Human iPSC 4R tauopathy model uncovers modifiers of tau propagation

Tauopathies are age -associated neurodegenerative diseases whose mechanistic underpinnings remain elusive, partially due to a lack of appropriate human models. Here, we engineered human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neuronal lines to express 4R Tau and 4R Tau carrying the P301 S MAPT mutation when differentiated into neurons. 4R -P301 S neurons display progressive Tau inclusions upon seeding with Tau fibrils and recapitulate features of tauopathy phenotypes including shared transcriptomic signatures, autophagic body accumulation, and reduced neuronal activity. A CRISPRI screen of genes associated with Tau pathobiology identified over 500 genetic modifiers of seeding -induced Tau propagation, including retromer VPS29 and genes in the UFMylation cascade. In progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) brains, the UFMylation cascade is altered in neurofibrillary-tangle-bearing neurons. Inhibiting the UFMylation cascade in vitro and in vivo suppressed seeding -induced Tau propagation. This model provides a robust platform to identify novel therapeutic strategies for 4R tauopathy.