抑制褪黑素生物合成对大鼠Tau蛋白磷酸化的影响

目的 研究抑制褪黑素的生物合成对大鼠海马Tau蛋白磷酸化的影响。方法 侧脑室注射氟哌啶醇并腹腔注射加强,利用免疫组化检测大鼠海马区域Tau蛋白磷酸化情况;HPLC检测血清中褪黑素水平。结果 模型组大鼠海马Tau蛋白在Ser199/Ser202和Ser396/Ser404位点均发生异常过度磷酸化,褪黑素治疗组较模型组的磷酸化程度轻。结论 褪黑素水平的降低可能与AD样Tau蛋白异常过度磷酸化相关,外源性补充褪黑素可以减轻Tau蛋白的异常过度磷酸化。     

cdk-5过度表达对大鼠tau蛋白磷酸化及空间记忆的影响

Alzheimer病(AD)中, 异常过度磷酸化的tau蛋白会导致细胞骨架的异常并与神经元的死亡有关. 在体外, 细胞周期蛋白依赖性蛋白激酶5(cdk-5)能在大多数AD相关位点磷酸化tau蛋白. 旨在整体水平研究cdk-5过度表达对大鼠微管相关蛋白 tau的磷酸化及空间记忆的影响. 结果显示, 在大鼠海马区转染cdk-5基因, 24 h后其局部表达增加, 并使得抗体tau-1显色减弱, PHF-1和12e8显色增强, 提示tau蛋白在Ser199/202, Ser396/404和Ser262/356位点过度磷酸化. 此外, 在水迷宫测试中, cdk-5转染鼠寻找安全平台所需时间比对照鼠明显延长, 而转染后48 h cdk-5的表达较24 h时下降, 同时伴有tau蛋白磷酸化程度的下降和空间记忆能力的改善. 这些结果提示整体水平的cdk-5的过度表达会导致大鼠的空间记忆损伤, 而过度磷酸化的tau蛋白可能参与了该病理过程.     

Cdk-5过度表达对Tau蛋白磷酸化的影响

目的 实验旨在细胞水平研究cdk-5过度表达对微管相关蛋白tau的磷酸化的影响。方法 利用基因转染技术建立过度表达cdk-5的鼠成神经瘤细胞株(N2a细胞株),免疫沉淀及酶活性检测法检测cdk-5的酶活性,免疫荧光技术和免疫印迹技术检测细胞内tau蛋白的磷酸化状况。结果 在N2a细胞株转染组中,cdk-5表达增加,并使得抗体tau-1显色减弱,PHF-1显色增强,提示tau蛋白在Ser199/202,Ser396／404位点过度磷酸化。与此同时,cdk-5酶活性较未转染组提高3.5倍。结论 这些结果提示细胞水平的cdk-5的过度表达会导致cdk-5酶活性增加和tau蛋白过度磷酸化,而过度磷酸化的tau蛋白可能参与了AD的病理过程。     

Ⅱ型糖尿病大鼠海马Alzheimer病样Tau蛋白过度磷酸化修饰及机制探讨

Tau蛋白过度磷酸化是Alzheimer病 (Alzheimer′s disease, AD) 的一个重要特征.本研究检测了Ⅱ型糖尿病大鼠海马tau蛋白磷酸化水平,对其形成机制进行探讨. 以同龄正常Wistar大鼠作为对照,高脂高蛋白高糖饮食加小剂量链脲佐菌素（streptozotocin,STZ）注射诱导造Ⅱ型糖尿病模型（T2DM组）.放免法检测血浆胰岛素;葡萄糖氧化酶法检测血浆葡萄糖;蛋白质印迹技术检测各组大鼠海马内总tau蛋白、tau蛋白上部分位点磷酸化、神经细胞膜上胰岛素受体及葡萄糖转运子3（glucose transport 3,GLUT3）水平;表面等离子共振技术（surface plasmon resonance, SPR）检测细胞膜上胰岛素受体与血浆胰岛素结合力;γ32-P标记的ATP和特异性底物肽检测海马内胰岛素信号传导系统中的关键酶糖原合酶激酶-3β（glycogen synthase kinase-3β, GSK-3β）活性.结果显示,T2DM组血浆血糖、血浆胰岛素及运用HOMA-IR公式计算的胰岛素抵抗指数显著高于对照组.蛋白质印迹结果显示两组大鼠海马回总tau蛋白水平无差异;T2DM组中tau蛋白在Ser199、Thr212、Ser214、Thr217、Ser396及Ser422位点上的磷酸化水平均显著高于对照组;T2DM组海马神经细胞膜上胰岛素受体水平及与胰岛素结合的功能均显著低于对照组;GSK-3β活性检测结果显示,T2DM组大鼠模型海马回中GSK-3β活性明显增高.研究结果表明,Ⅱ型糖尿病中由于胰岛素抵抗导致GSK-3β激活从而出现AD样tau蛋白的过度磷酸化,葡萄糖代谢紊乱也可能在tau蛋白的过度磷酸化起一定作用.     

