Cited by 377Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsMitochondrial Function and PathologyAutophagy in Disease and Therapy

Tau Promotes Neurodegeneration via DRP1 Mislocalization In Vivo

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DuBoff, Brian, Götz, Jürgen, Feany, Mel B.·2012·Neuron

Abstract

Mitochondrial abnormalities have been documented in Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, but the causal relationship between mitochondrial changes and neurodegeneration, and the specific mechanisms promoting mitochondrial dysfunction, are unclear. Here, we find that expression of human tau results in elongation of mitochondria in both Drosophila and mouse neurons. Elongation is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and cell cycle-mediated cell death, which can be rescued in vivo by genetically restoring the proper balance of mitochondrial fission and fusion. We have previously demonstrated that stabilization of actin by tau is critical for neurotoxicity of the protein. Here, we demonstrate a conserved role for actin and myosin in regulating mitochondrial fission and show that excess actin stabilization inhibits association of the fission protein DRP1 with mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial elongation and subsequent neurotoxicity. Our results thus identify actin-mediated disruption of mitochondrial dynamics as a direct mechanism of tau toxicity in neurons in vivo.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.06.026

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  • Pathologic tau causes an increase in actin stabilization that inhibits association of the fission protein Drp1 with mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial elongation and production of reactive oxygen species.

    “Pathologic tau causes an increase in actin stabilization18 that inhibits association of the fission protein Drp1 with mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial elongation and the production of reactive oxygen species44.”
  • No statistical methods were used to predetermine sample sizes but our sample sizes are similar to those reported in previous publications.

    “No statistical methods were used to predetermine sample sizes but our sample sizes are similar to those reported in previous publications 7,16,44.”

    From Tau promotes neurodegeneration through global chromatin relaxation (2014) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Experimental Procedures (Immunoblotting; page unavailable) say immunoblots were repeated at least three times, but give no basis for comparing this paper’s sample sizes with those of the citing study. Searches for sample-size planning, sample counts, and comparisons with previous publications found no passage addressing that comparison. The statement about not predetermining sample sizes describes the citing authors’ own methods, not a claim this source can establish. (LLM, conf=0.70)

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Authors
DuBoff, B., Götz, J., & Feany, M. B.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-08
Volume
75
Issue
4
Pages
618-632
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2082970812
Cited by
377
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 3
FWCI
17.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging (F31AG032839, R21AG028074, R01AG033518, R01AG019790)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
Keywords
tau protein, neurodegeneration, Drp1, mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial fusion, mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial elongation, actin filament stabilization, myosin, Alzheimer's disease, mitochondrial dysfunction, tau toxicity, Drosophila neurons, mouse neurons
MeSH terms
Actins, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Cytoplasm, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Disease Models, Animal, Drosophila, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Mitochondria, Mutation, Myosins, Nerve Degeneration, Neurons, tau Proteins, Cell Death, Gelsolin, Cell Cycle Proteins, GTP-Binding Proteins, In Situ Nick-End Labeling, GTP Phosphohydrolases, Mitochondrial Proteins, Tauopathies, ATP Synthetase Complexes, Drosophila Proteins, Animals, Genetically Modified, Dynamins, RNA Interference, MicroRNAs, Green Fluorescent Proteins, Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels, Mice

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