Pathogenic soluble tau peptide disrupts endothelial calcium signaling and vasodilation in the brain microvasculature

The accumulation of the microtubule-associated tau protein in and around blood vessels contributes to brain microvascular dysfunction through mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Delivery of nutrients to active neurons in the brain relies on capillary calcium (Ca²⁺) signals to direct blood flow. The initiation and amplification of endothelial cell Ca²⁺ signals require an intact microtubule cytoskeleton. Since tau accumulation in endothelial cells disrupts native microtubule stability, we reasoned that tau-induced microtubule destabilization would impair endothelial Ca²⁺ signaling. We tested the hypothesis that tau disrupts the regulation of local cerebral blood flow by reducing endothelial cell Ca²⁺ signals and endothelial-dependent vasodilation. We used a pathogenic soluble tau peptide (T-peptide) model of tau aggregation and mice with genetically encoded endothelial Ca²⁺ sensors to measure cerebrovascular endothelial responses to tau exposure. T-peptide significantly attenuated endothelial Ca²⁺ activity and cortical capillary blood flow in vivo. Further, T-peptide application constricted pressurized cerebral arteries and inhibited endothelium-dependent vasodilation. This study demonstrates that pathogenic tau alters cerebrovascular function through direct attenuation of endothelial Ca²⁺ signaling and endothelium-dependent vasodilation.