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Ghosh D, Biswas A, Radhakrishna M. Advanced computational approaches to understand protein aggregation. Biophys Rev (Melville) 2024; 5:021302. [PMID: 38681860 PMCID: PMC11045254 DOI: 10.1063/5.0180691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is a widespread phenomenon implicated in debilitating diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and cataracts, presenting complex hurdles for the field of molecular biology. In this review, we explore the evolving realm of computational methods and bioinformatics tools that have revolutionized our comprehension of protein aggregation. Beginning with a discussion of the multifaceted challenges associated with understanding this process and emphasizing the critical need for precise predictive tools, we highlight how computational techniques have become indispensable for understanding protein aggregation. We focus on molecular simulations, notably molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, spanning from atomistic to coarse-grained levels, which have emerged as pivotal tools in unraveling the complex dynamics governing protein aggregation in diseases such as cataracts, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. MD simulations provide microscopic insights into protein interactions and the subtleties of aggregation pathways, with advanced techniques like replica exchange molecular dynamics, Metadynamics (MetaD), and umbrella sampling enhancing our understanding by probing intricate energy landscapes and transition states. We delve into specific applications of MD simulations, elucidating the chaperone mechanism underlying cataract formation using Markov state modeling and the intricate pathways and interactions driving the toxic aggregate formation in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Transitioning we highlight how computational techniques, including bioinformatics, sequence analysis, structural data, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence have become indispensable for predicting protein aggregation propensity and locating aggregation-prone regions within protein sequences. Throughout our exploration, we underscore the symbiotic relationship between computational approaches and empirical data, which has paved the way for potential therapeutic strategies against protein aggregation-related diseases. In conclusion, this review offers a comprehensive overview of advanced computational methodologies and bioinformatics tools that have catalyzed breakthroughs in unraveling the molecular basis of protein aggregation, with significant implications for clinical interventions, standing at the intersection of computational biology and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepshikha Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Anushka Biswas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gujarat 382355, India
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2
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Islam T, Kvartsberg H, Sehrawat A, Kac PR, Becker B, Olsson M, Abrahamson EE, Zetterberg H, Ikonomovic MD, Blennow K, Karikari TK. Novel ultrasensitive immunoassay for the selective quantification of tau oligomers and related soluble aggregates. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2894-2905. [PMID: 38520322 PMCID: PMC11032517 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau aggregation into paired helical filaments and neurofibrillary tangles is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders. However, biochemical assays for the quantification of soluble, earlier-stage tau aggregates are lacking. We describe an immunoassay that is selective for tau oligomers and related soluble aggregates over monomers. METHODS A homogeneous (single-antibody) immunoassay was developed using a novel anti-tau monoclonal antibody and validated with recombinant and brain tissue-derived tau. RESULTS The assay signals were concentration dependent for recombinant tau aggregates in solution but not monomers, and recognized peptides within, but not outside, the aggregation-prone microtubule binding region. The signals in inferior and middle frontal cortical tissue homogenates increased with neuropathologically determined Braak staging, and were higher in insoluble than soluble homogenized brain fractions. Autopsy-verified AD gave stronger signals than other neurodegenerative diseases. DISCUSSION The quantitative oligomer/soluble aggregate-specific assay can identify soluble tau aggregates, including oligomers, from monomers in human and in vitro biospecimens. HIGHLIGHTS The aggregation of tau to form fibrils and neurofibrillary tangles is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease. However, biochemical assays for the quantification of oligomers/soluble aggregated forms of tau are lacking. We developed a new assay that preferentially binds to soluble tau aggregates, including oligomers and fibrils, versus monomers. The assay signal increased corresponding to the total protein content, Braak staging, and insolubility of the sequentially homogenized brain tissue fractions in an autopsy-verified cohort. The assay recognized tau peptides containing the microtubule binding region but not those covering the N- or C-terminal regions only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tohidul Islam
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Hlin Kvartsberg
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Anuradha Sehrawat
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Przemysław R. Kac
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Bruno Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Maria Olsson
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
| | - Eric E. Abrahamson
- Department of NeurologySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical CenterVA Pittsburgh HSPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseUCL Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- UK Dementia Research InstituteUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative DiseasesHKCeNDHong KongChina
- School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Milos D. Ikonomovic
