Casey Cook

Aberrant cleavage of TDP-43 enhances aggregation and cellular toxicity

Inclusions of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), a nuclear protein that regulates transcription and RNA splicing, are the defining histopathological feature of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions (FTLD-Us) and sporadic and familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In ALS and FTLD-U, aggregated, ubiquitinated, and N-terminally truncated TDP-43 can be isolated from brain tissue rich in neuronal and glial cytoplasmic inclusions. The loss of TDP-43 function resulting from inappropriate cleavage, translocation from the nucleus, or its sequestration into inclusions could play important roles in neurodegeneration. However, it is not known whether TDP-43 fragments directly mediate toxicity and, more specifically, whether their abnormal aggregation is a cause or consequence of pathogenesis. We report that the ectopic expression of a ≈25-kDa TDP-43 fragment corresponding to the C-terminal truncation product of caspase-cleaved TDP-43 leads to the formation of toxic, insoluble, and ubiquitin- and phospho-positive cytoplasmic inclusions within cells. The 25-kDa C-terminal fragment is more prone to phosphorylation at S409/S410 than full-length TDP-43, but phosphorylation at these sites is not required for inclusion formation or toxicity. Although this fragment shows no biological activity, its exogenous expression neither inhibits the function nor causes the sequestration of full-length nuclear TDP-43, suggesting that the 25-kDa fragment can induce cell death through a toxic gain-of-function. Finally, by generating a conformation-dependent antibody that detects C-terminal fragments, we show that this toxic cleavage product is specific for pathologic inclusions in human TDP-43 proteinopathies.

An autoradiographic evaluation of AV-1451 Tau PET in dementia

BackgroundIt is essential to determine the specificity of AV-1451 PET for tau in brain imaging by using pathological comparisons. We performed autoradiography in autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative disorders to evaluate the specificity of AV-1451 binding for tau aggregates.MethodsTissue samples were selected that had a variety of dementia-related neuropathologies including Alzheimer disease, primary age-related tauopathy, tangle predominant dementia, non-Alzheimer disease tauopathies, frontotemporal dementia, parkinsonism, Lewy body disease and multiple system atrophy (n = 38). Brain tissue sections were stained for tau, TAR DNA-binding protein-43, and α-synuclein and compared to AV-1451 autoradiography on adjacent sections.ResultsAV-1451 preferentially localized to neurofibrillary tangles, with less binding to areas enriched in neuritic pathology and less mature tau. The strength of AV-1451 binding with respect to tau isoforms in various neurodegenerative disorders was: 3R + 4R tau (e.g., AD) > 3R tau (e.g., Pick disease) or 4R tau. Only minimal binding of AV-1451 to TAR DNA-binding protein-43 positive regions was detected. No binding of AV-1451 to α-synuclein was detected. “Off-target” binding was seen in vessels, iron-associated regions, substantia nigra, calcifications in the choroid plexus, and leptomeningeal melanin.ConclusionsReduced AV-1451 binding in neuritic pathology compared to neurofibrillary tangles suggests that the maturity of tau pathology may affect AV-1451 binding and suggests complexity in AV-1451 binding. Poor association of AV-1451 with tauopathies that have preferential accumulation of either 4R tau or 3R tau suggests limited clinical utility in detecting these pathologies. In contrast, for disorders associated with 3R + 4R tau, such as Alzheimer disease, AV-1451 binds tau avidly but does not completely reflect the early stage tau progression suggested by Braak neurofibrillary tangle staging. AV-1451 binding to TAR DNA-binding protein-43 or TAR DNA-binding protein-43 positive regions can be weakly positive. Clinical use of AV-1451 will require a familiarity with distinct types of “off-target” binding.

Neuronal activity enhances tau propagation and tau pathology in vivo

Tau protein can transfer between neurons transneuronally and trans-synaptically, which is thought to explain the progressive spread of tauopathy observed in the brain of patients with Alzheimers disease. Here we show that physiological tau released from donor cells can transfer to recipient cells via the medium, suggesting that at least one mechanism by which tau can transfer is via the extracellular space. Neuronal activity has been shown to regulate tau secretion, but its effect on tau pathology is unknown. Using optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches, we found that increased neuronal activity stimulates the release of tau in vitro and enhances tau pathology in vivo. These data have implications for disease pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for Alzheimers disease and other tauopathies.

