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Tao X, Liu J, Diaz-Perez Z, Foley JR, Nwafor A, Stewart TM, Casero RA, Zhai RG. Reduction of spermine synthase enhances autophagy to suppress Tau accumulation. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:333. [PMID: 38740758 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06720-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Precise polyamine metabolism regulation is vital for cells and organisms. Mutations in spermine synthase (SMS) cause Snyder-Robinson intellectual disability syndrome (SRS), characterized by significant spermidine accumulation and autophagy blockage in the nervous system. Emerging evidence connects polyamine metabolism with other autophagy-related diseases, such as Tauopathy, however, the functional intersection between polyamine metabolism and autophagy in the context of these diseases remains unclear. Here, we altered SMS expression level to investigate the regulation of autophagy by modulated polyamine metabolism in Tauopathy in Drosophila and human cellular models. Interestingly, while complete loss of Drosophila spermine synthase (dSms) impairs lysosomal function and blocks autophagic flux recapitulating SRS disease phenotype, partial loss of dSms enhanced autophagic flux, reduced Tau protein accumulation, and led to extended lifespan and improved climbing performance in Tauopathy flies. Measurement of polyamine levels detected a mild elevation of spermidine in flies with partial loss of dSms. Similarly, in human neuronal or glial cells, partial loss of SMS by siRNA-mediated knockdown upregulated autophagic flux and reduced Tau protein accumulation. Importantly, proteomics analysis of postmortem brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients showed a significant albeit modest elevation of SMS level. Taken together, our study uncovers a functional correlation between polyamine metabolism and autophagy in AD: SMS reduction upregulates autophagy, suppresses Tau accumulation, and ameliorates neurodegeneration and cell death. These findings provide a new potential therapeutic target for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzun Tao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Zoraida Diaz-Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jackson R Foley
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashley Nwafor
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracy Murray Stewart
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert A Casero
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - R Grace Zhai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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2
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Soliman AS, Umstead A, Lamp J, Vega IE. EFhd2 co-aggregates with monomeric and filamentous tau in vitro. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1373410. [PMID: 38765673 PMCID: PMC11100465 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1373410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are characterized by the abnormal buildup of tau protein, with early oligomeric forms associated with neurodegeneration and the later neurofibrillary tangles possibly conferring neuroprotection. The molecular mechanisms governing the formation of these tau species are unclear. Lately, there has been an increased focus on examining the interactions between tau and other proteins, along with their influence on the aggregation of tau. Our previous work revealed EFhd2's association with pathological tau in animal models and tauopathy brains. Herein, we examined the impact of EFhd2 on monomeric and filamentous tau in vitro. The results demonstrated that EFhd2 incubation with monomeric full length human tau (hTau40) formed amorphous aggregates, where both EFhd2 and hTau40 colocalized. Moreover, EFhd2 is entangled with arachidonic acid (ARA)-induced filamentous hTau40. Furthermore, EFhd2-induced aggregation with monomeric and filamentous hTau40 is EFhd2 concentration dependent. Using sandwich ELISA assays, we assessed the reactivity of TOC1 and Alz50-two conformation-specific tau antibodies-to EFhd2-hTau40 aggregates (in absence and presence of ARA). No TOC1 signal was detected in EFhd2 aggregates with monomeric hTau40 whereas EFhd2 aggregates with hTau in the presence of ARA showed a higher signal compared to hTau40 filaments. In contrast, EFhd2 aggregates with both monomeric and filamentous hTau40 reduced Alz50 reactivity. Taken together, our results illustrate for the first time that EFhd2, a tau-associated protein, interacts with monomeric and filamentous hTau40 to form large aggregates that are starkly different from tau oligomers and filaments. Given these findings and previous research, we hypothesize that EFhd2 may play a role in the formation of tau aggregates. Nevertheless, further in vivo studies are imperative to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahlam S. Soliman
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Andrew Umstead
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Integrated Mass Spectrometry Unit, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Jared Lamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Irving E. Vega
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Integrated Mass Spectrometry Unit, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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3
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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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4
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Bankapalli K, Thomas RE, Vincow ES, Milstein G, Fisher LV, Pallanck LJ. A Drosophila model for mechanistic investigation of tau protein spread. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.21.590466. [PMID: 38712083 PMCID: PMC11071371 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.21.590466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Brain protein aggregates are a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease. Previous work indicates that specific protein components of these aggregates are toxic, including tau in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Increasing evidence also indicates that these toxic proteins traffic between cells in a prion-like fashion, thereby spreading pathology from one brain region to another. However, the mechanisms involved in trafficking are poorly understood. We therefore developed a transgenic Drosophila model to facilitate rapid evaluation of candidate tau trafficking modifiers. Our model uses the bipartite Q system to drive co-expression of tau and GFP in the fly eye. We find age-dependent tau spread into the brain, represented by detection of tau, but not GFP in the brain. We also found that tau trafficking was attenuated upon inhibition of the endocytic factor dynamin or the kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3β ( GSK-3β ). Further work revealed that dynamin promotes tau uptake in recipient tissues, whereas GSK-3β appears to promote tau spread via direct phosphorylation of tau. Our robust and flexible system will promote the identification of tau trafficking components involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. SUMMARY STATEMENT The trafficking of toxic proteins in neurodegenerative disease is well-known but poorly understood. Our model will allow rapid and new insight into molecular mechanisms underlying this process.
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Dion W, Tao Y, Chambers M, Zhao S, Arbuckle RK, Sun M, Kubra S, Nie Y, Ye M, Larsen MB, Camarco D, Ickes E, DuPont C, Wang H, Wang B, Liu S, Pi S, Chen BB, Chen Y, Chen X, Zhu B. Nuclear speckle rejuvenation alleviates proteinopathies at the expense of YAP1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.18.590103. [PMID: 38659924 PMCID: PMC11042303 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Current treatments targeting individual protein quality control have limited efficacy in alleviating proteinopathies, highlighting the prerequisite for a common upstream druggable target capable of global proteostasis modulation. Building on our prior research establishing nuclear speckles as pivotal organelles responsible for global proteostasis transcriptional control, we aim to alleviate proteinopathies through nuclear speckle rejuvenation. We identified pyrvinium pamoate as a small-molecule nuclear speckle rejuvenator that enhances protein quality control while suppressing YAP1 signaling via decreasing the surface tension of nuclear speckle condensates through interaction with the intrinsically disordered region of nuclear speckle scaffold protein SON. In pre-clinical models, pyrvinium pamoate reduced tauopathy and alleviated retina degeneration by promoting autophagy and ubiquitin-proteasome system. Aberrant nuclear speckle morphology, reduced protein quality control and increased YAP1 activity were also observed in human tauopathies. Our study uncovers novel therapeutic targets for tackling protein misfolding disorders within an expanded proteostasis framework encompassing nuclear speckles and YAP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Dion
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Yuren Tao
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Maci Chambers
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Shanshan Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Riley K. Arbuckle
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, U.S.A
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michelle Sun
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Syeda Kubra
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Yuhang Nie
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Megan Ye
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Mads B. Larsen
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Daniel Camarco
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Eleanor Ickes
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Claire DuPont
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Haokun Wang
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Bingjie Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, U.S.A
| | - Silvia Liu
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Shaohua Pi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, U.S.A
| | - Bill B Chen
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, U.S.A
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, U.S.A
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, U.S.A
| | - Bokai Zhu
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A
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6
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Krut' VG, Kalinichenko AL, Maltsev DI, Jappy D, Shevchenko EK, Podgorny OV, Belousov VV. Optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches for modeling neurological disorders in vivo. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 235:102600. [PMID: 38548126 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102600] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Animal models of human neurological disorders provide valuable experimental tools which enable us to study various aspects of disorder pathogeneses, ranging from structural abnormalities and disrupted metabolism and signaling to motor and mental deficits, and allow us to test novel therapies in preclinical studies. To be valid, these animal models should recapitulate complex pathological features at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and behavioral levels as closely as possible to those observed in human subjects. Pathological states resembling known human neurological disorders can be induced in animal species by toxins, genetic factors, lesioning, or exposure to extreme conditions. In recent years, novel animal models recapitulating neuropathologies in humans have been introduced. These animal models are based on synthetic biology approaches: opto- and chemogenetics. In this paper, we review recent opto- and chemogenetics-based animal models of human neurological disorders. These models allow for the creation of pathological states by disrupting specific processes at the cellular level. The artificial pathological states mimic a range of human neurological disorders, such as aging-related dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, and ataxias. Opto- and chemogenetics provide new opportunities unavailable with other animal models of human neurological disorders. These techniques enable researchers to induce neuropathological states varying in severity and ranging from acute to chronic. We also discuss future directions for the development and application of synthetic biology approaches for modeling neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoriya G Krut'
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Andrei L Kalinichenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Dmitry I Maltsev
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - David Jappy
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Evgeny K Shevchenko
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Oleg V Podgorny
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia.
| | - Vsevolod V Belousov
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow 117997, Russia; Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 117997, Russia; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia; Life Improvement by Future Technologies (LIFT) Center, Skolkovo, Moscow 143025, Russia.
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7
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Sultanakhmetov G, Kato I, Asada A, Saito T, Ando K. Microtubule-affinity regulating kinase family members distinctively affect tau phosphorylation and promote its toxicity in a Drosophila model. Genes Cells 2024; 29:337-346. [PMID: 38329182 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau and its aggregation constitute a significant hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Tau phosphorylation at Ser262 and Ser356 in the KXGS motifs of microtubule-binding repeats plays a critical role in its physiological function and AD disease progression. Major tau kinases to phosphorylate tau at Ser262 and Ser356 belong to the Microtubule Affinity Regulating Kinase family (MARK1-4), which are considered one of the major contributors to tau abnormalities in AD. However, whether and how each member affects tau toxicity in vivo is unclear. We used transgenic Drosophila as a model to compare the effect on tau-induced neurodegeneration among MARKs in vivo. MARK4 specifically promotes tau accumulation and Ser396 phosphorylation, which yields more tau toxicity than was caused by other MARKs. Interestingly, MARK1, 2, and 4 increased tau phosphorylation at Ser262 and Ser356, but only MARK4 caused tau accumulation, indicating that these sites alone did not cause pathological tau accumulation. Our results revealed MARKs are different in their effect on tau toxicity, and also in tau phosphorylation at pathological sites other than Ser262 and Ser356. Understanding the implementation of each MARK into neurodegenerative disease helps to develop more target and safety therapies to overcome AD and related tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorii Sultanakhmetov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Iori Kato
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Asada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taro Saito
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kanae Ando
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
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8
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Leventhal MJ, Zanella CA, Kang B, Peng J, Gritsch D, Liao Z, Bukhari H, Wang T, Pao PC, Danquah S, Benetatos J, Nehme R, Farhi S, Tsai LH, Dong X, Scherzer CR, Feany MB, Fraenkel E. A systems-biology approach connects aging mechanisms with Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.17.585262. [PMID: 38559190 PMCID: PMC10980014 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.17.585262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Age is the strongest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder. However, the mechanisms connecting advancing age to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease are incompletely understood. We conducted an unbiased, genome-scale, forward genetic screen for age-associated neurodegeneration in Drosophila to identify the underlying biological processes required for maintenance of aging neurons. To connect genetic screen hits to Alzheimer's disease pathways, we measured proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and metabolomics in Drosophila models of Alzheimer's disease. We further identified Alzheimer's disease human genetic variants that modify expression in disease-vulnerable neurons. Through multi-omic, multi-species network integration of these data, we identified relationships between screen hits and tau-mediated neurotoxicity. Furthermore, we computationally and experimentally identified relationships between screen hits and DNA damage in Drosophila and human iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells. Our work identifies candidate pathways that could be targeted to attenuate the effects of age on neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Leventhal
- MIT Ph.D. Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Camila A Zanella
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Byunguk Kang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Spatial Technology Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Jiajie Peng
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Gritsch
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhixiang Liao
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tao Wang
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Present address: School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ping-Chieh Pao
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Serwah Danquah
- Spatial Technology Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Benetatos
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ralda Nehme
- Spatial Technology Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Samouil Farhi
- Spatial Technology Platform, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xianjun Dong
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clemens R Scherzer
- Precision Neurology Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical school, Boston, MA, USA
- APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Present address: Stephen and Denise Adams Center of Yale School of Medicine, CT, USA
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- MIT Ph.D. Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Lead contact
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9
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Park YJ, Lu TC, Jackson T, Goodman LD, Ran L, Chen J, Liang CY, Harrison E, Ko C, Hsu AL, Yamamoto S, Qi Y, Bellen HJ, Li H. Whole organism snRNA-seq reveals systemic peripheral changes in Alzheimer's Disease fly models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.10.584317. [PMID: 38559164 PMCID: PMC10979927 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.10.584317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Peripheral tissues become disrupted in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, a comprehensive understanding of how the expression of AD-associated toxic proteins, Aβ42 and Tau, in neurons impacts the periphery is lacking. Using Drosophila, a prime model organism for studying aging and neurodegeneration, we generated the Alzheimer's Disease Fly Cell Atlas (AD-FCA): whole-organism single-nucleus transcriptomes of 219 cell types from adult flies neuronally expressing human Aβ42 or Tau. In-depth analyses and functional data reveal impacts on peripheral sensory neurons by Aβ42 and on various non-neuronal peripheral tissues by Tau, including the gut, fat body, and reproductive system. This novel AD atlas provides valuable insights into potential biomarkers and the intricate interplay between the nervous system and peripheral tissues in response to AD-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Jin Park
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tzu-Chiao Lu
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tyler Jackson
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Cancer Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lindsey D Goodman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lindsey Ran
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiaye Chen
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chung-Yi Liang
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Erin Harrison
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christina Ko
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ao-Lin Hsu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 28109, USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yanyan Qi
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hongjie Li
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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10
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Twyning MJ, Tufi R, Gleeson TP, Kolodziej KM, Campesan S, Terriente-Felix A, Collins L, De Lazzari F, Giorgini F, Whitworth AJ. Partial loss of MCU mitigates pathology in vivo across a diverse range of neurodegenerative disease models. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113681. [PMID: 38236772 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113681] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial calcium (Ca2+) uptake augments metabolic processes and buffers cytosolic Ca2+ levels; however, excessive mitochondrial Ca2+ can cause cell death. Disrupted mitochondrial function and Ca2+ homeostasis are linked to numerous neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), but the impact of mitochondrial Ca2+ disruption is not well understood. Here, we show that Drosophila models of multiple NDs (Parkinson's, Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and frontotemporal dementia) reveal a consistent increase in neuronal mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, as well as reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering capacity, associated with increased mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contact sites (MERCs). Importantly, loss of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake channel MCU or overexpression of the efflux channel NCLX robustly suppresses key pathological phenotypes across these ND models. Thus, mitochondrial Ca2+ imbalance is a common feature of diverse NDs in vivo and is an important contributor to the disease pathogenesis. The broad beneficial effects from partial loss of MCU across these models presents a common, druggable target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J Twyning
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Roberta Tufi
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Thomas P Gleeson
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Kinga M Kolodziej
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Susanna Campesan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Ana Terriente-Felix
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Lewis Collins
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Federica De Lazzari
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Alexander J Whitworth
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
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11
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Pinzi L, Conze C, Bisi N, Torre GD, Soliman A, Monteiro-Abreu N, Trushina NI, Krusenbaum A, Dolouei MK, Hellwig A, Christodoulou MS, Passarella D, Bakota L, Rastelli G, Brandt R. Quantitative live cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables the identification of a polypharmacological drug candidate that restores physiological microtubule interaction. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1679. [PMID: 38396035 PMCID: PMC10891143 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45851-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease are characterized by aggregation and increased phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Tau's pathological changes are closely linked to neurodegeneration, making tau a prime candidate for intervention. We developed an approach to monitor pathological changes of aggregation-prone human tau in living neurons. We identified 2-phenyloxazole (PHOX) derivatives as putative polypharmacological small molecules that interact with tau and modulate tau kinases. We found that PHOX15 inhibits tau aggregation, restores tau's physiological microtubule interaction, and reduces tau phosphorylation at disease-relevant sites. Molecular dynamics simulations highlight cryptic channel-like pockets crossing tau protofilaments and suggest that PHOX15 binding reduces the protofilament's ability to adopt a PHF-like conformation by modifying a key glycine triad. Our data demonstrate that live-cell imaging of a tauopathy model enables screening of compounds that modulate tau-microtubule interaction and allows identification of a promising polypharmacological drug candidate that simultaneously inhibits tau aggregation and reduces tau phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Christian Conze
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nicolo Bisi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Gabriele Dalla Torre
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ahmed Soliman
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nanci Monteiro-Abreu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Nataliya I Trushina
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Krusenbaum
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Maryam Khodaei Dolouei
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrea Hellwig
- Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael S Christodoulou
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lidia Bakota
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Roland Brandt
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Center for Cellular Nanoanalytics, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany.
