title: Nerve growth factor in human amniotic and cerebrospinal fluid.
abstract: Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a polypeptide hormone involved in development of the sympathetic and central nervous systems. The detection and measurement of NGF in clinical samples would be useful in evaluating its role in various disease states. In this report, NGF activity and protein levels have been investigated in human amniotic fluid and cerebrospinal fluid samples. In amniotic fluid, NGF activity was found at levels ranging from less than 10 pM to nanomolar. The activity in all samples was blocked by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to mouse NGF. The finding of NGF in clinically obtainable samples raises the possibility of correlating NGF levels with a variety of disorders in which changes in NGF levels or activity have been implicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kasaian
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Neet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors