Heba Al-Hussaini
Kuwait University, KuwaitPresentation Title:
Tau Dysregulation in Genetic and Diet-Induced Models of Diabetes-Related Dementia
Abstract
Diabetes
and insulin resistance are linked to dementia exhibiting Alzheimer’s disease
(AD)-like pathology, notably tau hyperphosphorylation and aggregation. Tau, a
microtubule-associated protein critical for neuronal stability, is disrupted by
metabolic stress. This study examined the effects of genetic and diet-induced
metabolic dysfunction on tau pathology. Db/db diabetic mice were compared with
age-matched controls at 5 and 12 months. In parallel, C57BL/6J mice were fed
chow (10.48% fat calories) or high-fat diet (60% fat calories) for 12 or 27
weeks. Metabolic status was confirmed using body weight, glucose tolerance, and
insulin sensitivity tests. Cortical and hippocampal tissues were analyzed by
western blot for total tau, phospho-tau (T231, S202/T205, S396), phosphatases
(PP2Ac, PP2B), and kinases (GSK-3β, Akt). High-fat diet-fed mice developed
obesity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. In db/db mice, total tau was
reduced in both cortex and hippocampus. Hyperphosphorylation at S396 was detected
in young db/db mice, while phosphorylation at T231 and S202/T205 appeared in
aged db/db and diet-fed groups. Both models showed reductions in PP2B and
PP2Ac, with significantly impaired PP2Ac activity in db/db mice.
Conclusions: Metabolic dysfunction promotes age-
and region-specific tau hyperphosphorylation, partly due to impaired
dephosphorylation from reduced phosphatase activity. Tau phosphatases represent
promising therapeutic targets in diabetes-associated dementia.
Biography
Dr. Heba Al-Hussaini, M.B.,
BCh, BaO (NUI), LRCPI & SI, MSc, PhD is an
Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Kuwait
University. She currently serves as Vice Dean for Research and Postgraduate
Studies (since March 2022) and was Chairperson of the Department of Anatomy
(2021–2024). In these leadership roles, she oversees major academic and
postgraduate initiatives, coordinates institutional conferences and symposia,
and contributes to research development across the Health Sciences Center. Her
research focuses on molecular biology and neuroscience, with a particular
emphasis on the plasticity of the retinal pigment epithelium and the effects of
diabetes on gene expression and cellular structure. She has published
extensively in international journals, including recent work on the impact of
short-wavelength light exposure on body weight, mobility, anxiety-like
behavior, and cytokine expression (Scientific Reports, 2025), and the
protective effects of trans-resveratrol on retinal metabolism in diabetic
models. Alongside her research, Dr. Al-Hussaini is dedicated to medical
education, coordinating anatomy modules, problem-based learning sessions, and
postgraduate thesis defenses. She actively mentors students and contributes to
multiple institutional committees shaping research policy, graduate training,
and scientific advancement at Kuwait University.
Organization Location
1309 Coffeen Avenue, STE 1200, Sheridan, Wyoming 82801, USA
Mail us at
Drop us an email for Program enquiry
neuroscience@scientexconferences.com
General Queries
contact@scientexconferences.com
Registration query
finance@scientexconferences.com
psychiatry@scientexevents.com
Our Social Presence
Call us at
USA :(+1) 918 942 1748