No more brain tangles with DeltaNp73.
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), neurons suffer dysfunction and death associated with aberrant tau phosphorylation and subsequent neurofibrillary tangles. A new study reveals a surprising neuroprotective role for a truncated p73 isoform (DeltaNp73). Aged mice with reduced DeltaNp73 levels exhibit tau pathology and cognitive deficits, and DeltaNp73 reduction in mice with amyloid pathology causes extensive tangle formation and neuron death. These findings provide a novel animal model of AD and a potential therapeutic role for DeltaNp73 inducers.
Mattson
Mark P
MP
Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. mattsonm@grc.nia.nih.gov
Ashery
Uri
U
D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000737:chemistry
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C000606460:TP73 protein, human; C000606368:Trp73 protein, mouse; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C000606369:delta Np73 protein, human; C454920:delta Np73, mouse; D016875:tau Proteins