Modulation of tau phosphorylation by environmental copper.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The transition metal copper enhances amyloid β aggregation and neurotoxicity, and in models of concomitant amyloid and tau pathology, copper also promotes tau aggregation. Since it is not clear if the effects of environmental copper upon tau pathology are dependent on the presence of pathological amyloid β, we tested the effects of copper overload and complexing in disease models which lack pathological amyloid β.

Methods

We used cell culture and transgenic murine models to test the effects of environmental copper on tau phosphorylation. We used oral zinc acetate as a copper lowering agent in mice and examined changes in blood and brain metals through inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Behavioral effects of copper lowering were assessed with Morris wate

SUBMITTER: Voss K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4322670 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature