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Ahmad Rather M, Khan A, Jahan S, Jamal Siddiqui A, Wang L. Influence of Tau on neurotoxicity and cerebral vasculature impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. Neuroscience 2024:S0306-4522(24)00252-5. [PMID: 38871021 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.05.042] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a fatal chronic neurodegenerative condition marked by a gradual decline in cognitive abilities and impaired vascular function within the central nervous system. This affliction initiates its insidious progression with the accumulation of two aberrant protein entities including Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. These chronic elements target distinct brain regions, steadily erasing the functionality of the hippocampus and triggering the erosion of memory and neuronal integrity. Several assumptions are anticipated for AD as genetic alterations, the occurrence of Aβ plaques, altered processing of amyloid precursor protein, mitochondrial damage, and discrepancy of neurotropic factors. In addition to Aβ oligomers, the deposition of tau hyper-phosphorylates also plays an indispensable part in AD etiology. The brain comprises a complex network of capillaries that is crucial for maintaining proper function. Tau is expressed in cerebral blood vessels, where it helps to regulate blood flow and sustain the blood-brain barrier's integrity. In AD, tau pathology can disrupt cerebral blood supply and deteriorate the BBB, leading to neuronal neurodegeneration. Neuroinflammation, deficits in the microvasculature and endothelial functions, and Aβ deposition are characteristically detected in the initial phases of AD. These variations trigger neuronal malfunction and cognitive impairment. Intracellular tau accumulation in microglia and astrocytes triggers deleterious effects on the integrity of endothelium and cerebral blood supply resulting in further advancement of the ailment and cerebral instability. In this review, we will discuss the impact of tau on neurovascular impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the role of hyperphosphorylated tau in neuron excitotoxicity and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mashoque Ahmad Rather
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, United States.
| | - Andleeb Khan
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Integral University, Lucknow, 226026, India
| | - Sadaf Jahan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arif Jamal Siddiqui
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail City, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lianchun Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, United States
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2
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Islam M, Shen F, Regmi D, Petersen K, Karim MRU, Du D. Tau liquid-liquid phase separation: At the crossroads of tau physiology and tauopathy. J Cell Physiol 2024; 239:e30853. [PMID: 35980344 PMCID: PMC9938090 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal deposition of tau in neurons is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and several other neurodegenerative disorders. In the past decades, extensive efforts have been made to explore the mechanistic pathways underlying the development of tauopathies. Recently, the discovery of tau droplet formation by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) has received a great deal of attention. It has been reported that tau condensates have a biological role in promoting and stabilizing microtubule (MT) assembly. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that the transition of phase-separated tau droplets to a gel-like state and then to fibrils is associated with the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we outline LLPS, the structural disorder that facilitates tau droplet formation, the effects of posttranslational modification of tau on condensate formation, the physiological function of tau droplets, the pathways from droplet to toxic fibrils, and the therapeutic strategies for tauopathies that might evolve from toxic droplets. We expect a deeper understanding of tau LLPS will provide additional insights into tau physiology and tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majedul Islam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
| | - Fengyun Shen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
| | - Deepika Regmi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
| | - Katherine Petersen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
| | - Md Raza Ul Karim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
| | - Deguo Du
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, United States
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3
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Rabanal-Ruiz Y, Pedrero-Prieto CM, Sanchez-Rodriguez L, Flores-Cuadrado A, Saiz-Sanchez D, Frontinan-Rubio J, Ubeda-Banon I, Duran Prado M, Martinez-Marcos A, Peinado JR. Differential accumulation of human β-amyloid and tau from enriched extracts in neuronal and endothelial cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167204. [PMID: 38679217 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
While Aβ and Tau cellular distribution has been largely studied, the comparative internalization and subcellular accumulation of Tau and Aβ isolated from human brain extracts in endothelial and neuronal cells has not yet been unveiled. We have previously demonstrated that controlled enrichment of Aβ from human brain extracts constitutes a valuable tool to monitor cellular internalization in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we establish an alternative method to strongly enrich Aβ and Tau aggregates from human AD brains, which has allowed us to study and compare the cellular internalization, distribution and toxicity of both proteins within brain barrier endothelial (bEnd.3) and neuronal (Neuro2A) cells. Our findings demonstrate the suitability of human enriched brain extracts to monitor the intracellular distribution of human Aβ and Tau, which, once internalized, show dissimilar sorting to different organelles within the cell and differential toxicity, exhibiting higher toxic effects on neuronal cells than on endothelial cells. While tau is strongly concentrated preferentially in mitochondria, Aβ is distributed predominantly within the endolysosomal system in endothelial cells, whereas the endoplasmic reticulum was its preferential location in neurons. Altogether, our findings display a picture of the interactions that human Aβ and Tau might establish in these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Rabanal-Ruiz
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - C M Pedrero-Prieto
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - L Sanchez-Rodriguez
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - A Flores-Cuadrado
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Neuroplasticity and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - D Saiz-Sanchez
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Neuroplasticity and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - J Frontinan-Rubio
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - I Ubeda-Banon
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Neuroplasticity and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - M Duran Prado
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - A Martinez-Marcos
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Neuroplasticity and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Juan R Peinado
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ciudad Real Medical School, Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration Group, Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Rose K, Jepson T, Shukla S, Maya-Romero A, Kampmann M, Xu K, Hurley JH. Tau fibrils induce nanoscale membrane damage and nucleate cytosolic tau at lysosomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315690121. [PMID: 38781206 PMCID: PMC11145263 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315690121] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The prion-like spread of protein aggregates is a leading hypothesis for the propagation of neurofibrillary lesions in the brain, including the spread of tau inclusions associated with Alzheimer's disease. The mechanisms of cellular uptake of tau seeds and subsequent nucleated polymerization of cytosolic tau are major questions in the field, and the potential for coupling between the entry and nucleation mechanisms has been little explored. We found that in primary astrocytes and neurons, endocytosis of tau seeds leads to their accumulation in lysosomes. This in turn leads to lysosomal swelling, deacidification, and recruitment of ESCRT proteins, but not Galectin-3, to the lysosomal membrane. These observations are consistent with nanoscale damage of the lysosomal membrane. Live cell imaging and STORM superresolution microscopy further show that the nucleation of cytosolic tau occurs primarily at the lysosome membrane under these conditions. These data suggest that tau seeds escape from lysosomes via nanoscale damage rather than wholesale rupture and that nucleation of cytosolic tau commences as soon as tau fibril ends emerge from the lysosomal membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Rose
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Tyler Jepson
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Sankalp Shukla
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Alex Maya-Romero
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - Martin Kampmann
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Ke Xu
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
| | - James H. Hurley
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA94720
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Barbas H, Garcia-Cabezas MA, John Y, Bautista J, McKee A, Zikopoulos B. Cortical circuit principles predict patterns of trauma induced tauopathy in humans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.02.592271. [PMID: 38746103 PMCID: PMC11092596 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Connections in the cortex of diverse mammalian species are predicted reliably by the Structural Model for direction of pathways and signal processing (reviewed in 1,2). The model is rooted in the universal principle of cortical systematic variation in laminar structure and has been supported widely for connection patterns in animals but has not yet been tested for humans. Here, in postmortem brains of individuals neuropathologically diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) we studied whether the hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) pathology parallels connection sequence in time by circuit mechanisms. CTE is a progressive p-tau pathology that begins focally in perivascular sites in sulcal depths of the neocortex (stages I-II) and later involves the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in stages III-IV. We provide novel quantitative evidence that the p-tau pathology in MTL A28 and nearby sites in CTE stage III closely follows the graded laminar patterns seen in homologous cortico-cortical connections in non-human primates. The Structural Model successfully predicted the laminar distribution of the p-tau neurofibrillary tangles and neurites and their density, based on the relative laminar (dis)similarity between the cortical origin (seed) and each connection site. The findings were validated for generalizability by a computational progression model. By contrast, the early focal perivascular pathology in the sulcal depths followed local columnar connectivity rules. These findings support the general applicability of a theoretical model to unravel the direction and progression of p-tau pathology in human neurodegeneration via a cortico-cortical mechanism. Cortical pathways converging on medial MTL help explain the progressive spread of p-tau pathology from focal cortical sites in early CTE to widespread lateral MTL areas and beyond in later disease stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Barbas
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 022152
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston Univ. and School of Medicine
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Miguel Angel Garcia-Cabezas
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yohan John
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 022152
| | - Julied Bautista
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 022152
| | - Ann McKee
- Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, US Department of Veteran Affairs, Boston, Massachusetts
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Basilis Zikopoulos
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston Univ. and School of Medicine
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Human Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Boston University
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Zheng H, Sun H, Cai Q, Tai HC. The Enigma of Tau Protein Aggregation: Mechanistic Insights and Future Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4969. [PMID: 38732197 PMCID: PMC11084794 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein misfolding and aggregation are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and over twenty neurodegenerative disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms of tau aggregation in vivo remain incompletely understood. There are two types of tau aggregates in the brain: soluble aggregates (oligomers and protofibrils) and insoluble filaments (fibrils). Compared to filamentous aggregates, soluble aggregates are more toxic and exhibit prion-like transmission, providing seeds for templated misfolding. Curiously, in its native state, tau is a highly soluble, heat-stable protein that does not form fibrils by itself, not even when hyperphosphorylated. In vitro studies have found that negatively charged molecules such as heparin, RNA, or arachidonic acid are generally required to induce tau aggregation. Two recent breakthroughs have provided new insights into tau aggregation mechanisms. First, as an intrinsically disordered protein, tau is found to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) both in vitro and inside cells. Second, cryo-electron microscopy has revealed diverse fibrillar tau conformations associated with different neurodegenerative disorders. Nonetheless, only the fibrillar core is structurally resolved, and the remainder of the protein appears as a "fuzzy coat". From this review, it appears that further studies are required (1) to clarify the role of LLPS in tau aggregation; (2) to unveil the structural features of soluble tau aggregates; (3) to understand the involvement of fuzzy coat regions in oligomer and fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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7
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Bankapalli K, Thomas RE, Vincow ES, Milstein G, Fisher LV, Pallanck LJ. A Drosophila model for mechanistic investigation of tau protein spread. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.21.590466. [PMID: 38712083 PMCID: PMC11071371 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.21.590466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Brain protein aggregates are a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease. Previous work indicates that specific protein components of these aggregates are toxic, including tau in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Increasing evidence also indicates that these toxic proteins traffic between cells in a prion-like fashion, thereby spreading pathology from one brain region to another. However, the mechanisms involved in trafficking are poorly understood. We therefore developed a transgenic Drosophila model to facilitate rapid evaluation of candidate tau trafficking modifiers. Our model uses the bipartite Q system to drive co-expression of tau and GFP in the fly eye. We find age-dependent tau spread into the brain, represented by detection of tau, but not GFP in the brain. We also found that tau trafficking was attenuated upon inhibition of the endocytic factor dynamin or the kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3β ( GSK-3β ). Further work revealed that dynamin promotes tau uptake in recipient tissues, whereas GSK-3β appears to promote tau spread via direct phosphorylation of tau. Our robust and flexible system will promote the identification of tau trafficking components involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. SUMMARY STATEMENT The trafficking of toxic proteins in neurodegenerative disease is well-known but poorly understood. Our model will allow rapid and new insight into molecular mechanisms underlying this process.
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Jaye S, Sandau US, Saugstad JA. Clathrin mediated endocytosis in Alzheimer's disease: cell type specific involvement in amyloid beta pathology. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1378576. [PMID: 38694257 PMCID: PMC11061891 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1378576] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This review provides a comprehensive examination of the role of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, emphasizing its impact across various cellular contexts beyond neuronal dysfunction. In neurons, dysregulated CME contributes to synaptic dysfunction, amyloid beta (Aβ) processing, and Tau pathology, highlighting its involvement in early AD pathogenesis. Furthermore, CME alterations extend to non-neuronal cell types, including astrocytes and microglia, which play crucial roles in Aβ clearance and neuroinflammation. Dysregulated CME in these cells underscores its broader implications in AD pathophysiology. Despite significant progress, further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying CME dysregulation in AD and its therapeutic implications. Overall, understanding the complex interplay between CME and AD across diverse cell types holds promise for identifying novel therapeutic targets and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julie A. Saugstad
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Basheer N, Buee L, Brion JP, Smolek T, Muhammadi MK, Hritz J, Hromadka T, Dewachter I, Wegmann S, Landrieu I, Novak P, Mudher A, Zilka N. Shaping the future of preclinical development of successful disease-modifying drugs against Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of tau propagation models. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:52. [PMID: 38576010 PMCID: PMC10993623 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01748-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcellular propagation of the aberrantly modified protein tau along the functional brain network is a key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Inoculation-based tau propagation models can recapitulate the stereotypical spread of tau and reproduce various types of tau inclusions linked to specific tauopathy, albeit with varying degrees of fidelity. With this systematic review, we underscore the significance of judicious selection and meticulous functional, biochemical, and biophysical characterization of various tau inocula. Furthermore, we highlight the necessity of choosing suitable animal models and inoculation sites, along with the critical need for validation of fibrillary pathology using confirmatory staining, to accurately recapitulate disease-specific inclusions. As a practical guide, we put forth a framework for establishing a benchmark of inoculation-based tau propagation models that holds promise for use in preclinical testing of disease-modifying drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Basheer
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Luc Buee
- Inserm, CHU Lille, CNRS, LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France.
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Histology, Alzheimer and Other Tauopathies Research Group (CP 620), ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Muhammad Khalid Muhammadi
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Hritz
- CEITEC Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Hromadka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ilse Dewachter
- Biomedical Research Institute, BIOMED, Hasselt University, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, 59000, Lille, France
- Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Petr Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Fleisher AS, Munsie LM, Perahia DGS, Andersen SW, Higgins IA, Hauck PM, Lo AC, Sims JR, Brys M, Mintun M. Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Zagotenemab: Results From PERISCOPE-ALZ, a Phase 2 Study in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease. Neurology 2024; 102:e208061. [PMID: 38386949 PMCID: PMC11067698 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000208061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Zagotenemab (LY3303560), a monoclonal antibody that preferentially targets misfolded, extracellular, aggregated tau, was assessed in the PERISCOPE-ALZ phase 2 study to determine its ability to slow cognitive and functional decline relative to placebo in early symptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS Participants were enrolled across 56 sites in North America and Japan. Key eligibility criteria included age of 60-85 years, Mini-Mental State Examination score of 20-28, and intermediate levels of brain tau on PET imaging. In this double-blind study, participants were equally randomized to 1,400 mg or 5,600 mg of zagotenemab, or placebo (IV infusion every 4 weeks for 100 weeks). The primary outcome was change on the Integrated AD Rating Scale (iADRS) assessed by a Bayesian Disease Progression model. Secondary measures include mixed model repeated measures analysis of additional cognitive and functional endpoints as well as biomarkers of AD pathology. RESULTS A total of 360 participants (mean age = 75.4 years; female = 52.8%) were randomized, and 218 completed the treatment period. Demographics and baseline characteristics were reasonably balanced among arms. The mean disease progression ratio (proportional decline in the treated vs placebo group) with 95% credible intervals for the iADRS was 1.10 (0.959-1.265) for the zagotenemab low-dose group and 1.05 (0.907-1.209) for the high-dose, where a ratio less than 1 favors the treatment group. Secondary clinical endpoint measures failed to show a drug-placebo difference in favor of zagotenemab. No treatment effect was demonstrated by flortaucipir PET, volumetric MRI, or neurofilament light chain (NfL) analyses. A dose-related increase in plasma phosphorylated tau181 and total tau was demonstrated. Zagotenemab treatment groups reported a higher incidence of adverse events (AEs) (85.1%) compared with the placebo group (74.6%). This difference was not attributable to any specific AE or category of AEs. DISCUSSION In participants with early symptomatic AD, zagotenemab failed to achieve significant slowing of clinical disease progression compared with placebo. Imaging biomarker and plasma NfL findings did not show evidence of pharmacodynamic activity or disease modification. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03518073. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with early symptomatic AD, zagotenemab does not slow clinical disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Fleisher
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Leanne M Munsie
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - David G S Perahia
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Scott W Andersen
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Ixavier A Higgins
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Paula M Hauck
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Albert C Lo
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - John R Sims
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Miroslaw Brys
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
| | - Mark Mintun
- From Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. A.C. Lo is currently at Kisbee Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA
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11
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Xu H, Qiu Q, Hu P, Hoxha K, Jang E, O'Reilly M, Kim C, He Z, Marotta N, Changolkar L, Zhang B, Wu H, Schellenberg GD, Kraemer B, Luk KC, Lee EB, Trojanowski JQ, Brunden KR, Lee VMY. MSUT2 regulates tau spreading via adenosinergic signaling mediated ASAP1 pathway in neurons. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:55. [PMID: 38472475 PMCID: PMC10933148 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02703-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Inclusions comprised of microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) are implicated in a group of neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies, that include Alzheimer's disease (AD). The spreading of misfolded tau "seeds" along neuronal networks is thought to play a crucial role in the progression of tau pathology. Consequently, restricting the release or uptake of tau seeds may inhibit the spread of tau pathology and potentially halt the advancement of the disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that the Mammalian Suppressor of Tauopathy 2 (MSUT2), an RNA binding protein, modulates tau pathogenesis in a transgenic mouse model. In this study, we investigated the impact of MSUT2 on tau pathogenesis using tau seeding models. Our findings indicate that the loss of MSUT2 mitigates human tau seed-induced pathology in neuron cultures and mouse models. In addition, MSUT2 regulates many gene transcripts, including the Adenosine Receptor 1 (A1AR), and we show that down regulation or inhibition of A1AR modulates the activity of the "ArfGAP with SH3 Domain, Ankyrin Repeat, and PH Domain 1 protein" (ASAP1), thereby influencing the internalization of pathogenic tau seeds into neurons resulting in reduction of tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kevt'her Hoxha
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elliot Jang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mia O'Reilly
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christopher Kim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhuohao He
- Interdisciplinary Research Center On Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nicholas Marotta
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lakshmi Changolkar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Genetics, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gerard D Schellenberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn Neurodegeneration Genomics Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian Kraemer
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Translational Neuropathology Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kurt R Brunden
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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12
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Amartumur S, Nguyen H, Huynh T, Kim TS, Woo RS, Oh E, Kim KK, Lee LP, Heo C. Neuropathogenesis-on-chips for neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2219. [PMID: 38472255 PMCID: PMC10933492 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46554-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing diagnostics and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is challenging due to multifactorial pathogenesis that progresses gradually. Advanced in vitro systems that recapitulate patient-like pathophysiology are emerging as alternatives to conventional animal-based models. In this review, we explore the interconnected pathogenic features of different types of ND, discuss the general strategy to modelling NDs using a microfluidic chip, and introduce the organoid-on-a-chip as the next advanced relevant model. Lastly, we overview how these models are being applied in academic and industrial drug development. The integration of microfluidic chips, stem cells, and biotechnological devices promises to provide valuable insights for biomedical research and developing diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarnai Amartumur
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Huong Nguyen
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Thuy Huynh
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Testaverde S Kim
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Ran-Sook Woo
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon, 34824, Korea
| | - Eungseok Oh
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Science (GSBMS), Institute for Anti-microbial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Luke P Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Harvard Medical School, Division of Engineering in Medicine and Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Chaejeong Heo
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea.
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13
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Eltom K, Mothes T, Libard S, Ingelsson M, Erlandsson A. Astrocytic accumulation of tau fibrils isolated from Alzheimer's disease brains induces inflammation, cell-to-cell propagation and neuronal impairment. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:34. [PMID: 38409026 PMCID: PMC10898102 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01745-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence highlights the involvement of astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. We have previously demonstrated that human iPSC-derived astrocytes ingest and modify synthetic tau fibrils in a way that enhances their seeding efficiency. However, synthetic tau fibrils differ significantly from in vivo formed fibrils. To mimic the situation in the brain, we here analyzed astrocytes' processing of human brain-derived tau fibrils and its consequences for cellular physiology. Tau fibrils were extracted from both AD and control brains, aiming to examine any potential differences in astrocyte response depending on the origin of fibrils. Our results show that human astrocytes internalize, but fail to degrade, both AD and control tau fibrils. Instead, pathogenic, seeding capable tau proteoforms are spread to surrounding cells via tunneling nanotubes and exocytosis. Notably, accumulation of AD tau fibrils induces a stronger reactive state in astrocytes, compared to control fibrils, evident by the augmented expression of vimentin and GFAP, as well as by an increased secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and MCP-1. Moreover, conditioned media from astrocytes with AD tau fibril deposits induce synapse and metabolic impairment in human iPSC-derived neurons. Taken together, our data suggest that the accumulation of brain-derived AD tau fibrils induces a more robust inflammatory and neurotoxic phenotype in human astrocytes, accentuating the nature of tau fibrils as an important contributing factor to inflammation and neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Eltom
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Tobias Mothes
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
| | - Sylwia Libard
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Neuro-Oncology and Neurodegeneration, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Pathology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden
- University Health Network, Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Erlandsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Molecular Geriatrics, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden.
