Induction of apoptosis by the low-affinity NGF receptor.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) binding to cellular receptors is required for the survival of some neural cells. In contrast to TrkA, the high-affinity NGF receptor that transduces NGF signals for survival and differentiation, the function of the low-affinity NGF receptor, p75NGFR, remains uncertain. Expression of p75NGFR induced neural cell death constitutively when p75NGFR was unbound; binding by NGF or monoclonal antibody, however, inhibited cell death induced by p75NGFR. Thus, expression of p75NGFR may explain the dependence of some neural cells on NGF for survival. These findings also suggest that p75NGFR has some functional similarities to other members of a superfamily of receptors that include tumor necrosis factor receptors, Fas (Apo-1), and CD40.
Rabizadeh
S
S
Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
Oh
J
J
Zhong
L T
LT
Yang
J
J
Bitler
C M
CM
Butcher
L L
LL
Bredesen
D E
DE
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014162:Transfection
D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor