Involvement of 14‐3‐3 in tubulin instability and impaired axon development is mediated by Tau

ABSTRACT 14‐3‐3 proteins act as adapters that exert their function by interacting with their various protein partners. 14‐3‐3 proteins have been implicated in a variety of human diseases including neurodegenerative diseases. 14‐3‐3 proteins have recently been reported to be abundant in the neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) observed inside the neurons of brains affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). These NFTs are mainly constituted of phosphorylated Tau protein, a microtubule‐associated protein known to bind 14‐3‐3. Despite this indication of 14‐3‐3 protein involvement in the AD pathogenesis, the role of 14‐3‐3 in the Tauopathy remains to be clarified. In the present study, we shed light on the role of 14‐3‐3 proteins in the molecular pathways leading to Tauopathies. Overexpression of the 14‐3‐3ct isoform resulted in a disruption of the tubulin cytoskeleton and prevented neuritic outgrowth i…