Cited by 281Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchDementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Acetylated Tau Obstructs KIBRA-Mediated Signaling in Synaptic Plasticity and Promotes Tauopathy-Related Memory Loss

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Tracy, Tara E., Sohn, Peter Dongmin, Minami, S. Sakura, Wang, Chao, Min, Sang-Won, Li, Yaqiao, Zhou, Yungui, Le, David +7 more·2016·Neuron

Abstract

Tau toxicity has been implicated in the emergence of synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the mechanism by which tau alters synapse physiology and leads to cognitive decline is unclear. Here we report abnormal acetylation of K274 and K281 on tau, identified in AD brains, promotes memory loss and disrupts synaptic plasticity by reducing postsynaptic KIdney/BRAin (KIBRA) protein, a memory-associated protein. Transgenic mice expressing human tau with lysine-to-glutamine mutations to mimic K274 and K281 acetylation (tauKQ) exhibit AD-related memory deficits and impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). TauKQ reduces synaptic KIBRA levels and disrupts activity-induced postsynaptic actin remodeling and AMPA receptor insertion. The LTP deficit was rescued by promoting actin polymerization or by KIBRA expression. In AD patients with dementia, we found enhanced tau acetylation is linked to loss of KIBRA. These findings suggest a novel mechanism by which pathogenic tau causes synaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline in AD pathogenesis.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.03.005

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  • Acetylation of Tau at K281, a residue located in an F-actin interacting helix of Tau, affects the interaction of Tau with actin and modulates Tau-mediated toxicity.

    “In addition to phosphorylation, acetylation of Tau at K281, a residues that is located in an F-actin interacting helix of Tau (Fig. 3d), affects the interaction of Tau with actin and modulate Tau-mediated toxicity26.”

    From Multivalent cross-linking of actin filaments and microtubules through the microtubule-associated protein Tau (2017) · cites this paper as [26]

    The Results report that an acetylation-mimicking K274/K281 tau mutant interacted less with F-actin than wild-type tau; the Discussion links that mutant to synaptic dysfunction and memory deficits. The paper does not establish that K281 alone has these effects or describe K281 as located in an F-actin-interacting helix. Its evidence for altered tau–actin binding comes from the double mutant, not directly from acetylated tau. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Acetylation of Tau modulates actin polymerization and enhances synaptic dysfunction.

    “In addition, acetylation of Tau modulates actin polymerization and enhances synaptic dysfunction26.”
  • Transgenic mice capable of acetylating K274 and K281 exhibited memory deficits and impairment of hippocampal long-term potentiation.

    “The transgenic mice capable of acetylating K274 and K281 exhibited memory deficits and impairment of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP).”
  • Pathogenic tau acetylation causes synaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline in AD.

    “This study led to a novel mechanism of pathogenic tau caused a role in causing synaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline in AD.”
  • An increase in tau acetylation was linked to loss of KIBRA in AD patients with dementia.

    “An increase in tau acetylation was linked to the loss of KIBRA in AD patients with dementia.”

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Authors
Tracy, T. E., Sohn, P. D., Minami, S. S., Wang, C., Min, S.-W., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., Le, D., Lo, I., Ponnusamy, R., Cong, X., Schilling, B., Ellerby, L. M., Huganir, R. L., & Gan, L.
Affiliations
  • Gladstone Institutes (US)
  • Buck Institute for Research on Aging (US)
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
Corresponding author
Gan, Li
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-04
Volume
90
Issue
2
Pages
245-260
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2327032644
Cited by
277
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 6
FWCI
22.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (1c06rr018928-01)
  • National Institute on Aging (F32AG043301, R01AG030207, R01AG036884, R01AG051390)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS040251, P30NS065780, RL1NS062413, R01NS036715)
  • National Center for Research Resources (C06-RR-018928)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Keywords
tau acetylation, KIBRA, Alzheimer's disease, synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation, memory loss, tauopathy, hippocampus, synaptic dysfunction
MeSH terms
Acetylation, Actins, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Brain, Carrier Proteins, Hippocampus, Humans, Memory Disorders, Mice, Transgenic, Neuronal Plasticity, Phosphoproteins, Signal Transduction, tau Proteins, Long-Term Potentiation, Receptors, AMPA, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Mice, Primary Cell Culture

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