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Nerve growth factor: structure, function and therapeutic implications for Alzheimer's disease
Shivanand P Lad1, Kenneth E Neet, Elliott J Mufson
1Department of Neurological Sciences and Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical School, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. emufson@rush.edu
Current Drug Targets. CNS and Neurological Disorders
|October 8, 2003
Summary
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a promising therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Early AD may involve NGF receptor defects, suggesting treatments facilitating NGF actions could benefit patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Neurotrophic factors, particularly nerve growth factor (NGF), are investigated for treating neurological disorders.
- Cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons, crucial for cognitive function, degenerate in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- These CBF neurons rely on NGF and its receptors (TrkA, p75(NTR)) for survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review NGF/receptor binding, signal transduction, and cellular effects.
- To explore the potential of NGF as an Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapy.
- To summarize alterations in NGF ligand and receptor expression during AD progression.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on NGF mechanisms and AD.
- Analysis of studies on NGF receptor expression in CBF neurons.
- Examination of NGF's role in cholinergic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration.
Main Results:
- NGF exerts effects through TrkA and p75(NTR) receptors on CBF neurons.
- Early cognitive deficits in AD/MCI may not stem from cholinergic deficits.
- An early defect in NGF receptor expression in CBF neurons is indicated.
Conclusions:
- Facilitating NGF actions may counteract cholinergic dysfunction in end-stage AD.
- Targeting NGF pathways could attenuate the degeneration of cholinergic neurons.
- NGF-based therapies hold potential for Alzheimer's disease treatment.
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