Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized pathologically by the intraneuronal deposition of abnormally phosphorylated and aggregated tau protein and by the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques. Abnormal deposition of tau into neurofibrillary tangles is also the primary pathologic feature of a group of less common disorders, collectively termed the """"""""tauopathies."""""""" To define the molecular mechanisms controlling tau-induced neurodegeneration we (Dr. Gamblin) have performed extensive biochemical characterization of tau variants, including splicing isoforms and mutants linked to the familial tauopathy frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. Importantly, these biochemical studies have defined tau variants with altered aggregation and microtubule binding properties. In parallel we (Dr. Feany) have created Drosophila models of tauopathy. Our models recapitulate key features of the human diseases, including age-dependent neurodegeneration, abnormal tau phosphorylation, aggregation of tau into fibrillary tangle-like inclusions, and early death. We will now combine our strengths in biochemistry and in vivo tauopathy modeling to define the species of tau that cause cellular and organismal toxicity in tauopathies.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed studies will combine the mechanistic strengths of biochemical studies with the use of fruit flies as a fast, cheap model system to pinpoint the form of tau that causes neurons to stop functioning normally and eventually die. These studies will help us design better therapies for Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01NS083391-01A1
Application #
8443626
Study Section
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Neurodegeneration Study Section (CMND)
Program Officer
Sutherland, Margaret L
Project Start
2012-09-28
Project End
2016-06-30
Budget Start
2012-09-28
Budget End
2013-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$508,142
Indirect Cost
$133,203
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
030811269
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Ordonez, Dalila G; Lee, Michael K; Feany, Mel B (2018) ?-synuclein Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction through Spectrin and the Actin Cytoskeleton. Neuron 97:108-124.e6
Bardai, Farah H; Wang, Liqun; Mutreja, Yamini et al. (2018) A Conserved Cytoskeletal Signaling Cascade Mediates Neurotoxicity of FTDP-17 Tau Mutations In Vivo. J Neurosci 38:108-119
Mutreja, Yamini; Gamblin, Truman C (2017) Optimization of in vitro conditions to study the arachidonic acid induction of 4R isoforms of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Methods Cell Biol 141:65-88
Paranjape, Smita R; Riley, Andrew P; Somoza, Amber D et al. (2015) Azaphilones inhibit tau aggregation and dissolve tau aggregates in vitro. ACS Chem Neurosci 6:751-60
Frost, Bess; Götz, Jürgen; Feany, Mel B (2015) Connecting the dots between tau dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Trends Cell Biol 25:46-53
Combs, Benjamin; Gamblin, T Chris (2012) FTDP-17 tau mutations induce distinct effects on aggregation and microtubule interactions. Biochemistry 51:8597-607