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Montalto G, Caudano F, Sturla L, Bruzzone S, Salis A, Damonte G, Prickaerts J, Fedele E, Ricciarelli R. Protein kinase G phosphorylates the Alzheimer's disease-associated tau protein at distinct Ser/Thr sites. Biofactors 2021; 47:126-134. [PMID: 33469985 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Intraneuronal accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Phosphorylation plays a crucial role in modulating the tau-microtubule interaction and the ability of the protein to aggregate, but despite efforts during the past decades, the real identity of the kynases involved in vivo remains uncertain. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that the cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) phosphorylates tau in both in vitro and in vivo models. More intriguingly, we provide evidence that PKG phosphorylates tau at Ser214 but not at Ser202, a condition that could reduce the pathological aggregation of the protein shifting tau from a pro-aggregant to a neuroprotective anti-aggregant conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Montalto
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Caudano
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Sturla
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Santina Bruzzone
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Salis
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Damonte
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, Center for Excellence in Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatric and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Fedele
- Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberta Ricciarelli
- Section of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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