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12
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Bukhari H, Nithianandam V, Battaglia RA, Cicalo A, Sarkar S, Comjean A, Hu Y, Leventhal MJ, Dong X, Feany MB. Transcriptional programs mediating neuronal toxicity and altered glial-neuronal signaling in a Drosophila knock-in tauopathy model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.02.578624. [PMID: 38352559 PMCID: PMC10862891 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.578624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Missense mutations in the gene encoding the microtubule-associated protein tau cause autosomal dominant forms of frontotemporal dementia. Multiple models of frontotemporal dementia based on transgenic expression of human tau in experimental model organisms, including Drosophila, have been described. These models replicate key features of the human disease, but do not faithfully recreate the genetic context of the human disorder. Here we use CRISPR-Cas mediated gene editing to model frontotemporal dementia caused by the tau P301L mutation by creating the orthologous mutation, P251L, in the endogenous Drosophila tau gene. Flies heterozygous or homozygous for tau P251L display age-dependent neurodegeneration, metabolic defects and accumulate DNA damage in affected neurons. To understand the molecular events promoting neuronal dysfunction and death in knock-in flies we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on approximately 130,000 cells from brains of tau P251L mutant and control flies. We found that expression of disease-associated mutant tau altered gene expression cell autonomously in all neuronal cell types identified and non-cell autonomously in glial cells. Cell signaling pathways, including glial-neuronal signaling, were broadly dysregulated as were brain region and cell-type specific protein interaction networks and gene regulatory programs. In summary, we present here a genetic model of tauopathy, which faithfully recapitulates the genetic context and phenotypic features of the human disease and use the results of comprehensive single cell sequencing analysis to outline pathways of neurotoxicity and highlight the role of non-cell autonomous changes in glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
| | - Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
| | - Rachel A. Battaglia
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
| | - Anthony Cicalo
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Hub, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115
| | - Souvarish Sarkar
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Aram Comjean
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Yanhui Hu
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Matthew J. Leventhal
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
- MIT Ph.D. Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Xianjun Dong
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Hub, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115
| | - Mel B. Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
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13
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Pragati, Sarkar S. Reinstated Activity of Human Tau-induced Enhanced Insulin Signaling Restricts Disease Pathogenesis by Regulating the Functioning of Kinases/Phosphatases and Tau Hyperphosphorylation in Drosophila. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:982-1001. [PMID: 37674037 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03599-y] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Frontotemporal dementia, and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), etc. are characterized by tau hyperphosphorylation and distinguished accumulation of paired helical filaments (PHFs)/or neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in a specific-neuronal subset of the brain. Among different reported risk factors, type 2 diabetes (T2D) has gained attention due to its correlation with tau pathogenesis. However, mechanistic details and the precise contribution of insulin pathway in tau etiology is still debatable. We demonstrate that expression of human tau causes overactivation of insulin pathway in Drosophila disease models. We subsequently noted that tissue-specific downregulation of insulin signaling or even exclusive reduction of its growth-promoting sub-branch effectively reinstates the overactivated insulin signaling pathway in human tau expressing cells, which in turn restricts pathogenic tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregate formation. It was further noted that restored tau phosphorylation was achieved due to a reestablished balance between the levels of different kinase(s) (GSK3β and ERK/P38 MAP kinase) and phosphatase (PP2A). Taken together, our study demonstrates a precise involvement of the insulin pathway and associated molecular events in the pathogenesis of human tauopathies in Drosophila, which will be immensely helpful in developing novel therapeutic options against these devastating human brain disorders. Moreover, our study reveals an interesting link between tau etiology and aberrant insulin signaling, which is a characteristic feature of Type 2 Diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragati
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Surajit Sarkar
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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14
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Atrian F, Ramirez P, De Mange J, Marquez M, Gonzalez EM, Minaya M, Karch CM, Frost B. m6A-dependent circular RNA formation mediates tau-induced neurotoxicity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.25.577211. [PMID: 38328044 PMCID: PMC10849734 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.25.577211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs), covalently closed RNA molecules that form due to back-splicing of RNA transcripts, have recently been implicated in Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. circRNAs are regulated by N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation, can serve as "sponges" for proteins and RNAs, and can be translated into protein via a cap-independent mechanism. Mechanisms underlying circRNA dysregulation in tauopathies and causal relationships between circRNA and neurodegeneration are currently unknown. In the current study, we aimed to determine whether pathogenic forms of tau drive circRNA dysregulation and whether such dysregulation causally mediates neurodegeneration. We identify circRNAs that are differentially expressed in the brain of a Drosophila model of tauopathy and in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons carrying a tau mutation associated with autosomal dominant tauopathy. We leverage Drosophila to discover that depletion of circular forms of muscleblind (circMbl), a circRNA that is particularly abundant in brains of tau transgenic Drosophila, significantly suppresses tau neurotoxicity, suggesting that tau-induced circMbl elevation is neurotoxic. We detect a general elevation of m6A RNA methylation and circRNA methylation in tau transgenic Drosophila and find that tau-induced m6A methylation is a mechanistic driver of circMbl formation. Interestingly, we find that circRNA and m6A RNA accumulate within nuclear envelope invaginations of tau transgenic Drosophila and in iPSC-derived cerebral organoid models of tauopathy. Taken together, our studies add critical new insight into the mechanisms underlying circRNA dysregulation in tauopathy and identify m6A-modified circRNA as a causal factor contributing to neurodegeneration. These findings add to a growing literature implicating pathogenic forms of tau as drivers of altered RNA metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Atrian
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Jasmine De Mange
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Marissa Marquez
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Elias M. Gonzalez
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Miguel Minaya
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St Louis, MO
| | | | - Bess Frost
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
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15
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Perlegos AE, Durkin J, Belfer SJ, Rodriguez A, Shcherbakova O, Park K, Luong J, Bonini NM, Kayser MS. TDP-43 impairs sleep in Drosophila through Ataxin-2-dependent metabolic disturbance. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj4457. [PMID: 38198547 PMCID: PMC10780954 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia are associated with substantial sleep disruption, which may accelerate cognitive decline and brain degeneration. Here, we define a role for trans-activation response element (TAR) DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43), a protein associated with human neurodegenerative disease, in regulating sleep using Drosophila. Expression of TDP-43 severely disrupts sleep, and the sleep deficit is rescued by Atx2 knockdown. Brain RNA sequencing revealed that Atx2 RNA interference regulates transcripts enriched for small-molecule metabolic signaling in TDP-43 brains. Focusing on these Atx2-regulated genes, we identified suppressors of the TDP-43 sleep phenotype enriched for metabolism pathways. Knockdown of Atx2 or treatment with rapamycin attenuated the sleep phenotype and mitigated the disruption of small-molecule glycogen metabolism caused by TDP-43. Our findings provide a connection between toxicity of TDP-43 and sleep disturbances and highlight key aspects of metabolism that interplay with TDP-43 toxicity upon Atx2 rescue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E. Perlegos
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jaclyn Durkin
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Samuel J. Belfer
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Anyara Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Oksana Shcherbakova
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kristen Park
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jenny Luong
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nancy M. Bonini
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew S. Kayser
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Chronobiology Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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16
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Jiang Y, MacNeil LT. Simple model systems reveal conserved mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:82. [PMID: 37950311 PMCID: PMC10638731 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00664-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: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of effective therapies that slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies highlights the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamental cellular mechanisms underlying these diseases. Model organisms, including yeast, worms, and flies, provide simple systems with which to investigate the mechanisms of disease. The evolutionary conservation of cellular pathways regulating proteostasis and stress response in these organisms facilitates the study of genetic factors that contribute to, or protect against, neurodegeneration. Here, we review genetic modifiers of neurodegeneration and related cellular pathways identified in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on models of AD and related tauopathies. We further address the potential of simple model systems to better understand the fundamental mechanisms that lead to AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Lesley T MacNeil
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
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17
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Torre M, Bukhari H, Nithianandam V, Zanella CA, Mata DA, Feany MB. A Drosophila model relevant to chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19290. [PMID: 37935827 PMCID: PMC10630312 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46616-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common adverse effect of treatment and is characterized by deficits involving multiple cognitive domains including memory. Despite the significant morbidity of CRCI and the expected increase in cancer survivors over the coming decades, the pathophysiology of CRCI remains incompletely understood, highlighting the need for new model systems to study CRCI. Given the powerful array of genetic approaches and facile high throughput screening ability in Drosophila, our goal was to validate a Drosophila model relevant to CRCI. We administered the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin to adult Drosophila. Neurologic deficits were observed with all tested chemotherapies, with doxorubicin and in particular cisplatin also resulting in memory deficits. We then performed histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of cisplatin-treated Drosophila tissue, demonstrating neuropathologic evidence of increased neurodegeneration, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. Thus, our Drosophila model relevant to CRCI recapitulates clinical, radiologic, and histologic alterations reported in chemotherapy patients. Our new Drosophila model can be used for mechanistic dissection of pathways contributing to CRCI (and chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity more generally) and pharmacologic screens to identify disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Torre
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Camila A Zanella
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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18
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Nithianandam V, Bukhari H, Leventhal MJ, Battaglia RA, Dong X, Fraenkel E, Feany MB. Integrative analysis reveals a conserved role for the amyloid precursor protein in proteostasis during aging. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7034. [PMID: 37923712 PMCID: PMC10624868 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42822-1] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aβ peptides derived from the amyloid precursor protein (APP) have been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, the normal function of APP and the importance of that role in neurodegenerative disease is less clear. We recover the Drosophila ortholog of APP, Appl, in an unbiased forward genetic screen for neurodegeneration mutants. We perform comprehensive single cell transcriptional and proteomic studies of Appl mutant flies to investigate Appl function in the aging brain. We find an unexpected role for Appl in control of multiple cellular pathways, including translation, mitochondrial function, nucleic acid and lipid metabolism, cellular signaling and proteostasis. We mechanistically define a role for Appl in regulating autophagy through TGFβ signaling and document the broader relevance of our findings using mouse genetic, human iPSC and in vivo tauopathy models. Our results demonstrate a conserved role for APP in controlling age-dependent proteostasis with plausible relevance to Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Matthew J Leventhal
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- MIT Ph.D. Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rachel A Battaglia
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Xianjun Dong
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Hub, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA.
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19
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Min Y, Wang X, İş Ö, Patel TA, Gao J, Reddy JS, Quicksall ZS, Nguyen T, Lin S, Tutor-New FQ, Chalk JL, Mitchell AO, Crook JE, Nelson PT, Van Eldik LJ, Golde TE, Carrasquillo MM, Dickson DW, Zhang K, Allen M, Ertekin-Taner N. Cross species systems biology discovers glial DDR2, STOM, and KANK2 as therapeutic targets in progressive supranuclear palsy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6801. [PMID: 37919278 PMCID: PMC10622416 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42626-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative parkinsonian disorder characterized by cell-type-specific tau lesions in neurons and glia. Prior work uncovered transcriptome changes in human PSP brains, although their cell-specificity is unknown. Further, systematic data integration and experimental validation platforms to prioritize brain transcriptional perturbations as therapeutic targets in PSP are currently lacking. In this study, we combine bulk tissue (n = 408) and single nucleus RNAseq (n = 34) data from PSP and control brains with transcriptome data from a mouse tauopathy and experimental validations in Drosophila tau models for systematic discovery of high-confidence expression changes in PSP with therapeutic potential. We discover, replicate, and annotate thousands of differentially expressed genes in PSP, many of which reside in glia-enriched co-expression modules and cells. We prioritize DDR2, STOM, and KANK2 as promising therapeutic targets in PSP with striking cross-species validations. We share our findings and data via our interactive application tool PSP RNAseq Atlas ( https://rtools.mayo.edu/PSP_RNAseq_Atlas/ ). Our findings reveal robust glial transcriptome changes in PSP, provide a cross-species systems biology approach, and a tool for therapeutic target discoveries in PSP with potential application in other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhao Min
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Özkan İş
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tulsi A Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Junli Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Joseph S Reddy
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Zachary S Quicksall
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Shu Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Jessica L Chalk
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Julia E Crook
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Linda J Van Eldik
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Department of Neurology, Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mariet Allen
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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20
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Oba T, Homma D, Limlingan SJM, Fukuchi A, Asada A, Saito T, Ando K. A cell-penetrating peptide derived from SARS-CoV-2 protein Orf9b allosterically inhibits MARK4 activity and mitigates tau toxicity. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 188:106334. [PMID: 37884211 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal activation of microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) and its phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau are believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and MARK4 inhibition can be a strategy to develop disease-modifying therapy. Here we report the development of a membrane-permeable peptide that inhibits MARK4 activity in an allosteric manner. The SARS-CoV-2-derived protein Orf9b inhibited MARK4-mediated tau phosphorylation in primary neurons and Drosophila. Orf9b inhibited MARK4 activity in an allosteric manner and did not inhibit the activity of MARK2, which is another MARK family member and is closely related to MARK4. Co-expression of Orf9b in the fly retina expressing human tau and MARK4 suppressed phosphorylation of tau at the microtubule-binding repeats and tau-induced neurodegeneration. We identified the minimal sequence of Orf9b required to suppress MARK4 activity and fused it to a cell-permeable sequence (TAT-Orf9b10-18_78-95). Extracellular supplementation of TAT-Orf9b10-18_78-95 inhibited MARK4 activity in primary neurons, and feeding TAT-Orf9b10-18_78-95 to a fly model of tauopathy lowered phospho-tau levels and suppressed neurodegeneration. These results suggest that TAT-Orf9b10-18_78-95 is a unique class of MARK4 inhibitor and can be used to modify tau toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Oba
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Daiki Homma
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Sophia Jobien M Limlingan
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Aoi Fukuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Akiko Asada
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Taro Saito
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan.
| | - Kanae Ando
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan.
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21
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Shekhar S, Wert KJ, Krämer H. Visual impairment cell non-autonomously dysregulates brain-wide proteostasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.19.563166. [PMID: 37961457 PMCID: PMC10634672 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.563166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Loss of hearing or vision has been identified as a significant risk factor for dementia but underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. In different Drosophila models of blindness, we observe non-autonomous induction of stress granules in the brain and their reversal upon restoration of vision. Stress granules include cytosolic condensates of p62, ATF4 and XRP1. This cytosolic restraint of the ATF4 and XRP1 transcription factors dampens expression of their downstream targets during cellular stress. Cytosolic condensates of p62 and ATF4 were also evident in the thalamus and hippocampus of mouse models of congenital or degenerative blindness. These data indicate conservation of the link between loss of sensory input and dysregulation of stress responses critical for protein quality control in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashank Shekhar
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
| | - Katherine J Wert
- Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
- O’Donnell Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
| | - Helmut Krämer
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
- O’Donnell Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
- Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dallas, TX
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22
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Elguero JE, Liu G, Tiemeyer K, Bandyadka S, Gandevia H, Duro L, Yan Z, McCall K. Defective phagocytosis leads to neurodegeneration through systemic increased innate immune signaling. iScience 2023; 26:108052. [PMID: 37854687 PMCID: PMC10579427 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In nervous system development, disease, and injury, neurons undergo programmed cell death, leaving behind cell corpses that are removed by phagocytic glia. Altered glial phagocytosis has been implicated in several neurological diseases including Alzheimer's disease. To untangle the links between glial phagocytosis and neurodegeneration, we investigated Drosophila mutants lacking the phagocytic receptor Draper. Loss of Draper leads to persistent neuronal cell corpses and age-dependent neurodegeneration. Here we investigate whether the phagocytic defects observed in draper mutants lead to chronic increased immune activation that promotes neurodegeneration. We found that the antimicrobial peptide Attacin-A is highly upregulated in the fat body of aged draper mutants and that the inhibition of the Immune deficiency (Imd) pathway in the glia and fat body of draper mutants led to reduced neurodegeneration. Taken together, these findings indicate that phagocytic defects lead to neurodegeneration via increased immune signaling, both systemically and locally in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny E. Elguero
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Guangmei Liu
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katherine Tiemeyer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shruthi Bandyadka
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Heena Gandevia
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lauren Duro
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zhenhao Yan
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kimberly McCall
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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23
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Wang KW, Zhang G, Kuo MH. Frontotemporal Dementia P301L Mutation Potentiates but Is Not Sufficient to Cause the Formation of Cytotoxic Fibrils of Tau. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14996. [PMID: 37834443 PMCID: PMC10573866 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914996] [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: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The P301L mutation in tau protein is a prevalent pathogenic mutation associated with neurodegenerative frontotemporal dementia, FTD. The mechanism by which P301L triggers or facilitates neurodegeneration at the molecular level remains unclear. In this work, we examined the effect of the P301L mutation on the biochemical and biological characteristics of pathologically relevant hyperphosphorylated tau. Hyperphosphorylated P301L tau forms cytotoxic aggregates more efficiently than hyperphosphorylated wildtype tau or unphosphorylated P301L tau in vitro. Mechanistic studies establish that hyperphosphorylated P301L tau exacerbates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated gene upregulation in a neuroblastoma cell line when compared to wildtype hyperphosphorylated tau treatment. Furthermore, the microtubule cytoskeleton is severely disrupted following hyperphosphorylated P301L tau treatment. A hyperphosphorylated tau aggregation inhibitor, apomorphine, also inhibits the harmful effects caused by P301L hyperphosphorylated tau. In short, the P301L single mutation within the core repeat domain of tau renders the underlying hyperphosphorylated tau more potent in eliciting ER stress and cytoskeleton damage. However, the P301L mutation alone, without hyperphosphorylation, is not sufficient to cause these phenotypes. Understanding the conditions and mechanisms whereby selective mutations aggravate the pathogenic activities of tau can provide pivotal clues on novel strategies for drug development for frontotemporal dementia and other related neurodegenerative tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Min-Hao Kuo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; (K.-W.W.); (G.Z.)
