Posted 7 October 2002

General Information

Transgene: Longest human tau isoform (htau40) cDNA

Mutation: G272V

Promoter: murine prion protein promoter with tetracycline-dependent transactivator system

Mouse Strain: B6DF21

Phenotype

Neuropathological Analysis:

Human tau was expressed at high levels in neurons and oligodendrocytes. Tau-positive neurons were found primarily in brainstem, deep cerebellar nuclei, and spinal cord. Tau-positive oligodendrocytes were found throughout brain and spinal cord.

Human tau-specific antibodies (HT7 or Tau14) showed "extensive, clod-like, pretangle accumulations" of tau in neuronal and oligodentrocytic soma and processes.

Tau filiments were found in oligodendrocytes had either straight or twisted structures; 17-20 nm wide with periodicity of ~75nm.

AT8 staining identified tau phosphorylation at residues 202/205 in oligodendrocytes but not in neurons.

Thioflavin-S staining showed fibrillary inclusions in both oligodendrocytes and neurons in spinal cord, but only in oligodendrocytes in brainstem.

Behavioral:

No neurological deficits readily noticeable.

Availability

Patents: None

Reference

Primary:

Gotz J, Tolnay M, Barmettler R, Chen F, Probst A, Nitsch RM. Oligodendroglial tau filament formation in transgenic mice expressing G272V tau. Eur J Neurosci. 2001;13:2131-40. Abstract.