phosphothreonine and Alzheimer-Disease

The prolyl isomerase Pin1 is a conserved enzyme that is intimately involved in diverse biological processes and pathological conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. By catalysing cis-trans interconversion of certain motifs containing phosphorylated serine or threonine residues followed by a proline residue (pSer/Thr-Pro), Pin1 can have profound effects on phosphorylation signalling. The structural and functional differences that result from cis-trans isomerization of specific pSer/Thr-Pro motifs probably underlie most, if not all, Pin1-dependent actions. Phosphorylation-dependent prolyl isomerization by Pin1 remains a unique mode for the modulation of signal transduction. Here, we provide an overview of the plethora of regulatory events that involve this unique enzyme, with a particular focus on oncogenic signalling and neurodegeneration.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Cell Proliferation; Humans; Isomerism; Neoplasms; NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Protein Conformation; Signal Transduction

Protein phosphorylation on certain serine or threonine residues preceding proline (Ser/Thr-Pro) is a pivitol signaling mechanism in diverse cellular processes and its deregulation can lead to human disease. However, little is known about how these phosphorylation events actually control cell signaling. Pin1 is a highly conserved enzyme that isomerizes only the phosphorylated Ser/Thr-Pro bonds in certain proteins, thereby inducing conformational changes. Recent results indicate that such conformational changes following phosphorylation are a novel signaling mechanism pivotal in regulating many cellular functions. This mechanism also offers new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of human disease, most notably cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, Pin1 plays a key role in linking signal transduction to the pathogenesis of cancer and Alzheimer's disease - two major age-related diseases.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; Cell Cycle; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; Humans; Models, Biological; Models, Molecular; Neoplasms; NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Proline; Proline-Directed Protein Kinases; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Signal Transduction

Hyperphosphorylated tau is the main component of neurofibrillary tangles and involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increasing evidences suggest close associations between Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and AD, but the relationship between P. gingivalis and tau hyperphosphorylation is still unclear. In this study, we investigated whether peripheral infection with P. gingivalis caused tau hyperphosphorylation by using wild Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and HT-22 cells. The rats were injected with P. gingivalis suspension or phosphate-buffered saline 3 times per week. After 4 weeks or 12 weeks, the rats were sacrificed for analyzing systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation, and tau hyperphosphorylation. The results showed that the severity of phosphorylated tau at the AD-related sites Thr181 and Thr231 and the number of activated astrocytes were notably greater in the hippocampus of rats with P. gingivalis injection. And the levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in serum and hippocampus were also increased in the rats with P. gingivalis injection. In addition, the activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) was significantly inhibited in the hippocampus of rats with P. gingivalis injection. In vitro, IL-1β induced tau hyperphosphorylation by inhibiting the activity of PP2A in HT-22 cells and application of the PP2A promoter efficiently attenuated IL-1β-induced tau hyperphosphorylation in HT-22 cells. These results indicated that P. gingivalis could induce tau hyperphosphorylation via, in part, attenuating the activity of PP2A through triggering systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation in wild-type SD rats.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Astrocytes; Bacteremia; Bacteroidaceae Infections; Cell Line; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Activation; Hippocampus; Inflammation; Male; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurons; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Protein Phosphatase 2; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; tau Proteins; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Cdk5 deregulation is highly neurotoxic in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We identified Mcl-1 as a direct Cdk5 substrate using an innovative chemical screen in mouse brain lysates. Our data demonstrate that Mcl-1 levels determine the threshold for cellular damage in response to neurotoxic insults. Mcl-1 is a disease-specific target of Cdk5, which associates with Cdk5 under basal conditions, but is not regulated by it. Neurotoxic insults hyperactivate Cdk5 causing Mcl-1 phosphorylation at T92. This phosphorylation event triggers Mcl-1 ubiquitylation, which directly correlates with mitochondrial dysfunction. Consequently, ectopic expression of phosphorylation-dead T92A-Mcl-1 fully prevents mitochondrial damage and subsequent cell death triggered by neurotoxic treatments in neuronal cells and primary cortical neurons. Notably, enhancing Mcl-1 levels offers comparable neuroprotection to that observed upon Cdk5 depletion, suggesting that Mcl-1 degradation by direct phosphorylation is a key mechanism by which Cdk5 promotes neurotoxicity in AD. The clinical significance of the Mcl-1-Cdk5 axis was investigated in human AD clinical specimens, revealing an inverse correlation between Mcl-1 levels and disease severity. These results emphasize the potential of Mcl-1 upregulation as an attractive therapeutic strategy for delaying or preventing neurodegeneration in AD.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Cell Nucleus; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5; Glutamic Acid; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Mice; Mitochondria; Models, Biological; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; Nerve Degeneration; Neurons; Neurotoxins; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Protein Transport; Proteolysis; Severity of Illness Index; Signal Transduction; Subcellular Fractions; Substrate Specificity; Ubiquitination