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24
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Frost B. Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies: disorders of disrupted neuronal identity. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:797-813. [PMID: 37591720 PMCID: PMC10528597 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Postmitotic neurons require persistently active controls to maintain terminal differentiation. Unlike dividing cells, aberrant cell cycle activation in mature neurons causes apoptosis rather than transformation. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies, evidence suggests that pathogenic forms of tau drive neurodegeneration via neuronal cell cycle re-entry. Multiple interconnected mechanisms linking tau to cell cycle activation have been identified, including, but not limited to, tau-induced overstabilization of the actin cytoskeleton, consequent changes to nuclear architecture, and disruption of heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing. Cancer- and development-associated pathways are upregulated in human and cellular models of tauopathy, and many tau-induced cellular phenotypes are also present in various cancers and progenitor/stem cells. In this review, I delve into mechanistic parallels between tauopathies, cancer, and development, and highlight the role of tau in cancer and in the developing brain. Based on these studies, I put forth a model by which pathogenic forms of tau disrupt the program that maintains terminal neuronal differentiation, driving cell cycle re-entry and consequent neuronal death. This framework presents tauopathies as conditions involving the profound toxic disruption of neuronal identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bess Frost
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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25
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Siddique YH, Naz F, Rahul, Varshney H, I M, Shahid M. Effect of donepezil hydrochloride on the transgenic Drosophila expressing human Aβ-42. Int J Neurosci 2023:1-39. [PMID: 37733478 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2023.2262109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
CONCLUSION The results suggest that donepezil hydrochloride is potent enough to reduce the AD symptoms being mimicked in transgenic flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Hasan Siddique
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Falaq Naz
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rahul
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Himanshi Varshney
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mantasha I
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - M Shahid
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
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26
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Chen H, Li Y, Gao J, Cheng Q, Liu L, Cai R. Activation of Pgk1 Results in Reduced Protein Aggregation in Diverse Neurodegenerative Conditions. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5090-5101. [PMID: 37249790 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03389-6] [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: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The prevention of protein condensates has emerged as a new drug target to treat diverse neurodegenerative disorders. We previously reported that terazosin (TZ), a prescribed antagonist of the α1 adrenergic receptor, is an activator of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (Pgk1) and Hsp90. In this study, we aimed to determine whether TZ prevents the formation of diverse pathological condensates in cell cultures and animal disease models. In primary neuron culture, TZ treatment reduced both the protein density and abundance of fused in sarcoma (FUS)-P525L-GFP, a disease-associated mutant form of FUS. Regarding the mechanism, we found that increased intracellular ATP levels were critical for the reduction in protein aggregate density. In addition, Hsp90 activation by TZ enhanced Hsp90 interaction with ULK1, a master regulator of autophagy. Through in vivo studies, we examined neuron-specific overexpression of tau in Drosophila, mouse models of APP/PS1 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a rat model of multiple system atrophy (MSA) via the viral expression of α-synuclein in the striatum. TZ prevented and reversed the formation of pathological protein condensates. Together, our results suggest that activation of Pgk1 in cytosol may dissolve pathological protein aggregates via increased ATP levels and degrade these proteins via autophagy; the FUS-P525L degradation pathway in nucleus is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yajie Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Jingwen Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University, Youanmen, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Rong Cai
- School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (Beihang University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100191, China.
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27
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Yang M, Zinkgraf M, Fitzgerald-Cook C, Harrison BR, Putzier A, Promislow DEL, Wang AM. Using Drosophila to identify naturally occurring genetic modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced toxicity. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad132. [PMID: 37311212 PMCID: PMC10468303 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by 2 pathological proteins, amyloid beta 42 and tau. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases in the population are sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits high levels of heritability. While several genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease have been identified and replicated in independent studies, including the ApoE ε4 allele, the great majority of the heritability of late-onset Alzheimer's disease remains unexplained, likely due to the aggregate effects of a very large number of genes with small effect size, as well as to biases in sample collection and statistical approaches. Here, we present an unbiased forward genetic screen in Drosophila looking for naturally occurring modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced ommatidial degeneration. Our results identify 14 significant SNPs, which map to 12 potential genes in 8 unique genomic regions. Our hits that are significant after genome-wide correction identify genes involved in neuronal development, signal transduction, and organismal development. Looking more broadly at suggestive hits (P < 10-5), we see significant enrichment in genes associated with neurogenesis, development, and growth as well as significant enrichment in genes whose orthologs have been identified as significantly or suggestively associated with Alzheimer's disease in human GWAS studies. These latter genes include ones whose orthologs are in close proximity to regions in the human genome that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, but where a causal gene has not been identified. Together, our results illustrate the potential for complementary and convergent evidence provided through multitrait GWAS in Drosophila to supplement and inform human studies, helping to identify the remaining heritability and novel modifiers of complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew Zinkgraf
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Cecilia Fitzgerald-Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin R Harrison
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra Putzier
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Adrienne M Wang
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
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28
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Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P. Intrinsic determinants of prion protein neurotoxicity in Drosophila: from sequence to (dys)function. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1231079. [PMID: 37645703 PMCID: PMC10461008 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1231079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal brain disorders characterized by deposition of insoluble isoforms of the prion protein (PrP). The normal and pathogenic structures of PrP are relatively well known after decades of studies. Yet our current understanding of the intrinsic determinants regulating PrP misfolding are largely missing. A 3D subdomain of PrP comprising the β2-α2 loop and helix 3 contains high sequence and structural variability among animals and has been proposed as a key domain regulating PrP misfolding. We combined in vivo work in Drosophila with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which provide additional insight to assess the impact of candidate substitutions in PrP from conformational dynamics. MD simulations revealed that in human PrP WT the β2-α2 loop explores multiple β-turn conformations, whereas the Y225A (rabbit PrP-like) substitution strongly favors a 310-turn conformation, a short right-handed helix. This shift in conformational diversity correlates with lower neurotoxicity in flies. We have identified additional conformational features and candidate amino acids regulating the high toxicity of human PrP and propose a new strategy for testing candidate modifiers first in MD simulations followed by functional experiments in flies. In this review we expand on these new results to provide additional insight into the structural and functional biology of PrP through the prism of the conformational dynamics of a 3D domain in the C-terminus. We propose that the conformational dynamics of this domain is a sensitive measure of the propensity of PrP to misfold and cause toxicity. This provides renewed opportunities to identify the intrinsic determinants of PrP misfolding through the contribution of key amino acids to different conformational states by MD simulations followed by experimental validation in transgenic flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cembran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, United States
| | - Pedro Fernandez-Funez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United States
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29
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Mate De Gerando A, Welikovitch LA, Khasnavis A, Commins C, Glynn C, Chun JE, Perbet R, Hyman BT. Tau seeding and spreading in vivo is supported by both AD-derived fibrillar and oligomeric tau. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:191-210. [PMID: 37341831 PMCID: PMC10329061 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02600-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Insoluble fibrillar tau, the primary constituent of neurofibrillary tangles, has traditionally been thought to be the biologically active, toxic form of tau mediating neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. More recent studies have implicated soluble oligomeric tau species, referred to as high molecular weight (HMW), due to their properties on size-exclusion chromatography, in tau propagation across neural systems. These two forms of tau have never been directly compared. We prepared sarkosyl-insoluble and HMW tau from the frontal cortex of Alzheimer patients and compared their properties using a variety of biophysical and bioactivity assays. Sarkosyl-insoluble fibrillar tau comprises abundant paired-helical filaments (PHF) as quantified by electron microscopy (EM) and is more resistant to proteinase K, compared to HMW tau, which is mostly in an oligomeric form. Sarkosyl-insoluble and HMW tau are nearly equivalent in potency in HEK cell bioactivity assay for seeding aggregates, and their injection reveals similar local uptake into hippocampal neurons in PS19 Tau transgenic mice. However, the HMW preparation appears to be far more potent in inducing a glial response including Clec7a-positive rod microglia in the absence of neurodegeneration or synapse loss and promotes more rapid propagation of misfolded tau to distal, anatomically connected regions, such as entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. These data suggest that soluble HMW tau has similar properties to fibrillar sarkosyl-insoluble tau with regard to tau seeding potential, but may be equal or even more bioactive with respect to propagation across neural systems and activation of glial responses, both relevant to tau-related Alzheimer phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasie Mate De Gerando
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lindsay A Welikovitch
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anita Khasnavis
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Calina Glynn
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua E Chun
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Romain Perbet
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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30
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Zubčić K, Franić D, Pravica M, Hof PR, Šimić G, Boban M. Effects of heterologous human tau protein expression in yeast models of proteotoxic stress response. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023. [PMID: 37341072 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The primary histological characteristic of Alzheimer's disease is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles, which are large aggregates of tau protein. Aging is the primary risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease, however, the underlying causes of tau protein aggregation and toxicity are unclear. AIMS Here we investigated tau aggregation and toxicity under the conditions of compromised protein homeostasis. METHODS We used heterologous expression of human tau protein in the unicellular eukaryote yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with evolutionarily conserved protein quality control pathways and examined tau-dependent toxicity and aggregation using growth assays, fluorescence microscopy, and a split luciferase-based reporter NanoBiT. RESULTS Tau protein expressed in yeast under mild proteotoxic stress, or in mutants with impaired pathways for proteotoxic stress response, did not lead to synthetic toxicity or the formation of obvious aggregates. Chronologically old cells also did not develop observable tau aggregates. Our examination of tau oligomerization in living cells using NanoBiT reporter suggests that tau does not form significant levels of oligomers under basal conditions or under mild proteotoxic stress. CONCLUSION Together our data suggest that human tau protein does not represent a major burden to the protein quality control system in yeast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Zubčić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dina Franić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mihaela Pravica
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Goran Šimić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mirta Boban
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
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Torre M, Bukhari H, Nithianandam V, Zanella CA, Mata DA, Feany MB. A Drosophila model of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.01.543297. [PMID: 37333281 PMCID: PMC10274738 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.01.543297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common adverse effect of treatment and is characterized by deficits involving multiple cognitive domains including memory. Despite the significant morbidity of CRCI and the expected increase in cancer survivors over the coming decades, the pathophysiology of CRCI remains incompletely understood, highlighting the need for new model systems to study CRCI. Given the powerful array of genetic approaches and facile high throughput screening ability in Drosophila, our goal was to validate a Drosophila model of CRCI. We administered the chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin to adult Drosophila. Neurocognitive deficits were observed with all tested chemotherapies, especially cisplatin. We then performed histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of cisplatin-treated Drosophila tissue, demonstrating neuropathologic evidence of increased neurodegeneration, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. Thus, our Drosophila model of CRCI recapitulates clinical, radiologic, and histologic alterations reported in chemotherapy patients. Our new Drosophila model can be used for mechanistic dissection of pathways contributing to CRCI and pharmacologic screens to identify novel therapies to ameliorate CRCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Torre
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Hassan Bukhari
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Vanitha Nithianandam
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Camila A Zanella
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | - Mel B Feany
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Mate de Gerando A, Welikovitch LA, Khasnavis A, Commins C, Glynn C, Chun JE, Perbet R, Hyman BT. Tau seeding and spreading in vivo is supported by both AD-derived fibrillar and oligomeric tau. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.28.534418. [PMID: 37034629 PMCID: PMC10081282 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Insoluble fibrillar tau, the primary constituent of neurofibrillary tangles, has traditionally been thought to be the biologically active, toxic form of tau mediating neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. More recent studies have implicated soluble oligomeric tau species, referred to as high molecular weight (HMW) due to its properties on size exclusion chromatography, in tau propagation across neural systems. These two forms of tau have never been directly compared. We prepared sarkosyl insoluble and HMW tau from the frontal cortex of Alzheimer patients and compared their properties using a variety of biophysical and bioactivity assays. Sarkosyl insoluble fibrillar tau is comprised of abundant paired helical filaments (PHF) as quantified by electron microscopy (EM), and is more resistant to proteinase K, compared to HMW tau which is mostly in an oligomeric form. Sarkosyl insoluble and HMW tau are nearly equivalent in potency in a HEK cell bioactivity assay for seeding aggregates and their injection reveals similar local uptake into hippocampal neurons in PS19 Tau transgenic mice. However, the HMW preparation appears to be far more potent in inducing a glial response including Clec7a-positive rod-microglia in the absence of neurodegeneration or synapse loss and promotes more rapid propagation of misfolded tau to distal, anatomically connected regions, such as entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. These data suggest that soluble HMW tau has similar properties to fibrillar sarkosyl insoluble tau with regard to tau seeding potential but may be equal or even more bioactive with respect to propagation across neural systems and activation of glial responses, both relevant tau-related Alzheimer phenotypes.
