title: Roles of p75NTR in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: a novel therapeutic target.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is characterized by the deposition of amyloid plaques, accumulation of fibrillary tangles in neurons, neurite degeneration, loss of neurons, and a progressive loss of cognitive function. The pathogenesis of AD is not fully understood, and no strong disease-modifying therapies are currently available. Recent studies suggest that the pan-neurotrophin receptor, p75NTR, is a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of AD. In this review, we have discussed the roles of p75NTR in the production of amyloid-beta (Aβ), neuronal death, neurite degeneration, tau hyperphosphorylation, cell cycle re-entry and cognition decline in AD, and proposed that p75NTR is a potential target for the development of therapeutic drugs for AD. Finally we provide perspectives in developing various therapeutic strategies targeting different aspects of AD hallmarks which relate to p75NTR functions and breaking the p75NTR-mediated positive feedback loop which promotes the cascades in the pathogenesis of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, 10 Changjiang Branch Road, Daping, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xin-Fu
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yan-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D016923:Cell Death; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein