A novel tau mutation in exon 9 (1260V) causes a four-repeat tauopathy

• A novel mutation in exon 9 of tau, I260V, is associated with a clinical syndrome consistent with frontotemporal dementia with extensive tau pathology; however, neurofibrillary tangles and Pick bodies are absent. Significantly, Sarkosyl- insoluble tau extracted from affected brain tissue consisted almost exclusively of four-repeat isoforms. Consistent with these findings, in vitro biochemical assays demonstrated that the I260V mutation causes a selective increase in tau aggregation and a decrease in tau-induced microtubule assembly with four-repeat isoforms only. The contrasting pathology and biochemical effects of this mutation suggest a different disease mechanism from the other exon 9 mutations and demonstrates the critical role for the first microtubule-binding domain in tau-promoted microtubule assembly and the pathogenic aggregation of tau.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

neurodegeneration

dementia

pick body

glial tau

axonal

microtubule assembly

aggregation

isoform

tau

four-repeat

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)