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Wu T, Deger JM, Ye H, Guo C, Dhindsa J, Pekarek BT, Al-Ouran R, Liu Z, Al-Ramahi I, Botas J, Shulman JM. Tau polarizes an aging transcriptional signature to excitatory neurons and glia. eLife 2023; 12:e85251. [PMID: 37219079 PMCID: PMC10259480 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85251] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and cell-type vulnerability underlies its characteristic clinical manifestations. We have performed longitudinal, single-cell RNA-sequencing in Drosophila with pan-neuronal expression of human tau, which forms AD neurofibrillary tangle pathology. Whereas tau- and aging-induced gene expression strongly overlap (93%), they differ in the affected cell types. In contrast to the broad impact of aging, tau-triggered changes are strongly polarized to excitatory neurons and glia. Further, tau can either activate or suppress innate immune gene expression signatures in a cell-type-specific manner. Integration of cellular abundance and gene expression pinpoints nuclear factor kappa B signaling in neurons as a marker for cellular vulnerability. We also highlight the conservation of cell-type-specific transcriptional patterns between Drosophila and human postmortem brain tissue. Overall, our results create a resource for dissection of dynamic, age-dependent gene expression changes at cellular resolution in a genetically tractable model of tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Wu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Jennifer M Deger
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Hui Ye
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Caiwei Guo
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Justin Dhindsa
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Brandon T Pekarek
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Rami Al-Ouran
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Ismael Al-Ramahi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Juan Botas
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Joshua M Shulman
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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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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Schulz L, Ramirez P, Lemieux A, Gonzalez E, Thomson T, Frost B. Tau-Induced Elevation of the Activity-Regulated Cytoskeleton Associated Protein Arc1 Causally Mediates Neurodegeneration in the Adult Drosophila Brain. Neuroscience 2023; 518:101-111. [PMID: 35487302 PMCID: PMC9606145 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders pathologically defined by aggregated forms of tau protein in the brain. While synaptic degradation is a well-established feature of tau-induced neurotoxicity, the underlying mechanisms of how pathogenic forms of tau drive synaptic dysfunction are incompletely understood. Synaptic function and subsequent memory consolidation are dependent upon synaptic plasticity, the ability of synapses to adjust their structure and strength in response to changes in activity. The activity regulated cytoskeleton associated protein ARC acts in the nucleus and at postsynaptic densities to regulate various forms of synaptic plasticity. ARC harbors a retrovirus-like Gag domain that facilitates ARC multimerization and capsid formation. Trans-synaptic transfer of RNA-containing ARC capsids is required for synaptic plasticity. While ARC is elevated in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and genetic variants in ARC increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, mechanistic insight into the role of ARC in Alzheimer's disease is lacking. Using a Drosophila model of tauopathy, we find that pathogenic tau significantly increases multimeric species of the protein encoded by the Drosophila homolog of ARC, Arc1, in the adult fly brain. We find that Arc1 is elevated within nuclei and the neuropil of tau transgenic Drosophila, but does not localize to synaptic vesicles or presynaptic terminals. Lastly, we find that genetic manipulation of Arc1 modifies tau-induced neurotoxicity, suggesting that tau-induced Arc1 elevation mediates neurodegeneration. Taken together, our results suggest that ARC elevation in human Alzheimer's disease is a consequence of tau pathology and is a causal factor contributing to neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Schulz
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, United States; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, United States; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, United States; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, United States; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Adrienne Lemieux
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, United States; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, United States; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Travis Thomson
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Bess Frost
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, United States; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, United States; University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.
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Yang S, Xiu M, Li X, Shi Y, Wang S, Wan S, Han S, Yang D, Liu Y, He J. The antioxidant effects of hedysarum polybotrys polysaccharide in extending lifespan and ameliorating aging-related diseases in Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 241:124609. [PMID: 37105250 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Hedysarum polybotrys polysaccharide (HPS) is one of the main active ingredients of Hedysarum with many health-beneficial properties, including antioxidant property, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor. However, the effect of HPS on anti-aging is still unclear. This study was to explore the protective function of HPS on aging and age-related diseases using Drosophila melanogaster. The results demonstrated that HPS supplementation promoted hatchability and prolonged lifespan by enhancing the antioxidative capacity. Administraction of HPS ameliorated age-related symptoms such as imbalanced intestinal homeostasis, sleep disturbances, and beta-amyloid (Aβ) induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) in flies, but did not modulate neurobehavioral deficits in the AD model of tauopathy and the Parkinson's disease (PD) model of Pink1 mutation. Overall, this study reveals that HPS has strong potential in the prevention of aging and age-related diseases, and provided a new candidate for the development of anti-aging drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipei Yang
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Minghui Xiu
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xu Li
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuwei Wang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shengfang Wan
- College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuzhen Han
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yongqi Liu
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Jianzheng He
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Dunhuang Medicine, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Vourkou E, Rouiz Ortega ED, Mahajan S, Mudher A, Skoulakis EMC. Human Tau Aggregates Are Permissive to Protein Synthesis-Dependent Memory in Drosophila Tauopathy Models. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2988-3006. [PMID: 36868851 PMCID: PMC10124960 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1374-22.2023] [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: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease, are characterized by progressive cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and intraneuronal aggregates comprised largely of the axonal protein Tau. It has been unclear whether cognitive deficits are a consequence of aggregate accumulation thought to compromise neuronal health and eventually lead to neurodegeneration. We use the Drosophila tauopathy model and mixed-sex populations to reveal an adult onset pan-neuronal Tau accumulation-dependent decline in learning efficacy and a specific defect in protein synthesis-dependent memory (PSD-M), but not in its protein synthesis-independent variant. We demonstrate that these neuroplasticity defects are reversible on suppression of new transgenic human Tau expression and surprisingly correlate with an increase in Tau aggregates. Inhibition of aggregate formation via acute oral administration of methylene blue results in re-emergence of deficient memory in animals with suppressed human Tau (hTau)0N4R expression. Significantly, aggregate inhibition results in PSD-M deficits in hTau0N3R-expressing animals, which present elevated aggregates and normal memory if untreated with methylene blue. Moreover, methylene blue-dependent hTau0N4R aggregate suppression within adult mushroom body neurons also resulted in emergence of memory deficits. Therefore, deficient PSD-M on human Tau expression in the Drosophila CNS is not a consequence of toxicity and neuronal loss because it is reversible. Furthermore, PSD-M deficits do not result from aggregate accumulation, which appears permissive, if not protective of processes underlying this memory variant.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Intraneuronal Tau aggregate accumulation has been proposed to underlie the cognitive decline and eventual neurotoxicity that characterizes the neurodegenerative dementias known as tauopathies. However, we show in three experimental settings that Tau aggregates in the Drosophila CNS do not impair but rather appear to facilitate processes underlying protein synthesis-dependent memory within affected neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ergina Vourkou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Alexander Fleming, 16672 Vari, Greece
| | - Eva D Rouiz Ortega
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sumeet Mahajan
- School of Chemistry, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Amrit Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Efthimios M C Skoulakis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre Alexander Fleming, 16672 Vari, Greece
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Varte V, Munkelwitz JW, Rincon-Limas DE. Insights from Drosophila on Aβ- and tau-induced mitochondrial dysfunction: mechanisms and tools. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1184080. [PMID: 37139514 PMCID: PMC10150963 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1184080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative dementia in older adults worldwide. Sadly, there are no disease-modifying therapies available for treatment due to the multifactorial complexity of the disease. AD is pathologically characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau. Increasing evidence suggest that Aβ also accumulates intracellularly, which may contribute to the pathological mitochondrial dysfunction observed in AD. According with the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis, mitochondrial dysfunction precedes clinical decline and thus targeting mitochondria may result in new therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, the precise mechanisms connecting mitochondrial dysfunction with AD are largely unknown. In this review, we will discuss how the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is contributing to answer mechanistic questions in the field, from mitochondrial oxidative stress and calcium dysregulation to mitophagy and mitochondrial fusion and fission. In particular, we will highlight specific mitochondrial insults caused by Aβ and tau in transgenic flies and will also discuss a variety of genetic tools and sensors available to study mitochondrial biology in this flexible organism. Areas of opportunity and future directions will be also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanlalrinchhani Varte
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jeremy W. Munkelwitz
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Diego E. Rincon-Limas
