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Vicente M, Addo-Osafo K, Vossel K. Latest advances in mechanisms of epileptic activity in Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy Bodies. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1277613. [PMID: 38390593 PMCID: PMC10882721 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1277613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) stand as the prevailing sources of neurodegenerative dementia, impacting over 55 million individuals across the globe. Patients with AD and DLB exhibit a higher prevalence of epileptic activity compared to those with other forms of dementia. Seizures can accompany AD and DLB in early stages, and the associated epileptic activity can contribute to cognitive symptoms and exacerbate cognitive decline. Aberrant neuronal activity in AD and DLB may be caused by several mechanisms that are not yet understood. Hyperexcitability could be a biomarker for early detection of AD or DLB before the onset of dementia. In this review, we compare and contrast mechanisms of network hyperexcitability in AD and DLB. We examine the contributions of genetic risk factors, Ca2+ dysregulation, glutamate, AMPA and NMDA receptors, mTOR, pathological amyloid beta, tau and α-synuclein, altered microglial and astrocytic activity, and impaired inhibitory interneuron function. By gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms that cause neuronal hyperexcitability, we might uncover therapeutic approaches to effectively ease symptoms and slow down the advancement of AD and DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Vicente
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kwaku Addo-Osafo
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith Vossel
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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2
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Cruz E, Nisbet RM, Götz J. Break and accelerator-The mechanics of Tau (and amyloid) toxicity. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:24-29. [PMID: 37632370 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21781] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein Tau define more than a dozen primary tauopathies, and together with amyloid-β, the secondary tauopathy Alzheimer's disease (AD). Historically, Tau has been viewed as executor of amyloid-β toxicity, with the two molecules working together as "trigger and bullet." Given the two protein's opposing roles in protein translation, we wish to introduce another metaphor, borrowing from the mechanics of a car, with amyloid-β boosting Tau translation, whereas Tau puts a break on global translation. The underlying studies entail an alternative hypothesis regarding Tau's subcellular accumulation in AD, namely its de novo synthesis in the somatodendritic domain rather than the relocalization from the axon upon dissociation from microtubules. We contest that it may be worth (given Tau's 50th birthday) to revisit some entrenched dogmas about Tau's pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Cruz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rebecca M Nisbet
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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3
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Goedert M, Crowther RA, Scheres SHW, Spillantini MG. Tau and neurodegeneration. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:95-102. [PMID: 38073060 PMCID: PMC7615684 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
First identified in 1975, tau was implicated in Alzheimer's disease 10 years later. Filamentous tangle inclusions were known to be made of hyperphosphorylated tau by 1991, with similar inclusions gaining recognition for being associated with other neurodegenerative diseases. In 1998, mutations in MAPT, the gene that encodes tau, were identified as the cause of a dominantly inherited form of frontotemporal dementia with abundant filamentous tau inclusions. While this result indicated that assembly of tau into aberrant filaments is sufficient to drive neurodegeneration and dementia, most cases of tauopathy are sporadic. More recent work in experimental systems showed that filamentous assemblies of tau may first form in one brain area, and then spread to others in a prion-like fashion. Beginning in 2017, work on human brains using high-resolution techniques has led to a structure-based classification of tauopathies, which has opened the door to a better understanding of the significance of tau filament formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Goedert
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, UK
| | - R. Anthony Crowther
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sjors H. W. Scheres
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, UK
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Gao Y, Wang Y, Lei H, Xu Z, Li S, Yu H, Xie J, Zhang Z, Liu G, Zhang Y, Zheng J, Wang JZ. A novel transgenic mouse line with hippocampus-dominant and inducible expression of truncated human tau. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:51. [PMID: 37950283 PMCID: PMC10637005 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a defining hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, mouse models imitating AD-exclusive neuronal tau pathologies are lacking. METHODS We generated a new tet-on transgenic mouse model expressing truncated human tau N1-368 (termed hTau368), a tau fragment increased in the brains of AD patients and aged mouse brains. Doxycycline (dox) was administered in drinking water to induce hTau368 expression. Immunostaining and Western blotting were performed to measure the tau level. RNA sequencing was performed to evaluate gene expression, and several behavioral tests were conducted to evaluate mouse cognitive functions, emotion and locomotion. RESULTS Dox treatment for 1-2 months at a young age induced overt and reversible human tau accumulation in the brains of hTau368 transgenic mice, predominantly in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, the transgenic mice exhibited AD-like high level of tau phosphorylation, glial activation, loss of mature neurons, impaired hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic degeneration and cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS This study developed a well-characterized and easy-to-use tool for the investigations and drug development for AD and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Yuying Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Huiyang Lei
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhendong Xu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shihong Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Haitao Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jiazhao Xie
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Gongping Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, Department of Endocrine, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430077, China.
| | - Jie Zheng
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Jian-Zhi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226000, China.
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Schweighauser M, Murzin AG, Macdonald J, Lavenir I, Crowther RA, Scheres SHW, Goedert M. Cryo-EM structures of tau filaments from the brains of mice transgenic for human mutant P301S Tau. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:160. [PMID: 37798679 PMCID: PMC10552433 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01658-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice transgenic for human mutant P301S tau are widely used as models for human tauopathies. They develop neurodegeneration and abundant filamentous inclusions made of human mutant four-repeat tau. Here we used electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structures of tau filaments from the brains of Tg2541 and PS19 mice. Both lines express human P301S tau (0N4R for Tg2541 and 1N4R for PS19) on mixed genetic backgrounds and downstream of different promoters (murine Thy1 for Tg2541 and murine Prnp for PS19). The structures of tau filaments from Tg2541 and PS19 mice differ from each other and those of wild-type tau filaments from human brains. The structures of tau filaments from the brains of humans with mutations P301L, P301S or P301T in MAPT are not known. Filaments from the brains of Tg2541 and PS19 mice share a substructure at the junction of repeats 2 and 3, which comprises residues I297-V312 of tau and includes the P301S mutation. The filament core from the brainstem of Tg2541 mice consists of residues K274-H329 of tau and two disconnected protein densities. Two non-proteinaceous densities are also in evidence. The filament core from the cerebral cortex of line PS19 extends from residues G271-P364 of tau. One strong non-proteinaceous density is also present. Unlike the tau filaments from human brains, the sequences following repeat 4 are missing from the cores of tau filaments from the brains of Tg2541 and PS19 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexey G Murzin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Isabelle Lavenir
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Sjors H W Scheres
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Michel Goedert
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
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6
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Hirota Y, Sakakibara Y, Takei K, Nishijima R, Sekiya M, Iijima KM. Alzheimer's Disease-Related Phospho-Tau181 Signals Are Localized to Demyelinated Axons of Parvalbumin-Positive GABAergic Interneurons in an App Knock-In Mouse Model of Amyloid-β Pathology. J Alzheimers Dis 2023:JAD230121. [PMID: 37212118 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230121] [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: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tau protein phosphorylated at Thr181 (p-tau181) in cerebrospinal fluid and blood is a sensitive biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increased p-tau181 levels correlate well with amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology and precede neurofibrillary tangle formation in the early stage of AD; however, the relationship between p-tau181 and Aβ-mediated pathology is less well understood. We recently reported that p-tau181 represents axonal abnormalities in mice with Aβ pathology (AppNLGF). However, from which neuronal subtype(s) these p-tau181-positive axons originate remains elusive. OBJECTIVE The main purpose of this study is to differentiate neuronal subtype(s) and elucidate damage associated with p-tau181-positive axons by immunohistochemical analysis of AppNLGF mice brains. METHODS Colocalization between p-tau181 and (1) unmyelinated axons positive for vesicular acetylcholine transporter or norepinephrine transporter and (2) myelinated axons positive for vesicular glutamate transporter, vesicular GABA transporter, or parvalbumin in the brains of 24-month-old AppNLGF and control mice without Aβ pathology were analyzed. The density of these axons was also compared. RESULTS Unmyelinated axons of cholinergic or noradrenergic neurons did not overlap with p-tau181. By contrast, p-tau181 signals colocalized with myelinated axons of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons but not of glutamatergic neurons. Interestingly, the density of unmyelinated axons was significantly decreased in AppNLGF mice, whereas that of glutamatergic, GABAergic, or p-tau181-positive axons was less affected. Instead, myelin sheaths surrounding p-tau181-positive axons were significantly reduced in AppNLGF mice. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that p-tau181 signals colocalize with axons of parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons with disrupted myelin sheaths in the brains of a mouse model of Aβ pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Hirota
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasufumi Sakakibara
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kimi Takei
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Risa Nishijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Michiko Sekiya
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Koichi M Iijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
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7
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Langer Horvat L, Španić Popovački E, Babić Leko M, Zubčić K, Horvat L, Mustapić M, Hof PR, Šimić G. Anterograde and Retrograde Propagation of Inoculated Human Tau Fibrils and Tau Oligomers in a Non-Transgenic Rat Tauopathy Model. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041004. [PMID: 37189622 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041004] [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: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The tauopathy of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is first observed in the brainstem and entorhinal cortex, spreading trans-synaptically along specific pathways to other brain regions with recognizable patterns. Tau propagation occurs retrogradely and anterogradely (trans-synaptically) along a given pathway and through exosomes and microglial cells. Some aspects of in vivo tau spreading have been replicated in transgenic mice models expressing a mutated human MAPT (tau) gene and in wild-type mice. In this study, we aimed to characterize the propagation of different forms of tau species in non-transgenic 3-4 months old wild-type rats after a single unilateral injection of human tau oligomers and tau fibrils into the medial entorhinal cortex (mEC). We determined whether different variants of the inoculated human tau protein, tau fibrils, and tau oligomers, would induce similar neurofibrillary changes and propagate in an AD-related pattern, and how tau-related pathological changes would correlate with presumed cognitive impairment. We injected human tau fibrils and tau oligomers stereotaxically into the mEC and examined the distribution of tau-related changes at 3 days and 4, 8, and 11 months post-injection using antibodies AT8 and MC1, which reveal early phosphorylation and aberrant conformation of tau, respectively, HT7, anti-synaptophysin, and the Gallyas silver staining method. Human tau oligomers and tau fibrils exhibited some similarities and some differences in their ability to seed and propagate tau-related changes. Both human tau fibrils and tau oligomers rapidly propagated from the mEC anterogradely into the hippocampus and various parts of the neocortex. However, using a human tau-specific HT7 antibody, 3 days post-injection we found inoculated human tau oligomers in the red nucleus, primary motor, and primary somatosensory cortex, a finding not seen in animals inoculated with human tau fibrils. In animals inoculated with human tau fibrils, 3 days post-injection the HT7 antibody showed fibrils in the pontine reticular nucleus, a finding explained only by uptake of human tau fibrils by incoming presynaptic fibers to the mEC and retrograde transport of inoculated human tau fibrils to the brainstem. Rats inoculated with human tau fibrils showed as early as 4 months after inoculation a spread of phosphorylated tau protein at the AT8 epitopes throughout the brain, dramatically faster propagation of neurofibrillary changes than with human tau oligomers. The overall severity of tau protein changes 4, 8, and 11 months after inoculation of human tau oligomers and tau fibrils correlated well with spatial working memory and cognition impairments, as measured by the T-maze spontaneous alternation, novel object recognition, and object location tests. We concluded that this non-trangenic rat model of tauopathy, especially when using human tau fibrils, demonstrates rapidly developing pathologic alterations in neurons, synapses, and identifiable pathways together with cognitive and behavioral changes, through the anterograde and retrograde spreading of neurofibrillary degeneration. Therefore, it represents a promising model for future experimental studies of primary and secondary tauopathies, especially AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Langer Horvat
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ena Španić Popovački
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirjana Babić Leko
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Klara Zubčić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Luka Horvat
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maja Mustapić
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Goran Šimić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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8
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Sahara N, Yanai R. Limitations of human tau-expressing mouse models and novel approaches of mouse modeling for tauopathy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1149761. [PMID: 37152607 PMCID: PMC10157230 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1149761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein are primarily neuropathological features of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, collectively termed tauopathy. There is no disease-modifying drug available for tauopathy except anti-amyloid antibody therapies for Alzheimer's disease. For tau-targeting therapy, experimental models recapitulating human tau pathologies are indispensable. However, there are limited numbers of animal models that display intracellular filamentous tau aggregations. At present, several lines of P301L/S mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice successfully developed neurofibrillary pathology in the central nervous system, while most non-mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice rarely developed tau pathology. Importantly, recent studies have revealed that transgenes disrupt the coding sequence of endogenous genes, resulting in deletions and/or structural variations at the insertion site. Although any impact on the pathogenesis of tauopathy is unknown, gene disruptions may affect age-related neurodegeneration including tangle formation and brain atrophy. Moreover, some mouse lines show strain-dependent pathological features. These limitations (FTDP-17 mutations, insertion/deletion mutations, and genetic background) are a major hindrance to the establishment of a precise disease model of tauopathy. In this review, we noticed both the utility and the pitfalls of current P301L/S mutant tau-expressing transgenic mice, and we propose future strategies of mouse modeling to replicate human tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhiko Sahara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Rin Yanai
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
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Increase in Tau Pathology in P290S Mapt Knock-In Mice Crossed with App NL-G-F Mice. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0247-22.2022. [PMID: 36635241 PMCID: PMC9770019 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0247-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by the pathologic assembly of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide, which deposits into extracellular plaques, and tau, which accumulates in intraneuronal inclusions. To investigate the link between Aβ and tau pathologies, experimental models featuring both pathologies are needed. We developed a mouse model featuring both tau and Aβ pathologies by knocking the P290S mutation into murine Mapt and crossing these Mapt P290S knock-in (KI) mice with the App NL-G-F KI line. Mapt P290S KI mice developed a small number of tau inclusions, which increased with age. The amount of tau pathology was significantly larger in App NL-G-F xMapt P290S KI mice from 18 months of age onward. Tau pathology was higher in limbic areas, including hippocampus, amygdala, and piriform/entorhinal cortex. We also observed AT100-positive and Gallyas-Braak-silver-positive dystrophic neurites containing assembled filamentous tau, as visualized by in situ electron microscopy. Using a cell-based tau seeding assay, we showed that Sarkosyl-insoluble brain extracts from both 18-month-old Mapt P290S KI and App NL-G-F xMapt P290S KI mice were seed competent, with brain extracts from double-KI mice seeding significantly more than those from the Mapt P290S KI mice. Finally, we showed that App NL-G-F xMapt P290S KI mice had neurodegeneration in the piriform cortex from 18 months of age. We suggest that App NL-G-F xMapt P290S KI mice provide a good model for studying the interactions of aggregation-prone tau, Aβ, neuritic plaques, neurodegeneration, and aging.
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Reassessment of Neuronal Tau Distribution in Adult Human Brain and Implications for Tau Pathobiology. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:94. [PMID: 35765058 PMCID: PMC9237980 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01394-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a predominantly neuronal, soluble and natively unfolded protein that can bind and stabilize microtubules in the central nervous system. Tau has been extensively studied over several decades, especially in the context of neurodegenerative diseases where it can aberrantly aggregate to form a spectrum of pathological inclusions. The presence of tau inclusions in the form of neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads and dystrophic neurites within senile plaques are essential and defining features of Alzheimer’s disease. The current dogma favors the notion that tau is predominantly an axonal protein, and that in Alzheimer’s disease there is a redistribution of tau towards the neuronal soma that is associated with the formation of pathological inclusions such as neurofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads. Using novel as well as previously established highly specific tau antibodies, we demonstrate that contrary to this overwhelmingly accepted fact, as asserted in numerous articles and reviews, in adult human brain, tau is more abundant in cortical gray matter that is enriched in neuronal soma and dendrites compared to white matter that is predominantly rich in neuronal axons. Additionally, in Alzheimer’s disease tau pathology is significantly more abundant in the brain cortical gray matter of affected brain regions compared to the adjacent white matter regions. These findings have important implications for the biological function of tau as well as the mechanisms involved in the progressive spread of tau associated with the insidious nature of Alzheimer’s disease.
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11
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Chen B, Marquez-Nostra B, Belitzky E, Toyonaga T, Tong J, Huang Y, Cai Z. PET Imaging in Animal Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:872509. [PMID: 35685772 PMCID: PMC9171374 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.872509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The successful development and translation of PET imaging agents targeting β-amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau tangles have allowed for in vivo detection of these hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) antemortem. Amyloid and tau PET have been incorporated into the A/T/N scheme for AD characterization and have become an integral part of ongoing clinical trials to screen patients for enrollment, prove drug action mechanisms, and monitor therapeutic effects. Meanwhile, preclinical PET imaging in animal models of AD can provide supportive information for mechanistic studies. With the recent advancement of gene editing technologies and AD animal model development, preclinical PET imaging in AD models will further facilitate our understanding of AD pathogenesis/progression and the development of novel treatments. In this study, we review the current state-of-the-art in preclinical PET imaging using animal models of AD and suggest future research directions.
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12
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Ferrer I, Andrés-Benito P, Garcia-Esparcia P, López-Gonzalez I, Valiente D, Jordán-Pirla M, Carmona M, Sala-Jarque J, Gil V, del Rio JA. Differences in Tau Seeding in Newborn and Adult Wild-Type Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4789. [PMID: 35563179 PMCID: PMC9099670 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies are common neurodegenerative diseases in older adults; in contrast, abnormal tau deposition in neurons and glial cells occurs only exceptionally in children. Sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from sporadic AD (sAD) containing paired helical filaments (PHFs) were inoculated unilaterally into the thalamus in newborn and three-month-old wild-type C57BL/6 mice, which were killed at different intervals from 24 h to six months after inoculation. Tau-positive cells were scanty and practically disappeared at three months in mice inoculated at the age of a newborn. In contrast, large numbers of tau-positive cells, including neurons and oligodendrocytes, were found in the thalamus of mice inoculated at three months and killed at the ages of six months and nine months. Mice inoculated at the age of newborn and re-inoculated at the age of three months showed similar numbers and distribution of positive cells in the thalamus at six months and nine months. This study shows that (a) differences in tau seeding between newborn and young adults may be related to the ratios between 3Rtau and 4Rtau, and the shift to 4Rtau predominance in adults, together with the immaturity of connections in newborn mice, and (b) intracerebral inoculation of sAD PHFs in newborn mice does not protect from tau seeding following intracerebral inoculation of sAD PHFs in young/adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Paula Garcia-Esparcia
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Irene López-Gonzalez
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Diego Valiente
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Mónica Jordán-Pirla
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Margarita Carmona
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; (P.A.-B.); (P.G.-E.); (I.L.-G.); (D.V.); (M.J.-P.); (M.C.)
