阿尔兹海默病中tau蛋白磷酸化调节

细胞内高度磷酸化tau蛋白形成的神经纤维缠结是阿尔兹海默病的主要病理特征之一。过度磷酸化的tau蛋白将引起细胞内微管的紊乱,从而造成神经元突触连接的丢失。Tau蛋白的磷酸化受到多种因素的影响,这些因素的失常将会导致tau蛋白的异常磷酸化。Tau蛋白的基本功能和结构、翻译后的主要修饰以及蛋白激酶和磷酸酯酶的调节,在阿尔兹海默病理以及预防治疗中发挥重要作用。     

褪黑素对异丙肾上腺素诱导大鼠tau蛋白过度磷酸化的预防作用

异常过度磷酸化的微管相关蛋白tau是阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)患者大脑中神经原纤维缠结的主要组成部分.迄今为止,尚无有效的措施阻止tau蛋白的过度磷酸化.为探讨褪黑素(melatonin,Mel)对AD样tau蛋白过度磷酸化的预防作用,我们以β受体激动剂异丙肾上腺素(isoproterenol,IP)来复制AD样tau蛋白过度磷酸化的动物模型,在大鼠双侧海马注射IP前,以褪黑素作为保护组药物,于腹腔连续注射5 d.应用磷酸化位点特异性抗体(PHF-1和Tau-1)作免疫印迹和免疫组织化学检测tau蛋白的磷酸化水平,并用非磷酸化依赖的总tau蛋白抗体(111e)进行标准化.免疫印迹结果显示在注射IP 48 h后,tau蛋白在PHF-1表位的免疫反应显著增强,在Tau-1表位显著减弱,表明tau蛋白在Ser396/Ser404(PHF-1)和Ser199/Ser202(Tau-1)位点有过度磷酸化.免疫组织化学染色结果与免疫印迹结果相似,主要检测到在大鼠海马CA3区的神经纤维有tau蛋白过度磷酸化.褪黑素预处理大鼠可有效地阻止IP诱导tau蛋白在Tau-1和PHF-1位点的过度磷酸化.上述结果提示褪黑素可预防大鼠脑组织中由异丙肾上腺素引起的AD样tau蛋白的过度磷酸化.     

脑脊液β-淀粉样蛋白/磷酸化tau蛋白比值在鉴别诊断阿尔茨海默病与血管性痴呆中的价值

目的:探讨脑脊液Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及p-tau181蛋白以及Aβ1-42/t-tau和Aβ1-12/p-tau181比值鉴别诊断阿尔茨海默病(AD)与血管性痴呆(VD)的临床应用价值.方法:采用酶联免疫吸附法检测AD患者、VD患者和正常对照组(NC)脑脊液中Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及P-tau181蛋白浓度的变化.结果:An组患者脑脊液Aβ1-42越浓度显著低于VD组和NC组,t-tan蛋白及p-tau181蛋白浓度显著高于VD组和NC组.当Aβ1-42/p-tau181比值分界值为11.3时,鉴别诊断AD与VD的敏感性和特异性分别为95%和94%.结论:脑脊液Aβ1-42、t-tau蛋白及p-tau181蛋白浓度的变化,尤其是Aβ1-42/p-tau181比值是很好的AD与VD鉴别诊断的生物学指标.     

