Untangling the role of tau in Alzheimer’s disease: A unifying hypothesis

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Bhatia ◽  
Garth Hall
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Tau Protein ◽  
Membrane Trafficking ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Associated Abnormalities

AbstractRecent investigations into the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the past few years have expanded to include previously unexplored and/or disconnected aspects of AD and related conditions at both the cellular and systemic levels of organization. These include how AD-associated abnormalities affect the cell cycle and neuronal differentiation state and how they recruit signal transduction, membrane trafficking and protein transcytosis mechanisms to produce a neurotoxic syndrome capable of spreading itself throughout the brain. The recent expansion of AD research into intercellular and new aspects of cellular degenerative mechanisms is causing a systemic re-evaluation of AD pathogenesis, including the roles played by well-studied elements, such as the generation of Aβ and tau protein aggregates. It is also changing our view of neurodegenerative diseases as a whole. Here we propose a conceptual framework to account for some of the emerging aspects of the role of tau in AD pathogenesis.

The Phosphoinositide Signal Transduction Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenza Rita Lo Vasco
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Membrane Trafficking ◽  
Hormone Secretion ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathway ◽  
Brain Morphology ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathways ◽  
Transduction Pathway ◽  
Cell Functions

Background: During aging and in age-associated disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), learning abilities decline. Probably, disturbances in signal transduction in brain cells underlie the cognitive decline. The phosphorylation/dephosphorylation imbalance occurring in degenerating neurons was recently related to abnormal activity of one or more signal transduction pathways. AD is known to be associated with altered neuronal Ca<sup>2+</sup> homeostasis, as Ca<sup>2+</sup> accumulates in affected neurons leading to functional impairment. It is becoming more and more evident the involvement of signal transduction pathways acting upon Ca<sup>2+</sup> metabolism and phosphorylation regulation of proteins. A growing interest raised around the role of signal transduction systems in a number of human diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, with special regard to the systems related to the phosphoinositide (PI) pathway and AD. The PI signal transduction pathway plays a crucial role, being involved in a variety of cell functions, such as hormone secretion, neurotransmitter signal transduction, cell growth, membrane trafficking, ion channel activity, cytoskeleton regulation, cell cycle control, apoptosis, cell and tissue polarity, and contributes to regulate the Ca<sup>2+</sup> levels in the nervous tissue. Conclusion: A number of observations indicated that PI-specific phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes might be involved in the alteration of neurotransmission. To understand the role and the timing of action of the signalling pathways recruited during the brain morphology changes during the AD progression might help to elucidate the aetiopathogenesis of the disease, paving the way to prognosis refinement and/or novel molecular therapeutic strategies.

Role of Nanomedicines in Delivery of Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Compounds to the Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1315-1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ahmad ◽  
Javed Ahmad ◽  
Saima Amin ◽  
Mahfoozur Rahman ◽  
Mohammad Anwar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals Peptides Derived from Growth Factors to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 6071
Author(s):  
Suzanne Gascon ◽  
Jessica Jann ◽  
Chloé Langlois-Blais ◽  
Mélanie Plourde ◽  
Christine Lavoie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Growth Factors ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Native Proteins ◽  
Receptor Sites ◽  
The Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive neuron losses in memory-related brain structures. The classical features of AD are a dysregulation of the cholinergic system, the accumulation of amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. Unfortunately, current treatments are unable to cure or even delay the progression of the disease. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies have emerged, such as the exogenous administration of neurotrophic factors (e.g., NGF and BDNF) that are deficient or dysregulated in AD. However, their low capacity to cross the blood–brain barrier and their exorbitant cost currently limit their use. To overcome these limitations, short peptides mimicking the binding receptor sites of these growth factors have been developed. Such peptides can target selective signaling pathways involved in neuron survival, differentiation, and/or maintenance. This review focuses on growth factors and their derived peptides as potential treatment for AD. It describes (1) the physiological functions of growth factors in the brain, their neuronal signaling pathways, and alteration in AD; (2) the strategies to develop peptides derived from growth factor and their capacity to mimic the role of native proteins; and (3) new advancements and potential in using these molecules as therapeutic treatments for AD, as well as their limitations.

scholarly journals Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis: Role of Autophagy and Mitophagy Focusing in Microglia

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3330
Author(s):  
Mehdi Eshraghi ◽  
Aida Adlimoghaddam ◽  
Amir Mahmoodzadeh ◽  
Farzaneh Sharifzad ◽  
Hamed Yasavoli-Sharahi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Neurological Disorder ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Disease Pathogenesis ◽  
Current Review ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Comprehensive Discussion

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurological disorder, and currently, there is no cure for it. Several pathologic alterations have been described in the brain of AD patients, but the ultimate causative mechanisms of AD are still elusive. The classic hallmarks of AD, including am-yloid plaques (Aβ) and tau tangles (tau), are the most studied features of AD. Unfortunately, all the efforts targeting these pathologies have failed to show the desired efficacy in AD patients so far. Neuroinflammation and impaired autophagy are two other main known pathologies in AD. It has been reported that these pathologies exist in AD brain long before the emergence of any clinical manifestation of AD. Microglia are the main inflammatory cells in the brain and are considered by many researchers as the next hope for finding a viable therapeutic target in AD. Interestingly, it appears that the autophagy and mitophagy are also changed in these cells in AD. Inside the cells, autophagy and inflammation interact in a bidirectional manner. In the current review, we briefly discussed an overview on autophagy and mitophagy in AD and then provided a comprehensive discussion on the role of these pathways in microglia and their involvement in AD pathogenesis.