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14
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Hu C, Yan Y, Jin Y, Yang J, Xi Y, Zhong Z. Decoding the Cellular Trafficking of Prion-like Proteins in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:241-254. [PMID: 37755677 PMCID: PMC10838874 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01115-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation and spread of prion-like proteins is a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In a process known as 'seeding', prion-like proteins such as amyloid beta, microtubule-associated protein tau, α-synuclein, silence superoxide dismutase 1, or transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa, propagate their misfolded conformations by transforming their respective soluble monomers into fibrils. Cellular and molecular evidence of prion-like propagation in NDs, the clinical relevance of their 'seeding' capacities, and their levels of contribution towards disease progression have been intensively studied over recent years. This review unpacks the cyclic prion-like propagation in cells including factors of aggregate internalization, endo-lysosomal leaking, aggregate degradation, and secretion. Debates on the importance of the role of prion-like protein aggregates in NDs, whether causal or consequent, are also discussed. Applications lead to a greater understanding of ND pathogenesis and increased potential for therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenjun Hu
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yiqun Yan
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanhong Jin
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Physiology and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yongmei Xi
- Division of Human Reproduction and Developmental Genetics, Women's Hospital and Institute of Genetics, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China.
| | - Zhen Zhong
- Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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15
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Kumar M, Quittot N, Dujardin S, Schlaffner CN, Viode A, Wiedmer A, Beerepoot P, Chun JE, Glynn C, Fernandes AR, Donahue C, Steen JA, Hyman BT. Alzheimer proteopathic tau seeds are biochemically a forme fruste of mature paired helical filaments. Brain 2024; 147:637-648. [PMID: 38236720 PMCID: PMC10834235 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aggregation prone molecules, such as tau, form both historically well characterized fibrillar deposits (neurofibrillary tangles) and recently identified phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) extract species called proteopathic seeds. Both can cause normal endogenous tau to undergo templated misfolding. The relationship of these seeds to the fibrils that define tau-related diseases is unknown. We characterized the aqueous extractable and sarkosyl insoluble fibrillar tau species derived from human Alzheimer brain using mass spectrometry and in vitro bioassays. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) including phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination are identified in both preparations. PBS extract seed competent tau can be distinguished from sarkosyl insoluble tau by the presence of overlapping, but less abundant, PTMs and an absence of some PTMs unique to the latter. The presence of ubiquitin and other PTMs on the PBS-extracted tau species correlates with the amount of tau in the seed competent size exclusion fractions, with the bioactivity and with the aggressiveness of clinical disease. These results demonstrate that the PTMs present on bioactive, seed competent PBS extract tau species are closely related to, but distinct from, the PTMs of mature paired helical filaments, consistent with the idea that they are a forme fruste of tau species that ultimately form fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Noé Quittot
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Simon Dujardin
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Christoph N Schlaffner
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Arthur Viode
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anne Wiedmer
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Pieter Beerepoot
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joshua E Chun
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Calina Glynn
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Analiese R Fernandes
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Cameron Donahue
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Judith A Steen
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alzheimer Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
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16
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Quattrini G, Pini L, Boscolo Galazzo I, Jelescu IO, Jovicich J, Manenti R, Frisoni GB, Marizzoni M, Pizzini FB, Pievani M. Microstructural alterations in the locus coeruleus-entorhinal cortex pathway in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 16:e12513. [PMID: 38213948 PMCID: PMC10781651 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated in vivo the microstructural integrity of the pathway connecting the locus coeruleus to the transentorhinal cortex (LC-TEC) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). METHODS Diffusion-weighted MRI scans were collected for 21 AD, 20 behavioral variants of FTD (bvFTD), and 20 controls. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean, axial, and radial diffusivities (MD, AxD, RD) were computed in the LC-TEC pathway using a normative atlas. Atrophy was assessed using cortical thickness and correlated with microstructural measures. RESULTS We found (i) higher RD in AD than controls; (ii) higher MD, RD, and AxD, and lower FA in bvFTD than controls and AD; and (iii) a negative association between LC-TEC MD, RD, and AxD, and entorhinal cortex (EC) thickness in bvFTD (all p < 0.050). DISCUSSION LC-TEC microstructural alterations are more pronounced in bvFTD than AD, possibly reflecting neurodegeneration secondary to EC atrophy. Highlights Microstructural integrity of LC-TEC pathway is understudied in AD and bvFTD.LC-TEC microstructural alterations are present in both AD and bvFTD.Greater LC-TEC microstructural alterations in bvFTD than AD.LC-TEC microstructural alterations in bvFTD are associated to EC neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Quattrini
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology (LANE)IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
- Department of Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBresciaItaly
| | - Lorenzo Pini
- Padova Neuroscience CenterUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
| | | | - Ileana O. Jelescu
- Department of RadiologyLausanne University Hospital and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Jorge Jovicich
- Center of Mind/Brain SciencesUniversity of TrentoRoveretoItaly
| | - Rosa Manenti
- Neuropsychology UnitIRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
| | - Giovanni B. Frisoni
- Memory Center and LANVIE ‐ Laboratory of Neuroimaging of AgingUniversity Hospitals and University of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Moira Marizzoni
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology (LANE)IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
- Laboratory of Biological PsychiatryIRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
| | - Francesca B. Pizzini
- Department of Engineering for Innovation MedicineUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Michela Pievani
- Laboratory of Alzheimer's Neuroimaging and Epidemiology (LANE)IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio FatebenefratelliBresciaItaly
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17
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Zhang X, Zou L, Tang L, Xiong M, Yan XX, Meng L, Chen G, Xiong J, Nie S, Zhang Z, Chen Q, Zhang Z. Bridging integrator 1 fragment accelerates tau aggregation and propagation by enhancing clathrin-mediated endocytosis in mice. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002470. [PMID: 38206965 PMCID: PMC10783739 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) gene is an important risk locus for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). BIN1 protein has been reported to mediate tau pathology, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that neuronal BIN1 is cleaved by the cysteine protease legumain at residues N277 and N288. The legumain-generated BIN1 (1-277) fragment is detected in brain tissues from AD patients and tau P301S transgenic mice. This fragment interacts with tau and accelerates its aggregation. Furthermore, the BIN1 (1-277) fragment promotes the propagation of tau aggregates by enhancing clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). Overexpression of the BIN1 (1-277) fragment in tau P301S mice facilitates the propagation of tau pathology, inducing cognitive deficits, while overexpression of mutant BIN1 that blocks its cleavage by legumain halts tau propagation. Furthermore, blocking the cleavage of endogenous BIN1 using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool ameliorates tau pathology and behavioral deficits. Our results demonstrate that the legumain-mediated cleavage of BIN1 plays a key role in the progression of tau pathology. Inhibition of legumain-mediated BIN1 cleavage may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Zou
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Tang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Xiong
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao-Xin Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Lanxia Meng
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Guiqin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Xiong
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuke Nie
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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18
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Desale SE, Chidambaram H, Chinnathambi S. α-Linolenic Acid Induces Microglial Activation and Extracellular Tau Internalization. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:471-481. [PMID: 38512683 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is the brain condition that occurs due to the hyper-activation of brain's immune cells and microglia, over the stimulation of extracellular aggregated proteins such as amyloid plaques and by extracellular Tau as well. The phenotypic changes of microglia from inflammatory to anti-inflammatory can be triggered by many factors, which also includes dietary fatty acids. The classes of omega-3 fatty acids are the majorly responsible in maintaining the anti-inflammatory phenotype of microglia. The enhanced phagocytic ability of microglia might induce the clearance of extracellular aggregated proteins, such as amyloid beta and Tau. In this study, we emphasized on the effect of α-linolenic acid (ALA) on the activation of microglia and internalization of the extracellular Tau seed in microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Eknath Desale
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Hariharakrishnan Chidambaram
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Subashchandrabose Chinnathambi
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
- Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Institute of National Importance, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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19
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Paterno G, Bell BM, Riley-DiPaolo A, LaVoie MJ, Giasson BI. Polymerization of recombinant tau core fragments in vitro and seeding studies in cultured cells. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1268360. [PMID: 38161790 PMCID: PMC10757379 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1268360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The relative polymerization of specific tau protein cores that define Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease and corticobasal degeneration were investigated using amyloid fluorometry and electron microscopy. In addition, the relative prion-like activities of polymers comprised of these respective tau protein segments were investigated in a cell-based assay. It is demonstrated that the seeding activities of specific tau core fibrils are affected by the presence of pathogenic tau missense mutations and the microtubule binding domain composition of tau. The unique impact of tau phosphorylation on seeding propensity was also investigated by altering stretches of phospho-mimetic and phospho-null residues in the presence of Alzheimer's disease tau core fibrils. These results have important mechanistic implications for mutation and isoform-specific driven pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giavanna Paterno
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Brach M. Bell
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alexis Riley-DiPaolo
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Matthew J. LaVoie
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Benoit I. Giasson
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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20
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Davidson R, Krider RI, Borsellino P, Noorda K, Alhwayek G, Vida TA. Untangling Tau: Molecular Insights into Neuroinflammation, Pathophysiology, and Emerging Immunotherapies. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:8816-8839. [PMID: 37998730 PMCID: PMC10670294 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45110553] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation, a core pathological feature observed in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is rapidly gaining attention as a target in understanding the molecular underpinnings of these disorders. Glial cells, endothelial cells, peripheral immune cells, and astrocytes produce a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate the disease progression. Additionally, microglial cells play a complex role in AD, facilitating the clearance of pathological amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) plaques and aggregates of the tau protein. Tau proteins, traditionally associated with microtubule stabilization, have come under intense scrutiny for their perturbed roles in neurodegenerative conditions. In this narrative review, we focus on recent advances from molecular insights that have revealed aberrant tau post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and acetylation, serving as pathological hallmarks. These modifications also trigger the activation of CNS-resident immune cells, such as microglia and astrocytes substantially contributing to neuroinflammation. This intricate relationship between tau pathologies and neuroinflammation fosters a cascading impact on neural pathophysiology. Furthermore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning tau's influence on neuroinflammation presents a frontier for the development of innovative immunotherapies. Neurodegenerative diseases have been relatively intractable to conventional pharmacology using small molecules. We further comprehensively document the many alternative approaches using immunotherapy targeting tau pathological epitopes and structures with a wide array of antibodies. Clinical trials are discussed using these therapeutic approaches, which have both promising and disappointing outcomes. Future directions for tau immunotherapies may include combining treatments with Aβ immunotherapy, which may result in more significant clinical outcomes for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Thomas A. Vida
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA; (R.D.); (R.I.K.); (P.B.); (K.N.); (G.A.)
