Glioblastoma-secreted soluble CD44 activates tau pathology in the brain

During aggressive tumor growth and migration, glioblastoma cells secrete diverse molecules and adhesion proteins to the extracellular matrix. Yet, the biochemical effects of the glioblastoma secretome in the brain remain largely unknown. Here we show that soluble CD44 secreted from glioblastoma cells induces neuronal degeneration through the activation of tau pathology in the brain. Glioblastoma-xenograft tissues showed a number of degenerating neurons bearing highly phosphorylated tau. Through a series of secretome-analyses, we identified that soluble CD44 was the responsible protein inducing tau phosphorylation and aggregation (EC(50) = 19.1 ng/mL). The treatment of sCD44 to primary hippocampal neurons-induced tau hyperphosphorylation, leading to neuronal degeneration. Also, the injection of sCD44 into the brains of tau transgenic mice induced tau hyper-phosphorylation in hippocampal neurons. Altogether, our data suggest a neurodegenerative role of sCD44 in promoting tau pathology and serving as a molecular link between glioblastoma and neurodegeneration.