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Investigating the functional consequences of seeding in mammalian primary neurons with Alzheimer’s Disease brain-derived tau filaments

Award Number: F31AG074521
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/18/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/17/2023

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Investigating the functional consequences of seeding in mammalian primary neurons with Alzheimer’s Disease brain-derived tau filaments - Project Summary/Abstract The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, continues to increase at a staggering rate. Current AD therapies provide modest symptomatic relief, creating a need for disease- modifying therapies, which requires a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying AD. AD is characterized by the spread of tau pathology through the brain in a stereotypical pattern that correlates well with the disease progression. However, a critical need still exists to understand the molecular underpinnings of tau toxicity in AD and thereby identify promising therapeutic targets to slow and/or halt AD progression. We previously showed that tau aggregates disrupt anterograde fast axonal transport in the squid giant axon by activating the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)- glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) signaling pathway which causes the release of cargo from the anterograde motor protein kinesin through phosphorylation of kinesin light chains by GSK3β. In tau aggregates, the exposure of an N-terminal epitope called the phosphatase activating domain (PAD) activates this signaling pathway via interaction with and activation of PP1 in the squid giant axon. Overactivity of this pathway results in aberrant cargo release and thus axonal transport deficits in the squid. Furthermore, we recently demonstrated that interactions between the mutant P301L tau and PP1 results in disrupted axonal transport in mammalian primary neurons, and the pathology is rescued upon PP1γ knockdown. PAD exposure and axonal degeneration are evident early in the progression of AD and in other tauopathies. Therefore, understanding the potentially toxic effects of PAD exposure is directly relevant to disease. Mounting evidence suggests that tau pathology is propagated throughout the brain potentially in a prion-like process involving cell-to-cell tau seeding. However, the functional consequences of seeded aggregation of endogenous tau is not fully understood. The proposed experiments are designed to test the hypothesis that AD brain-derived tau aggregates induce axonal degeneration in tau-seeded mammalian neurons via activation of the PAD-PP1-GSK3β signaling pathway. The pathological consequences of seeding with AD-derived tau pre-formed fibrils (PFF-tau) will be determined in functional live-cell axonal transport assays. The activity of PP1 and GSK3β in PFF-tau-treated neurons will be measured using biochemical assays. Furthermore, immunofluorescent staining, confocal microscopy and stereological measurement techniques will be used to assess axonal and synaptic degeneration. Upon completion of this project, we will have a better understanding of whether tau seeding in mammalian primary neurons causes toxicity through activation of the PAD-PP1-GSK3β pathway. This new knowledge could inform the development of more effective therapies for AD.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = -$11,254 )
2024	2023	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Aging Research	000	2	9/23/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$11,254
														Subtotal = -$11,254

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $19,664 )
2023	2023	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Aging Research	000	2	3/29/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$19,664
														Subtotal = $19,664

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $38,942 )
2022	2022	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Aging Research	000	1	5/18/2022	NEW	$38,943
2022	2022	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Aging Research	001	1	5/27/2022	NEW	$0
2022	2022	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Aging Research	002	1	8/30/2022	NEW	-$1
														Subtotal = $38,942

Grand Total All Awards = $47,352

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Investigating the functional consequences of seeding in mammalian primary neurons with Alzheimer’s Disease brain-derived tau filaments

Award Number: F31AG074521

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/18/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/17/2023

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