Tau truncation in Alzheimer's disease: expression of a fragment encompassing PHF core tau induces apoptosis in COS cells

Recent evidence demonstrates that tau is endogenously truncated in Alzheime r's Disease (AD) neurons. In order to assess the relevance of this abnormal post-translational modification of tau in the cell degeneration occurring during the course of AD, we have expressed a truncated form of tau, encompa ssing both the proline rich region and the repeat region of PHF core tau. W e found that this tau fragment induces apoptotic cell death upon expression in COS cells. Truncation of tau could represent an important event in neur onal cell death occurring in AD.