Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The presence of tau aggregates in and around the brain vasculature in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and tauopathies suggests its possible pathogenicity to cerebral endothelial cells (ECs).
METHODS
We used an in vitro model of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to understand the mechanisms of fibrillar tau–mediated cerebral EC and BBB pathology, confirming our findings in 3-month-old P301S mice brains and extracted microvessels.
RESULTS
Protofibrillar and fibrillar tau species induce endothelial barrier permeability through an increase in glycolysis, which activates ECs toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype, inducing loss of junction protein expression and localization. The Warburg-like metabolic shift toward glycolysis and increased vascular pathological phenotypes are also present in young P301S mice.
DISCUSSION
In sum, our work reveals that fibrillar tau species, by enhancing endothelial glycolytic metabolism, promote vascular inflammatory phenotypes and loss of BBB function, highlighting the importance of addressing and targeting early tau-mediated neurovascular damage in AD and tauopathies.
Highlights
We improve the understanding of the mechanisms of vascular pathology in tauopathies.
Fibrillar tau mediates vascular metabolic changes, inflammation, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction.
These events are replicated at early stages in a tauopathy mouse model.
Inhibiting altered glycolysis reduces BBB permeability and endothelial activation.
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This post is Copyright: Roberto Guzmán‐Hernández,
Silvia Fossati | March 20, 2025