Levi-Montalcini R, Skaper S D, Dal Toso R, Petrelli L, Leon A
Institute of Neurobiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
Trends Neurosci. 1996 Nov;19(11):514-20. doi: 10.1016/S0166-2236(96)10058-8.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is largely known as a target-derived factor responsible for the survival and maintenance of the phenotype of specific subsets of peripheral neurones and basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei during development and maturation. However, NGF also exerts a modulatory role on sensory, nociceptive nerve physiology during adulthood that appears to correlate with hyperalgesic phenomena occurring in tissue inflammation. Other NGF-responsive cells are now recognized as belonging to the haemopoietic-immune system and to populations in the brain involved in neuroendocrine functions. The concentration of NGF is elevated in a number of inflammatory and autoimmune states in conjunction with an increased accumulation of mast cells. Mast cells and NGF appear to be involved in neuroimmune interactions and tissue inflammation, with NGF acting as a general 'alert' molecule capable of recruiting and priming tissue defence processes following insult as well as systemic defensive mechanisms. Moreover, mast cells themselves produce NGF, suggesting that alterations in normal mast cell behaviours can provoke maladaptive neuroimmune tissue responses whose consequences could have profound implications in inflammatory disease states. This review discusses recent discoveries involving novel and diverse biological activities of this fascinating molecule.
神经生长因子（NGF）在很大程度上被认为是一种由靶标产生的因子，在发育和成熟过程中负责外周神经元和基底前脑胆碱能核特定亚群的存活和表型维持。然而，NGF在成年期对感觉、伤害性神经生理学也发挥调节作用，这似乎与组织炎症中出现的痛觉过敏现象相关。现在认为，其他对NGF有反应的细胞属于造血免疫系统以及大脑中参与神经内分泌功能的细胞群体。在一些炎症和自身免疫状态下，NGF的浓度会升高，同时肥大细胞的积累也会增加。肥大细胞和NGF似乎参与神经免疫相互作用和组织炎症，NGF作为一种一般的“警报”分子，能够在受到损伤后募集并启动组织防御过程以及全身防御机制。此外，肥大细胞自身也产生NGF，这表明正常肥大细胞行为的改变可能引发适应不良的神经免疫组织反应，其后果可能对炎症性疾病状态产生深远影响。本综述讨论了有关这种迷人分子的新的和多样的生物学活性的最新发现。
