Reduced levels of NGF shift astrocytes toward a neurotoxic phenotype.

ABSTRACT: Nerve growth factor (NGF) is critical for neuronal physiology during development and adulthood. Despite the well-recognized effect of NGF on neurons, less is known about whether NGF can actually affect other cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). In this work, we show that astrocytes are susceptible to changes in ambient levels of NGF. First, we observe that interfering with NGF signaling in vivo via the constitutive expression of an antiNGF antibody induces astrocytic atrophy. A similar asthenic phenotype is encountered in an uncleavable proNGF transgenic mouse model (TgproNGF#72), effectively increasing the brain proNGF levels. To examine whether this effect on astrocytes is cell-autonomous, we cultured wild-type primary astrocytes in the presence of antiNGF antibodies, u

SUBMITTER: Tiberi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10151754 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature