Depletion of TDP-43 exacerbates tauopathy-dependent brain atrophy by sensitizing vulnerable neurons to caspase 3-mediated endoproteolysis of tau in a mouse model of Multiple Etiology Dementia.

The pathogenic mechanism by which TDP-43 loss of repression function exacerbates tauopathy-dependent neurodegeneration in multiple etiology dementia (MED) with co-pathology of TDP-43 is unknown. In a novel mouse model of MED, loss of TDP-43 function exacerbates tauopathy-dependent brain atrophy by sensitizing vulnerable neurons to caspase 3-dependent cleavage of endogenous tau to drive tauopathy. This mechanistic insight informs novel targets and therapeutic strategies for MEDs harboring the co-pathologies of tau and TDP-43, which can be validated using this mouse model of MED.