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21
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Hu J, Sha W, Yuan S, Wu J, Huang Y. Aggregation, Transmission, and Toxicity of the Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau: A Complex Comprehension. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15023. [PMID: 37834471 PMCID: PMC10573976 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241915023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein tau is an intrinsically disordered protein containing a few short and transient secondary structures. Tau physiologically associates with microtubules (MTs) for its stabilization and detaches from MTs to regulate its dynamics. Under pathological conditions, tau is abnormally modified, detaches from MTs, and forms protein aggregates in neuronal and glial cells. Tau protein aggregates can be found in a number of devastating neurodegenerative diseases known as "tauopathies", such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), etc. However, it is still unclear how the tau protein is compacted into ordered protein aggregates, and the toxicity of the aggregates is still debated. Fortunately, there has been considerable progress in the study of tau in recent years, particularly in the understanding of the intercellular transmission of pathological tau species, the structure of tau aggregates, and the conformational change events in the tau polymerization process. In this review, we summarize the concepts of tau protein aggregation and discuss the views on tau protein transmission and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Wenchi Sha
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shuangshuang Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Jiarui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yunpeng Huang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; (J.H.); (W.S.); (S.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
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22
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Hivare P, Mujmer K, Swarup G, Gupta S, Bhatia D. Endocytic pathways of pathogenic protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. Traffic 2023; 24:434-452. [PMID: 37392160 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Endocytosis is the fundamental uptake process through which cells internalize extracellular materials and species. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by a progressive accumulation of intrinsically disordered protein species, leading to neuronal death. Misfolding in many proteins leads to various NDs such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other disorders. Despite the significance of disordered protein species in neurodegeneration, their spread between cells and the cellular uptake of extracellular species is not entirely understood. This review discusses the major internalization mechanisms of the different conformer species of these proteins and their endocytic mechanisms. We briefly introduce the broad types of endocytic mechanisms found in cells and then summarize what is known about the endocytosis of monomeric, oligomeric and aggregated conformations of tau, Aβ, α-Syn, Huntingtin, Prions, SOD1, TDP-43 and other proteins associated with neurodegeneration. We also highlight the key players involved in internalizing these disordered proteins and the several techniques and approaches to identify their endocytic mechanisms. Finally, we discuss the obstacles involved in studying the endocytosis of these protein species and the need to develop better techniques to elucidate the uptake mechanisms of a particular disordered protein species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravin Hivare
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
| | - Kratika Mujmer
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
| | - Gitanjali Swarup
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
| | - Sharad Gupta
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
| | - Dhiraj Bhatia
- Biological Engineering Discipline, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat, India
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23
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Le LTHL, Lee J, Im D, Park S, Hwang K, Lee JH, Jiang Y, Lee Y, Suh YH, Kim HI, Lee MJ. Self-Aggregating Tau Fragments Recapitulate Pathologic Phenotypes and Neurotoxicity of Alzheimer's Disease in Mice. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302035. [PMID: 37594721 PMCID: PMC10582461 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
In tauopathy conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), highly soluble and natively unfolded tau polymerizes into an insoluble filament; however, the mechanistic details of this process remain unclear. In the brains of AD patients, only a minor segment of tau forms β-helix-stacked protofilaments, while its flanking regions form disordered fuzzy coats. Here, it is demonstrated that the tau AD nucleation core (tau-AC) sufficiently induced self-aggregation and recruited full-length tau to filaments. Unexpectedly, phospho-mimetic forms of tau-AC (at Ser324 or Ser356) show markedly reduced oligomerization and seeding propensities. Biophysical analysis reveal that the N-terminus of tau-AC facilitates the fibrillization kinetics as a nucleation motif, which becomes sterically shielded through phosphorylation-induced conformational changes in tau-AC. Tau-AC oligomers are efficiently internalized into cells via endocytosis and induced endogenous tau aggregation. In primary hippocampal neurons, tau-AC impaired axon initial segment plasticity upon chronic depolarization and is mislocalized to the somatodendritic compartments. Furthermore, it is observed significantly impaired memory retrieval in mice intrahippocampally injected with tau-AC fibrils, which corresponds to the neuropathological staining and neuronal loss in the brain. These findings identify tau-AC species as a key neuropathological driver in AD, suggesting novel strategies for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ly Thi Huong Luu Le
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Jeeyoung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
- Brain Science InstituteKorea Institute of Science and TechnologySeoul02792South Korea
| | - Dongjoon Im
- Department of ChemistryKorea UniversitySeoul02841South Korea
| | - Sunha Park
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Kyoung‐Doo Hwang
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
- Department of PhysiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Jung Hoon Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Yanxialei Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
- School of MedicineLinyi UniversityLinyi276000China
| | - Yong‐Seok Lee
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
- Department of PhysiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
- Neuroscience Research InstituteSeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Young Ho Suh
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
- Neuroscience Research InstituteSeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
| | - Hugh I. Kim
- Department of ChemistryKorea UniversitySeoul02841South Korea
| | - Min Jae Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologySeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
- Department of Biomedical SciencesSeoul National University Graduate SchoolSeoul03080South Korea
- Ischemic/Hypoxic Disease Institute, Convergence Research Center for DementiaSeoul National University College of MedicineSeoul03080South Korea
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24
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Willis BA, Lo AC, Dage JL, Shcherbinin S, Chinchen L, Andersen SW, LaBell ES, Perahia DG, Hauck PM, Lowe SL. Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Zagotenemab in Participants with Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease: A Phase I Clinical Trial. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2023; 7:1015-1024. [PMID: 37849628 PMCID: PMC10578324 DOI: 10.3233/adr-230012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Zagotenemab (LY3303560), a monoclonal antibody, preferentially binds to extracellular, misfolded, aggregated tau that has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective The goal of this study was to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of multiple doses of zagotenemab in participants with AD. Methods This was a Phase Ib, multi-site, participant- and investigator-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in participants with mild cognitive impairment due to AD or mild to moderate AD. After screening, participants were randomized to zagotenemab 70 mg, 210 mg, or placebo every 4 weeks for up to 49 weeks and were followed up for 16 weeks. Results A total of 13 males and 9 females, aged 59 to 84 years, were dosed. No deaths occurred during this study. A total of 4 serious adverse events occurred in 2 participants who then discontinued the study. The most commonly reported (3 or more participants) treatment-emergent adverse events were sinus bradycardia, headache, fall, and bronchitis. The pharmacokinetics profile showed generally linear exposures across the dose range studied with a clearance of ~8 mL/h. The half-life of zagotenemab in serum was ~20 days. A dose-dependent increase in plasma tau was observed. No other significant pharmacodynamic differences were observed due to low dose levels and limited treatment duration. Conclusions No dose-limiting adverse events were observed with zagotenemab treatment. Pharmacokinetics of zagotenemab were typical for a monoclonal antibody. Meaningful pharmacodynamic differences were not observed.Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03019536.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A. Willis
- Work Completed While an Employee of Eli Lilly and Company. Current Affiliation: Eisai Inc., Nutley, NJ, USA
| | - Albert C. Lo
- Work Completed While an Employee of Eli Lilly and Company
| | - Jeffrey L. Dage
- Work Completed While an Employee of Eli Lilly and Company. Current Affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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25
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Hrybouski S, Das SR, Xie L, Wisse LEM, Kelley M, Lane J, Sherin M, DiCalogero M, Nasrallah I, Detre J, Yushkevich PA, Wolk DA. Aging and Alzheimer's disease have dissociable effects on local and regional medial temporal lobe connectivity. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad245. [PMID: 37767219 PMCID: PMC10521906 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional disruption of the medial temporal lobe-dependent networks is thought to underlie episodic memory deficits in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies revealed that the anterior medial temporal lobe is more vulnerable to pathological and neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, cognitive and structural imaging literature indicates posterior, as opposed to anterior, medial temporal lobe vulnerability in normal aging. However, the extent to which Alzheimer's and aging-related pathological processes relate to functional disruption of the medial temporal lobe-dependent brain networks is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we examined functional connectivity alterations in the medial temporal lobe and its immediate functional neighbourhood-the Anterior-Temporal and Posterior-Medial brain networks-in normal agers, individuals with preclinical Alzheimer's disease and patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. In the Anterior-Temporal network and in the perirhinal cortex, in particular, we observed an inverted 'U-shaped' relationship between functional connectivity and Alzheimer's stage. According to our results, the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease is characterized by increased functional connectivity between the perirhinal cortex and other regions of the medial temporal lobe, as well as between the anterior medial temporal lobe and its one-hop neighbours in the Anterior-Temporal system. This effect is no longer present in symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Instead, patients with symptomatic Alzheimer's disease displayed reduced hippocampal connectivity within the medial temporal lobe as well as hypoconnectivity within the Posterior-Medial system. For normal aging, our results led to three main conclusions: (i) intra-network connectivity of both the Anterior-Temporal and Posterior-Medial networks declines with age; (ii) the anterior and posterior segments of the medial temporal lobe become increasingly decoupled from each other with advancing age; and (iii) the posterior subregions of the medial temporal lobe, especially the parahippocampal cortex, are more vulnerable to age-associated loss of function than their anterior counterparts. Together, the current results highlight evolving medial temporal lobe dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and indicate different neurobiological mechanisms of the medial temporal lobe network disruption in aging versus Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislau Hrybouski
- Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sandhitsu R Das
- Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Long Xie
- Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laura E M Wisse
- Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Melissa Kelley
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jacqueline Lane
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Monica Sherin
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael DiCalogero
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ilya Nasrallah
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John Detre
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Paul A Yushkevich
- Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory (PICSL), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David A Wolk
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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26
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Geerts H, Bergeler S, Walker M, van der Graaf PH, Courade JP. Analysis of clinical failure of anti-tau and anti-synuclein antibodies in neurodegeneration using a quantitative systems pharmacology model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14342. [PMID: 37658103 PMCID: PMC10474108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41382-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolded proteins in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease follow a well-defined connectomics-based spatial progression. Several anti-tau and anti-alpha synuclein (aSyn) antibodies have failed to provide clinical benefit in clinical trials despite substantial target engagement in the experimentally accessible cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The proposed mechanism of action is reducing neuronal uptake of oligomeric protein from the synaptic cleft. We built a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model to quantitatively simulate intrasynaptic secretion, diffusion and antibody capture in the synaptic cleft, postsynaptic membrane binding and internalization of monomeric and oligomeric tau and aSyn proteins. Integration with a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model allowed us to simulate clinical trials of anti-tau antibodies gosuranemab, tilavonemab, semorinemab, and anti-aSyn antibodies cinpanemab and prasineuzumab. Maximal target engagement for monomeric tau was simulated as 45% (semorinemab) to 99% (gosuranemab) in CSF, 30% to 99% in ISF but only 1% to 3% in the synaptic cleft, leading to a reduction of less than 1% in uptake of oligomeric tau. Simulations for prasineuzumab and cinpanemab suggest target engagement of free monomeric aSyn of only 6-8% in CSF, 4-6% and 1-2% in the ISF and synaptic cleft, while maximal target engagement of aggregated aSyn was predicted to reach 99% and 80% in the synaptic cleft with similar effects on neuronal uptake. The study generates optimal values of selectivity, sensitivity and PK profiles for antibodies. The study identifies a gradient of decreasing target engagement from CSF to the synaptic cleft as a key driver of efficacy, quantitatively identifies various improvements for drug design and emphasizes the need for QSP modelling to support the development of tau and aSyn antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Geerts
- Certara US, 100 Overlook Centre, Suite 101, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA.
