Publications by authors named "Danielle F. Browne"

Tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques are required for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and closely track with cognitive impairment, yet cognitively normal aged individuals frequently exhibit NFTs arising from tau seed accumulation. This may suggest that not all tau species are equally pathogenic and raises the question of whether unidentified tau modifications augment tau seeding activity and neurodegeneration in AD. We investigated how biochemical modifications of tau relate to clinicopathological outcomes in a cohort of 38 patients with Braak-matched AD neuropathologic change (ADNC) or primary age-related tauopathy (PART), a 3R/4R tauopathy with identical tau filament core structure to ADNC but with little to no Aβ deposition.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tau neurofibrillary tangles are a key indicator of Alzheimer's disease, and while their association with certain types of tau seeds is unclear, research shows that specific tau seeds (3R/4R) can be quantified using RT-QuIC assays in brain tissue.
  • These assays reveal that tau seeding activity can be detected before any visible tau deposits appear, indicating a possible early biomarker for Alzheimer's progression, especially in late disease stages.
  • The study also found that 3R/4R tau seeds are not only prevalent in Alzheimer's patients but also present in other neurodegenerative conditions like Lewy body disease, with notable gender differences in tau levels, particularly in more advanced disease stages.
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Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a β-galactosidase-binding protein involved in various biological processes, including neuronal growth and adhesion. The pairing of Gal-3 with ganglioside GM1's pentasaccharide chain at the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, which triggers downstream cell-signaling cascades, seems to be involved in these processes. A crucial feature of Gal-3 is its ability to form oligomers and supramolecular assemblies that connect various carbohydrate-decorated molecules.

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