Role of microtubule-associated protein tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease.
J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci
; 37(3): 307-312, 2017 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28585125
ABSTRACT
As a major microtubule-associated protein, tau plays an important role in promoting microtubule assembly and stabilizing microtubules. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies, the abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau proteins are aggregated into paired helical filaments and accumulated in the neurons with the form of neurofibrillary tangles. An imbalanced regulation in protein kinases and protein phosphatases is the direct cause of tau hyperphosphorylation. Among various kinases and phosphatases, glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) are the most implicated. Accumulation of the hyperphosphorylated tau induces synaptic toxicity and cognitive impairments. Here, we review the upstream factors or pathways that can regulate GSK-3ß or PP2A activity mainly based on our recent findings. We will also discuss the mechanisms that may underlie tau-induced synaptic toxicity.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Tau Proteins
/
Protein Phosphatase 2
/
Alzheimer Disease
/
Cognitive Dysfunction
/
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
/
Nerve Degeneration
Type of study:
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci
Journal subject:
MEDICINA
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China