1
|
Böken D, Cox D, Burke M, Lam JYL, Katsinelos T, Danial JSH, Fertan E, McEwan WA, Rowe JB, Klenerman D. Single-Molecule Characterization and Super-Resolution Imaging of Alzheimer's Disease-Relevant Tau Aggregates in Human Samples. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317756. [PMID: 38523073 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317756] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the protein tau play key roles in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the molecular structure of the filamentous tau aggregates has been determined to atomic resolution, there is far less information available about the smaller, soluble aggregates, which are believed to be more toxic. Traditional techniques are limited to bulk measures and struggle to identify individual aggregates in complex biological samples. To address this, we developed a novel single-molecule pull-down-based assay (MAPTau) to detect and characterize individual tau aggregates in AD and control post-mortem brain and biofluids. Using MAPTau, we report the quantity, as well as the size and circularity of tau aggregates measured using super-resolution microscopy, revealing AD-specific differences in tau aggregate morphology. By adapting MAPTau to detect multiple phosphorylation markers in individual aggregates using two-color coincidence detection, we derived compositional profiles of the individual aggregates. We find an AD-specific phosphorylation profile of tau aggregates with more than 80 % containing multiple phosphorylations, compared to 5 % in age-matched non-AD controls. Our results show that MAPTau is able to identify disease-specific subpopulations of tau aggregates phosphorylated at different sites, that are invisible to other methods and enable the study of disease mechanisms and diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Böken
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Dezerae Cox
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Melanie Burke
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Jeff Y L Lam
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Taxiarchis Katsinelos
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | - John S H Danial
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - Emre Fertan
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - William A McEwan
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0AH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Santiago-Ruiz AN, Hugelier S, Bond CR, Lee EB, Lakadamyali M. Super-Resolution Imaging Uncovers Nanoscale Tau Aggregate Hyperphosphorylation Patterns in Human Alzheimer's Disease Brain Tissue. bioRxiv 2024:2024.04.24.590893. [PMID: 38712162 PMCID: PMC11071528 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590893] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tau aggregation plays a critical role in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), where tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are a key pathological hallmark. While much attention has been given to NFTs, emerging evidence underscores nano-sized pre-NFT tau aggregates as potentially toxic entities in AD. By leveraging DNA-PAINT super-resolution microscopy, we visualized and quantified nanoscale tau aggregates (nano-aggregates) in human postmortem brain tissues from intermediate and advanced AD, and Primary Age-Related Tauopathy (PART). Nano-aggregates were predominant across cases, with AD exhibiting a higher burden compared to PART. Hyperphosphorylated tau residues (p-T231, p-T181, and p-S202/T205) were present within nano-aggregates across all AD Braak stages and PART. Moreover, nano-aggregates displayed morphological differences between PART and AD, and exhibited distinct hyperphosphorylation patterns in advanced AD. These findings suggest that changes in nano-aggregate morphology and hyperphosphorylation patterns may exacerbate tau aggregation and AD progression. The ability to detect and profile nanoscale tau aggregates in human brain tissue opens new avenues for studying the molecular underpinnings of tauopathies.
Collapse
|
3
|
Meftah S, Cavallini A, Murray TK, Jankowski L, Bose S, Ashby MC, Brown JT, Witton J. Synaptic alterations associated with disrupted sensory encoding in a mouse model of tauopathy. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae134. [PMID: 38712321 PMCID: PMC11073755 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae134] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Synapse loss is currently the best biological correlate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Synapses seem to be highly vulnerable to tau-mediated disruption in neurodegenerative tauopathies. However, it is unclear how and when this leads to alterations in function related to the progression of tauopathy and neurodegeneration. We used the well-characterized rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy at 5-6 months and 7-8 months of age, respectively, to study the functional impact of cortical synapse loss. The earlier age was used as a model of prodromal tauopathy, with the later age corresponding to more advanced tau pathology and presumed progression of neurodegeneration. Analysis of synaptic protein expression in the somatosensory cortex showed significant reductions in synaptic proteins and NMDA and AMPA receptor subunit expression in rTg4510 mice. Surprisingly, in vitro whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology from putative pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of the somatosensory cortex suggested no functional alterations in layer 4 to layer 2/3 synaptic transmission at 5-6 months. From these same neurons, however, there were alterations in dendritic structure, with increased branching proximal to the soma in rTg4510 neurons. Therefore, in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recordings were utilized to investigate synaptic function and integration in putative pyramidal neurons in layer 2/3 of the somatosensory cortex. These recordings revealed a significant increase in the peak response to synaptically driven sensory stimulation-evoked activity and a loss of temporal fidelity of the evoked signal to the input stimulus in rTg4510 neurons. Together, these data suggest that loss of synapses, changes in receptor expression and dendritic restructuring may lead to alterations in synaptic integration at a network level. Understanding these compensatory processes could identify targets to help delay symptomatic onset of dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soraya Meftah
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Annalisa Cavallini
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Tracey K Murray
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Lukasz Jankowski
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Suchira Bose
- Erl Wood Manor, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael C Ashby
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Jonathan T Brown
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Jonathan Witton
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Basheer N, Buee L, Brion JP, Smolek T, Muhammadi MK, Hritz J, Hromadka T, Dewachter I, Wegmann S, Landrieu I, Novak P, Mudher A, Zilka N. Shaping the future of preclinical development of successful disease-modifying drugs against Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of tau propagation models. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:52. [PMID: 38576010 PMCID: PMC10993623 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01748-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The transcellular propagation of the aberrantly modified protein tau along the functional brain network is a key hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies. Inoculation-based tau propagation models can recapitulate the stereotypical spread of tau and reproduce various types of tau inclusions linked to specific tauopathy, albeit with varying degrees of fidelity. With this systematic review, we underscore the significance of judicious selection and meticulous functional, biochemical, and biophysical characterization of various tau inocula. Furthermore, we highlight the necessity of choosing suitable animal models and inoculation sites, along with the critical need for validation of fibrillary pathology using confirmatory staining, to accurately recapitulate disease-specific inclusions. As a practical guide, we put forth a framework for establishing a benchmark of inoculation-based tau propagation models that holds promise for use in preclinical testing of disease-modifying drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neha Basheer
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Luc Buee
- Inserm, CHU Lille, CNRS, LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France.
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Histology, Alzheimer and Other Tauopathies Research Group (CP 620), ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Muhammad Khalid Muhammadi
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Hritz
- CEITEC Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Hromadka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ilse Dewachter
- Biomedical Research Institute, BIOMED, Hasselt University, 3500, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Susanne Wegmann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS EMR9002 - BSI - Integrative Structural Biology, 59000, Lille, France
- Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167 - RID-AGE - Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases, University of Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Petr Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Amritpal Mudher
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Balczon R, Lin MT, Voth S, Nelson AR, Schupp JC, Wagener BM, Pittet JF, Stevens T. Lung endothelium, tau, and amyloids in health and disease. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:533-587. [PMID: 37561137 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00006.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung endothelia in the arteries, capillaries, and veins are heterogeneous in structure and function. Lung capillaries in particular represent a unique vascular niche, with a thin yet highly restrictive alveolar-capillary barrier that optimizes gas exchange. Capillary endothelium surveys the blood while simultaneously interpreting cues initiated within the alveolus and communicated via immediately adjacent type I and type II epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes. This cell-cell communication is necessary to coordinate the immune response to lower respiratory tract infection. Recent discoveries identify an important role for the microtubule-associated protein tau that is expressed in lung capillary endothelia in the host-pathogen interaction. This endothelial tau stabilizes microtubules necessary for barrier integrity, yet infection drives production of cytotoxic tau variants that are released into the airways and circulation, where they contribute to end-organ dysfunction. Similarly, beta-amyloid is produced during infection. Beta-amyloid has antimicrobial activity, but during infection it can acquire cytotoxic activity that is deleterious to the host. The production and function of these cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are the subject of this review. Lung-derived cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are a recently discovered mechanism of end-organ dysfunction, including neurocognitive dysfunction, during and in the aftermath of infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ron Balczon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Mike T Lin
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Sarah Voth
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Monroe, Louisiana, United States
| | - Amy R Nelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| | - Jonas C Schupp
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Brant M Wagener
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - Jean-Francois Pittet
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - Troy Stevens
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
- Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Akhtar A, Singh S, Kaushik R, Awasthi R, Behl T. Types of memory, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and their various pathological cascades as targets for potential pharmacological drugs. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102289. [PMID: 38582379 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102289] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia accounting for 90% of cases; however, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, etc. prevails only in a minority of populations. The term dementia is defined as loss of memory which further takes several other categories of memories like working memory, spatial memory, fear memory, and long-term, and short-term memory into consideration. In this review, these memories have critically been elaborated based on context, duration, events, appearance, intensity, etc. The most important part and purpose of the review is the various pathological cascades as well as molecular levels of targets of AD, which have extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular hyperphosphorylated tau protein as major disease hallmarks. There is another phenomenon that either leads to or arises from the above-mentioned hallmarks, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, cholinergic dysfunction, and insulin resistance. Several potential drugs like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, insulin mimetics or sensitizers, etc. studied in various previous preclinical or clinical reports were put as having the capacity to act on these pathological targets. Additionally, agents directly or indirectly targeting amyloid and tau were also discussed. This could be further investigated in future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ansab Akhtar
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Neuroscience Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Siddharth Singh
- School of Health Sciences & Technology, UPES University, Bidholi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Ravinder Kaushik
- School of Health Sciences & Technology, UPES University, Bidholi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Rajendra Awasthi
- School of Health Sciences & Technology, UPES University, Bidholi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Tapan Behl
