Exploring the Effects of Abnormal Tau Protein Expression in the Brain, Kidney, and Testes

Sethara Karunatilake, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Biology and minor in Humanities Honors

My research focused on studying how abnormal forms of a protein called Taurine affect different parts of the body: the brain, the kidneys, and the testes. Tau proteins are mainly known for their role in Alzheimer’s disease, where they form harmful clumps inside brain cells. However, we wanted to explore if these abnormal proteins might also cause problems in other organs, not just the brain. Using lab techniques like immunostaining and confocal microscopy, we observed where Tau proteins were located in tissue samples and how they interacted with other important cellular components.

In the brain, we found that abnormal Tau disrupted key receptor systems, especially in areas that are important for memory and learning. In the kidneys, we saw that Tau affected receptors involved in blood pressure control. In the testes, abnormal Tau appeared to interfere with structures important for sperm production. These results suggest that when Tau goes wrong, it may have broader impacts on the body than previously thought, raising important questions about how therapies aimed at Tau in the brain might unintentionally affect other organs.

I first came across this research area while taking a six-hour lab with Dr. Alonso. I liked the fact that everything in her research area was backed up by what was visible by confocal images. If we knew what antibodies we’re using and which part of the cell they were targeting, we could make an analysis on how the proteins interacted with the tissue samples. I’ve always been interested in participating in a research project and since I already had background knowledge from the 6-hour lab, it was easier to apply it to my own project. When I learned that Tau proteins are found in other tissues, not just the brain, questions like “why were they there, and could they cause harm outside the brain too?”, were raised. With the help and guidance from my mentor, this motivated me to explore the topic further through my independent study project.

Before starting my capstone, I expected the project to feel very structured and straightforward, a lot like following a detailed lab manual. In reality, it was much more open ended. I had to troubleshoot unexpected problems, like weaker staining signals or inconsistent tissue samples. Research turned out to be less about following a recipe and more about constantly adapting and thinking critically. This was both exciting and a little overwhelming at times.

One of the biggest challenges was learning to be patient with slow progress. Sometimes it took days to get one good result. It was also challenging to interpret complex patterns in the data where it wasn’t always obvious what the findings meant, especially since this was my first time working on an independent study like this. On the other hand, once I got the hang of the lab techniques, the actual hands-on work became easier. It was surprising to me how much time and effort goes into obtaining even a single clear image. I remember spending hours at the confocal imaging facility; however, in the end it was all worth it.

If I were to expand this research, I would want to see if there are variations or differences in the effects of mice that might be of different sexes and ages. For example, do mice that are younger show less or more impacts of tau than those that may be more mature, and do female mice react differently to these abnormal proteins than male mice, because maybe not all abnormal Tau proteins behave the same way.

Overall, this research experience taught me how unpredictable science can be and how important creativity and critical thinking skills are when things don’t go according to plan. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for how interconnected the body’s systems are. I’m leaving this project not just with technical skills, but with an open mind about biology and disease. I’m excited to carry this experience forward into my future experiences.