Tau phosphorylation, molecular chaperones, and ubiquitin E3 ligase: clinical relevance in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by dementia, cognitive disabilities, and tauopathy. Tau is a microtubule associated protein that helps maintain the neuronal network. While phosphorylation of tau protein causes disruption of the microtubular network, dephosphorylation allows reconstitution of the microtubule network. Several kinases, e.g., MARK, MAPK, and protein kinase C, are known to hyperphosphorylate tau, leading to disruption of the microtubular network and formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are further glycosylated, glycated, and have lipid peroxide adducts that impair the neuronal transport system and affect memory formation and retention. Moreover, intracerebral administration of amyloid-β oligomers causes hyperphosphorylation of tau, but whether it is involved in the formation of NFTs is still unclear. Further, amyloid burden activates AMP-activated protein kinase that increases phosphorylation of tau at position Ser262/Ser356 and Ser396. Several phosphatases are present at low levels in AD brains indicating that their down regulation results in abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau. However, evidence strengthens a possible link between tau phosphorylation and molecular chaperone mediated tau metabolism for the clearance of toxic tau accumulation and has a crucial role in tauopathy. Furthermore, accumulation of phosphorylated tau protein and the possibility of removing the toxic phosphorylated tau protein from the milieu indicates that the chaperone interacts with phosphorylated tau and promotes its degradation. For instance, Hsp90 and cdc37 regulate tau stability and phosphorylation dynamics whereas Hsp27 is able to modulate neuronal plasticity, while 14-3-3 is involved in the interaction of tau with small HSPs. Hsp70 ATPase acts as a modulator in AD therapeutics while Hsc70 rapidly engages tau after microtubular destabilization. Herein, we highlight the various causes of tauopathy and HSP-E3 ligase mediated therapeutics in AD.

Keywords: Heat shock proteins; tau phosphorylation; tauopathy; ubiquitin E3 ligase.