- Amity School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amity University, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jiang L, Roberts R, Wong M, Zhang L, Webber CJ, Libera J, Wang Z, Kilci A, Jenkins M, Ortiz AR, Dorrian L, Sun J, Sun G, Rashad S, Kornbrek C, Daley SA, Dedon PC, Nguyen B, Xia W, Saito T, Saido TC, Wolozin B. β-amyloid accumulation enhances microtubule associated protein tau pathology in an APP NL-G-F/MAPT P301S mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1372297. [PMID: 38572146 PMCID: PMC10987964 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1372297] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The study of the pathophysiology study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hampered by lack animal models that recapitulate the major AD pathologies, including extracellular -amyloid (A) deposition, intracellular aggregation of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), inflammation and neurodegeneration. Methods The humanized APPNL-G-F knock-in mouse line was crossed to the PS19 MAPTP301S, over-expression mouse line to create the dual APPNL-G-F/PS19 MAPTP301S line. The resulting pathologies were characterized by immunochemical methods and PCR. Results We now report on a double transgenic APPNL-G-F/PS19 MAPTP301S mouse that at 6 months of age exhibits robust A plaque accumulation, intense MAPT pathology, strong inflammation and extensive neurodegeneration. The presence of A pathology potentiated the other major pathologies, including MAPT pathology, inflammation and neurodegeneration. MAPT pathology neither changed levels of amyloid precursor protein nor potentiated A accumulation. Interestingly, study of immunofluorescence in cleared brains indicates that microglial inflammation was generally stronger in the hippocampus, dentate gyrus and entorhinal cortex, which are regions with predominant MAPT pathology. The APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse model also showed strong accumulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which was recently shown to be elevated in the AD brain. m6A primarily accumulated in neuronal soma, but also co-localized with a subset of astrocytes and microglia. The accumulation of m6A corresponded with increases in METTL3 and decreases in ALKBH5, which are enzymes that add or remove m6A from mRNA, respectively. Discussion Our understanding of the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hampered by lack animal models that recapitulate the major AD pathologies, including extracellular -amyloid (A) deposition, intracellular aggregation of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), inflammation and neurodegeneration. The APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse recapitulates many features of AD pathology beginning at 6 months of aging, and thus represents a useful new mouse model for the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Jiang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Rebecca Roberts
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Melissa Wong
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lushuang Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Chelsea Joy Webber
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jenna Libera
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zihan Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alper Kilci
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew Jenkins
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alejandro Rondón Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Luke Dorrian
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Resistance IRG, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guangxin Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sherif Rashad
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Sarah Anne Daley
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Peter C. Dedon
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Resistance IRG, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Brian Nguyen
- LifeCanvas Technologies, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Weiming Xia
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, United States
| | - Takashi Saito
- Department of Neurocognitive Science, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lin H, Sandkuhler S, Dunlea C, Rodwell-Bullock J, King DH, Johnson GVW. BAG3 regulates the specificity of the recognition of specific MAPT species by NBR1 and SQSTM1. Autophagy 2024; 20:577-589. [PMID: 37899687 PMCID: PMC10936643 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2276622] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy/autophagy receptors are essential for the recognition and clearance of specific cargos by selective autophagy, which is essential for maintaining MAPT proteostasis. Previous studies have implicated different autophagy receptors in directing distinct species of MAPT to autophagy, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully investigated. Here we examine how the autophagy receptors NBR1 and SQSTM1 differentially associate with specific forms of MAPT. In primary neurons depletion of NBR1, unlike depletion of SQSTM1, significantly increased phosphorylated MAPT levels. The specificity of the interactions was confirmed using in vitro binding assays with purified proteins. We provide direct evidence that the co-chaperone BAG3 promotes the preferential association of NBR1 with monomeric MAPT and SQSTM1 with oligomeric MAPT. Using an in vitro affinity-isolation assay, we show that SQSTM1 only binds to monomeric MAPT when BAG3 is absent and fails to bind when BAG3 is present. The opposite is true of NBR1; its association with monomeric MAPT was dependent on the presence of BAG3. Interestingly, in Alzheimer disease brain the association of NBR1 with BAG3 was significantly decreased. In a mouse model, ablation of BAG3 in neural cells disrupted the association of NBR1 with phosphorylated MAPT and led to increased levels of phosphorylated and oligomeric MAPT. Overall, our results uncover a novel role for BAG3 in regulating the specificity of selective autophagy receptors in targeting different species of MAPT and provide compelling evidence that BAG3 plays a key role in maintaining MAPT proteostasis.Abbreviations: AD: Alzheimer disease; BAG3: BCL2-associated athanogene 3; BSA: bovine serum albumin; CERAD: Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease; ESCRT: endosomal sorting complexes required for transport; GST: glutathione S-transferases; MAPT: microtubule-associated protein tau; NBR1: NBR1, autophagy cargo receptor; NFT: neurofibrillary tangles; PMI: postmortem interval; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Sandkuhler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Colleen Dunlea
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Joel Rodwell-Bullock
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Darron H King
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gail V. W. Johnson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Alhadidy MM, Kanaan NM. Biochemical approaches to assess the impact of post-translational modifications on pathogenic tau conformations using recombinant protein. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:301-318. [PMID: 38348781 PMCID: PMC10903483 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230596] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders known as tauopathies. Aggregates of tau are thought of as a main contributor to neurodegeneration in these diseases. Increasingly, evidence points to earlier, soluble conformations of abnormally modified monomers and multimeric tau as toxic forms of tau. The biological processes driving tau from physiological species to pathogenic conformations remain poorly understood, but certain avenues are currently under investigation including the functional consequences of various pathological tau changes (e.g. mutations, post-translational modifications (PTMs), and protein-protein interactions). PTMs can regulate several aspects of tau biology such as proteasomal and autophagic clearance, solubility, and aggregation. Moreover, PTMs can contribute to the transition of tau from normal to pathogenic conformations. However, our understating of how PTMs specifically regulate the transition of tau into pathogenic conformations is partly impeded by the relative lack of structured frameworks to assess and quantify these conformations. In this review, we describe a set of approaches that includes several in vitro assays to determine the contribution of PTMs to tau's transition into known pathogenic conformations. The approaches begin with different methods to create recombinant tau proteins carrying specific PTMs followed by validation of the PTMs status. Then, we describe a set of biochemical and biophysical assays that assess the contribution of a given PTM to different tau conformations, including aggregation, oligomerization, exposure of the phosphatase-activating domain, and seeding. Together, these approaches can facilitate the advancement of our understanding of the relationships between PTMs and tau conformations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed M. Alhadidy
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| | - Nicholas M. Kanaan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rinauro DJ, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. Misfolded protein oligomers: mechanisms of formation, cytotoxic effects, and pharmacological approaches against protein misfolding diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:20. [PMID: 38378578 PMCID: PMC10877934 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00651-2] [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: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of native peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of over 50 human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Increasing evidence implicates misfolded protein oligomers produced during the amyloid formation process as the primary cytotoxic agents in many of these devastating conditions. In this review, we analyze the processes by which oligomers are formed, their structures, physicochemical properties, population dynamics, and the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity. We then focus on drug discovery strategies that target the formation of oligomers and their ability to disrupt cell physiology and trigger degenerative processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Malik N, Miah MU, Galgani A, McAleese K, Walker L, LeBeau FE, Attems J, Outeiro TF, Thomas A, Koss DJ. Regional AT-8 reactive tau species correlate with intracellular Aβ levels in cases of low AD neuropathologic change. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:40. [PMID: 38353753 PMCID: PMC10866780 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02691-4] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The amyloid cascade hypothesis states that Aβ aggregates induce pathological changes in tau, leading to neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and cell death. A caveat with this hypothesis is the spatio-temporal divide between plaques and NFTs. This has been addressed by the inclusion of soluble Aβ and tau species in the revised amyloid cascade hypothesis. Nevertheless, despite the potential for non-plaque Aβ to contribute to tau pathology, few studies have examined relative correlative strengths between total Aβ, plaque Aβ and intracellular Aβ with tau pathology within a single tissue cohort. Employing frozen and fixed frontal cortex grey and white matter tissue from non-AD controls (Con; n = 39) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases (n = 21), biochemical and immunohistochemical (IHC) measures of Aβ and AT-8 phosphorylated tau were assessed. Biochemical native-state dot blots from crude tissue lysates demonstrated robust correlations between total Aβ and AT-8 tau, when considered as a combined cohort (Con and AD) and when as Con and AD cases, separately. In contrast, no associations between Aβ plaques and AT-8 were reported when using IHC measurements in either Con or AD cases. However, when intracellular Aβ was measured via the Aβ specific antibody MOAB-2, a correlative relationship with AT-8 tau was reported in non-AD controls but not in AD cases. Collectively the data suggests that accumulating intracellular Aβ may influence AT-8 pathology, early in AD-related neuropathological change. Despite the lower levels of phospho-tau and Aβ in controls, the robust correlative relationships observed suggest a physiological association of Aβ production and tau phosphorylation, which may be modified during disease. This study is supportive of a revised amyloid cascade hypothesis and demonstrates regional associative relationships between tau pathology and intracellular Aβ, but not extracellular Aβ plaques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nauman Malik
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Mohi-Uddin Miah
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Alessandro Galgani
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Kirsty McAleese
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Lauren Walker
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Fiona E LeBeau
- Biosciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Johannes Attems
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alan Thomas
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - David J Koss
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
- Division of Cellular and Systems Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sahara N, Higuchi M. Diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of pathological tau proteins in neurodegenerative disorders. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:165-180. [PMID: 37746832 PMCID: PMC10839408 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13711] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies, characterized by fibrillar tau accumulation in neurons and glial cells, constitute a major neuropathological category of neurodegenerative diseases. Neurofibrillary tau lesions are strongly associated with cognitive deficits in these diseases, but the causal mechanisms underlying tau-induced neuronal dysfunction remain unresolved. Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy examination have revealed various core structures of tau filaments from different tauopathy patients, which can be used to classify tauopathies. In vivo visualization of tau pathology is now available using several tau positron emission tomography tracers. Among these radioprobes, PM-PBB3 allows high-contrast imaging of tau deposits in the brains of patients with diverse disorders and tauopathy mouse models. Selective degradation of pathological tau species by the ubiquitin-proteasome system or autophagy machinery is a potential therapeutic strategy. Alternatively, the non-cell-autonomous clearance of pathological tau species through neuron-glia networks could be reinforced as a disease-modifying treatment. In addition, the development of neuroinflammatory biomarkers is required for understanding the contribution of immunocompetent cells in the brain to preventing neurodegeneration. This review provides an overview of the current research and development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents targeting divergent tau pathologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naruhiko Sahara
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical SciencesNational Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute for Quantum Medical SciencesNational Institutes for Quantum Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kauwe G, Pareja-Navarro KA, Yao L, Chen JH, Wong I, Saloner R, Cifuentes H, Nana AL, Shah S, Li Y, Le D, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Seeley WW, Kramer JH, Sacktor TC, Schilling B, Gan L, Casaletto KB, Tracy TE. KIBRA repairs synaptic plasticity and promotes resilience to tauopathy-related memory loss. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e169064. [PMID: 38299587 PMCID: PMC10836803 DOI: 10.1172/jci169064] [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: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is obstructed by pathogenic tau in the brain, representing a key mechanism that underlies memory loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Here, we found that reduced levels of the memory-associated protein KIdney/BRAin (KIBRA) in the brain and increased KIBRA protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with cognitive impairment and pathological tau levels in disease. We next defined a mechanism for plasticity repair in vulnerable neurons using the C-terminus of the KIBRA protein (CT-KIBRA). We showed that CT-KIBRA restored plasticity and memory in transgenic mice expressing pathogenic human tau; however, CT-KIBRA did not alter tau levels or prevent tau-induced synapse loss. Instead, we found that CT-KIBRA stabilized the protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) to maintain synaptic plasticity and memory despite tau-mediated pathogenesis. Thus, our results distinguished KIBRA both as a biomarker of synapse dysfunction and as the foundation for a synapse repair mechanism to reverse cognitive impairment in tauopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grant Kauwe
