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The Journal of Neuroscience, August 6, 2003, 23(18):6972-6981
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Reversible Paired Helical Filament-Like Phosphorylation of Tau Is an Adaptive Process Associated with Neuronal Plasticity in Hibernating Animals
Thomas Arendt,1
Jens Stieler,1
Arjen M. Strijkstra,3
Roelof A. Hut,3
Jan Rüdiger,5
Eddy A. Van der Zee,3,4
Tibor Harkany,4
Max Holzer,1 and
Wolfgang Härtig2
Departments of 1Neuroanatomy and
2Neurochemistry, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain
Research, University of Leipzig, D-04109 Leipzig, Germany, Departments of
3Animal Behavior and
4Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, 9757
NN Haren, The Netherlands, and 5Institute of Anatomy
II, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany
Neurofibrillary pathology [paired helical filaments (PHFs)] formed by the
microtubule-associated protein tau in a hyperphosphorylated form is a major
hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The process of tau
phosphorylation, thought to be of critical importance for PHF formation, and
its potential link to neurodegeneration, however, is not understood very well,
mostly because of the lack of a physiological in vivo model of
PHF-like tau phosphorylation. Here we describe the formation of highly
phosphorylated tau, containing a number of PHF-like epitopes in torpor during
hibernation. PHF-like phosphorylation of tau was not associated with fibril
formation and was fully reversible after arousal. Distribution of PHF-like tau
followed a consistent pattern, being most intense in the entorhinal cortex,
hippocampus, and isocortical areas. Within the hippocampus, a particularly
high labeling was seen in CA3 pyramidal cells. Somewhat lesser reactivity was
present in CA1 neurons while dentate gyrus granule cells were not reactive.
Formation of PHF-like tau in CA3 neurons was paralleled by the regression of
synaptic contacts of the mossy fiber system terminating on CA3 apical
dendrites. Mossy fiber afferentation was re-established during arousal,
concomitantly with the decrease of PHF-like tau in CA3 neurons.
These findings implicate an essential link between neuronal plasticity and
PHF-like phosphorylation of tau. The repeated formation and degradation of
PHF-like tau might, thus, represent a physiological mechanism not necessarily
associated with pathological effects. Hibernation will, therefore, be a
valuable model to study the regulation of PHF-like tau-phosphorylation and its
cell biological sequelae under physiological in vivo conditions.
Key words: Alzheimer's disease; hibernation; natural hypothermia; PHF; phosphorylation; plasticity; synapse; tau
Received Apr. 8, 2003;
revised May. 19, 2003;
accepted May. 22, 2003.
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