Caspase-3-Dependent Proteolytic Cleavage of Tau Causes Neurofibrillary Tangles and Results in Cognitive Impairment During Normal Aging.

In this study we use wild type mice as a model for normal aging and resulting age-related cognitive impairment. We provide evidence that aged mice have increased levels of activated caspases, which significantly correlates with increased levels of truncated tau and formation of neurofibrillary tangles. In addition, cognitive decline was significantly correlated with increased levels of caspase activity and tau truncated by caspase-3. Experimentally induced inhibition of caspases prevented this proteolytic cleavage of tau and the associated formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Our study shows the strength of using a non-transgenic model to study structure, function and molecular mechanisms in aging and age related diseases of the brain. PMID: 27220334 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27220334?dopt=Abstract

Source: Neurochemical Research - May 24, 2016 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Means JC, Gerdes BC, Kaja S, Sumien N, Payne AJ, Stark DA, Borden PK, Price JL, Koulen P Tags: Neurochem Res Source Type: research