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | | | - Lei Yao
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Jackson H. Chen
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Ivy Wong
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Rowan Saloner
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Helen Cifuentes
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Alissa L. Nana
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Samah Shah
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| | - Yaqiao Li
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, Califoria, USA
| | - David Le
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, Califoria, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Todd C. Sacktor
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center of Neural and Behavioral Science, Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Anesthesiology, and Neurology, State University of New York Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | | | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kaitlin B. Casaletto
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tara E. Tracy
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Puangmalai N, Bhatt N, Bittar A, Jerez C, Shchankin N, Kayed R. Traumatic brain injury derived pathological tau polymorphs induce the distinct propagation pattern and neuroinflammatory response in wild type mice. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 232:102562. [PMID: 38135105 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102562] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The misfolding and aggregation of the tau protein into neurofibrillary tangles constitutes a central feature of tauopathies. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has emerged as a potential risk factor, triggering the onset and progression of tauopathies. Our previous research revealed distinct polymorphisms in soluble tau oligomers originating from single versus repetitive mild TBIs. However, the mechanisms orchestrating the dissemination of TBI brain-derived tau polymorphs (TBI-BDTPs) remain elusive. In this study, we explored whether TBI-BDTPs could initiate pathological tau formation, leading to distinct pathogenic trajectories. Wild-type mice were exposed to TBI-BDTPs from sham, single-blast (SB), or repeated-blast (RB) conditions, and their memory function was assessed through behavioral assays at 2- and 8-month post-injection. Our findings revealed that RB-BDTPs induced cognitive and motor deficits, concurrently fostering the emergence of toxic tau aggregates within the injected hippocampus. Strikingly, this tau pathology propagated to cortical layers, intensifying over time. Importantly, RB-BDTP-exposed animals displayed heightened glial cell activation, NLRP3 inflammasome formation, and increased TBI biomarkers, particularly triggering the aggregation of S100B, which is indicative of a neuroinflammatory response. Collectively, our results shed light on the intricate mechanisms underlying TBI-BDTP-induced tau pathology and its association with neuroinflammatory processes. This investigation enhances our understanding of tauopathies and their interplay with neurodegenerative and inflammatory pathways following traumatic brain injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicha Puangmalai
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nemil Bhatt
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Alice Bittar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Cynthia Jerez
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Nikita Shchankin
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bakota L, Brandt R. Why kiss-and-hop explains that tau does not stabilize microtubules and does not interfere with axonal transport (at physiological conditions). Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:47-52. [PMID: 37694806 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21787] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that is enriched in the axonal process of neurons. Post-translational modifications of tau have been implicated in the development of tauopathies characterized by defects in axonal transport, neuronal atrophy, and microtubule disassembly. Although tau is almost quantitatively bound to microtubules under physiological conditions, it does not significantly affect axonal transport. Furthermore, acute or chronic tau deficiency does not result in significant destabilization of neuronal microtubules, challenging the classical view that disease-related tau modifications directly cause axonal microtubule collapse. Here, we discuss how the rapid interaction kinetics of the tau-microtubule interaction, which we previously termed the kiss-and-hop interaction, explains why tau does not affect microtubule-dependent axonal transport but still allows tau to modulate microtubule polymerization. In contrast, tau modifications that slow down the kinetics of the tau-microtubule interaction and increase the residence time of tau at a microtubule interaction site can disrupt axonal transport and cause dendritic atrophy. We discuss the consequences of such a gain-of-toxicity mechanism in terms of the development of disease-modulating drugs that target the tau protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Bakota
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - 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
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sengupta U, Kayed R. Tau Oligomers as Pathogenic Seeds: Preparation, Characterization, and Propagation In Vitro and In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2754:147-183. [PMID: 38512666 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3629-9_9] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Tau oligomers have been shown to be the main toxic tau species in several neurodegenerative disorders. To study tau oligomers, we have developed reagents and established methods for the reliable preparation, isolation, and detection of tau oligomers as well as their seeding and propagation both in vitro and in vivo. Detailed below are methods for isolation of tau oligomers from brain tissues and detection of tau oligomers using tau oligomer-specific antibodies by biochemical, immunohistochemical, and biophysical methods. Further, methods for evaluating the biological activity of the tau oligomers including their effects on synaptic function, seeding, and propagation in cell models and in vivo are also described.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Sengupta
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
- Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Wang CSM, Chen PS, Tsai TY, Hou NT, Tang CH, Chen PL, Huang YC, Cheng KS. Cognitive Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Mild Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Small-Scale Exploratory Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:563-577. [PMID: 38427493 DOI: 10.3233/jad-240002] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is considered a potential therapeutic instrument for Alzheimer's disease (AD) because it affects long-term synaptic plasticity through the processes of long-term potentiation and long-term depression, thereby improving cognitive ability. Nevertheless, the efficacy of tDCS in treating AD is still debated. Dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex is the main role in executive functions. Objective We investigate the cognitive effects of tDCS on AD patients. Methods Thirty mild AD patients aged 66-86 years (mean = 75.6) were included in a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled crossover study. They were randomly assigned to receive 10 consecutive daily sessions of active tDCS (2 mA for 30 min) or a sham intervention and switched conditions 3 months later. The anodal and cathodal electrodes were placed on the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex and the right supraorbital area, respectively. Subjects underwent various neuropsychological assessments before and after the interventions. Results The results showed that tDCS significantly improved Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scores, especially on the items of "concentration and calculation", "orientation", "language ability", and "categorical verbal fluency". Mini-Mental State Examination and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test scores in all domains of "concept formation", "abstract thinking", "cognitive flexibility", and "accuracy" also improved significantly after tDCS. For the sham condition, no difference was found between the baseline scores and the after-intervention scores on any of the neuropsychological tests. Conclusion >: Using tDCS improves the cognition of AD patients. Further large size clinical trials are necessary to validate the data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carol Sheei-Meei Wang
- Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicines, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicines, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yu Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicines, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Nien-Tsen Hou
- Department of Neurology, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Tang
- Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Pai-Lien Chen
- Biostatistics Department, Family Health International (FHI) 360, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ying-Che Huang
- Department of Neurology, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Sheng Cheng
- Department of BioMedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Gaikwad S, Senapati S, Haque MA, Kayed R. Senescence, brain inflammation, and oligomeric tau drive cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:709-727. [PMID: 37814508 PMCID: PMC10841264 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Aging, tau pathology, and chronic inflammation in the brain play crucial roles in synaptic loss, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline in tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Senescent cells accumulate in the aging brain, accelerate the aging process, and promote tauopathy progression through their abnormal inflammatory secretome known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Tau oligomers (TauO)-the most neurotoxic tau species-are known to induce senescence and the SASP, which subsequently promote neuropathology, inflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death, and cognitive dysfunction. TauO, brain inflammation, and senescence are associated with heterogeneity in tauopathy progression and cognitive decline. However, the underlying mechanisms driving the disease heterogeneity remain largely unknown, impeding the development of therapies for tauopathies. Based on clinical and preclinical evidence, this review highlights the critical role of TauO and senescence in neurodegeneration. We discuss key knowledge gaps and potential strategies for targeting senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies. HIGHLIGHTS: Senescence, oligomeric Tau (TauO), and brain inflammation accelerate the aging process and promote the progression of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. We discuss their role in contributing to heterogeneity in tauopathy and cognitive decline. We highlight strategies to target senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies while addressing key knowledge gaps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Gaikwad
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Sudipta Senapati
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Md. Anzarul Haque
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- The Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Department of NeurologyUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Louros N, Schymkowitz J, Rousseau F. Mechanisms and pathology of protein misfolding and aggregation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:912-933. [PMID: 37684425 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in machine learning-based protein structure prediction, we are still far from fully understanding how proteins fold into their native conformation. The conventional notion that polypeptides fold spontaneously to their biologically active states has gradually been replaced by our understanding that cellular protein folding often requires context-dependent guidance from molecular chaperones in order to avoid misfolding. Misfolded proteins can aggregate into larger structures, such as amyloid fibrils, which perpetuate the misfolding process, creating a self-reinforcing cascade. A surge in amyloid fibril structures has deepened our comprehension of how a single polypeptide sequence can exhibit multiple amyloid conformations, known as polymorphism. The assembly of these polymorphs is not a random process but is influenced by the specific conditions and tissues in which they originate. This observation suggests that, similar to the folding of native proteins, the kinetics of pathological amyloid assembly are modulated by interactions specific to cells and tissues. Here, we review the current understanding of how intrinsic protein conformational propensities are modulated by physiological and pathological interactions in the cell to shape protein misfolding and aggregation pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Louros
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schymkowitz
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Frederic Rousseau
- Switch Laboratory, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
He J, Liu F, Xu T, Ma J, Yu H, Zhao J, Xie Y, Luo L, Yang Q, Lou T, He L, Sun D. The role of hydrogen therapy in Alzheimer's disease management: Insights into mechanisms, administration routes, and future challenges. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115807. [PMID: 37913734 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115807] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder predominantly affecting the elderly. While conventional pharmacological therapies remain the primary treatment for AD, their efficacy is limited effectiveness and often associated with significant side effects. This underscores the urgent need to explore alternative, non-pharmacological interventions. Oxidative stress has been identified as a central player in AD pathology, influencing various aspects including amyloid-beta metabolism, tau phosphorylation, autophagy, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and synaptic dysfunction. Among the emerging non-drug approaches, hydrogen therapy has garnered attention for its potential in mitigating these pathological conditions. This review provides a comprehensively overview of the therapeutic potential of hydrogen in AD. We delve into its mechanisms of action, administration routes, and discuss the current challenges and future prospects, with the aim of providing valuable insights to facilitate the clinical application of hydrogen-based therapies in AD management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxuan He
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jiahui Ma
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Haiyang Yu
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yanyan Xie
- The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Li Luo
- Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan 523059, China
| | - Qinsi Yang
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Ting Lou
- Yiwu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yiwu 322000, China.
