title: Important neuronal toxicity of microtubule-bound Tau in vivo in Drosophila.
abstract: The microtubule-associated protein Tau is found in large amount in axons of neurons and is involved in human neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies, which include Alzheimer's disease. In these diseases, the Tau protein is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and one therapeutic strategy currently under consideration consists in inhibiting Tau phosphorylation. However, the consequences of an excess of hypophosphorylated Tau onto neuronal physiology have not been investigated in vivo. Here we studied how important is Tau phosphorylation for axonal transport and neurohormone release in vivo, using the Drosophila model. Surprisingly, our results demonstrate a stronger toxicity of hypophosphorylated Tau for neuronal function, when compared with normal or pseudophosphorylated Tau. This reveals a potential limit of the current therapeutic strategy aimed at inhibiting Tau phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR-5203, Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, 141 rue de la cardonille, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Yasmina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Talmat-Amar
authors.forename: Yoan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arribat
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Redt-Clouet
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feuillette
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bougé
authors.forename: Magalie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lecourtois
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Parmentier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001370:Axonal Transport; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024801:Tauopathies / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: C054369:MAPT protein, human; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D016875:tau Proteins