Targeting tau

Summary

Recent research suggests that tau, a protein heavily involved in Alzheimer's disease, could also play an important role in MND. Tau helps our nerve cells keep their shape and organisation, but in Alzheimer’s disease it goes haywire and clumps into tangles which become toxic and damage cells. Tau is controlled by a delicate balance of two other proteins, FUS and SPFQ.

Previous research from Professor Rickie Patani's lab has shown that FUS and SPFQ are consistently found in the wrong place in MND. Dr Crerar believes that the loss of these proteins is driving the formation of toxic tau and causing harm to motor neurons. In this project, he will first demonstrate that this is happening using cells derived from people living with MND. He will then test the theory that motor neurons have a better chance of survival if tau is removed.

Why this research is important

Dr Crerar and his team hope that by investigating these delicate cellular balances – that have the potential to be affected in all cases of MND – they can position tau as an attractive target for new treatments. Because of the role of tau in Alzheimer’s disease, there are many treatments already in development that could also be tested in MND. Read more about this project here and for more information on how cells derived from people living with MND are used in this project, see our infographic on iPSCs.