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre—IDIBELL, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases—CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, Feixa Llarga sn, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Julia Sala-Jarque
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain; (J.S.-J.); (V.G.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Vanessa Gil
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain; (J.S.-J.); (V.G.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Antonio del Rio
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain; (J.S.-J.); (V.G.); (J.A.d.R.)
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac sn, 08020 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain
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13
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Kühn R, Mahajan A, Canoll P, Hargus G. Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Frontotemporal Dementia With Tau Pathology. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:766773. [PMID: 34858989 PMCID: PMC8631302 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.766773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative dementias are the most common group of neurodegenerative diseases affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. One of these diseases is frontotemporal dementia (FTD), an early onset dementia and one of the leading causes of dementia in people under the age of 60. FTD is a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders with pathological accumulation of particular proteins in neurons and glial cells including the microtubule-associated protein tau, which is deposited in its hyperphosphorylated form in about half of all patients with FTD. As for other patients with dementia, there is currently no cure for patients with FTD and thus several lines of research focus on the characterization of underlying pathogenic mechanisms with the goal to identify therapeutic targets. In this review, we provide an overview of reported disease phenotypes in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and glial cells from patients with tau-associated FTD with the aim to highlight recent progress in this fast-moving field of iPSC disease modeling. We put a particular focus on genetic forms of the disease that are linked to mutations in the gene encoding tau and summarize mutation-associated changes in FTD patient cells related to tau splicing and tau phosphorylation, microtubule function and cell metabolism as well as calcium homeostasis and cellular stress. In addition, we discuss challenges and limitations but also opportunities using differentiated patient-derived iPSCs for disease modeling and biomedical research on neurodegenerative diseases including FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Kühn
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Aayushi Mahajan
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Peter Canoll
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gunnar Hargus
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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14
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Yin X, Zhou Z, Qiu Y, Fan X, Zhao C, Bao J, Liu C, Liu F, Qian W. SIRT1 Regulates Tau Expression and Tau Synaptic Pathology. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 84:895-904. [PMID: 34602486 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are two pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, synaptic deficits occur much earlier and correlate stronger with cognitive decline than amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Mislocalization of tau is an early hallmark of neurodegeneration and precedes aggregations. Sirtuin type 1 (SIRT1) is a deacetylase which acts on proteins including transcriptional factors and associates closely with AD. OBJECTIVE The present study investigated the association between SIRT1 and tau expression/tau localization in cells and in mice brains. METHODS Western blot was performed to detected tau, SIRT1, C/EBPα, and GAPDH protein levels. Immunological fluorescence assay was used to assess tau localization in primary cortical neuronal cells. Golgi staining was performed to evaluated dendritic spine morphology in mice brains. RESULTS In the present study, we found that SIRT1 negatively regulates expression of tau at the transcriptional level through transcriptional factor C/EBPα. Inhibition of the activity of SIRT1 limits the distribution of tau to the neurites. In the meantime, the alteration of dendritic spine morphology is also observed in the brains of SIRT1+/- mice. CONCLUSION SIRT1 may be a potential drug target for early intervention in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Yanyan Qiu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Xing Fan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Chenhao Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Junze Bao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Chenxu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Wei Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, P.R. China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, P.R. China
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15
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Robbins M, Clayton E, Kaminski Schierle GS. Synaptic tau: A pathological or physiological phenomenon? Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:149. [PMID: 34503576 PMCID: PMC8428049 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01246-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the synaptic aspects of Tau pathology occurring during Alzheimer's disease (AD) and how this may relate to memory impairment, a major hallmark of AD. Whilst the clinical diagnosis of AD patients is a loss of working memory and long-term declarative memory, the histological diagnosis is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau and Amyloid-beta plaques. Tau pathology spreads through synaptically connected neurons to impair synaptic function preceding the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, synaptic loss, axonal retraction and cell death. Alongside synaptic pathology, recent data suggest that Tau has physiological roles in the pre- or post- synaptic compartments. Thus, we have seen a shift in the research focus from Tau as a microtubule-stabilising protein in axons, to Tau as a synaptic protein with roles in accelerating spine formation, dendritic elongation, and in synaptic plasticity coordinating memory pathways. We collate here the myriad of emerging interactions and physiological roles of synaptic Tau, and discuss the current evidence that synaptic Tau contributes to pathology in AD.
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16
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Dávila-Bouziguet E, Casòliba-Melich A, Targa-Fabra G, Galera-López L, Ozaita A, Maldonado R, Ávila J, Delgado-García JM, Gruart A, Soriano E, Pascual M. Functional protection in J20/VLW mice: a model of non-demented with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Brain 2021; 145:729-743. [PMID: 34424282 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease comprises amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated Tau accumulation, imbalanced neuronal activity, aberrant oscillatory rhythms, and cognitive deficits. Non-Demented with Alzheimer's disease Neuropathology (NDAN) defines a novel clinical entity with amyloid-β and Tau pathologies but preserved cognition. The mechanisms underlying such neuroprotection remain undetermined and animal models of NDAN are currently unavailable. We demonstrate that J20/VLW mice (accumulating amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated Tau) exhibit preserved hippocampal rhythmic activity and cognition, as opposed to J20 and VLW animals, which show significant alterations. Furthermore, we show that the overexpression of mutant human Tau in coexistence with amyloid-β accumulation renders a particular hyperphosphorylated Tau signature in hippocampal interneurons. The GABAergic septohippocampal pathway, responsible for hippocampal rhythmic activity, is preserved in J20/VLW mice, in contrast to single mutants. Our data highlight J20/VLW mice as a suitable animal model in which to explore the mechanisms driving cognitive preservation in NDAN. Moreover, they suggest that a differential Tau phosphorylation pattern in hippocampal interneurons prevents the loss of GABAergic septohippocampal innervation and alterations in local field potentials, thereby avoiding cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dávila-Bouziguet
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Arnau Casòliba-Melich
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Georgina Targa-Fabra
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Lorena Galera-López
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrés Ozaita
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology-NeuroPhar, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Ávila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain.,Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Delgado-García
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain.,Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Neurobiology Laboratory, Madrid, Spain.,Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Eduardo Soriano
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
| | - Marta Pascual
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED, ISCIII), Spain
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17
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Ghosh A, Singh S. Regulation Of Microtubule: Current Concepts And Relevance To Neurodegenerative Diseases. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 21:656-679. [PMID: 34323203 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210728144043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are abnormalities linked to neuronal structure and irregularities associated with the proliferation of cells, transportation, and differentiation. NDD also involves synaptic circuitry and neural network alterations known as synaptopathies. Microtubules (MTs) and MTs-associated proteins help to maintain neuronal health as well as their development. The microtubular dynamic structure plays a crucial role in the division of cells and forms mitotic spindles, thus take part in initiating stages of differentiation and polarization for various types of cells. The MTs also take part in the cellular death but MT-based cellular degenerations are not yet well excavated. In the last few years, studies have provided the protagonist activity of MTs in neuronal degeneration. In this review, we largely engrossed our discussion on the change of MT cytoskeleton structure, describing their organization, dynamics, transportation, and their failure causing NDDs. At end of this review, we are targeting the therapeutic neuroprotective strategies on clinical priority and also try to discuss the clues for the development of new MT-based therapy as a new pharmacological intervention. This will be a new potential site to block not only neurodegeneration but also promotes the regeneration of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Ghosh
- Neuroscience Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga-142001 Punjab, India
| | - Shamsher Singh
- Neuroscience Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga-142001 Punjab, India
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18
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Therapeutic Ultrasound as a Treatment Modality for Physiological and Pathological Ageing Including Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13071002. [PMID: 34371696 PMCID: PMC8309087 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13071002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological and pathological ageing (as exemplified by Alzheimer's disease, AD) are characterized by a progressive decline that also includes cognition. How this decline can be slowed or even reversed is a critical question. Here, we discuss therapeutic ultrasound as a novel modality to achieve this goal. In our studies, we explored three fundamental strategies, (i) scanning ultrasound on its own (SUSonly), (ii) therapeutic ultrasound in concert with intravenously injected microbubbles (which transiently opens the blood-brain barrier, SUS+MB), and (iii) SUS+MB in combination with therapeutic antibodies (SUS+MB+mAb). These studies show SUS+MB effectively clears amyloid and restores memory in amyloid-depositing mice and partially clears Tau and ameliorates memory impairments in Tau transgenic mice, with additional improvements found in combination trials (SUS+MB+mAb). Interestingly, both SUSonly and SUS+MB restored the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP, electrophysiological correlate of memory) in senescent wild-type mice. Both lead to increased neurogenesis, and SUSonly, in particular, resulted in improved spatial memory. We discuss these findings side-by-side with our findings obtained in AD mouse models. We conclude that therapeutic ultrasound is a non-invasive, pleiotropic modality that may present a treatment option not only for AD but also for enhancing cognition in physiological ageing.
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19
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Yin X, Zhao C, Qiu Y, Zhou Z, Bao J, Qian W. Dendritic/Post-synaptic Tau and Early Pathology of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:671779. [PMID: 34248498 PMCID: PMC8270001 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.671779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau forms insoluble neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which is one of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many studies have demonstrated that tau causes early functional deficits prior to the formation of neurofibrillary aggregates. The redistribution of tau from axons to the somatodendritic compartment of neurons and dendritic spines causes synaptic impairment, and then leads to the loss of synaptic contacts that correlates better with cognitive deficits than amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates do in AD patients. In this review, we discuss the underlying mechanisms by which tau is mislocalized to dendritic spines and contributes to synaptic dysfunction in AD. We also discuss the synergistic effects of tau and oligomeric forms of Aβ on promoting synaptic dysfunction in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chenhao Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yanyan Qiu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Junze Bao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Wei Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education of China, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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20
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Zgórzyńska E, Krawczyk K, Bełdzińska P, Walczewska A. Molecular basis of proteinopathies: Etiopathology
of dementia and motor disorders. POSTEP HIG MED DOSW 2021. [DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0014.9513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the most important medical and social problems affecting
elderly people, the percentage of which is significantly increasing in the total world population.
The cause of these diseases is the destruction of neurons by protein aggregates that form pathological
deposits in neurons, glial cells and in the intercellular space. Proteins whose molecules
are easily destabilized by point mutations or endogenous processes are alpha-synuclein (ASN),
tau and TDP-43. Pathological forms of these proteins form characteristic aggregates, which accumulate
in the neurons and are the cause of various forms of dementia and motor disorders.
The most common causes of dementia are tauopathies. In primary tauopathies, which include
progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), Pick’s disease (PiD), and
frontotemporal dementia (FTD), modified tau molecules disrupt axonal transport and protein
distribution in neurons. Ultimately, the helical filaments and neurofibrillary tangles of tau lead to
neuron death in various structures of the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease hyperphosphorylated tau tangles along with β amyloid plaques are responsible for the degeneration of the hippocampus,
entorhinal cortex and amygdala. The most prevalent synucleinopathies are Parkinson’s disease,
multiple system atrophy (MSA) and dementia with Lewy bodies, where there is a degeneration of
neurons in the extrapyramidal tracts or, as in MSA, autonomic nerves. TDP-43 inclusions in the
cytoplasm cause the degeneration of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and
in one of the frontotemporal dementia variant (FTLD-TDP). In this work ASN, tau and TDP-43
structures are described, as well as the genetic and sporadic factors that lead to the destabilization
of molecules, their aggregation and incorrect distribution in neurons, which are the causes
of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Klaudia Krawczyk
- Zakład Interakcji Międzykomórkowych, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi
| | | | - Anna Walczewska
- Zakład Interakcji Międzykomórkowych, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi
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21
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Bell M, Zempel H. SH-SY5Y-derived neurons: a human neuronal model system for investigating TAU sorting and neuronal subtype-specific TAU vulnerability. Rev Neurosci 2021; 33:1-15. [PMID: 33866701 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2020-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein (MAP) TAU is mainly sorted into the axon of healthy brain neurons. Somatodendritic missorting of TAU is a pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cause, consequence and (patho)physiological mechanisms of TAU sorting and missorting are understudied, in part also because of the lack of readily available human neuronal model systems. The human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y is widely used for studying TAU physiology and TAU-related pathology in AD and related tauopathies. SH-SY5Y cells can be differentiated into neuron-like cells (SH-SY5Y-derived neurons) using various substances. This review evaluates whether SH-SY5Y-derived neurons are a suitable model for (i) investigating intracellular TAU sorting in general, and (ii) with respect to neuron subtype-specific TAU vulnerability. (I) SH-SY5Y-derived neurons show pronounced axodendritic polarity, high levels of axonally localized TAU protein, expression of all six human brain isoforms and TAU phosphorylation similar to the human brain. As SH-SY5Y cells are highly proliferative and readily accessible for genetic engineering, stable transgene integration and leading-edge genome editing are feasible. (II) SH-SY5Y-derived neurons display features of subcortical neurons early affected in many tauopathies. This allows analyzing brain region-specific differences in TAU physiology, also in the context of differential vulnerability to TAU pathology. However, several limitations should be considered when using SH-SY5Y-derived neurons, e.g., the lack of clearly defined neuronal subtypes, or the difficulty of mimicking age-related tauopathy risk factors in vitro. In brief, this review discusses the suitability of SH-SY5Y-derived neurons for investigating TAU (mis)sorting mechanisms and neuron-specific TAU vulnerability in disease paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bell
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931Cologne, Germany
| | - Hans Zempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Str. 21, 50931Cologne, Germany
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22
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Süer C, Yıldız N, Barutçu Ö, Tan B, Dursun N. Long-term depression-related tau phosphorylation is enhanced by methylene blue in healthy rat hippocampus. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:828-840. [PMID: 33797746 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00254-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study examined whether inhibition of guanylate cyclase (GC) is associated with the plasticity-related microtubule-stabilizing protein tau phosphorylation in the dentate gyrus (DG) of hippocampal formation. METHODS To address this issue, methylene blue (MB 50 μM) or saline was infused into the DG starting from the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) or depression (LTD) for 1 h. Then, protein phosphatase 1 alpha (PP1α), glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), and tau total and phosphorylated protein levels were measured in these hippocampi using western blotting. LTP and LTD were induced by application of high- and low-frequency stimulation protocols (HFS and LFS), respectively. 5-min averages of the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) slopes and population spike amplitudes at the end of recording were averaged to measure the magnitude of LTP or LTD. RESULTS Low-frequency stimulation protocols was unable to phosphorylate thr181 and thr231epitopes of tau, but possessed kinase activity similar to the HFS in phosphorylation of ser396 and ser416 epitopes. MB infusion during LTD induction attenuated LTD, prevented EPSP/spike dissociation and increased tau phosphorylation at ser396 and ser416 epitopes, without changing tau phosphorylation at thr181 and thr231 epitopes. Neither LTP nor LTP-related tau phosphorylation state was changed by MB infusion. CONCLUSION Although MB can benefit to stabilize the balance between LTP and LTD, and to fix the increased spike wave discharges, it might trigger deregulation of tau phosphorylation, leading to the development of Alzheimer's disease by a mechanism that goes awry during induction of LTD. Thereby detailed studies to reveal more precise evidence for the use of MB in this disease are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cem Süer
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Nurbanu Yıldız
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Özlem Barutçu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Burak Tan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Nurcan Dursun
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
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Noël A, Foveau B, LeBlanc AC. Caspase-6-cleaved Tau fails to induce Tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation, neurodegeneration, glial inflammation, and cognitive deficits. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:227. [PMID: 33649324 PMCID: PMC7921451 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03506-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Active Caspase-6 (Casp6) and Tau cleaved by Casp6 at amino acids 402 (Tau∆D402) and 421 (Tau∆D421) are present in early Alzheimer disease intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles, which are made primarily of filamentous Tau aggregates. To assess whether Casp6 cleavage of Tau contributes to Tau pathology and Casp6-mediated age-dependent cognitive impairment, we generated transgenic knock-in mouse models that conditionally express full-length human Tau (hTau) 0N4R only (CTO) or together with human Casp6 (hCasp6) (CTC). Region-specific hippocampal and cortical hCasp6 and hTau expression were confirmed with western blot and immunohistochemistry in 2-25-month-old brains. Casp6 activity was confirmed with Tau∆D421 and Tubulin cleaved by Casp6 immunopositivity in 3-25-month-old CTC, but not in CTO, brains. Immunoprecipitated Tau∆D402 was detected in both CTC and CTO brains, but was more abundant in CTC brains. Intraneuronal hippocampal Tau hyperphosphorylation at S202/T205, S422, and T231, and Tau conformational change were absent in both CTC and CTO brains. A slight accumulation of Tau phosphorylated at S396/404 and S202 was observed in Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) hippocampal neuron soma of CTC compared to CTO brains. Eighteen-month-old CTC brains showed rare argentophilic deposits that increased by 25 months, whereas CTO brains only displayed them sparsely at 25 months. Tau microtubule binding was equivalent in CTC and CTO hippocampi. Episodic and spatial memory measured with novel object recognition and Barnes maze, respectively, remained normal in 3-25-month-old CTC and CTO mice, in contrast to previously observed impairments in ACL mice expressing equivalent levels of hCasp6 only. Consistently, the CTC and CTO hippocampal CA1 region displayed equivalent dendritic spine density and no glial inflammation. Together, these results reveal that active hCasp6 co-expression with hTau generates Tau cleavage and rare age-dependent argentophilic deposits but fails to induce cognitive deficits, neuroinflammation, and Tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Noël
