Liu Bin, Neufeld Arthur H
Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
J Neurosci Res. 2007 Dec;85(16):3523-9. doi: 10.1002/jnr.21364.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway controls the phenotypic characteristics of astrocytes. In the developing central nervous system (CNS), activation of the EGFR pathway induces astrocyte differentiation, forming the cribriform structure that surrounds axons and providing a supportive environment for neurons. In the adult CNS, the EGFR pathway is absent from astrocytes but is highly up-regulated and activated following neuronal injury. Activation of the EGFR pathway triggers quiescent astrocytes to become reactive astrocytes. Although astrocytes regulated by the EGFR pathway play constructive roles in the developing CNS, astrocytes that become reactive in response to activation of the EGFR pathway appear to be destructive to neurons in the adult CNS. The reappearance and activation of EGFRs in astrocytes under pathological conditions may activate a developmental process in an adult tissue. Regulation of EGFR function in astrocytes may be a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neural disorders.
表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）通路控制着星形胶质细胞的表型特征。在发育中的中枢神经系统（CNS）中，EGFR通路的激活诱导星形胶质细胞分化，形成围绕轴突的筛状结构，并为神经元提供支持性环境。在成年CNS中，星形胶质细胞不存在EGFR通路，但在神经元损伤后会高度上调并激活。EGFR通路的激活触发静止的星形胶质细胞转变为反应性星形胶质细胞。尽管受EGFR通路调节的星形胶质细胞在发育中的CNS中发挥着建设性作用，但响应EGFR通路激活而变得反应性的星形胶质细胞似乎对成年CNS中的神经元具有破坏性。病理条件下星形胶质细胞中EGFR的重新出现和激活可能会激活成年组织中的发育过程。调节星形胶质细胞中EGFR的功能可能是治疗神经疾病的一种新的治疗策略。
