The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

What is the pathological significance of tau oligomers?

What is the pathological significance of tau oligomers?
What is the pathological significance of tau oligomers?
Insoluble aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau characterize a number of neurodegenerative diseases collectively termed tauopathies. These aggregates comprise abnormally hyperphosphorylated and misfolded tau proteins. Research in this field has traditionally focused on understanding how hyperphosphorylated and aggregated tau mediates dysfunction and toxicity in tauopathies. Recent findings from both Drosophila and rodent models of tauopathy suggest that large insoluble aggregates such as tau filaments and tangles may not be the key toxic species in these diseases. Thus some investigators have shifted their focus to study pre-filament tau species such as tau oligomers and hyperphosphorylated tau monomers. Interestingly, tau oligomers can exist in a variety of states including hyperphosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms, which can be both soluble and insoluble. It remains to be determined which of these oligomeric states of tau are causally involved in neurodegeneration and which signal the beginning of the formation of inert/protective filaments. It will be important to better understand this so that tau-based therapeutic interventions can target the most toxic tau species.
alzheimer's disease, filament, oligomer, tangle, tau, tauopathy
0300-5127
693-697
Cowan, Catherine M.
9dd8dfb6-bfa9-4388-b386-8e98e188b22a
Quraishe, Shmma
cfc3aed4-f120-41aa-9127-0fc26c657ad2
Mudher, Amritpal
ce0ccb35-ac49-4b6c-92b4-8dd5e78ac119
Cowan, Catherine M.
9dd8dfb6-bfa9-4388-b386-8e98e188b22a
Quraishe, Shmma
cfc3aed4-f120-41aa-9127-0fc26c657ad2
Mudher, Amritpal
ce0ccb35-ac49-4b6c-92b4-8dd5e78ac119

Cowan, Catherine M., Quraishe, Shmma and Mudher, Amritpal (2012) What is the pathological significance of tau oligomers? Biochemical Society Transactions, 40 (4), 693-697. (doi:10.1042/BST20120135). (PMID:22817718)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Insoluble aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau characterize a number of neurodegenerative diseases collectively termed tauopathies. These aggregates comprise abnormally hyperphosphorylated and misfolded tau proteins. Research in this field has traditionally focused on understanding how hyperphosphorylated and aggregated tau mediates dysfunction and toxicity in tauopathies. Recent findings from both Drosophila and rodent models of tauopathy suggest that large insoluble aggregates such as tau filaments and tangles may not be the key toxic species in these diseases. Thus some investigators have shifted their focus to study pre-filament tau species such as tau oligomers and hyperphosphorylated tau monomers. Interestingly, tau oligomers can exist in a variety of states including hyperphosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms, which can be both soluble and insoluble. It remains to be determined which of these oligomeric states of tau are causally involved in neurodegeneration and which signal the beginning of the formation of inert/protective filaments. It will be important to better understand this so that tau-based therapeutic interventions can target the most toxic tau species.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: August 2012
Keywords: alzheimer's disease, filament, oligomer, tangle, tau, tauopathy
Organisations: Centre for Biological Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 345541
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/345541
ISSN: 0300-5127
PURE UUID: dd7bf191-85e6-4563-a21c-1c6f909e599a
ORCID for Shmma Quraishe: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4351-0521

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 14 Mar 2016 12:05
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:25

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Catherine M. Cowan
Author: Shmma Quraishe ORCID iD
Author: Amritpal Mudher

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×