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bénédicte Foveau
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andréa C LeBlanc
- Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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24
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Soeda Y, Takashima A. New Insights Into Drug Discovery Targeting Tau Protein. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:590896. [PMID: 33343298 PMCID: PMC7744460 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.590896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule-associated protein tau is characterized by the fact that it is an intrinsically disordered protein due to its lack of a stable conformation and high flexibility. Intracellular inclusions of fibrillar forms of tau with a β-sheet structure accumulate in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Accordingly, detachment of tau from microtubules and transition of tau from a disordered state to an abnormally aggregated state are essential events preceding the onset of tau-related diseases. Many reports have shown that this transition is caused by post-translational modifications, including hyperphosphorylation and acetylation. The misfolded tau is self-assembled and forms a tau oligomer before the appearance of tau inclusions. Animal and pathological studies using human samples have demonstrated that tau oligomer formation contributes to neuronal loss. During the progression of tauopathies, tau seeds are released from cells and incorporated into other cells, leading to the propagation of pathological tau aggregation. Accumulating evidence suggests several potential approaches for blocking tau-mediated toxicity: (1) direct inhibition of pathological tau aggregation and (2) inhibition of tau post-translational modifications that occur prior to pathological tau aggregation, (3) inhibition of tau propagation and (4) stabilization of microtubules. In addition to traditional low-molecular-weight compounds, newer drug discovery approaches such as the development of medium-molecular-weight drugs (peptide- or oligonucleotide-based drugs) and high-molecular-weight drugs (antibody-based drugs) provide alternative pathways to preventing the formation of abnormal tau. Of particular interest are recent studies suggesting that tau droplet formation by liquid-liquid phase separation may be the initial step in aberrant tau aggregation, as well results that implicate roles for tau in dendritic and nuclear functions. Here, we review the mechanisms through which drugs can target tau and consider recent clinical trials for the treatment of tauopathies. In addition, we discuss the utility of these newer strategies and propose future directions for research on tau-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiyuki Soeda
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Takashima
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
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25
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Khan MI, Hasan F, Hasan Al Mahmud KA, Adnan A. Domain focused and residue focused phosphorylation effect on tau protein: A molecular dynamics simulation study. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2020; 113:104149. [PMID: 33125954 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.104149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Phosphorylation has been hypothesized to alter the ability of tau protein to bind with microtubules (MT), and pathological level of phosphorylation can incorporate formation of Paired Helical Filaments (PHF) in affected tau. Study of the effect of phosphorylation on different domains of tau (projection domain, microtubule binding sites and N-terminus tail) is important to obtain insight about tau neuropathology. In an earlier study, we have already obtained the mechanical properties and behavior of single tau and dimerized tau and observed tau-MT interaction for normal level of phosphorylation. This study attempts to obtain insights on the effect of phosphorylation on different domains of tau, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with the aid of CHARMM force field under high strain rate. It also determines the effect of residue focused phosphorylation on tau-MT interaction and tau accumulation tendency. The results show that for single tau protein, unfolding stiffness does not differ significantly due to phosphorylation, but stretching stiffness can be much higher than the normally phosphorylated protein. For dimerized tau protein, the stretching required to separate the protein forming the dimer is similar for phosphorylation in individual domains but is significantly less in case of phosphorylation in all domains. For tau-MT interaction simulations, it is found that for normal phosphorylation, the tau separation from MT occurs at higher strain for phosphorylation in projection domain and N-terminus tail, and earlier for phosphorylation in all domains altogether than the normal phosphorylation state. The residue focused phosphorylation study also shows that tau separates earlier from MT and shows stronger accumulation tendency at the phosphorylated state, while preserving the highly stretchable and flexible characteristic of tau. This study provides important insight on mechanochemical phenomena relevant to traumatic brain injury (TBI) scenario, where the result of mechanical loading and posttranslational modification as well as conformation decides the mechanical behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ishak Khan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Fuad Hasan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | | | - Ashfaq Adnan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA.
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26
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Bukke VN, Archana M, Villani R, Romano AD, Wawrzyniak A, Balawender K, Orkisz S, Beggiato S, Serviddio G, Cassano T. The Dual Role of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Alzheimer's Disease: From Pathophysiology to Pharmacotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207452. [PMID: 33050345 PMCID: PMC7589203 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related dementia and neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by Aβ and tau protein deposition impairing learning, memory and suppressing synaptic plasticity of neurons. Increasing evidence suggests that there is a link between the glucose and glutamate alterations with age that down-regulates glucose utilization reducing glutamate levels in AD patients. Deviations in brain energy metabolism reinforce the development of AD by hampering glutamate levels in the brain. Glutamate is a nonessential amino acid and the major excitatory neurotransmitter synthesized from glucose. Alterations in cerebral glucose and glutamate levels precede the deposition of Aβ plaques. In the brain, over 40% of neuronal synapses are glutamatergic and disturbances in glutamatergic function have been implicated in pathophysiology of AD. Nevertheless, targeting the glutamatergic system seems to be a promising strategy to develop novel, improved therapeutics for AD. Here, we review data supporting the involvement of the glutamatergic system in AD pathophysiology as well as the efficacy of glutamatergic agents in this neurodegenerative disorder. We also discuss exciting new prospects for the development of improved therapeutics for this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidyasagar Naik Bukke
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Moola Archana
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy; (M.A.); (R.V.); (A.D.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Rosanna Villani
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy; (M.A.); (R.V.); (A.D.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Antonino Davide Romano
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy; (M.A.); (R.V.); (A.D.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Agata Wawrzyniak
- Morphological Science Department of Human Anatomy, Medical Faculty University of Rzeszów, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland; (A.W.); (K.B.); (S.O.)
| | - Krzysztof Balawender
- Morphological Science Department of Human Anatomy, Medical Faculty University of Rzeszów, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland; (A.W.); (K.B.); (S.O.)
| | - Stanislaw Orkisz
- Morphological Science Department of Human Anatomy, Medical Faculty University of Rzeszów, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland; (A.W.); (K.B.); (S.O.)
| | - Sarah Beggiato
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Gaetano Serviddio
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy; (M.A.); (R.V.); (A.D.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Tommaso Cassano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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What Happened in the Hippocampal Axon in a Rat Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 42:723-737. [PMID: 32930942 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00960-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies from postmortem and animal models have revealed altered synapse morphology and function in the brain of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And the effects of PTSD on dendrites and spines have been reported, however, the effection on axon include microtubule (MT) and synaptic vesicles of presynaptic elements remains unknown. Hippocampus is involved in abnormal memory in PTSD. In the present study, we used the single prolonged stress (SPS) model to mimic PTSD. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing (GSE153081) were utilized to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hippocampus of control and SPS rats. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were performed to examine change in axon-related proteins. Synaptic function was evaluated by measuring miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). RNA-sequencing analysis revealed 230 significantly DEGs between the control and SPS groups. Gene Ontology analysis revealed upregulation in axonemal assembly, MT formation, or movement, but downregulation in axon initial segment and synaptic vesicles fusion in the hippocampus of SPS rats. Increased expression in tau, β-tubulin MAP1B, KIF9, CCDC40, DNAH12 and decreased expression in p-tau, stathmin suggested SPS induced axon extension. Increased protein expression in VAMP, STX1A, Munc18-1 and decreased expression in synaptotagmin-1 suggested SPS induced more SNARE complex formation but decreased ability in synaptic vesicle fusion to presynaptic active zone membrane in the hippocampus of SPS rats. Further, low mEPSC frequency in SPS rats indicated dysfunction in presynaptic membrane. These results suggest that axon extension and synaptic vesicles fusion abnormality are involved in dysfunction of PTSD.
