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Islam Khan R, Nirzhor SSR, Rashid B. A Closer Look into the Role of Protein Tau in the Identification of Promising Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's Disease. Brain Sci 2018; 8:E162. [PMID: 30149687 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8090162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most commonly known chronic neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer's disease (AD), manifests the common type of dementia in 60⁻80% of cases. From a clinical standpoint, a patent cognitive decline and a severe change in personality, as caused by a loss of neurons, is usually evident in AD with about 50 million people affected in 2016. The disease progression in patients is distinguished by a gradual plummet in cognitive functions, eliciting symptoms such as memory loss, and eventually requiring full-time medical care. From a histopathological standpoint, the defining characteristics are intracellular aggregations of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein, known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and depositions of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) in the brain. The abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein is attributed to a wide gamut of neurological disorders known as tauopathies. In addition to the hyperphosphorylated tau lesions, neuroinflammatory processes could occur in a sustained manner through astro-glial activation, resulting in the disease progression. Recent findings have suggested a strong interplay between the mechanism of Tau phosphorylation, disruption of microtubules, and synaptic loss and pathology of AD. The mechanisms underlying these interactions along with their respective consequences in Tau pathology are still ill-defined. Thus, in this review: (1) we highlight the interplays existing between Tau pathology and AD; and (2) take a closer look into its role while identifying some promising therapeutic advances including state of the art imaging techniques.
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Guedes JR, Lao T, Cardoso AL, El Khoury J. Roles of Microglial and Monocyte Chemokines and Their Receptors in Regulating Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Amyloid-β and Tau Pathologies. Front Neurol 2018; 9:549. [PMID: 30158892 PMCID: PMC6104478 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemokines and their receptors have been shown to affect amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathologies in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by regulating microglia and monocyte-associated neuroinflammation, microglial movement and monocyte recruitment into the brain. These cells in turn can promote and mediate Aβ phagocytosis and degradation and tau phosphorylation. In this review we discuss published work in this field in mouse models of AD and review what is known about the contributions of microglial and monocyte chemokines and their receptors to amyloid and tau pathologies. We focus on the roles of the chemokine/chemokine receptor pairs CCL2/CCR2, CX3CL1/CX3CR1, CCL5/CCR5, CXCL10/CXCR3 and CXCL1/CXCR2, highlighting important knowledge gaps in this field. A full understanding of the functions of chemokines and their receptors in AD may guide the development of novel immunotherapies for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana R Guedes
- Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Taotao Lao
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Ana L Cardoso
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joseph El Khoury
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Skrabana R, Kovacech B, Filipcik P, Zilka N, Jadhav S, Smolek T, Kontsekova E, Novak M. Neuronal Expression of Truncated Tau Efficiently Promotes Neurodegeneration in Animal Models: Pitfalls of Toxic Oligomer Analysis. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 58:1017-1025. [PMID: 28527208 DOI: 10.3233/jad-161124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of neurodegeneration induced by neuronal expression of truncated tau protein emerge as an important tool for understanding the pathogenesis of human tauopathies and for therapy development. Here we highlight common features of truncated tau models and make a critical assessment of possible pitfalls in their analysis. Particularly, the amount of soluble tau oligomers, which are suspected to be neurotoxic agents participating on the spreading of pathology inside the brain, may be overestimated due to a post-lysis oxidative tau oligomerization. Using a mouse brain lysate spiked with recombinant truncated and full length tau forms, we show that tau oligomers might inadvertently be produced during the isolation procedure. This finding is further corroborated by the analysis of brain lysates originated from a mouse model expressing truncated tau variant. Our results underline the necessity of thiol-protecting conditions during the analysis of tau oligomers involved in the etiopathogenesis of various tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rostislav Skrabana
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Branislav Kovacech
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Filipcik
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Norbert Zilka
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Santosh Jadhav
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomas Smolek
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Kontsekova
- AXON Neuroscience R&D Services SE, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.,AXON Neuroscience SE, Larnaca, Cyprus
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Abstract
Left-handed polyproline-II type helix is a regular conformation of polypeptide chain not only of fibrous, but also of folded and natively unfolded proteins and peptides. It is the only class of regular secondary structure substantially represented in non-fibrous proteins and peptides on a par with right-handed alpha-helix and beta-structure. In this study, we have shown that polyproline-II helix is abundant in several peptides and proteins involved in proteopathies, the amyloid-beta peptides, protein tau and prion protein. Polyproline-II helices form two interaction sites in the amyloid-beta peptides, which are pivotal for pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It also with high probability is the structure of the majority of tau phosphorylation sites, important for tau hyperphosphorylation and formation of neurofibrillary tangles, a hallmark of AD. Polyproline-II helices form large parts of the structure of the folded domain of prion protein. They can undergo conversion to beta-structure as a result of relatively small change of one torsional angle of polypeptide chain. We hypothesize that in prions and amyloids, in general polyproline-II helices can serve as structural elements of the normal structure as well as dormant nuclei of structure conversion, and thus play important role in structure changes leading to the formation of fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei A Adzhubei
- a Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences , Vavilov St 32, Moscow 119991 , Russia
| | - Anastasia A Anashkina
- a Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences , Vavilov St 32, Moscow 119991 , Russia
| | - Alexander A Makarov
- a Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences , Vavilov St 32, Moscow 119991 , Russia
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Maurin H, Lechat B, Dewachter I, Ris L, Louis JV, Borghgraef P, Devijver H, Jaworski T, Van Leuven F. Neurological characterization of mice deficient in GSK3α highlight pleiotropic physiological functions in cognition and pathological activity as Tau kinase. Mol Brain 2013; 6:27. [PMID: 23705847 PMCID: PMC3671145 DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-6-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND GSK3β is involved in a wide range of physiological functions, and is presumed to act in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, from bipolar disorder to Alzheimer's disease (AD). In contrast, the GSK3α isozyme remained largely ignored with respect to both aspects. RESULTS We generated and characterized two mouse strains with neuron-specific or with total GSK3α deficiency. Behavioral and electrophysiological analysis demonstrated the physiological importance of neuronal GSK3α, with GSK3β not compensating for impaired cognition and reduced LTP. Interestingly, the passive inhibitory avoidance task proved to modulate the phosphorylation status of both GSK3 isozymes in wild-type mice, further implying both to function in cognition. Moreover, GSK3α contributed to the neuronal architecture of the hippocampal CA1 sub-region that is most vulnerable in AD. Consequently, practically all parameters and characteristics indicated that both GSK3 isoforms were regulated independently, but that they acted on the same physiological functions in learning and memory, in mobility and in behavior. CONCLUSIONS GSK3α proved to be regulated independently from GSK3β, and to exert non-redundant physiological neurological functions in general behavior and in cognition. Moreover, GSK3α contributes to the pathological phosphorylation of protein Tau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Maurin
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benoit Lechat
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Dewachter
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurence Ris
- Department Neurosciences, University Mons-Hainaut, B-7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Justin V Louis
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Borghgraef
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Herman Devijver
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tomasz Jaworski
- Present address: Nencki Institute Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Fred Van Leuven
- Experimental Genetics Group - LEGTEGG, Department Human Genetics, KULeuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
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