| | - Luqing He
- Department of Science and Education, the Third People's Hospital Health Care Group of Cixi, Ningbo 315300, China.
| | - Da Sun
- Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Saleeb RS, Leighton C, Lee JE, O’Shaughnessy J, Jeacock K, Chappard A, Cumberland R, Zhao T, Ball SR, Sunde M, Clarke DJ, Piché K, McPhail JA, Louwrier A, Angers R, Gandhi S, Downey P, Kunath T, Horrocks MH. Two-color coincidence single-molecule pulldown for the specific detection of disease-associated protein aggregates. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eadi7359. [PMID: 37967183 PMCID: PMC10651132 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi7359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation is a characteristic of many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The oligomers generated during aggregation are likely involved in disease pathogenesis and present promising biomarker candidates. However, owing to their small size and low concentration, specific tools to quantify and characterize aggregates in complex biological samples are still lacking. Here, we present single-molecule two-color aggregate pulldown (STAPull), which overcomes this challenge by probing immobilized proteins using orthogonally labeled detection antibodies. By analyzing colocalized signals, we can eliminate monomeric protein and specifically quantify aggregated proteins. Using the aggregation-prone alpha-synuclein protein as a model, we demonstrate that this approach can specifically detect aggregates with a limit of detection of 5 picomolar. Furthermore, we show that STAPull can be used in a range of samples, including human biofluids. STAPull is applicable to protein aggregates from a variety of disorders and will aid in the identification of biomarkers that are crucial in the effort to diagnose these diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S. Saleeb
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Craig Leighton
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Judi O’Shaughnessy
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Kiani Jeacock
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Alexandre Chappard
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Robyn Cumberland
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Tianxiao Zhao
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Sarah R. Ball
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Sydney Nano, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - David J. Clarke
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - Kristin Piché
- Stressmarq Biosciences Inc., Suite 117-1537 Hillside Ave, Victoria, V8T 2C1 BC, Canada
| | - Jacob A. McPhail
- Stressmarq Biosciences Inc., Suite 117-1537 Hillside Ave, Victoria, V8T 2C1 BC, Canada
| | - Ariel Louwrier
- Stressmarq Biosciences Inc., Suite 117-1537 Hillside Ave, Victoria, V8T 2C1 BC, Canada
| | | | - Sonia Gandhi
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | | | - Tilo Kunath
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Mathew H. Horrocks
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK
- IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Davidson R, Krider RI, Borsellino P, Noorda K, Alhwayek G, Vida TA. Untangling Tau: Molecular Insights into Neuroinflammation, Pathophysiology, and Emerging Immunotherapies. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:8816-8839. [PMID: 37998730 PMCID: PMC10670294 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45110553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation, a core pathological feature observed in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), is rapidly gaining attention as a target in understanding the molecular underpinnings of these disorders. Glial cells, endothelial cells, peripheral immune cells, and astrocytes produce a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate the disease progression. Additionally, microglial cells play a complex role in AD, facilitating the clearance of pathological amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) plaques and aggregates of the tau protein. Tau proteins, traditionally associated with microtubule stabilization, have come under intense scrutiny for their perturbed roles in neurodegenerative conditions. In this narrative review, we focus on recent advances from molecular insights that have revealed aberrant tau post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and acetylation, serving as pathological hallmarks. These modifications also trigger the activation of CNS-resident immune cells, such as microglia and astrocytes substantially contributing to neuroinflammation. This intricate relationship between tau pathologies and neuroinflammation fosters a cascading impact on neural pathophysiology. Furthermore, understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning tau's influence on neuroinflammation presents a frontier for the development of innovative immunotherapies. Neurodegenerative diseases have been relatively intractable to conventional pharmacology using small molecules. We further comprehensively document the many alternative approaches using immunotherapy targeting tau pathological epitopes and structures with a wide array of antibodies. Clinical trials are discussed using these therapeutic approaches, which have both promising and disappointing outcomes. Future directions for tau immunotherapies may include combining treatments with Aβ immunotherapy, which may result in more significant clinical outcomes for neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Thomas A. Vida
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA; (R.D.); (R.I.K.); (P.B.); (K.N.); (G.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Taddei RN, Perbet R, Mate de Gerando A, Wiedmer AE, Sanchez-Mico M, Connors Stewart T, Gaona A, Melloni A, Amaral AC, Duff K, Frosch MP, Gómez-Isla T. Tau Oligomer-Containing Synapse Elimination by Microglia and Astrocytes in Alzheimer Disease. JAMA Neurol 2023; 80:1209-1221. [PMID: 37812432 PMCID: PMC10562992 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.3530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance Factors associated with synapse loss beyond amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles may more closely correlate with the emergence of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer disease (AD) and be relevant for early therapeutic intervention. Objective To investigate whether accumulation of tau oligomers in synapses is associated with excessive synapse elimination by microglia or astrocytes and with cognitive outcomes (dementia vs no dementia [hereinafter termed resilient]) of individuals with equal burdens of AD neuropathologic changes at autopsy. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional postmortem study included 40 human brains from the Massachusetts Alzheimer Disease Research Center Brain Bank with Braak III to IV stages of tau pathology but divergent antemortem cognition (dementia vs resilient) and cognitively normal controls with negligible AD neuropathologic changes. The visual cortex, a region without tau tangle deposition at Braak III to IV stages, was assessed after expansion microscopy to analyze spatial relationships of synapses with microglia and astrocytes. Participants were matched for age, sex, and apolipoprotein E status. Evidence of Lewy bodies, TDP-43 aggregates, or other lesions different from AD neuropathology were exclusion criteria. Tissue was collected from July 1998 to November 2020, and analyses were conducted from February 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures Amyloid-β plaques, tau neuropil thread burden, synapse density, tau oligomers in synapses, and internalization of tau oligomer-tagged synapses by microglia and astrocytes were quantitated. Analyses were performed using 1-way analysis of variance for parametric variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric variables; between-group differences were evaluated with Holm-Šídák tests. Results Of 40 included participants (mean [SD] age at death, 88 [8] years; 21 [52%] male), 19 had early-stage dementia with Braak stages III to IV, 13 had resilient brains with similar Braak stages III to IV, and 8 had no dementia (Braak stages 0-II). Brains with dementia but not resilient brains had substantial loss of presynaptic (43%), postsynaptic (33%), and colocalized mature synaptic elements (38%) compared with controls and significantly higher percentages of mature synapses internalized by IBA1-positive microglia (mean [SD], 13.3% [3.9%] in dementia vs 2.6% [1.9%] in resilient vs 0.9% [0.5%] in control; P < .001) and by GFAP-positive astrocytes (mean [SD], 17.2% [10.9%] in dementia vs 3.7% [4.0%] in resilient vs 2.7% [1.8%] in control; P = .001). In brains with dementia but not in resilient brains, tau oligomers more often colocalized with synapses, and the proportions of tau oligomer-containing synapses inside microglia (mean [SD] for presynapses, mean [SD], 7.4% [1.8%] in dementia vs 5.1% [1.9%] resilient vs 3.7% [0.8%] control; P = .006; and for postsynapses 11.6% [3.6%] dementia vs 6.8% [1.3%] resilient vs 7.4% [2.5%] control; P = .001) and astrocytes (mean [SD] for presynapses, 7.0% [2.1%] dementia vs 4.3% [2.2%] resilient vs 4.0% [0.7%] control; P = .001; and for postsynapses, 7.9% [2.2%] dementia vs 5.3% [1.8%] resilient vs 3.0% [1.5%] control; P < .001) were significantly increased compared with controls. Those changes in brains with dementia occurred in the absence of tau tangle deposition in visual cortex. Conclusion and Relevance The findings from this cross-sectional study suggest that microglia and astrocytes may excessively engulf synapses in brains of individuals with dementia and that the abnormal presence of tau oligomers in synapses may serve as signals for increased glial-mediated synapse elimination and early loss of brain function in AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel N. Taddei
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Neurology, Dementia Research Institute, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Romain Perbet
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Anne E. Wiedmer
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maria Sanchez-Mico
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Theresa Connors Stewart
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Angelica Gaona
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alexandra Melloni
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ana C. Amaral
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karen Duff
- Department of Neurology, Dementia Research Institute, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew P. Frosch
- C.S. Kubik Laboratory for Neuropathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Teresa Gómez-Isla
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Abskharon R, Pan H, Sawaya MR, Seidler PM, Olivares EJ, Chen Y, Murray KA, Zhang J, Lantz C, Bentzel M, Boyer DR, Cascio D, Nguyen BA, Hou K, Cheng X, Pardon E, Williams CK, Nana AL, Vinters HV, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Seeley WW, Steyaert J, Glabe CG, Ogorzalek Loo RR, Loo JA, Eisenberg DS. Structure-based design of nanobodies that inhibit seeding of Alzheimer's patient-extracted tau fibrils. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300258120. [PMID: 37801475 PMCID: PMC10576031 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300258120] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite much effort, antibody therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have shown limited efficacy. Challenges to the rational design of effective antibodies include the difficulty of achieving specific affinity to critical targets, poor expression, and antibody aggregation caused by buried charges and unstructured loops. To overcome these challenges, we grafted previously determined sequences of fibril-capping amyloid inhibitors onto a camel heavy chain antibody scaffold. These sequences were designed to cap fibrils of tau, known to form the neurofibrillary tangles of AD, thereby preventing fibril elongation. The nanobodies grafted with capping inhibitors blocked tau aggregation in biosensor cells seeded with postmortem brain extracts from AD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients. The tau capping nanobody inhibitors also blocked seeding by recombinant tau oligomers. Another challenge to the design of effective antibodies is their poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. In this study, we also designed a bispecific nanobody composed of a nanobody that targets a receptor on the BBB and a tau capping nanobody inhibitor, conjoined by a flexible linker. We provide evidence that the bispecific nanobody improved BBB penetration over the tau capping inhibitor alone after intravenous administration in mice. Our results suggest that the design of synthetic antibodies that target sequences that drive protein aggregation may be a promising approach to inhibit the prion-like seeding of tau and other proteins involved in AD and related proteinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romany Abskharon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Hope Pan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Michael R. Sawaya
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Paul M. Seidler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | | | - Yu Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Molecular Instrumentation Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Kevin A. Murray
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Jeffrey Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Carter Lantz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Megan Bentzel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - David R. Boyer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Duilio Cascio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Binh A. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Ke Hou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Xinyi Cheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Els Pardon
- VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel Center for Structural Biology, VIB and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BrusselsB-1050, Belgium
| | - Christopher K. Williams
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Alissa L. Nana
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Harry V. Vinters
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - William W. Seeley
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Jan Steyaert
- VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel Center for Structural Biology, VIB and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, BrusselsB-1050, Belgium
| | - Charles G. Glabe
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Rachel R. Ogorzalek Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Joseph A. Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - David S. Eisenberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA,Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- HHMI, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
- UCLA-Department of Energy Institute, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA90095
