IκB kinase phosphorylates cytoplasmic TDP-43 and promotes its proteasome degradation

Cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP-43 in neurons is a pathological feature common to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). We demonstrate that the IκB kinase (IKK) complex promotes the degradation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 through proteasomes. While IKKβ is a major factor in TDP-43 degradation, IKKα acts as a cofactor, and NEMO functions as a scaffold for the recruitment of TDP-43 to the IKK complex. Furthermore, we identified IKKβ-induced phosphorylation sites of TDP-43 and found that phosphorylation at Thr8 and Ser92 is important for the reduction of TDP-43 by IKK. TDP-43 phosphorylation at Ser92 was detected in a pattern different from that of C-terminal phosphorylation in the pathological inclusion of ALS. IKKβ was also found to significantly reduce the expression level and toxicity of the disease-causing TDP-43 mutation. Finally, the favorable effect of IKKβ on TDP-43 aggregation was confirmed in the hippocampus of mice. IKK and the N-terminal phosphorylation of TDP-43 are potential therapeutic targets for ALS and FTLD.