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical CenterVA Pittsburgh HSPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry LaboratorySahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
| | - Thomas K. Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and NeurochemistryInstitute of Neuroscience and PhysiologyThe Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Department of PsychiatrySchool of MedicineUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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Ratan Y, Rajput A, Maleysm S, Pareek A, Jain V, Pareek A, Kaur R, Singh G. An Insight into Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Pathogenesis of Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051398. [PMID: 37239068 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prominent neurodegenerative disorder in the aging population. It is characterized by cognitive decline, gradual neurodegeneration, and the development of amyloid-β (Aβ)-plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which constitute hyperphosphorylated tau. The early stages of neurodegeneration in AD include the loss of neurons, followed by synaptic impairment. Since the discovery of AD, substantial factual research has surfaced that outlines the disease's causes, molecular mechanisms, and prospective therapeutics, but a successful cure for the disease has not yet been discovered. This may be attributed to the complicated pathogenesis of AD, the absence of a well-defined molecular mechanism, and the constrained diagnostic resources and treatment options. To address the aforementioned challenges, extensive disease modeling is essential to fully comprehend the underlying mechanisms of AD, making it easier to design and develop effective treatment strategies. Emerging evidence over the past few decades supports the critical role of Aβ and tau in AD pathogenesis and the participation of glial cells in different molecular and cellular pathways. This review extensively discusses the current understanding concerning Aβ- and tau-associated molecular mechanisms and glial dysfunction in AD. Moreover, the critical risk factors associated with AD including genetics, aging, environmental variables, lifestyle habits, medical conditions, viral/bacterial infections, and psychiatric factors have been summarized. The present study will entice researchers to more thoroughly comprehend and explore the current status of the molecular mechanism of AD, which may assist in AD drug development in the forthcoming era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashumati Ratan
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Aishwarya Rajput
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Sushmita Maleysm
- Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Aaushi Pareek
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Vivek Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ashutosh Pareek
- Department of Pharmacy, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali 304022, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ranjeet Kaur
- Adesh Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, Bathinda 151101, Punjab, India
| | - Gurjit Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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4
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Brown J, Camporesi E, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Olsson M, Wang A, Medem B, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Karikari TK, Wall M, Hill E. Tau in cerebrospinal fluid induces neuronal hyperexcitability and alters hippocampal theta oscillations. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:67. [PMID: 37095572 PMCID: PMC10127378 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies are characterized by the aggregation of tau into soluble and insoluble forms (including tangles and neuropil threads). In humans, a fraction of both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated N-terminal to mid-domain tau species, are secreted into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Some of these CSF tau species can be measured as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, starting from early stages of disease. While in animal models of AD pathology, soluble tau aggregates have been shown to disrupt neuronal function, it is unclear whether the tau species present in CSF will modulate neural activity. Here, we have developed and applied a novel approach to examine the electrophysiological effects of CSF from patients with a tau-positive biomarker profile. The method involves incubation of acutely-isolated wild-type mouse hippocampal brain slices with small volumes of diluted human CSF, followed by a suite of electrophysiological recording methods to evaluate their effects on neuronal function, from single cells through to the network level. Comparison of the toxicity profiles of the same CSF samples, with and without immuno-depletion for tau, has enabled a pioneering demonstration that CSF-tau potently modulates neuronal function. We demonstrate that CSF-tau mediates an increase in neuronal excitability in single cells. We then observed, at the network level, increased input-output responses and enhanced paired-pulse facilitation as well as an increase in long-term potentiation. Finally, we show that CSF-tau modifies the generation and maintenance of hippocampal theta oscillations, which have important roles in learning and memory and are known to be altered in AD patients. Together, we describe a novel method for screening human CSF-tau to understand functional effects on neuron and network activity, which could have far-reaching benefits in understanding tau pathology, thus allowing for the development of better targeted treatments for tauopathies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Brown
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Elena Camporesi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Maria Olsson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Alice Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Blanca Medem