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Du F, Yu Q, Swerdlow RH, Waites CL. Glucocorticoid-driven mitochondrial damage stimulates Tau pathology. Brain 2023; 146:4378-4394. [PMID: 37070763 PMCID: PMC10545530 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids, the main stress hormones, damages the brain and is a risk factor for depression and Alzheimer's disease. Two major drivers of glucocorticoid-related neurotoxicity are mitochondrial dysfunction and Tau pathology; however, the molecular/cellular mechanisms precipitating these events, and their causal relationship, remain unclear. Using cultured murine hippocampal neurons and 4-5-month-old mice treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone, we investigate the mechanisms underlying glucocorticoid-induced mitochondrial damage and Tau pathology. We find that glucocorticoids stimulate opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore via transcriptional upregulation of its activating component, cyclophilin D. Inhibition of cyclophilin D is protective against glucocorticoid-induced mitochondrial damage as well as Tau phosphorylation and oligomerization in cultured neurons. We further identify the mitochondrially-targeted compound mito-apocynin as an inhibitor of glucocorticoid-induced permeability transition pore opening, and show that this compound protects against mitochondrial dysfunction, Tau pathology, synaptic loss, and behavioural deficits induced by glucocorticoids in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that mito-apocynin and the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone rescue Tau pathology in cytoplasmic hybrid cells, an ex vivo Alzheimer's disease model wherein endogenous mitochondria are replaced with mitochondria from Alzheimer's subjects. These findings show that mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening is a precipitating factor in glucocorticoid-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and that this event stimulates Tau pathogenesis. Our data also link glucocorticoids to mitochondrial dysfunction and Tau pathology in the context of Alzheimer's disease and suggest that mitochondria are promising therapeutic targets for mitigating stress- and Tau-related brain damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Du
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Russell H Swerdlow
- University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Center, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Landon Center on Aging, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA
| | - Clarissa L Waites
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Ahn S, Suh JS, Jang YK, Kim H, Han K, Lee Y, Choi G, Kim TJ. TAUCON and TAUCOM: A novel biosensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer for detecting tau hyperphosphorylation-associated cellular pathologies. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115533. [PMID: 37517333 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115533] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal conformational changes in tau protein. Early hyperphosphorylation-induced conformational changes are considered a hallmark of tauopathy, but real-time tracking methods are lacking. Here, we present two novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based tau biosensors that detect such changes with high spatiotemporal resolution at the single-cell level. The TAUCON biosensor measures instantaneous conformational changes in hyperphosphorylated tau within 20 min, while the TAUCOM biosensor detects changes in the paper-clip structure of microtubule-associated tau. Our biosensors provide faster and more precise detection than conventional methods and can serve as valuable tools for investigating the initial causes, mechanisms, progression, and treatment of tauopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanghyun Ahn
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Soo Suh
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon-Kwan Jang
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Heonsu Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiseok Han
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Yerim Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyuho Choi
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jin Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea; Institute of System Biology, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Aleksandrova Y, Neganova M. Deciphering the Mysterious Relationship between the Cross-Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative and Oncological Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14766. [PMID: 37834214 PMCID: PMC10573395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914766] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between oncological pathologies and neurodegenerative disorders is extremely complex and is a topic of concern among a growing number of researchers around the world. In recent years, convincing scientific evidence has accumulated that indicates the contribution of a number of etiological factors and pathophysiological processes to the pathogenesis of these two fundamentally different diseases, thus demonstrating an intriguing relationship between oncology and neurodegeneration. In this review, we establish the general links between three intersecting aspects of oncological pathologies and neurodegenerative disorders, i.e., oxidative stress, epigenetic dysregulation, and metabolic dysfunction, examining each process in detail to establish an unusual epidemiological relationship. We also focus on reviewing the current trends in the research and the clinical application of the most promising chemical structures and therapeutic platforms that have a modulating effect on the above processes. Thus, our comprehensive analysis of the set of molecular determinants that have obvious cross-functional pathways in the pathogenesis of oncological and neurodegenerative diseases can help in the creation of advanced diagnostic tools and in the development of innovative pharmacological strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Aleksandrova
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia;
| | - Margarita Neganova
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia;
- Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, FRC Kazan Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 420088 Kazan, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Rasmussen HØ, Nielsen J, de Poli A, Otzen DE, Pedersen JS. Tau Fibrillation Induced by Heparin or a Lysophospholipid Show Different Initial Oligomer Formation. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168194. [PMID: 37437877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168194] [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] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The protein tau is involved in several neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, where tau content and fibrillation have been linked to disease progression. Tau colocalizes with phospholipids and glycosaminoglycans in vivo. We investigated if and how tau fibrillation can be induced by two lysophospholipids, namely the zwitterionic 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LPC) and the anionic 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (LPG) as well as the glycosaminoglycan heparin. We used a range of biophysical techniques including small-angle X-ray scattering, Thioflavin T fluorescence, and SDS-PAGE, collecting data at various time points to obtain structural information on each phase of the fibrillation. We find that LPC does not induce fibrillation or interact with tau. Low concentrations of LPG induce fibrillation by formation of small hydrophobic clusters with monomeric tau. At higher LPG concentrations, a core-shell complex is formed where tau wraps around LPG micelles with regions extending away from the micelles. For heparin, loosely associated oligomers are formed rapidly with around ten tau molecules. Fibrils formed with either LPG or heparin show similar final cross-section dimensions. Furthermore, SDS-resistant oligomers are observed for both LPG and heparin. Our study demonstrates that tau fibrillation can be induced by two different biologically relevant cofactors leading to structurally different initial states but similar cross-sectional dimensions for the fibrils. Structural information about initial states prior to fibril formation is important both to gain a better understanding of the onset of fibrillation in vivo, and for the development of targeted drugs that can reduce or abolish tau fibrillation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Østergaard Rasmussen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Janni Nielsen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Angela de Poli
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel E Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Jan Skov Pedersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Cozachenco D, Zimmer ER, Lourenco MV. Emerging concepts towards a translational framework in Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105246. [PMID: 37236385 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, significant efforts have been made to understand the precise mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia. However, clinical trials targeting AD pathological hallmarks have consistently failed. Refinement of AD conceptualization, modeling, and assessment is key to developing successful therapies. Here, we review critical findings and discuss emerging ideas to integrate molecular mechanisms and clinical approaches in AD. We further propose a refined workflow for animal studies incorporating multimodal biomarkers used in clinical studies - delineating critical paths for drug discovery and translation. Addressing unresolved questions with the proposed conceptual and experimental framework may accelerate the development of effective disease-modifying strategies for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Cozachenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eduardo R Zimmer
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry (PPGBioq), UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Pharmacology and Therapeutics (PPGFT), UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Mychael V Lourenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
de Wet S, Theart R, Loos B. Cogs in the autophagic machine-equipped to combat dementia-prone neurodegenerative diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1225227. [PMID: 37720551 PMCID: PMC10500130 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1225227] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are often characterized by hydrophobic inclusion bodies, and it may be the case that the aggregate-prone proteins that comprise these inclusion bodies are in fact the cause of neurotoxicity. Indeed, the appearance of protein aggregates leads to a proteostatic imbalance that causes various interruptions in physiological cellular processes, including lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as break down in calcium homeostasis. Oftentimes the approach to counteract proteotoxicity is taken to merely upregulate autophagy, measured by an increase in autophagosomes, without a deeper assessment of contributors toward effective turnover through autophagy. There are various ways in which autophagy is regulated ranging from the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) to acetylation status of proteins. Healthy mitochondria and the intracellular energetic charge they preserve are key for the acidification status of lysosomes and thus ensuring effective clearance of components through the autophagy pathway. Both mitochondria and lysosomes have been shown to bear functional protein complexes that aid in the regulation of autophagy. Indeed, it may be the case that minimizing the proteins associated with the respective neurodegenerative pathology may be of greater importance than addressing molecularly their resulting inclusion bodies. It is in this context that this review will dissect the autophagy signaling pathway, its control and the manner in which it is molecularly and functionally connected with the mitochondrial and lysosomal system, as well as provide a summary of the role of autophagy dysfunction in driving neurodegenerative disease as a means to better position the potential of rapamycin-mediated bioactivities to control autophagy favorably.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sholto de Wet
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Rensu Theart
- Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Ben Loos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ondrejcak T, Klyubin I, Hu NW, O'Malley TT, Corbett GT, Winters R, Perkinton MS, Billinton A, Prenderville JA, Walsh DM, Rowan MJ. Tau and Amyloid β Protein in Patient-Derived Aqueous Brain Extracts Act Concomitantly to Disrupt Long-Term Potentiation in Vivo. J Neurosci 2023; 43:5870-5879. [PMID: 37491315 PMCID: PMC10423043 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0082-23.2023] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β protein (Aβ) and tau, the two main proteins implicated in causing Alzheimer's disease (AD), are posited to trigger synaptic dysfunction long before significant synaptic loss occurs in vulnerable circuits. Whereas soluble Aβ aggregates from AD brain are well recognized potent synaptotoxins, less is known about the synaptotoxicity of soluble tau from AD or other tauopathy patient brains. Minimally manipulated patient-derived aqueous brain extracts contain the more diffusible native forms of these proteins. Here, we explore how intracerebral injection of Aβ and tau present in such aqueous extracts of patient brain contribute to disruption of synaptic plasticity in the CA1 area of the male rat hippocampus. Aqueous extracts of certain AD brains acutely inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission in a manner that required both Aβ and tau. Tau-containing aqueous extracts of a brain from a patient with Pick's disease (PiD) also impaired LTP, and diffusible tau from either AD or PiD brain lowered the threshold for AD brain Aβ to inhibit LTP. Remarkably, the disruption of LTP persisted for at least 2 weeks after a single injection. These findings support a critical role for diffusible tau in causing rapid onset, persistent synaptic plasticity deficits, and promoting Aβ-mediated synaptic dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The microtubule-associated protein tau forms relatively insoluble fibrillar deposits in the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Pick's diseases. More soluble aggregates of disease-associated tau may diffuse between cells and could cause damage to synapses in vulnerable circuits. We prepared aqueous extracts of diseased cerebral cortex and tested their ability to interfere with synaptic function in the brains of live rats. Tau in these extracts rapidly and persistently disrupted synaptic plasticity and facilitated impairments caused by amyloid β protein, the other major pathologic protein in Alzheimer's disease. These findings show that certain diffusible forms of tau can mediate synaptic dysfunction and may be a target for therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Ondrejcak