1型糖尿病葡萄糖代谢与胰岛素信号传导途径异常导致大鼠海马Alzheimer样tau蛋白过度磷酸化修饰

Tau蛋白过度磷酸化是Alzheimer病(Alzheimer disease, AD)的一个重要病理特征.采用 I 型糖尿病大鼠模型,研究胰岛素信号传导途径及葡萄糖代谢失调对tau蛋白过度磷酸化的形成机制进行探讨.以同龄Wistar大鼠做对照（CTL）,胰腺大部分切除造低胰岛素组（PX）,STZ较大剂量一次性注射造1型糖尿病模型即低胰岛素高血糖组（T1DM）.葡萄糖氧化酶法检测血浆血糖,放免法检测血浆胰岛素,蛋白质印迹分析海马内总tau蛋白及tau蛋白上部分位点（Ser199、Thr212、Ser214、Ser396及Ser422）的磷酸化及神经细胞膜上葡萄糖转运子3（Glucose transport 3,GLUT3）水平.γ-32P-ATP和特异性底物肽检测海马内胰岛素信号传导系统中的关键酶糖原合成酶激酶-3β（Glycogen synthase kinase-3β, GSK-3β）活性.发现3组大鼠海马回总tau蛋白水平无显著差异,但以高血糖、低胰岛素血症为特征的T1DM组在tau蛋白Ser199、Thr212、Ser214、Ser396及Ser422位点上,呈现过度磷酸化状态,以低胰岛素血症为特征而血糖正常的PX组在位点Ser199、Thr212及Ser396上磷酸化程度比CTL组显著上升, 在位点Ser214及 Ser422上的磷酸化程度的改变不显著;T1DM及PX组大鼠海马 GSK-3β活性显著高于CTL组, 而GLUT3水平在T1DM和PX组均降低, 尤以T1DM组降低更显著.研究结果显示,胰岛素水平低下可能通过激活GSK-3β和下调细胞内葡萄糖代谢的双重作用引起脑内tau蛋白过度磷酸化.     

微管相关蛋白tau在不同年龄大鼠海马内的定位分布特点

目的 检测微管相关蛋白tau和Ser396/404位点磷酸化tau在胚胎期大鼠和出生后直至成熟期大鼠海马内的表达及变化规律,浅析与神经细胞分裂和分化的关系.方法 用免疫组织化学SABC法显示孕18d、出生后1d、1w、2w、2m的大鼠脑冠状切面总tau（R134d）、Ser396/404位点磷酸化tau（PHF-1）的表达.结果 ①胚胎期大鼠海马CA区的锥体细胞数量明显多于出生后,随着脑的发育,锥体细胞层的神经细胞数量逐渐下降;②孕18d大鼠海马内有丰富的总tau和PHF-1 tau的表达,并且海马内各区的阳性物质表达均匀,生后1d和1w两种物质表达仍然很强,阳性产物主要分布在海马CA1和CA2区以锥体细胞轴突为主要成分的始层,在锥体细胞树突集中的分子层和胞核内也有少量分布,而在生后2w和2m大鼠海马内各区均未见密集的阳性产物表达.结论 不同年龄大鼠海马内总tau和PHF-1 tau的表达和分布变化可能与神经系统发育过程中细胞的分裂和分化有关.     

