title: Interactions between Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau (MAPT) and Small Molecules.
abstract: Tau aggregation is linked to multiple neurodegenerative disorders that are collectively termed tauopathies. Small molecules are powerful probes of the aggregation process, helping to reveal the key steps and serving as diagnostics and reporters. Moreover, some of these small molecules may have potential as therapeutics. This review details how small molecules and chemical biology have helped to elucidate the mechanisms of tau aggregation and how they are being used to detect and prevent tau aggregation. In addition, we comment on how new insights into tau prions are changing the approach to small molecule discovery.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158.
authors.forename: Jennifer N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Rauch
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158.
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158.
authors.forename: Jason E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gestwicki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D066263:Protein Aggregation, Pathological / Q000473:pathology*; D024801:Tauopathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016875:tau Proteins