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Perbet R, Mate de Gerando A, Glynn C, Donahue C, Gaona A, Taddei RN, Gomez-Isla T, Lathuiliere A, Hyman BT. In situ seeding assay: A novel technique for direct tissue localization of bioactive tau. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:870-881. [PMID: 38917443 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins exhibiting prion-like properties are implicated in tauopathies. The prion-like traits of tau influence disease progression and correlate with severity. Techniques to measure tau bioactivity such as RT-QuIC and biosensor cells lack spatial specificity. Therefore, we developed a histological probe aimed at detecting and localizing bioactive tau in situ. We first induced the recruitment of a tagged probe by bioactive Tau in human brain tissue slices using biosensor cell lysates containing a fluorescent probe. We then enhanced sensitivity and flexibility by designing a recombinant probe with a myc tag. The probe design aimed to replicate the recruitment process seen in prion-like mechanisms based on the cryo-EM structure of tau aggregates in Alzheimer disease (AD). Using this novel probe, we observed selective staining of misfolded tau in pre- and post-synaptic structures within neurofibrillary tangles and neurites, whether or not associated with neuritic plaques. The probe specifically targeted AD-associated bioactive tau and did not recognize bioactive tau from other neurodegenerative diseases. Electron microscopy and immunolabeling further confirmed the identification of fibrillar and non-fibrillar tau. Finally, we established a correlation between quantifying bioactive tau using this technique and gold standard biosensor cells. This technique presents a robust approach for detecting bioactive tau in AD tissues and has potential applications for deciphering mechanisms of tau propagation and degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Perbet
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Calina Glynn
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Structural Biology, Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Angelica Gaona
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Raquel N Taddei
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Gomez-Isla
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
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2
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Arnold SE, Hyman BT, Betensky RA, Dodge HH. Pathways to personalized medicine-Embracing heterogeneity for progress in clinical therapeutics research in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 39240044 DOI: 10.1002/alz.14063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Biological and clinical heterogeneity is a major challenge in research for developing new treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD may be defined by its amyloid beta and tau pathologies, but we recognize that mixed pathologies are common, and that diverse genetics, central nervous system (CNS) and systemic pathophysiological processes, and environmental/experiential factors contribute to AD's diverse clinical and neuropathological features. All these factors are rational targets for therapeutic development; indeed, there are hundreds of candidate pharmacological, dietary, neurostimulation, and lifestyle interventions that show benefits in homogeneous laboratory models. Conventional clinical trial designs accommodate heterogeneity poorly, and this may be one reason that progress in translating candidate interventions has been so difficult. We review the challenges of AD's heterogeneity for the clinical trials enterprise. We then discuss how advances in repeatable biomarkers and digital phenotyping enable novel "single-case" and adaptive trial designs to accelerate therapeutics development, moving us closer to personalized research and medicine for AD. HIGHLIGHTS: Alzheimer's disease is diverse in its clinical features, course, risks, and biology. Typical randomized controlled trials are exclusive and necessarily large to attain arm comparability with broad outcomes. Repeated blood biomarkers and digital tracking can improve outcome measure precision and sensitivity. This enables the use of novel "single-case" and adaptive trial designs for inclusivity, rigor, and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven E Arnold
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca A Betensky
- Department of Biostatistics, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hiroko H Dodge
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Marcigaglia S, De Plus R, Vandendriessche C, Schiltz E, Cuypers ML, Cools J, Hoffman LD, Vandenbroucke RE, Dewilde M, Haesler S. Microfluidic Interfaces for Chronic Bidirectional Access to the Brain. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2400438. [PMID: 38885495 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is an additive manufacturing technique with micron-scale resolution that is rapidly gaining ground for a range of biomedical applications. TPP is particularly attractive for the creation of microscopic three-dimensional structures in biocompatible and noncytotoxic resins. Here, TPP is used to develop microfluidic interfaces which provide chronic fluidic access to the brain of preclinical research models. These microcatheters can be used for either convection-enhanced delivery (CED) or for the repeated collection of liquid biopsies. In a brain phantom, infusions with the micronozzle result in more localized distribution clouds and lower backflow compared to a control catheter. In mice, the delivery interface enables faster, more precise, and physiologically less disruptive fluid injections. A second microcatheter design enables repeated, longitudinal sampling of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) over time periods as long as 250 days. Moreover, further in vivo studies demonstrate that the blood-CSF barrier is intact after chronic implantation of the sampling interface and that samples are suitable for downstream molecular analysis for the identification of nucleic acid- or peptide-based biomarkers. Ultimately, the versatility of this fabrication technique implies a great translational potential for simultaneous drug delivery and biomarker tracking in a range of human neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Marcigaglia
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Robin De Plus
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Charysse Vandendriessche
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Eleonore Schiltz
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Marie-Lynn Cuypers
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Jordi Cools
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Current affiliation, Thermofisher Scientific (AIG/MSD), Dilbeek, 1702, Belgium
| | - Luis D Hoffman
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Current affiliation, SWave Photonics, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E Vandenbroucke
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Maarten Dewilde
- Laboratory for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Antibodies, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- PharmAbs-The KU Leuven Antibody Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Sebastian Haesler
- Neuroelectronics Research Flanders (NERF), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
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4
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Zheng H, Sun H, Cai Q, Tai HC. The Enigma of Tau Protein Aggregation: Mechanistic Insights and Future Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4969. [PMID: 38732197 PMCID: PMC11084794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein misfolding and aggregation are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and over twenty neurodegenerative disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms of tau aggregation in vivo remain incompletely understood. There are two types of tau aggregates in the brain: soluble aggregates (oligomers and protofibrils) and insoluble filaments (fibrils). Compared to filamentous aggregates, soluble aggregates are more toxic and exhibit prion-like transmission, providing seeds for templated misfolding. Curiously, in its native state, tau is a highly soluble, heat-stable protein that does not form fibrils by itself, not even when hyperphosphorylated. In vitro studies have found that negatively charged molecules such as heparin, RNA, or arachidonic acid are generally required to induce tau aggregation. Two recent breakthroughs have provided new insights into tau aggregation mechanisms. First, as an intrinsically disordered protein, tau is found to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) both in vitro and inside cells. Second, cryo-electron microscopy has revealed diverse fibrillar tau conformations associated with different neurodegenerative disorders. Nonetheless, only the fibrillar core is structurally resolved, and the remainder of the protein appears as a "fuzzy coat". From this review, it appears that further studies are required (1) to clarify the role of LLPS in tau aggregation; (2) to unveil the structural features of soluble tau aggregates; (3) to understand the involvement of fuzzy coat regions in oligomer and fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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5
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Rossano SM, Johnson AS, Smith A, Ziaggi G, Roetman A, Guzman D, Okafor A, Klein J, Tomljanovic Z, Stern Y, Brickman AM, Lee S, Kreisl WC, Lao P. Microglia measured by TSPO PET are associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology and mediate key steps in a disease progression model. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2397-2407. [PMID: 38298155 PMCID: PMC11032543 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Evidence suggests microglial activation precedes regional tau and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We characterized microglia with translocator protein (TSPO) positron emission tomography (PET) within an AD progression model where global amyloid beta (Aβ) precedes local tau and neurodegeneration, resulting in cognitive impairment. METHODS Florbetaben, PBR28, and MK-6240 PET, T1 magnetic resonance imaging, and cognitive measures were performed in 19 cognitively unimpaired older adults and 22 patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild AD to examine associations among microglia activation, Aβ, tau, and cognition, adjusting for neurodegeneration. Mediation analyses evaluated the possible role of microglial activation along the AD progression model. RESULTS Higher PBR28 uptake was associated with higher Aβ, higher tau, and lower MMSE score, independent of neurodegeneration. PBR28 mediated associations between tau in early and middle Braak stages, between tau and neurodegeneration, and between neurodegeneration and cognition. DISCUSSION Microglia are associated with AD pathology and cognition and may mediate relationships between subsequent steps in AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Rossano
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Aubrey S. Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Anna Smith
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Galen Ziaggi
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Andrew Roetman
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Diana Guzman
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Amarachukwu Okafor
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Julia Klein
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative MedicineUniversity of California Los Angeles HealthLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Zeljko Tomljanovic
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Adam M. Brickman
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and BiostatisticsColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - William C. Kreisl
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Patrick Lao
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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6
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Chen H, Zeng Y, Wang D, Li Y, Xing J, Zeng Y, Liu Z, Zhou X, Fan H. Neuroinflammation of Microglial Regulation in Alzheimer's Disease: Therapeutic Approaches. Molecules 2024; 29:1478. [PMID: 38611758 PMCID: PMC11013124 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29071478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex degenerative disease of the central nervous system that is clinically characterized by a progressive decline in memory and cognitive function. The pathogenesis of AD is intricate and not yet fully understood. Neuroinflammation, particularly microglial activation-mediated neuroinflammation, is believed to play a crucial role in increasing the risk, triggering the onset, and hastening the progression of AD. Modulating microglial activation and regulating microglial energy metabolic disorder are seen as promising strategies to intervene in AD. The application of anti-inflammatory drugs and the targeting of microglia for the prevention and treatment of AD has emerged as a new area of research interest. This article provides a comprehensive review of the role of neuroinflammation of microglial regulation in the development of AD, exploring the connection between microglial energy metabolic disorder, neuroinflammation, and AD development. Additionally, the advancements in anti-inflammatory and microglia-regulating therapies for AD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy (School of Integrative Pharmacy), Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (H.C.)
| | - Yuhan Zeng
- Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.)
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Unit of Modulating Liver to Treat Hyperlipemia SATCM, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.)
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Unit of Modulating Liver to Treat Hyperlipemia SATCM, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yichen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, China;
| | - Jieyu Xing
- College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy (School of Integrative Pharmacy), Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (H.C.)
| | - Yuejia Zeng
- College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy (School of Integrative Pharmacy), Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China; (H.C.)
| | - Zheng Liu
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China;
| | - Xinhua Zhou
- Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Hui Fan
- Guangdong Metabolic Diseases Research Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; (Y.Z.)
- Guangdong TCM Key Laboratory for Metabolic Diseases, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Laboratory of Glucolipid Metabolic Disorder, Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Key Unit of Modulating Liver to Treat Hyperlipemia SATCM, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
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7
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Wongsodirdjo P, Caruso AC, Yong AK, Lester MA, Vella LJ, Hung YH, Nisbet RM. Messenger RNA-encoded antibody approach for targeting extracellular and intracellular tau. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae100. [PMID: 38585667 PMCID: PMC10996922 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as a leading therapeutic agent for the treatment of disease, including Alzheimer's disease. In the last year, two anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies, lecanemab and aducanumab, have been approved in the USA for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, whilst several tau-targeting monoclonal antibodies are currently in clinical trials. Such antibodies, however, are expensive and timely to produce and require frequent dosing regimens to ensure disease-modifying effects. Synthetic in vitro-transcribed messenger RNA encoding antibodies for endogenous protein expression holds the potential to overcome many of the limitations associated with protein antibody production. Here, we have generated synthetic in vitro-transcribed messenger RNA encoding a tau-specific antibody as a full-sized immunoglobulin and as a single-chain variable fragment. In vitro transfection of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells demonstrated the ability of the synthetic messenger RNA to be translated into a functional tau-specific antibody. Furthermore, we show that the translation of the tau-specific single-chain variable fragment as an intrabody results in the specific engagement of intracellular tau. This work highlights the utility of messenger RNA for the delivery of antibody therapeutics, including intrabodies, for the targeting of tau in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Wongsodirdjo
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Alayna C Caruso
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Alicia K Yong
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Madeleine A Lester
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Laura J Vella
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Ya Hui Hung
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Rebecca M Nisbet
- The Florey Institute, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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8
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Malvaso A, Gatti A, Negro G, Calatozzolo C, Medici V, Poloni TE. Microglial Senescence and Activation in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Systematic Review and Neuropathological Scoring. Cells 2023; 12:2824. [PMID: 38132144 PMCID: PMC10742050 DOI: 10.3390/cells12242824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The greatest risk factor for neurodegeneration is the aging of the multiple cell types of human CNS, among which microglia are important because they are the "sentinels" of internal and external perturbations and have long lifespans. We aim to emphasize microglial signatures in physiologic brain aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). A systematic literature search of all published articles about microglial senescence in human healthy aging and AD was performed, searching for PubMed and Scopus online databases. Among 1947 articles screened, a total of 289 articles were assessed for full-text eligibility. Microglial transcriptomic, phenotypic, and neuropathological profiles were analyzed comprising healthy aging and AD. Our review highlights that studies on animal models only partially clarify what happens in humans. Human and mice microglia are hugely heterogeneous. Like a two-sided coin, microglia can be protective or harmful, depending on the context. Brain health depends upon a balance between the actions and reactions of microglia maintaining brain homeostasis in cooperation with other cell types (especially astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). During aging, accumulating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction weaken microglia leading to dystrophic/senescent, otherwise over-reactive, phenotype-enhancing neurodegenerative phenomena. Microglia are crucial for managing Aβ, pTAU, and damaged synapses, being pivotal in AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Malvaso
- IRCCS “C. Mondino” Foundation, National Neurological Institute, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Alberto Gatti
- IRCCS “C. Mondino” Foundation, National Neurological Institute, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Giulia Negro
- Department of Neurology, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy;
| | - Chiara Calatozzolo
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy;
| | - Valentina Medici
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, 28100 Novara, Italy;
| | - Tino Emanuele Poloni
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy;
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9
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Shimizu M, Shiraishi N, Tada S, Sasaki T, Beck G, Nagano S, Kinoshita M, Sumi H, Sugimoto T, Ishida Y, Koda T, Ishikura T, Sugiyama Y, Kihara K, Kanakura M, Nakajima T, Takeda S, Takahashi MP, Yamashita T, Okuno T, Mochizuki H. RGMa collapses the neuronal actin barrier against disease-implicated protein and exacerbates ALS. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg3193. [PMID: 37992159 PMCID: PMC10665002 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Repulsive guidance molecule A (RGMa) was originally identified as a neuronal growth cone-collapsing factor. Previous reports have demonstrated the multifunctional roles of RGMa mediated by neogenin1. However, the pathogenic involvement of RGMa in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that RGMa concentration was elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of both patients with ALS and transgenic mice overexpressing the mutant human superoxide dismutase1 (mSOD1 mice). Treatment with humanized anti-RGMa monoclonal antibody ameliorated the clinical symptoms in mSOD1 mice. Histochemical analysis revealed that the anti-RGMa antibody significantly decreased mutant SOD1 protein accumulation in the motor neurons of mSOD1 mice via inhibition of actin depolymerization. In vitro analysis revealed that the anti-RGMa antibody inhibited the cellular uptake of the mutant SOD1 protein, presumably by reinforcing the neuronal actin barrier. Collectively, these data suggest that RGMa leads to the collapse of the neuronal actin barrier and promotes aberrant protein deposition, resulting in exacerbation of the ALS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikito Shimizu
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Shiraishi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoru Tada
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Osaka-Minami Medical Center, Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Goichi Beck
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seiichi Nagano
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makoto Kinoshita
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hisae Sumi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Higashiosaka City Medical Center, Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Sugimoto
- Graduate School of Data Science, Shiga University, Hikone, Shiga, Japan
| | - Yoko Ishida
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toru Koda
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Teruyuki Ishikura
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Higashiosaka City Medical Center, Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuko Sugiyama
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keigo Kihara
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Minami Kanakura
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Health Sciences, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tsuneo Nakajima
- Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shuko Takeda
- Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masanori P. Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Health Sciences, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tatsusada Okuno
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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10
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Frey B, Holzinger D, Taylor K, Ehrnhoefer DE, Striebinger A, Biesinger S, Gasparini L, O'Neill MJ, Wegner F, Barghorn S, Höglinger GU, Heym RG. Tau seed amplification assay reveals relationship between seeding and pathological forms of tau in Alzheimer's disease brain. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:181. [PMID: 37964332 PMCID: PMC10644662 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01676-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau seed amplification assays (SAAs) directly measure the seeding activity of tau and would therefore be ideal biomarkers for clinical trials targeting seeding-competent tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise relationship between tau seeding measured by SAA and the levels of pathological forms of tau in the AD brain remains unknown. We developed a new tau SAA based on full-length 0N3R tau with sensitivity in the low fg/ml range and used it to characterize 103 brain samples from three independent cohorts. Tau seeding clearly discriminated between AD and control brain samples. Interestingly, seeding was absent in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) putamen, suggesting that our tau SAA did not amplify 4R tau aggregates from PSP brain. The specificity of our tau SAA for AD brain was further supported by analysis of matched hippocampus and cerebellum samples. While seeding was detected in hippocampus from Braak stages I-II, no seeding was present in AD cerebellum that is devoid of tau inclusions. Analysis of 40 middle frontal gyrus samples encompassing all Braak stages showed that tau SAA seeding activity gradually increased with Braak stage. This relationship between seeding activity and the presence of tau inclusions in AD brain was further supported by robust correlations between tau SAA results and the levels of phosphorylated tau212/214, phosphorylated tau181, aggregated tau, and sarkosyl-insoluble tau. Strikingly, we detected tau seeding in the middle frontal gyrus already at Braak stage II-III, suggesting that tau SAA can detect tau pathology earlier than conventional immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, our data suggest a quantitative relationship between tau seeding activity and pathological forms of tau in the human brain and provides an important basis for further development of tau SAA for accessible human samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Frey
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany.
