Mitophagy induction inhibits Tau phosphorylation in human cells and improves memory in a Tau C . elegans model of Alzheimer ' s disease

Mitophagy is a cellular process of clearance and recycling of damaged and dysfunctional mitochondria, a form of selective autophagy. Mounting evidence indicate defective mitophagy as a hallmark of aging and age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the intricate underlying molecular mechanisms underlying accumulation of damaged mitochondria in AD remains elusive. Here, we show that urolithin A (UA), a mitophagy inducer, inhibited sites of tau phosphorylation in human SH-SY5Y cell lines overexpressing tau isoforms; and inhibited memory loss in a tau-mutant C. elegans model of AD. In conclusion, we propose induction of mitophagy may be protective against AD-associated tau pathology and cognitive deficits. yahyah.aman@medisin.uio.no Link to ‘Best Poster Award’: http://www.vnpn.science/VNPN2_BestPosterAward.pdf