Biomedical Research Institute, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Osaka 563-8577, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan.
Department of Systems Life Engineering, Maebashi Institute of Technology, Gunma 371-0816, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan.
Pharmacol Res. 2016 Mar;105:93-8. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.12.019. Epub 2015 Dec 30.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most active members of the neurotrophin family. BDNF not only regulates neuronal survival and differentiation, but also functions in activity-dependent plasticity processes such as long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), learning, and memory. Like other growth factors, BDNF is produced by molecular and cellular mechanisms including transcription and translation, and functions as a bioactive molecule in the nervous system. Among these mechanisms, a particular post-translational mechanism, namely the conversion of precursor BDNF into mature BDNF by proteolytic cleavage, was not fully understood. In this review, we discuss the manner through which this post-translational mechanism alters the biological actions of BDNF protein. In addition to the initially elucidated findings on BDNF, the biological roles of precursor BDNF and the BDNF pro-peptide, especially synaptic plasticity, will be extensively discussed. Recent findings on the BDNF pro-peptide will provide new insights for understanding the mechanisms of action of the pro-peptides of growth factors.
脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）是神经营养因子家族中最活跃的成员之一。BDNF 不仅调节神经元的存活和分化，而且在活动依赖性可塑性过程中发挥作用，如长时程增强（LTP）、长时程抑制（LTD）、学习和记忆。像其他生长因子一样，BDNF 是通过转录和翻译等分子和细胞机制产生的，并作为神经递质中的生物活性分子发挥作用。在这些机制中，一种特殊的翻译后机制，即通过蛋白水解切割将前体 BDNF 转化为成熟 BDNF，尚未完全了解。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了这种翻译后机制如何改变 BDNF 蛋白的生物学作用。除了最初阐明的 BDNF 发现外，前体 BDNF 和 BDNF 前肽的生物学作用，特别是突触可塑性，将被广泛讨论。最近关于 BDNF 前肽的发现将为理解生长因子前肽的作用机制提供新的见解。