NGF has been implicated in forebrain neuroprotection from amyloidogenesis and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of NGF signalling in the metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in forebrain neurons using primary cultures of septal neurons and acute septo-hippocampal brain slices. In this study, we show that NGF controls the basal level of APP phosphorylation at Thr668 (T668) by downregulating the activity of the Ser/Thr kinase JNK(p54) through the Tyr kinase signalling adaptor SH2-containing sequence C (ShcC). We also found that the specific NGF receptor, Tyr kinase A (TrkA), which is known to bind to APP, fails to interact with the fraction of APP molecules phosphorylated at T668 (APP(pT668) ). Accordingly, the amount of TrkA bound to APP is significantly reduced in the hippocampus of ShcC KO mice and of patients with AD in which elevated APP(pT668) levels are detected. NGF promotes TrkA binding to APP and APP trafficking to the Golgi, where APP-BACE interaction is hindered, finally resulting in reduced generation of sAPPβ, CTFβ and amyloid-beta (1-42). These results demonstrate that NGF signalling directly controls basal APP phosphorylation, subcellular localization and BACE cleavage, and pave the way for novel approaches specifically targeting ShcC signalling and/or the APP-TrkA interaction in AD therapy.

Topics: Adult; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Animals; Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; Down-Regulation; Enzyme Activation; Gene Deletion; Golgi Apparatus; Hippocampus; Humans; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nerve Growth Factor; Neurons; PC12 Cells; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Protein Binding; Rats; Receptor, trkA; Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 3

A central molecular hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the β- and γ-secretase-mediated cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), which causes the generation of different c-terminal fragments like C99, AICD57, or AICD50 that fully or in part contain the APP transmembrane domain. In this study, we demonstrate that membrane-tethered C99 is phosphorylated by JNK3A at residue T668 (APP695 numbering) to a higher extent than AICD57, whereas AICD50 is not capable of being phosphorylated. The modification decreases the turnover of APP, while the blockade of APP cleavage increases APP phosphorylation. Generation of nuclear spheres, complexes consisting of the translocated AICD, FE65 and other proteins, is significantly reduced as soon as APP c-terminal fragments are accessible for phosphorylation. This APP modification, which we identified as significantly reduced in high plaque-load areas of the human brain, is linearly dependent on the level of APP expression. Accordingly, we show that APP abundance is likewise capable of modulating nuclear sphere generation. Thus, the precise and complex regulation of APP phosphorylation, abundance, and cleavage impacts the generation of nuclear spheres, which are under discussion of being of relevance in neurodegeneration and dementia. Future pharmacological manipulation of nuclear sphere generation may be a promising approach for AD treatment.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Cell Line; Cell Membrane; Cell Nucleus; Humans; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 10; Models, Biological; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Plaque, Amyloid; Protein Binding

Phosphorylation and OGlcNAcylation are dynamic intracellular protein post-translational modifications that frequently are alternatively observed on the same serine and threonine residues. Phosphorylation and OGlcNAcylation commonly occur in natively disordered regions of proteins, and often have opposing functional effects. In the microtubule-associated protein tau, hyperphosphorylation is associated with protein misfolding and aggregation as the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease, whereas OGlcNAcylation stabilizes the soluble form of tau. A series of peptides derived from the proline-rich domain (residues 174-251) of tau was synthesized, with free Ser/Thr hydroxyls, phosphorylated Ser/Thr (pSer/pThr), OGlcNAcylated Ser/Thr, and diethylphosphorylated Ser/Thr. Phosphorylation and OGlcNAcylation were found by CD and NMR to have opposing structural effects on polyproline helix (PPII) formation, with phosphorylation favoring PPII, OGlcNAcylation opposing PPII, and the free hydroxyls intermediate in structure, and with phosphorylation structural effects greater than OGlcNAcylation. For tau196-209, phosphorylation and OGlcNAcylation had similar structural effects, opposing a nascent α-helix. Phosphomimic Glu exhibited PPII-favoring structural effects. Structural changes due to Thr phosphorylation were greater than those of Ser phosphorylation or Glu, with particular conformational restriction as the dianion, with mean (3)JαN = 3.5 Hz (pThr) versus 5.4 Hz (pSer), compared to 7.2, 6.8, and 6.2 Hz for Thr, Ser, and Glu, respectively, values that correlate with the backbone torsion angle ϕ. Dianionic phosphothreonine induced strong phosphothreonine amide protection and downfield amide chemical shifts (δmean = 9.63 ppm), consistent with formation of a stable phosphate-amide hydrogen bond. These data suggest potentially greater structural importance of threonine phosphorylation than serine phosphorylation due to larger induced structural effects.

