Nerve growth factor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nerve growth factor, beta polypeptide
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| PDB rendering based on 1bet. | |||||||||||
| Available structures: 1bet, 1btg, 1sg1, 1www, 2ifg | |||||||||||
| Identifiers | |||||||||||
| Symbols | NGFB; Beta-NGF; HSAN5; MGC161426; MGC161428; NGF | ||||||||||
| External IDs | OMIM: 162030 MGI: 97321 HomoloGene: 1876 | ||||||||||
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| Human | Mouse | ||||||||||
| Entrez | 4803 | 18049 | |||||||||
| Ensembl | ENSG00000134259 | ENSMUSG00000027859 | |||||||||
| Uniprot | P01138 | Q6LDU8 | |||||||||
| Refseq | NM_002506 (mRNA) NP_002497 (protein) |
NM_013609 (mRNA) NP_038637 (protein) |
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| Location | Chr 1: 115.63 - 115.68 Mb | Chr 3: 102.6 - 102.65 Mb | |||||||||
| Pubmed search | [1] | [2] | |||||||||
Nerve growth factor (NGF), is a small secreted protein which induces the differentiation and survival of particular target neurons (nerve cells). It is perhaps the prototypical growth factor, in that it is one of the first to be described — that work by Rita Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen was rewarded with a Nobel Prize.
While "nerve growth factor" refers to a single factor,[1] "nerve growth factors" refers to a family of factors also known as neurotrophins.[2]
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[edit] Function
NGF is critical for the survival and maintenance of sympathetic and sensory neurons.
NGF is released from the target cells, binds to and activates its high affinity receptor (TrkA), and is internalized into the responsive neuron. There are some data that show that NGF can be transported from the axon tip to soma, but it is unclear if this is necessary for effective cell signalling; in fact there are data showing that it is not[citation needed]. What is clear is that NGF binding and activation of TrkA is required for NGF-mediated neuronal survival and differentiation.
[edit] Receptor binding mechanism
NGF binds at least two receptors on the surface of cells which are capable of responding to this growth factor, TrkA (pronounced "Track A") and the LNGFR (for "low affinity nerve growth factor receptor").
[edit] History
Stanley Cohen and Rita Levi-Montalcini, at the time faculty members at Washington University in St Louis, won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of NGF and other growth factors.[3][4][5]
[edit] Cultural and medical significance
In 2005, Italian scientists at University of Pavia found that a protein molecule known as the nerve growth factor (NGF) has high levels when people first fall in love, but these levels return to as they were after one year. Specifically, four neurotrophin levels, i.e. NGF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4, of 58 subjects who had recently fallen in love were compared with levels in a control group who were either single or already engaged in a long-term relationship. The results showed that NGF levels were significantly higher in the subjects in love than as compared to either of the control groups.[6][7][8]
It has also been tied to Alzheimer's disease.[9][10][11]
Pietro Calissano has suggested that nerve growth factor may contribute to increased longevity and mental capacity.[12] Centenarian Rita Levi-Montalcini has been taking a daily solution in the form of eye drops, and has stated that her brain is more active now than it was four decades ago.
[edit] See also
- Protein targeting
- Nervous System
- VGF Nerve Growth Factor-inducible, a protein whose expression is induced by NGF.
[edit] References
- ^ MeSH Nerve+Growth+Factor
- ^ MeSH Nerve+Growth+Factors
- ^ The 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries of growth factors
- ^ Presentation Speech by Professor Kerstin Hall The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1986
- ^ Rita Levi-Montalcini – Nobel Lecture
- ^ Emanuele E, Politi P, Bianchi M, Minoretti P, Bertona M, Geroldi D (2006). "Raised plasma nerve growth factor levels associated with early-stage romantic love". Psychoneuroendocrinology 31 (3): 288–94. doi:. PMID 16289361. link
- ^ "NGF" gives passionate lovers just one year, Reuters, November 29, 2005.
- ^ John Harris Is love just a chemical?, Guardian, November 29, 2005.
- ^ Counts S, Mufson E (2005). "The role of nerve growth factor receptors in cholinergic basal forebrain degeneration in prodromal Alzheimer disease". J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 64 (4): 263–72. PMID 15835262.
- ^ Hempstead B (2006). "Dissecting the diverse actions of pro- and mature neurotrophins". Curr Alzheimer Res 3 (1): 19–24. doi:. PMID 16472198.
- ^ Allen S, Dawbarn D (2006). "Clinical relevance of the neurotrophins and their receptors". Clin Sci (Lond) 110 (2): 175–91. PMID 16411894.
- ^ Peter Popham (2009-04-25). "Is this the secret of eternal life?". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/is-this-the-secret-of-eternal-life-1674005.html.
[edit] External links
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