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Igor Klyubin
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Neng-Wei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Tiernan T O'Malley
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Grant T Corbett
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Róisín Winters
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michael S Perkinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Andy Billinton
- Neuroscience, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca UK, Cambridge, CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Jack A Prenderville
- Transpharmation Ireland, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Michael J Rowan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Arar S, Haque MA, Kayed R. Protein aggregation and neurodegenerative disease: Structural outlook for the novel therapeutics. Proteins 2023:10.1002/prot.26561. [PMID: 37530227 PMCID: PMC10834863 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26561] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Before the controversial approval of humanized monoclonal antibody lecanemab, which binds to the soluble amyloid-β protofibrils, all the treatments available earlier, for Alzheimer's disease (AD) were symptomatic. The researchers are still struggling to find a breakthrough in AD therapeutic medicine, which is partially attributable to lack in understanding of the structural information associated with the intrinsically disordered proteins and amyloids. One of the major challenges in this area of research is to understand the structural diversity of intrinsically disordered proteins under in vitro conditions. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the in vitro applications of biophysical methods, which are aimed to shed some light on the heterogeneity, pathogenicity, structures and mechanisms of the intrinsically disordered protein aggregates associated with proteinopathies including AD. This review will also rationalize some of the strategies in modulating disease-relevant pathogenic protein entities by small molecules using structural biology approaches and biophysical characterization. We have also highlighted tools and techniques to simulate the in vivo conditions for native and cytotoxic tau/amyloids assemblies, urge new chemical approaches to replicate tau/amyloids assemblies similar to those in vivo conditions, in addition to designing novel potential drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Arar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
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] [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: 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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Puliatti G, Li Puma DD, Aceto G, Lazzarino G, Acquarone E, Mangione R, D'Adamio L, Ripoli C, Arancio O, Piacentini R, Grassi C. Intracellular accumulation of tau oligomers in astrocytes and their synaptotoxic action rely on Amyloid Precursor Protein Intracellular Domain-dependent expression of Glypican-4. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 227:102482. [PMID: 37321444 PMCID: PMC10472746 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Several studies including ours reported the detrimental effects of extracellular tau oligomers (ex-oTau) on glutamatergic synaptic transmission and plasticity. Astrocytes greatly internalize ex-oTau whose intracellular accumulation alters neuro/gliotransmitter handling thereby negatively affecting synaptic function. Both amyloid precursor protein (APP) and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are required for oTau internalization in astrocytes but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not been clearly identified yet. Here we found that a specific antibody anti-glypican 4 (GPC4), a receptor belonging to the HSPG family, significantly reduced oTau uploading from astrocytes and prevented oTau-induced alterations of Ca2+-dependent gliotransmitter release. As such, anti-GPC4 spared neurons co-cultured with astrocytes from the astrocyte-mediated synaptotoxic action of ex-oTau, thus preserving synaptic vesicular release, synaptic protein expression and hippocampal LTP at CA3-CA1 synapses. Of note, the expression of GPC4 depended on APP and, in particular, on its C-terminal domain, AICD, that we found to bind Gpc4 promoter. Accordingly, GPC4 expression was significantly reduced in mice in which either APP was knocked-out or it contained the non-phosphorylatable amino acid alanine replacing threonine 688, thus becoming unable to produce AICD. Collectively, our data indicate that GPC4 expression is APP/AICD-dependent, it mediates oTau accumulation in astrocytes and the resulting synaptotoxic effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Puliatti
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenica Donatella Li Puma
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aceto
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Lazzarino
- UniCamillus - Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant'Alessandro 8, Rome 00131, Italy
| | - Erica Acquarone
- Taub Institute, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, and Department of Medicine, Columbia University, 630W 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Renata Mangione
- Department of Basic biotechnological sciences, intensivological and perioperative clinics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Luciano D'Adamio
- Institute of Brain Health, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 205 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Cristian Ripoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy
| | - Ottavio Arancio
- Taub Institute, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, and Department of Medicine, Columbia University, 630W 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Roberto Piacentini
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy.
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zhang ZY, Harischandra DS, Wang R, Ghaisas S, Zhao JY, McMonagle TP, Zhu G, Lacuarta KD, Song J, Trojanowski JQ, Xu H, Lee VMY, Yang X. TRIM11 protects against tauopathies and is down-regulated in Alzheimer's disease. Science 2023; 381:eadd6696. [PMID: 37499037 DOI: 10.1126/science.add6696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of tau into filamentous inclusions underlies Alzheimer's disease (AD) and numerous other neurodegenerative tauopathies. The pathogenesis of tauopathies remains unclear, which impedes the development of disease-modifying treatments. Here, by systematically analyzing human tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins, we identified a few TRIMs that could potently inhibit tau aggregation. Among them, TRIM11 was markedly down-regulated in AD brains. TRIM11 promoted the proteasomal degradation of mutant tau as well as superfluous normal tau. It also enhanced tau solubility by acting as both a molecular chaperone to prevent tau misfolding and a disaggregase to dissolve preformed tau fibrils. TRIM11 maintained the connectivity and viability of neurons. Intracranial delivery of TRIM11 through adeno-associated viruses ameliorated pathology, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairments in multiple animal models of tauopathies. These results suggest that TRIM11 down-regulation contributes to the pathogenesis of tauopathies and that restoring TRIM11 expression may represent an effective therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yang Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dilshan S Harischandra
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ruifang Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shivani Ghaisas
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Janet Y Zhao
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Thomas P McMonagle
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Guixin Zhu
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kenzo D Lacuarta
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jianing Song
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging, and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hong Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging, and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute on Aging, and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiaolu Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Vogler L, Ballweg A, Bohr B, Briel N, Wind K, Antons M, Kunze LH, Gnörich J, Lindner S, Gildehaus FJ, Baumann K, Bartenstein P, Boening G, Ziegler SI, Levin J, Zwergal A, Höglinger GU, Herms J, Brendel M. Assessment of synaptic loss in mouse models of β-amyloid and tau pathology using [ 18F]UCB-H PET imaging. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103484. [PMID: 37541098 PMCID: PMC10407951 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103484] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In preclinical research, the use of [18F]Fluorodesoxyglucose (FDG) as a biomarker for neurodegeneration may induce bias due to enhanced glucose uptake by immune cells. In this study, we sought to investigate synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) PET with [18F]UCB-H as an alternative preclinical biomarker for neurodegenerative processes in two mouse models representing the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS A total of 29 PS2APP, 20 P301S and 12 wild-type mice aged 4.4 to 19.8 months received a dynamic [18F]UCB-H SV2A-PET scan (14.7 ± 1.5 MBq) 0-60 min post injection. Quantification of tracer uptake in cortical, cerebellar and brainstem target regions was implemented by calculating relative volumes of distribution (VT) from an image-derived-input-function (IDIF). [18F]UCB-H binding was compared across all target regions between transgenic and wild-type mice. Additional static scans were performed in a subset of mice to compare [18F]FDG and [18F]GE180 (18 kDa translocator protein tracer as a surrogate for microglial activation) standardized uptake values (SUV) with [18F]UCB-H binding at different ages. Following the final scan, a subset of mouse brains was immunohistochemically stained with synaptic markers for gold standard validation of the PET results. RESULTS [18F]UCB-H binding in all target regions was significantly reduced in 8-months old P301S transgenic mice when compared to wild-type controls (temporal lobe: p = 0.014; cerebellum: p = 0.0018; brainstem: p = 0.0014). Significantly lower SV2A tracer uptake was also observed in 13-months (temporal lobe: p = 0.0080; cerebellum: p = 0.006) and 19-months old (temporal lobe: p = 0.0042; cerebellum: p = 0.011) PS2APP transgenic versus wild-type mice, whereas the brainstem revealed no significantly altered [18F]UCB-H binding. Immunohistochemical analyses of post-mortem mouse brain tissue confirmed the SV2A PET findings. Correlational analyses of [18F]UCB-H and [18F]FDG using Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed a significant negative association in the PS2APP mouse model (R = -0.26, p = 0.018). Exploratory analyses further stressed microglial activation as a potential reason for this inverse relationship, since [18F]FDG and [18F]GE180 quantification were positively correlated in this cohort (R = 0.36, p = 0.0076). CONCLUSION [18F]UCB-H reliably depicts progressive synaptic loss in PS2APP and P301S transgenic mice, potentially qualifying as a more reliable alternative to [18F]FDG as a biomarker for assessment of neurodegeneration in preclinical research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Vogler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Ballweg
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bernd Bohr
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nils Briel
- Center for Neuropathology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Karin Wind
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Melissa Antons
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lea H Kunze
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Gnörich
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Franz-Josef Gildehaus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Karlheinz Baumann
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Bartenstein
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Guido Boening
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sibylle I Ziegler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Levin
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Zwergal
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Günter U Höglinger
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jochen Herms
- Center for Neuropathology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Brendel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Colom-Cadena M, Davies C, Sirisi S, Lee JE, Simzer EM, Tzioras M, Querol-Vilaseca M, Sánchez-Aced É, Chang YY, Holt K, McGeachan RI, Rose J, Tulloch J, Wilkins L, Smith C, Andrian T, Belbin O, Pujals S, Horrocks MH, Lleó A, Spires-Jones TL. Synaptic oligomeric tau in Alzheimer's disease - A potential culprit in the spread of tau pathology through the brain. Neuron 2023; 111:2170-2183.e6. [PMID: 37192625 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease, fibrillar tau pathology accumulates and spreads through the brain and synapses are lost. Evidence from mouse models indicates that tau spreads trans-synaptically from pre- to postsynapses and that oligomeric tau is synaptotoxic, but data on synaptic tau in human brain are scarce. Here we used sub-diffraction-limit microscopy to study synaptic tau accumulation in postmortem temporal and occipital cortices of human Alzheimer's and control donors. Oligomeric tau is present in pre- and postsynaptic terminals, even in areas without abundant fibrillar tau deposition. Furthermore, there is a higher proportion of oligomeric tau compared with phosphorylated or misfolded tau found at synaptic terminals. These data suggest that accumulation of oligomeric tau in synapses is an early event in pathogenesis and that tau pathology may progress through the brain via trans-synaptic spread in human disease. Thus, specifically reducing oligomeric tau at synapses may be a promising therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martí Colom-Cadena
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caitlin Davies
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sònia Sirisi
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ji-Eun Lee
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Simzer
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Makis Tzioras
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marta Querol-Vilaseca
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Érika Sánchez-Aced
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ya Yin Chang
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kristjan Holt
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert I McGeachan
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jamie Rose
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jane Tulloch
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lewis Wilkins
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Sudden Death Brain Bank, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Teodora Andrian
- Nanoscopy for Nanomedicine Lab, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivia Belbin