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28
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Ding Y, Lei L, Lai C, Tang Z. Tau Protein and Zebrafish Models for Tau-Induced Neurodegeneration. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 69:339-353. [PMID: 31006683 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a specific type of slow and progressive neurodegeneration, which involves intracellular deposition of fibrillar material composed of abnormal hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule associated protein (MAP) tau. Despite many years of intensive research, our understanding of the molecular events that lead to neurodegeneration is far from complete. No effective therapeutic treatments have been defined, and questions surround the validity and utility of existing animal models. It is an urgent need to develop a novel animal model to study the underlying neurodegenerative mechanisms of tauopathies. Zebrafish models of tauopathies could complement existing models by providing an in vivo platform for genetic and chemical screens in order to identify new therapeutic targets and compounds, meanwhile zebrafish models have permitted discovery of unique characteristics of these genes that could have been difficultly observed in other models. Novel transgenic zebrafish models expressing wild-type or mutant forms of human 4R-tau in neurons have recently been reported. These studies show disease-relevant changes including tau hyperphosphorylation, aggregation and somato-dendritic relocalization. This review highlights the availability of transgenic tau zebrafish models that allow more detailed biochemical studies of tau in the zebrafish CNS to characterize solubility, fibril morphology and further clarify phosphorylation proceedings. Furthermore, a deeper knowledge of the zebrafish brain and a better characterization of tau caused by alterations in neurodegenerative disorders are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanting Ding
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Lijuan Lei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chencen Lai
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhi Tang
- Clinical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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29
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Bocai NI, Marcora MS, Belfiori-Carrasco LF, Morelli L, Castaño EM. Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Tauopathies: Contrasting Human Brain Pathology with Cellular and Animal Models. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 68:439-458. [PMID: 30775999 DOI: 10.3233/jad-181021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation and spreading of protein tau in the human brain are major features of neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. In addition to several subcellular abnormalities, tau aggregation within neurons seems capable of triggering endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the consequent unfolded protein response (UPR). In metazoans, full activation of a complex ER-UPR network may restore proteostasis and ER function or, if stress cannot be solved, commit cells to apoptosis. Due to these alternative outcomes (survival or death), the pharmacological manipulation of ER-UPR has become the focus of potential therapies in many human diseases, including tauopathies. Here we update and analyze the experimental data from human brain, cellular, and animal models linking tau accumulation and ER-UPR. We further discuss mechanistic aspects and put the ER-UPR into perspective as a possible therapeutic target in this group of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia I Bocai
- Laboratory of Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María S Marcora
- Laboratory of Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lautaro F Belfiori-Carrasco
- Laboratory of Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Morelli
- Laboratory of Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo M Castaño
- Laboratory of Amyloidosis and Neurodegeneration, Fundación Instituto Leloir, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Abstract
Astrocytes contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative proteinopathies as influencing neuronal degeneration or neuroprotection, and also act as potential mediators of the propagation or elimination of disease-associated proteins. Protein astrogliopathies can be observed in different forms of neurodegenerative conditions. Morphological characterization of astrogliopathy is used only for the classification of tauopathies. Currently, at least six types of astrocytic tau pathologies are distinguished. Astrocytic plaques (AP), tufted astrocytes (TAs), ramified astrocytes (RA), and globular astroglial inclusions are seen predominantly in primary tauopathies, while thorn-shaped astrocytes (TSA) and granular/fuzzy astrocytes (GFA) are evaluated in aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG). ARTAG can be seen in the white and gray matter and subpial, subependymal, and perivascular locations. Some of these overlap with the features of tau pathology seen in Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Furthermore, gray matter ARTAG shares features with primary tauopathy-related astrocytic tau pathology. Sequential distribution patterns have been described for tau astrogliopathies. Importantly, astrocytic tau pathology in primary tauopathies can be observed in brain areas without neuronal tau deposition. The various morphologies of tau astrogliopathy might reflect a role in the propagation of pathological tau protein, an early response to a yet unidentified neurodegeneration-inducing event, or, particularly for ARTAG, a response to a repeated or prolonged pathogenic process such as blood-brain barrier dysfunction or local mechanical impact. The concept of tau astrogliopathies and ARTAG facilitated communication among research disciplines and triggered the investigation of the significance of astrocytic lesions in neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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31
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Akbari V, Ghobadi S, Mohammadi S, Khodarahmi R. The antidepressant drug; trazodone inhibits Tau amyloidogenesis: Prospects for prophylaxis and treatment of AD. Arch Biochem Biophys 2020; 679:108218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.108218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Saranza GM, Whitwell JL, Kovacs GG, Lang AE. Corticobasal degeneration. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 149:87-136. [PMID: 31779825 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2019.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease characterized by the predominance of pathological 4 repeat tau deposition in various cell types and anatomical regions. Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is one of the clinical phenotypes associated with CBD pathology, manifesting as a progressive asymmetric akinetic-rigid, poorly levodopa-responsive parkinsonism, with cerebral cortical dysfunction. CBD can manifest as several clinical phenotypes, and similarly, CBS can also have a pathologic diagnosis other than CBD. This chapter discusses the clinical manifestations of pathologically confirmed CBD cases, the current diagnostic criteria, as well as the pathologic and neuroimaging findings of CBD/CBS. At present, therapeutic options for CBD remain symptomatic. Further research is needed to improve the clinical diagnosis of CBD, as well as studies on disease-modifying therapies for this relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard M Saranza
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony E Lang
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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33
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Kobayashi S, Tanaka T, Soeda Y, Takashima A. Enhanced Tau Protein Translation by Hyper-Excitation. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:322. [PMID: 31824301 PMCID: PMC6879554 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, localizing mainly in the axon of mature neurons. Phenotypic analysis of Tau knockout mice has revealed an impairment of synaptic plasticity but without gross changes in brain morphology. Since we previously described the presence of tau mRNA in the somatodendritic compartment, including the postsynapse, and demonstrated that it could be locally translated in response to glutamate, it appears that the regulated translation of synaptic tau can have a direct impact on synaptic function. Using SH-SY5Y cells, we herein confirm that glutamate dose-dependently regulates the translation of tau protein without altering tau mRNA levels. This is supported by the finding that cycloheximide blocks glutamate-stimulated increases in tau protein levels. Our observation that neural excitation can directly upregulate tau mRNA translation helps explain the pathological accumulation of tau in the somatodendrite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Kobayashi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Toru Tanaka
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Soeda
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Takashima
- Laboratory for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
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Boese AC, Hamblin MH, Lee JP. Neural stem cell therapy for neurovascular injury in Alzheimer's disease. Exp Neurol 2019; 324:113112. [PMID: 31730762 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.113112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration leading to severe cognitive decline and eventual death. AD pathophysiology is complex, but neurotoxic accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylation of Tau are believed to be main drivers of neurodegeneration in AD. The formation and deposition of Aβ plaques occurs in the brain parenchyma as well as in the cerebral vasculature. Thus, proper blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cerebrovascular functioning are crucial for clearance of Aβ from the brain, and neurovascular dysfunction may be a critical component of AD development. Further, neuroinflammation and dysfunction of angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and neurorestorative capabilities play a role in AD pathophysiology. Currently, there is no effective treatment to prevent or restore loss of brain tissue and cognitive decline in patients with AD. Based on multifactorial and complex pathophysiological cascades in multiple Alzheimer's disease stages, effective AD therapies need to focus on targeting early AD pathology and preserving cerebrovascular function. Neural stem cells (NSCs) participate extensively in mammalian brain homeostasis and repair and exhibit pleiotropic intrinsic properties that likely make them attractive candidates for the treatment of AD. In the review, we summarize the current advances in knowledge regarding neurovascular aspects of AD-related neurodegeneration and discuss multiple actions of NSCs from preclinical studies of AD to evaluate their potential for future clinical treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin C Boese
- Department of Physiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Milton H Hamblin
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jean-Pyo Lee
- Department of Physiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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35
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Li D, Cho YK. High specificity of widely used phospho-tau antibodies validated using a quantitative whole-cell based assay. J Neurochem 2019; 152:122-135. [PMID: 31325178 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies raised against defined phosphorylation sites of the microtubule-associated protein tau are widely used in scientific research and being applied in clinical assays. However, recent studies have revealed an alarming degree of non-specific binding found in these antibodies. In order to quantify and compare the specificity phospho-tau antibodies and other post-translational modification site-specific antibodies in general, a measure of specificity is urgently needed. Here, we report a robust flow cytometry assay using human embryonic kidney cells that enables the determination of a specificity parameter termed Φ, which measures the fraction of non-specific signal in antibody binding. We validate our assay using anti-tau antibodies with known specificity profiles, and apply it to measure the specificity of seven widely used phospho-tau antibodies (AT270, AT8, AT100, AT180, PHF-6, TG-3, and PHF-1) among others. We successfully determined the Φ values for all antibodies except AT100, which did not show detectable binding in our assay. Our results show that antibodies AT8, AT180, PHF-6, TG-3, and PHF-1 have Φ values near 1, which indicates no detectable non-specific binding. AT270 showed Φ value around 0.8, meaning that approximately 20% of the binding signal originates from non-specific binding. Further analyses using immunocytochemistry and western blotting confirmed the presence of non-specific binding of AT270 to non-tau proteins found in human embryonic kidney cells and the mouse hippocampus. We anticipate that the quantitative approach and parameter introduced here will be widely adopted as a standard for reporting the specificity for phospho-tau antibodies, and potentially for post-translational modification targeting antibodies in general. Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14727.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yong Ku Cho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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36
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Ferrer I, Zelaya MV, Aguiló García M, Carmona M, López-González I, Andrés-Benito P, Lidón L, Gavín R, Garcia-Esparcia P, Del Rio JA. Relevance of host tau in tau seeding and spreading in tauopathies. Brain Pathol 2019; 30:298-318. [PMID: 31397930 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tau seeding and spreading occur following intracerebral inoculation of brain homogenates obtained from tauopathies in transgenic mice expressing natural or mutant tau, and in wild-type (WT) mice. The present study was geared to learning about the patterns of tau seeding, the cells involved and the characteristics of tau following intracerebral inoculation of homogenates from primary age-related tauopathy (PART: neuronal 4Rtau and 3Rtau), aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG: astrocytic 4Rtau) and globular glial tauopathy (GGT: 4Rtau with neuronal deposits and specific tau inclusions in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). For this purpose, young and adult WT mice were inoculated unilaterally in the hippocampus or in the lateral corpus callosum with sarkosyl-insoluble fractions from PART, ARTAG and GGT cases, and were killed at variable periods of three to seven months. Brains were processed for immunohistochemistry in paraffin sections. Tau seeding occurred in the ipsilateral hippocampus and corpus callosum and spread to the septal nuclei, periventricular hypothalamus and contralateral corpus callosum, respectively. Tau deposits were mainly found in neurons, oligodendrocytes and threads; the deposits were diffuse or granular, composed of phosphorylated tau, tau with abnormal conformation and 3Rtau and 4Rtau independently of the type of tauopathy. Truncated tau at the aspartic acid 421 and ubiquitination were absent. Tau deposits had the characteristics of pre-tangles. A percentage of intracellular tau deposits co-localized with active (phosphorylated) tau kinases p38 and ERK 1/2. Present study shows that seeding and spreading of human tau into the brain of WT mice involves neurons and glial cells, mainly oligodendrocytes, thereby supporting the idea of a primary role of oligodendrogliopathy, together with neuronopathy, in the progression of tauopathies. In addition, it suggests that human tau inoculation modifies murine tau metabolism with the production and deposition of 3Rtau and 4Rtau, and by activation of specific tau kinases in affected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isidro Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Bellvitge University Hospital, IDIBELL (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Maria Victoria Zelaya
- Pathological Anatomy Department, Hospital of Navarra, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Meritxell Aguiló García
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Margarita Carmona
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene López-González
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pol Andrés-Benito
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laia Lidón
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosalina Gavín
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Garcia-Esparcia
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Antonio Del Rio
- CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
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37
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Abstract
Animal models are indispensable tools for Alzheimer disease (AD) research. Over the course of more than two decades, an increasing number of complementary rodent models has been generated. These models have facilitated testing hypotheses about the aetiology and progression of AD, dissecting the associated pathomechanisms and validating therapeutic interventions, thereby providing guidance for the design of human clinical trials. However, the lack of success in translating rodent data into therapeutic outcomes may challenge the validity of the current models. This Review critically evaluates the genetic and non-genetic strategies used in AD modelling, discussing their strengths and limitations, as well as new opportunities for the development of better models for the disease.
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38
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Ittner A, Ittner LM. Dendritic Tau in Alzheimer's Disease. Neuron 2019; 99:13-27. [PMID: 30001506 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) are key players in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ and tau are linked in a molecular pathway at the post-synapse with tau-dependent synaptic dysfunction being a major pathomechanism in AD. Recent work on site-specific modification of dendritic and more specifically post-synaptic tau has revealed new endogenous functions of tau that limits synaptic Aβ toxicity. Thus, molecular studies opened a new perspective on tau, placing it at the center of neurotoxic and neuroprotective signaling at the post-synapse. Here, we review recent advances on tau in the dendritic compartments, with implications for understanding and treatment of AD and related neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Lars M Ittner
- Dementia Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Dementia Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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39
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Naseri NN, Wang H, Guo J, Sharma M, Luo W. The complexity of tau in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Lett 2019; 705:183-194. [PMID: 31028844 PMCID: PMC7060758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by two major pathological lesions in the brain, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and hyperphosphorylated tau, respectively. Although accumulation of toxic Aβ species in the brain has been proposed as one of the important early events in AD, continued lack of success of clinical trials based on Aβ-targeting drugs has triggered the field to seek out alternative disease mechanisms and related therapeutic strategies. One of the new approaches is to uncover novel roles of pathological tau during disease progression. This review will primarily focus on recent advances in understanding the contributions of tau to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima N Naseri
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Hong Wang
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Jennifer Guo
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Manu Sharma
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Wenjie Luo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
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40
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Saito T, Mihira N, Matsuba Y, Sasaguri H, Hashimoto S, Narasimhan S, Zhang B, Murayama S, Higuchi M, Lee VMY, Trojanowski JQ, Saido TC. Humanization of the entire murine Mapt gene provides a murine model of pathological human tau propagation. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:12754-12765. [PMID: 31273083 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In cortical regions of brains from individuals with preclinical or clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD), extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition precedes the aggregation of pathological intracellular tau (the product of the gene microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT)). To our knowledge, current mouse models of tauopathy reconstitute tau pathology by overexpressing mutant human tau protein. Here, through a homologous recombination approach that replaced the entire murine Mapt gene with the human ortholog, we developed knock-in mice with humanized Mapt to create an in vivo platform for studying human tauopathy. Of note, the humanized Mapt expressed all six tau isoforms present in humans. We next cross-bred the MAPT knock-in mice with single amyloid precursor protein (App) knock-in mice to investigate the Aβ-tau axis in AD etiology. The double-knock-in mice exhibited higher tau phosphorylation than did single MAPT knock-in mice but initially lacked apparent tauopathy and neurodegeneration, as observed in the single App knock-in mice. We further observed that tau humanization significantly accelerates cell-to-cell propagation of AD brain-derived pathological tau both in the absence and presence of Aβ-amyloidosis. In the presence of Aβ-amyloidosis, tau accumulation was intensified and closely associated with dystrophic neurites, consistently showing that Aβ-amyloidosis affects tau pathology. Our results also indicated that the pathological human tau interacts better with human tau than with murine tau, suggesting species-specific differences between these orthologous pathogenic proteins. We propose that the MAPT knock-in mice will make it feasible to investigate the behaviors and characteristics of human tau in an animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan .,Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Naomi Mihira
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yukio Matsuba
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sasaguri
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Shoko Hashimoto
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Sneha Narasimhan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, 35-2 Sakaecho, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Virginia M Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Takaomi C Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-city, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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41
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Qiang L, Piermarini E, Muralidharan H, Yu W, Leo L, Hennessy LE, Fernandes S, Connors T, Yates PL, Swift M, Zholudeva LV, Lane MA, Morfini G, Alexander GM, Heiman-Patterson TD, Baas PW. Hereditary spastic paraplegia: gain-of-function mechanisms revealed by new transgenic mouse. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:1136-1152. [PMID: 30520996 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of the SPAST gene, which encodes the microtubule-severing protein spastin, are the most common cause of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Haploinsufficiency is the prevalent opinion as to the mechanism of the disease, but gain-of-function toxicity of the mutant proteins is another possibility. Here, we report a new transgenic mouse (termed SPASTC448Y mouse) that is not haploinsufficient but expresses human spastin bearing the HSP pathogenic C448Y mutation. Expression of the mutant spastin was documented from fetus to adult, but gait defects reminiscent of HSP (not observed in spastin knockout mice) were adult onset, as is typical of human patients. Results of histological and tracer studies on the mouse are consistent with progressive dying back of corticospinal axons, which is characteristic of the disease. The C448Y-mutated spastin alters microtubule stability in a manner that is opposite to the expectations of haploinsufficiency. Neurons cultured from the mouse display deficits in organelle transport typical of axonal degenerative diseases, and these deficits were worsened by depletion of endogenous mouse spastin. These results on the SPASTC448Y mouse are consistent with a gain-of-function mechanism underlying HSP, with spastin haploinsufficiency exacerbating the toxicity of the mutant spastin proteins. These findings reveal the need for a different therapeutic approach than indicated by haploinsufficiency alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Laura E Hennessy
- Department of Neurology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Gerardo Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Guillermo M Alexander
- Department of Neurology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Terry D Heiman-Patterson
- Department of Neurology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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42
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Dávila-Bouziguet E, Targa-Fabra G, Ávila J, Soriano E, Pascual M. Differential accumulation of Tau phosphorylated at residues Thr231, Ser262 and Thr205 in hippocampal interneurons and its modulation by Tau mutations (VLW) and amyloid-β peptide. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 125:232-244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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43
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Dufort-Gervais J, Mongrain V, Brouillette J. Bidirectional relationships between sleep and amyloid-beta in the hippocampus. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 160:108-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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44
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Wang X, Zheng W. Ca 2+ homeostasis dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease: a focus on plasma membrane and cell organelles. FASEB J 2019; 33:6697-6712. [PMID: 30848934 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801751r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that Ca2+ is a vital factor in modulating the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In healthy neurons, Ca2+ concentration is balanced to maintain a lower level in the cytosol than in the extracellular space or certain intracellular compartments such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the lysosome, whereas this homeostasis is broken in AD. On the plasma membrane, the AD hallmarks amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau interact with ligand-gated or voltage-gated Ca2+-influx channels and inhibit the Ca2+-efflux ATPase or exchangers, leading to an elevated intracellular Ca2+ level and disrupted Ca2+ signal. In the ER, the disabled presenilin "Ca2+ leak" function and the direct implications of Aβ and presenilin mutants contribute to Ca2+-signal disorder. The enhanced ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated Ca2+ release from the ER aggravates cytosolic Ca2+ disorder and triggers apoptosis; the down-regulated ER Ca2+ sensor, stromal interaction molecule (STIM), alleviates store-operated Ca2+ entry in plasma membrane, leading to spine loss. The increased transfer of Ca2+ from ER to mitochondria through mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM) causes Ca2+ overload in the mitochondrial matrix and consequently opens the cellular damage-related channel, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). In this review, we discuss the effects of Aβ, tau and presenilin on neuronal Ca2+ signal, focusing on the receptors and regulators in plasma membrane and ER; we briefly introduce the involvement of MAM-mediated Ca2+ transfer and mPTP opening in AD pathogenesis.-Wang, X., Zheng, W. Ca2+ homeostasis dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease: a focus on plasma membrane and cell organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingjian Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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45
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Croft CL, Cruz PE, Ryu DH, Ceballos-Diaz C, Strang KH, Woody BM, Lin WL, Deture M, Rodríguez-Lebrón E, Dickson DW, Chakrabarty P, Levites Y, Giasson BI, Golde TE. rAAV-based brain slice culture models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease inclusion pathologies. J Exp Med 2019; 216:539-555. [PMID: 30770411 PMCID: PMC6400529 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20182184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been challenging to produce ex vivo models of the inclusion pathologies that are hallmark pathologies of many neurodegenerative diseases. Using three-dimensional mouse brain slice cultures (BSCs), we have developed a paradigm that rapidly and robustly recapitulates mature neurofibrillary inclusion and Lewy body formation found in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, respectively. This was achieved by transducing the BSCs with recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) that express α-synuclein or variants of tau. Notably, the tauopathy BSC model enables screening of small molecule therapeutics and tracking of neurodegeneration. More generally, the rAAV BSC "toolkit" enables efficient transduction and transgene expression from neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, alone or in combination, with transgene expression lasting for many months. These rAAV-based BSC models provide a cost-effective and facile alternative to in vivo studies, and in the future can become a widely adopted methodology to explore physiological and pathological mechanisms related to brain function and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L Croft
