Pathological phosphorylation of tau and TDP-43 by TTBK1 and TTBK2 drives neurodegeneration

BACKGROUND: Progressive neuron loss in the frontal and temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex typifies frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). FTLD sub types are classified on the basis of neuronal aggregated protein deposits, typically containing either aberrantly phosphorylated TDP-43 or tau. Our recent work demonstrated that tau tubulin kinases 1 and 2 (TTBK1/2) robustly phosphorylate TDP-43 and co-localize with phosphorylated TDP-43 in human postmortem neurons from FTLD patients. Both TTBK1 and TTBK2 were initially identified as tau kinases and TTBK1 has been shown to phosphorylate tau epitopes commonly observed in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. METHODS: To further elucidate how TTBK1/2 activity contributes to both TDP-43 and tau phosphorylation in the context of the neurodegeneration seen in FTLD, we examined the consequences of elevated human TTBK1/2 kinase expression in transgenic animal models of disease. RESULTS: We show that C. elegans co-expressing tau/TTBK1 tau/TTBK2, or TDP-43/TTBK1 transgenes in combination exhibit synergistic exacerbation of behavioral abnormalities and increased pathological protein phosphorylation. We also show that C. elegans co-expressing tau/TTBK1 or tau/TTBK2 transgenes in combination exhibit aberrant neuronal architecture and neuron loss. Surprisingly, the TTBK2/TDP-43 transgenic combination showed no exacerbation of TDP-43 proteinopathy related phenotypes. Additionally, we observed elevated TTBK1/2 protein expression in cortical and hippocampal neurons of FTLD-tau and FTLD-TDP cases relative to normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a possible etiology for the two most common FTLD subtypes through a kinase activation driven mechanism of neurodegeneration

The tau tubulin kinases TTBK1/2 promote accumulation of pathological TDP-43

Pathological aggregates of phosphorylated TDP-43 characterize amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP), two devastating groups of neurodegenerative disease. Kinase hyperactivity may be a consistent feature of ALS and FTLD-TDP, as phosphorylated TDP-43 is not observed in the absence of neurodegeneration. By examining changes in TDP-43 phosphorylation state, we have identified kinases controlling TDP-43 phosphorylation in a C. elegans model of ALS. In this kinome-wide survey, we identified homologs of the tau tubulin kinases 1 and 2 (TTBK1 and TTBK2), which were also identified in a prior screen for kinase modifiers of TDP-43 behavioral phenotypes. Using refined methodology, we demonstrate TTBK1 and TTBK2 directly phosphorylate TDP-43 in vitro and promote TDP-43 phosphorylation in mammalian cultured cells. TTBK1/2 overexpression drives phosphorylation and relocalization of TDP-43 from the nucleus to cytoplasmic inclusions reminiscent of neuropathologic changes in disease states. Furthermore, protein levels of TTBK1 and TTBK2 are increased in frontal cortex of FTLD-TDP patients, and TTBK1 and TTBK2 co-localize with TDP-43 inclusions in ALS spinal cord. These kinases may represent attractive targets for therapeutic intervention for TDP-43 proteinopathies such as ALS and FTLD-TDP

The phosphatase calcineurin regulates pathological TDP-43 phosphorylation

Detergent insoluble inclusions of TDP-43 protein are hallmarks of the neuropathology in over 90% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases and approximately half of frontotemporal dementia (FTLD-TDP) cases. In TDP-43 proteinopathy disorders, lesions containing aggregated TDP-43 protein are extensively post-translationally modified, with phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP) being the most consistent and robust marker of pathological TDP-43 deposition. Abnormally phosphorylated TDP-43 has been hypothesized to mediate TDP-43 toxicity in many neurodegenerative disease models. To date several different kinases have been implicated in the genesis of pTDP, but no phosphatases have been shown to reverse pathological TDP-43 phosphorylation. We have identified the phosphatase calcineurin as an enzyme binding to and catalyzing the removal of pathological C-terminal phosphorylation of TDP-43 in vitro. In C. elegans models of TDP-43 proteinopathy, genetic elimination of calcineurin results in accumulation of excess pTDP, exacerbated motor dysfunction, and accelerated neurodegenerative changes. In cultured human cells, treatment with FK506 (tacrolimus), a calcineurin inhibitor, results in accumulation of pTDP species. Lastly, calcineurin co-localizes with pTDP in degenerating areas of the central nervous system in subjects with FTLD-TDP and ALS. Taken together these findings suggest calcineurin acts on pTDP as a phosphatase in neurons. Furthermore, patient treatment with calcineurin inhibitors may have unappreciated adverse neuropathological consequences

