Pathogenic Tau Protein Species: Promising Therapeutic Targets for Ocular Neurodegenerative Diseases

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, which is highly expressed in the central nervous system as well as ocular neurons and stabilizes microtubule structure. It is a phospho-protein being moderately phosphorylated under physiological conditions but its abnormal hyperphosphorylation or some post-phosphorylation modifications would result in a pathogenic condition, microtubule dissociation, and aggregation. The aggregates can induce neuroinflammation and trigger some pathogenic cascades, leading to neurodegeneration. Taking these together, targeting pathogenic tau employing tau immunotherapy may be a promising therapeutic strategy in fighting with cerebral and ocular neurodegenerative disorders.