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Pedro E Cruz
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Daniel H Ryu
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Carolina Ceballos-Diaz
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Kevin H Strang
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Brittany M Woody
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Wen-Lang Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
| | - Michael Deture
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
| | - Edgardo Rodríguez-Lebrón
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
| | - Paramita Chakrabarty
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Yona Levites
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Benoit I Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.,McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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46
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Joel Z, Izquierdo P, Salih DA, Richardson JC, Cummings DM, Edwards FA. Improving Mouse Models for Dementia. Are All the Effects in Tau Mouse Models Due to Overexpression? COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2019; 83:151-161. [PMID: 30745408 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2018.83.037531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models of Alzheimer's disease have commonly used transgenic overexpression of genes involved in production of amyloid β (APP and/or PSEN1/2) or Tau (MAPT) with mutations that result in familial forms of dementia. We discuss possible improvements that may create full models while avoiding the problems of overexpression and report synaptic results in APPKI models. We stress use of inappropriate controls without overexpression of the normal human protein and the mismatch between the learning deficits reported in mice with plaques but no tangles and the human condition. We focus on Tau overexpression, including new data that support previous reports of the grossly nonlinear relationship between Tau overexpression and neurofibrillary tangle load, with a twofold increase in Tau protein, resulting in a 100-fold increase in tangle density. These data also support the hypothesis that a high concentration of soluble Tau, in overexpression models, plays an important direct role in neurodegeneration, rather than only via aggregation. Finally, we hypothesize that there is an optimal concentration range over which Tau can bind to microtubules and a threshold beyond which much of the overexpressed protein is unable to bind. The excess thus causes toxicity in ways not necessarily related to the process in human dementias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelah Joel
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Pablo Izquierdo
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Dervis A Salih
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Jill C Richardson
- Neurosciences Therapeutic Area, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Stevenage, SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Damian M Cummings
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Frances A Edwards
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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47
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Paonessa F, Evans LD, Solanki R, Larrieu D, Wray S, Hardy J, Jackson SP, Livesey FJ. Microtubules Deform the Nuclear Membrane and Disrupt Nucleocytoplasmic Transport in Tau-Mediated Frontotemporal Dementia. Cell Rep 2019; 26:582-593.e5. [PMID: 30650353 PMCID: PMC6335264 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau, MAPT, is central to the pathogenesis of many dementias. Autosomal-dominant mutations in MAPT cause inherited frontotemporal dementia (FTD), but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. Using human stem cell models of FTD due to MAPT mutations, we find that tau becomes hyperphosphorylated and mislocalizes to cell bodies and dendrites in cortical neurons, recapitulating a key early event in FTD. Mislocalized tau in the cell body leads to abnormal microtubule movements in FTD-MAPT neurons that grossly deform the nuclear membrane. This results in defective nucleocytoplasmic transport, which is corrected by microtubule depolymerization. Neurons in the post-mortem human FTD-MAPT cortex have a high incidence of nuclear invaginations, indicating that tau-mediated nuclear membrane dysfunction is an important pathogenic process in FTD. Defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport in FTD point to important commonalities in the pathogenic mechanisms of tau-mediated dementias and ALS-FTD due to TDP-43 and C9orf72 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paonessa
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; Alzheimer's Research UK Stem Cell Research Centre, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Lewis D Evans
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; Alzheimer's Research UK Stem Cell Research Centre, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Ravi Solanki
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; Alzheimer's Research UK Stem Cell Research Centre, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Delphine Larrieu
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Stephen P Jackson
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Frederick J Livesey
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; Alzheimer's Research UK Stem Cell Research Centre, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
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48
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Verkhratsky A, Parpura V, Rodriguez-Arellano JJ, Zorec R. Astroglia in Alzheimer's Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1175:273-324. [PMID: 31583592 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-9913-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Cellular changes in the brains of the patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease occur well in advance of the clinical symptoms. At the cellular level, the most dramatic is a demise of neurones. As astroglial cells carry out homeostatic functions of the brain, it is certain that these cells are at least in part a cause of Alzheimer's disease. Historically, Alois Alzheimer himself has recognised this at the dawn of the disease description. However, the role of astroglia in this disease has been understudied. In this chapter, we summarise the various aspects of glial contribution to this disease and outline the potential of using these cells in prevention (exercise and environmental enrichment) and intervention of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. .,Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Jose Julio Rodriguez-Arellano
- BioCruces Health Research Institute, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.,Department of Neuroscience, The University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Plaza de Cruces 12, 48903, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Celica BIOMEDICAL, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Experimental Models of Tauopathy - From Mechanisms to Therapies. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1184:381-391. [PMID: 32096051 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9358-8_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Animal models have been instrumental in reproducing key aspects of human tauopathy. In pursuing these efforts, the mouse continues to have a prominent role. In this chapter, we focus on models that overexpress wild-type or mutant forms of tau, the latter being based on mutations found in familial cases of frontotemporal dementia. We review some of these models in more detail and discuss what they have revealed about the underlying pathomechanisms, as well as highlighting new developments that exploit gene editing tools such as TALEN and CRISPR. Interestingly, when investigating the role of tau in impairing cellular functions, common themes emerge. Because tau is a scaffolding protein that aggregates in the somatodendritic domain under pathological conditions, it traps proteins such as parkin and JIP1, preventing them from executing their normal function in mitophagy and axonal transport, respectively. Another aspect is the emerging role of tau in the translational machinery and the finding that the somatodendritic accumulation of tau in Alzheimer's disease may in part be due to the induction of the de novo synthesis of tau by amyloid-β via the Fyn/ERK/S6 pathway. We further discuss treatment strategies such as tau-based vaccinations and therapeutic ultrasound and conclude by discussing whether there is a future for animal models of tauopathies.
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50
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Mane NR, Gajare KA, Deshmukh AA. Mild heat stress induces hormetic effects in protecting the primary culture of mouse prefrontal cerebrocortical neurons from neuropathological alterations. IBRO Rep 2018; 5:110-115. [PMID: 30519667 PMCID: PMC6260229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hormesis is a dose response phenomenon of cells and organisms to various types of stressors. Mild stress stimulates prosurvival pathways and makes the cells adaptive to stressful conditions. It is a widely used fundamental dose-response phenomenon in many biomedical and toxicological sciences, radiation biology, health science etc. Mild heat stress is an easily applicable hormetic agent that exerts consistent results. In the present investigations mouse cerebrocortical prefrontal neurons from E17 mouse embryos were grown in the laboratory on poly-L-lysine coated glass cover slips. The cells from the mild heat stressed group were subjected to a hyperthermic stress of 38 °C for 30 min every alternate day (i.e. mild heat stress was repeated after 48 h) up to the sixth day. After completion of twenty four hours of the final i.e. third exposure of the mild heat stress, the neurons were fixed for the cytochemical studies of neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques, lipofuscin granules and Nissl substance. There was highly significant decrease in the neuropathological alterations (viz. deposition of Neurofibrillary tangles, deposition of senile plaques, accumulation of Lipofuscin granules) in the neurons from the mild heat stressed group as compared to control. Moreover, the Nissl substance was significantly preserved in the mild heat stressed group as compared to control. The results indicate that the applied mild heat stress (38 °C for 30 min) exerts beneficial effects on the prefrontal cerebrocortical neurons by slowing down the neuropathological alterations, suggesting the hormetic effect of the mild heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayan R. Mane
- Cellular Stress Response Laboratory, Cell Biology Division, Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416 004, India
| | - Kavita A. Gajare
- Department of Zoology, The New College Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416 012, India
| | - Ashish A. Deshmukh
- Cellular Stress Response Laboratory, Cell Biology Division, Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416 004, India
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