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Li X, Yang S, Wang S, Shi Y, Dai Y, Zhang X, Liu Y, Guo Y, He J, Xiu M. Regulation and mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharide on ameliorating aging in Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 234:123632. [PMID: 36801290 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) is a notable bioactive component of Astragalus membranaceus and has been extensively investigated for its pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, neuroprotection, and anticancer effects. However, the beneficial effects and mechanisms of APS on anti-aging diseases remain largely unknown. Here, we utilized the classic model organism Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the beneficial effects and mechanism of APS on aging-related intestinal homeostasis imbalance, sleeping disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. The results showed that administration of APS significantly attenuated age-associated disruption of the intestinal barrier, loss of gastrointestinal acid-base balance, reduction in intestinal length, overproliferation of the intestinal stem cells (ISCs), and sleeping disorders upon aging. Furthermore, APS supplementation delayed the onset of Alzheimer's phenotypes in Aβ42-induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) flies, including the extension of lifespan and the increase in motility, but without rescuing neurobehavioral deficits in the AD model of taupathy and Parkinson's disease (PD) model of Pink1 mutation. In addition, transcriptomics was used to dissect updated mechanisms of APS on anti-aging, such as JAK-STAT signaling, Toll signaling, and IMD signaling pathways. Taken together, these studies indicate that APS plays a beneficial role in modulating aging-related diseases, thereby as a potential natural drug to delay aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Li
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Institute of Infection, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shipei Yang
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuwei Wang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuting Dai
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xueyan Zhang
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yongqi Liu
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yaqiong Guo
- Second Provincial People's Hospital of Gansu, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jianzheng He
- Provincial-level Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine of Major Diseases and The Prevention and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine Research in Gansu Colleges and University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; College of Basic Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Minghui Xiu
- College of Public Health, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory for Transfer of Dunhuang Medicine at the Provincial and Ministerial Level, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Ye C, Behnke JA, Hardin KR, Zheng JQ. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study age and sex differences in brain injury and neurodegeneration after mild head trauma. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1150694. [PMID: 37077318 PMCID: PMC10106652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive physical insults to the head, including those that elicit mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), are a known risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although most individuals who sustain mTBI typically achieve a seemingly full recovery within a few weeks, a subset experience delayed-onset symptoms later in life. As most mTBI research has focused on the acute phase of injury, there is an incomplete understanding of mechanisms related to the late-life emergence of neurodegeneration after early exposure to mild head trauma. The recent adoption of Drosophila-based brain injury models provides several unique advantages over existing preclinical animal models, including a tractable framework amenable to high-throughput assays and short relative lifespan conducive to lifelong mechanistic investigation. The use of flies also provides an opportunity to investigate important risk factors associated with neurodegenerative conditions, specifically age and sex. In this review, we survey current literature that examines age and sex as contributing factors to head trauma-mediated neurodegeneration in humans and preclinical models, including mammalian and Drosophila models. We discuss similarities and disparities between human and fly in aging, sex differences, and pathophysiology. Finally, we highlight Drosophila as an effective tool for investigating mechanisms underlying head trauma-induced neurodegeneration and for identifying therapeutic targets for treatment and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine R. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James Q. Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Tao X, Liu J, Diaz-Perez Z, Foley JR, Stewart TM, Casero RA, Zhai RG. Reduction of Spermine Synthase Suppresses Tau Accumulation Through Autophagy Modulation in Tauopathy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.17.533015. [PMID: 36993333 PMCID: PMC10055309 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.17.533015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathy, including Alzheimer Disease (AD), is characterized by Tau protein accumulation and autophagy dysregulation. Emerging evidence connects polyamine metabolism with the autophagy pathway, however the role of polyamines in Tauopathy remains unclear. In the present study we investigated the role of spermine synthase (SMS) in autophagy regulation and tau protein processing in Drosophila and human cellular models of Tauopathy. Our previous study showed that Drosophila spermine synthase (dSms) deficiency impairs lysosomal function and blocks autophagy flux. Interestingly, partial loss-of-function of SMS in heterozygous dSms flies extends lifespan and improves the climbing performance of flies with human Tau (hTau) overexpression. Mechanistic analysis showed that heterozygous loss-of-function mutation of dSms reduces hTau protein accumulation through enhancing autophagic flux. Measurement of polyamine levels detected a mild elevation of spermidine in flies with heterozygous loss of dSms. SMS knock-down in human neuronal or glial cells also upregulates autophagic flux and reduces Tau protein accumulation. Proteomics analysis of postmortem brain tissue from AD patients showed a significant albeit modest elevation of SMS protein level in AD-relevant brain regions compared to that of control brains consistently across several datasets. Taken together, our study uncovers a correlation between SMS protein level and AD pathogenesis and reveals that SMS reduction upregulates autophagy, promotes Tau clearance, and reduces Tau protein accumulation. These findings provide a new potential therapeutic target of Tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzun Tao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Zoraida Diaz-Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jackson R Foley
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Tracy Murray Stewart
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Robert A Casero
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - R Grace Zhai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Beckmann A, Ramirez P, Gamez M, Gonzalez E, De Mange J, Bieniek KF, Ray WJ, Frost B. Moesin is an effector of tau-induced actin overstabilization, cell cycle activation, and neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. iScience 2023; 26:106152. [PMID: 36879821 PMCID: PMC9984563 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, neurons acquire phenotypes that are also present in various cancers, including aberrant activation of the cell cycle. Unlike cancer, cell cycle activation in post-mitotic neurons is sufficient to induce cell death. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that abortive cell cycle activation is a consequence of pathogenic forms of tau, a protein that drives neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and related "tauopathies." Here we combine network analyses of human Alzheimer's disease and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathy with studies in Drosophila to discover that pathogenic forms of tau drive cell cycle activation by disrupting a cellular program involved in cancer and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Moesin, an EMT driver, is elevated in cells harboring disease-associated phosphotau, over-stabilized actin, and ectopic cell cycle activation. We further find that genetic manipulation of Moesin mediates tau-induced neurodegeneration. Taken together, our study identifies novel parallels between tauopathy and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Beckmann
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Maria Gamez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jasmine De Mange
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kevin F. Bieniek
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William J. Ray
- The Neurodegeneration Consortium, Therapeutics Discovery Division, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, San Antonio, TX, USA
- University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Praschberger R, Kuenen S, Schoovaerts N, Kaempf N, Singh J, Janssens J, Swerts J, Nachman E, Calatayud C, Aerts S, Poovathingal S, Verstreken P. Neuronal identity defines α-synuclein and tau toxicity. Neuron 2023; 111:1577-1590.e11. [PMID: 36948206 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic α-synuclein and tau are critical drivers of neurodegeneration, and their mutations cause neuronal loss in patients. Whether the underlying preferential neuronal vulnerability is a cell-type-intrinsic property or a consequence of increased expression levels remains elusive. Here, we explore cell-type-specific α-synuclein and tau expression in human brain datasets and use deep phenotyping as well as brain-wide single-cell RNA sequencing of >200 live neuron types in fruit flies to determine which cellular environments react most to α-synuclein or tau toxicity. We detect phenotypic and transcriptomic evidence of differential neuronal vulnerability independent of α-synuclein or tau expression levels. Comparing vulnerable with resilient neurons in Drosophila enabled us to predict numerous human neuron subtypes with increased intrinsic susceptibility to pathogenic α-synuclein or tau. By uncovering synapse- and Ca2+ homeostasis-related genes as tau toxicity modifiers, our work paves the way to leverage neuronal identity to uncover modifiers of neurodegeneration-associated toxic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Praschberger
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Sabine Kuenen
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nils Schoovaerts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natalie Kaempf
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeevanjot Singh
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jasper Janssens
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Human Genetics, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jef Swerts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eliana Nachman
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carles Calatayud
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stein Aerts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Human Genetics, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Patrik Verstreken
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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Wen Y, Zhang L, Li N, Tong A, Zhao C. Nutritional assessment models for Alzheimer's disease: Advances and perspectives. FOOD FRONTIERS 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/fft2.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Wen
- College of Marine Sciences Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
- Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry Faculty of Sciences Ourense Spain
| | - Lizhu Zhang
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Na Li
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Aijun Tong
- College of Food Science Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
| | - Chao Zhao
- College of Marine Sciences Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou China