Neuroinflammatory Signaling in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Sahab Uddin ◽  
Md. Tanvir Kabir ◽  
Maroua Jalouli ◽  
Md. Ataur Rahman ◽  
Philippe Jeandet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Misfolded Proteins ◽  
Inflammatory Signaling ◽  
Genome Wide Analysis ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Immunological Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain

: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by the formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and extracellular amyloid plaques. Growing evidence has suggested that AD pathogenesis is not only limited to the neuronal compartment but also strongly interacts with immunological processes in the brain. On the other hand, aggregated and misfolded proteins can bind with pattern recognition receptors located on astroglia and microglia and can in turn induce an innate immune response, characterized by the release of inflammatory mediators, ultimately playing a role in both the severity and the progression of the disease. It has been reported by genome-wide analysis that several genes which elevate the risk for sporadic AD encode for factors controlling the inflammatory response and glial clearance of misfolded proteins. Obesity and systemic inflammation are examples of external factors which may interfere with the immunological mechanisms of the brain and can induce disease progression. In this review, we discussed the mechanisms and essential role of inflammatory signaling pathways in AD pathogenesis. Indeed, interfering with immune processes and modulation of risk factors may lead to future therapeutic or preventive AD approaches.

scholarly journals The Role of Long Noncoding RNAs in Diabetic Alzheimer’s Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Kook Kim ◽  
Juhyun Song
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Long Noncoding Rnas ◽  
Glucose Dysregulation ◽  
Near Future ◽  
The Brain

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in diverse physiological and pathological processes by modulating gene expression. They have been found to be dysregulated in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, and are considered promising therapeutic targets for treatment. Among the various neurodegenerative diseases, diabetic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been recently emerging as an important issue due to several unexpected reports suggesting that metabolic issues in the brain, such as insulin resistance and glucose dysregulation, could be important risk factors for AD. To facilitate understanding of the role of lncRNAs in this field, here we review recent studies on lncRNAs in AD and diabetes, and summarize them with different categories associated with the pathogenesis of the diseases including neurogenesis, synaptic dysfunction, amyloid beta accumulation, neuroinflammation, insulin resistance, and glucose dysregulation. It is essential to understand the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of diabetic AD from various perspectives for therapeutic utilization of lncRNAs in the near future.

scholarly journals Therapeutic potential of astaxanthin and superoxide dismutase in Alzheimer's disease

Open Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 210013
Author(s):  
Vyshnavy Balendra ◽  
Sandeep Kumar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Superoxide Dismutase ◽  
Antioxidant System ◽  
Tau Protein ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Plaque Burden ◽  
Memory Decline ◽  
Endogenous Antioxidants ◽  
The Brain

Oxidative stress, the imbalance of the antioxidant system, results in an accumulation of neurotoxic proteins in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The antioxidant system is composed of exogenous and endogenous antioxidants to maintain homeostasis. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an endogenous enzymatic antioxidant that converts superoxide ions to hydrogen peroxide in cells. SOD supplementation in mice prevented cognitive decline in stress-induced cells by reducing lipid peroxidation and maintaining neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Furthermore, SOD decreased expression of BACE1 while reducing plaque burden in the brain. Additionally, Astaxanthin (AST), a potent exogenous carotenoid, scavenges superoxide anion radicals. Mice treated with AST showed slower memory decline and decreased depositions of amyloid-beta (A β ) and tau protein. Currently, the neuroprotective potential of these supplements has only been examined separately in studies. However, a single antioxidant cannot sufficiently resist oxidative damage to the brain, therefore, a combinatory approach is proposed as a relevant therapy for ameliorating pathological changes in AD.

scholarly journals Sex Differences and the Influence of Sex Hormones on Cognition through Adulthood and the Aging Process

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Gurvich ◽  
Kate Hoy ◽  
Natalie Thomas ◽  
Jayashri Kulkarni
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

Hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that regulate reproductive function have multiple effects on the development, maintenance and function of the brain. Sex differences in cognitive functioning have been reported in both health and disease, which may be partly attributed to sex hormones. The aim of the current paper was to provide a theoretical review of how sex hormones influence cognitive functioning across the lifespan as well as provide an overview of the literature on sex differences and the role of sex hormones in cognitive decline, specifically in relation to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A summary of current hormone and sex-based interventions for enhancing cognitive functioning and/or reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is also provided.

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