| | - Silke Bergeler
- Certara US, 100 Overlook Centre, Suite 101, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
- Bristol-Meyers-Squibb, Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, USA
| | - Mike Walker
- Certara UK, Canterbury Innovation Centre, University Road, Canterbury, CT2 7FG, Kent, UK
| | - Piet H van der Graaf
- Certara UK, Canterbury Innovation Centre, University Road, Canterbury, CT2 7FG, Kent, UK
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27
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Flavin WP, Hosseini H, Ruberti JW, Kavehpour HP, Giza CC, Prins ML. Traumatic brain injury and the pathways to cerebral tau accumulation. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1239653. [PMID: 37638180 PMCID: PMC10450935 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1239653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau is a protein that has received national mainstream recognition for its potential negative impact to the brain. This review succinctly provides information on the structure of tau and its normal physiological functions, including in hibernation and changes throughout the estrus cycle. There are many pathways involved in phosphorylating tau including diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain injury, aging, and drug use. The common mechanisms for these processes are put into context with changes observed in mild and repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The phosphorylation of tau is a part of the progression to pathology, but the ability for tau to aggregate and propagate is also addressed. Summarizing both the functional and dysfunctional roles of tau can help advance our understanding of this complex protein, improve our care for individuals with a history of TBI, and lead to development of therapeutic interventions to prevent or reverse tau-mediated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P. Flavin
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Helia Hosseini
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey W. Ruberti
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - H. Pirouz Kavehpour
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Christopher C. Giza
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Injury Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mayumi L. Prins
- Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, Department of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Injury Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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28
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Celauro L, Burato A, Zattoni M, De Cecco E, Fantuz M, Cazzaniga FA, Bistaffa E, Moda F, Legname G. Different tau fibril types reduce prion level in chronically and de novo infected cells. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105054. [PMID: 37454740 PMCID: PMC10432985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are often characterized by the codeposition of different amyloidogenic proteins, normally defining distinct proteinopathies. An example is represented by prion diseases, where the classical deposition of the aberrant conformational isoform of the prion protein (PrPSc) can be associated with tau insoluble species, which are usually involved in another class of diseases called tauopathies. How this copresence of amyloidogenic proteins can influence the progression of prion diseases is still a matter of debate. Recently, the cellular form of the prion protein, PrPC, has been investigated as a possible receptor of amyloidogenic proteins, since its binding activity with Aβ, tau, and α-synuclein has been reported, and it has been linked to several neurotoxic behaviors exerted by these proteins. We have previously shown that the treatment of chronically prion-infected cells with tau K18 fibrils reduced PrPSc levels. In this work, we further explored this mechanism by using another tau construct that includes the sequence that forms the core of Alzheimer's disease tau filaments in vivo to obtain a distinct fibril type. Despite a difference of six amino acids, these two constructs form fibrils characterized by distinct biochemical and biological features. However, their effects on PrPSc reduction were comparable and probably based on the binding to PrPC at the plasma membrane, inhibiting the pathological conversion event. Our results suggest PrPC as receptor for different types of tau fibrils and point out a role of tau amyloid fibrils in preventing the pathological PrPC to PrPSc conformational change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Celauro
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Anna Burato
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Zattoni
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Elena De Cecco
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Fantuz
- Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata VIMM, Padova, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Federico Angelo Cazzaniga
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Moda
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.
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29
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Imran Sajid M, Sultan Sheikh F, Anis F, Nasim N, Sumbria RK, Nauli SM, Kumar Tiwari R. siRNA drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer's disease. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 199:114968. [PMID: 37353152 PMCID: PMC10528676 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a few FDA-approved drugs that provide modest symptomatic benefits and only two FDA-approved disease-modifying treatments for AD. The advancements in understanding the causative genes and non-coding sequences at the molecular level of the pathophysiology of AD have resulted in several exciting research papers that employed small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapy. Although siRNA is being sought by academia and biopharma industries, several challenges still need to be addressed. We comprehensively report the latest advances in AD pathophysiology, druggable targets, ongoing clinical trials, and the siRNA-based approaches across the blood-brain barrier for addressing AD. This review describes the latest delivery systems employed to address this barrier. Critical insights and future perspectives on siRNA therapy for AD are also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Imran Sajid
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Fahad Sultan Sheikh
- Shifa College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Faiza Anis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Nourina Nasim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Syed Baber Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, 54792 Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rachita K Sumbria
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92868, USA
| | - Surya M Nauli
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
| | - Rakesh Kumar Tiwari
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA.
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30
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Colom-Cadena M, Davies C, Sirisi S, Lee JE, Simzer EM, Tzioras M, Querol-Vilaseca M, Sánchez-Aced É, Chang YY, Holt K, McGeachan RI, Rose J, Tulloch J, Wilkins L, Smith C, Andrian T, Belbin O, Pujals S, Horrocks MH, Lleó A, Spires-Jones TL. Synaptic oligomeric tau in Alzheimer's disease - A potential culprit in the spread of tau pathology through the brain. Neuron 2023; 111:2170-2183.e6. [PMID: 37192625 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, fibrillar tau pathology accumulates and spreads through the brain and synapses are lost. Evidence from mouse models indicates that tau spreads trans-synaptically from pre- to postsynapses and that oligomeric tau is synaptotoxic, but data on synaptic tau in human brain are scarce. Here we used sub-diffraction-limit microscopy to study synaptic tau accumulation in postmortem temporal and occipital cortices of human Alzheimer's and control donors. Oligomeric tau is present in pre- and postsynaptic terminals, even in areas without abundant fibrillar tau deposition. Furthermore, there is a higher proportion of oligomeric tau compared with phosphorylated or misfolded tau found at synaptic terminals. These data suggest that accumulation of oligomeric tau in synapses is an early event in pathogenesis and that tau pathology may progress through the brain via trans-synaptic spread in human disease. Thus, specifically reducing oligomeric tau at synapses may be a promising therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martí Colom-Cadena
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sònia Sirisi
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Simzer
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marta Querol-Vilaseca
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Érika Sánchez-Aced
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ya Yin Chang
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kristjan Holt
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert I McGeachan
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lewis Wilkins
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Teodora Andrian
- Nanoscopy for Nanomedicine Lab, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sílvia Pujals
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mathew H Horrocks
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
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31
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Karakatsani ME, Ji R, Murillo MF, Kugelman T, Kwon N, Lao YH, Liu K, Pouliopoulos AN, Honig LS, Duff KE, Konofagou EE. Focused ultrasound mitigates pathology and improves spatial memory in Alzheimer's mice and patients. Theranostics 2023; 13:4102-4120. [PMID: 37554284 PMCID: PMC10405840 DOI: 10.7150/thno.79898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Bilateral sonication with focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with microbubbles has been shown to separately reduce amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the hippocampal formation and the entorhinal cortex in different mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) without any therapeutic agents. However, the two pathologies are expressed concurrently in human disease. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of repeated bilateral sonications in the presence of both pathologies. Methods: Herein, we investigate its functional and morphological outcomes on brains bearing both pathologies simultaneously. Eleven transgenic mice of the 3xTg-AD line (14 months old) expressing human amyloid beta and human tau and eleven age-matched wild-type littermates received four weekly bilateral sonications covering the hippocampus followed by working memory testing. Afterwards, immunohistochemistry and immunoassays (western blot and ELISA) were employed to assess any changes in amyloid beta and human tau. Furthermore, we present preliminary data from our clinical trial using a neuronavigation-guided FUS system for sonications in AD patients (NCT04118764). Results: Interestingly, both wild-type and transgenic animals that received FUS experienced improved working memory and spent significantly more time in the escape platform-quadrant, with wild-type animals spending 43.2% (sham: 37.7%) and transgenic animals spending 35.3% (sham: 31.0%) of the trial in the target quadrant. Furthermore, this behavioral amelioration in the transgenic animals correlated with a 58.3% decrease in the neuronal length affected by tau and a 27.2% reduction in total tau levels. Amyloid plaque population, volume and overall load were also reduced overall. Consistently, preliminary data from a clinical trial involving AD patients showed a 1.8% decrease of amyloid PET signal 3-weeks after treatment in the treated hemisphere compared to baseline. Conclusion: For the first time, it is shown that bilateral FUS-induced BBB opening significantly and simultaneously ameliorates both coexistent pathologies, which translated to improvements in spatial memory of transgenic animals with complex AD, the human mimicking phenotype. The level of cognitive improvement was significantly correlated with the volume of BBB opening. Non-transgenic animals were also shown to exhibit similar memory amelioration for the first time, indicating that BBB opening results into benefits in the neuronal function regardless of the existence of AD pathology. A potential mechanism of action for the reduction of the both pathologies investigated was the cholesterol metabolism, specifically the LRP1b receptor, which exhibited increased expression levels in transgenic mice following FUS-induced BBB opening. Initial clinical evidence supported that the beta amyloid reduction shown in rodents could be translatable to humans with significant amyloid reduction shown in the treated hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robin Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Maria F. Murillo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Tara Kugelman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Nancy Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Yeh-Hsing Lao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Keyu Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - Lawrence S. Honig
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Karen E. Duff
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elisa E. Konofagou
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
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Lamontagne-Kam D, Ulfat AK, Hervé V, Vu TM, Brouillette J. Implication of tau propagation on neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1219299. [PMID: 37483337 PMCID: PMC10360202 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1219299] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Propagation of tau fibrils correlate closely with neurodegeneration and memory deficits seen during the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although it is not well-established what drives or attenuates tau spreading, new studies on human brain using positron emission tomography (PET) have shed light on how tau phosphorylation, genetic factors, and the initial epicenter of tau accumulation influence tau accumulation and propagation throughout the brain. Here, we review the latest PET studies performed across the entire AD continuum looking at the impact of amyloid load on tau pathology. We also explore the effects of structural, functional, and proximity connectivity on tau spreading in a stereotypical manner in the brain of AD patients. Since tau propagation can be quite heterogenous between individuals, we then consider how the speed and pattern of propagation are influenced by the starting localization of tau accumulation in connected brain regions. We provide an overview of some genetic variants that were shown to accelerate or slow down tau spreading. Finally, we discuss how phosphorylation of certain tau epitopes affect the spreading of tau fibrils. Since tau pathology is an early event in AD pathogenesis and is one of the best predictors of neurodegeneration and memory impairments, understanding the process by which tau spread from one brain region to another could pave the way to novel therapeutic avenues that are efficient during the early stages of the disease, before neurodegeneration induces permanent brain damage and severe memory loss.
