Home › Research › Disease mechanisms
Loss of SMARCAD1 Mitigates Tauopathy
Vaishnavi S. Jadhav, Rebecca L. Kow, Asia D. Beale, Misa Baum, Pamela J. McMillan, Caitlin S. Latimer, Nicole F. Liachko, Brian C. Kraemer. Aging Cell, 2026-05-27
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of misfolded tau protein and include Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementia disorders. Identifying new strategies to treat tauopathy remains an important gap in the field. Using forward and reverse genetic approaches in C. elegans, we identified smrd-1, the C. elegans homolog of SMARCAD1, as a potent modifier of tauopathy phenotypes in a transgenic model of tauopathy. Loss of smrd-1 function rescues tauopathy-associated neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration in C. elegans models of tauopathy. Loss or reduction of smrd-1/SMARCAD1 decreases phosphorylated and total tau protein levels by reducing tau mRNA transcripts in C. elegans and mammalian HEK-tau cells. Loss of smrd-1 rescues tau-driven abnormal H3K9me3 chromatin methylation. Immunohistochemistry in human postmortem AD brain tissue showed SMARCAD1 depletion in a subset of cases that also exhibit depletion of MSUT2. Loss of smrd-1/SMARCAD1 rescues tau-mediated neurodegeneration via a tau mRNA lowering mechanism accompanied by changes in chromatin conformation.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Jadhav, V. S., Kow, R. L., Beale, A. D., Baum, M., McMillan, P. J., Latimer, C. S., et al. (2026). Loss of SMARCAD1 Mitigates Tauopathy. Aging Cell. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.70543
Vancouver
Jadhav VS, Kow RL, Beale AD, Baum M, McMillan PJ, Latimer CS, et al. Loss of SMARCAD1 Mitigates Tauopathy. Aging Cell. 2026. doi:10.1111/acel.70543. PMID: 42204442.
BibTeX
@article{jadhav2026-42204442,
author = {Jadhav, Vaishnavi S. and Kow, Rebecca L. and Beale, Asia D. and Baum, Misa and McMillan, Pamela J. and Latimer, Caitlin S. and Liachko, Nicole F. and Kraemer, Brian C.},
title = {{Loss of SMARCAD1 Mitigates Tauopathy}},
journal = {Aging Cell},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1111/acel.70543},
pmid = {42204442},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.70543}
}
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 8 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.
Key findings
- Loss of smrd-1 function rescues tauopathy-associated neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration in C. elegans models of tauopathy.
- Loss or reduction of smrd-1/SMARCAD1 decreases phosphorylated and total tau protein levels by reducing tau mRNA transcripts in C. elegans and mammalian HEK-tau cells.
- Loss of smrd-1 rescues tau-driven abnormal H3K9me3 chromatin methylation.
- Immunohistochemistry in human postmortem AD brain tissue showed SMARCAD1 depletion in a subset of cases that also exhibit depletion of MSUT2.
- Loss of smrd-1/SMARCAD1 rescues tau-mediated neurodegeneration via a tau mRNA lowering mechanism accompanied by changes in chromatin conformation.
Why it matters
In worm and cell models, loss of the gene smrd-1/SMARCAD1 reduced tau levels and rescued tau-related neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration by lowering tau mRNA. This is laboratory work, and human brain tissue showed SMARCAD1 depletion in only a subset of cases, so it is not yet a treatment for people.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 35/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Aging Cell) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Aging Cell: journal h-index 216 (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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Brian C. Kraemer: h-index 41 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42204442) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 35 / 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).
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Disease mechanisms
Also tagged “phosphorylated”
733 studies in the library carry the topic tag “phosphorylated”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 733 tagged studies.