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Chu D, Yang X, Wang J, Zhou Y, Gu JH, Miao J, Wu F, Liu F. Tau truncation in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: a narrative review. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1221-1232. [PMID: 37905868 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease is characterized by two major neuropathological hallmarks-the extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles consisting of aggregated and hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. Recent studies suggest that dysregulation of the microtubule-associated protein Tau, especially specific proteolysis, could be a driving force for Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration. Tau physiologically promotes the assembly and stabilization of microtubules, whereas specific truncated fragments are sufficient to induce abnormal hyperphosphorylation and aggregate into toxic oligomers, resulting in them gaining prion-like characteristics. In addition, Tau truncations cause extensive impairments to neural and glial cell functions and animal cognition and behavior in a fragment-dependent manner. This review summarizes over 60 proteolytic cleavage sites and their corresponding truncated fragments, investigates the role of specific truncations in physiological and pathological states of Alzheimer's disease, and summarizes the latest applications of strategies targeting Tau fragments in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xingyue Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jin-Hua Gu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jin Miao
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Feng Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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2
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Li J, Haj Ebrahimi A, Ali AB. Advances in Therapeutics to Alleviate Cognitive Decline and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5169. [PMID: 38791206 PMCID: PMC11121252 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105169] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Dementia exists as a 'progressive clinical syndrome of deteriorating mental function significant enough to interfere with activities of daily living', with the most prevalent type of dementia being Alzheimer's disease (AD), accounting for about 80% of diagnosed cases. AD is associated with an increased risk of comorbidity with other clinical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) including, agitation, anxiety, and depression as well as increased mortality in late life. For example, up to 70% of patients diagnosed with AD are affected by anxiety. As aging is the major risk factor for AD, this represents a huge global burden in ageing populations. Over the last 10 years, significant efforts have been made to recognize the complexity of AD and understand the aetiology and pathophysiology of the disease as well as biomarkers for early detection. Yet, earlier treatment options, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and glutamate receptor regulators, have been limited as they work by targeting the symptoms, with only the more recent FDA-approved drugs being designed to target amyloid-β protein with the aim of slowing down the progression of the disease. However, these drugs may only help temporarily, cannot stop or reverse the disease, and do not act by reducing NPS associated with AD. The first-line treatment options for the management of NPS are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs/SNRIs) targeting the monoaminergic system; however, they are not rational drug choices for the management of anxiety disorders since the GABAergic system has a prominent role in their development. Considering the overall treatment failures and side effects of currently available medication, there is an unmet clinical need for rationally designed therapies for anxiety disorders associated with AD. In this review, we summarize the current status of the therapy of AD and aim to highlight novel angles for future drug therapy in our ongoing efforts to alleviate the cognitive deficits and NPS associated with this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Afia B. Ali
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; (J.L.); (A.H.E.)
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3
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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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4
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Song Z, Wang KW, Hagar HTC, Chen HR, Kuan CY, Zhang K, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated Tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses that Are Mitigated by Apomorphine. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2653-2671. [PMID: 37919601 PMCID: PMC11043184 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03689-x] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau in the brain is a key pathological marker for Alzheimer's disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, how hyperphosphorylated tau causes cellular dysfunction or death that underlies neurodegeneration remains an unsolved question critical for the understanding of disease mechanism and the design of efficacious drugs. Using a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) synthesized by the PIMAX approach, we examined how cells responded to the cytotoxic tau and explored means to enhance cellular resistance to tau attack. Upon p-tau uptake, the intracellular calcium levels rose promptly. Gene expression analyses revealed that p-tau potently triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, unfolded protein response (UPR), ER stress-associated apoptosis, and pro-inflammation in cells. Proteomics studies showed that p-tau diminished heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an ER stress-associated anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress regulator, while stimulated the accumulation of MIOS and other proteins. p-Tau-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis and pro-inflammation are ameliorated by apomorphine, a brain-permeable prescription drug widely used to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms, and by overexpression of HO-1. Our results reveal probable cellular functions targeted by hyperphosphorylated tau. Some of these dysfunctions and stress responses have been linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The observations that the ill effects of p-tau can be mitigated by a small compound and by overexpressing HO-1 that is otherwise diminished in the treated cells inform new directions of Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfeng Song
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Kuang-Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hsiao-Tien Chien Hagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hong-Ru Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
- Present address: Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, 112304
| | - Chia-Yi Kuan
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Kezhong Zhang
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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5
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De Leiris N, Perret P, Lombardi C, Gözel B, Chierici S, Millet P, Debiossat M, Bacot S, Tournier BB, Chames P, Lenormand JL, Ghezzi C, Fagret D, Moulin M. A single-domain antibody for the detection of pathological Tau protein in the early stages of oligomerization. J Transl Med 2024; 22:163. [PMID: 38365700 PMCID: PMC10870657 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04987-1] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soluble oligomeric forms of Tau protein have emerged as crucial players in the propagation of Tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our objective is to introduce a single-domain antibody (sdAb) named 2C5 as a novel radiotracer for the efficient detection and longitudinal monitoring of oligomeric Tau species in the human brain. METHODS The development and production of 2C5 involved llama immunization with the largest human Tau isoform oligomers of different maturation states. Subsequently, 2C5 underwent comprehensive in vitro characterization for affinity and specificity via Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and immunohistochemistry on human brain slices. Technetium-99m was employed to radiolabel 2C5, followed by its administration to healthy mice for biodistribution analysis. RESULTS 2C5 exhibited robust binding affinity towards Tau oligomers (Kd = 6.280 nM ± 0.557) and to Tau fibers (Kd = 5.024 nM ± 0.453), with relatively weaker binding observed for native Tau protein (Kd = 1791 nM ± 8.714) and amyloid peptide (Kd > 10,000 nM). Remarkably, this SdAb facilitated immuno-histological labeling of pathological forms of Tau in neurons and neuritic plaques, yielding a high-contrast outcome in AD patients, closely mirroring the performance of reference antibodies AT8 and T22. Furthermore, 2C5 SdAb was successfully radiolabeled with 99mTc, preserving stability for up to 6 h post-radiolabeling (radiochemical purity > 93%). However, following intravenous injection into healthy mice, the predominant uptake occurred in kidneys, amounting to 115.32 ± 3.67, 97.70 ± 43.14 and 168.20 ± 34.52% of injected dose per gram (% ID/g) at 5, 10 and 45 min respectively. Conversely, brain uptake remained minimal at all measured time points, registering at 0.17 ± 0.03, 0.12 ± 0.07 and 0.02 ± 0.01% ID/g at 5, 10 and 45 min post-injection respectively. CONCLUSION 2C5 demonstrates excellent affinity and specificity for pathological Tau oligomers, particularly in their early stages of oligomerization. However, the current limitation of insufficient blood-brain barrier penetration necessitates further modifications before considering its application in nuclear medicine imaging for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas De Leiris
- University Grenoble Alpes, Clinique Universitaire de Médecine Nucléaire, INSERM, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Grenoble Alpes, LRB, CS 10217, 38043, Grenoble CEDEX 9, France.
| | - Pascale Perret
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, LRB, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Bülent Gözel
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, LRB, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sabine Chierici
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, DCM, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Philippe Millet
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Sandrine Bacot
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, LRB, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Benjamin B Tournier
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Chames
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, CRCM, Marseille, France
| | | | | | - Daniel Fagret
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, LRB, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Marcelle Moulin
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, LRB, 38000, Grenoble, France
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Samelson AJ, Ariqat N, McKetney J, Rohanitazangi G, Bravo CP, Goodness D, Tian R, Grosjean P, Abskharon R, Eisenberg D, Kanaan NM, Gan L, Condello C, Swaney DL, Kampmann M. CRISPR screens in iPSC-derived neurons reveal principles of tau proteostasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.16.545386. [PMID: 37398204 PMCID: PMC10312804 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
A hallmark of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases is the aggregation of proteins. Aggregation of the protein tau defines tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Specific neuronal subtypes are selectively vulnerable to the accumulation of tau aggregates, and subsequent dysfunction and death. The mechanisms underlying cell type-selective vulnerability are unknown. To systematically uncover the cellular factors controlling the accumulation of tau aggregates in human neurons, we conducted a genome-wide CRISPRi-based modifier screen in iPSC-derived neurons. The screen uncovered expected pathways, including autophagy, but also unexpected pathways including UFMylation and GPI anchor synthesis, that control tau oligomer levels. We identify the E3 ubiquitin ligase CUL5 as a tau interactor and potent modifier of tau levels. In addition, disruption of mitochondrial function increases tau oligomer levels and promotes proteasomal misprocessing of tau. These results reveal new principles of tau proteostasis in human neurons and pinpoint potential therapeutic targets for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi J Samelson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nabeela Ariqat
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Justin McKetney
- University of California San Francisco, Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), San Francisco, CA, USA
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gita Rohanitazangi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Celeste Parra Bravo
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Darrin Goodness
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ruilin Tian
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Parker Grosjean
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Romany Abskharon
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - David Eisenberg
- Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas M Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, ca
| | - Danielle L Swaney
- University of California San Francisco, Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), San Francisco, CA, USA
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Martin Kampmann
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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7
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Bulgart HR, Goncalves I, Weisleder N. Leveraging Plasma Membrane Repair Therapeutics for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:1660. [PMID: 37371130 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma membrane repair is an essential cellular mechanism that reseals membrane disruptions after a variety of insults, and compromised repair capacity can contribute to the progression of many diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases are marked by membrane damage from many sources, reduced membrane integrity, elevated intracellular calcium concentrations, enhanced reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and widespread neuronal death. While the toxic intracellular effects of these changes in cellular physiology have been defined, the specific mechanism of neuronal death in certain neurodegenerative diseases remains unclear. An abundance of recent evidence indicates that neuronal membrane damage and pore formation in the membrane are key contributors to neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. In this review, we have outlined evidence supporting the hypothesis that membrane damage is a contributor to neurodegenerative diseases and that therapeutically enhancing membrane repair can potentially combat neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Bulgart
- Department of Physiology & Cell Biology, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Isabella Goncalves
- Department of Physiology & Cell Biology, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Noah Weisleder
- Department of Physiology & Cell Biology, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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8
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Song Z, Wang KW, Hagar HTC, Chen HR, Kuan CY, Zhang K, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated tau Inflicts Intracellular Stress Responses That Are Mitigated by Apomorphine. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.13.540661. [PMID: 37292976 PMCID: PMC10245566 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.13.540661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau in the brain is a key pathological marker for Alzheimer's disease and additional neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, how hyperphosphorylated tau causes cellular dysfunction or death that underlie neurodegeneration remains an unsolved question critical for the understanding of disease mechanism and the design of efficacious drugs. Methods Using a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) synthesized by the PIMAX approach, we examined how cells responded to the cytotoxic tau and explored means to enhance cellular resistance to tau attack. Results Upon p-tau uptake, the intracellular calcium levels rose promptly. Gene expression analyses revealed that p-tau potently triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), ER stress-associated apoptosis, and pro-inflammation in cells. Proteomics studies showed that p-tau diminished heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an ER stress associated anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress regulator, while stimulated the accumulation of MIOS and other proteins. P-tau-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis and pro-inflammation are ameliorated by apomorphine, a brain-permeable prescription drug widely used to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms, and by overexpression of HO-1. Conclusion Our results reveal probable cellular functions targeted by hyperphosphorylated tau. Some of these dysfunctions and stress responses have been linked to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The observations that the ill effects of p-tau can be mitigated by a small compound and by overexpressing HO-1 that is otherwise diminished in the treated cells inform new directions of Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.
