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      Neuronal degeneration, synaptic defects, and behavioral abnormalities in tau₄₅₋₂₃₀ transgenic mice.

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          Abstract

          The complement of mechanisms underlying tau pathology in neurodegenerative disorders has yet to be elucidated. Among these mechanisms, abnormal tau phosphorylation has received the most attention because neurofibrillary tangles present in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders known as tauopathies are composed of hyperphosphorylated forms of this microtubule-associated protein. More recently, we showed that calpain-mediated cleavage leading to the generation of the 17kDa tau₄₅₋₂₃₀ fragment is a conserved mechanism in these diseases. To obtain insights into the role of this fragment in neurodegeneration, we generated transgenic mice that express tau₄₅₋₂₃₀ and characterized their phenotype. Our results showed a significant increase in cell death in the hippocampal pyramidal cell layer of transgenic tau₄₅₋₂₃₀ mice when compared to wild-type controls. In addition, significant synapse loss was detected as early as six months after birth in transgenic hippocampal neurons. These synaptic changes were accompanied by alterations in the expression of the N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate (NMDA) receptor subunits. Furthermore, functional abnormalities were detected in the transgenic mice using Morris Water Maze and fear conditioning tests. These results suggest that the accumulation of tau₄₅₋₂₃₀ is responsible, at least in part, for neuronal degeneration and some behavioral changes in AD and other tauopathies. Collectively, these data provide the first direct evidence of the toxic effects of a tau fragment biologically produced in the context of these diseases in vertebrate neurons that develop in situ.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Neuroscience
          Neuroscience
          1873-7544
          0306-4522
          Sep 5 2014
          : 275
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
          [2 ] Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States. Electronic address: a-ferreira@northwestern.edu.
          Article
          S0306-4522(14)00502-8 NIHMS607166
          10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.017
          4122686
          24952329
          f92c0b91-285c-4152-a618-a2fb208ba179
          Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
          History

          NMDA receptors,calpain,cell death,neurite degeneration,synapse loss,tau cleavage

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