Tau Protein: Function and Pathology
1Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Karem, Jerusalem 1120, Israel
2INSERM U837, "Alzheimer & Tauopathies", Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Centre, University of Lille-Nord de France, UDSL, France
3Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience and Cell Biology, George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
4Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
Tau Protein: Function and Pathology
Description
In the last decade, the fundamental role of the microtubule-associated tau protein in neurodegeneration and dementia has been widely accepted. It is now well established that its pathological forms (hyperphosphorylated, aggregated) are a major cause of dementia, rather than being only a secondary effect to the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Much evidence has been accumulated pointing to the contribution of tau to pathology by two mechanisms: loss of function (such as stabilization of microtubules) as well as gain of toxic function (aggregation, oligomer formation, and/or deposition as neurofibrillary tangles). Recent studies have contributed new concepts towards our understanding of the pathogenesis of tau pathology, such as the identification of toxic soluble oligomers of tau, existence of extracellular forms as factor influencing tangle propagation, and the responsiveness of tau pathological forms to environmental stimuli. This emerging data leading to a better understanding of tau pathogenesis, together with the disappointing results of antiamyloid therapeutic approaches against AD, have led the scientific community to devote much more effort into studying tau pathology and to develop tau-targeted therapeutic approaches.
We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts towards understanding tau pathology in AD and other tauopathies (from various aspects, including molecular, immunological, biochemical, pathological ,and behavioral), as well as unravel the physiological functions of tau, in an effort to develop new treatments. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Tau and amyloid relationship
- Physiological functions of tau
- Toxic functions of tau
- Intracellular versus extracellular tau in disease pathogenesis
- Tau and microglia
- Tau and environmental stimuli
- Unique animal models for tau pathology
- Therapeutic approaches targeting tau pathology
- Diagnostic tools and biomarkers for tau pathology
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