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33
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Lopez DM, Maltby CJ, Warming H, Divecha N, Vargas-Caballero M, Coldwell MJ, Deinhardt K. A luminescence-based reporter to study tau secretion reveals overlapping mechanisms for the release of healthy and pathological tau. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1196007. [PMID: 37342467 PMCID: PMC10277490 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1196007] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, tau pathology is thought to spread via a prion-like manner along connected neuronal networks. For this to occur, the usually cytosolic tau protein must be secreted via an unconventional mechanism prior to uptake into the connected neuron. While secretion of healthy and pathological tau has been documented, it remains under-investigated whether this occurs via overlapping or distinct processes. Here, we established a sensitive bioluminescence-based assay to assess mechanisms underlying the secretion of pseudohyperphosphorylated and wild-type tau in cultured murine hippocampal neurons. We found that under basal conditions, both wild-type and mutant tau are secreted, with mutant tau being more robustly secreted. Pharmacological stimulation of neuronal activity led to a modest increase of wild-type and mutant tau secretion, whereas inhibition of activity had no effect. Interestingly, inhibition of heparin sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) biosynthesis drastically decreased secretion of both wild-type and mutant tau without affecting cell viability. This shows that native and pathological tau share release mechanisms; both activity-dependent and non-activity-dependent secretion of tau is facilitated by HSPGs.
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34
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Panzi C, Surana S, De La-Rocque S, Moretto E, Lazo OM, Schiavo G. Botulinum neurotoxin A modulates the axonal release of pathological tau in hippocampal neurons. Toxicon 2023; 228:107110. [PMID: 37037273 PMCID: PMC10636589 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Pathological tau aggregates propagate across functionally connected neuronal networks in human neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanism underlying this process is poorly understood. Several studies have showed that tau release is dependent on neuronal activity and that pathological tau is found in the extracellular space in free form, as well as in the lumen of extracellular vesicles. We recently showed that metabotropic glutamate receptor activity and SNAP25 integrity modulate the release of pathological tau from human and mouse synaptosomes. Here, we have leveraged botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), which impair neurotransmitter release by cleaving specific synaptic SNARE proteins, to dissect molecular mechanisms related to tau release at synapses. In particular, we have tested the effect of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) on the synaptic release of tau in primary mouse neurons. Hippocampal neurons were grown in microfluidic chambers and transduced with lentiviruses expressing human tau (hTau). We found that neuronal stimulation significantly increases the release of mutant hTau, whereas wild-type hTau is unaffected. Importantly, BoNT/A blocks mutant hTau release, indicating that this process is controlled by SNAP25, a component of the SNARE complex, in intact neurons. These results suggest that BoNTs are potent tools to study the spreading of pathological proteins in neurodegenerative diseases and could play a central role in identifying novel molecular targets for the development of therapeutic interventions to treat tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Panzi
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Sunaina Surana
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Samantha De La-Rocque
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Edoardo Moretto
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; Institute of Neuroscience, CNR, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, Italy
| | - Oscar Marcelo Lazo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK; UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK.
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35
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Mummery CJ, Börjesson-Hanson A, Blackburn DJ, Vijverberg EGB, De Deyn PP, Ducharme S, Jonsson M, Schneider A, Rinne JO, Ludolph AC, Bodenschatz R, Kordasiewicz H, Swayze EE, Fitzsimmons B, Mignon L, Moore KM, Yun C, Baumann T, Li D, Norris DA, Crean R, Graham DL, Huang E, Ratti E, Bennett CF, Junge C, Lane RM. Tau-targeting antisense oligonucleotide MAPT Rx in mild Alzheimer's disease: a phase 1b, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nat Med 2023; 29:1437-1447. [PMID: 37095250 PMCID: PMC10287562 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Tau plays a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology, and accumulating evidence suggests that lowering tau may reduce this pathology. We sought to inhibit MAPT expression with a tau-targeting antisense oligonucleotide (MAPTRx) and reduce tau levels in patients with mild AD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-ascending dose phase 1b trial evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics and target engagement of MAPTRx. Four ascending dose cohorts were enrolled sequentially and randomized 3:1 to intrathecal bolus administrations of MAPTRx or placebo every 4 or 12 weeks during the 13-week treatment period, followed by a 23 week post-treatment period. The primary endpoint was safety. The secondary endpoint was MAPTRx pharmacokinetics in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The prespecified key exploratory outcome was CSF total-tau protein concentration. Forty-six patients enrolled in the trial, of whom 34 were randomized to MAPTRx and 12 to placebo. Adverse events were reported in 94% of MAPTRx-treated patients and 75% of placebo-treated patients; all were mild or moderate. No serious adverse events were reported in MAPTRx-treated patients. Dose-dependent reduction in the CSF total-tau concentration was observed with greater than 50% mean reduction from baseline at 24 weeks post-last dose in the 60 mg (four doses) and 115 mg (two doses) MAPTRx groups. Clinicaltrials.gov registration number: NCT03186989 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J Mummery
- Dementia Research Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Daniel J Blackburn
- Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Sheffield Clinical Research Facility and NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Everard G B Vijverberg
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Paul De Deyn
- University Medical Center Groningen / RUG, Alzheimer Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Simon Ducharme
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute and McConnell Brain Imaging Centre of the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Jonsson
- Memory Clinic, Psychiatry - Cognition and Geriatric Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg/Molndal, Sweden
| | - Anja Schneider
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, and Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Juha O Rinne
- CRST Oy; Turku PET Centre University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology University of Ulm and DZNE, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ralf Bodenschatz
- Pharmakologisches Studienzentrum Chemnitz GmbH Mittweida, Mittweida, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Chris Yun
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | - Dan Li
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
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Abbate C. The Adult Neurogenesis Theory of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2023:JAD221279. [PMID: 37182879 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease starts in neural stem cells (NSCs) in the niches of adult neurogenesis. All primary factors responsible for pathological tau hyperphosphorylation are inherent to adult neurogenesis and migration. However, when amyloid pathology is present, it strongly amplifies tau pathogenesis. Indeed, the progressive accumulation of extracellular amyloid-β deposits in the brain triggers a state of chronic inflammation by microglia. Microglial activation has a significant pro-neurogenic effect that fosters the process of adult neurogenesis and supports neuronal migration. Unfortunately, this "reactive" pro-neurogenic activity ultimately perturbs homeostatic equilibrium in the niches of adult neurogenesis by amplifying tau pathogenesis in AD. This scenario involves NSCs in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus in late-onset AD (LOAD) and NSCs in the ventricular-subventricular zone along the lateral ventricles in early-onset AD (EOAD), including familial AD (FAD). Neuroblasts carrying the initial seed of tau pathology travel throughout the brain via neuronal migration driven by complex signals and convey the disease from the niches of adult neurogenesis to near (LOAD) or distant (EOAD) brain regions. In these locations, or in close proximity, a focus of degeneration begins to develop. Then, tau pathology spreads from the initial foci to large neuronal networks along neural connections through neuron-to-neuron transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Abbate
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy
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37
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Jarrah R, Nathani KR, Bhandarkar S, Ezeudu CS, Nguyen RT, Amare A, Aljameey UA, Jarrah SI, Bhandarkar AR, Fiani B. Microfluidic 'brain-on chip' systems to supplement neurological practice: development, applications and considerations. Regen Med 2023; 18:413-423. [PMID: 37125510 DOI: 10.2217/rme-2022-0212] [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: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the greatest general challenges in bioengineering is to mimic human physiology. Advanced efforts in tissue engineering have led to sophisticated 'brain-on-chip' (BoC) microfluidic devices that can mimic structural and functional aspects of brain tissue. BoC may be used to understand the biochemical pathways of neurolgical pathologies and assess promising therapeutic agents for facilitating regenerative medicine. We evaluated the potential of microfluidic BoC devices in various neurological pathologies, such as Alzheimer's, glioblastoma, traumatic brain injury, stroke and epilepsy. We also discuss the principles, limitations and future considerations of BoC technology. Results suggest that BoC models can help understand complex neurological pathologies and augment drug testing efforts for regenerative applications. However, implementing organ-on-chip technology to clinical practice has some practical limitations that warrant greater attention to improve large-scale applicability. Nevertheless, they remain to be versatile and powerful tools that can broaden our understanding of pathophysiological and therapeutic uncertainties to neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Jarrah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | | | - Shaan Bhandarkar
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Chibuze S Ezeudu
- Texas A&M School of Medicine,Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Ryan T Nguyen
- University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Abrham Amare
- Morehouse School of Medicine, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
| | - Usama A Aljameey
- Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Knoxville, TN 37923, USA
| | - Sabrina I Jarrah
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Brian Fiani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cornell Medical Center/New York Presbyterian, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Kostes WW, Brafman DA. The Multifaceted Role of WNT Signaling in Alzheimer's Disease Onset and Age-Related Progression. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081204. [PMID: 37190113 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary conserved WNT signaling pathway orchestrates numerous complex biological processes during development and is critical to the maintenance of tissue integrity and homeostasis in the adult. As it relates to the central nervous system, WNT signaling plays several roles as it relates to neurogenesis, synaptic formation, memory, and learning. Thus, dysfunction of this pathway is associated with multiple diseases and disorders, including several neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by several pathologies, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive decline. In this review, we will discuss the various epidemiological, clinical, and animal studies that demonstrate a precise link between aberrant WNT signaling and AD-associated pathologies. In turn, we will discuss the manner in which WNT signaling influences multiple molecular, biochemical, and cellular pathways upstream of these end-point pathologies. Finally, we will discuss how merging tools and technologies can be used to generate next generation cellular models to dissect the relationship between WNT signaling and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- William W Kostes
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - David A Brafman
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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39
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Torok J, Anand C, Verma P, Raj A. Connectome-based biophysics models of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and prognosis. Transl Res 2023; 254:13-23. [PMID: 36031051 PMCID: PMC11019890 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
With the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) among aging populations and the limited therapeutic options available to slow or reverse its progression, the need has never been greater for improved diagnostic tools for identifying patients in the preclinical and prodomal phases of AD. Biophysics models of the connectome-based spread of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and microtubule-associated protein tau (τ) have enjoyed recent success as tools for predicting the time course of AD-related pathological changes. However, given the complex etiology of AD, which involves not only connectome-based spread of protein pathology but also the interactions of many molecular and cellular players over multiple spatiotemporal scales, more robust, complete biophysics models are needed to better understand AD pathophysiology and ultimately provide accurate patient-specific diagnoses and prognoses. Here we discuss several areas of active research in AD whose insights can be used to enhance the mathematical modeling of AD pathology as well as recent attempts at developing improved connectome-based biophysics models. These efforts toward a comprehensive yet parsimonious mathematical description of AD hold great promise for improving both the diagnosis of patients at risk for AD and our mechanistic understanding of how AD progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Torok
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
| | - Chaitali Anand
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Parul Verma
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Ashish Raj
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Francisco, Berkeley, California; Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
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40
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Chaiamarit T, Verhelle A, Chassefeyre R, Shukla N, Novak SW, Andrade LR, Manor U, Encalada SE. Mutant Prion Protein Endoggresomes are Hubs for Local Axonal Organelle-Cytoskeletal Remodeling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.19.533383. [PMID: 36993610 PMCID: PMC10055262 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.19.533383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Dystrophic axons comprising misfolded mutant prion protein (PrP) aggregates are a characteristic pathological feature in the prionopathies. These aggregates form inside endolysosomes -called endoggresomes-, within swellings that line up the length of axons of degenerating neurons. The pathways impaired by endoggresomes that result in failed axonal and consequently neuronal health, remain undefined. Here, we dissect the local subcellular impairments that occur within individual mutant PrP endoggresome swelling sites in axons. Quantitative high-resolution light and electron microscopy revealed the selective impairment of the acetylated vs tyrosinated microtubule cytoskeleton, while micro-domain image analysis of live organelle dynamics within swelling sites revealed deficits uniquely to the MT-based active transport system that translocates mitochondria and endosomes toward the synapse. Cytoskeletal and defective transport results in the retention of mitochondria, endosomes, and molecular motors at swelling sites, enhancing mitochondria-Rab7 late endosome contacts that induce mitochondrial fission via the activity of Rab7, and render mitochondria dysfunctional. Our findings point to mutant Pr Pendoggresome swelling sites as selective hubs of cytoskeletal deficits and organelle retention that drive the remodeling of organelles along axons. We propose that the dysfunction imparted locally within these axonal micro-domains spreads throughout the axon over time, leading to axonal dysfunction in prionopathies.
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Hosseini-Gerami L, Ficulle E, Humphryes-Kirilov N, Airey DC, Scherschel J, Kananathan S, Eastwood BJ, Bose S, Collier DA, Laing E, Evans D, Broughton H, Bender A. Mechanism of action deconvolution of the small-molecule pathological tau aggregation inhibitor Anle138b. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:52. [PMID: 36918909 PMCID: PMC10012450 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01182-0] [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: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A key histopathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of aggregated microtubule-associated protein tau in neurons. Anle138b is a small molecule which has previously shown efficacy in mice in reducing tau aggregates and rescuing AD disease phenotypes. METHODS In this work, we employed bioinformatics analysis-including pathway enrichment and causal reasoning-of an in vitro tauopathy model. The model consisted of cultured rat cortical neurons either unseeded or seeded with tau aggregates derived from human AD patients, both of which were treated with Anle138b to generate hypotheses for its mode of action. In parallel, we used a collection of human target prediction models to predict direct targets of Anle138b based on its chemical structure. RESULTS Combining the different approaches, we found evidence supporting the hypothesis that the action of Anle138b involves several processes which are key to AD progression, including cholesterol homeostasis and neuroinflammation. On the pathway level, we found significantly enriched pathways related to these two processes including those entitled "Superpathway of cholesterol biosynthesis" and "Granulocyte adhesion and diapedesis". With causal reasoning, we inferred differential activity of SREBF1/2 (involved in cholesterol regulation) and mediators of the inflammatory response such as NFKB1 and RELA. Notably, our findings were also observed in Anle138b-treated unseeded neurons, meaning that the inferred processes are independent of tau pathology and thus represent the direct action of the compound in the cellular system. Through structure-based ligand-target prediction, we predicted the intracellular cholesterol carrier NPC1 as well as NF-κB subunits as potential targets of Anle138b, with structurally similar compounds in the model training set known to target the same proteins. CONCLUSIONS This study has generated feasible hypotheses for the potential mechanism of action of Anle138b, which will enable the development of future molecular interventions aiming to reduce tau pathology in AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Hosseini-Gerami
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,AbsoluteAi Ltd, London, UK
| | - Elena Ficulle
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,Zifo RnD Solutions, London, UK
| | | | - David C Airey
- Eli Lilly and Company, Corporate Centre, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | | | | | - Brian J Eastwood
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,Eli Lilly and Company, Bracknell, UK.,Eli Lilly and Company (Retired), Bracknell, UK
| | - Suchira Bose
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,Eli Lilly and Company, Bracknell, UK
| | - David A Collier
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,Eli Lilly and Company, Bracknell, UK.,Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, IoPPN, Kings's College London and Genetic and Genomic Consulting Ltd, Farnham, UK
| | - Emma Laing
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,GSK, Stevenage, UK
| | - David Evans
- Eli Lilly and Company, Windlesham, UK.,DeepMind, London, UK
| | | | - Andreas Bender
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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42
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Hebisch M, Klostermeier S, Wolf K, Boccaccini AR, Wolf SE, Tanzi RE, Kim DY. The Impact of the Cellular Environment and Aging on Modeling Alzheimer's Disease in 3D Cell Culture Models. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2205037. [PMID: 36642841 PMCID: PMC10015857 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Creating a cellular model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that accurately recapitulates disease pathology has been a longstanding challenge. Recent studies showed that human AD neural cells, integrated into three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel matrix, display key features of AD neuropathology. Like in the human brain, the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in determining the rate of neuropathogenesis in hydrogel-based 3D cellular models. Aging, the greatest risk factor for AD, significantly alters brain ECM properties. Therefore, it is important to understand how age-associated changes in ECM affect accumulation of pathogenic molecules, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in AD patients and in vitro models. In this review, mechanistic hypotheses is presented to address the impact of the ECM properties and their changes with aging on AD and AD-related dementias. Altered ECM characteristics in aged brains, including matrix stiffness, pore size, and composition, will contribute to disease pathogenesis by modulating the accumulation, propagation, and spreading of pathogenic molecules of AD. Emerging hydrogel-based disease models with differing ECM properties provide an exciting opportunity to study the impact of brain ECM aging on AD pathogenesis, providing novel mechanistic insights. Understanding the role of ECM aging in AD pathogenesis should also improve modeling AD in 3D hydrogel systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hebisch
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
| | - Stefanie Klostermeier
- Institute of Medical PhysicsFriedrich‐Alexander Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91052ErlangenGermany
- Max‐Planck‐Zentrum für Physik und Medizin91054ErlangenGermany
| | - Katharina Wolf
- Department of Medicine 1Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91054ErlangenGermany
| | - Aldo R. Boccaccini
- Institute of BiomaterialsDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91058ErlangenGermany
| | - Stephan E. Wolf
- Institute of Glass and CeramicsDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg91058ErlangenGermany
| | - Rudolph E. Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
| | - Doo Yeon Kim
- Genetics and Aging Research UnitMcCance Center for Brain health, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseaseMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolCharlestownMA02129USA
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43
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I F. The unique neuropathological vulnerability of the human brain to aging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101916. [PMID: 36990284 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), argyrophilic grain disease (AGD), aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG), limbic predominant TDP-43 proteinopathy (LATE), and amygdala-predominant Lewy body disease (LBD) are proteinopathies that, together with hippocampal sclerosis, progressively appear in the elderly affecting from 50% to 99% of individuals aged 80 years, depending on the disease. These disorders usually converge on the same subject and associate with additive cognitive impairment. Abnormal Tau, TDP-43, and α-synuclein pathologies progress following a pattern consistent with an active cell-to-cell transmission and abnormal protein processing in the host cell. However, cell vulnerability and transmission pathways are specific for each disorder, albeit abnormal proteins may co-localize in particular neurons. All these alterations are unique or highly prevalent in humans. They all affect, at first, the archicortex and paleocortex to extend at later stages to the neocortex and other regions of the telencephalon. These observations show that the phylogenetically oldest areas of the human cerebral cortex and amygdala are not designed to cope with the lifespan of actual humans. New strategies aimed at reducing the functional overload of the human telencephalon, including optimization of dream repair mechanisms and implementation of artificial circuit devices to surrogate specific brain functions, appear promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferrer I
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Emeritus Researcher of the Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Research Network of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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44
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Kang YJ, Xue Y, Shin JH, Cho H. Human mini-brains for reconstituting central nervous system disorders. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:964-981. [PMID: 36644973 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00897a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders in the central nervous system (CNS) are progressive and irreversible diseases leading to devastating impacts on patients' life as they cause cognitive impairment, dementia, and even loss of essential body functions. The development of effective medicines curing CNS disorders is, however, one of the most ambitious challenges due to the extremely complex functions and structures of the human brain. In this regard, there are unmet needs to develop simplified but physiopathologically-relevant brain models. Recent advances in the microfluidic techniques allow multicellular culture forming miniaturized 3D human brains by aligning parts of brain regions with specific cells serving suitable functions. In this review, we overview designs and strategies of microfluidics-based human mini-brains for reconstituting CNS disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), vascular dementia (VD), and environmental risk factor-driven dementia (ERFD). Afterward, the applications of the mini-brains in the area of medical science are introduced in terms of the clarification of pathogenic mechanisms and identification of promising biomarkers. We also present expanded model systems ranging from the CNS to CNS-connecting organ axes to study the entry pathways of pathological risk factors into the brain. Lastly, the advantages and potential challenges of current model systems are addressed with future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Jung Kang
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yingqi Xue
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hee Shin
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hansang Cho
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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45
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Spitz S, Ko E, Ertl P, Kamm RD. How Organ-on-a-Chip Technology Can Assist in Studying the Role of the Glymphatic System in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:2171. [PMID: 36768495 PMCID: PMC9916687 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of a conventional lymphatic system that permeates throughout the entire human brain has encouraged the identification and study of alternative clearance routes within the cerebrum. In 2012, the concept of the glymphatic system, a perivascular network that fluidically connects the cerebrospinal fluid to the lymphatic vessels within the meninges via the interstitium, emerged. Although its exact mode of action has not yet been fully characterized, the key underlying processes that govern solute transport and waste clearance have been identified. This review briefly describes the perivascular glial-dependent clearance system and elucidates its fundamental role in neurodegenerative diseases. The current knowledge of the glymphatic system is based almost exclusively on animal-based measurements, but these face certain limitations inherent to in vivo experiments. Recent advances in organ-on-a-chip technology are discussed to demonstrate the technology's ability to provide alternative human-based in vitro research models. Herein, the specific focus is on how current microfluidic-based in vitro models of the neurovascular system and neurodegenerative diseases might be employed to (i) gain a deeper understanding of the role and function of the glymphatic system and (ii) to identify new opportunities for pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Spitz
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/163-164, 1060 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Eunkyung Ko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peter Ertl
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/163-164, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Roger D. Kamm
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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46
