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review article

To target Tau pathologies, we must embrace and reconstruct their complexities

Limorenko, Galina  
•
Lashuel, Hilal A.  
December 1, 2021
Neurobiology Of Disease

The accumulation of hyperphosphorylated fibrillar Tau aggregates in the brain is one of the defining hallmarks of Tauopathy diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the primary events or molecules responsible for initiation of the pathological Tau aggregation and spreading remain unknown. The discovery of heparin as an effective inducer of Tau aggregation in vitro was instrumental to enabling different lines of research into the role of Tau aggregation in the pathogenesis of Tauopathies. However, recent proteomics and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies have revealed that heparin-induced Tau fibrils generated in vitro do not reproduce the biochemical and ultrastructural properties of disease-associated brain-derived Tau fibrils. These observations demand that we reassess our current approaches for investigating the mechanisms underpinning Tau aggregation and pathology formation. Our review article presents an up-to-date survey and analyses of 1) the evolution of our understanding of the interactions between Tau and heparin, 2) the various structural and mechanistic models of the heparin-induced Tau aggregation, 3) the similarities and differences between brain-derived and heparininduced Tau fibrils; and 4) emerging concepts on the biochemical and structural determinants underpinning Tau pathological heterogeneity in Tauopathies. Our analyses identify specific knowledge gaps and call for 1) embracing the complexities of Tau pathologies; 2) reassessment of current approaches to investigate, model and reproduce pathological Tau aggregation as it occurs in the brain; 3) more research towards a better understanding of the naturally-occurring cofactor molecules that are associated with Tau brain pathology initiation and propagation; and 4) developing improved approaches for in vitro production of the Tau aggregates and fibrils that recapitulate and/or amplify the biochemical and structural complexity and diversity of pathological Tau in Tauopathies. This will result in better and more relevant tools, assays, and mechanistic models, which could significantly improve translational research and the development of drugs and antibodies that have higher chances for success in the clinic.

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Type
review article
DOI
10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105536
Web of Science ID

WOS:000730130600001

Author(s)
Limorenko, Galina  
•
Lashuel, Hilal A.  
Date Issued

2021-12-01

Publisher

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Published in
Neurobiology Of Disease
Volume

161

Article Number

105536

Subjects

Neurosciences

•

Neurosciences & Neurology

•

microtubule-associated protein tau

•

tau

•

heparin

•

tau aggregation

•

tau fibrillization

•

phf

•

tau ptms

•

paired helical filaments

•

heparan-sulfate proteoglycan

•

amyloid precursor protein

•

full-length tau

•

progressive supranuclear palsy

•

brain interstitial fluid

•

in-vivo microdialysis

•

cryo-em structures

•

alzheimers-disease

•

neurofibrillary tangles

Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LMNN  
Available on Infoscience
January 1, 2022
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/184107
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