title: Inverse and distinct modulation of tau-dependent neurodegeneration by presenilin 1 and amyloid-beta in cultured cortical neurons: evidence that tau phosphorylation is the limiting factor in amyloid-beta-induced cell death.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by massive neuron loss in distinct brain regions, extracellular accumulations of the amyloid precursor protein-fragment amyloid-beta (A beta) and intracellular tau fibrils containing hyperphosphorylated tau. Experimental evidence suggests a relation between presenilin (PS) mutations, A beta formation, and tau phosphorylation in triggering cell death; however, how A beta and PS affect tau-dependent degeneration is unknown. Using herpes simplex virus 1-mediated gene-transfer of fluorescent-tagged tau constructs in primary cortical neurons, we demonstrate that tau expression exerts a neurotoxic effect that is increased with a construct mimicking disease-like hyperphosphorylation [pseudohyperphosphorylated (PHP) tau]. Live imaging revealed that PHP tau expression is associated with increased perikarya suggesting the development of a 'ballooned' phenotype as a specific feature of tau-mediated cell death. Transgenic expression of PS1 suppressed tau-induced neurodegeneration. In contrast, A beta amplified degeneration in the presence of wt tau but not of PHP tau. The data indicate that PS1 and A beta inversely modulate tau-dependent neurodegeneration at distinct steps. They indicate that the mode by which PHP tau causes neurotoxicity is downstream of A beta and that tau phosphorylation is the limiting factor in A beta-induced cell death. Suppression of tau expression or inhibition of tau phosphorylation at disease-relevant sites may provide an effective therapeutic strategy to prevent neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leschik
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Welzel
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weissmann
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D053764:Presenilin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D007211:Indoles; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C079240:Mtap2 protein, mouse; D053764:Presenilin-1; D016875:tau Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C007293:DAPI