Topics: Acetylglucosamine; Acylation; Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Humans; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Protein Stability; Protein Structure, Secondary; tau Proteins

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) is the major α-secretase that catalyzes the amyloid precursor protein (APP) ectodomain shedding in the brain and prevents amyloid formation. Its activity depends on correct intracellular trafficking and on synaptic membrane insertion. Here, we describe that in hippocampal neurons the synapse-associated protein-97 (SAP97), an excitatory synapse scaffolding element, governs ADAM10 trafficking from dendritic Golgi outposts to synaptic membranes. This process is mediated by a previously uncharacterized protein kinase C phosphosite in SAP97 SRC homology 3 domain that modulates SAP97 association with ADAM10. Such mechanism is essential for ADAM10 trafficking from the Golgi outposts to the synapse, but does not affect ADAM10 transport from the endoplasmic reticulum. Notably, this process is altered in Alzheimer's disease brains. These results help in understanding the mechanism responsible for the modulation of ADAM10 intracellular path, and can constitute an innovative therapeutic strategy to finely tune ADAM10 shedding activity towards APP.

Topics: ADAM Proteins; ADAM10 Protein; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; Animals; Chlorocebus aethiops; COS Cells; Discs Large Homolog 1 Protein; Enzyme Activation; Golgi Apparatus; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Membrane Proteins; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Post-Synaptic Density; Protein Binding; Protein Kinase C; Rats; Synapses

Biliverdin reductase-A is a pleiotropic enzyme involved not only in the reduction of biliverdin-IX-alpha into bilirubin-IX-alpha, but also in the regulation of glucose metabolism and cell growth secondary to its serine/threonine/tyrosine kinase activity. Together with heme oxygenase, whose metabolic role is to degrade heme into biliverdin-IX-alpha, it forms a powerful system involved in the cell stress response during neurodegenerative disorders. In this paper, an up-regulation of the biliverdin reductase-A protein levels was found in the hippocampus of the subjects with Alzheimer disease and arguably its earliest form, mild cognitive impairment. Moreover a significant reduction in the phosphorylation of serine, threonine and tyrosine residues of biliverdin reductase-A was found, and this was paralleled by a marked reduction in its reductase activity. Interestingly, the levels of both total and phosphorylated biliverdin reductase-A were unchanged as well as its enzymatic activity in the cerebella. These results demonstrated a dichotomy between biliverdin reductase-A protein levels and activity in the hippocampus of subjects affected by Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment, and this effect likely is attributable to a reduction in the phosphorylation of serine, threonine and tyrosine residues of biliverdin reductase-A. Consequently, not just the increased levels of biliverdin reductase-A, but also its changed activity and phosphorylation state, should be taken into account when considering potential biomarkers for Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease; Brain; Cognition; Enzyme Activation; Female; Humans; Male; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Oxidative Stress; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Phosphotyrosine; Up-Regulation

Small single-center studies have shown that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers may be useful to identify incipient Alzheimer disease (AD) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but large-scale multicenter studies have not been conducted.. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of CSF beta-amyloid(1-42) (Abeta42), total tau protein (T-tau), and tau phosphorylated at position threonine 181 (P-tau) for predicting incipient AD in patients with MCI.. The study had 2 parts: a cross-sectional study involving patients with AD and controls to identify cut points, followed by a prospective cohort study involving patients with MCI, conducted 1990-2007. A total of 750 individuals with MCI, 529 with AD, and 304 controls were recruited by 12 centers in Europe and the United States. Individuals with MCI were followed up for at least 2 years or until symptoms had progressed to clinical dementia.. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) of CSF Abeta42, T-tau, and P-tau for identifying incipient AD.. During follow-up, 271 participants with MCI were diagnosed with AD and 59 with other dementias. The Abeta42 assay in particular had considerable intersite variability. Patients who developed AD had lower median Abeta42 (356; range, 96-1075 ng/L) and higher P-tau (81; range, 15-183 ng/L) and T-tau (582; range, 83-2174 ng/L) levels than MCI patients who did not develop AD during follow-up (579; range, 121-1420 ng/L for Abeta42; 53; range, 15-163 ng/L for P-tau; and 294; range, 31-2483 ng/L for T-tau, P < .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-0.82) for Abeta42, 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72-0.80) for P-tau, and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.76-0.83) for T-tau. Cut-offs with sensitivity set to 85% were defined in the AD and control groups and tested in the MCI group, where the combination of Abeta42/P-tau ratio and T-tau identified incipient AD with a sensitivity of 83% (95% CI, 78%-88%), specificity 72% (95% CI, 68%-76%), positive LR, 3.0 (95% CI, 2.5-3.4), and negative LR, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.21-0.28). The positive predictive value was 62% and the negative predictive value was 88%.. This multicenter study found that CSF Abeta42, T-tau, and P-tau identify incipient AD with good accuracy, but less accurately than reported from single-center studies. Intersite assay variability highlights a need for standardization of analytical techniques and clinical procedures.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Biomarkers; Cognition Disorders; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Peptide Fragments; Phosphothreonine; Sensitivity and Specificity; tau Proteins

Neurofibrillary tangles, which represent a major pathological hallmark in Alzheimer's disease (AD), are deposits of the hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated tau protein (PHF-tau). However, a link between the phosphorylation pattern and the cause or the progress of AD is still missing. The work reported here focused on PHF-tau specific local phosphorylation patterns at Thr212/Ser214 and Thr231/Ser235 using monoclonal antibodies (mAb) generated against correspondingly modified peptides. The binding motifs of the obtained six mAbs were characterized with non-, mono-, and double-phosphorylated peptides as well as terminally shortened sequences. Five mAbs stained neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques, and neuropil threads from autoptic brains of AD cases. Four mAbs recognized PHF-tau without significant cross-reactivity towards normal human tau, bovine tau, and dephosphorylated PHF-tau in ELISA and Western blot analysis. Thus, double phosphorylation is sufficient to distinguish PHF-tau from all other tau versions and there is no need to postulate any PHF-tau specific conformation for this region.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Binding Sites; Biomarkers; Cattle; Epitopes; Humans; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; tau Proteins

Total tau (T-tau) and beta-amyloid((1-42)) (Abeta(1-42)) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can differentiate Alzheimer's disease (AD) from normal aging or depressive pseudo-dementia. Differential diagnosis from dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in clinical settings is difficult.. The analytical performance of the INNOTEST PHOSPHO-TAU(181P) assay was validated in terms of selectivity, sensitivity, specificity, precision, robustness, and stability. Clinical utility of the assay alone, or combined with T-tau and Abeta(1-42), for discrimination of AD (n=94) from patients suffering from DLB (n=60) or from age-matched control subjects (CS) (n=60) was assessed in a multicenter study.. CSF concentrations of tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau(181P)) in AD was significantly higher than in DLB and CS. Discriminant analysis, a classification tree, and logistic regression showed that P-tau(181P) was the most statistically significant single variable of the three biomarkers for discrimination between AD and DLB.. P-tau(181P) quantification is a robust and reliable assay that may be useful in discriminating AD from DLB.