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Eteläinen TS, Silva MC, Uhari-Väänänen JK, De Lorenzo F, Jäntti MH, Cui H, Chavero-Pieres M, Kilpeläinen T, Mechtler C, Svarcbahs R, Seppälä E, Savinainen JR, Puris E, Fricker G, Gynther M, Julku UH, Huttunen HJ, Haggarty SJ, Myöhänen TT. A prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitor reduces tau pathology in cellular models and in mice with tauopathy. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabq2915. [PMID: 37043557 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq2915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, higher-order aggregates, and tau filaments. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a major tau dephosphorylating phosphatase, and a decrease in its activity has been demonstrated in tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Prolyl oligopeptidase is a serine protease that is associated with neurodegeneration, and its inhibition normalizes PP2A activity without toxicity under pathological conditions. Here, we assessed whether prolyl oligopeptidase inhibition could protect against tau-mediated toxicity in cellular models in vitro and in the PS19 transgenic mouse model of tauopathy carrying the human tau-P301S mutation. We show that inhibition of prolyl oligopeptidase with the inhibitor KYP-2047 reduced tau aggregation in tau-transfected HEK-293 cells and N2A cells as well as in human iPSC-derived neurons carrying either the P301L or tau-A152T mutation. Treatment with KYP-2047 resulted in increased PP2A activity and activation of autophagic flux in HEK-293 cells and N2A cells and in patient-derived iNeurons, as indicated by changes in autophagosome and autophagy receptor markers; this contributed to clearance of insoluble tau. Furthermore, treatment of PS19 transgenic mice for 1 month with KYP-2047 reduced tau burden in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid and slowed cognitive decline according to several behavioral tests. In addition, a reduction in an oxidative stress marker was seen in mouse brains after KYP-2047 treatment. This study suggests that inhibition of prolyl oligopeptidase could help to ameliorate tau-dependent neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony S Eteläinen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - M Catarina Silva
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Johanna K Uhari-Väänänen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Francesca De Lorenzo
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Maria H Jäntti
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Hengjing Cui
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
| | - Marta Chavero-Pieres
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Tommi Kilpeläinen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Christina Mechtler
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Reinis Svarcbahs
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Erin Seppälä
- School of Medicine / Biomedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
| | - Juha R Savinainen
- School of Medicine / Biomedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
| | - Elena Puris
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Ruprecht Karls University, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Gert Fricker
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Ruprecht Karls University, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Mikko Gynther
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Ruprecht Karls University, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany
| | - Ulrika H Julku
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Henri J Huttunen
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
- Herantis Pharma Plc., Espoo 02600, Finland
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Timo T Myöhänen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy/Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211, Finland
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10
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Absmeier RM, Rottenaicher GJ, Svilenov HL, Kazman P, Buchner J. Antibodies gone bad - the molecular mechanism of light chain amyloidosis. FEBS J 2023; 290:1398-1419. [PMID: 35122394 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Light chain amyloidosis (AL) is a systemic disease in which abnormally proliferating plasma cells secrete large amounts of mutated antibody light chains (LCs) that eventually form fibrils. The fibrils are deposited in various organs, most often in the heart and kidney, and impair their function. The prognosis for patients diagnosed with AL is generally poor. The disease is set apart from other amyloidoses by the huge number of patient-specific mutations in the disease-causing and fibril-forming protein. The molecular mechanisms that drive the aggregation of mutated LCs into fibrils have been enigmatic, which hindered the development of efficient diagnostics and therapies. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on AL amyloidosis and discuss open issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona M Absmeier
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies and Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Georg J Rottenaicher
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies and Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Hristo L Svilenov
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies and Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Pamina Kazman
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies and Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Johannes Buchner
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies and Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
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Maina MB, Al-Hilaly YK, Serpell LC. Dityrosine cross-linking and its potential roles in Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1132670. [PMID: 37034163 PMCID: PMC10075315 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1132670] [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: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a significant source of damage that accumulates during aging and contributes to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Oxidation of proteins can give rise to covalent links between adjacent tyrosines known as dityrosine (DiY) cross-linking, amongst other modifications, and this observation suggests that DiY could serve as a biomarker of accumulated oxidative stress over the lifespan. Many studies have focused on understanding the contribution of DiY to AD pathogenesis and have revealed that DiY crosslinks can be found in both Aβ and tau deposits - the two key proteins involved in the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, respectively. However, there is no consensus yet in the field on the impact of DiY on Aβ and tau function, aggregation, and toxicity. Here we review the current understanding of the role of DiY on Aβ and tau gathered over the last 20 years since the first observation, and discuss the effect of this modification for Aβ and tau aggregation, and its potential as a biomarker for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud B. Maina
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre, College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria
| | - Youssra K. Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Louise C. Serpell,
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12
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Tong BCK, Huang AS, Wu AJ, Iyaswamy A, Ho OKY, Kong AHY, Sreenivasmurthy SG, Zhu Z, Su C, Liu J, Song J, Li M, Cheung KH. Tetrandrine ameliorates cognitive deficits and mitigates tau aggregation in cell and animal models of tauopathies. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:85. [PMID: 36273169 PMCID: PMC9587578 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00871-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with the pathological accumulation of tau-containing tangles in the brain. Tauopathy can impair cognitive and motor functions and has been observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The aetiology of tauopathy remains mysterious; however, recent studies suggest that the autophagic-endolysosomal function plays an essential role in the degradation and transmission of pathological tau. We previously demonstrated that tetrandrine could ameliorate memory functions and clear amyloid plaques in transgenic AD mice by restoring autophagic-endolysosomal function. However, the efficacy of tetrandrine and the associated therapeutic mechanism in tauopathies have not been evaluated and elucidated. Methods Novel object recognition, fear conditioning and electrophysiology were used to evaluate the effects of tetrandrine on memory functions in transgenic tau mice. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were employed to determine the effect of tetrandrine on autophagy and tau clearance in vivo. Calcium (Ca2+) imaging and flow cytometry were used to delineate the role of pathological tau and tetrandrine in lysosomal Ca2+ and pH homeostasis. Biochemical BiFC fluorescence, Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to evaluate degradation of hyperphosphorylated tau in vitro, whereas coculture of brain slices with isolated microglia was used to evaluate tau clearance ex vivo. Results We observed that tetrandrine treatment mitigated tau tangle development and corrected memory impairment in Thy1-hTau.P301S transgenic mice. Mechanistically, we showed that mutant tau expression disrupts lysosome pH by increasing two-pore channel 2 (TPC2)-mediated Ca2+ release, thereby contributing to lysosome alkalinization. Tetrandrine inhibits TPC2, thereby restoring the lysosomal pH, promotes tau degradation via autophagy, and ameliorates tau aggregation. Furthermore, in an ex vivo assay, we demonstrated that tetrandrine treatment promotes pathological tau clearance by microglia. Conclusions Together, these findings suggest that pathological tau disturbs endolysosomal homeostasis to impair tau clearance. This impairment results in a vicious cycle that accelerates disease pathogenesis. The success of tetrandrine in reducing tau aggregation suggests first, that tetrandrine could be an effective drug for tauopathies and second, that rescuing lysosomal Ca2+ homeostasis, thereby restoring ALP function, could be an effective general strategy for the development of novel therapies for tauopathies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12929-022-00871-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Chun-Kit Tong
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
| | - Alexis Shiying Huang
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Aston Jiaxi Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Ashok Iyaswamy
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Olivia Ka-Yi Ho
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Anna Hau-Yee Kong
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Sravan Gopalkrishnashetty Sreenivasmurthy
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Zhou Zhu
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Chengfu Su
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Juxian Song
- Medical College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Li
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
| | - King-Ho Cheung
- School of Chinese Medicine and Mr. and Mrs. Ko Chi Ming Centre for Parkinson's Disease Research, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
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13
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Applications of Single-Molecule Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques for the Structural Investigation of Amyloid Oligomers. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27196448. [PMID: 36234985 PMCID: PMC9573641 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196448] [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: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid oligomeric species, formed during misfolding processes, are believed to play a major role in neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. Deepening the knowledge about the structure of amyloid intermediates and their aggregation pathways is essential in understanding the underlying mechanisms of misfolding and cytotoxicity. However, structural investigations are challenging due to the low abundance and heterogeneity of those metastable intermediate species. Single-molecule techniques have the potential to overcome these difficulties. This review aims to report some of the recent advances and applications of vibrational spectroscopic techniques for the structural analysis of amyloid oligomers, with special focus on single-molecule studies.
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14
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Odfalk KF, Bieniek KF, Hopp SC. Microglia: Friend and foe in tauopathy. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 216:102306. [PMID: 35714860 PMCID: PMC9378545 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of misfolded microtubule associated protein tau into abnormal intracellular inclusions defines a class of neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies. The consistent spatiotemporal progression of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) led to the hypothesis that tau aggregates spread in the brain via bioactive tau "seeds" underlying advancing disease course. Recent studies implicate microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, in both negative and positive regulation of tau pathology. Polymorphisms in genes that alter microglial function are associated with the development of AD and other tauopathies. Experimental manipulation of microglia function can alter tau pathology and microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory cascades can exacerbate tau pathology. Microglia also exert protective functions by mitigating tau spread: microglia internalize tau seeds and have the capacity to degrade them. However, when microglia fail to degrade these tau seeds there are deleterious consequences, including secretion of exosomes containing tau that can spread to neurons. This review explores the intersection of microglia and tau from the perspective of neuropathology, neuroimaging, genetics, transcriptomics, and molecular biology. As tau-targeted therapies such as anti-tau antibodies advance through clinical trials, it is critical to understand the interaction between tau and microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian F Odfalk
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kevin F Bieniek
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sarah C Hopp
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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15
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Akbari V, Mohammadi S, Mehrabi M, Ghobadi S, Farrokhi A, Khodarahmi R. Investigation of the role of prolines 232/233 in RTPPK motif in tau protein aggregation: An in vitro study. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 219:1100-1111. [PMID: 36049563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.08.160] [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: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Disease-related tau protein in Alzheimer's disease is hyperphosphorylated and aggregates into neurofibrillary tangles. The cis-proline isomer of the pSer/Thr-Pro sequence has been proposed to act as a precursor of aggregation ('Cistauosis' hypothesis), but this aggregation scheme is not yet entirely accepted. Hence to investigate isomer-specific-aggregation of tau, proline residues at the RTPPK motif were replaced by alanine residues (with permanent trans configuration) employing genetic engineering methods. RTPAK, RTAPK, and RTAAK mutant variants of tau were generated, and their in vitro aggregation propensity was investigated using multi-spectroscopic techniques. Besides, the cell toxicity of oligomers/fibrils was analyzed and compared to those of the wild-type (WT) tau. Analyses of mutant variants have shown to be in agreement (to some degree) to the theory of the 'cistauosis' hypothesis. The results showed that the trans isomer in the 232-rd residue (P232A mutant rather than P233A) had reduced aggregation propensity. However, this study did not illustrate any statistically significant difference between the wild and the mutant protein aggregations concerning cell toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vali Akbari
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran; Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Soheila Mohammadi
- Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Masomeh Mehrabi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Sirous Ghobadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Alireza Farrokhi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Reza Khodarahmi
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran; Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah, Iran.
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16
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Padmanabhan P, Kneynsberg A, Cruz E, Amor R, Sibarita JB, Götz J. Single-molecule imaging reveals Tau trapping at nanometer-sized dynamic hot spots near the plasma membrane that persists after microtubule perturbation and cholesterol depletion. EMBO J 2022; 41:e111265. [PMID: 36004506 PMCID: PMC9531302 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111265] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of aggregates of the microtubule‐binding protein Tau is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. While Tau is thought to primarily associate with microtubules, it also interacts with and localizes to the plasma membrane. However, little is known about how Tau behaves and organizes at the plasma membrane of live cells. Using quantitative, single‐molecule imaging, we show that Tau exhibits spatial and kinetic heterogeneity near the plasma membrane of live cells, resulting in the formation of nanometer‐sized hot spots. The hot spots lasted tens of seconds, much longer than the short dwell time (∼ 40 ms) of Tau on microtubules. Pharmacological and biochemical disruption of Tau/microtubule interactions did not prevent hot spot formation, suggesting that these are different from the reported Tau condensation on microtubules. Although cholesterol removal has been shown to reduce Tau pathology, its acute depletion did not affect Tau hot spot dynamics. Our study identifies an intrinsic dynamic property of Tau near the plasma membrane that may facilitate the formation of assembly sites for Tau to assume its physiological and pathological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranesh Padmanabhan
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew Kneynsberg
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Esteban Cruz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Rumelo Amor
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Sibarita
- Université de Bordeaux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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17
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Forloni G, La Vitola P, Balducci C. Oligomeropathies, inflammation and prion protein binding. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:822420. [PMID: 36081661 PMCID: PMC9445368 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.822420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central role of oligomers, small soluble aggregates of misfolded proteins, in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is recognized in numerous experimental conditions and is compatible with clinical evidence. To underline this concept, some years ago we coined the term oligomeropathies to define the common mechanism of action of protein misfolding diseases like Alzheimer, Parkinson or prion diseases. Using simple experimental conditions, with direct application of synthetic β amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers intraventricularly at micromolar concentrations, we could detect differences and similarities in the biological consequences. The two oligomer species affected cognitive behavior, neuronal dysfunction and cerebral inflammatory reactions with distinct mechanisms. In these experimental conditions the proposed mediatory role of cellular prion protein in oligomer activities was not confirmed. Together with oligomers, inflammation at different levels can be important early in neurodegenerative disorders; both β amyloid and α-synuclein oligomers induce inflammation and its control strongly affects neuronal dysfunction. This review summarizes our studies with β-amyloid or α-synuclein oligomers, also considering the potential curative role of doxycycline, a well-known antibiotic with anti-amyloidogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. These actions are analyzed in terms of the therapeutic prospects.
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18
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Glasauer SMK, Goderie SK, Rauch JN, Guzman E, Audouard M, Bertucci T, Joy S, Rommelfanger E, Luna G, Keane-Rivera E, Lotz S, Borden S, Armando AM, Quehenberger O, Temple S, Kosik KS. Human tau mutations in cerebral organoids induce a progressive dyshomeostasis of cholesterol. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:2127-2140. [PMID: 35985329 PMCID: PMC9481908 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the MAPT gene that encodes tau lead to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with pathology evident in both cerebral neurons and glia. Human cerebral organoids (hCOs) from individuals harboring pathogenic tau mutations can reveal the earliest downstream effects on molecular pathways within a developmental context, generating interacting neurons and glia. We found that in hCOs carrying the V337M and R406W tau mutations, the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway in astrocytes was the top upregulated gene set compared with isogenic controls by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). The 15 upregulated genes included HMGCR, ACAT2, STARD4, LDLR, and SREBF2. This result was confirmed in a homozygous R406W mutant cell line by immunostaining and sterol measurements. Cholesterol abundance in the brain is tightly regulated by efflux and cholesterol biosynthetic enzyme levels in astrocytes, and dysregulation can cause aberrant phosphorylation of tau. Our findings suggest that cholesterol dyshomeostasis is an early event in the etiology of neurodegeneration caused by tau mutations. Cerebral organoid models of tauopathy caused by MAPT mutations Upregulated cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis genes in MAPT mutant astrocytes Elevation of cholesterol and its precursors in MAPT mutant cerebral organoids
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella M K Glasauer
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | | | - Jennifer N Rauch
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Elmer Guzman
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Morgane Audouard
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | | | - Shona Joy
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Emma Rommelfanger
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Gabriel Luna
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Erica Keane-Rivera
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Steven Lotz
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Susan Borden
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Aaron M Armando
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Oswald Quehenberger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
| | - Kenneth S Kosik
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
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Moeini Z, Seraj Z, Zohoorian Abootorabi T, Ashrafi-Kooshk M, Riazi G, Saboury AA, Seyedarabi A. Unravelling the Novel Effects of Three Volatile Compounds in Preventing Fibril Formation of Disease Related Tau and α-Synuclein Proteins- Towards Identifying Candidate Aromatic Substances for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:793727. [PMID: 35392564 PMCID: PMC8980687 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.793727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The aggregation of tau and α-synuclein into fibrillary assemblies in nerve cells is the molecular hallmark of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, respectively. In our previous studies, we investigated the anti-amyloidogenic effects of three different aroma-producing (volatile) compounds including cinnamaldehyde, phenyl ethyl alcohol, and TEMED on the fibrillation process of HEWL, as a model protein. Our previous results showed that while TEMED was able to completely stop the process of fibril formation, cinnamaldehyde and phenyl ethyl alcohol gave rise to oligomeric/protofibrillar forms and were involved in the entrapment of intermediate species of HEWL. In this study, we investigated the anti-amyloidogenic effect of the same three volatile compounds on recombinantly produced tau and α-synuclein proteins. Methods: The thioflavin T fluorescence assay, circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE/native-PAGE, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy were used, where necessary, to further our understanding of the inhibitory effects of the three volatile compounds on the fibril formation of tau and α-synuclein proteins and allow for a comparison with previous data obtained for HEWL. Results: Our results revealed that contrary to the results obtained for HEWL (a globular protein), the volatile compound TEMED was no longer able to prevent fibril formation in either of the natively unstructured tau or α-synuclein proteins, and instead, cinnamaldehye and phenyl ethyl alcohol, in particular, had the role of preventing fibril formation of tau or α-synuclein. Conclusion: The results of this study further emphasized the exclusion of HEWL as a model protein for fibrillation studies and highlighted the importance of studying brain-related proteins such as tau or α-synuclein and the need to assess the effects of volatile compounds such as cinnamaldehye and phenyl ethyl alcohol as potential substances in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Moeini
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Seraj
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Gholamhossein Riazi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Saboury
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arefeh Seyedarabi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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20
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[64Cu]Cu-Albumin Clearance Imaging to Evaluate Lymphatic Efflux of Cerebrospinal Space Fluid in Mouse Model. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 56:137-146. [DOI: 10.1007/s13139-022-00746-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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21
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Schmidt S, Holzer M, Arendt T, Sonntag M, Morawski M. Tau Protein Modulates Perineuronal Extracellular Matrix Expression in the TauP301L-acan Mouse Model. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12040505. [PMID: 35454094 PMCID: PMC9027016 DOI: 10.3390/biom12040505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau mutations promote the formation of tau oligomers and filaments, which are neuropathological signs of several tau-associated dementias. Types of neurons in the CNS are spared of tau pathology and are surrounded by a specialized form of extracellular matrix; called perineuronal nets (PNs). Aggrecan, the major PN proteoglycans, is suggested to mediate PNs neuroprotective function by forming an external shield preventing the internalization of misfolded tau. We recently demonstrated a correlation between aggrecan amount and the expression and phosphorylation of tau in a TauP310L-acan mouse model, generated by crossbreeding heterozygous aggrecan mice with a significant reduction of aggrecan and homozygous TauP301L mice. Neurodegenerative processes have been associated with changes of PN structure and protein signature. In this study, we hypothesized that the structure and protein expression of PNs in this TauP310L-acan mouse is regulated by tau. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses demonstrate that protein levels of PN components differ between TauP301LHET-acanWT and TauP301LHET-acanHET mice, accompanied by changes in the expression of protein phosphatase 2 A. In addition, tau can modulate PN components such as brevican. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed a physical connection between PN components and tau. These data demonstrate a complex, mutual interrelation of tau and the proteoglycans of the PN.