Acetylation of the KXGS motifs in tau is a critical determinant in modulation of tau aggregation and clearance

The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is a neuropathological hallmark of tauopathies, including Alzheimers disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but effective therapies directly targeting the tau protein are currently lacking. Herein, we describe a novel mechanism in which the acetylation of tau on KXGS motifs inhibits phosphorylation on this same motif, and also prevents tau aggregation. Using a site-specific antibody to detect acetylation of KXGS motifs, we demonstrate that these sites are hypoacetylated in patients with AD, as well as a mouse model of tauopathy, suggesting that loss of acetylation on KXGS motifs renders tau vulnerable to pathogenic insults. Furthermore, we identify histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) as the enzyme responsible for the deacetylation of these residues, and provide proof of concept that acute treatment with a selective and blood–brain barrier-permeable HDAC6 inhibitor enhances acetylation and decreases phosphorylation on taus KXGS motifs in vivo. As such, we have uncovered a novel therapeutic pathway that can be manipulated to block the formation of pathogenic tau species in disease.

Loss of HDAC6, a novel CHIP substrate, alleviates abnormal tau accumulation

The abnormal accumulation of the microtubule-binding protein tau is associated with a number of neurodegenerative conditions, and correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimers disease. The ubiquitin ligase carboxy terminus of Hsp70-interacting protein (CHIP) and the molecular chaperone Hsp90 are implicated in protein triage decisions involving tau, and have consequently been targeted for therapeutic approaches aimed at decreasing tau burden. Here, we present evidence that CHIP binds, ubiquitinates and regulates expression of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6). As the deacetylase for Hsp90, HDAC6 modulates Hsp90 function and determines the favorability of refolding versus degradation of Hsp90 client proteins. Moreover, we demonstrate that HDAC6 levels positively correlate with tau burden, while a decrease in HDAC6 activity or expression promotes tau clearance. Consistent with previous research on Hsp90 clients in cancer, we provide evidence that a loss of HDAC6 activity augments the efficacy of an Hsp90 inhibitor and drives client degradation, in this case tau. Therefore, our current findings not only identify HDAC6 as a critical factor for the regulation of tau levels, but also indicate that a multi-faceted treatment approach could more effectively arrest tau accumulation in disease.

Disruption of Protein Quality Control in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinsons disease (PD), like a number of neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging, is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of protein in a specific subset of neurons. Although researchers have recently elucidated the genetic causes of PD, much remains unknown about what causes increased protein deposition in the disease. Given that increased protein aggregation may result not only from an increase in production, but also from decreased protein clearance, it is imperative to investigate both possibilities as potential PD culprits. This article provides a review of the systems that regulate protein clearance, including the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. Literature implicating failure of these mechanisms-such as UPS dysfunction resulting from environmental toxins and mutations in α-synuclein and parkin, as well as macroautophagic pathway failure because of oxidative stress and aging-in the pathogenesis of PD is also discussed.