| | - David Holzinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Keenan Taylor
- AbbVie Bioresearch Center, Biotherapeutics and Genetic Medicine Technologies, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Andreas Striebinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sandra Biesinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Michael J O'Neill
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Florian Wegner
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Barghorn
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases E.V. (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Roland G Heym
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Neuroscience Research, Knollstrasse, 67061, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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11
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Schneeweis A, Pak DTS. Wherefore Art Tau? Functional importance of site-specific tau phosphorylation in diverse subcellular domains. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 164:106475. [PMID: 37778693 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Tau has canonically been considered as an axonal protein, but studies have observed tau localization in other subcellular domains of neurons. This relocated tau has been identified in both physiological and pathological conditions, and it is often labeled mislocalized. Furthermore, these forms of tau are referred to as "hyperphosphorylated" without specifying the phosphosites involved. On the contrary, we speculate that tau may have multiple physiological functions in various locations regulated via specific phosphorylation sites, although this picture is obscured by a lack of comprehensive phosphosite analysis. Here, we examine findings in the literature on the subcellular location of tau and potential roles tau has in those regions. We intentionally focus on the site-specific phosphorylated patterns involved in governing these properties, which are not well elucidated. To facilitate understanding of these events, we have begun establishing a comprehensive map of tau phosphorylation signatures. Such efforts may clarify tau's diverse physiological functions beyond the axon as well as promote development of novel therapeutic strategies directed against distinct tau subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Schneeweis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Daniel T S Pak
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
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12
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Recent Computational Advances Regarding Amyloid-β and Tau Membrane Interactions in Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules 2023; 28:7080. [PMID: 37894559 PMCID: PMC10609340 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of amyloid proteins with membranes have been subject to many experimental and computational studies, as these interactions contribute in part to neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we report on recent simulations that have focused on the adsorption and insertion modes of amyloid-β and tau proteins in membranes. The atomistic-resolution characterization of the conformational changes of these amyloid proteins upon lipid cell membrane and free lipid interactions is of interest to rationally design drugs targeting transient oligomers in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H. Nguyen
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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13
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Foster K, Manca M, McClure K, Koivula P, Trojanowski JQ, Havas D, Chancellor S, Goldstein L, Brunden KR, Kraus A, Ahlijanian MK. Preclinical characterization and IND-enabling safety studies for PNT001, an antibody that recognizes cis-pT231 tau. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:4662-4674. [PMID: 37002928 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cis-conformer of tau phosphorylated at threonine-231 (cis-pT231 tau) is hypothesized to contribute to tauopathies. PNT001 is a humanized, monoclonal antibody that recognizes cis-pT231 tau. PNT001 was characterized to assess clinical development readiness. METHODS Affinity and selectivity were assessed by surface plasmon resonance and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed with brain sections from human tauopathy patients and controls. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) was used to assess whether PNT001 reduced tau seeds from Tg4510 transgenic mouse brain. Murine PNT001 was evaluated in vivo in the Tg4510 mouse. RESULTS The affinity of PNT001 for a cis-pT231 peptide was 0.3 to 3 nM. IHC revealed neurofibrillary tangle-like structures in tauopathy patients with no detectable staining in controls. Incubation of Tg4510 brain homogenates with PNT001 lowered seeding in RT-QuIC. Multiple endpoints were improved in the Tg4510 mouse. No adverse findings attributable to PNT001 were detected in Good Laboratory Practice safety studies. DISCUSSION The data support clinical development of PNT001 in human tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Foster
- Pinteon Therapeutics, Inc., Discovery Biology, Newton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matteo Manca
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Kim McClure
- Pinteon Therapeutics, Inc., Discovery Biology, Newton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pyry Koivula
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel Havas
- Psychogenics, Inc, Biology Paramus, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sarah Chancellor
- Molecular Aging & Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Lee Goldstein
- Molecular Aging & Development Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Kurt R Brunden
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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14
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Devi G. A how-to guide for a precision medicine approach to the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1213968. [PMID: 37662550 PMCID: PMC10469885 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1213968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Article purpose The clinical approach to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is challenging, particularly in high-functioning individuals. Accurate diagnosis is crucial, especially given the significant side effects, including brain hemorrhage, of newer monoclonal antibodies approved for treating earlier stages of Alzheimer's. Although early treatment is more effective, early diagnosis is also more difficult. Several clinical mimickers of AD exist either separately, or in conjunction with AD pathology, adding to the diagnostic complexity. To illustrate the clinical decision-making process, this study includes de-identified cases and reviews of the underlying etiology and pathology of Alzheimer's and available therapies to exemplify diagnostic and treatment subtleties. Problem The clinical presentation of Alzheimer's is complex and varied. Multiple other primary brain pathologies present with clinical phenotypes that can be difficult to distinguish from AD. Furthermore, Alzheimer's rarely exists in isolation, as almost all patients also show evidence of other primary brain pathologies, including Lewy body disease and argyrophilic grain disease. The phenotype and progression of AD can vary based on the brain regions affected by pathology, the coexistence and severity of other brain pathologies, the presence and severity of systemic comorbidities such as cardiac disease, the common co-occurrence with psychiatric diagnoses, and genetic risk factors. Additionally, symptoms and progression are influenced by an individual's brain reserve and cognitive reserve, as well as the timing of the diagnosis, which depends on the demographics of both the patient and the diagnosing physician, as well as the availability of biomarkers. Methods The optimal clinical and biomarker strategy for accurately diagnosing AD, common neuropathologic co-morbidities and mimickers, and available medication and non-medication-based treatments are discussed. Real-life examples of cognitive loss illustrate the diagnostic and treatment decision-making process as well as illustrative treatment responses. Implications AD is best considered a syndromic disorder, influenced by a multitude of patient and environmental characteristics. Additionally, AD existing alone is a unicorn, as there are nearly always coexisting other brain pathologies. Accurate diagnosis with biomarkers is essential. Treatment response is affected by the variables involved, and the effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well as its prevention, requires an individualized, precision medicine strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Devi
- Neurology and Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, United States
- Neurology and Psychiatry, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City, NY, United States
- Park Avenue Neurology, New York City, NY, United States
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15
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Lathuiliere A, Jo Y, Perbet R, Donahue C, Commins C, Quittot N, Fan Z, Bennett RE, Hyman BT. Specific detection of tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease using rationally designed biosensor cells. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:53. [PMID: 37553663 PMCID: PMC10408046 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prion-like propagation of tau in neurodegenerative disorders implies that misfolded pathological tau can recruit the normal protein and template its aggregation. Here, we report the methods for the development of sensitive biosensor cell lines for the detection of tau seeding activity. RESULTS We performed the rational design of novel tau probes based on the current structural knowledge of pathological tau aggregates in Alzheimer's disease. We generated Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor stable cell lines and characterized their sensitivity, specificity, and overall ability to detect bioactive tau in human samples. As compared to the reference biosensor line, the optimized probe design resulted in an increased efficiency in the detection of tau seeding. The increased sensitivity allowed for the detection of lower amount of tau seeding competency in human brain samples, while preserving specificity for tau seeds found in Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS This next generation of FRET-based biosensor cells is a novel tool to study tau seeding activity in Alzheimer's disease human samples, especially in samples with low levels of seeding activity, which may help studying early tau-related pathological events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Memory Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Youhwa Jo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Romain Perbet
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Noé Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhanyun Fan
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Rachel E Bennett
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 114 16Th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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16
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Mate De Gerando A, Welikovitch LA, Khasnavis A, Commins C, Glynn C, Chun JE, Perbet R, Hyman BT. Tau seeding and spreading in vivo is supported by both AD-derived fibrillar and oligomeric tau. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:191-210. [PMID: 37341831 PMCID: PMC10329061 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02600-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Insoluble fibrillar tau, the primary constituent of neurofibrillary tangles, has traditionally been thought to be the biologically active, toxic form of tau mediating neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. More recent studies have implicated soluble oligomeric tau species, referred to as high molecular weight (HMW), due to their properties on size-exclusion chromatography, in tau propagation across neural systems. These two forms of tau have never been directly compared. We prepared sarkosyl-insoluble and HMW tau from the frontal cortex of Alzheimer patients and compared their properties using a variety of biophysical and bioactivity assays. Sarkosyl-insoluble fibrillar tau comprises abundant paired-helical filaments (PHF) as quantified by electron microscopy (EM) and is more resistant to proteinase K, compared to HMW tau, which is mostly in an oligomeric form. Sarkosyl-insoluble and HMW tau are nearly equivalent in potency in HEK cell bioactivity assay for seeding aggregates, and their injection reveals similar local uptake into hippocampal neurons in PS19 Tau transgenic mice. However, the HMW preparation appears to be far more potent in inducing a glial response including Clec7a-positive rod microglia in the absence of neurodegeneration or synapse loss and promotes more rapid propagation of misfolded tau to distal, anatomically connected regions, such as entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. These data suggest that soluble HMW tau has similar properties to fibrillar sarkosyl-insoluble tau with regard to tau seeding potential, but may be equal or even more bioactive with respect to propagation across neural systems and activation of glial responses, both relevant to tau-related Alzheimer phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasie Mate De Gerando
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lindsay A Welikovitch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anita Khasnavis
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Calina Glynn
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua E Chun
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Romain Perbet
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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17
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Mate de Gerando A, Welikovitch LA, Khasnavis A, Commins C, Glynn C, Chun JE, Perbet R, Hyman BT. Tau seeding and spreading in vivo is supported by both AD-derived fibrillar and oligomeric tau. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.28.534418. [PMID: 37034629 PMCID: PMC10081282 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Insoluble fibrillar tau, the primary constituent of neurofibrillary tangles, has traditionally been thought to be the biologically active, toxic form of tau mediating neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. More recent studies have implicated soluble oligomeric tau species, referred to as high molecular weight (HMW) due to its properties on size exclusion chromatography, in tau propagation across neural systems. These two forms of tau have never been directly compared. We prepared sarkosyl insoluble and HMW tau from the frontal cortex of Alzheimer patients and compared their properties using a variety of biophysical and bioactivity assays. Sarkosyl insoluble fibrillar tau is comprised of abundant paired helical filaments (PHF) as quantified by electron microscopy (EM), and is more resistant to proteinase K, compared to HMW tau which is mostly in an oligomeric form. Sarkosyl insoluble and HMW tau are nearly equivalent in potency in a HEK cell bioactivity assay for seeding aggregates and their injection reveals similar local uptake into hippocampal neurons in PS19 Tau transgenic mice. However, the HMW preparation appears to be far more potent in inducing a glial response including Clec7a-positive rod-microglia in the absence of neurodegeneration or synapse loss and promotes more rapid propagation of misfolded tau to distal, anatomically connected regions, such as entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. These data suggest that soluble HMW tau has similar properties to fibrillar sarkosyl insoluble tau with regard to tau seeding potential but may be equal or even more bioactive with respect to propagation across neural systems and activation of glial responses, both relevant tau-related Alzheimer phenotypes.
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18
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Abbate C. The Adult Neurogenesis Theory of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023:JAD221279. [PMID: 37182879 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease starts in neural stem cells (NSCs) in the niches of adult neurogenesis. All primary factors responsible for pathological tau hyperphosphorylation are inherent to adult neurogenesis and migration. However, when amyloid pathology is present, it strongly amplifies tau pathogenesis. Indeed, the progressive accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β deposits in the brain triggers a state of chronic inflammation by microglia. Microglial activation has a significant pro-neurogenic effect that fosters the process of adult neurogenesis and supports neuronal migration. Unfortunately, this "reactive" pro-neurogenic activity ultimately perturbs homeostatic equilibrium in the niches of adult neurogenesis by amplifying tau pathogenesis in AD. This scenario involves NSCs in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus in late-onset AD (LOAD) and NSCs in the ventricular-subventricular zone along the lateral ventricles in early-onset AD (EOAD), including familial AD (FAD). Neuroblasts carrying the initial seed of tau pathology travel throughout the brain via neuronal migration driven by complex signals and convey the disease from the niches of adult neurogenesis to near (LOAD) or distant (EOAD) brain regions. In these locations, or in close proximity, a focus of degeneration begins to develop. Then, tau pathology spreads from the initial foci to large neuronal networks along neural connections through neuron-to-neuron transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Abbate
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy
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19
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Rayman JB. Focusing on oligomeric tau as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37140480 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2206561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau has commanded much attention as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases. Tau pathology is a hallmark of primary tauopathies, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and subtypes of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as secondary tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of tau therapeutics must reconcile with the structural complexity of the tau proteome, as well as an incomplete understanding of the role of tau in both physiology and disease. AREAS COVERED This review offers a current perspective on tau biology, discusses key barriers to the development of effective tau-based therapeutics, and promotes the idea that pathogenic (as opposed to merely pathological) tau should be at the center of drug development efforts. EXPERT OPINION An efficacious tau therapeutic will exhibit several primary features: 1) selectivity for pathogenic tau versus other tau species; 2) blood-brain barrier and cell membrane permeability, enabling access to intracellular tau in disease-relevant brain regions; and 3) minimal toxicity. Oligomeric tau is proposed as a major pathogenic form of tau and a compelling drug target in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Rayman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Yamada K. Multifaceted Roles of Aquaporins in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076528. [PMID: 37047501 PMCID: PMC10095057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system is highly dependent on water, and disturbances in water homeostasis can have a significant impact on its normal functions. The regulation of water balance is, at least in part, carried out via specialized water channels called aquaporins. In the central nervous system, two major aquaporins (AQPs), AQP1 and AQP4, and their potential involvements have been long implicated in the pathophysiology of many brain disorders such as brain edema and Neuromyelitis optica. In addition to these diseases, there is growing attention to the involvement of AQPs in the removal of waste products in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This indicates that targeting fluid homeostasis is a novel and attractive approach for AD. This review article aims to summarize recent knowledge on the pathological implications of AQPs in AD, discussing unsolved questions and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Yamada
- Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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21
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) was described in 1906 as a dementing disease marked by the presence of two types of fibrillar aggregates in the brain: neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. The process of aggregation and formation of the aggregates has been a major focus of investigation ever since the discoveries that the tau protein is the predominant protein in tangles and amyloid β is the predominant protein in plaques. The idea that smaller, oligomeric species of amyloid may also be bioactive has now been clearly established. This review examines the possibility that soluble, nonfibrillar, bioactive forms of tau-the "tau we cannot see"-comprise a dominant driver of neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA;
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22
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Bloomingdale P, Karelina T, Ramakrishnan V, Bakshi S, Véronneau‐Veilleux F, Moye M, Sekiguchi K, Meno‐Tetang G, Mohan A, Maithreye R, Thomas VA, Gibbons F, Cabal A, Bouteiller J, Geerts H. Hallmarks of neurodegenerative disease: A systems pharmacology perspective. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2022; 11:1399-1429. [PMID: 35894182 PMCID: PMC9662204 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related central neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are a rising public health concern and have been plagued by repeated drug development failures. The complex nature and poor mechanistic understanding of the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases has hindered the discovery and development of effective disease-modifying therapeutics. Quantitative systems pharmacology models of neurodegeneration diseases may be useful tools to enhance the understanding of pharmacological intervention strategies and to reduce drug attrition rates. Due to the similarities in pathophysiological mechanisms across neurodegenerative diseases, especially at the cellular and molecular levels, we envision the possibility of structural components that are conserved across models of neurodegenerative diseases. Conserved structural submodels can be viewed as building blocks that are pieced together alongside unique disease components to construct quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) models of neurodegenerative diseases. Model parameterization would likely be different between the different types of neurodegenerative diseases as well as individual patients. Formulating our mechanistic understanding of neurodegenerative pathophysiology as a mathematical model could aid in the identification and prioritization of drug targets and combinatorial treatment strategies, evaluate the role of patient characteristics on disease progression and therapeutic response, and serve as a central repository of knowledge. Here, we provide a background on neurodegenerative diseases, highlight hallmarks of neurodegeneration, and summarize previous QSP models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Bloomingdale
- Quantitative Pharmacology and PharmacometricsMerck & Co., Inc.BostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | - Suruchi Bakshi
- Certara QSPOssThe Netherlands,Certara QSPPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
| | | | - Matthew Moye
- Quantitative Pharmacology and PharmacometricsMerck & Co., Inc.BostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kazutaka Sekiguchi
- Shionogi & Co., Ltd.OsakaJapan,SUNY Downstate Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Frank Gibbons
- Clinical Pharmacology and PharmacometricsBiogenCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Jean‐Marie Bouteiller
- Center for Neural EngineeringDepartment of Biomedical Engineering at the Viterbi School of EngineeringLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Institute for Technology and Medical Systems Innovation, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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23
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Towards a Mechanistic Model of Tau-Mediated Pathology in Tauopathies: What Can We Learn from Cell-Based In Vitro Assays? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911527. [PMID: 36232835 PMCID: PMC9570106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the hyperphosphorylation and deposition of tau proteins in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, and other related tauopathies, the pattern of tau deposition follows a stereotypical progression between anatomically connected brain regions. Increasing evidence suggests that tau behaves in a “prion-like” manner, and that seeding and spreading of pathological tau drive progressive neurodegeneration. Although several advances have been made in recent years, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. Since there are no effective therapies for any tauopathy, there is a growing need for reliable experimental models that would provide us with better knowledge and understanding of their etiology and identify novel molecular targets. In this review, we will summarize the development of cellular models for modeling tau pathology. We will discuss their different applications and contributions to our current understanding of the “prion-like” nature of pathological tau.
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24
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Zeng Z, Fichou Y, Vigers M, Tsay K, Han S. Illuminating the Structural Basis of Tau Aggregation by Intramolecular Distance Tracking: A Perspective on Methods. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:6384-6395. [PMID: 35994024 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c02022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aggregation of the tau protein is central to several neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies. High-resolution views of tau tangles accumulated under pathological conditions in post-mortem brains have been revealed recently by cryogenic electron microscopy. One of the striking discoveries was that fibril folds are unique to and homogeneous within one disease family, but typically different between different tauopathies. It is widely believed that seeded aggregation can achieve structural propagation of tau fibrils and generate pathological fibril structures. However, direct molecular level measurement of structural evolution during aggregation is missing. Here, we discuss our perspective on the biophysical approaches that can contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the prion-like propagation of tau and the role of cofactors. We discuss the unique potential of double electron-electron resonance (DEER)-based intramolecular distance measurement, sensitive to two to several nanometers distances. DEER can track the structural evolution of tau along the course of aggregation from the completely disordered state, to partially ordered and highly ordered fibril states, and has the potential to be a key tool to elucidate the disease-specific tau aggregation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikai Zeng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Yann Fichou
- CNRS, Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nanoobjects (CBMN) UMR 5348, Institut Europeen de Chimie et Biologie (IECB), University of Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Michael Vigers
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Karen Tsay
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Songi Han
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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25
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Tau Amyloid Fibril Core Dimer at the Surface of a Lipid Bilayer Model: I. In Alzheimer's Disease. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:4849-4856. [PMID: 35759677 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c02836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A tau R3-R4 domain spanning residues 306-378 was shown to form an amyloid fibril core of a full-length tau in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Recently, we studied the dynamics of a tau R3-R4 monomer at the surface of a lipid bilayer model and revealed deep insertion of the amino acids spanning the PHF6 motif (residues 306-311) and its flanking residues. Here, we explore the membrane-associated conformational ensemble of a tau R3-R4 dimer by means of atomistic molecular dynamics. Similar to the monomer simulation, the R3-R4 dimer has the propensity to form β-hairpin-like conformation. Unlike the monomer, the dimer shows insertion of the C-terminal R4 region and transient adsorption of the PHF6 motif. Taken together, these results reveal the multiplicity of adsorption and insertion modes of tau into membranes depending on its oligomer size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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26
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Yuste-Checa P, Bracher A, Hartl FU. The chaperone Clusterin in neurodegeneration-friend or foe? Bioessays 2022; 44:e2100287. [PMID: 35521968 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar protein aggregates are the pathological hallmark of a group of age-dependent neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein Tau are observed in Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathies. Tau pathology propagates from cell to cell in a prion-like process that is likely subject to modulation by extracellular chaperones such as Clusterin. We recently reported that Clusterin delayed Tau fibril formation but enhanced the activity of Tau oligomers to seed aggregation of endogenous Tau in a cellular model. In contrast, Clusterin inhibited the propagation of α-Synuclein aggregates associated with Parkinson's disease. These findings raise the possibility of a mechanistic link between Clusterin upregulation observed in Alzheimer's disease and the progression of Tau pathology. Here we review the diverse functions of Clusterin in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on evidence that Clusterin may act either as a suppressor or enhancer of pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Yuste-Checa
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.,Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
| | - Andreas Bracher
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - F Ulrich Hartl
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.,Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
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27
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Nakajima T, Takeda S, Ito Y, Oyama A, Takami Y, Takeya Y, Yamamoto K, Sugimoto K, Shimizu H, Shimamura M, Rakugi H, Morishita R. A novel chronic dural port platform for continuous collection of cerebrospinal fluid and intrathecal drug delivery in free-moving mice. Fluids Barriers CNS 2022; 19:31. [PMID: 35505336 PMCID: PMC9066940 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-022-00331-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) provides a close representation of pathophysiological changes occurring in the central nervous system (CNS); therefore, it has been employed in pathogenesis research and biomarker development for CNS disorders. CSF obtained from valid mouse models relevant to CNS disorders can be an important resource for successful biomarker and drug development. However, the limited volume of CSF that can be collected from tiny intrathecal spaces and the technical difficulties involved in CSF sampling has been a bottleneck that has hindered the detailed analysis of CSF in mouse models. METHODS We developed a novel chronic dural port (CDP) method without cannulation for CSF collection of mice. This method enables easy and repeated access to the intrathecal space in a free-moving, unanesthetized mouse, thereby enabling continuous long-term CSF collection with minimal tissue damage and providing a large volume of high-quality CSF from a single mouse. When combined with chemical biosensors, the CDP method allows for real-time monitoring of the dynamic changes in neurochemicals in the CSF at a one-second temporal resolution in free-moving mice. Moreover, the CDP can serve as a direct access point for the intrathecal injection of CSF tracers and drugs. RESULTS We established a CDP implantation and continuous CSF collection protocol. The CSF collected using CDP was not contaminated with blood and maintained physiological concentrations of basic electrolytes and proteins. The CDP method did not affect mouse's physiological behavior or induce tissue damage, thereby enabling a stable CSF collection for up to four weeks. The spatio-temporal distribution of CSF tracers delivered using CDP revealed that CSF metabolism in different brain areas is dynamic. The direct intrathecal delivery of centrally acting drugs using CDP enabled real-time behavioral assessments in free-moving mice. CONCLUSIONS The CDP method enables the collection of a large volume of high-quality CSF and direct intrathecal drug administration with real-time behavioral assessment in free-moving mice. Combined with animal models relevant to CNS disorders, this method provides a unique and valuable platform for biomarker and therapeutic drug research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuneo Nakajima
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Shuko Takeda
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Hirakata, Osaka 573- 0022 Japan
| | - Yuki Ito
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Hirakata, Osaka 573- 0022 Japan
| | - Akane Oyama
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Hirakata, Osaka 573- 0022 Japan
| | - Yoichi Takami
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Yasushi Takeya
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Clinical Nursing Division of Health Sciences Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Koichi Yamamoto
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Ken Sugimoto
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,grid.415086.e0000 0001 1014 2000General and Geriatric Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School General Medical Center, Okayama, 700-8505 Japan
| | - Hideo Shimizu
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan ,grid.412378.b0000 0001 1088 0812Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1121 Japan
| | - Munehisa Shimamura
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Neurology, Department of Health Development and Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Hiromi Rakugi
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Ryuichi Morishita
- grid.136593.b0000 0004 0373 3971Department of Clinical Gene Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
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28
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Nguyen PH, Derreumaux P. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Tau R3-R4 Domain Monomer in the Bulk Solution and at the Surface of a Lipid Bilayer Model. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3431-3438. [PMID: 35476504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of the tau protein plays a significant role in Alzheimer's disease, and the tau R3-R4 domain spanning residues 306-378 was shown to form the amyloid fibril core of a full-length tau. The conformations of the tau R3-R4 monomer in the bulk solution and at the surface of membranes are unknown. In this study, we address these questions by means of atomistic molecular dynamics. The simulations in the bulk solution show a very heterogeneous ensemble of conformations with low β and helical contents. The tau R3-R4 monomer has the propensity to form transient β-hairpins within the R3 repeat and between the R3 and R4 repeats and parallel β-sheets spanning the R3 and R4 repeats. The simulations also show that the surface of the membrane does not induce β-sheet insertion and leads to an ensemble of structures very different from those in the bulk solution. They also reveal the dynamical properties of the membrane-bound state of the tau R3-R4 monomer, enabling insertion of the residues 306-318 and 376-378.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong H Nguyen
- CNRS, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- CNRS, Université Paris Cité, UPR 9080, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
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29
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Golde TE. Disease-Modifying Therapies for Alzheimer's Disease: More Questions than Answers. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:209-227. [PMID: 35229269 PMCID: PMC8885119 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01201-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific advances over the last four decades have steadily infused the Alzheimer's disease (AD) field with great optimism that therapies targeting Aβ, amyloid, tau, and innate immune activation states in the brain would provide disease modification. Unfortunately, this optimistic scenario has not yet played out. Though a recent approval of the anti-Aβ aggregate binding antibody, Aduhelm (aducanumab), as a "disease-modifying therapy for AD" is viewed by some as a breakthrough, many remain unconvinced by the data underlying this approval. Collectively, we have not succeeded in changing AD from a largely untreatable, inevitable, and incurable disease to a treatable, preventable, and curable one. Here, I will review the major foci of the AD "disease-modifying" therapeutic pipeline and some of the "open questions" that remain in terms of these therapeutic approaches. I will conclude the review by discussing how we, as a field, might adjust our approach, learning from our past failures to ensure future success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd E Golde
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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30
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Stamelou M, Respondek G, Giagkou N, Whitwell JL, Kovacs GG, Höglinger GU. Evolving concepts in progressive supranuclear palsy and other 4-repeat tauopathies. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:601-620. [PMID: 34426686 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00541-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are classified according to whether tau deposits predominantly contain tau isoforms with three or four repeats of the microtubule-binding domain. Those in which four-repeat (4R) tau predominates are known as 4R-tauopathies, and include progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, argyrophilic grain disease, globular glial tauopathies and conditions associated with specific MAPT mutations. In these diseases, 4R-tau deposits are found in various cell types and anatomical regions of the brain and the conditions share pathological, pathophysiological and clinical characteristics. Despite being considered 'prototype' tauopathies and, therefore, ideal for studying neuroprotective agents, 4R-tauopathies are still severe and untreatable diseases for which no validated biomarkers exist. However, advances in research have addressed the issues of phenotypic overlap, early clinical diagnosis, pathophysiology and identification of biomarkers, setting a road map towards development of treatments. New clinical criteria have been developed and large cohorts with early disease are being followed up in prospective studies. New clinical trial readouts are emerging and biomarker research is focused on molecular pathways that have been identified. Lessons learned from failed trials of neuroprotective drugs are being used to design new trials. In this Review, we present an overview of the latest research in 4R-tauopathies, with a focus on progressive supranuclear palsy, and discuss how current evidence dictates ongoing and future research goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Stamelou
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Dept, HYGEIA Hospital, Athens, Greece. .,European University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. .,Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Gesine Respondek
- Department of Neurology, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Nikolaos Giagkou
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Dept, HYGEIA Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Laboratory Medicine Program and Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- Department of Neurology, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
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31
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Sexton C, Snyder H, Beher D, Boxer AL, Brannelly P, Brion JP, Buée L, Cacace AM, Chételat G, Citron M, DeVos SL, Diaz K, Feldman HH, Frost B, Goate AM, Gold M, Hyman B, Johnson K, Karch CM, Kerwin DR, Koroshetz WJ, Litvan I, Morris HR, Mummery CJ, Mutamba J, Patterson MC, Quiroz YT, Rabinovici GD, Rommel A, Shulman MB, Toledo-Sherman LM, Weninger S, Wildsmith KR, Worley SL, Carrillo MC. Current directions in tau research: Highlights from Tau 2020. Alzheimers Dement 2021; 18:988-1007. [PMID: 34581500 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Studies supporting a strong association between tau deposition and neuronal loss, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline have heightened the allure of tau and tau-related mechanisms as therapeutic targets. In February 2020, leading tau experts from around the world convened for the first-ever Tau2020 Global Conference in Washington, DC, co-organized and cosponsored by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, and CurePSP. Representing academia, industry, government, and the philanthropic sector, presenters and attendees discussed recent advances and current directions in tau research. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to move tau research forward by fostering global partnerships among academia, industry, and other stakeholders and by providing support for new drug discovery programs, groundbreaking research, and emerging tau researchers. The meeting also provided an opportunity for experts to present critical research-advancing tools and insights that are now rapidly accelerating the pace of tau research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Adam L Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Pat Brannelly
- Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, Kirkland, WI, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luc Buée
- Univ Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, Place de Verdun, Lille, France
| | | | - Gaël Chételat
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND "Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders", Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Caen, France
| | - Martin Citron
- Neuroscience TA, Braine l'Alleud, UCB Biopharma, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah L DeVos
- Translational Sciences, Denali Therapeutics, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Howard H Feldman
- Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Alison M Goate
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael Gold
- AbbVie, Neurosciences Development, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bradley Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith Johnson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Diana R Kerwin
- Kerwin Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Walter J Koroshetz
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Huw R Morris
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Catherine J Mummery
- Dementia Research Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Marc C Patterson
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yakeel T Quiroz
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Memory & Aging Center, Departments of Neurology, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amy Rommel
- Tau Consortium, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Melanie B Shulman
- Neurodegeneration Development Unit, Biogen, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Kristin R Wildsmith
- Department of Biomarker Development, Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Susan L Worley
- Independent science writer, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
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32
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Barini E, Plotzky G, Mordashova Y, Hoppe J, Rodriguez-Correa E, Julier S, LePrieult F, Mairhofer I, Mezler M, Biesinger S, Cik M, Meinhardt MW, Ercan-Herbst E, Ehrnhoefer DE, Striebinger A, Bodie K, Klein C, Gasparini L, Schlegel K. Tau in the brain interstitial fluid is fragmented and seeding-competent. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 109:64-77. [PMID: 34655982 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In Alzheimer disease, Tau pathology is thought to propagate from cell to cell throughout interconnected brain areas. However, the forms of Tau released into the brain interstitial fluid (ISF) in vivo during the development of Tauopathy and their pathological relevance remain unclear. Combining in vivo microdialysis and biochemical analysis, we find that in Tau transgenic mice, human Tau (hTau) present in brain ISF is truncated and comprises at least 10 distinct fragments spanning the entire Tau protein. The fragmentation pattern is similar across different Tau transgenic models, pathological stages and brain areas. ISF hTau concentration decreases during Tauopathy progression, while its phosphorylation increases. ISF from mice with established Tauopathy induces Tau aggregation in HEK293-Tau biosensor cells. Notably, immunodepletion of ISF phosphorylated Tau, but not Tau fragments, significantly reduces its ability to seed Tau aggregation and only a fraction of Tau, separated by ultracentrifugation, is seeding-competent. These results indicate that ISF seeding competence is driven by a small subset of Tau, which potentially contribute to the propagation of Tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Barini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
| | - Gudrun Plotzky
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Yulia Mordashova
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Discovery and Exploratory Statistics (DIVES), Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Jonas Hoppe
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Esther Rodriguez-Correa
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sonja Julier
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Florie LePrieult
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Ina Mairhofer
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Mario Mezler
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Sandra Biesinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Miroslav Cik
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Marcus W Meinhardt
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | | | - Dagmar E Ehrnhoefer
- BioMed X GmbH, Im Neuenheimer Feld, Heidelberg, Germany; AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Andreas Striebinger
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Karen Bodie
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Preclinical Safety, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Corinna Klein
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Laura Gasparini
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Schlegel
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG , Neuroscience Discovery, Knollstrasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
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33
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Van Kolen K, Malia TJ, Theunis C, Nanjunda R, Teplyakov A, Ernst R, Wu SJ, Luo J, Borgers M, Vandermeeren M, Bottelbergs A, Wintmolders C, Lacy E, Maurin H, Larsen P, Willems R, Van De Casteele T, Triana-Baltzer G, Slemmon R, Galpern W, Trojanowski JQ, Sun H, Mercken MH. Discovery and Functional Characterization of hPT3, a Humanized Anti-Phospho Tau Selective Monoclonal Antibody. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 77:1397-1416. [PMID: 32894244 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a consequence of the discovery of an extracellular component responsible for the progression of tau pathology, tau immunotherapy is being extensively explored in both preclinical and clinical studies as a disease modifying strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. OBJECTIVE Describe the characteristics of the anti-phospho (T212/T217) tau selective antibody PT3 and its humanized variant hPT3. METHODS By performing different immunization campaigns, a large collection of antibodies has been generated and prioritized. In depth, in vitro characterization using surface plasmon resonance, phospho-epitope mapping, and X-ray crystallography experiments were performed. Further characterization involved immunohistochemical staining on mouse- and human postmortem tissue and neutralization of tau seeding by immunodepletion assays. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Various in vitro experiments demonstrated a high intrinsic affinity for PT3 and hPT3 for AD brain-derived paired helical filaments but also to non-aggregated phospho (T212/T217) tau. Further functional analyses in cellular and in vivo models of tau seeding demonstrated almost complete depletion of tau seeds in an AD brain homogenate. Ongoing trials will provide the clinical evaluation of the tau spreading hypothesis in Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristof Van Kolen
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Thomas J Malia
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Clara Theunis
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Rupesh Nanjunda
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Alexey Teplyakov
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Robin Ernst
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Sheng-Jiun Wu
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Jinquan Luo
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Marianne Borgers
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Marc Vandermeeren
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Astrid Bottelbergs
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Cindy Wintmolders
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Eilyn Lacy
- Biologics Research, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Hervé Maurin
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Peter Larsen
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Roland Willems
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Tom Van De Casteele
- Translational Medicine and Early Development Statistics Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Randy Slemmon
- Neuroscience biomarkers, Janssen Research & Development, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wendy Galpern
- Neuroscience Experimental medicine, Janssen Research & Development, Titusville, NJ, USA
| | | | - Hong Sun
- Neuroscience Clinical Development, Janssen Research & Development, Titusville, NJ, USA
| | - Marc H Mercken
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Research and Development, Beerse, Belgium
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34
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Lo CH. Recent advances in cellular biosensor technology to investigate tau oligomerization. Bioeng Transl Med 2021; 6:e10231. [PMID: 34589603 PMCID: PMC8459642 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule binding protein which plays an important role in physiological functions but it is also involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. While insoluble and β-sheet containing tau neurofibrillary tangles have been the histopathological hallmark of these diseases, recent studies suggest that soluble tau oligomers, which are formed prior to fibrils, are the primary toxic species. Substantial efforts have been made to generate tau oligomers using purified recombinant protein strategies to study oligomer conformations as well as their toxicity. However, no specific toxic tau species has been identified to date, potentially due to the lack of cellular environment. Hence, there is a need for cell-based models for direct monitoring of tau oligomerization and aggregation. This review will summarize the recent advances in the cellular biosensor technology, with a focus on fluorescence resonance energy transfer, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and split luciferase complementation approaches, to monitor formation of tau oligomers and aggregates in living cells. We will discuss the applications of the cellular biosensors in examining the heterogeneous tau conformational ensembles and factors affecting tau self-assembly, as well as detecting cell-to-cell propagation of tau pathology. We will also compare the advantages and limitations of each type of tau biosensors, and highlight their translational applications in biomarker development and therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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35
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Pascoal TA, Benedet AL, Ashton NJ, Kang MS, Therriault J, Chamoun M, Savard M, Lussier FZ, Tissot C, Karikari TK, Ottoy J, Mathotaarachchi S, Stevenson J, Massarweh G, Schöll M, de Leon MJ, Soucy JP, Edison P, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Gauthier S, Rosa-Neto P. Microglial activation and tau propagate jointly across Braak stages. Nat Med 2021; 27:1592-1599. [PMID: 34446931 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01456-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Compelling experimental evidence suggests that microglial activation is involved in the spread of tau tangles over the neocortex in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We tested the hypothesis that the spatial propagation of microglial activation and tau accumulation colocalize in a Braak-like pattern in the living human brain. We studied 130 individuals across the aging and AD clinical spectrum with positron emission tomography brain imaging for microglial activation ([11C]PBR28), amyloid-β (Aβ) ([18F]AZD4694) and tau ([18F]MK-6240) pathologies. We further assessed microglial triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations and brain gene expression patterns. We found that [11C]PBR28 correlated with CSF soluble TREM2 and showed regional distribution resembling TREM2 gene expression. Network analysis revealed that microglial activation and tau correlated hierarchically with each other following Braak-like stages. Regression analysis revealed that the longitudinal tau propagation pathways depended on the baseline microglia network rather than the tau network circuits. The co-occurrence of Aβ, tau and microglia abnormalities was the strongest predictor of cognitive impairment in our study population. Our findings support a model where an interaction between Aβ and activated microglia sets the pace for tau spread across Braak stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharick A Pascoal
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. .,Departments of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. .,Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. .,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Andrea L Benedet
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK.,NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London and Maudsley, NHS Foundation, London, UK
| | - Min Su Kang
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Joseph Therriault
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Melissa Savard
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Firoza Z Lussier
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cécile Tissot
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Julie Ottoy
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,LC Campbell Cognitive Neurology Unit, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sulantha Mathotaarachchi
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jenna Stevenson
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gassan Massarweh
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Schöll
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Mony J de Leon
- Department of Radiology Weill Medical Center Brain Health Imaging Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jean-Paul Soucy
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paul Edison
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Serge Gauthier
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory, McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Douglas Research Institute, Le Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, and Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. .,Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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36
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The extracellular chaperone Clusterin enhances Tau aggregate seeding in a cellular model. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4863. [PMID: 34381050 PMCID: PMC8357826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25060-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spreading of aggregate pathology across brain regions acts as a driver of disease progression in Tau-related neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia. Aggregate seeds released from affected cells are internalized by naïve cells and induce the prion-like templating of soluble Tau into neurotoxic aggregates. Here we show in a cellular model system and in neurons that Clusterin, an abundant extracellular chaperone, strongly enhances Tau aggregate seeding. Upon interaction with Tau aggregates, Clusterin stabilizes highly potent, soluble seed species. Tau/Clusterin complexes enter recipient cells via endocytosis and compromise the endolysosomal compartment, allowing transfer to the cytosol where they propagate aggregation of endogenous Tau. Thus, upregulation of Clusterin, as observed in AD patients, may enhance Tau seeding and possibly accelerate the spreading of Tau pathology. Variants of the extracellular chaperone Clusterin are associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Clusterin levels are elevated in AD patient brains. Here, the authors show that Clusterin binds to oligomeric Tau, which enhances the seeding capacity of Tau aggregates upon cellular uptake. They also demonstrate that Tau/Clusterin complexes enter cells via the endosomal pathway, resulting in damage to endolysosomes and entry into the cytosol, where they induce the aggregation of endogenous, soluble Tau.
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37
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Hitt BD, Vaquer-Alicea J, Manon VA, Beaver JD, Kashmer OM, Garcia JN, Diamond MI. Ultrasensitive tau biosensor cells detect no seeding in Alzheimer's disease CSF. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:99. [PMID: 34039426 PMCID: PMC8152020 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01185-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein forms self-replicating assemblies (seeds) that may underlie progression of pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Seeding in recombinant protein preparations and brain homogenates has been quantified with “biosensor” cell lines that express tau with a disease-associated mutation (P301S) fused to complementary fluorescent proteins. Quantification of induced aggregation in cells that score positive by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is accomplished by cell imaging or flow cytometry. Several groups have reported seeding activity in antemortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using various methods, but these findings are not yet widely replicated. To address this question, we created two improved FRET-based biosensor cell lines based on tau expression, termed version 2 low (v2L) and version 2 high (v2H). We determined that v2H cells are ~ 100-fold more sensitive to AD-derived tau seeds than our original lines, and coupled with immunoprecipitation reliably detect seeding from samples containing as little as 100 attomoles of recombinant tau fibrils or ~ 32 pg of total protein from AD brain homogenate. We tested antemortem CSF from 11 subjects with a clinical diagnosis of AD, 9 confirmed by validated CSF biomarkers. We used immunoprecipitation coupled with seed detection in v2H cells and detected no tau seeding in any sample. Thus we cannot confirm prior reports of tau seeding activity in the CSF of AD patients. This next generation of ultra-sensitive tau biosensors may nonetheless be useful to the research community to quantify tau pathology as sensitively and specifically as possible.
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38
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Continuous Monitoring of Tau-Induced Neurotoxicity in Patient-Derived iPSC-Neurons. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4335-4348. [PMID: 33893219 PMCID: PMC8143197 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2590-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregation within neurons is a critical feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. It is believed that soluble pathologic tau species seed the formation of tau aggregates in a prion-like manner and propagate through connected neurons during the progression of disease. Both soluble and aggregated forms of tau are thought to have neurotoxic properties. In addition, different strains of misfolded tau may cause differential neurotoxicity. In this work, we present an accelerated human neuronal model of tau-induced neurotoxicity that incorporates both soluble tau species and tau aggregation. Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) neurons expressing a tau aggregation biosensor, we develop a cell culture system that allows continuous assessment of both induced tau aggregation and neuronal viability at single-cell resolution for periods of >1 week. We show that exogenous tau “seed” uptake, as measured by tau repeat domain (TauRD) reporter aggregation, increases the risk for subsequent neuronal death in vitro. These results are the first to directly visualize neuronal TauRD aggregation and subsequent cell death in single human iPSC neurons. Specific morphologic strains or patterns of TauRD aggregation are then identified and associated with differing neurotoxicity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that familial AD iPSC neurons expressing the PSEN1 L435F mutation exhibit accelerated TauRD aggregation kinetics and a tau strain propagation bias when compared with control iPSC neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuronal intracellular aggregation of the microtubule binding protein tau occurs in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative tauopathies. Tau aggregates are believed to spread from neuron to neuron via prion-like misfolded tau seeds. Our work develops a human neuronal live-imaging system to visualize seeded tau aggregation and tau-induced neurotoxicity within single neurons. Using an aggregation-sensing tau reporter, we find that neuronal uptake and propagation of tau seeds reduces subsequent survival. In addition, human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) neurons carrying an Alzheimer's disease-causing mutation in presenilin-1 undergo tau seeding more rapidly than control iPSC neurons. However, they do not show subsequent differences in neuronal survival. Finally, specific morphologies of tau aggregates are associated with increased neurotoxicity.
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39
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Lathuiliere A, Hyman BT. Quantitative Methods for the Detection of Tau Seeding Activity in Human Biofluids. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:654176. [PMID: 33828458 PMCID: PMC8020844 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.654176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of tau aggregates to recruit and misfold monomeric tau and propagate across brain regions has been studied extensively and is now recognized as a critical pathological step in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Recent evidence suggests that the detection of tau seeds in human samples may be relevant and correlate with clinical data. Here, we review the available methods for the measurement of such tau seeds, their limitations and their potential implementation for the development of the next-generation biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelien Lathuiliere
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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40
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Miller LVC, Mukadam AS, Durrant CS, Vaysburd MJ, Katsinelos T, Tuck BJ, Sanford S, Sheppard O, Knox C, Cheng S, James LC, Coleman MP, McEwan WA. Tau assemblies do not behave like independently acting prion-like particles in mouse neural tissue. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:41. [PMID: 33712082 PMCID: PMC7953780 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01141-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental property of infectious agents is their particulate nature: infectivity arises from independently-acting particles rather than as a result of collective action. Assemblies of the protein tau can exhibit seeding behaviour, potentially underlying the apparent spread of tau aggregation in many neurodegenerative diseases. Here we ask whether tau assemblies share with classical pathogens the characteristic of particulate behaviour. We used organotypic hippocampal slice cultures from P301S tau transgenic mice in order to precisely control the concentration of extracellular tau assemblies in neural tissue. Whilst untreated slices displayed no overt signs of pathology, exposure to recombinant tau assemblies could result in the formation of intraneuronal, hyperphosphorylated tau structures. However, seeding ability of tau assemblies did not titrate in a one-hit manner in neural tissue. The results suggest that seeding behaviour of tau arises at high concentrations, with implications for the interpretation of high-dose intracranial challenge experiments and the possible contribution of seeded aggregation to human disease.
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41
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Asher DM, Belay E, Bigio E, Brandner S, Brubaker SA, Caughey B, Clark B, Damon I, Diamond M, Freund M, Hyman BT, Jucker M, Keene CD, Lieberman AP, Mackiewicz M, Montine TJ, Morgello S, Phelps C, Safar J, Schneider JA, Schonberger LB, Sigurdson C, Silverberg N, Trojanowski JQ, Frosch MP. Risk of Transmissibility From Neurodegenerative Disease-Associated Proteins: Experimental Knowns and Unknowns. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2021; 79:1141-1146. [PMID: 33000167 PMCID: PMC7577514 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlaa109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies in animal models demonstrate that certain misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases can support templated misfolding of cognate native proteins, to propagate across neural systems, and to therefore have some of the properties of classical prion diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The National Institute of Aging convened a meeting to discuss the implications of these observations for research priorities. A summary of the discussion is presented here, with a focus on limitations of current knowledge, highlighting areas that appear to require further investigation in order to guide scientific practice while minimizing potential exposure or risk in the laboratory setting. The committee concluded that, based on all currently available data, although neurodegenerative disease-associated aggregates of several different non-prion proteins can be propagated from humans to experimental animals, there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest more than a negligible risk, if any, of a direct infectious etiology for the human neurodegenerative disorders defined in part by these proteins. Given the importance of this question, the potential for noninvasive human transmission of proteopathic disorders is deserving of further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Asher
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Ermias Belay
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Eileen Bigio
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sebastian Brandner
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Queen Square, London
| | - Scott A Brubaker
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana
| | - Brychan Clark
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Inger Damon
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Marc Diamond
- Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Michelle Freund
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mathias Jucker
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Andrew P Lieberman
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Miroslaw Mackiewicz
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Thomas J Montine
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Susan Morgello
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Pathology, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Creighton Phelps
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Jiri Safar
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Julie A Schneider
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lawrence B Schonberger
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christina Sigurdson
- Department of Pathology, University of California - San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Nina Silverberg
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Matthew P Frosch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Pampuscenko K, Morkuniene R, Krasauskas L, Smirnovas V, Tomita T, Borutaite V. Distinct Neurotoxic Effects of Extracellular Tau Species in Primary Neuronal-Glial Cultures. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:658-667. [PMID: 33001416 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02150-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent data from various experimental models support the link between extracellular tau and neurodegeneration; however, the exact mechanisms by which extracellular tau or its modified forms or aggregates cause neuronal death remain unclear. We have previously shown that exogenously applied monomers and oligomers of the longest tau isoform (2N4R) at micromolar concentrations induced microglial phagocytosis of stressed-but-viable neurons in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether extracellular phosphorylated tau2N4R (p-tau2N4R), isoform 1N4R (tau1N4R) and K18 peptide can induce neuronal death or loss in primary neuronal-glial cell cultures. We found that p-tau2N4R at 30 nM concentration induced loss of viable neurons; however, 700 nM p-tau2N4R caused necrosis of both neurons and microglia, and this neuronal death was partially glial cell-dependent. We also found that extracellular tau1N4R oligomers, but not monomers, at 3 μM concentration caused neuronal death in mixed cell cultures: self-assembly tau1N4R dimers-tetramers induced neuronal necrosis and apoptosis, whereas Aβ-promoted tau1N4R oligomers caused glial cell-dependent loss of neurons without signs of increased cell death. Monomeric and pre-aggregated tau peptide containing 4R repeats (K18) had no effect in mixed cultures, suggesting that tau neurotoxicity might be dependent on N-terminal part of the protein. Taken together, our results show that extracellular p-tau2N4R is the most toxic form among investigated tau species inducing loss of neurons at low nanomolar concentrations and that neurotoxicity of tau1N4R is dependent on its aggregation state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katryna Pampuscenko
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Ramune Morkuniene
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Lukas Krasauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Smirnovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Taisuke Tomita
- Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vilmante Borutaite
- Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
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43
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Characterization of tau binding by gosuranemab. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 146:105120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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44
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Dominguez-Meijide A, Vasili E, Outeiro TF. Pharmacological Modulators of Tau Aggregation and Spreading. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E858. [PMID: 33203009 PMCID: PMC7696562 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the deposition of aggregates composed of abnormal tau protein in the brain. Additionally, misfolded forms of tau can propagate from cell to cell and throughout the brain. This process is thought to lead to the templated misfolding of the native forms of tau, and thereby, to the formation of newer toxic aggregates, thereby propagating the disease. Therefore, modulation of the processes that lead to tau aggregation and spreading is of utmost importance in the fight against tauopathies. In recent years, several molecules have been developed for the modulation of tau aggregation and spreading. In this review, we discuss the processes of tau aggregation and spreading and highlight selected chemicals developed for the modulation of these processes, their usefulness, and putative mechanisms of action. Ultimately, a stronger understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved, and the properties of the substances developed to modulate them, will lead to the development of safer and better strategies for the treatment of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Dominguez-Meijide
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; (A.D.-M.); (E.V.)
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Dept. of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, IDIS, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; (A.D.-M.); (E.V.)
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany; (A.D.-M.); (E.V.)
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
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45
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Marreiro A, Van Kolen K, Sousa C, Temmerman L, Vasconcelos B, Crespo-Rodriguez R, van Weering JRT, Van Dam D, De Deyn PP, Apetri A, Schoofs L, Mercken MH. Comparison of size distribution and (Pro249-Ser258) epitope exposure in in vitro and in vivo derived Tau fibrils. BMC Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:81. [PMID: 33183222 PMCID: PMC7661158 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-020-00320-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several studies demonstrate prion-like properties of Tau fibrils, the effect of size in the seeding capacity of these aggregates is not fully understood. The aim of this study is to characterize Tau seeds by their size and seeding capacity. METHODS Tau aggregates were isolated from postmortem AD brain tissue and separated from low molecular weight species by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Biochemical characterization of the different fractions was done by non-reducing Western blotting and aggregate-specific immuno-assays using in house developed anti-Tau monoclonal antibodies, including PT76 which binds to an epitope close to the microtubule-binding domain and, hence, also to K18. Seeding efficiency was then assessed in HEK293 cells expressing K18 FRET sensors. RESULTS We observed that upon sonication of Tau aggregates different size-distributed tau aggregates are obtained. In biochemical assays, these forms show higher signals than the non-sonicated material in some aggregation-specific Tau assays. This could be explained by an increased epitope exposure of the smaller aggregates created by the sonication. By analyzing human brain derived and recombinant (K18) Tau aggregates in a cellular FRET assay, it was observed that, in the absence of transfection reagent, sonicated aggregates showed higher aggregation induction. Preparations also showed altered profiles on native PAGE upon sonication and we could further separate different aggregate species based on their molecular weight via sucrose gradients. CONCLUSIONS This study further elucidates the molecular properties regarding relative aggregate size and seeding efficiency of sonicated vs. non-sonicated high molecular weight Tau species. This information will provide a better knowledge on how sonication, a commonly used technique in the field of study of Tau aggregation, impacts the aggregates. In addition, the description of PT76-based aggregation specific assay is a valuable tool to quantify K18 and human AD Tau fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Marreiro
- Neuroscience department, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.,Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristof Van Kolen
- Neuroscience department, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Cristiano Sousa
- Neuroscience department, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Vasconcelos
- Neuroscience department, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Rosa Crespo-Rodriguez
- Janssen Prevention Center, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Archimedesweg 6, 2333, CN, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Neurochemistry Lab, Clinical Chemistry department of the Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan R T van Weering
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Debby Van Dam
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter P De Deyn
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology and Memory Clinic, Hospital Network Antwerp (ZNA) Middelheim and Hoge Beuken, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.,Biobank, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Adrian Apetri
- Janssen Prevention Center, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Archimedesweg 6, 2333, CN, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marc H Mercken
- Neuroscience department, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
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46
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Jaunmuktane Z, Brandner S. Invited Review: The role of prion-like mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2020; 46:522-545. [PMID: 31868945 PMCID: PMC7687189 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The prototype of transmissible neurodegenerative proteinopathies is prion diseases, characterized by aggregation of abnormally folded conformers of the native prion protein. A wealth of mechanisms has been proposed to explain the conformational conversion from physiological protein into misfolded, pathological form, mode of toxicity, propagation from cell-to-cell and regional spread. There is increasing evidence that other neurodegenerative diseases, most notably Alzheimer's disease (Aβ and tau), Parkinson's disease (α-synuclein), frontotemporal dementia (TDP43, tau or FUS) and motor neurone disease (TDP43), exhibit at least some of the misfolded prion protein properties. In this review, we will discuss to what extent each of the properties of misfolded prion protein is known to occur for Aβ, tau, α-synuclein and TDP43, with particular focus on self-propagation through seeding, conformational strains, selective cellular and regional vulnerability, stability and resistance to inactivation, oligomers, toxicity and summarize the most recent literature on transmissibility of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. Jaunmuktane
- Division of NeuropathologyNational Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryUniversity College London NHS Foundation Trust
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders
| | - S. Brandner
- Division of NeuropathologyNational Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryUniversity College London NHS Foundation Trust
- Department of Neurodegenerative diseaseQueen Square Institute of NeurologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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47
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Bjorkli C, Sandvig A, Sandvig I. Bridging the Gap Between Fluid Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease, Model Systems, and Patients. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:272. [PMID: 32982716 PMCID: PMC7492751 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of two proteins in fibrillar form: amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau. Despite decades of intensive research, we cannot yet pinpoint the exact cause of the disease or unequivocally determine the exact mechanism(s) underlying its progression. This confounds early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, which can reveal ongoing biochemical changes in the brain, can help monitor developing AD pathology prior to clinical diagnosis. Here we review preclinical and clinical investigations of commonly used biomarkers in animals and patients with AD, which can bridge translation from model systems into the clinic. The core AD biomarkers have been found to translate well across species, whereas biomarkers of neuroinflammation translate to a lesser extent. Nevertheless, there is no absolute equivalence between biomarkers in human AD patients and those examined in preclinical models in terms of revealing key pathological hallmarks of the disease. In this review, we provide an overview of current but also novel AD biomarkers and how they relate to key constituents of the pathological cascade, highlighting confounding factors and pitfalls in interpretation, and also provide recommendations for standardized procedures during sample collection to enhance the translational validity of preclinical AD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Bjorkli
- Sandvig Group, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Axel Sandvig
- Sandvig Group, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Institute of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Department of Neurology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neuro, Head, and Neck, University Hospital of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ioanna Sandvig
- Sandvig Group, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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48
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De La-Rocque S, Moretto E, Butnaru I, Schiavo G. Knockin' on heaven's door: Molecular mechanisms of neuronal tau uptake. J Neurochem 2020; 156:563-588. [PMID: 32770783 PMCID: PMC8432157 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Since aggregates of the microtubule‐binding protein tau were found to be the main component of neurofibrillary tangles more than 30 years ago, their contribution to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies has become well established. Recent work shows that both tau load and its distribution in the brain of AD patients correlate with cognitive decline more closely compared to amyloid plaque deposition. In addition, the amyloid cascade hypothesis has been recently challenged because of disappointing results of clinical trials designed to treat AD by reducing beta‐amyloid levels, thus fuelling a renewed interest in tau. There is now robust evidence to indicate that tau pathology can spread within the central nervous system via a prion‐like mechanism following a stereotypical pattern, which can be explained by the trans‐synaptic inter‐neuronal transfer of pathological tau. In the receiving neuron, tau has been shown to take multiple routes of internalisation, which are partially dependent on its conformation and aggregation status. Here, we review the emerging mechanisms proposed for the uptake of extracellular tau in neurons and the requirements for the propagation of its pathological conformers, addressing how they gain access to physiological tau monomers in the cytosol. Furthermore, we highlight some of the key mechanistic gaps of the field, which urgently need to be addressed to expand our understanding of tau propagation and lead to the identification of new therapeutic strategies for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha De La-Rocque
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Edoardo Moretto
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ioana Butnaru
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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49
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Katsikoudi A, Ficulle E, Cavallini A, Sharman G, Guyot A, Zagnoni M, Eastwood BJ, Hutton M, Bose S. Quantitative propagation of assembled human Tau from Alzheimer's disease brain in microfluidic neuronal cultures. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13079-13093. [PMID: 32699110 PMCID: PMC7489902 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau aggregation and hyperphosphorylation is a key neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the temporospatial spread of Tau observed during clinical manifestation suggests that Tau pathology may spread along the axonal network and propagate between synaptically connected neurons. Here, we have developed a cellular model that allows the study of human AD-derived Tau propagation from neuron to neuron using microfluidic devices. We show by using high-content imaging techniques and an in-house developed interactive computer program that human AD-derived Tau seeds rodent Tau that propagates trans-neuronally in a quantifiable manner in a microfluidic culture model. Moreover, we were able to convert this model to a medium-throughput format allowing the user to handle 16 two-chamber devices simultaneously in the footprint of a standard 96-well plate. Furthermore, we show that a small molecule inhibitor of aggregation can block the trans-neuronal transfer of Tau aggregates, suggesting that the system can be used to evaluate mechanisms of Tau transfer and find therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antigoni Katsikoudi
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Ficulle
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Annalisa Cavallini
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Sharman
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Amelie Guyot
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Zagnoni
- Centre for Microsystems & Photonics, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Brian J Eastwood
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hutton
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Suchira Bose
- Department of Neuroscience, Eli Lilly & Company Limited, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, United Kingdom.
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50
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Wong CO. Endosomal-Lysosomal Processing of Neurodegeneration-Associated Proteins in Astrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21145149. [PMID: 32708198 PMCID: PMC7404029 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21145149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Most common neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by deposition of protein aggregates that are resulted from misfolding, dysregulated trafficking, and compromised proteolytic degradation. These proteins exert cellular toxicity to a broad range of brain cells and are found in both neurons and glia. Extracellular monomeric and oligomeric ND-associated proteins are taken up by astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell in the brain. Internalization, intracellular trafficking, processing, and disposal of these proteins are executed by the endosomal-lysosomal system of astrocytes. Endosomal-lysosomal organelles thus mediate the cellular impact and metabolic fate of these toxic protein species. Given the indispensable role of astrocytes in brain metabolic homeostasis, the endosomal-lysosomal processing of these proteins plays a fundamental role in altering the trajectory of neurodegeneration. This review aims at summarizing the mounting evidence that has established the essential role of astrocytic endosomal-lysosomal organelles in the processing of amyloid precursor proteins, Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), tau, alpha synuclein, and huntingtin, which are associated with NDs such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-On Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
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