Topics: Aged; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Biomarkers; Diagnosis, Differential; Discriminant Analysis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Lewy Body Disease; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Peptide Fragments; Phosphothreonine; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; Reproducibility of Results; ROC Curve; Sensitivity and Specificity; tau Proteins

We isolated and characterized several phosphoseryl/phosphothreonyl phosphatase activities (P1-P11) from frontal lobe of six autopsied human brains. Of these, PP1 (P3) was a major tau phosphatase. The enzyme required metal ions and was maximally activated by Mn2+. Western blots with antibodies to known protein phosphatases showed PP1 and PP2B immunoreactivity. However, the removal of PP2B by immunoabsorption or its inhibition with EGTA did not result in appreciable loss of P3 activity. These observations suggest that P3 was an enriched PPI. Dephosphorylation of Alzheimer disease hyperphosphorylated tau (AD P-tau) by PP1 was site-specific. PPI preferentially dephosphorylated pT212 (40%), pT217 (26%), pS262 (33%), pS396 (42%) and pS422 (31%) of AD P-tau. Dephosphorylation of tau at pT181, pS199, pS202, pT205, pS214, and pS404, was undetectable. Of the sites dephosphorylated, pT212 was only a substrate for PP1, as purified/enriched PP2A and PP2B from the same brains did not dephosphorylate this site.

Topics: Adenosine Diphosphate; Alzheimer Disease; Aniline Compounds; Blotting, Western; Brain Chemistry; Calcineurin; Calmodulin; Chromatography, Agarose; Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; Chromatography, Gel; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Okadaic Acid; Organophosphorus Compounds; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Polylysine; Protein Phosphatase 1; Recombinant Proteins; Substrate Specificity; tau Proteins; Triazines

A number of recent findings have demonstrated re-expression of cell cycle-related proteins in vulnerable neurones in Alzheimer's disease. We hypothesize that this attempt by neurones to re-enter mitosis is a response to external growth stimuli that leads to an abortive re-entry into the cell cycle and, ultimately, neuronal degeneration. In this study, to further delineate the role of mitotic processes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, we investigated p27, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that plays a negatively regulatory role in cell cycle progression that, once phosphorylated at Thr187, is degraded via an ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Here we report that both p27 and phosphorylated p27 (Thr187) show increases in the cytoplasm of vulnerable neuronal populations in Alzheimer's disease vs. age-matched control subjects. Importantly, phosphorylated p27 (Thr187) shows considerable overlap with tau-positive neurofibrillary pathology, including neurofibrillary tangles, dystrophic neurites and neuropil threads. The findings presented here suggest that dysregulation of the cell cycle plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease that may provide a novel mechanistic basis for therapeutic intervention.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease; Cell Cycle; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; Cytoplasm; Female; Hippocampus; Humans; Male; Mitosis; Nerve Degeneration; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neurites; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Neuropil; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Protein Transport; Pyramidal Cells; tau Proteins; Temporal Lobe; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

The neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies include senile plaques and/or neurofibrillary tangles. Although mouse models have been created by overexpressing specific proteins including beta-amyloid precursor protein, presenilin and tau, no model has been generated by gene knockout. Phosphorylation of tau and other proteins on serine or threonine residues preceding proline seems to precede tangle formation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Notably, these phospho(Ser/Thr)-Pro motifs exist in two distinct conformations, whose conversion in some proteins is catalysed by the Pin1 prolyl isomerase. Pin1 activity can directly restore the conformation and function of phosphorylated tau or it can do so indirectly by promoting its dephosphorylation, which suggests that Pin1 is involved in neurodegeneration; however, genetic evidence is lacking. Here we show that Pin1 expression is inversely correlated with predicted neuronal vulnerability and actual neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Pin1 knockout in mice causes progressive age-dependent neuropathy characterized by motor and behavioural deficits, tau hyperphosphorylation, tau filament formation and neuronal degeneration. Thus, Pin1 is pivotal in protecting against age-dependent neurodegeneration, providing insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.

Topics: Aging; Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Motifs; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Gene Deletion; Gene Expression; Humans; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Microscopy, Electron; Motor Activity; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents; NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Plaque, Amyloid; Tauopathies

