Neurotrophins are a unique family of polypeptide growth factors that influence the proliferation, differentiation, survival and death of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. They are essential for the health and well-being of the nervous system. NGF (nerve growth factor), BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), NT-3 (neurotrophin-3) and NT-4 (neurotrophin-4) also mediate additional higher-order activities, such as learning, memory and behaviour, in addition to their established functions for cell survival. The effects of neurotrophins depend upon their levels of availability, their affinity of binding to transmembrane receptors and the downstream signalling cascades that are stimulated after receptor activation. Alterations in neurotrophin levels have been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, as well as psychiatric disorders, including depression and substance abuse. Difficulties in administering trophic factors have led to the consideration of using small molecules, such as GPCR (G-protein-coupled receptor) ligands, which can participate in transactivation events. In this review, we consider the signalling pathways activated by neurotrophins in both health and disease states.
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February 2006
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Review Article|
January 17 2006
Neurotrophin signalling in health and disease
Moses V. Chao;
*Molecular Neurobiology Program, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Departments of Cell Biology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Professor Moses V. Chao (email chao@saturn.med.nyu.edu).
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Rithwick Rajagopal;
Rithwick Rajagopal
*Molecular Neurobiology Program, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Departments of Cell Biology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, U.S.A.
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Francis S. Lee
Francis S. Lee
†Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, U.S.A.
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Clin Sci (Lond) (2006) 110 (2): 167–173.
Article history
Received:
May 20 2005
Revision Received:
July 19 2005
Accepted:
August 16 2005
Citation
Moses V. Chao, Rithwick Rajagopal, Francis S. Lee; Neurotrophin signalling in health and disease. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 February 2006; 110 (2): 167–173. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20050163
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