• DOI:10.1038/s42003-020-0975-4
• Corpus ID: 214802243

Tau affects P53 function and cell fate during the DNA damage response

@article{Sola2020TauAP,
  title={Tau affects P53 function and cell fate during the DNA damage response},
  author={Martin E. Garcia Sola and Claudia Magrin and Giona Pedrioli and Sandra Pinton and Agnese Salvad{\`e} and Stéphanie Papin and Paolo Paganetti},
  journal={Communications Biology},
  year={2020},
  volume={3}
}

• M. Sola, Claudia Magrin, +4 authors P. Paganetti
• Published 5 April 2020
• Biology
• Communications Biology

Cells are constantly exposed to DNA damaging insults. To protect the organism, cells developed a complex molecular response coordinated by P53, the master regulator of DNA repair, cell division and cell fate. DNA damage accumulation and abnormal cell fate decision may represent a pathomechanism shared by aging-associated disorders such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Here, we examined this hypothesis in the context of tauopathies, a neurodegenerative disorder group characterized by Tau protein deposition. For this, the response to an acute DNA damage was studied in neuroblastoma cells with depleted Tau, as a model of loss-of-function. Under these conditions, altered P53 stability and activity result in reduced cell death and increased cell senescence. This newly discovered function of Tau involves abnormal modification of P53 and its E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. Considering the medical need with vast social implications caused by neurodegeneration and cancer, our study may reform our approach to disease-modifying therapies. Martina Sola, Claudia Magrin et al. study the relation between Tau and P53 in response to DNA damage. They uncover an important role for Tau in regulating the stability, and activity of P53 post translationally. Their findings provide insights to potentially common pathways in neurodegenerative disease and cancer.