including neuroanatomy and images acquired during life, is important to improve the sensitivity of clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Iwasaki
- Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University
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Edwards GA, Wood CA, He Y, Nguyen Q, Kim PJ, Gomez-Gutierrez R, Park KW, Xu Y, Zurhellen C, Al-Ramahi I, Jankowsky JL. TMEM106B coding variant is protective and deletion detrimental in a mouse model of tauopathy. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:61. [PMID: 38526616 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
TMEM106B is a risk modifier of multiple neurological conditions, where a single coding variant and multiple non-coding SNPs influence the balance between susceptibility and resilience. Two key questions that emerge from past work are whether the lone T185S coding variant contributes to protection, and if the presence of TMEM106B is helpful or harmful in the context of disease. Here, we address both questions while expanding the scope of TMEM106B study from TDP-43 to models of tauopathy. We generated knockout mice with constitutive deletion of TMEM106B, alongside knock-in mice encoding the T186S knock-in mutation (equivalent to the human T185S variant), and crossed both with a P301S transgenic tau model to study how these manipulations impacted disease phenotypes. We found that TMEM106B deletion accelerated cognitive decline, hind limb paralysis, tau pathology, and neurodegeneration. TMEM106B deletion also increased transcriptional correlation with human AD and the functional pathways enriched in KO:tau mice aligned with those of AD. In contrast, the coding variant protected against tau-associated cognitive decline, synaptic impairment, neurodegeneration, and paralysis without affecting tau pathology. Our findings reveal that TMEM106B is a critical safeguard against tau aggregation, and that loss of this protein has a profound effect on sequelae of tauopathy. Our study further demonstrates that the coding variant is functionally relevant and contributes to neuroprotection downstream of tau pathology to preserve cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A Edwards
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Caleb A Wood
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yang He
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Quynh Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Peter J Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ruben Gomez-Gutierrez
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kyung-Won Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Cody Zurhellen
- NeuroScience Associates, 10915 Lake Ridge Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37934, USA
| | - Ismael Al-Ramahi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Joanna L Jankowsky
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Mail Stop BCM295, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Chang K, Barrett A, Pham K, Troncoso JC. Lateral geniculate body is spared of tau pathology in Pick disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:238-244. [PMID: 38412343 PMCID: PMC10951972 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathobiology of tau is of great importance for understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in aging and age-associated disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementias. It is critical to identify neuronal populations and brain regions that are vulnerable or resistant to tau pathological changes. Pick disease (PiD) is a three-repeat (3R) tauopathy that belongs to the group of frontotemporal lobar degenerations. The neuropathologic changes of PiD are characterized by globular tau-positive neuronal intracytoplasmic inclusions, called Pick bodies, in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus and frontal and temporal neocortices, and ballooned neurons, named Pick neurons, in the neocortex. In the present study, we examined 13 autopsy-confirmed cases of PiD. Using immunohistochemistry for phospho-tau (AT8) and 3R tau isoform, all PiD cases demonstrated extensive lesions involving the hippocampus and neocortex. However, the lateral geniculate body (LGB) is spared of significant tau lesions in contrast to the neighboring hippocampus and other thalamic nuclei. Only 1 PiD case (7.7%) had tau-positive neurons, and 4 cases had tau-positive neurites (31%) in the LGB. By contrast, the LGB does consistently harbor tau lesions in other tauopathies including progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koping Chang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Alexander Barrett
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Khoa Pham
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Juan C Troncoso
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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9
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Xu H, Qiu Q, Hu P, Hoxha K, Jang E, O'Reilly M, Kim C, He Z, Marotta N, Changolkar L, Zhang B, Wu H, Schellenberg GD, Kraemer B, Luk KC, Lee EB, Trojanowski JQ, Brunden KR, Lee VMY. MSUT2 regulates tau spreading via adenosinergic signaling mediated ASAP1 pathway in neurons. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:55. [PMID: 38472475 PMCID: PMC10933148 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02703-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Inclusions comprised of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) are implicated in a group of neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies, that include Alzheimer's disease (AD). The spreading of misfolded tau "seeds" along neuronal networks is thought to play a crucial role in the progression of tau pathology. Consequently, restricting the release or uptake of tau seeds may inhibit the spread of tau pathology and potentially halt the advancement of the disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Mammalian Suppressor of Tauopathy 2 (MSUT2), an RNA binding protein, modulates tau pathogenesis in a transgenic mouse model. In this study, we investigated the impact of MSUT2 on tau pathogenesis using tau seeding models. Our findings indicate that the loss of MSUT2 mitigates human tau seed-induced pathology in neuron cultures and mouse models. In addition, MSUT2 regulates many gene transcripts, including the Adenosine Receptor 1 (A1AR), and we show that down regulation or inhibition of A1AR modulates the activity of the "ArfGAP with SH3 Domain, Ankyrin Repeat, and PH Domain 1 protein" (ASAP1), thereby influencing the internalization of pathogenic tau seeds into neurons resulting in reduction of tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kevt'her Hoxha
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elliot Jang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mia O'Reilly
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christopher Kim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhuohao He
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nicholas Marotta
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lakshmi Changolkar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Genetics, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gerard D Schellenberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Neurodegeneration Genomics Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian Kraemer
- Geriatric 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 School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Translational Neuropathology Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kurt R Brunden
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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10
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Sun X, Eastman G, Shi Y, Saibaba S, Oliveira AK, Lukens JR, Norambuena A, Thompson JA, Purdy MD, Dryden K, Pardo E, Mandell JW, Bloom GS. Structural and functional damage to neuronal nuclei caused by extracellular tau oligomers. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:1656-1670. [PMID: 38069673 PMCID: PMC10947977 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuronal nuclei are normally smoothly surfaced. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies, though, they often develop invaginations. We investigated mechanisms and functional consequences of neuronal nuclear invagination in tauopathies. METHODS Nuclear invagination was assayed by immunofluorescence in the brain, and in cultured neurons before and after extracellular tau oligomer (xcTauO) exposure. Nucleocytoplasmic transport was assayed in cultured neurons. Gene expression was investigated using nanoString nCounter technology and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Invaginated nuclei were twice as abundant in human AD as in cognitively normal adults, and were increased in mouse neurodegeneration models. In cultured neurons, nuclear invagination was induced by xcTauOs by an intracellular tau-dependent mechanism. xcTauOs impaired nucleocytoplasmic transport, increased histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 9, and altered gene expression, especially by increasing tau mRNA. DISCUSSION xcTauOs may be a primary cause of nuclear invagination in vivo, and by extension, impair nucleocytoplasmic transport and induce pathogenic gene expression changes. HIGHLIGHTS Extracellular tau oligomers (xcTauOs) cause neuronal nuclei to invaginate. xcTauOs alter nucleocytoplasmic transport, chromatin structure, and gene expression. The most upregulated gene is MAPT, which encodes tau. xcTauOs may thus drive a positive feedback loop for production of toxic tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehan Sun
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Guillermo Eastman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
- Departamento de GenómicaInstituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente EstableMinisterio de Educación y CulturaMontevideoUruguay
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Subhi Saibaba
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Ana K. Oliveira
- Department of PathologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - John R. Lukens
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Andrés Norambuena
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Joseph A. Thompson
- Department of Materials Science & EngineeringUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael D. Purdy
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological PhysicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Kelly Dryden
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological PhysicsUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - Evelyn Pardo
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - James W. Mandell
- Department of PathologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - George S. Bloom
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
- Department of Cell BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
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11
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Zuo Y, Liu HT, Lin LB, Yue RZ, Liu HH, Wang HW, Wang L, Hou RL, Liu WZ, Li CZ, Wang JZ, Li P, Yin YL. A new metal ion chelator attenuates human tau accumulation-induced neurodegeneration and memory deficits in mice. Exp Neurol 2024; 373:114657. [PMID: 38141802 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal neurofibrillary tangles containing Tau hyperphosphorylation proteins are a typical pathological marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The level of tangles in neurons correlates positively with severe dementia. However, how Tau induces cognitive dysfunction is still unknown, which leads to a lack of effective treatments for AD. Metal ions deposition occurs with tangles in AD brain autopsy. Reduced metal ion can improve the pathology of AD. To explore whether abnormally phosphorylated Tau causes metal ion deposition, we overexpressed human full-length Tau (hTau) in the hippocampal CA3 area of mice and primary cultured hippocampal neurons (CPHN) and found that Tau accumulation induced iron deposition and activated calcineurin (CaN), which dephosphorylates glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), mediating Tau hyperphosphorylation. Simultaneous activation of CaN dephosphorylates cyclic-AMP response binding protein (CREB), leading to synaptic deficits and memory impairment, as shown in our previous study; this seems to be a vicious cycle exacerbating tauopathy. In the current study, we developed a new metal ion chelator that displayed a significant inhibitory effect on Tau phosphorylation and memory impairment by chelating iron ions in vivo and in vitro. These findings provide new insight into the mechanism of memory impairment induced by Tau accumulation and develop a novel potential treatment for tauopathy in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zuo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Hui-Ting Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Lai-Biao Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Rui-Zhu Yue
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Huan-Huan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Hong-Wei Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Lu Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Ruan-Ling Hou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Wei-Zhen Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Chang-Zheng Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
| | - Jian-Zhi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of China for Neurological Disorders, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Peng Li
- College of Pharmacy, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Drug Intervention, Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Vascular Remodeling Intervention and Molecular Targeted Therapy Drug Development, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Diabetes and Angiopathy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China.
| | - Ya-Ling Yin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Sino-UK Joint Laboratory of Brain Function and Injury, Henan International Key Laboratory for Non-invasive Neuromodulation, Department of Physiology and Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, China
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12
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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13
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Rizzi L, Grinberg LT. Exploring the significance of caspase-cleaved tau in tauopathies and as a complementary pathology to phospho-tau in Alzheimer's disease: implications for biomarker development and therapeutic targeting. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:36. [PMID: 38419122 PMCID: PMC10900669 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01744-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that typically require postmortem examination for a definitive diagnosis. Detecting neurotoxic tau fragments in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum provides an opportunity for in vivo diagnosis and disease monitoring. Current assays primarily focus on total tau or phospho-tau, overlooking other post-translational modifications (PTMs). Caspase-cleaved tau is a significant component of AD neuropathological lesions, and experimental studies confirm the high neurotoxicity of these tau species. Recent evidence indicates that certain caspase-cleaved tau species, such as D13 and D402, are abundant in AD brain neurons and only show a modest degree of co-occurrence with phospho-tau, meaning caspase-truncated tau pathology is partially distinct and complementary to phospho-tau pathology. Furthermore, these caspase-cleaved tau species are nearly absent in 4-repeat tauopathies. In this review, we will discuss the significance of caspase-cleaved tau in the development of tauopathies, specifically emphasizing its role in AD. In addition, we will explore the potential of caspase-cleaved tau as a biomarker and the advantages for drug development targeting caspase-6. Developing specific and sensitive assays for caspase-cleaved tau in biofluids holds promise for improving the diagnosis and monitoring of tauopathies, providing valuable insights into disease progression and treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liara Rizzi
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Sandler Neurosciences Center, University of California San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Department of Pathology, LIM-22, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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14
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Kawles A, Keszycki R, Minogue G, Zouridakis A, Ayala I, Gill N, Macomber A, Lubbat V, Coventry C, Rogalski E, Weintraub S, Mao Q, Flanagan ME, Zhang H, Castellani R, Bigio EH, Mesulam MM, Geula C, Gefen T. Phenotypically concordant distribution of pick bodies in aphasic versus behavioral dementias. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:31. [PMID: 38389095 PMCID: PMC10885488 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pick's disease (PiD) is a subtype of the tauopathy form of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-tau) characterized by intraneuronal 3R-tau inclusions. PiD can underly various dementia syndromes, including primary progressive aphasia (PPA), characterized by an isolated and progressive impairment of language and left-predominant atrophy, and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), characterized by progressive dysfunction in personality and bilateral frontotemporal atrophy. In this study, we investigated the neocortical and hippocampal distributions of Pick bodies in bvFTD and PPA to establish clinicopathologic concordance between PiD and the salience of the aphasic versus behavioral phenotype. Eighteen right-handed cases with PiD as the primary pathologic diagnosis were identified from the Northwestern University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center brain bank (bvFTD, N = 9; PPA, N = 9). Paraffin-embedded sections were stained immunohistochemically with AT8 to visualize Pick bodies, and unbiased stereological analysis was performed in up to six regions bilaterally [middle frontal gyrus (MFG), superior temporal gyrus (STG), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), anterior temporal lobe (ATL), dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 of the hippocampus], and unilateral occipital cortex (OCC). In bvFTD, peak neocortical densities of Pick bodies were in the MFG, while the ATL was the most affected in PPA. Both the IPL and STG had greater leftward pathology in PPA, with the latter reaching significance (p < 0.01). In bvFTD, Pick body densities were significantly right-asymmetric in the STG (p < 0.05). Hippocampal burden was not clinicopathologically concordant, as both bvFTD and PPA cases demonstrated significant hippocampal pathology compared to neocortical densities (p < 0.0001). Inclusion-to-neuron analyses in a subset of PPA cases confirmed that neurons in the DG are disproportionately burdened with inclusions compared to neocortical areas. Overall, stereological quantitation suggests that the distribution of neocortical Pick body pathology is concordant with salient clinical features unique to PPA vs. bvFTD while raising intriguing questions about the selective vulnerability of the hippocampus to 3R-tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allegra Kawles
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rachel Keszycki
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Grace Minogue
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Antonia Zouridakis
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ivan Ayala
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nathan Gill
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alyssa Macomber
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Vivienne Lubbat
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christina Coventry
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Emily Rogalski
- Department of Neurology, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sandra Weintraub
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Qinwen Mao
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Margaret E Flanagan
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rudolph Castellani
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eileen H Bigio
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - M-Marsel Mesulam
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Changiz Geula
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Tamar Gefen
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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15
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Wennström M, Schultz N, Gallardo PM, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Bose S, Hansson O. The Relationship between p-tau217, p-tau231, and p-tau205 in the Human Brain Is Affected by the Cellular Environment and Alzheimer's Disease Pathology. Cells 2024; 13:331. [PMID: 38391945 PMCID: PMC10887205 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The levels of p-tau217 and p-tau231 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are associated with early amyloid beta (Aß) changes in the brain, while the CSF levels of p-tau205 are foremost related to tau pathology in the later stages of the disease. To investigate if the three p-tau variants are found to the same degree in different tau structures and if their co-localization is affected by the diagnosis and presence of Aß plaques, we immunostained sections of the entorhinal cortex (EC) and inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) from non-demented controls (NC), patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and primary age-related tauopathy (PART) against p-tau217, p-tau231, and p-tau205 together with Methoxi-X04. An analysis using confocal microscopy showed that the co-localization variable, the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), was significantly higher between p-tau231 and p-tau205 in neurofibrillary tangles compared to neuropil threads and dystrophic neurites in plaques. The PCC value between all three p-tau variants in the neuropil threads was significantly lower in the ECs of patients with AD compared to the NC and in the ITGs of patients with AD, with a high Aß load compared to PART. The lowered value was associated with proportionally higher amounts of non-colocalized p-tau231 and p-tau217 compared to p-tau205, and the PCC values were negatively correlated with Aß and the tangle loads in patients with AD, but positively correlated with tangles in PART. These results suggest that the proportion of and co-localization between p-tau217, p-tau231, and p-tau205 are dependent on cellular localization and are altered in response to AD pathology in a spatial-temporal manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Wennström
- Cognitive Disorder Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, 21428 Malmö, Sweden; (N.S.); (P.M.G.)
| | - Nina Schultz
- Cognitive Disorder Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, 21428 Malmö, Sweden; (N.S.); (P.M.G.)
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, 21146 Malmö, Sweden;
| | - Paula Mille Gallardo
- Cognitive Disorder Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, 21428 Malmö, Sweden; (N.S.); (P.M.G.)
| | | | | | - Thomas G. Beach
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ 85351, USA
| | - Suchira Bose
- Eli Lilly and Company, Arlington Square West, Bracknell RG12 1PU, UK;
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, 21146 Malmö, Sweden;
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 20205 Malmö, Sweden
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16
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Raulin AC, Doss SV, Heckman MG, Craver EC, Li Z, Ikezu TC, Sekiya H, Liu CC, Martens YA, Rosenberg CL, Kuchenbecker LA, DeTure M, Reichard RR, Nguyen AT, Constantopoulos E, Larsen RA, Kounaves EK, Murray ME, Dickson DW, Petersen RC, Bu G, Kanekiyo T. Impact of APOE on amyloid and tau accumulation in argyrophilic grain disease and Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:25. [PMID: 38336940 PMCID: PMC10854035 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01731-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) in senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of phosphorylated tau (pTau), is increasingly recognized as a complex disease with multiple pathologies. AD sometimes pathologically overlaps with age-related tauopathies such as four repeat (4R)-tau predominant argyrophilic grain disease (AGD). While AGD is often detected with AD pathology, the contribution of APOE4 to AGD risk is not clear despite its robust effects on AD pathogenesis. Specifically, how APOE genotype influences Aβ and tau pathology in co-occurring AGD and AD has not been fully understood. Using postmortem brain samples (N = 353) from a neuropathologically defined cohort comprising of cases with AD and/or AGD pathology built to best represent different APOE genotypes, we measured the amounts of major AD-related molecules, including Aβ40, Aβ42, apolipoprotein E (apoE), total tau (tTau), and pTau181, in the temporal cortex. The presence of tau lesions characteristic of AD (AD-tau) was correlated with cognitive decline based on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, while the presence of AGD tau lesions (AGD-tau) was not. Interestingly, while APOE4 increased the risk of AD-tau pathology, it did not increase the risk of AGD-tau pathology. Although APOE4 was significantly associated with higher levels of insoluble Aβ40, Aβ42, apoE, and pTau181, the APOE4 effect was no longer detected in the presence of AGD-tau. We also found that co-occurrence of AGD with AD was associated with lower insoluble Aβ42 and pTau181 levels. Overall, our findings suggest that different patterns of Aβ, tau, and apoE accumulation mediate the development of AD-tau and AGD-tau pathology, which is affected by APOE genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sydney V Doss
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Michael G Heckman
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Emily C Craver
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Zonghua Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Tadafumi C Ikezu
- Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Hiroaki Sekiya
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Chia-Chen Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Biogen, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yuka A Martens
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | | | | | - Michael DeTure
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - R Ross Reichard
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Aivi T Nguyen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Eleni Constantopoulos
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Rachel A Larsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Emmaline K Kounaves
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Melissa E Murray
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Guojun Bu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Takahisa Kanekiyo
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
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17
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Oertel FC, Casillas D, Cobigo Y, Condor Montes S, Heuer HW, Chapman M, Beaudry-Richard A, Reinsberg H, Abdelhak A, Cordano C, Boeve BF, Dickerson BC, Grossman M, Huey E, Irwin DJ, Litvan I, Pantelyat A, Tartaglia MC, Vandevrede L, Boxer A, Green AJ. Scientific commentary on: "Phosphorylated tau in the retina correlates with tau pathology in the brain in Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathies". Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:30. [PMID: 38308717 PMCID: PMC10838223 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02656-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Frederike C Oertel
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Casillas
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yann Cobigo
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shivany Condor Montes
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hilary W Heuer
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Makenna Chapman
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra Beaudry-Richard
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henriette Reinsberg
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ahmed Abdelhak
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christian Cordano
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bradley F Boeve
- Mayo Center for Sleep Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Bradford C Dickerson
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Edward Huey
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and New York Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - David J Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Alexander Pantelyat
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lawren Vandevrede
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adam Boxer
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ari J Green
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), 675 Nelson Rising Lane, Sandler Neurosciences Building, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA.
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18
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Louros N, Wilkinson M, Tsaka G, Ramakers M, Morelli C, Garcia T, Gallardo R, D'Haeyer S, Goossens V, Audenaert D, Thal DR, Mackenzie IR, Rademakers R, Ranson NA, Radford SE, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J. Local structural preferences in shaping tau amyloid polymorphism. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1028. [PMID: 38310108 PMCID: PMC10838331 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45429-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies encompass a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterised by diverse tau amyloid fibril structures. The persistence of polymorphism across tauopathies suggests that distinct pathological conditions dictate the adopted polymorph for each disease. However, the extent to which intrinsic structural tendencies of tau amyloid cores contribute to fibril polymorphism remains uncertain. Using a combination of experimental approaches, we here identify a new amyloidogenic motif, PAM4 (Polymorphic Amyloid Motif of Repeat 4), as a significant contributor to tau polymorphism. Calculation of per-residue contributions to the stability of the fibril cores of different pathologic tau structures suggests that PAM4 plays a central role in preserving structural integrity across amyloid polymorphs. Consistent with this, cryo-EM structural analysis of fibrils formed from a synthetic PAM4 peptide shows that the sequence adopts alternative structures that closely correspond to distinct disease-associated tau strains. Furthermore, in-cell experiments revealed that PAM4 deletion hampers the cellular seeding efficiency of tau aggregates extracted from Alzheimer's disease, corticobasal degeneration, and progressive supranuclear palsy patients, underscoring PAM4's pivotal role in these tauopathies. Together, our results highlight the importance of the intrinsic structural propensity of amyloid core segments to determine the structure of tau in cells, and in propagating amyloid structures in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martin Wilkinson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Grigoria Tsaka
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Meine Ramakers
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chiara Morelli
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Teresa Garcia
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rodrigo Gallardo
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sam D'Haeyer
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Vera Goossens
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominique Audenaert
- VIB Screening Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Bioassay Development and Screening (C-BIOS), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Neuropathology, KU Leuven, and Department of Pathology, UZ Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rosa Rademakers
- Applied and Translational Neurogenomics, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Switch Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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19
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Younas A, Younas N, Iqbal MJ, Ferrer I, Zerr I. Comparative interactome mapping of Tau-protein in classical and rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease identifies subtype-specific pathways. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2024; 50:e12964. [PMID: 38374702 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Tau is a key player in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other Tauopathies. Tau pathology in the brain directly correlates with neurodegeneration in AD. The recent identification of a rapid variant of AD demands an urgent need to uncover underlying mechanisms leading to differential progression in AD. Accordingly, we aimed to dissect the underlying differential mechanisms of toxicity associated with the Tau protein in AD subtypes and to find out subtype-dependent biomarkers and therapeutic targets. METHODS To identify and characterise subtype-specific Tau-associated mechanisms of pathology, we performed comparative interactome mapping of Tau protein in classical AD (cAD) and rapidly progressive AD (rpAD) cases using co-immunoprecipitation coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry. The mass spectrometry data were extensively analysed using several bioinformatics approaches. RESULTS The comparative interactome mapping of Tau protein revealed distinct and unique interactors (DPYSL4, ARHGEF2, TUBA4A and UQCRC2) in subtypes of AD. Interestingly, an analysis of the Tau-interacting proteins indicated enrichment of mitochondrial organisation processes, including negative regulation of mitochondrion organisation, mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilisation involved in programmed cell death, regulation of autophagy of mitochondrion and necroptotic processes, specifically in the rpAD interactome. While, in cAD, the top enriched processes were related to oxidation-reduction process, transport and monocarboxylic acid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results provide a comprehensive map of Tau-interacting protein networks in a subtype-dependent manner and shed light on differential functions/pathways in AD subtypes. This comprehensive map of the Tau-interactome has provided subsets of disease-related proteins that can serve as novel biomarkers/biomarker panels and new drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abrar Younas
- National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Neelam Younas
- National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Javed Iqbal
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Inga Zerr
- National Reference Center for Surveillance of TSE, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
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20
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Sahara N, Higuchi M. Diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of pathological tau proteins in neurodegenerative disorders. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:165-180. [PMID: 37746832 PMCID: PMC10839408 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies, characterized by fibrillar tau accumulation in neurons and glial cells, constitute a major neuropathological category of neurodegenerative diseases. Neurofibrillary tau lesions are strongly associated with cognitive deficits in these diseases, but the causal mechanisms underlying tau-induced neuronal dysfunction remain unresolved. Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy examination have revealed various core structures of tau filaments from different tauopathy patients, which can be used to classify tauopathies. In vivo visualization of tau pathology is now available using several tau positron emission tomography tracers. Among these radioprobes, PM-PBB3 allows high-contrast imaging of tau deposits in the brains of patients with diverse disorders and tauopathy mouse models. Selective degradation of pathological tau species by the ubiquitin-proteasome system or autophagy machinery is a potential therapeutic strategy. Alternatively, the non-cell-autonomous clearance of pathological tau species through neuron-glia networks could be reinforced as a disease-modifying treatment. In addition, the development of neuroinflammatory biomarkers is required for understanding the contribution of immunocompetent cells in the brain to preventing neurodegeneration. This review provides an overview of the current research and development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents targeting divergent tau pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhiko Sahara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical SciencesNational Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical SciencesNational Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
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21
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Kauwe G, Pareja-Navarro KA, Yao L, Chen JH, Wong I, Saloner R, Cifuentes H, Nana AL, Shah S, Li Y, Le D, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Seeley WW, Kramer JH, Sacktor TC, Schilling B, Gan L, Casaletto KB, Tracy TE. KIBRA repairs synaptic plasticity and promotes resilience to tauopathy-related memory loss. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e169064. [PMID: 38299587 PMCID: PMC10836803 DOI: 10.1172/jci169064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is obstructed by pathogenic tau in the brain, representing a key mechanism that underlies memory loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Here, we found that reduced levels of the memory-associated protein KIdney/BRAin (KIBRA) in the brain and increased KIBRA protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with cognitive impairment and pathological tau levels in disease. We next defined a mechanism for plasticity repair in vulnerable neurons using the C-terminus of the KIBRA protein (CT-KIBRA). We showed that CT-KIBRA restored plasticity and memory in transgenic mice expressing pathogenic human tau; however, CT-KIBRA did not alter tau levels or prevent tau-induced synapse loss. Instead, we found that CT-KIBRA stabilized the protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) to maintain synaptic plasticity and memory despite tau-mediated pathogenesis. Thus, our results distinguished KIBRA both as a biomarker of synapse dysfunction and as the foundation for a synapse repair mechanism to reverse cognitive impairment in tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Kauwe
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | | | - Lei Yao
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Jackson H. Chen
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Ivy Wong
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Rowan Saloner
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Helen Cifuentes
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Alissa L. Nana
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Samah Shah
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Yaqiao Li
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, Califoria, USA
| | - David Le
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, Califoria, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Todd C. Sacktor
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center of Neural and Behavioral Science, Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Anesthesiology, and Neurology, State University of New York Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | | | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kaitlin B. Casaletto
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tara E. Tracy
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
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22
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Walker JM, Orr ME, Orr TC, Thorn EL, Christie TD, Yokoda RT, Vij M, Ehrenberg AJ, Marx GA, McKenzie AT, Kauffman J, Selmanovic E, Wisniewski T, Drummond E, White CL, Crary JF, Farrell K, Kautz TF, Daoud EV, Richardson TE. Spatial proteomics of hippocampal subfield-specific pathology in Alzheimer's disease and primary age-related tauopathy. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:783-797. [PMID: 37777848 PMCID: PMC10916977 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) and primary age-related tauopathy (PART) both harbor 3R/4R hyperphosphorylated-tau (p-tau)-positive neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) but differ in the spatial p-tau development in the hippocampus. METHODS Using Nanostring GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling, we compared protein expression within hippocampal subregions in NFT-bearing and non-NFT-bearing neurons in AD (n = 7) and PART (n = 7) subjects. RESULTS Proteomic measures of synaptic health were inversely correlated with the subregional p-tau burden in AD and PART, and there were numerous differences in proteins involved in proteostasis, amyloid beta (Aβ) processing, inflammation, microglia, oxidative stress, and neuronal/synaptic health between AD and PART and between definite PART and possible PART. DISCUSSION These results suggest subfield-specific proteome differences that may explain some of the differences in Aβ and p-tau distribution and apparent pathogenicity. In addition, hippocampal neurons in possible PART may have more in common with AD than with definite PART, highlighting the importance of Aβ in the pathologic process. HIGHLIGHTS Synaptic health is inversely correlated with local p-tau burden. The proteome of NFT- and non-NFT-bearing neurons is influenced by the presence of Aβ in the hippocampus. Neurons in possible PART cases share more proteomic similarities with neurons in ADNC than they do with neurons in definite PART cases.
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23
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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24
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Sanford SAI, Miller LVC, Vaysburd M, Keeling S, Tuck BJ, Clark J, Neumann M, Syanda V, James LC, McEwan WA. The type-I interferon response potentiates seeded tau aggregation and exacerbates tau pathology. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:1013-1025. [PMID: 37849026 PMCID: PMC10916982 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Signatures of a type-I interferon (IFN-I) response are observed in the post mortem brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. However, the effect of the IFN-I response on pathological tau accumulation remains unclear. METHODS We examined the effects of IFN-I signaling in primary neural culture models of seeded tau aggregation and P301S-tau transgenic mouse models in the context of genetic deletion of the IFN-I receptor (IFNAR). RESULTS Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (PolyI:C), a synthetic analog of viral nucleic acids, evoked a potent cytokine response that enhanced seeded aggregation of tau in an IFN-I-dependent manner. IFN-I-induced vulnerability could be pharmacologically prevented and was intrinsic to neurons. Aged P301S-tau mice lacking Ifnar1 had significantly reduced tau pathology compared to mice with intact IFN signaling. DISCUSSION We identify a critical role for IFN-I in potentiating tau aggregation. IFN-I is therefore identified as a potential therapeutic target in AD and other tauopathies. HIGHLIGHTS Type-I IFN (IFN-I) promotes seeded tau aggregation in neural cultures. IFNAR inhibition prevents IFN-I driven sensitivity to tau aggregation. IFN-I driven vulnerability is intrinsic to neurons. Tau pathology is significantly reduced in aged P301S-tau mice lacking IFNAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie A. I. Sanford
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Lauren V. C. Miller
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Marina Vaysburd
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular BiologyFrancis Crick AvenueCambridgeUK
| | - Sophie Keeling
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Benjamin J. Tuck
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Jessica Clark
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular BiologyFrancis Crick AvenueCambridgeUK
| | - Michal Neumann
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular BiologyFrancis Crick AvenueCambridgeUK
| | - Victoria Syanda
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular BiologyFrancis Crick AvenueCambridgeUK
| | - Leo C. James
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular BiologyFrancis Crick AvenueCambridgeUK
| | - William A. McEwan
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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25
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Ruch F, Gnörich J, Wind K, Köhler M, Zatcepin A, Wiedemann T, Gildehaus FJ, Lindner S, Boening G, von Ungern-Sternberg B, Beyer L, Herms J, Bartenstein P, Brendel M, Eckenweber F. Validity and value of metabolic connectivity in mouse models of β-amyloid and tauopathy. Neuroimage 2024; 286:120513. [PMID: 38191101 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Among functional imaging methods, metabolic connectivity (MC) is increasingly used for investigation of regional network changes to examine the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or movement disorders. Hitherto, MC was mostly used in clinical studies, but only a few studies demonstrated the usefulness of MC in the rodent brain. The goal of the current work was to analyze and validate metabolic regional network alterations in three different mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases (β-amyloid and tau) by use of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging. We compared the results of FDG-µPET MC with conventional VOI-based analysis and behavioral assessment in the Morris water maze (MWM). The impact of awake versus anesthesia conditions on MC read-outs was studied and the robustness of MC data deriving from different scanners was tested. MC proved to be an accurate and robust indicator of functional connectivity loss when sample sizes ≥12 were considered. MC readouts were robust across scanners and in awake/ anesthesia conditions. MC loss was observed throughout all brain regions in tauopathy mice, whereas β-amyloid indicated MC loss mainly in spatial learning areas and subcortical networks. This study established a methodological basis for the utilization of MC in different β-amyloid and tau mouse models. MC has the potential to serve as a read-out of pathological changes within neuronal networks in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Ruch
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Gnörich
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Karin Wind
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Mara Köhler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Artem Zatcepin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Wiedemann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Franz-Joseph Gildehaus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Guido Boening
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Leonie Beyer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jochen Herms
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany; Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Bartenstein
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Brendel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
| | - Florian Eckenweber
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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26
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Hartnell IJ, Woodhouse D, Jasper W, Mason L, Marwaha P, Graffeuil M, Lau LC, Norman JL, Chatelet DS, Buee L, Nicoll JAR, Blum D, Dorothee G, Boche D. Glial reactivity and T cell infiltration in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau pathology. Brain 2024; 147:590-606. [PMID: 37703311 PMCID: PMC10834257 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau (FTLD-tau) is a group of tauopathies that underlie ∼50% of FTLD cases. Identification of genetic risk variants related to innate/adaptive immunity have highlighted a role for neuroinflammation and neuroimmune interactions in FTLD. Studies have shown microglial and astrocyte activation together with T cell infiltration in the brain of THY-Tau22 tauopathy mice. However, this remains to be confirmed in FTLD-tau patients. We conducted a detailed post-mortem study of FTLD-tau cases including 45 progressive supranuclear palsy with clinical frontotemporal dementia, 33 Pick's disease, 12 FTLD-MAPT and 52 control brains to characterize the link between phosphorylated tau (pTau) epitopes and the innate and adaptive immunity. Tau pathology was assessed in the cerebral cortex using antibodies directed against: Tau-2 (phosphorylated and unphosphorylated tau), AT8 (pSer202/pThr205), AT100 (pThr212/pSer214), CP13 (pSer202), PHF1 (pSer396/pSer404), pThr181 and pSer356. The immunophenotypes of microglia and astrocytes were assessed with phenotypic markers (Iba1, CD68, HLA-DR, CD64, CD32a, CD16 for microglia and GFAP, EAAT2, glutamine synthetase and ALDH1L1 for astrocytes). The adaptive immune response was explored via CD4+ and CD8+ T cell quantification and the neuroinflammatory environment was investigated via the expression of 30 inflammatory-related proteins using V-Plex Meso Scale Discovery. As expected, all pTau markers were increased in FTLD-tau cases compared to controls. pSer356 expression was greatest in FTLD-MAPT cases versus controls (P < 0.0001), whereas the expression of other markers was highest in Pick's disease. Progressive supranuclear palsy with frontotemporal dementia consistently had a lower pTau protein load compared to Pick's disease across tau epitopes. The only microglial marker increased in FTLD-tau was CD16 (P = 0.0292) and specifically in FTLD-MAPT cases (P = 0.0150). However, several associations were detected between pTau epitopes and microglia, supporting an interplay between them. GFAP expression was increased in FTLD-tau (P = 0.0345) with the highest expression in Pick's disease (P = 0.0019), while ALDH1L1 was unchanged. Markers of astrocyte glutamate cycling function were reduced in FTLD-tau (P = 0.0075; Pick's disease: P < 0.0400) implying astrocyte reactivity associated with a decreased glutamate cycling activity, which was further associated with pTau expression. Of the inflammatory proteins assessed in the brain, five chemokines were upregulated in Pick's disease cases (P < 0.0400), consistent with the recruitment of CD4+ (P = 0.0109) and CD8+ (P = 0.0014) T cells. Of note, the CD8+ T cell infiltration was associated with pTau epitopes and microglial and astrocytic markers. Our results highlight that FTLD-tau is associated with astrocyte reactivity, remarkably little activation of microglia, but involvement of adaptive immunity in the form of chemokine-driven recruitment of T lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain J Hartnell
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Declan Woodhouse
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - William Jasper
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Luke Mason
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Pavan Marwaha
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Manon Graffeuil
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Laurie C Lau
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, University of Southampton, Southampton O16 6YD, UK
| | - Jeanette L Norman
- Histochemistry Research Unit, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - David S Chatelet
- Biomedical Imaging Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Luc Buee
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172—Lille Neurosciences and Cognition, Lille 59045, France
- Alzheimer and Tauopathies, LabEX DISTALZ, Lille 59000, France
| | - James A R Nicoll
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - David Blum
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172—Lille Neurosciences and Cognition, Lille 59045, France
- Alzheimer and Tauopathies, LabEX DISTALZ, Lille 59000, France
| | - Guillaume Dorothee
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, Immune System and Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris 75012, France
| | - Delphine Boche
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
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27
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Aguero C, Dhaynaut M, Amaral AC, Moon SH, Neelamegam R, Scapellato M, Carazo-Casas C, Kumar S, El Fakhri G, Johnson K, Frosch MP, Normandin MD, Gómez-Isla T. Head-to-head comparison of [ 18F]-Flortaucipir, [ 18F]-MK-6240 and [ 18F]-PI-2620 postmortem binding across the spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:25. [PMID: 38280071 PMCID: PMC10822013 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02672-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
We and others have shown that [18F]-Flortaucipir, the most validated tau PET tracer thus far, binds with strong affinity to tau aggregates in Alzheimer's (AD) but has relatively low affinity for tau aggregates in non-AD tauopathies and exhibits off-target binding to neuromelanin- and melanin-containing cells, and to hemorrhages. Several second-generation tau tracers have been subsequently developed. [18F]-MK-6240 and [18F]-PI-2620 are the two that have garnered most attention. Our recent data indicated that the binding pattern of [18F]-MK-6240 closely parallels that of [18F]-Flortaucipir. The present study aimed at the direct comparison of the autoradiographic binding properties and off-target profile of [18F]-Flortaucipir, [18F]-MK-6240 and [18F]-PI-2620 in human tissue specimens, and their potential binding to monoamine oxidases (MAO). Phosphor-screen and high resolution autoradiographic patterns of the three tracers were studied in the same postmortem tissue material from AD and non-AD tauopathies, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, synucleopathies, transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43)-frontotemporal lobe degeneration and controls. Our results show that the three tracers show nearly identical autoradiographic binding profiles. They all strongly bind to neurofibrillary tangles in AD but do not seem to bind to a significant extent to tau aggregates in non-AD tauopathies pointing to their limited utility for the in vivo detection of non-AD tau lesions. None of them binds to lesions containing β-amyloid, α-synuclein or TDP-43 but they all show strong off-target binding to neuromelanin and melanin-containing cells, as well as weaker binding to areas of hemorrhage. The autoradiographic binding signals of the three tracers are only weakly displaced by competing concentrations of selective MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl but not by MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline suggesting that MAO enzymes do not appear to be a significant binding target of any of them. These findings provide relevant insights for the correct interpretation of the in vivo behavior of these three tau PET tracers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthya Aguero
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Maeva Dhaynaut
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana C Amaral
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - S-H Moon
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ramesh Neelamegam
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaret Scapellato
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Carlos Carazo-Casas
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Sunny Kumar
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Georges El Fakhri
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc D Normandin
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Teresa Gómez-Isla
- MassGeneral Institute for NeuroDegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC Suite 715, 15th Parkman St., Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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28
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Tsuji K, Nakayama Y, Taruya J, Ito H. Persistence of Kii amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after the 2000s and its characteristic aging-related tau astrogliopathy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:79-93. [PMID: 38193356 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlad113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Kii amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a unique disease that occurs in the southern portion of the Kii Peninsula and exhibits a dual pathology of TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) proteinopathy and tauopathy. The incidence of ALS in this region was very high in the 1960s, briefly decreased through the 1980s, but began increasing again after 2000 with a change of high-concentration geographic foci. It is unclear, however, whether the unique pathological features have changed along with the incidence changes. This study analyzed postmortem specimens from neuropathologically confirmed Kii ALS cases from the 1970s (n = 4) and those after 1999 (n = 12) from the southern Kii Peninsula or outside of the area. Our results confirm the continued occurrence of Kii ALS after 2000 in the southern Kii Peninsula and the preservation of disease-specific neuronal tau pathology, including the widespread occurrence throughout the brain and spinal cord, sparse neuropil threads, and predominance in superficial layers. Furthermore, we assessed the glial tau pathology of Kii and non-Kii ALS in accordance with the aging-related tau astrogliopathy classification method for the first time and detected a unique brainstem predominant appearance of gray matter aging-related tau astrogliopathy in Kii ALS cases, which may provide clues to pathogenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumi Tsuji
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nakayama
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Junko Taruya
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
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Kosik KS. Tau and the hard problem faceoff. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:63-65. [PMID: 37772747 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Tau has attracted the attention of fundamental cell biologists for its control over microtubules and Alzheimer biologists for its tendency to form pathological inclusions. While an extensive and insightful literature exists on the tauopathies and vulnerable cell populations, we should acknowledge that a core problem remains-how the individually variable experience of dementia is embodied, how it is felt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Kosik
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Development Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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Iqbal K. Tau and Alzheimer's disease: Past, present and future. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:116-121. [PMID: 38126608 PMCID: PMC10977900 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
My journey with tau started when in 1974 for the first time I isolated neurofibrillary tangles of paired helical filaments (PHFs) from autopsied Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains and discovered that they were made up of a ~50-70 KDa protein on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Subsequently my team discovered that this PHF protein and the microtubule-associated factor called tau were one and the same protein. However, we found that tau in neurofibrillary tangles/PHFs in AD brain was abnormally hyperphosphorylated, and unlike normal tau, which promoted the assembly of tubulin into microtubules, the AD-hyperphosphorylated tau inhibited microtubule assembly. These discoveries of tau pathology in AD opened a new and a major area of research on tau and on the molecular pathology of this major cause of dementia in middle- and old-age individuals. Tau pathology, which without fail is made up of the aggregated hyperphosphorylated state of the protein, is also the hallmark lesion of a family of around 20 related neurodegenerative diseases, called tauopathies. Currently, tau pathology is a major drug target for the treatment of AD and related tauopathies. Both active and passive tau immunization human clinical trials at various stages are underway. Initial results range from negative to partially promising. Future studies will reveal whether tau therapy alone or in combination with drugs targeting Aβ and/or neurodegeneration will be required to achieve the most effective treatment for AD and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Iqbal
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, USA
- Phanes Biotech, Inc., Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA
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31
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Zempel H. Genetic and sporadic forms of tauopathies-TAU as a disease driver for the majority of patients but the minority of tauopathies. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:66-70. [PMID: 37795931 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Ageing-associated tauopathies like frontotemporal dementia (FTD), variants thereof (like progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), pick diseases (PiD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD)), and of course the most prevalent form of dementia, Alzheimer Disease (AD), are widely recognized forms of tauopathies. The list of tauopathies is expanding. We now include: (i) tauopathies where the disease cause or trigger is clearly either physical, such as in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and (ii) genetic diseases that result in tauopathy but have pathogenic genetic variants in genes not related to TAU. Examples of the latter are myotonic dystrophy Type 1 and Type 2 (DM1, DM2, due to pathogenic genetic variants in the genes DMPK and CNBP, respectively), Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPD, due to mutations in NPC1 or NPC2), Kufs Disease (CLN6), Christianson Syndrome (SLC9A6), familial forms of Parkinson Disease (PD), and many others. In terms of affected brain regions and cell types, intracellular distribution of TAU pathology/aggregates, age of disease onset, velocity of disease progression and spreading of TAU pathology, there is, however, little in common in most of these disease entities. Here, I reason that TAU/MAPT is causative for the minority of tauopathies (e.g., MAPT-related FTD/PSP and Vacuolar Tauopathy (VCP)) and a critical mediator for others, like shown by overwhelming evidence for AD. However, TAU may also be a mere bystander or even protective in other settings. Improved understanding of rare tauopathies is necessary to develop specific treatments, but also to improve our understanding of the pathomechanistic role of TAU and to identify diseases that may profit from TAU-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Jang YJ, Choi MG, Yoo BJ, Lee KJ, Jung WB, Kim SG, Park SA. Interaction Between a High-Fat Diet and Tau Pathology in Mice: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:485-506. [PMID: 38108353 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its relation with tau pathology (i.e., aberrant tau protein behavior in tauopathies such as AD) has been inconclusive. OBJECTIVE This study investigated the interaction between a high-fat diet (HFD) and tau pathology in adult male mice. METHODS Transgenic mice overexpressing human P301S Tau (those with the pathology) and wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to behavioral tests, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and western blotting analysis to investigate the effects of prolonged HFD versus regular diet during adulthood. RESULTS HFD increased body weight in both WT and P301S mice but had minimal effect on blood glucose levels. The brain response to HFD was tau genotype-specific. WT mice exhibited decreased recognition memory and enhanced network connectivity in fMRI, while P301S mice exhibited white matter tract disorganization in DTI as the sole significant finding. The reduction of insulin receptor β, insulin downstream signaling, neuronal nuclear protein, CD68-positive phagocytic activity, and myelin basic protein level were confined to the cortex of WT mice. In contrast to P301S mice, WT mice showed significant changes in the tau protein and its phosphorylation levels along with increased soluble neurofilament light levels in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS HFD-induced brain dysfunction and pathological changes were blunted in mice with the pathology and more profound in healthy mice. Our findings highlight the need to consider this interaction between obesity and tau pathology when tailoring treatment strategies for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jung Jang
- Lab for Neurodegenerative Dementia, Department of Anatomy, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Gyu Choi
- Lab for Neurodegenerative Dementia, Department of Anatomy, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Jae Yoo
- Lab for Neurodegenerative Dementia, Department of Anatomy, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Jae Lee
- Lab for Neurodegenerative Dementia, Department of Anatomy, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Beom Jung
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research (CNIR), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Ah Park
- Lab for Neurodegenerative Dementia, Department of Anatomy, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University Graduate School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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Diamond MI. Travels with tau prions. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:83-88. [PMID: 37950616 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Tau was originally identified as a microtubule associated protein, and subsequently recognized to constitute the fibrillar assemblies found in Alzheimer disease and related neurodegenerative tauopathies. Point mutations in the microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) gene cause dominantly inherited tauopathies, and most predispose it to aggregate. This indicates tau aggregation underlies pathogenesis of tauopathies. Our work has suggested that tau functions as a prion, forming unique intracellular pathological assemblies that subsequently move to other cells, inducing further aggregation that underlies disease progression. Remarkably, in simple cells tau forms stably propagating aggregates of distinct conformation, termed strains. Each strain induces a unique and, in some cases, transmissible, neuropathological phenotype upon inoculation into a mouse model. After binding heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the plasma membrane, tau assemblies enter cells via macropinocytosis. From within a vesicle, if not trafficked to the endolysosomal system, tau subsequently enters the cytoplasm, where it becomes a template for its own replication, apparently after processing by valosin containing protein. The smallest seed unit is a stable monomer, which suggests that initial folding events in tau presage subsequent pathological aggregation. The study of tau prions has raised important questions about basic cell biological processes that underlie their replication and propagation, with implications for therapy of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc I Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Abstract
Over the last 50 years the different isoforms of tau proteins (45-60 kDa) have been a focus of research because of their roles in modulating the dynamic properties of microtubules shaping the structure and function of neurons but also becoming a center of attention in the pathology of neurodegeneration associated with tauopathies. Much less attention has been given to Big tau, a unique isoform containing exon 4a encoding about 250 amino acids to form a much longer projection domain of a protein of 110 kDa. Big tau is expressed in peripheral neurons and selective regions of the central nervous system in a defined transition during postnatal developmental stages. Although Big tau was discovered 30 years ago, there has been a persistent gap of knowledge regarding its physiological properties and pathological implications. This Perspective summarizes the progress so far in defining the structure and expression of Big tau within and outside the nervous system, proposes a role for Big tau in improving axonal transport in projecting axons, considers its potential in averting tau aggregation in tauopathies and highlights the need for further progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzhak Fischer
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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35
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Eisenbaum M, Pearson A, Ortiz C, Mullan M, Crawford F, Ojo J, Bachmeier C. ApoE4 expression disrupts tau uptake, trafficking, and clearance in astrocytes. Glia 2024; 72:184-205. [PMID: 37668005 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a collection of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of pathogenic aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Despite the prevalence and diversity of tau astrogliopathy in tauopathies, the interactions between astrocytes and tau in the brain, and the influence of neurodegenerative genetic risk factors like the apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) isoform, are largely unknown. Here, we leveraged primary and immortalized astrocytes expressing humanized apoE isoforms to characterize the mechanisms by which astrocytes interact with and eliminate extracellular tau, and the influence of apoE genotype on these processes. Our work indicates that astrocytes rapidly internalize, process, and release tau via an exosomal secretory mechanism under physiological conditions. However, we found that apoE4 disrupted these processes in comparison to apoE3, resulting in an astrocytic phenotype prone to intracellular tau accumulation. Furthermore, exposure to repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries exacerbated the apoE4-induced impairments in tau processing and elimination by astrocytes in apoE4 targeted-replacement mice. The diminished ability of apoE4 astrocytes to eliminate extracellular tau can lead to an accumulation of pathogenic tau, which induces mitochondrial dysfunction, as demonstrated by our studies. In total, our findings suggest that the apoE4 isoform lowers the threshold of astrocytic resilience to pathogenic tau, rendering them susceptible to bioenergetic deficits in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as traumatic brain injury, potentially contributing to neurological decline.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Fiona Crawford
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
- James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Joseph Ojo
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
| | - Corbin Bachmeier
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
- Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines, Florida, USA
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36
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Walkiewicz G, Ronisz A, Van Ginderdeuren R, Lemmens S, Bouwman FH, Hoozemans JJM, Morrema THJ, Rozemuller AJ, Hart de Ruyter FJ, De Groef L, Stalmans I, Thal DR. Primary retinal tauopathy: A tauopathy with a distinct molecular pattern. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:330-340. [PMID: 37615275 PMCID: PMC10916964 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) accumulation, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), can also be found in the retina. However, it is uncertain whether it is linked to AD or another tauopathy. METHODS Retinas from 164 individuals, with and without AD, were analyzed for p-tau accumulation and its relationship with age, dementia, and vision impairment. RESULTS Retinal p-tau pathology showed a consistent pattern with four stages and a molecular composition distinct from that of cerebral tauopathies. The stage of retinal p-tau pathology correlated with age (r = 0.176, P = 0.024) and was associated with AD (odds ratio [OR] 3.193; P = 0.001), and inflammation (OR = 2.605; P = 0.001). Vision impairment was associated with underlying eye diseases (β = 0.292; P = 0.001) and the stage of retinal p-tau pathology (β = 0.192; P = 0.030) in a linear regression model. CONCLUSIONS The results show the presence of a primary retinal tauopathy that is distinct from cerebral tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Walkiewicz
- Laboratory of NeuropathologyDepartment of Imaging and PathologyLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Alicja Ronisz
- Laboratory of NeuropathologyDepartment of Imaging and PathologyLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Rita Van Ginderdeuren
- Department of PathologyUZ LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of OphthalmologyUZ LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | | | | | - Tjado H. J. Morrema
- Amsterdam UMCDepartment of PathologyAmsterdam NeuroscienceAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | | | - Frederique J. Hart de Ruyter
- Amsterdam UMCAlzheimer CenterNeurologyAmsterdamthe Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMCDepartment of PathologyAmsterdam NeuroscienceAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Lies De Groef
- Cellular Communication and Neurodegeneration Research GroupDepartment of BiologyLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Ingeborg Stalmans
- Department of OphthalmologyUZ LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Research Group OphthalmologyDepartment of NeuroscienceLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- Laboratory of NeuropathologyDepartment of Imaging and PathologyLeuven Brain InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of PathologyUZ LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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Cogut V, McNeely TL, Bussian TJ, Graves SI, Baker DJ. Caloric Restriction Improves Spatial Learning Deficits in Tau Mice. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:925-940. [PMID: 38517786 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Background Caloric restriction (CR) has been recognized for its benefits in delaying age-related diseases and extending lifespan. While its effects on amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models are well-documented, its effects on tauopathy, another hallmark of AD, are less explored. Objective To assess the impact of a short-term 30% CR regimen on age-dependent spatial learning deficits and pathological features in a tauopathy mouse model. Methods We subjected male PS19 tau P301S (hereafter PS19) and age-matched wildtype mice from two age cohorts (4.5 and 7.5 months old) to a 6-week 30% CR regimen. Spatial learning performance was assessed using the Barnes Maze test. Tau pathology, neuroinflammation, hippocampal cell proliferation, and neurogenesis were evaluated in the older cohort by immunohistochemical staining and RT-qPCR. Results CR mitigated age-dependent spatial learning deficits in PS19 mice but exhibited limited effects on tau pathology and the associated neuroinflammation. Additionally, we found a decrease in hippocampal cell proliferation, predominantly of Iba1+ cells. Conclusions Our findings reinforce the cognitive benefits conferred by CR despite its limited modulation of disease pathology. Given the pivotal role of microglia in tau-driven pathology, the observed reduction in Iba1+ cells under CR suggests potential therapeutic implications, particularly if CR would be introduced early in disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Cogut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Taylor L McNeely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Tyler J Bussian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sara I Graves
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Darren J Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Lee Y, Morrow EM. Quantitative Measurement of Tau Aggregation in Genetically Modified Rats with Neurodegeneration. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2761:291-299. [PMID: 38427245 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3662-6_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Animal models of neurodegenerative diseases have helped us to better understand the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. However, recent failure to translate pre-clinical model studies to the clinic urges us to develop more rigorous and faithful animal models in neurodegenerative diseases. As genetic manipulation of rats becomes much more accessible due to availability of CRISPR-Cas9 and other genomic editing toolboxes, rats have been emerging as a new model system for neurodegenerative diseases. Even though mouse models have been dominant over the last decades, rats may provide advantages over mice. Rats are more genetically and physiologically closer to humans than to mice. Also, certain rat models can represent deposition of tau, which is one of the key pathological features of Alzheimer's diseases and tauopathies. However, there is an unmet need for standardized, rigorous testing in rat models. We adopted two commonly used biochemical and immunofluorescence methods from mice and human postmortem brains to measure tau aggregation. Due to the intrinsic differences between mice and rats, e.g., size of rat brains, certain equipment is required for rat models to study tau pathologies. Along with specific tools, here we describe the detailed methods for rat models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- YouJin Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Eric M Morrow