Microtubule-associated protein tau contains a consensus motif for protein kinase B/Akt (Akt), which plays an essential role in anti-apoptotic signaling. The motif encompasses the AT100 double phospho-epitope (Thr212/Ser214), a specific marker for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerations, raising the possibility that it could be generated by Akt. We studied Akt-dependent phosphorylation of tau protein in vitro. We found that Akt phosphorylated both Thr212 and Ser214 in the longest and shortest tau isoforms as determined using phospho site-specific antibodies against tau. Akt did not phosphorylate other tau epitopes, including Tau-1, AT8, AT180, 12E8 and PHF-1. The Akt-phosphorylated tau retained its initial electrophoretic mobility. Immunoprecipitation studies with phospho-specific Thr212 and Ser214 antibodies revealed that only one of the two sites is phosphorylated per single tau molecule, resulting in tau immunonegative for AT100. Mixed kinase studies showed that prior Ser214 phosphorylation by Akt blocked protein kinase A but not GSK3beta activity. On the other hand, GSK3beta selectively blocked Ser214 phosphorylation, which was prevented by lithium. The results suggest that Akt may be involved in AD-specific phosphorylation of tau at the AT100 epitope in conjunction with other kinases. Our data suggest that phosphorylation of tau by Akt may play specific role(s) in Akt-mediated anti-apoptotic signaling, particularly relevant to AD and other neurodegenerations.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Biomarkers; Cloning, Molecular; Consensus Sequence; Escherichia coli; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; Humans; Kinetics; Nerve Degeneration; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Recombinant Proteins; Substrate Specificity; tau Proteins

The bis-indole indirubin is an active ingredient of Danggui Longhui Wan, a traditional Chinese medicine recipe used in the treatment of chronic diseases such as leukemias. The antitumoral properties of indirubin appear to correlate with their antimitotic effects. Indirubins were recently described as potent (IC(50): 50-100 nm) inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). We report here that indirubins are also powerful inhibitors (IC(50): 5-50 nm) of an evolutionarily related kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3 beta). Testing of a series of indoles and bis-indoles against GSK-3 beta, CDK1/cyclin B, and CDK5/p25 shows that only indirubins inhibit these kinases. The structure-activity relationship study also suggests that indirubins bind to GSK-3 beta's ATP binding pocket in a way similar to their binding to CDKs, the details of which were recently revealed by crystallographic analysis. GSK-3 beta, along with CDK5, is responsible for most of the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein tau observed in Alzheimer's disease. Indirubin-3'-monoxime inhibits tau phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo at Alzheimer's disease-specific sites. Indirubins may thus have important implications in the study and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Indirubin-3'-monoxime also inhibits the in vivo phosphorylation of DARPP-32 by CDK5 on Thr-75, thereby mimicking one of the effects of dopamine in the striatum. Finally, we show that many, but not all, reported CDK inhibitors are powerful inhibitors of GSK-3 beta. To which extent these GSK-3 beta effects of CDK inhibitors actually contribute to their antimitotic and antitumoral properties remains to be determined. Indirubins constitute the first family of low nanomolar inhibitors of GSK-3 beta to be described.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Alkaloids; Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; CDC2 Protein Kinase; Cyclin B; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Enzyme Inhibitors; Flavonoids; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Glycogen Synthase Kinases; Indoles; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Mice; Molecular Structure; Neostriatum; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Piperidines; Staurosporine; tau Proteins

3F4, a monoclonal antibody raised against partially purified paired helical filaments (PHFs), strongly labeled neurofibrillary tangles and some plaque neurites but barely labeled neuropil threads. The levels of the 65-kDa antigen were significantly increased in the soluble fraction of the brains affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), as compared with that in the case of control brains. The antigen was previously identified as human collapsin response mediator protein-2 (hCRMP-2) by sequencing the immunoaffinity-purified 65-kDa antigen [Yoshida, H., Watanabe, A., and Ihara, Y. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 9761-9768]. Here, we show that the 3F4 antigen represents a highly phosphorylated form of CRMP-2. The 3F4-reactive phosphoepitope was localized to the carboxyl-terminal portion of hCRMP-2, and was created by a novel 45-50-kDa protein kinase in rat brain extract. Site-directed mutagenesis of this portion showed that multiple sites of CRMP-2 are differentially phosphorylated within residues 507-522, and that phosphorylation of three sites, Thr-509, Ser-518, and Ser-522, is required for full 3F4 binding. The phosphorylation of this particular portion carboxyl-terminal to the basic region of CRMP-2 may play an important role in regulating its activity, and may be involved in the formation of degenerating neurites in AD brain.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibody Specificity; Brain Chemistry; COS Cells; Epitope Mapping; Epitopes; Humans; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Weight; Mutation; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Plaque, Amyloid; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Protein Kinases; Rats; Semaphorin-3A; Transfection

A new sandwich ELISA is described which shows specificity for tau phosphorylated at threonine 231 and preferentially reacts with Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain extracts relative to other dementias. This assay was used to analyze 58 antemortem cerebrospinal fluid samples. Twenty-three of 27 AD samples (85% sensitivity) yielded signals greater than the cutoff, while only one of 31 non-AD samples (97% specificity) were greater. This indicates that detection of phosphotau in cerebrospinal fluid with this sandwich ELISA could prove useful in the diagnosis of AD.