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Mark Wall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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He X, Man VH, Gao J, Wang J. Investigation of the Structure of Full-Length Tau Proteins with Coarse-Grained and All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:209-217. [PMID: 36563129 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau proteins not only have many important biological functions but also are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is still a challenge to identify the atomic structure of full-length tau proteins due to their lengthy and disordered characteristics and the factor that there are no crystal structures of full-length tau proteins available. We performed multi- and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of the full-length tau monomer (the 2N4R isoform and 441 residues) in aqueous solution under biological conditions with coarse-grained and all-atom force fields. The obtained atomic structures produced radii of gyration and chemical shifts that are in excellent agreement with those of experiment. The generated monomer structure ensemble would be very useful for further studying the oligomerization mechanism and discovering tau oligomerization inhibitors, which are important events in AD drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xibing He
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Viet Hoang Man
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Junmei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Computational Chemical Genomics Screening Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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6
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Polanco JC, Akimov Y, Fernandes A, Briner A, Hand GR, van Roijen M, Balistreri G, Götz J. CRISPRi screening reveals regulators of tau pathology shared between exosomal and vesicle-free tau. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:6/1/e202201689. [PMID: 36316035 PMCID: PMC9622425 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau is a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Tau pathology is believed to be driven by free tau aggregates and tau carried within exosome-like extracellular vesicles, both of which propagate trans-synaptically and induce tau pathology in recipient neurons by a corrupting process of seeding. Here, we performed a genome-wide CRISPRi screen in tau biosensor cells and identified cellular regulators shared by both mechanisms of tau seeding. We identified ANKLE2, BANF1, NUSAP1, EIF1AD, and VPS18 as the top validated regulators that restrict tau aggregation initiated by both exosomal and vesicle-free tau seeds. None of our validated hits affected the uptake of either form of tau seeds, supporting the notion that they operate through a cell-autonomous mechanism downstream of the seed uptake. Lastly, validation studies with human brain tissue also revealed that several of the identified protein hits are down-regulated in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, suggesting that their decreased activity may be required for the emergence or progression of tau pathology in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Polanco
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yevhen Akimov
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Avinash Fernandes
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Adam Briner
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gabriel Rhys Hand
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Giuseppe Balistreri
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jürgen Götz
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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7
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Yan N, Shi XL, Tang LQ, Wang DF, Li X, Liu C, Liu ZP. Synthesis and biological evaluation of thieno[3,2- c]pyrazol-3-amine derivatives as potent glycogen synthase kinase 3β inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:1724-1736. [PMID: 35698879 PMCID: PMC9225722 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2086867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) catalyses the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. A series of novel thieno[3,2-c]pyrazol-3-amine derivatives were designed and synthesised and evaluated as potential GSK-3β inhibitors by structure-guided drug rational design approach. The thieno[3,2-c]pyrazol-3-amine derivative 16b was identified as a potent GSK-3β inhibitor with an IC50 of 3.1 nM in vitro and showed accepted kinase selectivity. In cell levels, 16b showed no toxicity on the viability of SH-SY5Y cells at the concentration up to 50 μM and targeted GSK-3β with the increased phosphorylated GSK-3β at Ser9. Western blot analysis indicated that 16b decreased the phosphorylated tau at Ser396 in a dose-dependent way. Moreover, 16b effectively increased expressions of β-catenin as well as the GAP43, N-myc, and MAP-2, and promoted the differentiated neuronal neurite outgrowth. Therefore, the thieno[3,2-c]pyrazol-3-amine derivative 16b could serve as a promising GSK-3β inhibitor for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Yan
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Xiao-Long Shi
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Long-Qian Tang
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - De-Feng Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Xun Li
- Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Zhao-Peng Liu
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
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8
