Increases of SET level and translocation are correlated with tau hyperphosphorylation at ser202/thr205 in CA1 of Ts65Dn mice

SET is a multifunctional protein, but when present in the cytoplasm, acts as a powerful inhibitor of phosphatase 2A. We previously observed that in CA1 of Down syndrome (DS) patients, the level of SET is increased, and SET is translocated to the cytoplasm and associated with the hyperphosphorylation of tau at ser202/thr205. The presence of SET in the cytoplasm in DS brains may play a role in the progression of the disease. Here, we show that in CA1 of 3-month-old Ts65Dn mice modeling DS, SET level is increased, and SET is translocated to the cytoplasm and associated with tau hyperphosphorylations at ser202/thr205 and with amyloid precursor protein caspase cleaved as observed in Alzheimer disease brains. Tau hyperphosphorylation at ser356 and activation of other phosphatase 2A targets such as the mammalian target of rapamycin and adenosine monophosphate protein kinases were also observed, suggesting deleterious mechanisms. We propose Ts65Dn mice as a model for therapeutic approaches focused on SET overexpression and its cytoplasmic translocation to slow down disease progression.