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22
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Yao QQ, Wen J, Perrett S, Wu S. Distinct lipid membrane-mediated pathways of Tau assembly revealed by single-molecule analysis. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:4604-4613. [PMID: 35260870 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05960b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of intrinsically disordered Tau to highly ordered amyloid aggregates is associated with a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases termed tauopathies. The presence of lipid bilayer membranes is a critical factor that accelerates the abnormal aggregation of Tau protein. However, the lipid membrane-induced conformational changes of Tau and the mechanism for the accelerated fibrillation remain elusive. In this study, single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) were applied to detect the conformational changes and intermolecular interactions of full-length Tau in the presence of different concentrations of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine (DMPS) vesicles. The results show that the conformation of Tau becomes expanded with opening of the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of Tau upon binding to DMPS. At low DMPS concentrations, Tau forms oligomers with a partially extended conformation which facilitates the amyloid fibrillization process. At high DMPS concentrations, Tau monomer binds to lipid membranes in a fully expanded conformation at low density thus inhibiting intermolecular aggregation. Our study reveals the underlying mechanisms by which lipid membranes influence amyloid formation of Tau, providing a foundation for further understanding of the pathogenesis and physiology of the interplay between Tau protein and lipid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong-Qiong Yao
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jitao Wen
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sarah Perrett
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Si Wu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
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23
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De Luigi A, Colombo L, Russo L, Ricci C, Bastone A, Cimini S, Tagliavini F, Rossi G, Cantù L, Del Favero E, Salmona M. Biochemical and biophysical features of disease-associated tau mutants V363A and V363I. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2022; 1870:140755. [PMID: 34999006 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2022.140755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The comprehension of pathogenetic mechanisms in tauopathy-associated neurodegenerative diseases can be improved by the knowledge of the biochemical and biophysical features of mutated tau proteins. Here, we used the full-length, wild-type tau, the V363A and V363I mutated species, associated with pathology, and the P301L mutated tau as a benchmark. Using several techniques, including small-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, thioflavin T binding, and electrophoretic separation, we compared their course from intrinsically disordered monomers in solution to early-stage recruitment in complexes and then aggregates of increasing size over long periods up to the asymptotic aggregative behavior of full-length tau proteins. We showed that diversity in the kinetics of recruitment and aggregate structure occurs from the beginning and spreads all over their pathway to very large objects. The different extents of conformational changes and types of molecular assemblies among the proteins were also reflected in their in vitro toxicity; this variation could correlate with physiopathology in humans, considering that the P301L mutation is more aggressive than V363A, especially V363I. This study identified the presence of aggregation intermediates and corroborated the oligomeric hypothesis of tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada De Luigi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Colombo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca Russo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Caterina Ricci
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Antonio Bastone
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Sara Cimini
- Unit of Neurology V and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Unit of Neurology V and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Giacomina Rossi
- Unit of Neurology V and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Cantù
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Del Favero
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Mario Negri Institute of Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
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24
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Shahpasand‐Kroner H, Portillo J, Lantz C, Seidler PM, Sarafian N, Loo JA, Bitan G. Three-repeat and four-repeat tau isoforms form different oligomers. Protein Sci 2022; 31:613-627. [PMID: 34902187 PMCID: PMC8862439 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Different tauopathies are characterized by the isoform-specific composition of the aggregates found in the brain and by structurally distinct tau strains. Although tau oligomers have been implicated as important neurotoxic species, little is known about how the primary structures of the six human tau isoforms affect tau oligomerization because the oligomers are metastable and difficult to analyze. To address this knowledge gap, here, we analyzed the initial oligomers formed by the six tau isoforms in the absence of posttranslational modifications or other manipulations using dot blots probed by an oligomer-specific antibody, native-PAGE/western blots, photo-induced cross-linking of unmodified proteins, mass-spectrometry, and ion-mobility spectroscopy. We found that under these conditions, three-repeat (3R) isoforms are more prone than four-repeat (4R) isoforms to form oligomers. We also tested whether known inhibitors of tau aggregation affect its oligomerization using three small molecules representing different classes of tau aggregation inhibitors, Methylene Blue (MB), the molecular tweezer CLR01, and the all-D peptide TLKIVW, for their ability to inhibit or modulate the oligomerization of the six tau isoforms. Unlike their reported inhibitory effect on tau fibrillation, the inhibitors had little or no effect on the initial oligomerization. Our study provides novel insight into the primary-quaternary structure relationship of human tau and suggests that 3R-tau oligomers may be an important target for future development of compounds targeting pathological tau assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedieh Shahpasand‐Kroner
- Department of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jennifer Portillo
- Department of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Carter Lantz
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Paul M. Seidler
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of Southern California School of PharmacyLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Natalie Sarafian
- Department of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joseph A. Loo
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Molecular Biology InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Department of Biological ChemistryUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Gal Bitan
- Department of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Molecular Biology InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Brain Research InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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25
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Aillaud I, Kaniyappan S, Chandupatla RR, Ramirez LM, Alkhashrom S, Eichler J, Horn AHC, Zweckstetter M, Mandelkow E, Sticht H, Funke SA. A novel D-amino acid peptide with therapeutic potential (ISAD1) inhibits aggregation of neurotoxic disease-relevant mutant Tau and prevents Tau toxicity in vitro. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:15. [PMID: 35063014 PMCID: PMC8783508 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-00959-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects older adults. One of the pathological hallmarks of AD is abnormally aggregated Tau protein that forms fibrillar deposits in the brain. In AD, Tau pathology correlates strongly with clinical symptoms, cognitive dysfunction, and neuronal death. Methods We aimed to develop novel therapeutic D-amino acid peptides as Tau fibrillization inhibitors. It has been previously demonstrated that D-amino acid peptides are protease stable and less immunogenic than L-peptides, and these characteristics may render them suitable for in vivo applications. Using a phage display procedure against wild type full-length Tau (TauFL), we selected a novel Tau binding L-peptide and synthesized its D-amino acid version ISAD1 and its retro inversed form, ISAD1rev, respectively. Results While ISAD1rev inhibited Tau aggregation only moderately, ISAD1 bound to Tau in the aggregation-prone PHF6 region and inhibited fibrillization of TauFL, disease-associated mutant full-length Tau (TauFLΔK, TauFL-A152T, TauFL-P301L), and pro-aggregant repeat domain Tau mutant (TauRDΔK). ISAD1 and ISAD1rev induced the formation of large high molecular weight TauFL and TauRDΔK oligomers that lack proper Thioflavin-positive β-sheet conformation even at lower concentrations. In silico modeling of ISAD1 Tau interaction at the PHF6 site revealed a binding mode similar to those known for other PHF6 binding peptides. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that ISAD1 and its inverse form are taken up by N2a-TauRDΔK cells efficiently and prevent cytotoxicity of externally added Tau fibrils as well as of internally expressed TauRDΔK. Conclusions ISAD1 and related peptides may be suitable for therapy development of AD by promoting off-pathway assembly of Tau, thus preventing its toxicity. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-022-00959-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Aillaud
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany
| | - Senthilvelrajan Kaniyappan
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Lisa Marie Ramirez
- Forschungsgruppe Translationale Strukturbiologie, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sewar Alkhashrom
- Institut für Chemie und Pharmazie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jutta Eichler
- Institut für Chemie und Pharmazie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anselm H C Horn
- Bioinformatik, Institut für Biochemie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Institut für Medizinische Genetik, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- Forschungsgruppe Translationale Strukturbiologie, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.,Abteilung für NMR-basierte Strukturbiologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,CAESAR Research Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Heinrich Sticht
- Bioinformatik, Institut für Biochemie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Susanne Aileen Funke
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.