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Hrybouski S, Das SR, Xie L, Wisse LEM, Kelley M, Lane J, Sherin M, DiCalogero M, Nasrallah I, Detre JA, Yushkevich PA, Wolk DA. Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Have Dissociable Effects on Medial Temporal Lobe Connectivity. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.01.18.23284749. [PMID: 36711782 PMCID: PMC9882834 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.23284749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Functional disruption of the medial temporal lobe-dependent networks is thought to underlie episodic memory deficits in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies revealed that the anterior medial temporal lobe is more vulnerable to pathological and neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, cognitive and structural imaging literature indicates posterior, as opposed to anterior, medial temporal lobe vulnerability in normal aging. However, the extent to which Alzheimer's and aging-related pathological processes relate to functional disruption of the medial temporal lobe-dependent brain networks is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we examined functional connectivity alterations in the medial temporal lobe and its immediate functional neighborhood - the Anterior-Temporal and Posterior-Medial brain networks - in normal agers, individuals with preclinical Alzheimer's disease, and patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. In the Anterior-Temporal network and in the perirhinal cortex, in particular, we observed an inverted 'U-shaped' relationship between functional connectivity and Alzheimer's stage. According to our results, the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease is characterized by increased functional connectivity between the perirhinal cortex and other regions of the medial temporal lobe, as well as between the anterior medial temporal lobe and its one-hop neighbors in the Anterior-Temporal system. This effect is no longer present in symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Instead, patients with symptomatic Alzheimer's disease displayed reduced hippocampal connectivity within the medial temporal lobe as well as hypoconnectivity within the Posterior-Medial system. For normal aging, our results led to three main conclusions: (1) intra-network connectivity of both the Anterior-Temporal and Posterior-Medial networks declines with age; (2) the anterior and posterior segments of the medial temporal lobe become increasingly decoupled from each other with advancing age; and, (3) the posterior subregions of the medial temporal lobe, especially the parahippocampal cortex, are more vulnerable to age-associated loss of function than their anterior counterparts. Together, the current results highlight evolving medial temporal lobe dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and indicate different neurobiological mechanisms of the medial temporal lobe network disruption in aging vs. Alzheimer's disease.
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47
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Davies C, Tulloch J, Yip E, Currie L, Colom-Cadena M, Wegmann S, Hyman BT, Wilkins L, Hooley M, Tzioras M, Spires-Jones TL. Apolipoprotein E isoform does not influence trans-synaptic spread of tau pathology in a mouse model. Brain Neurosci Adv 2023; 7:23982128231191046. [PMID: 37600228 PMCID: PMC10433884 DOI: 10.1177/23982128231191046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurofibrillary tangles. This occurs alongside neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Pathological tau propagates through the AD brain in a defined manner, which correlates with neuron and synapse loss and cognitive decline. One proposed mechanism of tau spread is through synaptically connected brain structures. Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) genotype is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD and is associated with increased tau burden. Whether the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype influences neurodegeneration via tau spread is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that virally expressed human tau (with the P301L mutation) injected into mouse entorhinal cortex at 5-6 months or 15-16 months of age spreads trans-synaptically to the hippocampus by 14 weeks post-injection. Injections of tau in mice expressing human APOE2, APOE3 or APOE4, as well as APOE knock-outs, showed that tau can spread trans-synaptically in all genotypes and that APOE genotype and age do not affect the spread of tau. These data suggest that APOE genotype is not directly linked to synaptic spread of tau in our model, but other mechanisms involving non-cell autonomous manners of tau spread are still possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Davies
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ellie Yip
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lydia Currie
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marti Colom-Cadena
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lewis Wilkins
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Monique Hooley
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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48
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Common and Specific Marks of Different Tau Strains Following Intra-Hippocampal Injection of AD, PiD, and GGT Inoculum in hTau Transgenic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415940. [PMID: 36555581 PMCID: PMC9787745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415940] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous hTau mice were used for the study of tau seeding. These mice express the six human tau isoforms, with a high predominance of 3Rtau over 4Rtau. The following groups were assessed: (i) non-inoculated mice aged 9 months (n = 4); (ii) Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iii) Globular Glial Tauopathy (GGT)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (iv) Pick's disease (PiD)-inoculated mice (n = 4); (v) control-inoculated mice (n = 4); and (vi) inoculated with vehicle alone (n = 2). AD-inoculated mice showed AT8-immunoreactive neuronal pre-tangles, granular aggregates, and dots in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG), and hilus, and threads and dots in the ipsilateral corpus callosum. GGT-inoculated mice showed unique or multiple AT8-immunoreactive globular deposits in neurons, occasionally extended to the proximal dendrites. PiD-inoculated mice showed a few loose pre-tangles in the CA1 region, DG, and cerebral cortex near the injection site. Coiled bodies were formed in the corpus callosum in AD-inoculated mice, but GGT-inoculated mice lacked globular glial inclusions. Tau deposits in inoculated mice co-localized active kinases p38-P and SAPK/JNK-P, thus suggesting active phosphorylation of the host tau. Tau deposits were absent in hTau mice inoculated with control homogenates and vehicle alone. Deposits in AD-inoculated hTau mice contained 3Rtau and 4Rtau; those in GGT-inoculated mice were mainly stained with anti-4Rtau antibodies, but a small number of deposits contained 3Rtau. Deposits in PiD-inoculated mice were stained with anti-3Rtau antibodies, but rare neuronal, thread-like, and dot-like deposits showed 4Rtau immunoreactivity. These findings show that tau strains produce different patterns of active neuronal seeding, which also depend on the host tau. Unexpected 3Rtau and 4Rtau deposits after inoculation of homogenates from 4R and 3R tauopathies, respectively, suggests the regulation of exon 10 splicing of the host tau during the process of seeding, thus modulating the plasticity of the cytoskeleton.
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Ando K, Nagaraj S, Küçükali F, de Fisenne MA, Kosa AC, Doeraene E, Lopez Gutierrez L, Brion JP, Leroy K. PICALM and Alzheimer's Disease: An Update and Perspectives. Cells 2022; 11:3994. [PMID: 36552756 PMCID: PMC9776874 DOI: 10.3390/cells11243994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified the PICALM (Phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin-assembly protein) gene as the most significant genetic susceptibility locus after APOE and BIN1. PICALM is a clathrin-adaptor protein that plays a critical role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and autophagy. Since the effects of genetic variants of PICALM as AD-susceptibility loci have been confirmed by independent genetic studies in several distinct cohorts, there has been a number of in vitro and in vivo studies attempting to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which PICALM modulates AD risk. While differential modulation of APP processing and Aβ transcytosis by PICALM has been reported, significant effects of PICALM modulation of tau pathology progression have also been evidenced in Alzheimer's disease models. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about PICALM, its physiological functions, genetic variants, post-translational modifications and relevance to AD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunie Ando
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Siranjeevi Nagaraj
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fahri Küçükali
- Complex Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Group, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB Antwerp, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marie-Ange de Fisenne
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andreea-Claudia Kosa
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emilie Doeraene
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lidia Lopez Gutierrez
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karelle Leroy
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuropathology and Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Neuroscience Institute, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
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50
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Kim Y, Park H, Kim Y, Kim SH, Lee JH, Yang H, Kim SJ, Li CM, Lee H, Na DH, Moon S, Shin Y, Kam TI, Lee HW, Kim S, Song JJ, Jung YK. Pathogenic Role of RAGE in Tau Transmission and Memory Deficits. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:829-841. [PMID: 36759256 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In tauopathies, brain regions with tau accumulation strongly correlate with clinical symptoms, and spreading of misfolded tau along neural network leads to disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms by which tau proteins enter neurons during pathological propagation remain unclear. METHODS To identify membrane receptors responsible for neuronal propagation of tau oligomers, we established a cell-based tau uptake assay and screened complementary DNA expression library. Tau uptake and propagation were analyzed in vitro and in vivo using a microfluidic device and stereotactic injection. The cognitive function of mice was assessed using behavioral tests. RESULTS From a genome-wide cell-based functional screening, RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) was isolated to stimulate the cellular uptake of tau oligomers. Rage deficiency reduced neuronal uptake of pathological tau prepared from rTg4510 mouse brains or cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Alzheimer's disease and slowed tau propagation between neurons cultured in a 3-chamber microfluidic device. RAGE levels were increased in the brains of rTg4510 mice and tau oligomer-treated neurons. Rage knockout decreased tau transmission in the brains of nontransgenic mice after injection with Alzheimer's disease patient-derived tau and ameliorated memory loss after injection with GFP-P301L-tau-AAV. Treatment of RAGE antagonist FPS-ZM1 blocked transsynaptic tau propagation and inflammatory responses and alleviated cognitive impairment in rTg4510 mice. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that in neurons and microglia, RAGE binds to pathological tau and facilitates neuronal tau pathology progression and behavioral deficits in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youbin Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Park
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Youngwon Kim
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Hyun Kim
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanseul Yang
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Jin Kim
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Cathena Meiling Li
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Haneul Lee
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Hyeong Na
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seowon Moon
- School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yumi Shin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-In Kam
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Han-Woong Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - SangYun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Keun Jung
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; School of the Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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