Fujitani Masashi, Otani Yoshinori, Miyajima Hisao
Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo-shi 693-8501, Shimane, Japan.
Biomolecules. 2021 Nov 19;11(11):1730. doi: 10.3390/biom11111730.
Neurotrophins (NTs) are one of the most characterized neurotrophic factor family members and consist of four members in mammals. Growing evidence suggests that there is a complex inter- and bi-directional relationship between central nervous system (CNS) disorders and cardiac dysfunction, so-called "brain-heart axis". Recent studies suggest that CNS disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and depression, affect cardiovascular function via various mechanisms, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis augmentation. Although this brain-heart axis has been well studied in humans and mice, the involvement of NT signaling in the axis has not been fully investigated. In the first half of this review, we emphasize the importance of NTs not only in the nervous system, but also in the cardiovascular system from the embryonic stage to the adult state. In the second half, we discuss the involvement of NTs in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, and then examine whether an alteration in NTs could serve as the mediator between neurological disorders and heart dysfunction. The further investigation we propose herein could contribute to finding direct evidence for the involvement of NTs in the axis and new treatment for cardiovascular diseases.
神经营养因子（NTs）是特征最为明确的神经营养因子家族成员之一，在哺乳动物中由四个成员组成。越来越多的证据表明，中枢神经系统（CNS）疾病与心脏功能障碍之间存在复杂的相互和双向关系，即所谓的“脑-心轴”。最近的研究表明，包括神经退行性疾病、中风和抑郁症在内的中枢神经系统疾病，通过各种机制影响心血管功能，如下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴亢进。尽管这种脑-心轴在人类和小鼠中已得到充分研究，但神经营养因子信号在该轴中的作用尚未得到充分研究。在本综述的前半部分，我们强调神经营养因子不仅在胚胎期到成年期的神经系统中，而且在心血管系统中的重要性。在后半部分，我们讨论神经营养因子在心血管疾病发病机制中的作用，然后研究神经营养因子的改变是否可作为神经疾病与心脏功能障碍之间的介导因素。我们在此提出的进一步研究可能有助于找到神经营养因子参与该轴的直接证据以及心血管疾病的新治疗方法。
