Pathway to Tau Modifications and the Origins of Alzheimer's Disease

Several studies have pointed to the mechanisms on how the microtubule-associated protein tau, once modified, triggers a cascade of molecular events that are the main culprit of Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies. These discoveries have been considered as one of the main breakthroughs in science during this first part of this century. The critical reaction is the anomalous phosphorylation of tau by the complex kinase systems CDK5/p35 and GSK3 β (1). There is cumulative evidence that once tau protein is hyperphosphorylated, it turns into a neurotoxic agent that promotes neuronal degeneration and also neuronal death.

Source: Archives of Medical Research - May 31, 2018 Category: Research Authors: Ricardo B. Maccioni, Jos é Pablo Tapia, Leonardo Guzman-Martinez Source Type: research