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Makdissi S, Parsons BD, Di Cara F. Towards early detection of neurodegenerative diseases: A gut feeling. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1087091. [PMID: 36824371 PMCID: PMC9941184 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1087091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract communicates with the nervous system through a bidirectional network of signaling pathways called the gut-brain axis, which consists of multiple connections, including the enteric nervous system, the vagus nerve, the immune system, endocrine signals, the microbiota, and its metabolites. Alteration of communications in the gut-brain axis is emerging as an overlooked cause of neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is a common feature of the pathogenic mechanisms involved in various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) that are incurable and debilitating conditions resulting in progressive degeneration and death of neurons, such as in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. NDs are a leading cause of global death and disability, and the incidences are expected to increase in the following decades if prevention strategies and successful treatment remain elusive. To date, the etiology of NDs is unclear due to the complexity of the mechanisms of diseases involving genetic and environmental factors, including diet and microbiota. Emerging evidence suggests that changes in diet, alteration of the microbiota, and deregulation of metabolism in the intestinal epithelium influence the inflammatory status of the neurons linked to disease insurgence and progression. This review will describe the leading players of the so-called diet-microbiota-gut-brain (DMGB) axis in the context of NDs. We will report recent findings from studies in model organisms such as rodents and fruit flies that support the role of diets, commensals, and intestinal epithelial functions as an overlooked primary regulator of brain health. We will finish discussing the pivotal role of metabolisms of cellular organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes in maintaining the DMGB axis and how alteration of the latter can be used as early disease makers and novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Makdissi
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
| | - Brendon D. Parsons
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Francesca Di Cara
- Dalhousie University, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Halifax, NS, Canada
- IWK Health Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Halifax, Canada
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Zuniga G, Levy S, Ramirez P, Mange JD, Gonzalez E, Gamez M, Frost B. Tau-induced deficits in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay contribute to neurodegeneration. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:405-420. [PMID: 35416419 PMCID: PMC9673995 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION While brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies have evidence of altered RNA processing, we lack a mechanistic understanding of how altered RNA processing arises in these disorders and if such changes are causally linked to neurodegeneration. METHODS Using Drosophila melanogaster models of tauopathy, we find that overall activity of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a key RNA quality-control mechanism, is reduced. Genetic manipulation of NMD machinery significantly modifies tau-induced neurotoxicity, suggesting that deficits in NMD are causally linked to neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, we find that deficits in NMD are a consequence of aberrant RNA export and RNA accumulation within nuclear envelope invaginations in tauopathy. We identify a pharmacological activator of NMD that suppresses neurodegeneration in tau transgenic Drosophila, indicating that tau-induced deficits in RNA quality control are druggable. DISCUSSION Our studies suggest that NMD activators should be explored for their potential therapeutic value to patients with tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Zuniga
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Simon Levy
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Jasmine De Mange
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Maria Gamez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Bess Frost
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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Oliveira AC, Santos M, Pinho M, Lopes CS. String/Cdc25 phosphatase is a suppressor of Tau-associated neurodegeneration. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:286255. [PMID: 36601903 PMCID: PMC9903143 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tau pathology is defined by the intracellular accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated Tau (MAPT) and is prevalent in several neurodegenerative disorders. The identification of modulators of Tau abnormal phosphorylation and aggregation is key to understanding disease progression and developing targeted therapeutic approaches. In this study, we identified String (Stg)/Cdc25 phosphatase as a suppressor of abnormal Tau phosphorylation and associated toxicity. Using a Drosophila model of tauopathy, we showed that Tau dephosphorylation by Stg/Cdc25 correlates with reduced Tau oligomerization, brain vacuolization and locomotor deficits in flies. Moreover, using a disease mimetic model, we provided evidence that Stg/Cdc25 reduces Tau phosphorylation levels independently of Tau aggregation status and delays neurodegeneration progression in the fly. These findings uncover a role for Stg/Cdc25 phosphatases as regulators of Tau biology that extends beyond their well-characterized function as cell-cycle regulators during cell proliferation, and indicate Stg/Cdc25-based approaches as promising entry points to target abnormal Tau phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia C. Oliveira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- PhD Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Madalena Santos
- Department of Anatomy, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), ICBAS, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), 4050-600 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathological, Cytological and Thanatological Anatomy, ESS|P.PORTO, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mafalda Pinho
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla S. Lopes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Author for correspondence ()
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Sohn C, Ma J, Ray WJ, Frost B. Pathogenic tau decreases nuclear tension in cultured neurons. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2023; 4:1058968. [PMID: 36756194 PMCID: PMC9901542 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1058968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, are pathologically defined by the presence of aggregated forms of tau protein in brains of affected individuals. Previous studies report that the negative effects of pathogenic tau on the actin cytoskeleton and microtubules cause a toxic destabilization of the lamin nucleoskeleton and formation of nuclear invaginations and blebs. Based on the known function of the nucleus as a mechanosensor, as well as the high incidence of nuclear pleomorphism in human Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies, we investigated the effects of pathogenic tau on nuclear tension. We first find that tau-dependent nuclear envelope invagination and relocalization of LInker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex components are conserved in a newly-developed neuroblastoma cell line that features doxycycline-inducible expression of a tau mutant associated with autosomal dominant frontotemporal dementia. We next determine that a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based sensor of nuclear tension responds to cytoskeletal stabilization and destabilization when expressed in neuroblastoma cells. Using this nuclear tension sensor, we find that induced expression of pathogenic tau is sufficient to decrease nuclear tension. This work provides the initial proof-of-concept evidence that pathogenic forms of tau alter nuclear tension, paving the way for the future study of altered nuclear mechanosensing in the context of tau-mediated neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claira Sohn
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Jiacheng Ma
- The Neurodegeneration Consortium, Therapeutics Discovery Division, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - William J. Ray
- The Neurodegeneration Consortium, Therapeutics Discovery Division, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Bess Frost
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Bess Frost,
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Sakakibara Y, Yamashiro R, Chikamatsu S, Hirota Y, Tsubokawa Y, Nishijima R, Takei K, Sekiya M, Iijima KM. Drosophila Toll-9 is induced by aging and neurodegeneration to modulate stress signaling and its deficiency exacerbates tau-mediated neurodegeneration. iScience 2023; 26:105968. [PMID: 36718365 PMCID: PMC9883205 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105968] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila Toll-9 is most closely related to mammalian Toll-like receptors; however, physiological functions of Toll-9 remain elusive. We examined the roles of Toll-9 in fly brains in aging and neurodegeneration. Toll-9 mRNA levels were increased in aged fly heads accompanied by activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) and stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) signaling, and many of these changes were modulated by Toll-9 in glial cells. The loss of Toll-9 did not affect lifespan or brain integrity, whereas it exacerbated hydrogen peroxide-induced lethality. Toll-9 expression was also induced by nerve injury but did not affect acute stress response or glial engulfment activity, suggesting Toll-9 may modulate subsequent neurodegeneration. In a fly tauopathy model, Toll-9 deficiency enhanced neurodegeneration and disease-related tau phosphorylation with reduced SAPK activity, and blocking SAPK enhanced tau phosphorylation and neurodegeneration. In sum, Toll-9 is induced upon aging and nerve injury and affects neurodegeneration by modulating stress kinase signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Sakakibara
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Yamashiro
- Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Sachie Chikamatsu
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yu Hirota
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Reseach Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Tsubokawa
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Risa Nishijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Kimi Takei
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
| | - Michiko Sekiya
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
| | - Koichi M. Iijima
- Department of Neurogenetics, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan,Department of Experimental Gerontology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan,Corresponding author
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Ochoa E, Ramirez P, Gonzalez E, De Mange J, Ray WJ, Bieniek KF, Frost B. Pathogenic tau-induced transposable element-derived dsRNA drives neuroinflammation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq5423. [PMID: 36608133 PMCID: PMC9821943 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Deposition of tau protein aggregates in the brain of affected individuals is a defining feature of "tauopathies," including Alzheimer's disease. Studies of human brain tissue and various model systems of tauopathy report that toxic forms of tau negatively affect nuclear and genomic architecture, identifying pathogenic tau-induced heterochromatin decondensation and consequent retrotransposon activation as a causal mediator of neurodegeneration. On the basis of their similarity to retroviruses, retrotransposons drive neuroinflammation via toxic intermediates, including double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We find that dsRNA and dsRNA sensing machinery are elevated in astrocytes of postmortem brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy and in brains of tau transgenic mice. Using a Drosophila model of tauopathy, we identify specific tau-induced retrotransposons that form dsRNA and find that pathogenic tau and heterochromatin decondensation causally drive dsRNA-mediated neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Our study suggests that pathogenic tau-induced heterochromatin decondensation and retrotransposon activation cause elevation of inflammatory, transposable element-derived dsRNA in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ochoa
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Paulino Ramirez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elias Gonzalez
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jasmine De Mange
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William J. Ray
- The Neurodegeneration Consortium, Therapeutics Discovery Division, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kevin F. Bieniek
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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