Peripheral administration of tau aggregates triggers intracerebral tauopathy in transgenic mice

Florence Clavaguera,Gabriel Schweighauser,Markus Tolnay,Jürgen Hench,Michel Goedert,Stephan Frank,Isabelle Lavenir

doi:10.1007/s00401-013-1231-5

Florence Clavaguera, Gabriel Schweighauser + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-013-1231-5

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Abstract

Peripheral administration of tau aggregates triggers intracerebral tauopathy in transgenic mice

Highlights

We used homozygous and heterozygous mice transgenic for human mutant P301S tau [2]
Brainstem extracts from 6-month-old homozygous P301S tau transgenic mice were injected into the peritoneal cavity of 3-month-old heterozygous mice, an age at which they lack tau deposits
Gallyas per cell nucleus (G/N) ratios (Fig. 2a, left panel) showed a marked increase in the number of silver-positive structures in the brainstem and neocortex of mice IP injected with P301S brainstem extract

Summary

Introduction

We used homozygous and heterozygous mice transgenic for human mutant P301S tau [2]. In heterozygous mice, tau aggregation forms later than in homozygous mice, and heterozygous mice live longer than their homozygous counterparts (15 months as opposed to 6 months). Groups of mice injected intraperitoneally (IP) with brainstem homogenate from either P301S tau transgenic mice (with tau filaments) or control (CO) mice (without tau filaments) formed Gallyas-positive structures in the brain, there were significant differences between the two groups (Fig. 1). G/N ratios (Fig. 2a, left panel) showed a marked increase in the number of silver-positive structures in the brainstem and neocortex of mice IP injected with P301S brainstem extract.

Results

Conclusion