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science, and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Keenan RJ, Daykin H, Metha J, Cornthwaite-Duncan L, Wright DK, Clarke K, Oberrauch S, Brian M, Stephenson S, Nowell CJ, Allocca G, Barnham KJ, Hoyer D, Jacobson LH. Orexin 2 receptor antagonism sex-dependently improves sleep/wakefulness and cognitive performance in tau transgenic mice. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:87-106. [PMID: 37553894 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Tau pathology contributes to a bidirectional relationship between sleep disruption and neurodegenerative disease. Tau transgenic rTg4510 mice model tauopathy symptoms, including sleep/wake disturbances, which manifest as marked hyperarousal. This phenotype can be prevented by early transgene suppression; however, whether hyperarousal can be rescued after onset is unknown. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Three 8-week experiments were conducted with wild-type and rTg4510 mice after age of onset of hyperarousal (4.5 months): (1) Tau transgene suppression with doxycycline (200 ppm); (2) inactive phase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep enhancement with the dual orexin receptor antagonist suvorexant (50 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ); or (3) Active phase non-NREM (NREM) and REM sleep enhancement using the selective orexin 2 (OX2 ) receptor antagonist MK-1064 (40 mg·kg-1 ·day-1 ). Sleep was assessed using polysomnography, cognition using the Barnes maze, and tau pathology using immunoblotting and/or immunohistochemistry. KEY RESULTS Tau transgene suppression improved tauopathy and hippocampal-dependent spatial memory, but did not modify hyperarousal. Pharmacological rescue of REM sleep deficits did not improve spatial memory or tau pathology. In contrast, normalising hyperarousal by increasing both NREM and REM sleep via OX2 receptor antagonism restored spatial memory, independently of tauopathy, but only in male rTg4510 mice. OX2 receptor antagonism induced only short-lived hypnotic responses in female rTg4510 mice and did not improve spatial memory, indicating a tau- and sex-dependent disruption of OX2 receptor signalling. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Pharmacologically reducing hyperarousal corrects tau-induced sleep/wake and cognitive deficits. Tauopathy causes sex-dependent disruptions of OX2 receptor signalling/function, which may have implications for choice of hypnotic therapeutics in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Keenan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Heather Daykin
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeremy Metha
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Linda Cornthwaite-Duncan
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - David K Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kyra Clarke
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sara Oberrauch
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maddison Brian
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah Stephenson
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cameron J Nowell
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Giancarlo Allocca
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Somnivore Inc. Ltd Pty, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin J Barnham
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Hoyer
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Laura H Jacobson
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Nader S, Karlovich E, Cortes EP, Insausti R, Meloni G, Jacobs M, Crary JF, Morgello S. Predictors of hippocampal tauopathy in people with and at risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Neurovirol 2023; 29:647-657. [PMID: 37926797 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-023-01181-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has extended lifespans of people living with HIV (PWH), increasing both the risk for age-related neuropathologies and the importance of distinguishing effects of HIV and its comorbidities from neurodegenerative disorders. The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) in hippocampus is a common degenerative change, with specific patterns of hippocampal subfield vulnerability observed in different disease contexts. Currently, associations between chronic HIV, its comorbidities, and p-tau burden and distribution in the hippocampus are unexplored. We used immunohistochemistry with antibody AT8 to analyze hippocampal p-tau in brain tissues of PWH (n = 71) and HIV negative controls (n = 25), for whom comprehensive clinical data were available. Using a morphology-based neuroanatomical segmentation protocol, we annotated digital slide images to measure percentage p-tau areas in the hippocampus and its subfields. Factors predicting p-tau burden and distribution were identified in univariate analyses, and those with significance at p ≤ 0.100 were advanced to multivariable regression. The patient sample had a mean age of 61.5 years. Age predicted overall hippocampal p-tau burden. Subfield p-tau predictors were for Cornu Ammonis (CA)1, age; for CA2 and subiculum, seizure history; for CA3, seizure history and head trauma; and for CA4/dentate, history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this autopsy sample, hippocampal p-tau burden and distribution were not predicted by HIV, viral load, or immunologic status, with viral effects limited to associations between HCV and CA4/dentate vulnerability. Hippocampal p-tau pathologies in cART-era PWH appear to reflect age and comorbidities, but not direct effects of HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Nader
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA
- Neuropathology Brain Bank & Research Core, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Esma Karlovich
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA
- Neuropathology Brain Bank & Research Core, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Etty P Cortes
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ricardo Insausti
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregory Meloni
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Jacobs
- 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, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Artificial Intelligence & Human Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuropathology Brain Bank & Research Core, Friedman Brain Institute, 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.
| | - Susan Morgello
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Building 9th Floor, Room 20A, 1425 Madison Avenue, 10029, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Gao Y, Wang Y, Lei H, Xu Z, Li S, Yu H, Xie J, Zhang Z, Liu G, Zhang Y, Zheng J, Wang JZ. A novel transgenic mouse line with hippocampus-dominant and inducible expression of truncated human tau. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:51. [PMID: 37950283 PMCID: PMC10637005 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a defining hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, mouse models imitating AD-exclusive neuronal tau pathologies are lacking. METHODS We generated a new tet-on transgenic mouse model expressing truncated human tau N1-368 (termed hTau368), a tau fragment increased in the brains of AD patients and aged mouse brains. Doxycycline (dox) was administered in drinking water to induce hTau368 expression. Immunostaining and Western blotting were performed to measure the tau level. RNA sequencing was performed to evaluate gene expression, and several behavioral tests were conducted to evaluate mouse cognitive functions, emotion and locomotion. RESULTS Dox treatment for 1-2 months at a young age induced overt and reversible human tau accumulation in the brains of hTau368 transgenic mice, predominantly in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, the transgenic mice exhibited AD-like high level of tau phosphorylation, glial activation, loss of mature neurons, impaired hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic degeneration and cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS This study developed a well-characterized and easy-to-use tool for the investigations and drug development for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Yuying Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Huiyang Lei
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhendong Xu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shihong Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Haitao Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jiazhao Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Gongping Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, Department of Endocrine, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430077, China.
| | - Jie Zheng
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Jian-Zhi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226000, China.
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Pansuwan T, Quaegebeur A, Kaalund SS, Hidari E, Briggs M, Rowe JB, Rittman T. Accurate digital quantification of tau pathology in progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:178. [PMID: 37946288 PMCID: PMC10634011 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01674-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of novel treatments for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is hindered by a knowledge gap of the impact of neurodegenerative neuropathology on brain structure and function. The current standard practice for measuring postmortem tau histology is semi-quantitative assessment, which is prone to inter-rater variability, time-consuming and difficult to scale. We developed and optimized a tau aggregate type-specific quantification pipeline for cortical and subcortical regions, in human brain donors with PSP. We quantified 4 tau objects ('neurofibrillary tangles', 'coiled bodies', 'tufted astrocytes', and 'tau fragments') using a probabilistic random forest machine learning classifier. The tau pipeline achieved high classification performance (F1-score > 0.90), comparable to neuropathologist inter-rater reliability in the held-out test set. Using 240 AT8 slides from 32 postmortem brains, the tau burden was correlated against the PSP pathology staging scheme using Spearman's rank correlation. We assessed whether clinical severity (PSP rating scale, PSPRS) score reflects neuropathological severity inferred from PSP stage and tau burden using Bayesian linear mixed regression. Tufted astrocyte density in cortical regions and coiled body density in subcortical regions showed the highest correlation to PSP stage (r = 0.62 and r = 0.38, respectively). Using traditional manual staging, only PSP patients in stage 6, not earlier stages, had significantly higher clinical severity than stage 2. Cortical tau density and neurofibrillary tangle density in subcortical regions correlated with clinical severity. Overall, our data indicate the potential for highly accurate digital tau aggregate type-specific quantification for neurodegenerative tauopathies; and the importance of studying tau aggregate type-specific burden in different brain regions as opposed to overall tau, to gain insights into the pathogenesis and progression of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanrada Pansuwan
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK.