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Greene AN, Solomon MB, Privette Vinnedge LM. Novel molecular mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease: The potential role of DEK in disease pathogenesis. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1018180. [PMID: 36275000 PMCID: PMC9582447 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1018180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease and age-related dementias (AD/ADRD) are debilitating diseases that exact a significant physical, emotional, cognitive, and financial toll on the individual and their social network. While genetic risk factors for early-onset AD have been identified, the molecular and genetic drivers of late-onset AD, the most common subtype, remain a mystery. Current treatment options are limited for the 35 million people in the United States with AD/ADRD. Thus, it is critically important to identify novel molecular mechanisms of dementia-related pathology that may be targets for the development of new interventions. Here, we summarize the overarching concepts regarding AD/ADRD pathogenesis. Then, we highlight one potential molecular driver of AD/ADRD, the chromatin remodeling protein DEK. We discuss in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo findings, from our group and others, that link DEK loss with the cellular, molecular, and behavioral signatures of AD/ADRD. These include associations between DEK loss and cellular and molecular hallmarks of AD/ADRD, including apoptosis, Tau expression, and Tau hyperphosphorylation. We also briefly discuss work that suggests sex-specific differences in the role of DEK in AD/ADRD pathogenesis. Finally, we discuss future directions for exploiting the DEK protein as a novel player and potential therapeutic target for the treatment of AD/ADRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allie N. Greene
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Matia B. Solomon
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Lisa M. Privette Vinnedge
- Division of Oncology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Lisa M. Privette Vinnedge,
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9
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Karikari TK, Ashton NJ, Brinkmalm G, Brum WS, Benedet AL, Montoliu-Gaya L, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Pascoal TA, Suárez-Calvet M, Rosa-Neto P, Blennow K, Zetterberg H. Blood phospho-tau in Alzheimer disease: analysis, interpretation, and clinical utility. Nat Rev Neurol 2022. [PMID: 35585226 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00665-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Well-authenticated biomarkers can provide critical insights into the biological basis of Alzheimer disease (AD) to enable timely and accurate diagnosis, estimate future burden and support therapeutic trials. Current cerebrospinal fluid and molecular neuroimaging biomarkers fulfil these criteria but lack the scalability and simplicity necessary for widespread application. Blood biomarkers of adequate effectiveness have the potential to act as first-line diagnostic and prognostic tools, and offer the possibility of extensive population screening and use that is not limited to specialized centres. Accelerated progress in our understanding of the biochemistry of brain-derived tau protein and advances in ultrasensitive technologies have enabled the development of AD-specific phosphorylated tau (p-tau) biomarkers in blood. In this Review we discuss how new information on the molecular processing of brain p-tau and secretion of specific fragments into biofluids is informing blood biomarker development, enabling the evaluation of preanalytical factors that affect quantification, and informing harmonized protocols for blood handling. We also review the performance of blood p-tau biomarkers in the context of AD and discuss their potential contexts of use for clinical and research purposes. Finally, we highlight outstanding ethical, clinical and analytical challenges, and outline the steps that need to be taken to standardize inter-laboratory and inter-assay measurements.
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10
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Demuro S, Sauvey C, Tripathi SK, Di Martino RMC, Shi D, Ortega JA, Russo D, Balboni B, Giabbai B, Storici P, Girotto S, Abagyan R, Cavalli A. ARN25068, a versatile starting point towards triple GSK-3β/FYN/DYRK1A inhibitors to tackle tau-related neurological disorders. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 229:114054. [PMID: 34959172 PMCID: PMC9704499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The human kinome plays a crucial role in several pathways. Its dysregulation has been linked to diverse central nervous system (CNS)-related disorders with a drastic impact on the aging population. Among them, tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Frontotemporal Lobar degeneration (FTLD-tau), are neurodegenerative disorders pathologically defined by the presence of hyperphosphorylated tau-positive intracellular inclusions known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Compelling evidence has reported the great potential of the simultaneous modulation of multiple protein kinases (PKs) involved in abnormal tau phosphorylation through a concerted pharmacological approach to achieve a superior therapeutic effect relative to classic "one target, one drug" approaches. Here, we report on the identification and characterization of ARN25068 (4), a low nanomolar and well-balanced dual GSK-3β and FYN inhibitor, which also shows inhibitory activity against DYRK1A, an emerging target in AD and tauopathies. Computational and X-Ray studies highlight compound 4's typical H-bonding pattern of ATP-competitive inhibitors at the binding sites of all three PKs. In a tau phosphorylation assay on Tau0N4R-TM-tGFP U2OS cell line, 4 reduces the extent of tau phosphorylation, promoting tau-stabilized microtubule bundles. In conclusion, this compound emerges as a promising prototype for further SAR explorations to develop potent and well-balanced triple GSK-3β/FYN/DYRK1A inhibitors to tackle tau hyperphosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Demuro
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Conall Sauvey
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
| | - Shailesh K Tripathi
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rita M C Di Martino
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Da Shi
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
| | - Jose A Ortega
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Debora Russo
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Beatrice Balboni
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Giabbai
- Protein Facility, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS 14 - Km 163, 5 in AREA Science Park, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Storici
- Protein Facility, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., SS 14 - Km 163, 5 in AREA Science Park, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefania Girotto
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States.
