Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a polypeptide which, in addition to its effect on nerve cells, is believed to play a role in inflammatory responses and in tissue repair. Because fibroblasts represent the main target and effector cells in these processes, to investigate whether NGF is involved in lung and skin tissue repair, we studied the effect of NGF on fibroblast migration, proliferation, colla...

To determine whether reduced nerve growth factor (NGF) and/or its high affinity receptor, trkA, play a role in the pathophysiology of Rett syndrome (RS), we used immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded human autopsy brain tissue, to quantify NGF and trkA levels within the frontal cortex of 9 RS females and 10 female controls of similar age. The results showed a significant reduction of NGF ex...

We earlier reported that chronic intraventricular injections of NGF into adult rats with partial transection of the fimbria prevent the lesion-induced disappearance of cholinergic neurons in the medial septal nucleus and the diagonal band of Broca (Hefti, 1986). The present study assessed the specificity and treatment requirements of this effect of NGF. Immunohistochemical visualization of NGF ...

NGF binds to and activates the protein tyrosine kinase gp 140prototrk. Expression of this receptor is required for at least some responses to NGF. Three outstanding issues are addressed in the present work. First, we determined whether expression of gp 140prototrk is required for all neuronal NGF responses. Second, we examined the role of gp 140prototrk in NGF binding and internalization. Third...

BACKGROUND Sciatic nerve injuries often cause partial or total loss of motor, sensory and autonomic functions due to the axon discontinuity, degeneration, and eventual death which finally result in substantial functional loss and decreased quality of life. Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration. However, the lack of efficient NGF delivery approach limit...

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), characterized by early hyperalgesia and increased nerve growth factor (NGF), evolves in late irreversible neuropathic symptoms with reduced NGF support to sensory neurons. Electroacupuncture (EA) modulates NGF in the peripheral nervous system, being effective for the treatment of DPN symptoms. We hypothesize that NGF plays an important pathogenic role in DPN devel...

Treatment of the neuroblastoma cell line SHSY5Y with nerve growth factor (NGF) resulted in limited neurite extension, but proliferation continued. However, SHSY5Y cells treated with NGF and a pulse of the DNA polymerase alpha and delta inhibitor aphidicolin showed dramatic neuronal differentiation. Few differentiated cells were observed immediately following the NGF-aphidicolin treatment; howev...

The cellular localization of the nerve growth factor-like immunoreactivity (NGF-LIR) has been studied in the intact adult rat brain at the level of the hippocampus and the septum. Immunolabelling for NGF combined with counterstaining with cresyl violet and double immunostaining technique, which allowed simultaneous localization of NGF-LIR and that of astroglial marker -GFAP, were used. The data...

A nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor interactive monoclonal antibody (192-IgG) which enhances beta-NGF binding to PC12 cells has been produced. The hybridoma clone was obtained by fusing Sp2/0- Ag14 myeloma cells with splenocytes from Balb/C mice which had been immunized with n-octyl glucoside solubilized proteins from isolated PC12 cell plasma membranes. The antibody is an IgG, which does not ...

Previous work indicating that nerve growth factor (NGF) protein loops 2 and 4 interact with TrkA receptors raise the possibility that small molecule mimetics corresponding to TrkA-interacting domains that have NGF agonist activity can be developed. We applied our previously developed strategy of dimeric peptidomimetics to address the hypothesis that loop 4 small molecule dimeric mimetics would ...