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Globular glial tauopathy caused by MAPT P301T mutation: clinical and neuropathological findings

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Abstract

Objective

To describe the clinical, biochemical, and neuropathological findings of an autosomal dominant globular glial tauopathy caused by the P301T mutation at the MAPT gene.

Methods

Five patients from two unrelated pedigrees underwent clinical evaluation. Genetic analysis, brain pathological examination, and biochemical analysis of tau were performed.

Results

The patients studied were 3 men and 2 women with a mean age at onset of 52.2 years and mean disease duration of 5.2 years. Three patients presented a corticobasal syndrome, one patient an asymmetric pyramidal syndrome compatible with primary lateral sclerosis, and one patient a frontotemporal dementia. In both pedigrees (4 patients) Sanger sequencing showed the p.P301T mutation in exon 10 of the MAPT gene. Neuropathological findings consisted of atrophy of frontal and temporal lobes with marked spongiosis and astrogliosis, and abundant phosphorylated tau protein deposits in the frontal and temporal cortex, limbic area, basal ganglia, and brain stem. The most striking finding was the presence of oligodendroglial 4R phospho-tau globular positive inclusions in the white matter and cortex. Globose-type neurofibrillary neuronal tangles, and in particular astrocytic globular inclusions and coarse tufts, were present in the grey matter. Biochemical analysis of sarkosyl-insoluble fractions revealed two tau bands of 64 and 68 kDa and case-dependent bands of lower molecular weight.

Conclusion

This is the first pathological and biochemical study of the MAPT p.P301T mutation showing variable clinical manifestation and neuropathological phenotype of globular glial tauopathy not only among different families but also within families.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Valle Coca and Miren Roldan for their technical support. They are also grateful for the collaboration the Neurological Tissue Bank of Navarrabiomed (Pamplona, Spain). We wish to thank T. Yohannan for editorial assistance.

Funding

The study did not receive funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 3, 31008, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

    M. E. Erro, M. Mendioroz & R. Larumbe

  2. Pathology Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    M. V. Zelaya, T. Tuñón & F. García-Bragado

  3. Brain Bank, Navarrabiomed, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), Pamplona, Spain

    M. V. Zelaya, T. Tuñón & F. García-Bragado

  4. Neuroepigenetics Laboratory-Navarrabiomed, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), Pamplona, Spain

    M. E. Erro, M. Mendioroz, R. Larumbe & T. Cabada

  5. Neurosurgery and Neurology Department, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain

    S. Ortega-Cubero

  6. Neurosciences Department, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), Pamplona, Spain

    J. L. Lanciego

  7. Biomedical Network Research Centre of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain

    J. L. Lanciego & I. Ferrer

  8. Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit. Neurology Department, IDIBAPS. Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain

    A. Lladó

  9. Neuroradiology Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    T. Cabada

  10. Neurology Department, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), Pamplona, Spain

    M. R. Luquin

  11. Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari Mutua de Terrassa, University of Barcelona School of Medicine and Fundació per la Recerca Biomèdica i Social Mútua Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain

    P. Pastor

  12. University of Barcelona, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain

    I. Ferrer

Authors
  1. M. E. Erro
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  2. M. V. Zelaya
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  3. M. Mendioroz
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  4. R. Larumbe
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  5. S. Ortega-Cubero
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  6. J. L. Lanciego
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  7. A. Lladó
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  8. T. Cabada
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  9. T. Tuñón
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  10. F. García-Bragado
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  11. M. R. Luquin
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  12. P. Pastor
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  13. I. Ferrer
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Contributions

Erro ME and Ferrer I: designed and conceptualized study, analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript for intellectual content. Zelaya MV and Mendioroz M: performed and analyzed experimental work, provided administrative support and technical contributions. Larumbe R: acquired data. Ortega-Cubero S: performed experimental work and acquired data. Lanciego JL: performed experimental work. Lladó A: performed experimental work. Cabada T: acquired data. Tuñón T: revised manuscript for intellectual content. García-Bragado F: revised manuscript for intellectual content. Luquin MR: acquired data and revised manuscript for intellectual content. Pastor P: performed experimental work and reviewed the manuscript for intellectual content. All the authors reviewed the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. E. Erro.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Consent was obtained from all participants or relatives prior to their inclusion in the study.

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Erro, M.E., Zelaya, M.V., Mendioroz, M. et al. Globular glial tauopathy caused by MAPT P301T mutation: clinical and neuropathological findings. J Neurol 266, 2396–2405 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-019-09414-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-019-09414-w

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