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Computational and Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy; Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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11
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Umeda T, Sakai A, Shigemori K, Yokota A, Kumagai T, Tomiyama T. Oligomer-Targeting Prevention of Neurodegenerative Dementia by Intranasal Rifampicin and Resveratrol Combination - A Preclinical Study in Model Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:763476. [PMID: 34966254 PMCID: PMC8710719 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.763476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloidogenic protein oligomers are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. Previously we demonstrated that oral or intranasal rifampicin improved the cognition of APP-, tau-, and α-synuclein-transgenic mice by reducing the amount of Aβ, tau, and α-synuclein oligomers in the brain. In the present study, to explore more effective and safer medications for dementia, we tested the drug combination of rifampicin and resveratrol, which is a multifunctional natural polyphenol with the potential to antagonize the adverse effects of rifampicin. The mixture was intranasally administered to APP-, tau-, and α-synuclein-transgenic mice, and their memory and oligomer-related pathologies were evaluated. Compared with rifampicin and resveratrol alone, the combinatorial medicine significantly improved mouse cognition, reduced amyloid oligomer accumulation, and recovered synaptophysin levels in the hippocampus. The plasma levels of liver enzymes, which reflect hepatic injury and normally increase by rifampicin treatment, remained normal by the combination treatment. Notably, resveratrol alone and the combinatorial medicine, but not rifampicin alone, enhanced the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor, pro-BDNF, in the hippocampus. Furthermore, the combination showed a synergistic effect in ameliorating mouse cognition. These results show the advantages of this combinatorial medicine with regards to safety and effectiveness over single-drug rifampicin. Our findings may provide a feasible means for the prevention of neurodegenerative dementia that targets toxic oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Umeda
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ayumi Sakai
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiko Shigemori
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ayumi Yokota
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Takami Tomiyama
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Medilabo RFP, Inc., Kyoto, Japan
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12
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Hill E, Karikari TK, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Richardson MJ, Wall MJ. Truncating tau reveals different pathophysiological actions of oligomers in single neurons. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1265. [PMID: 34737403 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02791-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is involved in maintaining neuronal structure. In Alzheimer’s disease, small numbers of tau molecules can aggregate to form oligomers. However, how these oligomers produce changes in neuronal function remains unclear. Previously, oligomers made from full-length human tau were found to have multiple effects on neuronal properties. Here we have cut the tau molecule into two parts: the first 123 amino acids and the remaining 124-441 amino acids. These truncated tau molecules had specific effects on neuronal properties, allowing us to assign the actions of full-length tau to different regions of the molecule. We identified one key target for the effects of tau, the voltage gated sodium channel, which could account for the effects of tau on the action potential. By truncating the tau molecule, we have probed the mechanisms that underlie tau dysfunction, and this increased understanding of tau’s pathological actions will build towards developing future tau-targeting therapies. Hill et al. examine the effects of full-length or truncated human recombinant tau on the excitability of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in mice. Their results suggest that effects seen with full-length tau oligomers can be dissected apart using tau truncations and highlights a tau-mediated alteration in voltage-gated sodium channel currents.
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13
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Umeda T, Hatanaka Y, Sakai A, Tomiyama T. Nasal Rifampicin Improves Cognition in a Mouse Model of Dementia with Lewy Bodies by Reducing α-Synuclein Oligomers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8453. [PMID: 34445158 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein oligomers are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). There is no effective cure for DLB at present. Previously, we demonstrated that in APP- and tau-transgenic mice, oral or intranasal rifampicin reduced brain Aβ and tau oligomers and improved mouse cognition. In the present study, we expanded our research to DLB. Rifampicin was intranasally administered to 6-month-old A53T-mutant α-synuclein-transgenic mice at 0.1 mg/day for 1 month. The mice displayed memory impairment but no motor deficit at this age, indicating a suitable model of DLB. α-Synuclein pathologies were examined by the immunohistochemical/biochemical analyses of brain tissues. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Morris water maze test. Intranasal rifampicin significantly reduced the levels of [pSer129] α-synuclein in the hippocampus and α-synuclein oligomers in the visual cortex and hippocampus. The level of the presynaptic marker synaptophysin in the hippocampus was recovered to the level in non-transgenic littermates. In the Morris water maze, a significant improvement in spatial reference memory was observed in rifampicin-treated mice. Taken together with our previous findings, these results suggest that intranasal rifampicin is a promising remedy for the prevention of neurodegenerative dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and DLB.
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14
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Sun XY, Li LJ, Dong QX, Zhu J, Huang YR, Hou SJ, Yu XL, Liu RT. Rutin prevents tau pathology and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:131. [PMID: 34116706 PMCID: PMC8196535 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tau pathology is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. During disease progression, abnormally phosphorylated forms of tau aggregate and accumulate into neurofibrillary tangles, leading to synapse loss, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Thus, targeting of tau pathology is expected to be a promising strategy for AD treatment. METHODS The effect of rutin on tau aggregation was detected by thioflavin T fluorescence and transmission electron microscope imaging. The effect of rutin on tau oligomer-induced cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT assay. The effect of rutin on tau oligomer-mediated the production of IL-1β and TNF-α in vitro was measured by ELISA. The uptake of extracellular tau by microglia was determined by immunocytochemistry. Six-month-old male Tau-P301S mice were treated with rutin or vehicle by oral administration daily for 30 days. The cognitive performance was determined using the Morris water maze test, Y-maze test, and novel object recognition test. The levels of pathological tau, gliosis, NF-kB activation, proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α, and synaptic proteins including synaptophysin and PSD95 in the brains of the mice were evaluated by immunolabeling, immunoblotting, or ELISA. RESULTS We showed that rutin, a natural flavonoid glycoside, inhibited tau aggregation and tau oligomer-induced cytotoxicity, lowered the production of proinflammatory cytokines, protected neuronal morphology from toxic tau oligomers, and promoted microglial uptake of extracellular tau oligomers in vitro. When applied to Tau-P301S mouse model of tauopathy, rutin reduced pathological tau levels, regulated tau hyperphosphorylation by increasing PP2A level, suppressed gliosis and neuroinflammation by downregulating NF-kB pathway, prevented microglial synapse engulfment, and rescued synapse loss in mouse brains, resulting in a significant improvement of cognition. CONCLUSION In combination with the previously reported therapeutic effects of rutin on Aβ pathology, rutin is a promising drug candidate for AD treatment based its combinatorial targeting of tau and Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ying Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling-Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Quan-Xiu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Ya-Ru Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Sheng-Jie Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Rui-Tian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
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15
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Pradhan A, Mishra S, Surolia A, Panda D. C1 Inhibits Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation and Oligomerization of Tau and Protects Neuroblastoma Cells against Toxic Tau Oligomers. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:1989-2002. [PMID: 34008959 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological aggregation of tau is one of the major contributing factors for several neurodegenerative tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Here, we report that C1, a synthetic derivative of curcumin, strongly inhibited both the aggregation and filament formation of purified tau and protected neuroblastoma cells from the deleterious effects of the tau oligomers. Using confocal microscopy, C1 was found to reduce both the size and number of the tau droplets and increased the critical concentration of tau required for the droplet formation in vitro indicating that C1 suppressed the liquid-liquid phase separation of tau. C1 inhibited the aggregation of tau with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 1.5 ± 0.1 μM. An analysis of the aggregation kinetics data indicated that C1 strongly reduced the initial rate of the aggregation of tau. A dot blot analysis using tau-oligomer-specific antibody indicated that C1 inhibited the oligomerization of tau. Furthermore, dynamic light scattering experiments suggested that C1 strongly reduced the mean diameter of the tau oligomers. Atomic force microscopy experiments showed that C1 treatment reduced both the size and number of tau oligomers, suppressed the transition of tau oligomers into filaments, and also disintegrated preformed tau filaments. Also, the binding interaction of C1 with tau was monitored using absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. C1 bound to Y310W-tau with a dissociation constant of 2.0 ± 0.5 μM. The findings suggested that C1 is a potent inhibitor of tau aggregation and provided insights into the inhibitory mechanism of C1 on the oligomerization and fibril formation of tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpan Pradhan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Satyendra Mishra
