Progress in Proneurotrophins Functions

Abstract

Neurotrophins are a group of structurally related polypeptide that provides trophic support for different neuronal subpopulation in the developing and adult nervous system, contributing to the development, maintenance and function of central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. Functional mature neurotrophins were released from their precusors (proneurotrophins) by proteolysis intracellularly or extracellularly. Recent studies show that the proneurotrophins have antagonistic functions with their mature counterparts, in most cases, inducing neuronal apoptosis by p75^[NTR]/sortilin receptor complex rather than surviving neuronal cells by trophic effect. These results suggested that the proneurotrophins may contribute to adjusting the ratio of neuronal subpopulations in development and inducing neuron death in degeneration or in response to injury in adult. The accumulating data will be helpful to understand the exactly role or pathological mechanism of proneurotrophins in nerve system and may supply new means to develop new drugs for clinical therapy.