Behavioral analysis of a transgenic Drosophila model of Tau mediated toxicity in Alzheimer\u27s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by a gradual loss of cognitive function and memory loss. Alzheimer’s pathology includes the extracellular accumulation of amyloid beta 42 plaques (Aβ42) and intracellular accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. In AD, Tau protein, a microtubule associated protein (MAP), gets hyperphosphorylated which results in the intracellular accumulation of NFTs due to destabilization of microtubules. We employ the Gal4/UAS system in Drosophila melanogaster to misexpress human Tau mutant (TauR406W) which mimics AD like neuropathology. It has been previously shown in our lab that misexpression of human TauR406W within the developing fly retina (GMR\u3eTauR406W) exhibits reduced and rough eye phenotype. Here, in this study we will assess Tau mediated toxicity in a transgenic fly model by behavioral analysis. We will misexpress human TauR406W in the nervous system by using Elav-Gal4 driver. One of the behavioral assays such as a locomotion assay will increase our understanding of effects of tau mediated toxicity in AD. Here we will present the behavioral effects of AD transgenic flies.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/3430/thumbnail.jp