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Gu GJ, Lund H, Wu D, Blokzijl A, Classon C, von Euler G, Landegren U, Sunnemark D, Kamali-Moghaddam M
Neuromolecular Med. 15 (3) 458-469 [2013-09-00; online 2013-05-12]
The microtubule-affinity regulating kinase (MARK) family consists of four highly conserved members that have been implicated in phosphorylation of tau protein, causing formation of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Understanding of roles by individual MARK isoform in phosphorylating tau has been limited due to lack of antibodies selective for each MARK isoform. In this study, we first applied the proximity ligation assay on cells to select antibodies specific for each MARK isoform. In cells, a CagA peptide specifically and significantly inhibited tau phosphorylation at Ser²⁶² mediated by MARK4 but not other MARK isoforms. We then used these antibodies to study expression levels of MARK isoforms and interactions between tau and individual MARK isoforms in postmortem human brains. We found a strong and significant elevation of MARK4 expression and MARK4-tau interactions in AD brains, correlating with the Braak stages of the disease. These results suggest the MARK4-tau interactions are of functional importance in the progression of AD and the results also identify MARK4 as a promising target for AD therapy.
PubMed 23666762
DOI 10.1007/s12017-013-8232-3
Crossref 10.1007/s12017-013-8232-3