Genome wide analysis reveals heparan sulfate epimerase modulates TDP-43 proteinopathy.

Pathological phosphorylated TDP-43 protein (pTDP) deposition drives neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP). However, the cellular and genetic mechanisms at work in pathological TDP-43 toxicity are not fully elucidated. To identify genetic modifiers of TDP-43 neurotoxicity, we utilized a Caenorhabditis elegans model of TDP-43 proteinopathy expressing human mutant TDP-43 pan-neuronally (TDP-43 tg). In TDP-43 tg C. elegans, we conducted a genome-wide RNAi screen covering 16,767 C. elegans genes for loss of function genetic suppressors of TDP-43-driven motor dysfunction. We identified 46 candidate genes that when knocked down partially ameliorate TDP-43 related phenotypes; 24 of these candidate genes have conserved homologs in the human genome. To rigorously validate the RNAi findings, we crossed the TDP-43 transgene into the background of homozygous strong genetic loss of function mutations. We have confirmed 9 of the 24 candidate genes significantly modulate TDP-43 transgenic phenotypes. Among the validated genes we focused on, one of the most consistent genetic modifier genes protecting against pTDP accumulation and motor deficits was the heparan sulfate-modifying enzyme hse-5, the C. elegans homolog of glucuronic acid epimerase (GLCE). We found that knockdown of human GLCE in cultured human cells protects against oxidative stress induced pTDP accumulation. Furthermore, expression of glucuronic acid epimerase is significantly decreased in the brains of FTLD-TDP cases relative to normal controls, demonstrating the potential disease relevance of the candidate genes identified. Taken together these findings nominate glucuronic acid epimerase as a novel candidate therapeutic target for TDP-43 proteinopathies including ALS and FTLD-TDP

MicroRNA-Based Single-Gene Circuits Buffer Protein Synthesis Rates against Perturbations

Achieving precise control of mammalian transgene expression has remained a long-standing, and increasingly urgent, challenge in biomedical science. Despite much work, single-cell methods have consistently revealed that mammalian gene expression levels remain susceptible to fluctuations (noise) and external perturbations. Here, we show that precise control of protein synthesis can be realized using a single-gene microRNA (miRNA)-based feed-forward loop (sgFFL). This minimal autoregulatory gene circuit consists of an intronic miRNA that targets its own transcript. In response to a step-like increase in transcription rate, the network generated a transient protein expression pulse before returning to a lower steady state level, thus exhibiting adaptation. Critically, the steady state protein levels were independent of the size of the stimulus, demonstrating that this simple network architecture effectively buffered protein production against changes in transcription. The single-gene network architecture was also effective in buffering against transcriptional noise, leading to reduced cell-to-cell variability in protein synthesis. Noise was up to 5-fold lower for a sgFFL than for an unregulated control gene with equal mean protein levels. The noise buffering capability varied predictably with the strength of the miRNA-target interaction. Together, these results suggest that the sgFFL single-gene motif provides a general and broadly applicable platform for robust gene expression in synthetic and natural gene circuits

The kinases TTBK1/2 phosphorylate TDP-43 in <i>C. elegans</i> and <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>(A) Developmentally synchronized day 1 adult <i>dkf-2(−/−)</i>;TDP-43, <i>cdc-7(−/−)</i>;TDP-43, and H05L14.1(−/−);TDP-43 kinase mutants have decreased phosphorylated TDP-43 relative to TDP-43 transgenic animals alone. See <a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004803#pgen.1004803.s002" target="_blank">S2 Figure</a> for overexposure of immunoblots. Measurement of protein levels of three independent immunoblots is presented for phospho-TDP-43 (B) and total TDP-43 (C). Signal is normalized to the parental TDP-43 transgenic control strain, and graphs are plotted in arbitrary units of intensity. * <i>P</i><0.05, Student's t-test relative to TDP-43 transgenic control. (D) Developmentally staged kinase mutant/TDP-43 transgenic L4 larvae exhibit significantly higher dispersal velocity relative to TDP-43 transgenic animals with intact kinase genes. Animals were measured for the linear distance traveled from a central reference point over time, N>70 for each genotype. *<i>P</i><0.05 versus TDP-43. Non-transgenic animals disperse at an average velocity of 5.9 µm/second. (E) <i>In vitro</i> kinase assays testing the kinase activity of TTBK1, TTBK2, and PRKD2 against wild-type TDP-43 demonstrate purified TTBK1 and TTBK2 phosphorylate wild-type TDP-43, while PRKD2 does not. Immunoblots are probed with antibodies for phosphorylated (P-TDP-43) and total TDP-43. (F) <i>In vitro</i> kinase assays demonstrate purified TTBK1 and TTBK2 but not PRKD2 phosphorylate M337V mutant TDP-43. See <a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004803#pgen.1004803.s004" target="_blank">S4 Figure</a> for controls of kinase activity on known protein substrates.</p

Upregulated Tau tubulin kinases are also co-expressed with phospho-TDP-43 pathology.

<p>Representative photomicrographs depicting TTBK1 (A, C) and TTBK2 (B, D) immunoreactivity in cortical neurons in normal (A, B) and FTLD-TDP Type B (C, D) cases. The cellular distribution is both cytoplasmic and nuclear (insets), and immunoreactivity appears to be more widespread in FTLD cases relative to normal controls. Cortical layers I-VI are indicated (C). Quantification of immunostaining demonstrated a statistically significant increase in both TTBK1 (E) and TTBK2 (F) in FTLD cases compared to normal controls (**<i>P</i> = 0.003; ***<i>P</i><0.0001). The distribution of phospho-TDP-43 immunoreactivity in the cortex of an FTLD case (G) overlaps with TTBK1 (C) and TTBK2 (D). Double label immunohistochemical experiments suggest co-localization of phospho-TDP-43 with TTBK1 (H) and TTBK2 (I) in an FTLD case. Scale bars: 100 µm A–D,G; 50 µm insets A–D; 25 µm H,I. See <a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004803#pgen.1004803.s005" target="_blank">S5 Figure</a> for controls for antibody specificity.</p

Tau tubulin kinase activation promotes TDP-43 phosphorylation and recruitment into cytoplasmic inclusions.

<p>(A) Overexpression of TTBK1 and TTBK2 in HEK293 cells induces robust TDP-43 phosphorylation in the absence of other cellular stressors. Quantitative analysis of band intensities from three independent replicate transfections is shown for (B) TTBK1 and (C) TTBK2. Graphs are plotted in arbitrary units of intensity. *<i>P</i> = 0.004 and **<i>P</i> = 0.035 versus control transfection, Student's t-test. Differences in total TDP-43 are not statistically significant. (D, E) TTBK2 is expressed throughout the cytoplasm, and overlaps with phosphorylated TDP-43 in SHSY-5Y cells. Pearson coefficient of correlation for colocalization (D) = 0.9853, (E) = 0.9793.</p

Tau tubulin kinases are co-expressed with phospho-TDP-43 pathology in ALS cases.

<p>TTBK1 (brown; A, C, E, F) and TTBK2 (brown; B, D, G, H) co-localize with phospho-TDP-43 (black) in spinal cord motor neurons (A, B), hippocampal dentate granule cells (C, D), cortical neurons (E, G), hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons (F) and subiculum (H). Scale bars = 50 µm.</p