- Department of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Advanced Research, Koba Institutional Area, Koba, Gandhinagar 382426, India
| | - Avadhesha Surolia
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Dulal Panda
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
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16
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Abstract
Over four decades ago, in vitro experiments showed that tau protein interacts with and stabilizes microtubules in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. This observation fueled the widespread hypotheses that these properties extend to living neurons and that reduced stability of microtubules represents a major disease-driving event induced by pathological forms of tau in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies. Accordingly, most research efforts to date have addressed this protein as a substrate, focusing on evaluating how specific mutations, phosphorylation, and other post-translational modifications impact its microtubule-binding and stabilizing properties. In contrast, fewer efforts were made to illuminate potential mechanisms linking physiological and disease-related forms of tau to the normal and pathological regulation of kinases and phosphatases. Here, we discuss published work indicating that, through interactions with various kinases and phosphatases, tau may normally act as a scaffolding protein to regulate phosphorylation-based signaling pathways. Expanding on this concept, we also review experimental evidence linking disease-related tau species to the misregulation of these pathways. Collectively, the available evidence supports the participation of tau in multiple cellular processes sustaining neuronal and glial function through various mechanisms involving the scaffolding and regulation of selected kinases and phosphatases at discrete subcellular compartments. The notion that the repertoire of tau functions includes a role as a signaling hub should widen our interpretation of experimental results and increase our understanding of tau biology in normal and disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Mueller
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Benjamin Combs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Mohammed M Alhadidy
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Scott T Brady
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Gerardo A Morfini
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas M Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Hauenstein Neuroscience Center, Mercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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17
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Karikari TK, Keeling S, Hill E, Lantero Rodrı́guez J, Nagel DA, Becker B, Höglund K, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Hill EJ, Moffat KG. Extensive Plasmid Library to Prepare Tau Protein Variants and Study Their Functional Biochemistry. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3117-3129. [PMID: 32833429 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau neurofibrillary tangles are key pathological features of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Recombinant protein technology is vital for studying the structure and function of tau in physiology and aggregation in pathophysiology. However, open-source and well-characterized plasmids for efficiently expressing and purifying different tau variants are lacking. We generated 44 sequence-verified plasmids including those encoding full length (FL) tau-441, its four-repeat microtubule-binding (K18) fragment, and their respective selected familial pathological variants (N279K, V337M, P301L, C291R, and S356T). Moreover, plasmids for expressing single (C291A), double (C291A/C322A), and triple (C291A/C322A/I260C) cysteine-modified variants were generated to study alterations in cysteine content and locations. Furthermore, protocols for producing representative tau forms were developed. We produced and characterized the aggregation behavior of the triple cysteine-modified tau-K18, often used in real-time cell internalization and aggregation studies because it can be fluorescently labeled on a cysteine outside the microtubule-binding core. Similar to the wild type (WT), triple cysteine-modified tau-K18 aggregated by progressive β-sheet enrichment, albeit at a slower rate. On prolonged incubation, cysteine-modified K18 formed paired helical filaments similar to those in Alzheimer's disease, sharing morphological phenotypes with WT tau-K18 filaments. Nonetheless, cysteine-modified tau-K18 filaments were significantly shorter (p = 0.002) and mostly wider than WT filaments, explainable by their different principal filament elongation pathways: vertical (end-to-end) and lateral growth for WT and cysteine-modified, respectively. Cysteine rearrangement may therefore induce filament polymorphism. Together, the plasmid library, the protein production methods, and the new insights into cysteine-dependent aggregation should facilitate further studies and the design of antiaggregation agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Karikari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
| | - Sophie Keeling
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Juan Lantero Rodrı́guez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
| | - David A. Nagel
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, U.K
| | - Bruno Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Kina Höglund
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg SE 43180, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal 431 80, Sweden
| | - Eric J. Hill
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, U.K
| | - Kevin G. Moffat
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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