饥饿对小鼠脑中tau蛋白磷酸化和O-GlcNAc糖基化的影响

为了探讨大脑中葡萄糖摄取和代谢障碍在阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer$sdisease,AD)神经退行性病变中的作用,将昆明种小鼠进行饥饿和再喂食处理,并使用多种磷酸化tau蛋白特异性的抗体和蛋白O-GlcNAc糖基化特异性抗体进行检测,观察饥饿及恢复喂养后不同时间点大脑皮质中tau蛋白糖基化及多个位点磷酸化的变化.结果显示:饥饿处理引起小鼠大脑皮质中总蛋白和tau蛋白的O-GlcNAc糖基化水平降低,同时tau蛋白磷酸化水平升高,饥饿引起的tauO-GlcNAc糖基化和磷酸化改变均在恢复进食后逆转成正常水平.该研究结果提示:大脑中tau蛋白的磷酸化和O-GlcNAc糖基化之间存在相互调节,脑中葡萄糖代谢障碍可能通过下调tau蛋白O-GlcNAc糖基化水平使tau蛋白产生异常过度磷酸化,进而促发AD的病理进程.这一结果为在早期阶段通过逆转tau蛋白异常过度磷酸化治疗AD成为可能提供了实验基础.     

钙调磷酸酶对阿尔茨海默病中tau蛋白异常磷酸化的作用

100年前,阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer disease,AD）被首次报道,它是一种以进行性认知障碍和记忆力损伤为主要临床特征的中枢神经系统退行性疾病,是最常见的一种老年性痴呆.由异常磷酸化的tau蛋白构成的神经元纤维缠结（neurofibrillary tangle,NFT）是AD最重要的病理学改变之一.钙调磷酸酶（calcineurin,CN）是脑组织中含量最高的一种丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酶,其活性依赖于Ca2＋和钙调蛋白.最近的研究显示,CN在脑中与NFT共定位,CN活性的下降能够导致tau蛋白在多个AD特征性位点的异常磷酸化,进而形成NFT.因而,CN活性的缺陷与AD的发生密切相关.CN活性缺陷导致的tau蛋白异常磷酸化具有可逆性,CN激活剂有望在其中扮演重要的角色.     

丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酯酶在tau蛋白异常磷酸化中的作用

Tau蛋白过度磷酸化在阿尔采末病（Alzheimer’s disease,AD）发病过程中发挥重要作用,抑制蛋白磷酸酯酶活性,可诱导tau的过度磷酸化和聚积。本文拟就近年来蛋白磷酸酯酶在tau蛋白异常磷酸化中的作用作一综述。     

急性缺氧和急性低糖对脑片tau蛋白磷酸化的影响

为探讨急性缺氧对tau蛋白磷酸化的影响,将Wistar大鼠脑片进行不同时间的缺氧培养后,对tau蛋白的磷酸化状态及相关磷酸酯酶的活性和表达进行检测.结果显示,急性缺氧使tau蛋白多个丝氨酸位点磷酸化水平下降,蛋白磷酸酯酶～2A(PP-2A)的活性升高,其催化亚单位表达上调,而蛋白磷酸酯酶-1(PP-1)的活性及催化亚单位表达均无明显改变.该研究结果表明:急性缺氧可能通过蛋白磷酸酯酶-2A的上调而使tau蛋白多个丝氨酸位点发生去磷酸化作用.     

蛋白磷酸酯酶抑制剂冈田酸对人神经母细胞瘤 SK-N-SH细胞系tau蛋白磷酸化水平的影响

观察蛋白磷酸酯酶-1和蛋白磷酸酯酶-2A的抑制剂冈田酸(okadaicacid,OA)对人神经母细胞瘤系SK-N-SH细胞tau蛋白磷酸化水平的变化,确定tau蛋白过度磷酸化细胞模型的合适剂量和时间。用不同剂量OA与SK-N-SH细胞共温育不同时间,用显微镜观察细胞形态变化,用Western印迹法检测磷酸化tau蛋白和非磷酸化tau蛋白在Ser202位点和Ser404位点磷酸化水平的变化。10～160nmol/LOA与SK-N-SH神经细胞温育3～24h,可引起细胞形态损伤呈剂量依赖性和时间依赖性的变化,起效剂量和时间为10nmol/L和3h。10nmol/LOA与SK-N-SH细胞温育6～24h,磷酸化tau蛋白Ser199/Ser202位点和Ser404位点的表达明显增高,非磷酸化tau蛋白Ser202位点和Ser404位点的表达明显降低,总tau蛋白含量无明显变化。OA可以作为很好的研究tau蛋白过度磷酸化的工具药,10nmol/LOA与SK-N-SH神经细胞共温育6h可以作为制备细胞模型的适宜条件。     