Topics: Aged; Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibody Specificity; Diagnosis, Differential; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Sensitivity and Specificity; tau Proteins; Threonine

Alzheimer's disease (AD) paired helical filaments (PHFs), building blocks of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are composed of hyperphosphorylated forms of the microtubule-associated protein tau (i.e., PHF-tau). Currently, much effort is devoted to the development of diagnostic antibodies specific for PHF-tau since elevated tau levels are found in the cerebral spinal fluid of AD patients. To this end, we have mapped the epitopes of a large panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognized only phosphorylation dependent epitopes on PHF-tau. These mAbs include the PHF-tau specific mAb AT10 and 12 newly developed anti-PHF mAbs that recognize PHF-tau but not autopsy-derived normal adult tau on Western-blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Epitope analysis, together with data on known binding sites of previously published mAbs, revealed that Ser214, Thr231, and Ser396 are immunodominant phosphorylated amino acids in PHF-tau. Six of the 12 new mAbs recognized one of these three phosphorylated sites. With the exception of AT10 and PHF-27, all the mAbs also labeled fetal tau and biopsy-derived tau. Since mAbs AT10 and PHF-27 had little or no affinity for fetal tau and biopsy tau, they can be considered as the first "true" PHF-specific antibodies capable of distinguishing tau isoforms from normal versus AD subjects, suggesting a possible utility of these mAbs as diagnostic markers. Remarkably, the true PHF-specific antibodies recognized peptide sequences phosphorylated on more than one amino acid residue. The peptide recognition of mAb AT10 required the simultaneous phosphorylation of Thr212 and Ser214, and the peptide recognition of mAb PHF-27 was markedly increased when both the primary site Thr231 and the subsite Ser235 were phosphorylated. Since AT10 and PHF-27 are the only mAbs currently available that bind specifically to PHF-tau, these data suggest that double phosphorylation at Thr212/Ser214 and Thr231/Ser235 may be unique to PHF-tau. These data may facilitate the development of mAbs that can be used as specific diagnostic reagents for the detection of altered tau in cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients.

Topics: Adult; Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Binding Sites; Blotting, Western; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; Immunodominant Epitopes; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Protein Structure, Secondary; Substrate Specificity; tau Proteins

Tau is a neuronal phosphoprotein the expression of which is developmentally regulated. A single tau isoform is expressed in fetal human brain but six isoforms are expressed in adult human brain, with the fetal isoform corresponding to the shortest adult isoform. Phosphorylation is also developmentally regulated, as fetal tau is phosphorylated at more sites than adult tau. In Alzheimer's disease, the six adult tau isoforms become hyperphosphorylated and form the paired helical filament (PHF), the major fibrous component of the neurofibrillary lesions. One way to identify phosphorylated sites in tau is to use antibodies that recognize phosphorylated residues within a specific amino acid sequence. We here characterize the two novel phosphorylation-dependent anti-tau antibodies AT270 and AT180 and identify their epitopes as containing phosphorylated Thr-181 and Thr-231 respectively. With these antibodies we show that these two threonine residues are partially phosphorylated in fetal and adult tau and almost fully phosphorylated in PHF tau. This result contrasts with previous studies of Ser-202 and Ser-396 which are partially phosphorylated in fetal tau, unphosphorylated in adult tau but almost fully phosphorylated in PHF tau.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibody Specificity; Binding Sites; Brain; Brain Chemistry; Cerebral Cortex; Epitopes; Humans; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Molecular Sequence Data; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Rats; Recombinant Proteins; Structure-Activity Relationship; tau Proteins

