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Review
. 2011 Aug;8(5):563-72.
doi: 10.2174/156720511796391872.

Mitochondria: the common upstream driver of amyloid-β and tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease

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Review

Mitochondria: the common upstream driver of amyloid-β and tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease

D F F Silva et al. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2011 Aug.

Abstract

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been widely implicated in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Evidence shows a mitochondrial-mediated impairment of autophagy that potentiates amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition. Accordingly, recent data obtained from AD models, in which mitochondrial alterations are a prominent feature, demonstrated abnormalities in microtubule network, involving tubulin and tau post-translational modifications. In this review we will discuss mitochondrial-regulated processes where mitochondrial malfunction is likely to start a sequence of events leading to sirtuin-2 activation, microtubule network breakdown, and impairment of the autophagic pathway. Because sirtuin-2 activity depends on cellular NAD+ availability, mitochondrial regulation of NAD+ levels may contribute to an increase in sirtuin-mediated tubulin deacetylation. A vicious cycle become installed which potentiates tau hyperphosphorylation, together with Aβ overproduction and deposition. Overall, targeting microtubule network constitutes a promising strategy for pharmacological therapy in AD.

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