微管相关蛋白tau在动物死亡后被快速去磷酸化

tau蛋白是神经细胞中主要的微管相关蛋白, 它的异常过度磷酸化被认为是阿尔茨海默病 (AD) 致病过程中的关键因素. 由于法律、社会、家庭等诸多因素使得获取的人脑组织标本常常在死亡后2~3 h以上,因此了解死亡不同时间后tau蛋白磷酸化的改变,对研究tau蛋白的功能及在AD致病过程中作用显得十分重要. 用位点特异的、磷酸化依赖的抗tau蛋白抗体检测正常大鼠脑中tau蛋白磷酸化程度及死亡后其磷酸化的变化情况,再用非同位素的点印迹技术测定鼠脑中tau蛋白激酶、磷酸酶在不同温度下的活性. 结果发现,正常鼠脑中tau蛋白除了Ser262,Ser409,Ser422外,在Thr181,Ser199,Ser202,Thr205,Thr212,Ser214,Thr217,Ser396和Ser404存在不同程度的磷酸化,并且在死亡后3 h,出现tau的多位点的去磷酸化及tau蛋白迁移加快,6 h后更为明显,但tau蛋白水平即使在大鼠死亡后6 h,仍未见有明显的改变. 用点印迹测定蛋白激酶和磷酸酶活性结果显示,tau蛋白激酶、磷酸酶活性均有温度依赖性降低,在25℃时激酶活性降低远大于磷酸酶活性的降低,tau蛋白在死亡后的快速去磷酸化与相对高的磷酸酶作用有关.     

吴茱萸次碱对高糖诱导的阿尔茨海默病大鼠认知障碍的影响*

目的: 探讨吴茱萸次碱对高糖诱导的阿尔茨海默病(AD)大鼠认知功能障碍的影响及其机制。方法: 健康成年雄性SD大鼠随机分为3组(n=20):对照组、高糖组和吴茱萸次碱组。对照组大鼠行常规饲料和自来水饲养;高糖组大鼠行常规饲料和20%蔗糖水饲养;吴茱萸次碱组行0.01%吴茱萸次碱饲料和20%蔗糖水饲养。三组大鼠饲养24周后行Morris水迷宫实验检测大鼠学习记忆和认知功能,Western blot实验检测各组大鼠tau蛋白在Thr205和Ser214位点以及GSK-3β在丝氨酸9位点糖原合成酶激酶-3β(S9-GSK-3β)和PP2A在络氨酸307位点蛋白磷酸酯酶-2A(Y307-PP2A)的磷酸化水平;免疫组织化学进一步验证各组大鼠大脑海马和皮层tau蛋白在Thr205位点上的表达情况。结果: 与对照组比较,高糖组Morris水迷宫大鼠潜伏期明显升高,穿越平台次数和目标象限停留时间均明显降低(P均＜0.05),免疫组织化学染色中tau蛋白在Thr205位点上的磷酸化水平显著增高(P＜ 0.05),Western blot实验tau蛋白在Thr205和Ser214位点的磷酸化水平显著增高,pS9-GSK-3β的磷酸化水平显著降低(P均＜0.05);与高糖组相比,吴茱萸次碱组Morris水迷宫大鼠潜伏期明显降低,穿越平台次数和目标象限停留时间明显升高(P均＜0.05),免疫组织化学染色中tau蛋白在Thr205位点的磷酸化水平显著降低(P＜0.05);Western blot实验tau蛋白在Thr205和Ser214位点磷酸化水平显著降低,pS9-GSK-3β的磷酸化水平显著增高(P均＜ 0.05)。结论: 吴茱萸次碱可减轻高糖诱导的AD样大鼠认知功能障碍,其机制可能是通过增强海马pS9-GSK-3β磷酸化水平,下调GSK-3β活性,进而降低tau蛋白相关位点的过度磷酸化实现的。     

肥胖及2型糖尿病大鼠Alzheimer病样Tau蛋白过度磷酸化修饰及机制探讨

Tau蛋白异常过度磷酸化修饰在阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimerdisease,AD)发病机理中起非常重要的作用,而2型糖尿病是AD的风险因素之一.采用蛋白质印迹研究2型糖尿病及单纯肥胖大鼠脑中海马回tau蛋白磷酸化程度,发现在这两种大鼠模型中海马tau蛋白在多个位点上都呈现过度磷酸化状态.同时,胰岛素信号传导系统中的关键酶糖原合成激酶-3β(glycogensynthasekinase-3β,GSK-3β)活性在这两种大鼠模型的海马回中明显增高,经脑立体定位法向大鼠海马回注射GSK-3β抑制剂氯化锂(LiCl),可阻止2型糖尿病及肥胖大鼠模型中的GSK-3β激活,但仅阻止单纯肥胖大鼠海马回tau蛋白过度磷酸化.另外,海马神经细胞膜上胰岛素受体β亚基水平在两种实验模型中显著下降.研究结果表明,2型糖尿病及肥胖可能通过增高胰岛素抵抗,从而导致GSK-3β激活和tau蛋白的过度磷酸化来提高AD的发病风险.2型糖尿病脑中低下的葡萄糖代谢也可能在tau蛋白的过度磷酸化起一定作用.     