Previously, we identified protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (GSK-3 alpha) as a brain microtubule-associated tau kinase that phosphorylates Ser235 and Ser404 of tau and causes its electrophoretic mobility shift in gels, a unique property characteristic of paired helical filament-associated pathological tau (PHF-tau) in Alzheimer's disease brains. In this study, we found that the activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha towards phosphorylation of brain tau could be stimulated approximately fourfold by heparin. The phosphorylation molar ratio was increased simultaneously up to 9 mol of phosphates/mol of tau, resulting in a reduced mobility of tau with an apparent molecular mass shift to approximately 68 kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, which is very similar to that observed in Alzheimer-tau. Tryptic digestion of 32P-labelled tau, followed by HPLC and two-dimensional separation on TLC cellulose plates, revealed eight major phosphopeptides. Phosphoamino acid analysis together with sequential manual Edman degradation and protein sequence analysis further revealed that, in addition to Ser235 and Ser404, heparin generated Thr212, Thr231, Ser262, Ser324, and Ser356, the five extra phosphorylation sites in tau. As Ser235, Ser262, Ser324, Ser356, and Ser404 (particularly the site of Ser262) have been identified as five of the most potent sites in tau responsible for reducing microtubule binding possibly involved in neuronal degeneration, and Thr231, Ser235, Ser262, and Ser404 are four of the most well documented sites abnormally phosphorylated in Alzheimer-tau, the results provide initial evidence that protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha after heparin potentiation may represent one of the most potent systems possibly involved in the abnormal phosphorylation of PHF-tau in Alzheimer's disease brains.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Brain; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; Chromatography, Affinity; Heparin; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptide Fragments; Phosphopeptides; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Protein Kinases; Substrate Specificity; Swine; tau Proteins; Trypsin

When a synthetic peptide fragment (VAVVRTPPKSPSSAK) which corresponds to amino acid residues 226-240 from brain microtubule-associated protein tau was used as a testing substrate, we found that protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was almost inactive towards this substrate. In sharp contrast, when Ser-10 of this peptide was replaced by a phosphoserine, the phosphopeptide fragment (VAVVRTPPKS(p)PSSAK) became an excellent substrate for kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha. Sequential manual Edman degradation together with phosphoamino acid analysis and protein sequencing further revealed that Thr-6 of the peptide fragment which corresponds to an important abnormal phosphorylation site Thr-231 in Alzheimer's diseased brain tau was the only site that was greatly phosphorylated, demonstrating that a pre-phosphorylation becomes a prerequisite and is essential for promoting phosphorylation of Thr-231. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha mediates a synergistic phosphorylation control mechanism involved in the abnormal site phosphorylation of Alzheimer's diseased brain tau.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; Humans; Kinetics; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptide Fragments; Phosphopeptides; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Phosphotyrosine; Substrate Specificity; tau Proteins; Tyrosine

Brain proline-directed protein kinase (BPDK), which contains a catalytic subunit homologous to and displaying site-specific phosphorylation similar to p34cdc2 kinase (Lew, J., Winkfein, R. J., Paudel, H. K., and Wang, J. H. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 25922-25926), has been examined for possible involvement in tau phosphorylation. Immunoblot analyses using peptide antibodies specific for BPDK have revealed the presence of the kinase in bovine brain microtubules purified extensively by repeated polymerization and depolymerization cycles. When the microtubule proteins are separated into the tubulin and microtubule-associated protein fractions, BPDK is found exclusively in the latter fraction. BPDK phosphorylates both tau and MAP2, the former protein being phosphorylated to a stoichiometry of 3.8 mol of phosphate/mol of tau. Analysis of the phosphopeptides isolated from the tryptic digest of the phosphorylated bovine tau has revealed seven phosphorylation sites. Based on the sequence alignment between bovine and human tau proteins, these sites correspond to Ser-195, Ser-202, Thr-205, Thr-231, Ser-235, Ser-396, and Ser-404 of human tau. Mass spectrometric analysis of the tau protein isolated from Alzheimer's paired helical filaments (PHFs) has determined three abnormal phosphorylation sites and two phosphopeptides containing a total of five abnormal phosphates (Hasegawa, M., Morishima-Kawashima, M., Takio, K., Suzuki, M., Titani, K., and Ihara, Y. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 17047-17054). Two of the sites in tau phosphorylated by BPDK, Thr-231 and Ser-235, are among the abnormal phosphorylation sites, and the other sites phosphorylated by BPDK are within phosphopeptides from PHF-tau. These results suggest that BPDK may be one of the kinases responsible for the abnormal phosphorylation-associated PHF-tau.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Brain; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; Cattle; Humans; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Molecular Sequence Data; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Phosphoserine; Phosphothreonine; Proline-Directed Protein Kinases; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; tau Proteins