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Attività di Ricerca :: NGF and kidney

This studies demonstrate the existence of NGF and NGF-receptors in tubular and glomerular cells of human kidney. These observations suggested that NGF might be involved in protecting renal cell damage induced by inflammatory mediators.

NGF (A), TrkA (B) immunoreactivity in human kidney cells Over expression of NGF IN Minimal Change Glomerulonephritis

NGF ( Nerve Growth Factor)

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a signaling protein required for normal cellular growth and differentiation and is an important regulator of neurodevelopmental processes. NGF is the first discovered member of the family of neurotrophins, which includes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), NT-4/5, and NT-6. All these neurotrophins share significant structural homology and sometimes overlapping functions. Since its discovery in the early 1950s, NGF has raised expectations for its clinical application in neurodegenerative diseases. The effects of these growth factors are mediated by two classes of cell surface receptors. The low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR) which binds all known neurotrophins with similar affinity, and the high-affinity receptor which belongs to the superfamily of tyrosine protein kinase receptors that are different for each neurotrophin. NGF is produced and used by brain cells, is present in the blood stream of all vertebrates, man included, plays a crucial role in neuroplasticity of the peripheral and central nervous systems (CNS), protects damaged brain neurons and promotes their repair. NGF has also a pivotal role in the diferetiantion and functional activity of brain stem cells in animal model and in human cord blood cells.

Recent findings revealed a number of important clinical potentiality in human brain disorders, in skin and most likely kidney diseases. See the recent book on NGF in health and disease, edited by L. Aloe and L. Calza , Progress in Brain Research vol: 156;2003 published by Elsevier.