Project description:Expression of PS19 Tau Transgenic mice from hippocampus at different ages 3, 6, 9, and 12 months We used Affy arrays to understand the global expression profile of PS19 Tau transgenic mice
Project description:We report the binding between tRNA fragments and Phosphorylated Tau pS396 from the hippocampus of WT controls and Tau-mutant PS19 (human P301S Tau transgenic) mice. We show tRNA fragments abundance in Tau-RNA complexes changes between the two groups. Specific tRNA fragment in the results of Real Time-qPCR were consistent with the small RNA microarray:5'tRF_GluCTC
Project description:Tau aggregates are critical pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies. Growing evidence suggests that soluble tau aggregates trigger neurodegenerative phenotypes. However, the nature of the tau species and interactors involved in its aggregation and spreading remains unclear. By using size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatic analysis, we identified Bassoon protein (BSN) as a significant tau interactor in PS19 mice, as well as in human AD and PSP cases. We also found that overexpression of BSN triggers the aggregation of tau and increase the tau seeding activity in vitro, and also exacerbates the degenerative phenotype in a Fly model for tauopathy. Knockdown of BSN significantly reduced tau spreading in PS19 mouse brains and destabilized the tau aggregates, leading to a reduction in the tau pathology in this model. Furthermore, BSN downregulation was able to restore the neurodegenerative phenotype in PS19 mice, observed in electrophysiology and behavioral tests. Our results identify BSN as a key interactor of tau spread and aggregation in the brain, and therefore a potential target for the treatment of diseases that involve tau spread and aggregation.
Project description:Tau aggregation is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders and gain of toxic functions of misfolded tau species are linked to pathobiology. Herein, we identified proteins that limit tau aggregation when targeted to tau aggregates by polyserine domains. Polyserine targeting was most effective at mitigating tau aggregation when fused to the VCP adaptor protein, FAF2/UBXD8. Surprisingly, FAF2/UBXD8 suppresses tau aggregation independent of VCP, but does require ubiquitination, membrane localization and a UBX domain. Validation in animal models demonstrated that polyserine-targeted FAF2/UBXD8 rescues tau-induced neurodegeneration in Drosophila. Further, delivery of targeted FAF2/UBXD8 reduced gliosis, seeding capacity and insoluble tau levels in PS19 tau transgenic mice while improving contextual fear conditioning. Collectively, our findings highlight polyserine as a tau targeting strategy and identify targeted FAF2/UBXD8 as a potent suppressor of tau pathology.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.
Project description:Aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein, tau, can lead to neurofibrillary tangle formation in neurons and glia, the hallmark of tauopathy. The cellular damages induced by the tau overexpression and aggregation may lead to multiple pathologic features of tauopathy. However, the effect of aging on tauopathy has not been elucidated yet. Here, we conducted lncRNA/mRNA sequencing analysis on P301S mutant Tau transgenic mouse model (PS19) with different ages to track the genetic changes occurred by the aging and progression of tau overexpression.
Project description:Activation of microglia is a prominent pathological feature in tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease. How microglia activation contributes to tau toxicity remains largely unknown. Here we show that nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling, activated by tau, drives microglial-mediated tau propagation and toxicity. Constitutive activation of microglial NF-κB exacerbated, while inactivation diminished, tau seeding and spreading in young PS19 mice. Inhibition of NF-B activation enhanced the retention while reduced the release of internalized pathogenic tau fibrils from primary microglia and rescued microglial autophagy deficits. Remarkably, inhibition of microglial NF-κB in aged PS19 mice rescued tau-mediated learning and memory deficits, restored overall transcriptomic changes while increasing neuronal tau inclusions. Single cell RNA-seq revealed that tau-associated disease states in microglia were diminished by NF-B inactivation and further transformed by constitutive NF-B activation. Our study establishes a central role for microglial NF-B signaling in mediating tau spreading and toxicity in tauopathy.
Project description:Activation of microglia is a prominent pathological feature in tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease. How microglia activation contributes to tau toxicity remains largely unknown. Here we show that nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling, activated by tau, drives microglial-mediated tau propagation and toxicity. Constitutive activation of microglial NF-κB exacerbated, while inactivation diminished, tau seeding and spreading in young PS19 mice. Inhibition of NF-B activation enhanced the retention while reduced the release of internalized pathogenic tau fibrils from primary microglia and rescued microglial autophagy deficits. Remarkably, inhibition of microglial NF-κB in aged PS19 mice rescued tau-mediated learning and memory deficits, restored overall transcriptomic changes while increasing neuronal tau inclusions. Single cell RNA-seq revealed that tau-associated disease states in microglia were diminished by NF-B inactivation and further transformed by constitutive NF-B activation. Our study establishes a central role for microglial NF-B signaling in mediating tau spreading and toxicity in tauopathy.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.