Microtubule-associated protein tau, Microtubule-associated protein 2, and Microtubule-associated protein 4 (MAPT, MAP2, MAP4)

The microtubule-associated protein (MAP) family, specifically Tau (MAPT), MAP2, and MAP4, consists of proteins primarily responsible for binding to and stabilizing microtubules, which are essential for cellular structural integrity, intracellular transport, and mitosis. Tau is predominantly expressed in the axons of the central nervous system and is a major therapeutic target due to its role in tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease, where its hyperphosphorylation leads to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and subsequent neurodegeneration (UniProt P10636). MAP2 is localized to neuronal dendrites and is critical for maintaining dendritic morphology and synaptic plasticity (UniProt P11137), while MAP4 is ubiquitously expressed and regulates microtubule dynamics during the cell cycle, often serving as a biomarker for chemotherapy resistance in cancer (UniProt P27816). Current drug development efforts focus heavily on Tau, utilizing small molecules to inhibit aggregation and monoclonal antibodies to clear pathological tau seeds from the extracellular space. While these proteins are structurally related, they serve distinct physiological roles and are associated with different pathological states, making their combined classification as a single target technically complex for drug discovery (PubMed PMC7355132).

Other names

TauMAPTMAP2MAP4Microtubule-associated protein familyMTAPNeurofibrillary tangle protein

Inhibition of tau protein aggregation, stabilization of microtubule structures, and monoclonal antibody-mediated clearance of extracellular pathological tau species.