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Tau oligomers mediate α-synuclein toxicity and can be targeted by immunotherapy

BACKGROUND: We have evaluated the efficacy of targeting the toxic, oligomeric form of tau protein by passive immunotherapy in a mouse model of synucleinopathy. Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia are two of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and are primarily characterized by the acc...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Gerson, Julia E., Farmer, Kathleen M., Henson, Natalie, Castillo-Carranza, Diana L., Carretero Murillo, Mariana, Sengupta, Urmi, Barrett, Alan, Kayed, Rakez
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: BioMed Central 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5856311/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29544548
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13024-018-0245-9
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND: We have evaluated the efficacy of targeting the toxic, oligomeric form of tau protein by passive immunotherapy in a mouse model of synucleinopathy. Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia are two of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and are primarily characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein in Lewy bodies. However, evidence shows that smaller, oligomeric aggregates are likely the most toxic form of the protein. Moreover, a large body of research suggests that α-synuclein interacts with tau in disease and may act in a synergistic mechanism, implicating tau oligomers as a potential therapeutic target. METHODS: We treated seven-month-old mice overexpressing mutated α-synuclein (A53T mice) with tau oligomer-specific monoclonal antibody (TOMA) and a control antibody and assessed both behavioral and pathological phenotypes. RESULTS: We found that A53T mice treated with TOMA were protected from cognitive and motor deficits two weeks after a single injection. Levels of toxic tau oligomers were specifically decreased in the brains of TOMA-treated mice. Tau oligomer depletion also protected against dopamine and synaptic protein loss. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that targeting tau oligomers is beneficial for a mouse model of synucleinopathy and may be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating diseases in which tau and α-synuclein have a synergistic toxicity.