bdnf (human)

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family. Along with other structurally related neurotrophic factors NGF, NT-3 and NT-4, BDNF binds with high affinity to the TrkB kinase receptor. It also binds with the LNGFR (for low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor, also known as p75). BDNF promotes the survival, growth and differentiation of neurons. It serves as a major regulator of synaptic transmission and plasticity at adult synapses in many regions of the CNS. BDNF expression is altered in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

The precursor form of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (pro-BDNF) interacts preferentially with the pan-neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75NTR) and vps10p domain-containing receptor sortilin and induces neuronal apoptosis, whereas mature BDNF selectively binds with high affinity to the TrkB kinase receptor and promotes the survival, growth and differentiation of neurons. As proneurotrophins and mature neurotrophins elicit opposite biological effects, Pro-BDNF cleavage in the neuronal system is regulated in a specific and cell-context dependent manner. Pro-BDNF plays important role in negative regulation of neurotrophic actions in the brain.

NGF is the first member discovered in the Neurotrophin family, which includes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). These proteins belong to the cysteine-knot family of growth factors that assume stable dimeric structures. Mouse beta -NGF is a homodimer of two 120 amino acid polypeptides. It shares approximately 90% homology at the amino acid level with human beta -NGF and 95.8% with rat beta -NGF. NGF signaling has been shown to play an important role in neuroprotection and repair. β-NGF acts as a growth and differentiation factor for B lymphocytes, and enhances B-cell survival. It is a potent neurotrophic factor that signals through its receptor β-NGFR, and plays a crucial role in the development and preservation of the sensory and sympathetic nervous systems.

May regulate the transport and translation of mRNAs of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity in neurons and cell proliferation and migration in multiple cell types. Binds directly and selectively to MYC and CCND2 RNAs. In neuronal cells, directly binds to several mRNAs associated with RNA granules, including BDNF, CAMK2A, CREB1, MAP2, NTRK2 mRNAs, as well as to GRIN1 and KPNB1 mRNAs, but not to rRNAs. Caprin-1 CAPRIN1 Protein, Human, Recombinant (His) is expressed in Baculovirus insect cells with N-10xHis tag. The predicted molecular weight is 80.7 kDa and the accession number is Q14444.