The human circular Tau 12->7 RNA is translated in mouse neurons and promotes tau aggregation

Neuron-specific rolling circle translation of human circTau 12->7 in mouse brain produces circTau protein and drives tau aggregates resembling neurofibrillary tangles.

• Why it matters: Rodent expression and functional translation of human MAPT circular RNAs are unclear, limiting understanding of how circTau could contribute to tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• What they did: Using adeno-associated viruses, human circTau 12->7 (backsplicing exon 12 to exon 7) was expressed in mouse brain, and translation was assessed alongside a circEGFP control.
• The result: circTau 12->7 protein was detected only in mouse neurons, and its expression produced tau aggregates containing endogenous mouse tau, supporting neuron-specific circRNA-driven tau aggregation.

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