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sílvia Pujals
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mathew H Horrocks
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; IRR Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4 UU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau - Hospital de Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tara L Spires-Jones
- The University of Edinburgh Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Stauch KL, Totusek S, Trease AJ, Estrella LD, Emanuel K, Fangmeier A, Fox HS. Longitudinal in vivo metabolic labeling reveals tissue-specific mitochondrial proteome turnover rates and proteins selectively altered by parkin deficiency. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11414. [PMID: 37452120 PMCID: PMC10349111 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38484-0] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Our study utilizes a longitudinal isotopic metabolic labeling approach in vivo in combination with organelle fraction proteomics to address the role of parkin in mitochondrial protein turnover in mice. The use of metabolic labeling provides a method to quantitatively determine the global changes in protein half-lives whilst simultaneously assessing protein expression. Studying two diverse mitochondrial populations, we demonstrated the median half-life of brain striatal synaptic mitochondrial proteins is significantly greater than that of hepatic mitochondrial proteins (25.7 vs. 3.5 days). Furthermore, loss of parkin resulted in an overall, albeit modest, increase in both mitochondrial protein abundance and half-life. Pathway and functional analysis of our proteomics data identified both known and novel pathways affected by loss of parkin that are consistent with its role in both mitochondrial quality control and neurodegeneration. Our study therefore adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting dependence on parkin is low for basal mitophagy in vivo and provides a foundation for the investigation of novel parkin targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K L Stauch
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - S Totusek
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - A J Trease
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - L D Estrella
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - K Emanuel
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - A Fangmeier
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - H S Fox
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Needs HI, Wilkinson KA, Henley JM, Collinson I. Aggregation-prone Tau impairs mitochondrial import, which affects organelle morphology and neuronal complexity. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260993. [PMID: 37303235 PMCID: PMC10357015 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260993] [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: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial protein import is essential for organellar biogenesis, and thereby for the sufficient supply of cytosolic ATP - which is particularly important for cells with high energy demands like neurons. This study explores the prospect of import machinery perturbation as a cause of neurodegeneration instigated by the accumulation of aggregating proteins linked to disease. We found that the aggregation-prone Tau variant (TauP301L) reduces the levels of components of the import machinery of the outer (TOM20, encoded by TOMM20) and inner membrane (TIM23, encoded by TIMM23) while associating with TOM40 (TOMM40). Intriguingly, this interaction affects mitochondrial morphology, but not protein import or respiratory function; raising the prospect of an intrinsic rescue mechanism. Indeed, TauP301L induced the formation of tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs), potentially for the recruitment of healthy mitochondria from neighbouring cells and/or the disposal of mitochondria incapacitated by aggregated Tau. Consistent with this, inhibition of TNT formation (and rescue) reveals Tau-induced import impairment. In primary neuronal cultures, TauP301L induced morphological changes characteristic of neurodegeneration. Interestingly, these effects were mirrored in cells where the import sites were blocked artificially. Our results reveal a link between aggregation-prone Tau and defective mitochondrial import relevant to disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hope I. Needs
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | | | - Jeremy M. Henley
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Ian Collinson
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Samudra N, Lane-Donovan C, VandeVrede L, Boxer AL. Tau pathology in neurodegenerative disease: disease mechanisms and therapeutic avenues. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e168553. [PMID: 37317972 PMCID: PMC10266783 DOI: 10.1172/jci168553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are disorders associated with tau protein dysfunction and insoluble tau accumulation in the brain at autopsy. Multiple lines of evidence from human disease, as well as nonclinical translational models, suggest that tau has a central pathologic role in these disorders, historically thought to be primarily related to tau gain of toxic function. However, a number of tau-targeting therapies with various mechanisms of action have shown little promise in clinical trials in different tauopathies. We review what is known about tau biology, genetics, and therapeutic mechanisms that have been tested in clinical trials to date. We discuss possible reasons for failures of these therapies, such as use of imperfect nonclinical models that do not predict human effects for drug development; heterogeneity of human tau pathologies which may lead to variable responses to therapy; and ineffective therapeutic mechanisms, such as targeting of the wrong tau species or protein epitope. Innovative approaches to human clinical trials can help address some of the difficulties that have plagued our field's development of tau-targeting therapies thus far. Despite limited clinical success to date, as we continue to refine our understanding of tau's pathogenic mechanism(s) in different neurodegenerative diseases, we remain optimistic that tau-targeting therapies will eventually play a central role in the treatment of tauopathies.
Collapse
|
41
|
Kauwe G, Pareja-Navarro KA, Yao L, Chen JH, Wong I, Saloner R, Cifuentes H, Nana AL, Shah S, Li Y, Le D, Spina S, Grinberg LT, Seeley WW, Kramer JH, Sacktor TC, Schilling B, Gan L, Casaletto KB, Tracy TE. KIBRA repairs synaptic plasticity and promotes resilience to tauopathy-related memory loss. bioRxiv 2023:2023.06.12.543777. [PMID: 37398236 PMCID: PMC10312627 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.12.543777] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is obstructed by pathogenic tau in the brain, representing a key mechanism that underlies memory loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Here, we define a mechanism for plasticity repair in vulnerable neurons using the C-terminus of the KIdney/BRAin (KIBRA) protein (CT-KIBRA). We show that CT-KIBRA restores plasticity and memory in transgenic mice expressing pathogenic human tau; however, CT-KIBRA did not alter tau levels or prevent tau-induced synapse loss. Instead, we find that CT-KIBRA binds to and stabilizes protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) to maintain synaptic plasticity and memory despite tau-mediated pathogenesis. In humans we find that reduced KIBRA in brain and increased KIBRA in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with cognitive impairment and pathological tau levels in disease. Thus, our results distinguish KIBRA both as a novel biomarker of synapse dysfunction in AD and as the foundation for a synapse repair mechanism to reverse cognitive impairment in tauopathy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grant Kauwe
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| | | | - Lei Yao
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| | | | - Ivy Wong
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| | - Rowan Saloner
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | | | - Alissa L. Nana
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - Samah Shah
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| | - Yaqiao Li
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - David Le
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - William W. Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - Joel H. Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - Todd C. Sacktor
- The Robert F. Furchgott Center of Neural and Behavioral Science, Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Anesthesiology, and Neurology, State University of New York Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY USA
| | | | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Kaitlin B. Casaletto
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco USA
| | - Tara E. Tracy
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
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 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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.
Collapse
|
43
|
Jiang L, Roberts R, Wong M, Zhang L, Webber CJ, Kilci A, Jenkins M, Sun J, Sun G, Rashad S, Dedon PC, Daley SA, Xia W, Ortiz AR, Dorrian L, Saito T, Saido TC, Wolozin B. Accumulation of m 6A exhibits stronger correlation with MAPT than β-amyloid pathology in an APP NL-G-F /MAPT P301S mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-2745852. [PMID: 37292629 PMCID: PMC10246280 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2745852/v1] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The study for the pathophysiology study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hampered by lack animal models that recapitulate the major AD pathologies, including extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, intracellular aggregation of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), inflammation and neurodegeneration. We now report on a double transgenic APPNL-G-F MAPTP301S mouse that at 6 months of age exhibits robust Aβ plaque accumulation, intense MAPT pathology, strong inflammation and extensive neurodegeneration. The presence of Aβ pathology potentiated the other major pathologies, including MAPT pathology, inflammation and neurodegeneration. However, MAPT pathology neither changed levels of amyloid precursor protein nor potentiated Aβ accumulation. The APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse model also showed strong accumulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which was recently shown to be elevated in the AD brain. M6A primarily accumulated in neuronal soma, but also co-localized with a subset of astrocytes and microglia. The accumulation of m6A corresponded with increases in METTL3 and decreases in ALKBH5, which are enzymes that add or remove m6A from mRNA, respectively. Thus, the APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse recapitulates many features of AD pathology beginning at 6 months of aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Rebecca Roberts
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Melissa Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Lushuang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Chelsea Joy Webber
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alper Kilci
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Matthew Jenkins
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Resistance IRG, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Guangxin Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sherif Rashad
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Peter C Dedon
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Sarah Anne Daley
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, 01730, USA
| | - Weiming Xia
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, 01730, USA
| | - Alejandro Rondón Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Luke Dorrian
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198,Japan
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198,Japan
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Neurology, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Zhong S, Ye J, Deng Y, Zhang M, Zou M, Yao X, Xiao S. Quercetagitrin Inhibits Tau Accumulation and Reverses Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Deficits in P301S-Tau Transgenic Mice. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093964. [PMID: 37175376 PMCID: PMC10180163 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093964] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular tau accumulation is a hallmark pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Tau protein, in the hyperphosphorylated form, is the component of paired helical filaments (PHFs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in AD. Blocking tau aggregation and/or phosphorylation is currently a promising strategy for AD treatment. Here, we elucidate that quercetagitrin, a natural compound derived from African marigold (Tagetes erecta), could inhibit tau aggregation and reduce tau phosphorylation at multiple disease-related sites in vitro. Moreover, the in vivo effect of quercetagitrin was assessed in P301S-tau transgenic via oral administration. The compound treatment restored the cognitive deficits and neuron loss in the mice. The formation of NFTs and tau phosphorylations in the hippocampus and cortex of the mice was also prevented by the compound. Moreover, quercetagitrin feeding displayed neuroinflammation protection through the inhibition of NF-κB activation in the mice. Together, our data reveal that quercetagitrin possesses the potential to further develop as a therapeutic medicine for AD and other tauopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suyue Zhong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jinwang Ye
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yunsong Deng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Mohan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical and Engineering, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530008, China
| | - Miaozhan Zou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xuanbao Yao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shifeng Xiao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Manca M, Standke HG, Browne DF, Huntley ML, Thomas OR, Orrú CD, Hughson AG, Kim Y, Zhang J, Tatsuoka C, Zhu X, Hiniker A, Coughlin DG, Galasko D, Kraus A. Tau seeds occur before earliest Alzheimer's changes and are prevalent across neurodegenerative diseases. Acta Neuropathol 2023:10.1007/s00401-023-02574-0. [PMID: 37154939 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02574-0] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Tau neurofibrillary tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease neuropathological change. However, it remains largely unclear how distinctive Alzheimer's disease tau seeds (i.e. 3R/4R) correlate with histological indicators of tau accumulation. Furthermore, AD tau co-pathology is thought to influence features and progression of other neurodegenerative diseases including Lewy body disease; yet measurements of different types of tau seeds in the setting of such diseases is an unmet need. Here, we use tau real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays to selectively quantitate 3R/4R tau seeds in the frontal lobe which accumulates histologically identifiable tau pathology at late disease stages of AD neuropathologic change. Seed quantitation across a spectrum of neurodegenerative disease cases and controls indicated tau seeding activity can be detected well before accompanying histopathological indication of tau deposits, and even prior to the earliest evidence of Alzheimer's-related tau accumulation anywhere in the brain. In later stages of AD, 3R/4R tau RT-QuIC measures correlated with immunohistochemical tau burden. In addition, Alzheimer's tau seeds occur in the vast majority of cases evaluated here inclusive of primary synucleinopathies, frontotemporal lobar degeneration and even controls albeit at multi-log lower levels than Alzheimer's cases. α-synuclein seeding activity confirmed synucleinopathy cases and further indicated the co-occurrence of α-synuclein seeds in some Alzheimer's disease and primary tauopathy cases. Our analysis indicates that 3R/4R tau seeds in the mid-frontal lobe correlate with the overall Braak stage and Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic change, supporting the quantitative predictive value of tau RT-QuIC assays. Our data also indicate 3R/4R tau seeds are elevated in females compared to males at high (≥ IV) Braak stages. This study suggests 3R/4R tau seeds are widespread even prior to the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease changes, including in normal, and even young individuals, with prevalence across multiple neurodegenerative diseases to further define disease subtypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Manca
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Heidi G Standke
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Danielle F Browne
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mikayla L Huntley
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Olivia R Thomas
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Christina D Orrú
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Andrew G Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Yongya Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Curtis Tatsuoka
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - Xiongwei Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Annie Hiniker
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - David G Coughlin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Douglas Galasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093-0612, USA
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tau has commanded much attention as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases. Tau pathology is a hallmark of primary tauopathies, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and subtypes of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as secondary tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of tau therapeutics must reconcile with the structural complexity of the tau proteome, as well as an incomplete understanding of the role of tau in both physiology and disease. AREAS COVERED This review offers a current perspective on tau biology, discusses key barriers to the development of effective tau-based therapeutics, and promotes the idea that pathogenic (as opposed to merely pathological) tau should be at the center of drug development efforts. EXPERT OPINION An efficacious tau therapeutic will exhibit several primary features: 1) selectivity for pathogenic tau versus other tau species; 2) blood-brain barrier and cell membrane permeability, enabling access to intracellular tau in disease-relevant brain regions; and 3) minimal toxicity. Oligomeric tau is proposed as a major pathogenic form of tau and a compelling drug target in tauopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Rayman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Hussong SA, Banh AQ, Van Skike CE, Dorigatti AO, Hernandez SF, Hart MJ, Ferran B, Makhlouf H, Gaczynska M, Osmulski PA, McAllen SA, Dineley KT, Ungvari Z, Perez VI, Kayed R, Galvan V. Soluble pathogenic tau enters brain vascular endothelial cells and drives cellular senescence and brain microvascular dysfunction in a mouse model of tauopathy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2367. [PMID: 37185259 PMCID: PMC10126555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37840-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may constitute a therapeutically addressable biological pathway underlying dementia. We previously demonstrated that soluble pathogenic forms of tau (tau oligomers) accumulate in brain microvasculature of AD and other tauopathies, including prominently in microvascular endothelial cells. Here we show that soluble pathogenic tau accumulates in brain microvascular endothelial cells of P301S(PS19) mice modeling tauopathy and drives AD-like brain microvascular deficits. Microvascular impairments in P301S(PS19) mice were partially negated by selective removal of pathogenic soluble tau aggregates from brain. We found that similar to trans-neuronal transmission of pathogenic forms of tau, soluble tau aggregates are internalized by brain microvascular endothelial cells in a heparin-sensitive manner and induce microtubule destabilization, block endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation, and potently induce endothelial cell senescence that was recapitulated in vivo in microvasculature of P301S(PS19) mice. Our studies suggest that soluble pathogenic tau aggregates mediate AD-like brain microvascular deficits in a mouse model of tauopathy, which may arise from endothelial cell senescence and eNOS dysfunction triggered by internalization of soluble tau aggregates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacy A Hussong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Oklahoma City Veterans Health Care System, 921 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Andy Q Banh
- South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Candice E Van Skike
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Angela O Dorigatti
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Stephen F Hernandez
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Matthew J Hart
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Center for Therapeutic Science, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Beatriz Ferran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Haneen Makhlouf
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Maria Gaczynska
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Pawel A Osmulski
- Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health San Antonio, 4939 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Salome A McAllen
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Kelly T Dineley
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Zoltan Ungvari
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 800 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- International Training Program in Geroscience, Doctoral School of Basic and Translational Medicine, Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Üllői út 26, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
- Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Veronica Galvan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
- Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L Young Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
- Oklahoma City Veterans Health Care System, 921 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Aillaud I, Funke SA. Tau Aggregation Inhibiting Peptides as Potential Therapeutics for Alzheimer Disease. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:951-961. [PMID: 35596819 PMCID: PMC10006036 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [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: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder. AD causes enormous personal and economic burden to society as currently only limited palliative therapeutic options are available. The pathological hallmarks of the disease are extracellular plaques, composed of fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ), and neurofibrillary tangles inside neurons, composed of Tau protein. Until recently, the search for AD therapeutics was focussed more on the Aβ peptide and its pathology, but the results were unsatisfying. As an alternative, Tau might be a promising therapeutic target as its pathology is closely correlated to clinical symptoms. In addition, pathological Tau aggregation occurs in a large group of diseases, called Tauopathies, and in most of them Aβ aggregation does not play a role in disease pathogenesis. The formation of Tau aggregates is triggered by two hexapeptide motifs within Tau; PHF6* and PHF6. Both fragments are interesting targets for the development of Tau aggregation inhibitors (TAI). Peptides represent a unique class of pharmaceutical compounds and are reasonable alternatives to chemical substances or antibodies. They are attributed with high biological activity, valuable specificity and low toxicity, and often are developed as drug candidates to interrupt protein-protein interactions. The preparation of peptides is simple, controllable and the peptides can be easily modified. However, their application may also have disadvantages. Currently, a few peptide compounds acting as TAI are described in the literature, most of them developed by structure-based design or phage display. Here, we review the current state of research in this promising field of AD therapy development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Aillaud
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Aileen Funke
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Torok J, Anand C, Verma P, Raj A. Connectome-based biophysics models of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and prognosis. Transl Res 2023; 254:13-23. [PMID: 36031051 PMCID: PMC11019890 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
With the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) among aging populations and the limited therapeutic options available to slow or reverse its progression, the need has never been greater for improved diagnostic tools for identifying patients in the preclinical and prodomal phases of AD. Biophysics models of the connectome-based spread of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and microtubule-associated protein tau (τ) have enjoyed recent success as tools for predicting the time course of AD-related pathological changes. However, given the complex etiology of AD, which involves not only connectome-based spread of protein pathology but also the interactions of many molecular and cellular players over multiple spatiotemporal scales, more robust, complete biophysics models are needed to better understand AD pathophysiology and ultimately provide accurate patient-specific diagnoses and prognoses. Here we discuss several areas of active research in AD whose insights can be used to enhance the mathematical modeling of AD pathology as well as recent attempts at developing improved connectome-based biophysics models. These efforts toward a comprehensive yet parsimonious mathematical description of AD hold great promise for improving both the diagnosis of patients at risk for AD and our mechanistic understanding of how AD progresses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin Torok
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
| | - Chaitali Anand
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Parul Verma
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Ashish Raj
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and University of California, San Francisco, Berkeley, California; Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Jiang L, Roberts R, Wong M, Zhang L, Webber CJ, Kilci A, Jenkins M, Sun G, Rashad S, Sun J, Dedon PC, Daley SA, Xia W, Ortiz AR, Dorrian L, Saito T, Saido TC, Wolozin B. Accumulation of m 6A exhibits stronger correlation with MAPT than β-amyloid pathology in an APP NL-G-F /MAPT P301S mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. bioRxiv 2023:2023.03.28.534515. [PMID: 37034774 PMCID: PMC10081259 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.28.534515] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The study for the pathophysiology study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hampered by lack animal models that recapitulate the major AD pathologies, including extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition, intracellular aggregation of microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), inflammation and neurodegeneration. We now report on a double transgenic APPNL-G-F MAPTP301S mouse that at 6 months of age exhibits robust Aβ plaque accumulation, intense MAPT pathology, strong inflammation and extensive neurodegeneration. The presence of Aβ pathology potentiated the other major pathologies, including MAPT pathology, inflammation and neurodegeneration. However, MAPT pathology neither changed levels of amyloid precursor protein nor potentiated Aβ accumulation. The APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse model also showed strong accumulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which was recently shown to be elevated in the AD brain. M6A primarily accumulated in neuronal soma, but also co-localized with a subset of astrocytes and microglia. The accumulation of m6A corresponded with increases in METTL3 and decreases in ALKBH5, which are enzymes that add or remove m6A from mRNA, respectively. Thus, the APPNL-G-F/MAPTP301S mouse recapitulates many features of AD pathology beginning at 6 months of aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Rebecca Roberts
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Melissa Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Lushuang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Chelsea Joy Webber
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Alper Kilci
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Matthew Jenkins
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Guangxin Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sherif Rashad
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Neurosurgical Engineering and Translational Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Resistance IRG, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Peter C Dedon
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Antimicrobial Resistance IRG, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Sarah Anne Daley
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, 01730, USA
| | - Weiming Xia
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Bedford VA Healthcare System, Bedford, MA, 01730, USA
| | - Alejandro Rondón Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Luke Dorrian
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Takashi Saito
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Takaomi C. Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Benjamin Wolozin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02118
- Department of Neurology, Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA USA
| |
Collapse
|