反复饥饿对大鼠空间学习及海马神经元骨架蛋白磷酸化的影响

为了进一步研究饥饿处理对大鼠空间学习、记忆的影响,通过饥饿2 d、恢复喂食3 d的方法,连续60 d,用Morris水迷宫检测大鼠的空间学习能力.免疫印迹检测神经元骨架蛋白—tau蛋白和神经细丝(Neurofilament,NF)磷酸化水平与分布变化,以及骨架蛋白磷酸化调节的关键酯酶磷酸酯酶PP-2A催化亚单位蛋白水平与分布.反复饥饿的大鼠空间学习能力明显差于对照组(P0.05),tau蛋白在Ser199/202位点和Ser396/404位点发生了过度磷酸化(P0.05),NF磷酸化水平无明显改变,PP-2A的催化亚单位蛋白水平下调(P0.05).反复饥饿可以引起大鼠出现空间学习记忆障碍,下调PP-2A催化亚单位蛋白水平,PP-2A活性抑制及tau蛋白发生过度磷酸化.     

Tau becomes a more favorable substrate for GSK-3 when it is prephosphorylated by PKA in rat brain

Microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies and is believed to lead to neurodegeneration in this family of diseases. Here we show that infusion of forskolin, a specific cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activator, into the lateral ventricle of brain in adult rats induced activation of PKA by severalfold and concurrently enhanced the phosphorylation of tau at Ser-214, Ser-198, Ser-199, and or Ser-202 (Tau-1 site) and Ser-396 and or Ser-404 (PHF-1 site), which are among the major abnormally hyperphosphorylated sites seen in AD. PKA activation positively correlated to the extent of tau phosphorylation at these sites. Infusion of forskolin together with PKA inhibitor or glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inhibitor revealed that the phosphorylation of tau at Ser-214 was catalyzed by PKA and that the phosphorylation at both the Tau-1 and the PHF-1 sites is induced by basal level of GSK-3, because forskolin activated PKA and not GSK-3 and inhibition of the latter inhibited the phosphorylation at Tau-1 and PHF-1 sites. Inhibition of cdc2, cdk5, or MAPK had no significant effect on the forskolin-induced hyperphosphorylation of tau. Forskolin inhibited spatial memory in a dose-dependent manner in the absence but not in the presence of R(p)-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate triethyl ammonium salt, a PKA inhibitor. These results demonstrate for the first time that phosphorylation of tau by PKA primes it for phosphorylation by GSK-3 at the Tau-1 and the PHF-1 sites and that an associated loss in spatial memory is inhibited by inhibition of the hyperphosphorylation of tau. These data provide a novel mechanism of the hyperphosphorylation of tau and identify both PKA and GSK-3 as promising therapeutic targets for AD and other tauopathies.     

Heat Shock Induces Rapid Dephosphorylation of τ in Both Female and Male Rats Followed by Hyperphosphorylation Only in Female Rats: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract: Female and male 2–3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were heat shocked at 42°C for 15 min. At 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after heat shock, qualitative and quantitative immunoblot analysis of cerebral extracts and immunohistochemistry were performed using monoclonal anti-τ antibodies that recognize nonphosphorylated (Tau-1), phosphorylated (PHF-1), and phosphate-independent (Tau-5 and Tau-46) epitopes. At 0 h after heat shock, there was dephosphorylation of τ in both female and male rats as evidenced by (1) accentuation and attenuation of τ isoforms recognized by Tau-1 and PHF-1, respectively, and recognition of additional τ polypeptides by Tau-1, Tau-5, and Tau-46 but not PHF-1; (2) significant increase in the nonphosphorylated Tau-1 epitope with resultant decrease in the ratio of total (phosphorylated plus nonphosphorylated) τ to nonphosphorylated τ; and (3) dephosphorylation of the Tau-1 epitope in the somatodendritic compartment. By 6 h after heat shock, there was progressive hyperphosphorylation of τ in female but not male rats exemplified by (1) upward gel mobility shift recognized by PHF-1, Tau-5, and Tau-46, and by Tau-1 after dephosphorylation; (2) significant increase in the ratio of total τ to nonphosphorylated τ; and (3) rephosphorylation of the Tau-1 epitope in the somatodendritic compartment. Two-dimensional electrophoresis showed shifts to basic and acidic τ polypeptides at 0 and 6 h after heat shock, respectively. Hyperphosphorylation of τ also occurred after multiple heat-shock episodes. Microtubules were present at 6 h after heat shock. There were no differences between control and heat-shocked rats in extracts from peripheral nerves. Thus, we now have a simple rat model to study within 6 h the processes of dephosphorylation and hyperphosphorylation of τ, which are altered in Alzheimer's disease.     