Progranulin regulates neuronal outgrowth independent of Sortilin

BackgroundProgranulin (PGRN), a widely secreted growth factor, is involved in multiple biological functions, and mutations located within the PGRN gene (GRN) are a major cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43-positive inclusions (FLTD-TDP). In light of recent reports suggesting PGRN functions as a protective neurotrophic factor and that sortilin (SORT1) is a neuronal receptor for PGRN, we used a Sort1-deficient (Sort1−/−) murine primary hippocampal neuron model to investigate whether PGRN’s neurotrophic effects are dependent on SORT1. We sought to elucidate this relationship to determine what role SORT1, as a regulator of PGRN levels, plays in modulating PGRN’s neurotrophic effects.ResultsAs the first group to evaluate the effect of PGRN loss in Grn knockout primary neuronal cultures, we show neurite outgrowth and branching are significantly decreased in Grn−/− neurons compared to wild-type (WT) neurons. More importantly, we also demonstrate that PGRN overexpression can rescue this phenotype. However, the recovery in outgrowth is not observed following treatment with recombinant PGRN harboring missense mutations p.C139R, p.P248L or p.R432C, indicating that these mutations adversely affect the neurotrophic properties of PGRN. In addition, we also present evidence that cleavage of full-length PGRN into granulin peptides is required for increased neuronal outgrowth, suggesting that the neurotrophic functions of PGRN are contained within certain granulins. To further characterize the mechanism by which PGRN impacts neuronal morphology, we assessed the involvement of SORT1. We demonstrate that PGRN induced-outgrowth occurs in the absence of SORT1 in Sort1−/− cultures.ConclusionWe demonstrate that loss of PGRN impairs proper neurite outgrowth and branching, and that exogenous PGRN alleviates this impairment. Furthermore, we determined that exogenous PGRN induces outgrowth independent of SORT1, suggesting another receptor(s) is involved in PGRN induced neuronal outgrowth.

A critical evaluation of the ubiquitin–proteasome system in Parkinson's disease

The evidence for impairment in the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) in Parkinsons disease (PD) is mounting and becoming increasingly more convincing. However, it is presently unclear whether UPS dysfunction is a cause or result of PD pathology, a crucial distinction which impedes both the understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of effectual therapeutic approaches. Recent findings discussed within this review offer new insight and provide direction for future research to conclusively resolve this debate.

Interaction of tau with the RNA-Binding Protein TIA1 Regulates tau Pathophysiology and Toxicity

Dendritic mislocalization of microtubule associated protein tau is a hallmark of tauopathies, but the role of dendritic tau is unknown. We now report that tau interacts with the RNA-binding protein (RBP) TIA1 in brain tissue, and we present the brain-protein interactome network for TIA1. Analysis of the TIA1 interactome in brain tissue from wild-type (WT) and tau knockout mice demonstrates that tau is required for normal interactions of TIA1 with proteins linked to RNA metabolism, including ribosomal proteins and RBPs. Expression studies show that tau regulates the distribution of TIA1, and tau accelerates stress granule (SG) formation. Conversely, TIA1 knockdown or knockout inhibits tau misfolding and associated toxicity in cultured hippocampal neurons, while overexpressing TIA1 induces tau misfolding and stimulates neurodegeneration. Pharmacological interventions that prevent SG formation also inhibit tau pathophysiology. These studies suggest that the pathophysiology of tauopathy requires an intimate interaction with RNA-binding proteins.

The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Reporter GFPu Does Not Accumulate in Neurons of the R6/2 Transgenic Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease

Impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has long been considered an attractive hypothesis to explain the selective dysfunction and death of neurons in polyglutamine disorders such as Huntingtons disease (HD). The fact that inclusion bodies in HD mouse models and patient brains are rich in ubiquitin and proteasome components suggests that the UPS may be hindered directly or indirectly by inclusion bodies or their misfolded monomeric or oligomeric precursors. However, studies into UPS function in various polyglutamine disease models have yielded conflicting results, suggesting mutant polyglutamine tracts may exert different effects on the UPS depending on protein context, expression level, subcellular localisation and cell-type. To investigate UPS function in a well-characterised mouse model of HD, we have crossed R6/2 HD mice with transgenic UPS reporter mice expressing the GFPu construct. The GFPu construct comprises GFP fused to a constitutive degradation signal (CL-1) that promotes its rapid degradation under conditions of a healthy UPS. Using a combination of immunoblot analysis, fluorescence and immunofluorescence microscopy studies, we found that steady-state GFPu levels were not detectably different between R6/2 and non-R6/2 brain. We observed no correlation between inclusion body formation and GFPu accumulation, suggesting no direct relationship between protein aggregation and global UPS inhibition in R6/2 mice. These findings suggest that while certain branches of the UPS can be impaired by mutant polyglutamine proteins, such proteins do not necessarily cause total blockade of UPS-dependent degradation. It is therefore likely that the relationship between mutant polyglutamine proteins and the UPS is more complex than originally anticipated.