High-content image-based analysis and proteomic profiling identifies Tau phosphorylation inhibitors in a human iPSC-derived glutamatergic neuronal model of tauopathy

Sci Rep. 2021 Aug 23;11(1):17029. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-96227-5.

Abstract

Mutations in MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD). MAPT mutations are associated with abnormal tau phosphorylation levels and accumulation of misfolded tau protein that can propagate between neurons ultimately leading to cell death (tauopathy). Recently, a p.A152T tau variant was identified as a risk factor for FTD, Alzheimer's disease, and synucleinopathies. Here we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from a patient carrying this p.A152T variant to create a robust, functional cellular assay system for probing pathophysiological tau accumulation and phosphorylation. Using stably transduced iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells engineered to enable inducible expression of the pro-neural transcription factor Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2), we generated disease-relevant, cortical-like glutamatergic neurons in a scalable, high-throughput screening compatible format. Utilizing automated confocal microscopy, and an advanced image-processing pipeline optimized for analysis of morphologically complex human neuronal cultures, we report quantitative, subcellular localization-specific effects of multiple kinase inhibitors on tau, including ones under clinical investigation not previously reported to affect tau phosphorylation. These results demonstrate the potential for using patient iPSC-derived ex vivo models of tauopathy as genetically accurate, disease-relevant systems to probe tau biochemistry and support the discovery of novel therapeutics for tauopathies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Glutamates / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / pathology*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Proteomics*
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology
  • Tauopathies / pathology*
  • tau Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Biomarkers
  • Chir 99021
  • Glutamates
  • NEUROG2 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • tau Proteins
  • Protein Kinases