Correlation of behavior changes and BOLD signal in Alzheimer-like rat model

Memory impairment is usually the early and most promi-nent clinical manifestation of Alzheimer disease (AD), aprogressive neurodegenerative illness characterized bygradual deposition of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillarytangles in the brain of the patie…     

Attenuation of okadaic acid-induced hyperphosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins by heat preconditioning and its possible underlying mechanisms

An imbalanced phosphorylation system is recognized to be one of the main reasons for Alzheimer-like hyperphosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins. However, little is known about the strategies rectifying the lesions caused by this disrupted phosphorylation. To search for the means to arrest Alzheimer-like damages and explore the underlying mechanisms, in this study we treated N2a/peuht40 cells with okadaic acid (OA), a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) and PP-1, to mimic an Alzheimer-like phosphatase-deficient system and then used heat preconditioning (42 degrees C for 1 hour) to induce the expression of inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the cells. We observed that heat preconditioning arrested OA-induced hyperphosphorylation of neurofilament (NF) protein at SMI34 and SMI33 epitopes as well as hyperphosphorylation of tau at Tau-1 and PHF-1 epitopes. It counteracted OA-induced decrease in PP-2A activity with a concurrent inhibition in constitutive activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). Conversely, quercetin, a recognized blocker of stress-responsive Hsp70 expression, diminished the effects caused by heat preconditioning. These results suggested that Hsp70 antagonized OA-induced Alzheimer-like NF and tau hyperphosphorylation, and the restoration of PP-2A and inhibition of MAPKs-PKA activity might be part of the underlying mechanisms for the rectification of OA-induced hyperphosphorylation.     

Prolonged Alzheimer-like tau hyperphosphorylation induced by simultaneous inhibition of phosphoinositol-3 kinase and protein kinase C in N2a cells

Co-injection of wortmannin (inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, PI3K) and GF109203X(inhibitor of protein kinase C, PKC) into the rat brain was found to induce spatial memory deficiency and enhance tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus of rat brain. To establish a cell model with durative Alzheimer-like tau hyperphosphorylation in this study, we treated N2a neuroblastoma cells with wortmannin and GF109203X separately and simultaneously, and measured the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3)activity by y-32p-labeling and the level of tau phosphorylation by Western blotting. It was found that the application of wortmannin alone only transitorily increased the activity of GSK-3 (about 1 h) and the level of tau hyperphosphorylation at Ser^396/Ser^404 and Ser^199/Ser^202 sites (no longer than 3 h); however, a prolonged and intense activation of GSK-3 (over 12 h) and enhanced tau hyperphosphorylation (about 24 h) were observed when these two selective kinase inhibitors were applied together. We conclude that the simultaneous inhibition of PI3K and PKC can induce GSK-3 overactivation, and further strengthen and prolong the Alzheimerlike tau hyperphosphorylation in N2a cells, suggesting the establishment of a cell model with early pathological events of Alzheimer‘s disease.     

