Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Neurotrophin Function in the Nervous System
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 2338
Special Issue Editor
Interests: molecular basis of aging and neurodegenerative disorders; mitochondrial bioenergetics; signal transduction pathways; roles of nitric oxide synthase; roles of poly (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP); mechanisms and effects of amyloidogenic processes; effects of pleiotropic molecules (carnosine, threalose and derivatives); role of metallostasis; importance of proteostasis
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The neurotrophins family includes NGF, BDNF, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). These growth factors are synthesized as long precursors (pre-pro-neurotrophins) containing an N-terminal signal peptide, a propeptide, and the mature neurotrophin peptide.
Mature neurotrophins and their propeptides are relevant regulators of various functions of the nervous system. They, indeed, play different key roles ranging from neuronal growth and differentiation to prominent participation in neuronal survival and recovery after insults.
Intercellular and intracellular neurotrophins signaling pathways sculpt neuronal circuits during brain development and regulate adaptive neuroplasticity, as well as cell survival during the entire life. Hence, dysregulation of neurotrophins signaling has been associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, age-related cognitive decline, memory failures, neuromuscular dysfunctions, vision defects, and general neuro-recovery impairment.
Such knowledge paved the way to research innovative therapeutic approaches, for example by modulating or mimicking neurotrophins signaling, for treating or preventing neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as preventing age-dependent cognitive decline.
This is one of the most uncertain and challenging problems of modern neuro-medicine, but the socio-economic results achieved through a solution justify any effort and costs toward the development of efficient therapeutic strategies, that could prevent these still uncurable diseases.
There are all the premises for further studies and insights in the field of neurotrophin-mediated neuroprotection and neuroregeneration.
Asso. Prof. Vincenzo Nicoletti
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- neurotrophins
- neurotrophins signaling
- propeptides
- synaptic plasticity
- neuroprotection
- neurodegeneration
- neuroregeneration
- neuronal differentiation
