Mutated Tau Proteins and Neurodegeneration

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that by disrupting transport in and out of cell’s control center in a neuron can lead to neurodegeneration. The cell’s control center, the nucleus, houses the DNA and sends all sorts of RNAs, proteins and other messages to direct the rest of the cell. These materials pass back and forth through the nuclear pore complex. The researchers found that a mutated tau protein can gum up the nuclear pore machinery and block movement of materials in and out of the nucleus, which can kill the neuron. This ultimately can lead to Alzheimer’s disease. Jeff Rothstein’s team is looking for ways to get these traffic jams unblocked as a way to treat Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.