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Human wild-type tau interacts with wingless pathway components and produces neurofibrillary pathology in Drosophila
Jackson GR, Wiedau-Pazos M, Sang TK, Wagle N, Brown CA, Massachi S, Geschwind DH.. Neuron, 2002-05-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Pathologic alterations in the microtubule-associated protein tau have been implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, we show that tau overexpression, in combination with phosphorylation by the Drosophila glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) homolog and wingless pathway component (Shaggy), exacerbated neurodegeneration induced by tau overexpression alone, leading to neurofibrillary pathology in the fly. Furthermore, manipulation of other wingless signaling molecules downstream from shaggy demonstrated that components of the Wnt signaling pathway modulate neurodegeneration induced by tau pathology in vivo but suggested that tau phosphorylation by GSK-3beta differs from canonical Wnt effects on beta-catenin stability and TCF activity. The genetic system we have established provides a powerful reagent for identification of novel modifiers of tau-induced neurodegeneration that may serve as future therapeutic targets.
Key findings
- Furthermore, manipulation of other wingless signaling molecules downstream from shaggy demonstrated that components of the Wnt signaling pathway modulate neurodegeneration induced by tau pathology in vivo but suggested that tau phosphorylation by GSK-3beta differs from canonical Wnt effects on beta-catenin stability and TCF activity.
Why it matters
In fruit flies, overexpressing tau together with the fly GSK-3 homolog Shaggy worsened neurodegeneration and produced neurofibrillary pathology. This is an animal model study that may help identify future drug targets, but no treatment for patients was tested.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuron) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neuron: journal h-index 689 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “drosophila”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 490 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 18.8 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Daniel H. Geschwind: h-index 186 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, Los Angeles: institution h-index 1,923 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12062036) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jackson, G. R., Wiedau-Pazos, M., Sang, T. K., Wagle, N., Brown, C. A., Massachi, S., et al. (2002). Human wild-type tau interacts with wingless pathway components and produces neurofibrillary pathology in Drosophila. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00706-7
Vancouver
Jackson GR, Wiedau-Pazos M, Sang TK, Wagle N, Brown CA, Massachi S, et al. Human wild-type tau interacts with wingless pathway components and produces neurofibrillary pathology in Drosophila. Neuron. 2002. doi:10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00706-7. PMID: 12062036.
BibTeX
@article{jackson2002-12062036,
author = {Jackson, G. R. and Wiedau-Pazos, M. and Sang, T. K. and Wagle, N. and Brown, C. A. and Massachi, S. and Geschwind, D. H.},
title = {{Human wild-type tau interacts with wingless pathway components and produces neurofibrillary pathology in Drosophila}},
journal = {Neuron},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00706-7},
pmid = {12062036},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00706-7}
}
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