糖尿病大鼠脑细胞周期依赖性蛋白激酶5和蛋白激酶A参与调节Tau蛋白磷酸化

细胞周期依赖性蛋白激酶5(cyclin-dependent kinase5,Cdk-5)及蛋白激酶A(protein kinaseA,PKA)是调节Tau蛋白磷酸化的重要激酶,其对糖尿病(diabetes mellitus,DM)大鼠脑内Tau蛋白磷酸化的作用如何,目前尚不明确.为探讨胰岛素缺乏的DM大鼠海马Cdk-5及PKA对Tau蛋白磷酸化的作用,用链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin,STZ)建立DM大鼠模型,Fura-2负载及荧光测定细胞内游离Ca2 浓度,免疫沉淀法测定Cdk-5活性,放射性配体结合实验检测PKA的活性,蛋白质印迹检测Tau蛋白磷酸化的水平.结果提示:在DM大鼠海马神经元,Ca2 浓度升高,Cdk-5及PKA活性升高,Tau蛋白在Ser198/Ser199/Ser202和Ser396/Ser404位点的磷酸化增强.Cdk-5的特异性抑制剂roscovitine可降低DM大鼠Cdk-5活性,但不能降低PKA活性,使Tau蛋白在Ser198/Ser199/Ser202位点磷酸化水平降低,但不降低Ser396/Ser404位点的磷酸化,roscovitine处理正常大鼠后,上述酶的活性及Tau蛋白的磷酸化无明显变化.首次从整体水平上证实DM大鼠海马Cdk-5及PKA活性升高,协同促进Tau蛋白在Ser198/Ser199/Ser202位点和Ser396/Ser404位点的磷酸化,神经元内游离Ca2 浓度升高可能起重要作用.     

The effect of cdk-5 overexpression on tau phosphorylation and spatial memory of rat

Neurofibrillarytangle(NFT),primarilycom-posedofthehyperphosphorylatedmicrotubule-asso-ciatedproteintau[1],isoneofthemajorneuropa-thologichallmarksinAD.Intheaffectedneurons,themajormechanismoftauhyperphosphorylationistheabnormalregulationofproteinkinasesandproteinphosphatases.TherearemanyproteinkinasesthatcanphosphorylatetauatAD-relatedepitopessuchaspro-teinkinaseC(PKC),glycogensynthasekinase3b(GSK3b),Ca2+/calmodulin-dependentkinaseII(Ca-MKII).Amongthem,cdk-5isactivepredominantlyinneur…     

Cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation and microtubule binding of tau protein stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Tau protein, a neuronal microtubule-associated protein, is phosphorylated in situ and hyperphosphorylated when aggregated into the paired helical filaments of Alzheimer's disease. To study the phosphorylation of tau protein in vivo, we have stably transfected htau40, the largest human tau isoform, into Chinese hamster ovary cells. The distribution and phosphorylation of tau was monitored by gel shift, autoradiography, immunofluorescence, and immunoblotting, using the antibodies Tau-1, AT8, AT180, and PHF-1, which are sensitive to the phosphorylation of Ser202, Thr205, Thr231, Ser235, Ser396, and Ser404 and are used in the diagnosis of Alzheimer tau. In interphase cells, tau becomes phosphorylated to some extent, partly at these sites; most of the tau is associated with microtubules. In mitosis, the above Ser/Thr-Pro sites become almost completely phosphorylated, causing a pronounced shift in M(r) and an antibody reactivity similar to that of Alzheimer tau. Moreover, a substantial fraction of tau is found in the cytoplasm detached from microtubules. Autoradiographs of metabolically labeled Chinese hamster ovary cells in interphase and mitosis confirmed that tau protein is more highly phosphorylated during mitosis. The understanding of tau phosphorylation under physiological conditions might help elucidate possible mechanisms for the hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease.     

The effect of cdk-5 overexpression on tau phosphorylation and spatial memory of rat

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), hyperphosphorylation of tau may be the underlying mechanism for the cytoskeletal abnormalities and neuronal death. It was reported that cyclin-dependent kinase5 (cdk-5) could phosphorylate tau at most AD-related epitopesin vitro. In this study, we investigated the effect of cdk-5 overexpression on tau phosphorylation and spatial memory in rat. We demonstrated that 24 h after transfection into rat hippocampus, cdk-5 was overexpressed and induced a reduced staining with antibody tau-1 and an enhanced staining with antibodies 12e8 and PHF-1, suggesting hyperphosphorylation of tau at Ser199/202, Ser262/356 and Ser396/404 sites. Additionally, the cdk-5 transfected rats showed long latency to find the hidden platform in Morris water maze compared to the control rat. 48 h after transfection, the level of cdk-5 was decreased significantly, and the latency of rats to find the hidden platform was prolonged. It implies thatin vivo overexpression of cdk-5 leads to impairment of spatial memory in rat and tau hyperphosphorylation may be the underlying mechanism.