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26
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Annadurai N, Malina L, Salmona M, Diomede L, Bastone A, Cagnotto A, Romeo M, Šrejber M, Berka K, Otyepka M, Hajdúch M, Das V. Antitumour drugs targeting tau R3 VQIVYK and Cys322 prevent seeding of endogenous tau aggregates by exogenous seeds. FEBS J 2021; 289:1929-1949. [PMID: 34743390 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Emerging experimental evidence suggests tau pathology spreads between neuroanatomically connected brain regions in a prion-like manner in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Tau seeding, the ability of prion-like tau to recruit and misfold naïve tau to generate new seeds, is detected early in human AD brains before the development of major tau pathology. Many antitumour drugs have been reported to confer protection against neurodegeneration, supporting the repurposing of approved and experimental or investigational oncology drugs for AD therapy. In this study, we evaluated whether antitumour drugs that abrogate the generation of seed-competent aggregates of tau Repeat 3 (R3) domain peptides can prevent tau seeding and toxicity in Tau-RD P301S FRET Biosensor cells and Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that drugs that interact with the N-terminal VQIVYK or the C-terminal region housing the Cys322 prevent R3 dimerisation, abolishing the generation of prion-like R3 seeds. Preformed R3 seeds (fibrils) capped with, or R3 seeds formed in the presence of VQIVYK- or Cys322-targeting drugs have a reduced potency to cause aggregation of naïve tau in biosensor cells and protect worms from aggregate toxicity. These findings indicate that VQIVYK- or Cys322-targeting drugs may act as prophylactic agents against tau seeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narendran Annadurai
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Malina
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Mario Salmona
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Diomede
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Bastone
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Margherita Romeo
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Martin Šrejber
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials (RCPTM), Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Berka
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Otyepka
- Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials (RCPTM), Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,IT4Innovations, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Marián Hajdúch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Viswanath Das
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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27
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Sallaberry CA, Voss BJ, Majewski J, Biernat J, Mandelkow E, Chi EY, Vander Zanden CM. Tau and Membranes: Interactions That Promote Folding and Condensation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:725241. [PMID: 34621743 PMCID: PMC8491580 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.725241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau misfolding and assembly is linked to a number of neurodegenerative diseases collectively described as tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease. Anionic cellular membranes, such as the cytosolic leaflet of the plasma membrane, are sites that concentrate and neutralize tau, primarily due to electrostatic interactions with tau’s microtubule binding repeat domain (RD). In addition to electrostatic interactions with lipids, tau also has interactions with membrane proteins, which are important for tau’s cellular functions. Tau also interacts with lipid tails to facilitate direct translocation across the membrane and can form stable protein-lipid complexes involved in cell-to-cell transport. Concentrated tau monomers at the membrane surface can form reversible condensates, change secondary structures, and induce oligomers, which may eventually undergo irreversible crosslinking and fibril formation. These β-sheet rich tau structures are capable of disrupting membrane organization and are toxic in cell-based assays. Given the evidence for relevant membrane-based tau assembly, we review the emerging hypothesis that polyanionic membranes may serve as a site for phase-separated tau condensation. Membrane-mediated phase separation may have important implications for regulating tau folding/misfolding, and may be a powerful mechanism to spatially direct tau for native membrane-mediated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad A Sallaberry
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Barbie J Voss
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Jaroslaw Majewski
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, United States.,Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biomedical Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Jacek Biernat
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Eckhard Mandelkow
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR) Center, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eva Y Chi
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biomedical Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Crystal M Vander Zanden
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
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28
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Kang SG, Han ZZ, Daude N, McNamara E, Wohlgemuth S, Molina-Porcel L, Safar JG, Mok SA, Westaway D. Pathologic tau conformer ensembles induce dynamic, liquid-liquid phase separation events at the nuclear envelope. BMC Biol 2021; 19:199. [PMID: 34503506 PMCID: PMC8428099 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01132-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The microtubule-associated protein tau forms aggregates in different neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. Prior work has shown that a single P301L mutation in tau gene, MAPT, can promote alternative tau folding pathways that correlate with divergent clinical diagnoses. Using progressive chemical denaturation, some tau preparations from the brain featured complex transitions starting at low concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) denaturant, indicating an ensemble of differently folded tau species called conformers. On the other hand, brain samples with abundant, tangle-like pathology had simple GdnHCl unfolding profile resembling the profile of fibrillized recombinant tau and suggesting a unitary conformer composition. In studies here we sought to understand tau conformer progression and potential relationships with condensed liquid states, as well as associated perturbations in cell biological processes. Results As starting material, we used brain samples from P301L transgenic mice containing tau conformer ensembles that unfolded at low GdnHCl concentrations and with signatures resembling brain material from P301L subjects presenting with language or memory problems. We seeded reporter cells expressing a soluble form of 4 microtubule-binding repeat tau fused to GFP or YFP reporter moieties, resulting in redistribution of dispersed fluorescence signals into focal assemblies that could fuse together and move within processes between adjacent cells. Nuclear envelope fluorescent tau signals and small fluorescent inclusions behaved as a demixed liquid phase, indicative of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS); these droplets exhibited spherical morphology, fusion events and could recover from photobleaching. Moreover, juxtanuclear tau assemblies were associated with disrupted nuclear transport and reduced cell viability in a stable cell line. Staining for thioflavin S (ThS) became more prevalent as tau-derived inclusions attained cross-sectional area greater than 3 μm2, indicating (i) a bipartite composition, (ii) in vivo progression of tau conformers, and (iii) that a mass threshold applying to demixed condensates may drive liquid-solid transitions. Conclusions Tau conformer ensembles characterized by denaturation at low GdnHCl concentration templated the production of condensed droplets in living cells. These species exhibit dynamic changes and develop in vivo, and the larger ThS-positive assemblies may represent a waystation to arrive at intracellular fibrillar tau inclusions seen in end-stage genetic tauopathies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01132-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada
| | - Zhuang Zhuang Han
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Nathalie Daude
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada
| | - Emily McNamara
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Serene Wohlgemuth
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada
| | | | - Jiri G Safar
- Department of Neurology and Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sue-Ann Mok
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2 M8, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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29
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Lo CH. Recent advances in cellular biosensor technology to investigate tau oligomerization. Bioeng Transl Med 2021; 6:e10231. [PMID: 34589603 PMCID: PMC8459642 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule binding protein which plays an important role in physiological functions but it is also involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. While insoluble and β-sheet containing tau neurofibrillary tangles have been the histopathological hallmark of these diseases, recent studies suggest that soluble tau oligomers, which are formed prior to fibrils, are the primary toxic species. Substantial efforts have been made to generate tau oligomers using purified recombinant protein strategies to study oligomer conformations as well as their toxicity. However, no specific toxic tau species has been identified to date, potentially due to the lack of cellular environment. Hence, there is a need for cell-based models for direct monitoring of tau oligomerization and aggregation. This review will summarize the recent advances in the cellular biosensor technology, with a focus on fluorescence resonance energy transfer, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and split luciferase complementation approaches, to monitor formation of tau oligomers and aggregates in living cells. We will discuss the applications of the cellular biosensors in examining the heterogeneous tau conformational ensembles and factors affecting tau self-assembly, as well as detecting cell-to-cell propagation of tau pathology. We will also compare the advantages and limitations of each type of tau biosensors, and highlight their translational applications in biomarker development and therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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30
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Giong HK, Subramanian M, Yu K, Lee JS. Non-Rodent Genetic Animal Models for Studying Tauopathy: Review of Drosophila, Zebrafish, and C. elegans Models. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8465. [PMID: 34445171 PMCID: PMC8395099 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathy refers to a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal lobar degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, which correlate with the malfunction of microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) due to abnormal hyperphosphorylation, leading to the formation of intracellular aggregates in the brain. Despite extensive efforts to understand tauopathy and develop an efficient therapy, our knowledge is still far from complete. To find a solution for this group of devastating diseases, several animal models that mimic diverse disease phenotypes of tauopathy have been developed. Rodents are the dominating tauopathy models because of their similarity to humans and established disease lines, as well as experimental approaches. However, powerful genetic animal models using Drosophila, zebrafish, and C. elegans have also been developed for modeling tauopathy and have contributed to understanding the pathophysiology of tauopathy. The success of these models stems from the short lifespans, versatile genetic tools, real-time in-vivo imaging, low maintenance costs, and the capability for high-throughput screening. In this review, we summarize the main findings on mechanisms of tauopathy and discuss the current tauopathy models of these non-rodent genetic animals, highlighting their key advantages and limitations in tauopathy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoi-Khoanh Giong
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Manivannan Subramanian
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Kweon Yu
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Jeong-Soo Lee
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (H.-K.G.); (M.S.)
- KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Dementia DTC R&D Convergence Program, KIST, Hwarang-ro 14 gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
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31
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Azouz M, Feuillie C, Lafleur M, Molinari M, Lecomte S. Interaction of Tau construct K18 with model lipid membranes. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2021; 3:4244-4253. [PMID: 36132846 PMCID: PMC9417262 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00055a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, resulting from the aggregation of the tubulin associated unit protein (Tau), which holds a vital role in maintaining neuron integrity in a healthy brain. The development of such aggregates and their deposition in the brain seem to correlate with the onset of neurodegeneration processes. The misfolding and subsequent aggregation of the protein into paired helical filaments that further form the tangles, lead to dysfunction of the protein with neuronal loss and cognitive decline. The aggregation of the protein then seems to be a causative factor of the neurodegeneration associated with AD. The hypothesis of an involvement of the membrane in modulating the misfolding and assembly of Tau into paired helical filaments attracts increasing interests. To provide more insight about how lipids can modulate the interactions with Tau, we have conducted a comprehensive Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) study involving supported lipid bilayers of controlled compositions with the Tau microtubule-binding construct K18. Particularly, the effects of zwitterionic and negatively charged phospholipids on the interaction have been investigated. Deleterious solubilization effects have been evidenced on fluid zwitterionic membranes as well as an inability of K18 to fragment gel phases. The role of negative lipids in the aggregation of the peptide and the particular ability of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in inducing K18 fibrillization on membranes are also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Azouz
- Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-Objects, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, INP Bordeaux, UMR5248 allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire 33600 Pessac France
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal Succursale Centre-Ville Montréal C.P. 6128 Québec Canada H3C 3J7
| | - Cécile Feuillie
- Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-Objects, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, INP Bordeaux, UMR5248 allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire 33600 Pessac France
| | - Michel Lafleur
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal Succursale Centre-Ville Montréal C.P. 6128 Québec Canada H3C 3J7
| | - Michaël Molinari
- Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-Objects, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, INP Bordeaux, UMR5248 allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire 33600 Pessac France
| | - Sophie Lecomte
- Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-Objects, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, INP Bordeaux, UMR5248 allée Geoffroy Saint Hilaire 33600 Pessac France
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Diociaiuti M, Bonanni R, Cariati I, Frank C, D’Arcangelo G. Amyloid Prefibrillar Oligomers: The Surprising Commonalities in Their Structure and Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126435. [PMID: 34208561 PMCID: PMC8235680 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that a “common core” of pathologic pathways exists for the large family of amyloid-associated neurodegenerations, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type II diabetes and Creutzfeldt–Jacob’s Disease. Aggregates of the involved proteins, independently from their primary sequence, induced neuron membrane permeabilization able to trigger an abnormal Ca2+ influx leading to synaptotoxicity, resulting in reduced expression of synaptic proteins and impaired synaptic transmission. Emerging evidence is now focusing on low-molecular-weight prefibrillar oligomers (PFOs), which mimic bacterial pore-forming toxins that form well-ordered oligomeric membrane-spanning pores. At the same time, the neuron membrane composition and its chemical microenvironment seem to play a pivotal role. In fact, the brain of AD patients contains increased fractions of anionic lipids able to favor cationic influx. However, up to now the existence of a specific “common structure” of the toxic aggregate, and a “common mechanism” by which it induces neuronal damage, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission, is still an open hypothesis. In this review, we gathered information concerning this hypothesis, focusing on the proteins linked to several amyloid diseases. We noted commonalities in their structure and membrane activity, and their ability to induce Ca2+ influx, neurotoxicity, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Diociaiuti
- Centro Nazionale Malattie Rare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Roberto Bonanni
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
| | - Ida Cariati
- PhD in Medical-Surgical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Frank
- UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant’Alessandro 8, 00131 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giovanna D’Arcangelo
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
- Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Cloyd RA, Koren J, Abisambra JF, Smith BN. Effects of altered tau expression on dentate granule cell excitability in mice. Exp Neurol 2021; 343:113766. [PMID: 34029610 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, are characterized by progressive accumulation of hyperphosphorylated and pathologic tau protein in association with onset of cognitive and behavioral impairment. Tau pathology is also associated with increased susceptibility to seizures and epilepsy, with tau-/- mice showing seizure resistance in some epilepsy models. To better understand how tau pathology is related to neuronal excitability, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology in dentate gyrus granule cells of tau-/- and human-tau expressing, htau mice. The htau mouse is unique from other transgenic tau models in that the endogenous murine tau gene has been and replaced with readily phosphorylated human tau. We assessed several measures of neuronal excitability, including evoked action potential frequency and excitatory synaptic responses in dentate granule cells from tau-/-, htau, and non-transgenic control mice at 1.5, 4, and 9 months of age. Compared to age matched controls, dentate granule cells from both tau-/- and htau mice had a lower peak frequency of evoked action potentials and greater paired pulse facilitation, suggesting reduced neuronal excitability. Our results suggest that neuronal excitability is more strongly influenced by the absence of functional tau than by the presence of pathologic tau. These results also suggest that tau's effect on neuronal excitability is more complex than previously understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A Cloyd
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - John Koren
- Department of Neuroscience & Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Jose F Abisambra
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Bret N Smith
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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34
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Tau internalization: A complex step in tau propagation. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 67:101272. [PMID: 33571704 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation of microtubule-associated protein Tau (MAPT) may underlie abnormalities of the intracellular matrix and neuronal death in tauopathies. Tau proteins can be secreted to the extracellular space and internalized into adjacent cells. The internalization of Tau is a complex but critical step in Tau propagation. This review summarizes the internalization pathways of Tau, including macropinocytosis, Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), lipid raft dependent endocytosis, Tunneling nanotubes dependent endocytosis (TNTs) and phagocytosis. The conformation of Tau fibrils and the types of recipient cell determine the internalization pathway. However, the HSPGs-dependent endocytosis seems to be the predominant pathway of Tau internalization. After internalization, Tau fibrils undergo clearance and seeding. Imbalance among Tau secretion, internalization and clearance may result in the propagation of misfolded Tau in the brain, thereby inducing Tauopathies. A better understanding of the internalization of Tau proteins may facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies to block the propagation of Tau pathology.
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35
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Pilliod J, Desjardins A, Pernègre C, Jamann H, Larochelle C, Fon EA, Leclerc N. Clearance of intracellular tau protein from neuronal cells via VAMP8-induced secretion. J Biol Chem 2021; 295:17827-17841. [PMID: 33454017 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), tau, a microtubule-associated protein (MAP), becomes hyperphosphorylated, aggregates, and accumulates in the somato-dendritic compartment of neurons. In parallel to its intracellular accumulation in AD, tau is also released in the extracellular space, as revealed by its increased presence in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Consistent with this, recent studies, including ours, have reported that neurons secrete tau, and several therapeutic strategies aim to prevent the intracellular tau accumulation. Previously, we reported that late endosomes were implicated in tau secretion. Here, we explore the possibility of preventing intracellular tau accumulation by increasing tau secretion. Using neuronal models, we investigated whether overexpression of the vesicle-associated membrane protein 8 (VAMP8), an R-SNARE found on late endosomes, could increase tau secretion. The overexpression of VAMP8 significantly increased tau secretion, decreasing its intracellular levels in the neuroblastoma (N2a) cell line. Increased tau secretion by VAMP8 was also observed in murine hippocampal slices. The intracellular reduction of tau by VAMP8 overexpression correlated to a decrease of acetylated tubulin induced by tau overexpression in N2a cells. VAMP8 staining was preferentially found on late endosomes in N2a cells. Using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, the fusion of VAMP8-positive vesicles with the plasma membrane was correlated to the depletion of tau in the cytoplasm. Finally, overexpression of VAMP8 reduced the intracellular accumulation of tau mutants linked to frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism and α-synuclein by increasing their secretion. Collectively, the present data indicate that VAMP8 could be used to increase tau and α-synuclein clearance to prevent their intracellular accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Pilliod
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada
| | - Alexandre Desjardins
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada
| | - Camille Pernègre
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Hélène Jamann
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Catherine Larochelle
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Edward A Fon
- McGill Parkinson Program, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Nicole Leclerc
- Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital (CRCHUM), Montréal, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
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36
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Medina L, González-Lizárraga F, Dominguez-Meijide A, Ploper D, Parrales V, Sequeira S, Cima-Omori MS, Zweckstetter M, Del Bel E, Michel PP, Outeiro TF, Raisman-Vozari R, Chehín R, Socias SB. Doxycycline Interferes With Tau Aggregation and Reduces Its Neuronal Toxicity. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:635760. [PMID: 33828477 PMCID: PMC8020845 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.635760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders with increasing incidence and still without cure. The extensive time required for development and approval of novel therapeutics highlights the need for testing and repurposing known safe molecules. Since doxycycline impacts α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity, herein we tested its effect on tau. We found that doxycycline reduces amyloid aggregation of the 2N4R and K18 isoforms of tau protein in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in a cell free system doxycycline also prevents tau seeding and in cell culture reduces toxicity of tau aggregates. Overall, our results expand the spectrum of action of doxycycline against aggregation-prone proteins, opening novel perspectives for its repurposing as a disease-modifying drug for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Medina
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Florencia González-Lizárraga
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Antonio Dominguez-Meijide
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Ploper
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Valeria Parrales
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute -ICM, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sabrina Sequeira
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Maria-Sol Cima-Omori
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.,Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elaine Del Bel
- Physiology- Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrick P Michel
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute -ICM, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, Germany.,Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Raisman-Vozari
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute -ICM, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Rosana Chehín
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Sergio B Socias
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (UNT-CONICET-SIPROSA), Tucumán, Argentina
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37
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Maina MB, Al-Hilaly YK, Burra G, Rickard JE, Harrington CR, Wischik CM, Serpell LC. Oxidative Stress Conditions Result in Trapping of PHF-Core Tau (297-391) Intermediates. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030703. [PMID: 33809978 PMCID: PMC8005035 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The self-assembly of tau into paired helical filaments (PHFs) in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is a significant event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Numerous post-translational modifications enhance or inhibit tau assembly into NFTs. Oxidative stress, which accompanies AD, induces multiple post-translational modifications in proteins, including the formation of dityrosine (DiY) cross-links. Previous studies have revealed that metal-catalysed oxidation (MCO) using Cu2+ and H2O2 leads to the formation of DiY cross-links in two misfolding proteins, Aβ and α-synuclein, associated with AD and Parkinson's disease respectively. The effect of MCO on tau remains unknown. Here, we examined the effect of MCO and ultra-violet oxidation to study the influence of DiY cross-linking on the self-assembly of the PHF-core tau fragment. We report that DiY cross-linking facilitates tau assembly into tau oligomers that fail to bind thioflavin S, lack β-sheet structure and prevents their elongation into filaments. At a higher concentration, Cu2+ (without H2O2) also facilitates the formation of these tau oligomers. The DiY cross-linked tau oligomers do not cause cell death. Our findings suggest that DiY cross-linking of pre-assembled tau promotes the formation of soluble tau oligomers that show no acute impact on cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud B. Maina
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK; (M.B.M.); (Y.K.A.-H.); (G.B.)
- College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University, Damaturu P.M.B. 1144, Nigeria
| | - Youssra K. Al-Hilaly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK; (M.B.M.); (Y.K.A.-H.); (G.B.)
- Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Gunasekhar Burra
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK; (M.B.M.); (Y.K.A.-H.); (G.B.)
- Analytical Research and Development, Pharma Division, Biological E. Limited, Genome Valley, IKP-Shameerpet, Hyderabad 500 078, Telangana, India
| | - Janet E. Rickard
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (J.E.R.); (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.)
| | - Charles R. Harrington
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (J.E.R.); (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Claude M. Wischik
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, UK; (J.E.R.); (C.R.H.); (C.M.W.)
- TauRx Therapeutics Ltd., Aberdeen AB24 5RP, UK
| | - Louise C. Serpell
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK; (M.B.M.); (Y.K.A.-H.); (G.B.)
- Correspondence:
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38
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Paul A, Viswanathan GK, Huber A, Arad E, Engel H, Jelinek R, Gazit E, Segal D. Inhibition of tau amyloid formation and disruption of its preformed fibrils by Naphthoquinone-Dopamine hybrid. FEBS J 2021; 288:4267-4290. [PMID: 33523571 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of tau protein, into pathological amyloids, are hallmarks of a group of neurodegenerative diseases collectively termed tauopathies and their modulation may be therapeutically valuable. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a dopamine-based hybrid molecule, naphthoquinone-dopamine (NQDA). Using thioflavin S assay, CD, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Congo Red birefringence, and large unilamellar vesicle leakage assays, we demonstrated its efficacy in inhibiting the in vitro aggregation of key tau-derived amyloidogenic fragments, PHF6 (VQIVYK) and PHF6* (VQIINK), prime drivers of aggregation of full-length tau in disease pathology. Isothermal titration calorimetry analysis revealed that the interaction between NQDA and PHF6 is spontaneous and has significant binding efficiency driven by both entropic and enthalpic processes. Furthermore, NQDA efficiently disassembled preformed fibrils of PHF6 and PHF6* into nontoxic species. Molecular dynamic simulations supported the in vitro results and provided a plausible mode of binding of NQDA with PHF6 fibril. NQDA was also capable of inhibiting the aggregation of full-length tau protein and disrupting its preformed fibrils in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. In a comparative study, the IC50 value (50% inhibition of fibril formation) of NQDA in inhibiting the aggregation of PHF6 (25 µm) was ~ 17 µm, which is lower than for other bona fide amyloid inhibitors, naphthoquinone-tryptophan, rosmarinic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, ~ 21, ~ 77, or ~ 19 µm, respectively. Comparable superiority of NQDA was observed for inhibition of PHF6*. These findings suggest that NQDA can be a useful scaffold for designing new therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Paul
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Guru KrishnaKumar Viswanathan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Adi Huber
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Elad Arad
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology & Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Hamutal Engel
- Blavatnik Center for Drug Discovery, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Raz Jelinek
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology & Department of Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Ehud Gazit
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Daniel Segal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Tel Aviv University, Israel.,Sagol Interdisciplinary School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Israel
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Das R, Chinnathambi S. Microglial remodeling of actin network by Tau oligomers, via G protein-coupled purinergic receptor, P2Y12R-driven chemotaxis. Traffic 2021; 22:153-170. [PMID: 33527700 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with age-related neurodegeneration, synaptic deformation and chronic inflammation mediated by microglia and infiltrated macrophages in the brain. Tau oligomers can be released from damaged neurons via various mechanisms such as exosomes, neurotransmitter, membrane leakage etc. Microglia sense the extracellular Tau through several cell-surface receptors and mediate chemotaxis and phagocytosis. The purinergic receptor P2Y12R recently gained interest in neurodegeneration for neuro-glial communication and microglial chemotaxis towards the site of plaque deposition. To understand the effect of extracellular Tau oligomers in microglial migration, the P2Y12R-mediated actin remodeling, reorientation of tubulin network and rate of migration were studied in the presence of ATP. The extracellular Tau species directly interacted with P2Y12R and also induced this purinoceptor expression in microglia. Microglial P2Y12R colocalized with remodeled membrane-associated actin network as a component of migration in response to Tau oligomers. As an inducer of P2Y12R, ATP facilitated the localization of P2Y12R in lamellipodia and filopodia during accelerated microglial migration. The direct interaction of extracellular Tau oligomers with microglial P2Y12R would facilitate the signal transduction in both way, directional chemotaxis and receptor-mediated phagocytosis. These unprecedented findings emphasize that microglia can modulate the membrane-associated actin structure and incorporate P2Y12R to perceive the axis and rate of chemotaxis in Tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Das
- 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
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Li S, Yi Y, Cui K, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Han D, Sun L, Zhang X, Chen F, Zhang Y, Yang Y. A Single-Chain Variable Fragment Antibody Inhibits Aggregation of Phosphorylated Tau and Ameliorates Tau Toxicity in vitro and in vivo. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 79:1613-1629. [PMID: 33459708 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common cause of dementia among elderly people. Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau correlates with the clinical progression of AD; therefore, therapies targeting the aggregation of tau may have potential applications for anti-AD drug development. Several inhibitors of tau aggregation, including small molecules and antibodies, have been found to decrease the aggregation of tau and the corresponding pathology. OBJECTIVE To screen one kind of single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody which could inhibit the aggregation of tau and ameliorate its cytotoxicity. METHODS/RESULTS Using phosphorylated tau (pTau) as an antigen, we obtained a scFv antibody via the screening of a high-capacity phage antibody library. Biochemical analysis revealed that this scFv antibody (scFv T1) had a strong ability to inhibit pTau aggregation both in dilute solutions and under conditions of macromolecular crowding. ScFv T1 could also depolymerize preformed pTau aggregates in vitro. Furthermore, scFv T1 was found to be able to inhibit the cytotoxicity of extracellular pTau aggregates and ameliorate tau-mediated toxicity when coexpressed with a hTauR406W mutant in the eye of transgenic Drosophila flies. CONCLUSION This scFv T1 antibody may be a potential new therapeutic agent against AD. Our methods can be used to develop novel strategies against protein aggregation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yushan Yi
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Ke Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yanqiu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yange Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Dou Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Gene engineering and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Ling Sun
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Fei Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- B CUBE Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Yufeng Yang
- Institute of Life Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P. R.China
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Gu JL, Liu F. Tau in Alzheimer's Disease: Pathological Alterations and an Attractive Therapeutic Target. Curr Med Sci 2021; 40:1009-1021. [PMID: 33428128 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-020-2282-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease with two major hallmarks: extracellular amyloid plaques made of amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau. The number of NFTs correlates positively with the severity of dementia in AD patients. However, there is still no efficient therapy available for AD treatment and prevention so far. A deeper understanding of AD pathogenesis has identified novel strategies for the generation of specific therapies over the past few decades. Several studies have suggested that the prion-like seeding and spreading of tau pathology in the brain may be a key driver of AD. Tau protein is considered as a promising candidate target for the development of therapeutic interventions due to its considerable pathological role in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Abnormal tau hyperphosphorylation plays a detrimental pathological role, eventually leading to neurodegeneration. In the present review, we describe the recent research progresses in the pathological mechanisms of tau protein in AD and briefly discuss tau-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Lan Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China. .,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration and Ministry of Education of Jiangsu, Nantong, 226001, China.
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Neurochemistry, Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
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42
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Montalto G, Caudano F, Sturla L, Bruzzone S, Salis A, Damonte G, Prickaerts J, Fedele E, Ricciarelli R. Protein kinase G phosphorylates the Alzheimer's disease-associated tau protein at distinct Ser/Thr sites. Biofactors 2021; 47:126-134. [PMID: 33469985 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Phosphorylation plays a crucial role in modulating the tau-microtubule interaction and the ability of the protein to aggregate, but despite efforts during the past decades, the real identity of the kynases involved in vivo remains uncertain. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that the cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) phosphorylates tau in both in vitro and in vivo models. More intriguingly, we provide evidence that PKG phosphorylates tau at Ser214 but not at Ser202, a condition that could reduce the pathological aggregation of the protein shifting tau from a pro-aggregant to a neuroprotective anti-aggregant conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Montalto
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Caudano
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Sturla
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Santina Bruzzone
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Salis
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Damonte
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatric and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Fedele
- Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberta Ricciarelli
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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43
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Das R, Balmik AA, Chinnathambi S. Melatonin Reduces GSK3β-Mediated Tau Phosphorylation, Enhances Nrf2 Nuclear Translocation and Anti-Inflammation. ASN Neuro 2020; 12:1759091420981204. [PMID: 33342257 PMCID: PMC7754800 DOI: 10.1177/1759091420981204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is a neuropathological condition with abnormal accumulation of extracellular Amyloid-β plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of Microtubule-associated protein Tau (Tau) in the brain. In pathological conditions, Tau undergoes post-translational modifications such as hyperphosphorylation by the activity of cellular kinases, which eventually leads to protein aggregation in neurons. Melatonin is a neuro-hormone that is mainly secreted from the pineal gland and functions to modulate the cellular kinases. In our study, we have checked the neuroprotective function of Melatonin by MTT and LDH assay, where Melatonin inhibited the Tau aggregates-mediated cytotoxicity and membrane leakage in Neuro2A cells. The potency of Melatonin has also been studied for the quenching of intracellular reactive oxygen species level by DCFDA assay and caspase 3 activity. Melatonin was shown to reduce the GSK3β mRNA and subsequent protein level as well as the phospho-Tau level (pThr181 and pThr212-pSer214) in okadaic acid-induced Neuro2A cells, as observed by western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Further, Melatonin has increased the cellular Nrf2 level and its nuclear translocation as an oxidative stress response in Tauopathy. The Melatonin was found to induce pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels in N9 microglia. The mRNA level of cellular kinases such as as-GSK3β, MAPK were also studied by qRT-PCR assay in Tau-exposed N9 and Neuro2A cells. The immunomodulatory effect of Melatonin was evident as it induced IL-10 and TGF-β cytokine levels and activated MAP3K level in Tau-exposed microglia and neurons, respectively. Melatonin also downregulated the mRNA level of pro-inflammatory markers, IL-1β and Cyclooxygenase-2 in N9 microglia. Together, these findings suggest that Melatonin remediated the cytokine profile of Tau-exposed microglia, reduced Tau hyperphosphorylation by downregulating GSK3β level, and alleviated oxidative stress via Nrf2 nuclear translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Das
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, 201002 Ghaziabad, India
| | - Abhishek Ankur Balmik
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, 201002 Ghaziabad, India
| | - Subashchandrabose Chinnathambi
- Neurobiology Group, Division of Biochemical Sciences, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, 201002 Ghaziabad, India
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44
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Lo CH, Sachs JN. The role of wild-type tau in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. JOURNAL OF LIFE SCIENCES (WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF.) 2020; 2:1-17. [PMID: 33665646 PMCID: PMC7929479 DOI: 10.36069/jols/20201201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Tau oligomers have recently emerged as the principal toxic species in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies. Tau oligomers are spontaneously self-assembled soluble tau proteins that are formed prior to fibrils, and they have been shown to play a central role in neuronal cell death and in the induction of neurodegeneration in animal models. As the therapeutic paradigm shifts to targeting toxic tau oligomers, this suggests the focus to study tau oligomerization in species that are less susceptible to fibrillization. While truncated and mutation containing tau as well as the isolated repeat domains are particularly prone to fibrillization, the wild-type (WT) tau proteins have been shown to be resistant to fibril formation in the absence of aggregation inducers. In this review, we will summarize and discuss the toxicity of WT tau both in vitro and in vivo, as well as its involvement in tau oligomerization and cell-to-cell propagation of pathology. Understanding the role of WT tau will enable more effective biomarker development and therapeutic discovery for treatment of AD and tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Hung Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Jonathan N. Sachs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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45
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Liu M, Sui D, Dexheimer T, Hovde S, Deng X, Wang KW, Lin HL, Chien HT, Kweon HK, Kuo NS, Ayoub CA, Jimenez-Harrison D, Andrews PC, Kwok R, Bochar DA, Kuret J, Fortin J, Tsay YG, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylation Renders Tau Prone to Aggregate and to Cause Cell Death. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4704-4719. [PMID: 32780352 PMCID: PMC7530023 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02034-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder without a cure or prevention to date. Hyperphosphorylated tau forms the neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) that correlate well with the progression of cognitive impairments. Animal studies demonstrated the pathogenic role of hyperphosphorylated tau. Understanding how abnormal phosphorylation renders a normal tau prone to form toxic fibrils is key to delineating molecular pathology and to developing efficacious drugs for AD. Production of a tau bearing the disease-relevant hyperphosphorylation and molecular characters is a pivotal step. Here, we report the preparation and characterization of a recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) with strong relevance to disease. P-tau generated by the PIMAX approach resulted in phosphorylation at multiple epitopes linked to the progression of AD neuropathology. In stark contrast to unmodified tau that required an aggregation inducer, and which had minimal effects on cell functions, p-tau formed inducer-free fibrils that triggered a spike of mitochondrial superoxide, induced apoptosis, and caused cell death at sub-micromolar concentrations. P-tau-induced apoptosis was suppressed by inhibitors for reactive oxygen species. Hyperphosphorylation apparently caused rapid formation of a disease-related conformation. In both aggregation and cytotoxicity, p-tau exhibited seeding activities that converted the unmodified tau into a cytotoxic species with an increased propensity for fibrillization. These characters of p-tau are consistent with the emerging view that hyperphosphorylation causes tau to become an aggregation-prone and cytotoxic species that underlies diffusible pathology in AD and other tauopathies. Our results further suggest that p-tau affords a feasible tool for Alzheimer's disease mechanistic and drug discovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Dexin Sui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Thomas Dexheimer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Stacy Hovde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Kuang-Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Hsin Lian Lin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Hsiao-Tien Chien
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Hye Kyong Kweon
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nora Sheen Kuo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christopher A Ayoub
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Daniela Jimenez-Harrison
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Philip C Andrews
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Roland Kwok
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Jeff Kuret
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jessica Fortin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yeou-Guang Tsay
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, China
| | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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46
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Chandupatla RR, Flatley A, Feederle R, Mandelkow E, Kaniyappan S. Novel antibody against low-n oligomers of tau protein promotes clearance of tau in cells via lysosomes. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2020; 6:e12097. [PMID: 33145390 PMCID: PMC7593557 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau, a natively unfolded soluble protein, forms abnormal oligomers and insoluble filaments in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD). Tau-induced toxicity is mainly due to oligomers rather than monomers or fibrils. METHODS We have developed monoclonal antibodies against purified low-n tau oligomers of the tau repeat domain as a tool to neutralize tau aggregation and toxicity. In vitro aggregation inhibition was tested by thioflavin S, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Using a split-luciferase complementation assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), the inhibition of aggregation was analyzed in an N2a cell model of tauopathy. RESULTS Antibodies inhibited tau aggregation in vitro up to ~90% by blocking tau at an oligomeric state. Some antibodies were able to block tau dimerization/oligomerization in cells, as measured by a split-luciferase complementation assay. Antibodies applied extracellularly were internalized and led to sequestration of tau into lysosomes for degradation. DISCUSSION Novel low-n tau oligomer specific monoclonal antibody inhibits Tau oligomerization in cells and promotes toxic tau clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew Flatley
- Institute for Diabetes and ObesityMonoclonal Antibody Core Facility, Helmholtz Center MunichGerman Research Center for Environmental HealthNeuherbergGermany
- DZNE–German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesMunichGermany
| | - Regina Feederle
- Institute for Diabetes and ObesityMonoclonal Antibody Core Facility, Helmholtz Center MunichGerman Research Center for Environmental HealthNeuherbergGermany
- CAESAR–Center of Advanced European Studies and ResearchBonnGermany
| | - Eva‐Maria Mandelkow
- DZNE–German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesBonnGermany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric PsychiatryUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Senthilvelrajan Kaniyappan
- DZNE–German Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesBonnGermany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric PsychiatryUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
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47
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Alyenbaawi H, Allison WT, Mok SA. Prion-Like Propagation Mechanisms in Tauopathies and Traumatic Brain Injury: Challenges and Prospects. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1487. [PMID: 33121065 PMCID: PMC7692808 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of tau protein in the form of filamentous aggregates is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). These dementias share traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a prominent risk factor. Tau aggregates can transfer between cells and tissues in a "prion-like" manner, where they initiate the templated misfolding of normal tau molecules. This enables the spread of tau pathology to distinct parts of the brain. The evidence that tauopathies spread via prion-like mechanisms is considerable, but work detailing the mechanisms of spread has mostly used in vitro platforms that cannot fully reveal the tissue-level vectors or etiology of progression. We review these issues and then briefly use TBI and CTE as a case study to illustrate aspects of tauopathy that warrant further attention in vivo. These include seizures and sleep/wake disturbances, emphasizing the urgent need for improved animal models. Dissecting these mechanisms of tauopathy progression continues to provide fresh inspiration for the design of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadeel Alyenbaawi
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada; (H.A.); (W.T.A.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Laboratories, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - W. Ted Allison
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada; (H.A.); (W.T.A.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Sue-Ann Mok
- Centre for Prions & Protein Folding Disease, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada; (H.A.); (W.T.A.)
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
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48
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Brandt R, Trushina NI, Bakota L. Much More Than a Cytoskeletal Protein: Physiological and Pathological Functions of the Non-microtubule Binding Region of Tau. Front Neurol 2020; 11:590059. [PMID: 33193056 PMCID: PMC7604284 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.590059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein (MAPT) is classified as a microtubule-associated protein (MAP) and is believed to regulate the axonal microtubule arrangement. It belongs to the tau/MAP2/MAP4 family of MAPs that have a similar microtubule binding region at their carboxy-terminal half. In tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease, tau is distributed more in the somatodendritic compartment, where it aggregates into filamentous structures, the formation of which correlates with cognitive impairments in patients. While microtubules are the dominant interaction partners of tau under physiological conditions, tau has many additional interaction partners that can contribute to its physiological and pathological role. In particular, the amino-terminal non-microtubule binding domain (N-terminal projection region, NTR) of tau interacts with many partners that are involved in membrane organization. The NTR contains intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) that show a strong evolutionary increase in the disorder and may have been the basis for the development of new, tau-specific interactions. In this review we discuss the functional organization of the tau protein and the special features of the tau non-microtubule binding region also in the connection with the results of Tau KO models. We consider possible physiological and pathological functions of tau's non-microtubule interactions, which could indicate that interactions mediated by tau's NTR and regulated by far-reaching functional interactions of the PRR and the extreme C-terminus of tau contribute to the pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Brandt
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.,Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | | | - Lidia Bakota
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
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49
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Liu M, Dexheimer T, Sui D, Hovde S, Deng X, Kwok R, Bochar DA, Kuo MH. Hyperphosphorylated tau aggregation and cytotoxicity modulators screen identified prescription drugs linked to Alzheimer's disease and cognitive functions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16551. [PMID: 33024171 PMCID: PMC7539012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73680-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more than 30 million people worldwide. There is thus far no cure or prevention for AD. Aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain correlates with the cognitive decline of patients of AD and other neurodegenerative tauopathies. Intracerebral injection of tau aggregates isolated from tauopathy brains causes similar pathology in the recipient mice, demonstrating the pathogenic role of abnormally phosphorylated tau. Compounds controlling the aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau therefore are probable modulators for the disease. Here we report the use of recombinant hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) to identify potential tauopathy therapeutics and risk factors. Hyperphosphorylation renders tau prone to aggregate and to impair cell viability. Taking advantage of these two characters of p-tau, we performed a screen of a 1280-compound library, and tested a selective group of prescription drugs in p-tau aggregation and cytotoxicity assays. R-(-)-apomorphine and raloxifene were found to be p-tau aggregation inhibitors that protected p-tau-treated cells. In contrast, a subset of benzodiazepines exacerbated p-tau cytotoxicity apparently via enhancing p-tau aggregation. R-(-)apomorphine and raloxifene have been shown to improve cognition in animals or in humans, whereas benzodiazepines were linked to increased risks of dementia. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and potential of using hyperphosphorylated tau-based assays for AD drug discovery and risk factor identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Thomas Dexheimer
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dexin Sui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Stacy Hovde
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Roland Kwok
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Road, Room 401, Biochemistry Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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50
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Plotkin SS, Cashman NR. Passive immunotherapies targeting Aβ and tau in Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 144:105010. [PMID: 32682954 PMCID: PMC7365083 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins currently represent the two most promising targets to treat Alzheimer's disease. The most extensively developed method to treat the pathologic forms of these proteins is through the administration of exogenous antibodies, or passive immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the molecular-level strategies that researchers are using to design an effective therapeutic antibody, given the challenges in treating this disease. These challenges include selectively targeting a protein that has misfolded or is pathological rather than the more abundant, healthy protein, designing strategic constructs for immunizing an animal to raise an antibody that has the appropriate conformational selectivity to achieve this end, and clearing the pathological protein species before prion-like cell-to-cell spread of misfolded protein has irreparably damaged neurons, without invoking damaging inflammatory responses in the brain that naturally arise when the innate immune system is clearing foreign agents. The various solutions to these problems in current clinical trials will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven S Plotkin
- University of British Columbia, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Genome Sciences and Technology Program, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - Neil R Cashman
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada.
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