title: Biological effects of TrkA and TrkB receptor signaling in neuroblastoma.
abstract: The Trk family consists of three receptor tyrosine kinases, each of which can be activated by one or more of four neurotrophins-NGF, BDNF, NT3 and NT4. Neurotrophins mediate their multiple effects through a number of distinct intracellular signaling cascades regulating such diverse biological responses as cell survival, proliferation and differentiation in normal and neoplastic neuronal cells. Expression of Trk receptors also plays an important role in the biology and clinical behavior of neuroblastomas. High expression of TrkA is present in neuroblastomas with favorable biological features and highly correlated with patient survival, whereas TrkB is mainly expressed on unfavorable, aggressive neuroblastomas. This short review discusses recent data on the biological roles of TrkA and TrkB signaling in neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology and Endocrinology, University Children's Hospital of Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: Johannes H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Astrahantseff
authors.forename: Ognjan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Apostolov
authors.forename: Vera van
authors.initials: Vv
authors.lastname: Limpt
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sieverts
authors.forename: Steffi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhfittig-Kulle
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: Rogier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Versteeg
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eggert
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D020917:Receptor, trkA; D020813:Receptor, trkB