感染羊瘙痒因子263K株或139A株仓鼠脑组织中tau蛋白和磷酸化tau蛋白变化的研究

为探讨朊病毒病的神经病理特征,应用Western blot方法检测了感染羊瘙痒因子263K株或139A株的仓鼠脑组织中总tau蛋白和Ser396和Ser404位点发生磷酸化tau蛋白表达水平的变化;并应用Real Time PCR方法检测了tau mRNAs转录活性的改变。结果表明总tau蛋白含量升高而Ser396和Ser404位点发生磷酸化的tau蛋白含量降低,该现象与羊瘙痒因子毒株类型和临床潜伏期无关;感染羊瘙痒因子的仓鼠脑组织中Tau2和Tau4这两个异构体的转录水平升高。这些结果表明tau蛋白在Ser396和Ser404位点的去磷酸化可能与朊病毒病发病相关。     

肝素对人类神经tau蛋白分子聚集及磷酸化的影响

在老年性痴呆患者的脑中,肝素与超磷酸化的tau蛋白共存[7].采用NCLK(neuronalcdc2-likekinase)及PP2B(phosphoproteinphosphatase2B)在含肝素的体系中对人类神经tau蛋白进行磷酸化和脱磷酸化,结果表明,肝素具有促进tau蛋白被磷酸化的功能,并促进该蛋白磷酸化分子二聚体的形成和单体的减少,其一级动力学常数分别为2.88×10-3s-1和1.74×10-3s-1.PP2B可使磷酸化的tau蛋白脱磷酸化,并且脱磷酸化作用随肝素浓度的增加而增强,提示肝素可能具有调节tau蛋白磷酸化状态的作用     

Role of caspase-3 in tau truncation at D421 is restricted in transgenic mouse models for tauopathies

Truncated tau is widely detected in Alzheimer's disease brain, and caspase-3 has been considered as a major executioner for tau truncation at aspartate421 (D421), according to its capability of cleaving recombinant tau in vitro . Here we investigated the relationship between D421 truncated tau and caspase-3 in two transgenic mouse models for tauopathies. In adult transgenic mice, activated caspase-3 could not be detected in neurons containing truncated tau, with the exception of a few glia-like cells or neurons in postnatal mice. Caspase-3 expression exhibited a dramatic decrease at the early development stage, and kept at constantly low levels during adult stages in both wild type and transgenic mice. On the other hand, co-incubating brain homogenates from adult tau transgenic mice and ethanol-treated postnatal mice promoted tau truncation at D421, which was mildly reduced by caspase inhibitor, but completely suppressed by phosphatase inhibitor, indicating that hyperphosphorylated tau becomes a poor substrate for truncation at D421. Taken together, our study shows that insufficient caspase-3 expression and hyperphosphorylated status of tau in the adult transgenic mouse brain restrict caspase-3 as an efficient enzyme for tau truncation in vivo . Clearly, there is a caspase-3 independent mechanism responsible for tau truncation at D421 in these models.     

Axin negatively affects tau phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3beta

Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) is an essential protein kinase that regulates numerous functions within the cell. One critically important substrate of GSK3beta is the microtubule-associated protein tau. Phosphorylation of tau by GSK3beta decreases tau-microtubule interactions. In addition to phosphorylating tau, GSK3beta is a downstream regulator of the wnt signaling pathway, which maintains the levels of beta-catenin. Axin plays a central role in regulating beta-catenin levels by bringing together GSK3beta and beta-catenin and facilitating the phosphorylation of beta-catenin, targeting it for ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. Although axin clearly facilitates the phosphorylation of beta-catenin, its effects on the phosphorylation of other GSK3beta substrates are unclear. Therefore in this study the effects of axin on GSK3beta-mediated tau phosphorylation were examined. The results clearly demonstrate that axin is a negative regulator of tau phosphorylation by GSK3beta. This negative regulation of GSK3beta-mediated tau phosphorylation is due to the fact that axin efficiently binds GSK3beta but not tau and thus sequesters GSK3beta away from tau, as an axin mutant that does not bind GSK3beta did not inhibit tau phosphorylation by GSK3beta. This is the first demonstration that axin negatively affects the phosphorylation of a GSK3beta substrate, and provides a novel mechanism by which tau phosphorylation and function can be regulated within the cell.     

Caspase-3 Induced Apoptosis in Transgenic Zebrafish

Zebrafish is an attractive model organism for studying apoptosis development because of its genetic accessibility. Here we describe the induction of clonally derived apoptosis in transgenic zebrafish expressing mouse caspase-3 (CASP3) under control of the zebrafish β-actin promoter (βp). Visualization of apoptotic cells, expressing a chimeric transgene encoding CASP3 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, revealed that apoptosis arose in the thymus, spread locally into gill arches and retro-orbital soft tissue, and then disseminated into abdominal organs like testis, kidney. This transgenic model provides a platform for over-expression of caspase-3 induced extensive apoptosis in embryos and adult. An erratum to this article is available at .     

羊栖菜多糖通过激活Caspase途径诱导Lovo细胞凋亡

研究了羊栖菜多糖（Sargassum Fusiforme Polysaccharides,SFPS）诱导人大肠癌lovo细胞凋亡及凋亡过程中caspase-3、caspase-8、caspase-9的活性变化。MTT法检测SFPS对lovo细胞增殖的抑制率;通过电镜、琼脂糖凝胶电泳、流式细胞术鉴定细胞凋亡;应用Western印迹法测定caspase-3酶原和caspase-9的变化;RToPCR检测caspase-3 mRNA表达;caspase-3,caspase-8、caspase-9活性检测试剂盒观察caspase-3、caspase-8、caspase-9的活性改变。结果显示,SFPS对lovo细胞增殖有显著抑制作用,经形态变化、DNA条带和流式细胞分析,可见明显的细胞凋亡特征。SFPS处理lovo细胞后,发现caspase-3酶原蛋白表达降低,caspase-3 mRNA高表达,并具有剂量和时间的依赖性。而在检测蛋白中,也发现caspase-9被激活进而形成具有活性的片段。另外,caspase的活性检测也进一步发现caspase-3、caspase-9的活性逐步增高。实验结果提示SFPS在体外诱导lovo胞凋亡,这可能是SFPS抑制肿瘤增殖的机制之一,并且是通过激活启动caspase-9,进而激活下游效应caspase-3的级联反应来实现的。     

Caspase-3：治疗神经退行性疾病的新靶点

Caspase-3是caspases家族（一类天冬氨酸特异性酶切半胱氨酸蛋白酶）中的成员,是哺乳动物细胞凋亡的关键蛋白酶.随着研究的深入,发现caspase-3在神经退行性疾病的病理过程中起着很重要的角色.Caspase-3在这些疾病的病理过程中,不仅仅是起着凋亡的效应器作用,还能直接与老年性痴呆症、帕金森氏症、亨廷顿舞蹈病、脊椎小脑失调等疾病的致病蛋白质分子相互作用,参与致病机制.因此,caspase-3是治疗神经退行性疾病的新靶点,寻找caspase-3高效高选择性的抑制剂将为治疗神经退行性疾病提供新的途径.     

Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau in mice expressing normal human tau isoforms

Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of insoluble aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau. In Alzheimer's disease the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles occurs in the absence of tau mutations. Here we present mice that develop pathology from non-mutant human tau, in the absence of other exogenous factors, including beta-amyloid. The pathology in these mice is Alzheimer-like, with hyperphosphorylated tau accumulating as aggregated paired helical filaments. This pathologic tau accumulates in the cell bodies and dendrites of neurons in a spatiotemporally relevant distribution.     

Spatial learning deficit in transgenic mice that conditionally over-express GSK-3beta in the brain but do not form tau filaments

Deregulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) activity in neurones has been postulated as a key feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. This was further supported by our recent characterization of transgenic mice that conditionally over-express GSK-3beta in hippocampal and cortical neurones. These mice, designated Tet/GSK-3beta, showed many of the biochemical and cellular aspects of AD neuropathology such as tau hyperphosphorylation and somatodendritic localization, decreased nuclear beta-catenin, neuronal death and reactive gliosis. Tet/GSK-3beta mice, however, did not show tau filament formation up to the latest tested age of 3 months at least. Here we report spatial learning deficits of Tet/GSK-3beta mice in the Morris water maze. In parallel, we also measured the increase in GSK-3 activity while further exploring the possibility of tau filament formation in aged mice. We found a significant increase in GSK-3 activity in the hippocampus of Tet/GSK-3beta mice whereas no tau fibrils could be found even in very old mice. These data reinforce the hypothesis of GSK-3 deregulation in AD pathogenesis, and suggest that Tet/GSK-3beta mice can be used as an AD model and, most remarkably, can be used to test the therapeutic potential of the selective GSK-3 inhibitors that are currently under development. Additionally, these experiments suggest that destabilization of microtubules and alteration of intracellular metabolic pathways contribute to AD pathogenesis independent of toxicity triggered by the aberrant tau deposits.     

Caspase-3 activates endo-exonuclease: Further evidence for a role of the nuclease in apoptosis

Single-strand DNase and poly rAase, activities characteristic of endo-exonuclease, were co-activated in nuclear fractions of HL-60 cells by caspase-3. Activation was accompanied by cleavages of large soluble polypeptides (130–185 kDa) and a 65 kDa inactive chromatin-associated polypeptide related to the endo-exonuclease of Neurospora crassa as detected on immunoblots. The major products seen in vitro were a 77 kDa soluble polypeptide and an active chromatin-associated 34 kDa polypeptide. When HL-60 cells were induced to undergo apoptosis by treating with 50 M etoposide (VP-16) for 4 hours, 77 kDa and 40 kDa polypeptides accumulated in nuclear fractions. Chromatin DNA fragmentation activity was also activated in cytosol and nuclear extract either by pre-treating the cells in vivo with VP-16 or by treating the cytosol in vitro with caspase-3 or dATP and cytochrome c. Endo-exonuclease activated by caspase-3 in cytosol-derived fractions augmented chromatin DNA fragmentation activity in vitro. Endo-exonuclease is proposed to act in vivo in conjunction with the caspase-activated DNase (CAD) to degrade chromatin DNA during apoptosis of HL-60 cells.     

Characterization of the in vitro phosphorylation of human tau by tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20) using mass spectrometry

Hyperphosphorylated tau is an integral part of the neurofibrillary tangles that form within neuronal cell bodies, and tau protein kinase II is reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Recently, we reported that tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20)-phosphorylated human tau inhibits microtubule assembly, and tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20) phosphorylation of microtubule-associated tau results in dissociation of phosphorylated tau from the microtubules and tubulin depolymerization. In the studies reported here, a combination of mass spectrometric techniques was used to study the phosphorylation of human recombinant tau by recombinant tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20) in vitro. The extent of phosphorylation was determined by measuring the molecular mass of phosphorylated tau using mass spectrometry. Reaction of human recombinant tau with tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20) resulted in the formation of two major species containing either five or six phosphate groups. The specific amino acid residues phosphorylated were determined by analyzing tryptic peptides by tandem mass spectrometry via either MALDI/TOF post-source decay or by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Based on these experiments, we conclude that tau protein kinase II (cdk5/p20) can phosphorylate human tau at Thr(181), Thr(205), Thr(212), Thr(217), Ser(396) and Ser(404).