| | - Annelies Quaegebeur
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sanne S Kaalund
- Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eric Hidari
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Mayen Briggs
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy Rittman
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Centre for Parkinson-Plus, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
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Min Y, Wang X, İş Ö, Patel TA, Gao J, Reddy JS, Quicksall ZS, Nguyen T, Lin S, Tutor-New FQ, Chalk JL, Mitchell AO, Crook JE, Nelson PT, Van Eldik LJ, Golde TE, Carrasquillo MM, Dickson DW, Zhang K, Allen M, Ertekin-Taner N. Cross species systems biology discovers glial DDR2, STOM, and KANK2 as therapeutic targets in progressive supranuclear palsy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6801. [PMID: 37919278 PMCID: PMC10622416 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42626-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative parkinsonian disorder characterized by cell-type-specific tau lesions in neurons and glia. Prior work uncovered transcriptome changes in human PSP brains, although their cell-specificity is unknown. Further, systematic data integration and experimental validation platforms to prioritize brain transcriptional perturbations as therapeutic targets in PSP are currently lacking. In this study, we combine bulk tissue (n = 408) and single nucleus RNAseq (n = 34) data from PSP and control brains with transcriptome data from a mouse tauopathy and experimental validations in Drosophila tau models for systematic discovery of high-confidence expression changes in PSP with therapeutic potential. We discover, replicate, and annotate thousands of differentially expressed genes in PSP, many of which reside in glia-enriched co-expression modules and cells. We prioritize DDR2, STOM, and KANK2 as promising therapeutic targets in PSP with striking cross-species validations. We share our findings and data via our interactive application tool PSP RNAseq Atlas ( https://rtools.mayo.edu/PSP_RNAseq_Atlas/ ). Our findings reveal robust glial transcriptome changes in PSP, provide a cross-species systems biology approach, and a tool for therapeutic target discoveries in PSP with potential application in other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Min
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Özkan İş
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tulsi A Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Junli Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Joseph S Reddy
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Zachary S Quicksall
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Shu Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Jessica L Chalk
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Julia E Crook
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Linda J Van Eldik
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Department of Neurology, Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mariet Allen
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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Ravagnani FG, Valerio HP, Maués JHS, de Oliveira AN, Puga RD, Griesi-Oliveira K, Picosse FR, Ferraz HB, Catharino RR, Ronsein GE, de Carvalho Aguiar P. Omics profile of iPSC-derived astrocytes from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) patients. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 116:105847. [PMID: 37844348 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative tauopathy and, to date, the pathophysiological mechanisms in PSP that lead to Tau hyperphosphorylation and neurodegeneration are not clear. In some brain areas, Tau pathology in glial cells appears to precede Tau aggregation in neurons. The development of a model using astrocyte cell lines derived from patients has the potential to identify molecules and pathways that contribute to early events of neurodegeneration. We developed a model of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived astrocytes to investigate the pathophysiology of PSP, particularly early events that might contribute to Tau hyperphosphorylation, applying omics approach to detect differentially expressed genes, metabolites, and proteins, including those from the secretome. METHODS Skin fibroblasts from PSP patients (without MAPT mutations) and controls were reprogrammed to iPSCs, further differentiated into neuroprogenitor cells (NPCs) and astrocytes. In the 5th passage, astrocytes were harvested for total RNA sequencing. Intracellular and secreted proteins were processed for proteomics experiments. Metabolomics profiling was obtained from supernatants only. RESULTS We identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes. The main networks were related to cell cycle re-activation in PSP. Several proteins were found exclusively secreted by the PSP group. The cellular processes related to the cell cycle and mitotic proteins, TriC/CCT pathway, and redox signaling were enriched in the secretome of PSP. Moreover, we found distinct sets of metabolites between PSP and controls. CONCLUSION Our iPSC-derived astrocyte model can provide distinct molecular signatures for PSP patients and it is useful to elucidate the initial stages of PSP pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hellen P Valerio
- Institute of Chemistry, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jersey H S Maués
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Center, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Arthur N de Oliveira
- Innovare Laboratory, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | | | - Fabíola R Picosse
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henrique B Ferraz
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo R Catharino
- Innovare Laboratory, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Patrícia de Carvalho Aguiar
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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Emmerson JT, Malcolm JC, Do Carmo S, Nguyen P, Breuillaud L, Martinez-Trujillo JC, Cuello AC. Neuronal loss and inflammation preceding fibrillary tau pathology in a rat model with early human-like tauopathy. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 187:106317. [PMID: 37802153 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the microtubule associated protein tau undergoes conformational and posttranslational modifications in a gradual, staged pathological process. While brain atrophy and cognitive decline are well-established in the advanced stages of tauopathy, it is unclear how the early pathological processes manifest prior to extensive neurodegeneration. For these studies we have applied a transgenic rat model of human-like tauopathy in its heterozygous form, named McGill-R955-hTau. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether lifelong accumulation of mutated human tau could reveal the earliest tau pathological processes in a context of advanced aging, and, at stages before the overt aggregated or fibrillary tau deposition. We characterized the phenotype of heterozygous R955-hTau rats at three endpoints, 10, 18 and 24-26 months of age, focusing on markers of cognitive capabilities, progressive tau pathology, neuronal health, neuroinflammation and brain ultrastructural integrity, using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Heterozygous R955-hTau transgenic rats feature a modest, life-long accumulation of mutated human tau that led to tau hyperphosphorylation and produced deficits in learning and memory tasks after 24 months of age. Such impairments coincided with more extensive tau hyperphosphorylation in the brain at residues pThr231 and with evidence of oligomerization. Importantly, aged R955-hTau rats presented evidence of neuroinflammation, detriments to myelin morphology and detectable hippocampal neuronal loss in the absence of overt neurofibrillary lesions and brain atrophy. The slow-progressing tauopathy of R955-hTau rats should allow to better delineate the temporal progression of tau pathological events and therefore to distinguish early indicators of tauopathy as having the capability to induce degenerative events in the aged CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Emmerson
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Janice C Malcolm
- Department of Cell Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Sonia Do Carmo
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Phuoc Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lionel Breuillaud
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Julio C Martinez-Trujillo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute and Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, ON N6A 5B7, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal H3G 1Y6, Canada; Department of Cell Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada; Visiting Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK, OX1 3QT.
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Fiock KL, Hook JN, Hefti MM. Determinants of astrocytic pathology in stem cell models of primary tauopathies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:161. [PMID: 37803326 PMCID: PMC10557325 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01655-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytic tau aggregates are seen in several primary and secondary tauopathies, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In all of these diseases, astrocytic tau consists mostly of the longer (4R) tau isoform, even when adjacent neuronal aggregates consist of a mixture of 3- and 4R tau, as in CTE. Even the rare astrocytic tau aggregates seen in Pick's disease appear to contain both 3R and 4R tau. The reasons for this, and the mechanisms by which astrocytic tau aggregates form, remain unclear. We used a combination of RNA in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence in post-mortem human brain tissue, as well as tau uptake studies in human stem cell-derived astrocytes, to determine the origins of astrocytic tau in 4R tauopathies. We found no differences in tau mRNA expression between diseases or between tau positive and negative astrocytes within PSP. We then found that stem cell-derived astrocytes preferentially take up long isoform (4R) recombinant tau and that this uptake is impaired by induction of reactivity with inflammatory stimuli or nutritional stress. Astrocytes exposed to either 3R or 4R tau also showed downregulation of genes related to astrocyte differentiation. Our findings suggest that astrocytes preferentially take up neuronal 4R tau from the extracellular space, potentially explaining why 4R tau is the predominant isoform in astrocytic tau aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly L Fiock
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, 25 S Grand Ave MRC-108-A, Iowa City, IA, 52240, USA
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jordan N Hook
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, 25 S Grand Ave MRC-108-A, Iowa City, IA, 52240, USA
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Marco M Hefti
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, 25 S Grand Ave MRC-108-A, Iowa City, IA, 52240, USA.
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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Batenburg KL, Rohde SK, Cornelissen-Steijger P, Breeuwsma N, Heine VM, Scheper W. A Human Neuron/Astrocyte Co-culture to Model Seeded and Spontaneous Intraneuronal Tau Aggregation. Curr Protoc 2023; 3:e900. [PMID: 37801344 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Communication and contact between neurons and astrocytes is important for proper brain physiology. How neuron/astrocyte crosstalk is affected by intraneuronal tau aggregation in neurodegenerative tauopathies is largely elusive. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons provide the opportunity to model tau pathology in a translationally relevant in vitro context. However, current iPSC models inefficiently develop tau aggregates, and co-culture models of tau pathology have thus far utilized rodent astrocytes. In this article, we describe the co-culture of human iPSC-derived neurons with primary human astrocytes in a 96-well format compatible with high-content microscopy. By lentiviral overexpression of different mutated tau variants, this protocol can be flexibly adapted for the efficient induction of seeded or spontaneous tau aggregation. We used this novel co-culture model to identify cell type-specific disease mechanisms and to provide proof of concept for intervention by antisense therapy. These results show that this human co-culture model provides a highly translational tool for target discovery and drug development for human tauopathies. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: Human neuron/astrocyte co-culture for seeded and spontaneous intraneuronal tau aggregation Support Protocol 1: Human induced pluripotent stem cell culture Support Protocol 2: Human primary astrocyte culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Llewelyn Batenburg
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience-Neurodegeneration, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Susan Karijn Rohde
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience-Neurodegeneration, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paulien Cornelissen-Steijger
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Breeuwsma
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vivi Majella Heine
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wiep Scheper
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience-Neurodegeneration, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam Neuroscience-Neurodegeneration, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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50
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Zhu J, Jiang X, Chang Y, Wu Y, Sun S, Wang C, Zheng S, Wang M, Yao Y, Li G, Ma R. Clemastine fumarate attenuates tauopathy and meliorates cognition in hTau mice via autophagy enhancement. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 123:110649. [PMID: 37494840 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Clemastine fumarate, which has been identified as a promising agent for remyelination and autophagy enhancement, has been shown to mitigate Aβ deposition and improve cognitive function in the APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Based on these findings, we investigated the effect of clemastine fumarate in hTau mice, a different Alzheimer's disease model characterized by overexpression of human Tau protein. Surprisingly, clemastine fumarate was effective in reducing pathological deposition of Tau protein, protecting neurons and synapses from damage, inhibiting neuroinflammation, and improving cognitive impairment in hTau mice. Interestingly, chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, had a significant impact on total and Sarkosyl fractions of autophagy, demonstrating that it can interrupt autophagy. Notably, after administration of chloroquine, levels of Tau protein were significantly increased. When clemastine fumarate was co-administered with chloroquine, the protective effects were reversed, indicating that clemastine fumarate indeed triggered autophagy and promoted the degradation of Tau protein, while also inhibiting further Tauopathy-related neuroinflammation and synapse loss to improve cognitive function in hTau mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Department of Neurology, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan 430033 Hubei, China
| | - Xingjun Jiang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yanmin Chang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yanqing Wu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Shangqi Sun
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Cailin Wang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Siyi Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan 430033 Hubei, China
| | - Yi Yao
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan 430033 Hubei, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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