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New Insights to Biological Functions of Neurotrophins

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 9919

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eva Terzibasi Tozzini

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
Interests: adult neurogenesis; aging; neurodegeneration; teleost animal models marine vertebrates; neurotrophins; immunohistochemistri; in situ hybridization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Elena Chiavacci

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
Interests: adult neurogenesis; aging; CRISPR/Cas9; marine model systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurotrophins (NTFs) are structurally related neurotrophic polypeptide factors essential for the differentiation, survival, neurite outgrowth, and plasticity of neurons. NTFs activate two different classes of receptors, the Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases and p75NTR, a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, through which they mediate a wide range of related signaling pathways. Neurotrophins play a role in the regulation of key developmental processes and many neural functions, such as apoptosis during development, phenotypic determination, axon growth, dendrites pruning defining innervation patterning, the expression of pivotal proteins for neuron activity (neurotransmitters and receptors), neuronal plasticity, and many others. In addition, they are involved in the neurodegeneration processes associated with various genetic or age-dependent pathologies, as well as in regeneration, psychiatric disorders, and regulation of metabolism. For this reason, they also represent interesting targets in clinical studies.

This issue invites all scientists using canonical and noncanonical models for neurotrophins studies to submit contributions in order to offer to the scientific community the most updated and in-depth picture of knowledge in that field at the cellular, molecular, and functional level. We welcome reviews, commentaries, and original articles to allow sharing novel data and open new perspectives on the topic. Papers mainly focusing on the following subtopics are welcome:

NTF involvement in genetic neuropathies (ALS, HD) and age-associated neurodegenerative disorders (AD, Parkinson’s);
NTFs and regeneration;
NTF involvement in other human pathologies (autism spectrum ASD, psychopathologies, cardiovascular disorders);
NTF involvement in infectious diseases (bacterial meningitidis, influenza infections, leprosy);
NTF role in neurophatic pain and potential therapeutics;
Evolution of neurotrophin signaling systems.

Dr. Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
Dr. Elena Chiavacci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

neurotrophins
Trk receptors
p75
evolution
neurodegenerative disorders
pain
neuropathies
regeneration

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distribution of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the Brain of the Small-Spotted Catshark Scyliorhinus canicula, and Evolution of Neurotrophins in Basal Vertebrates

by Elena Chiavacci, Sara Bagnoli, Alessandro Cellerino and Eva Terzibasi Tozzini

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(11), 9495; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119495 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1511

Abstract

Neurotrophins (NTFs) are structurally related neurotrophic factors essential for differentiation, survival, neurite outgrowth, and the plasticity of neurons. Abnormalities associated with neurotrophin-signaling (NTF-signaling) were associated with neuropathies, neurodegenerative disorders, and age-associated cognitive decline. Among the neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has the highest expression and is expressed in mammals by specific cells throughout the brain, with particularly high expression in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Whole genome sequencing efforts showed that NTF signaling evolved before the evolution of Vertebrates; thus, the shared ancestor of Protostomes, Cyclostomes, and Deuterostomes must have possessed a single ortholog of neurotrophins. After the first round of whole genome duplication that occurred in the last common ancestor of Vertebrates, the presence of two neurotrophins in Agnatha was hypothesized, while the monophyletic group of cartilaginous fishes, or Chondrichthyans, was situated immediately after the second whole genome duplication round that occurred in the last common ancestor of Gnathostomes. Chondrichthyans represent the outgroup of all other living jawed vertebrates (Gnathostomes) and the sister group of Osteichthyans (comprehensive of Actinopterygians and Sarcopterygians). We were able to first identify the second neurotrophin in Agnatha. Secondly, we expanded our analysis to include the Chondrichthyans, with their strategic phylogenetic position as the most basal extant Gnathostome taxon. Results from the phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of four neurotrophins in the Chondrichthyans, namely the orthologs of the four mammalian neurotrophins BDNF, NGF, NT-3, and NT-4. We then proceeded to study the expression of BDNF in the adult brain of the Chondrichthyan Scyliorhinus canicula. Our results showed that BDNF is highly expressed in the S. canicula brain and that its expression is highest in the Telencephalon, while the Mesencephalic and Diencephalic areas showed expression of BDNF in isolated and well-defined cell groups. NGF was expressed at much lower levels that could be detected by PCR but not by in situ hybridization. Our results warrant further investigations in Chondrichthyans to characterize the putative ancestral function of neurotrophins in Vertebrates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights to Biological Functions of Neurotrophins)

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Review

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14 pages, 588 KiB

Open AccessReview

Peripheral Regulation of Central Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression through the Vagus Nerve

by Yoko Amagase, Ryuichi Kambayashi, Atsushi Sugiyama and Yoshinori Takei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3543; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043543 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2365

Abstract

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an extensively studied neurotrophin es sential for both developing the brain and maintaining adult brain function. In the adult hippocampus, BDNF is critical for maintaining adult neurogenesis. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is involved not only in memory formation and learning ability, but also mood regulation and stress responses. Accordingly, decreased levels of BDNF, accompanied by low levels of adult neurogenesis, occurs in brains of older adults with impaired cognitive function and in those of patients with major depression disorder. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms that maintain hippocampal BDNF levels is biologically and clinically important. It has been revealed that signalling from peripheral tissues contribute to the regulation of BDNF expression in the brain across the blood–brain barrier. Moreover, recent studies indicated evidence that neuronal pathways can also be a mechanism by which peripheral tissues signal to the brain for the regulation of BDNF expression. In this review, we give an overview of the current status in the regulation of central BDNF expression by peripheral signalling, with a special interest in the regulation of hippocampal BDNF levels by signals via the vagus nerve. Finally, we discuss the relationship between signalling from peripheral tissues and age-associated control of central BDNF expression. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights to Biological Functions of Neurotrophins)

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24 pages, 1236 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances on the Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Neurodegenerative Diseases

by Khairunnuur Fairuz Azman and Rahimah Zakaria

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6827; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126827 - 19 Jun 2022

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 5539

Abstract

Neurotrophins, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are essential for neuronal survival and growth. The signaling cascades initiated by BDNF and its receptor are the key regulators of synaptic plasticity, which plays important role in learning and memory formation. Changes in BDNF levels and signaling pathways have been identified in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease, and have been linked with the symptoms and course of these diseases. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of BDNF in several neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the underlying molecular mechanism. The therapeutic potential of BDNF treatment is also discussed, in the hope of discovering new avenues for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights to Biological Functions of Neurotrophins)

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