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Research progress on the mechanisms of Tau phosphorylation and its kinases in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage

HUANG Qi-Yi, XIANG You, TANG Jia-Hang, CHEN Li-Jia, LI Kun-Lin, ZHAO Wei-Fang, WANG Qian^*

Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China

Abstract

Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is one of the main causes of disability in middle-aged and elderly people, as well as high mortality rates and long-term physical impairments in newborns. The pathological manifestations of HIBD include neuronal damage and loss of myelin sheaths. Tau protein is an important microtubule-associated protein in brain, exists in neurons and oligodendrocytes, and regulates various cellular activities such as cell differentiation and maturation, axonal transport, and maintenance of cellular cytoskeleton structure. Phosphorylation is a common chemical modification of Tau. In physiological condition, it maintains normal cell cytoskeleton and biological functions by regulating Tau structure and function. In pathological conditions, it leads to abnormal Tau phosphorylation and influences its structure and functions, resulting in Tauopathies. Studies have shown that brain hypoxia-ischemia could cause abnormal alteration in Tau phosphorylation, then participating in the pathological process of HIBD. Meanwhile, brain hypoxia-ischemia can induce oxidative stress and inflammation, and multiple Tau protein kinases are activated and involved in Tau abnormal phosphorylation. Therefore, exploring specific molecular mechanisms by which HIBD activates Tau protein kinases, and elucidating their relationship with abnormal Tau phosphorylation are crucial for future researches on HIBD related treatments. This review aims to focus on the mechanisms of the role of Tau phosphorylation in HIBD, and the potential relationships between Tau protein kinases and Tau phosphorylation, providing a basis for intervention and treatment of HIBD.

Key words: Tau; hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD); Tau protein kinases; Fyn; GSK3β; Cdk5; MAPK; PKA

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 王茜　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0007

Citing This Article：

HUANG Qi-Yi, XIANG You, TANG Jia-Hang, CHEN Li-Jia, LI Kun-Lin, ZHAO Wei-Fang, WANG Qian. Research progress on the mechanisms of Tau phosphorylation and its kinases in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (1): 139-150 (in Chinese with English abstract).