Pathogenic MAPT mutations Q336H and Q336R have isoform-dependent differences in aggregation propensity and microtubule dysfunction.

Abstract

Tauopathies are a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders characterized by brain deposition of tau inclusions. These insidious disorders include Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia, the two leading causes of dementia. Mutations in the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene lead to familial forms of frontotemporal dementia. Previously, we used cell-based assays to screen over 20 missense tau mutations and found that decreased microtubule (MT) binding affinity was the most shared property. As a break from this trend, the MAPT mutations Q336H and Q336R are thought to promote MT assembly rather than inhibit it based on in vitro studies. Q336H and Q336R MAPT mutations also cause early onset frontotemporal dementia with Pick bodies, which are mostly composed of 3R tau isoforms. To provide further insights on the pathobiology of these mutations, we assessed Q336H and Q336R tau mutants for aggregation propensity and MT binding in cell-based assays in the context of both 0N3R and 0N4R tau isoforms. Q336R tau was prone to prion-like seeded aggregation but both Q336H and Q336R tau led to increased MT binding. Additionally, we found that different tau isoforms with these mutations heterogeneously regulate different MT subpopulations of tyrosinated and acetylated MTs, markers of newly formed MTs and stable MTs. The Q336H and Q336R tau mutations may exemplify an alternative mechanism where pathogenic tau can bind MTs with higher affinity and hyperstabilize MTs, which prevent proper MT regulation and homeostasis.