Transient versus sustained ERK MAP kinase (MAPK) activation dynamics induce proliferation versus differentiation in response to epidermal (EGF) or nerve (NGF) growth factors in PC-12 cells. Duration of ERK activation has therefore been proposed to specify cell fate decisions. Using a biosensor to measure ERK activation dynamics in single living cells reveals that sustained EGF/NGF application l...

A number of studies have begun to describe the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and the closely related brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the function of basal forebrain neurons. Little is known, however, about the effects of neurotrophins on membrane calcium conductances, which may play a role in growth factor signal transduction as well as regulation of neuronal excitability. Us...

Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), in which an immune attack directed against myelin constituents causes myelin destruction and death of oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells. Here, the efficacy of nerve growth factor (NGF), a growth factor for neurons and oligodendrocytes, in promoting myelin repair was evaluated using the demyelinating m...

In this review, evidence is marshalled for the hypothesis that nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates nociception in human health and disease. The data from humans complement the studies of NGF in animal inflammatory pain models described elsewhere in this issue. An attempt is made to unify the role of NGF in inflammatory and neuropathic hyperalgesia. Although largely speculative at this stage, hu...

We have recently shown that conjunctivally applied nerve growth factor (NGF) in rats can reach the retina, the optic nerve and the CNS. In the present study, we investigated whether NGF application as collyrium can promote the recovery of chemically injured basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. NGF was administered on the eye of adult male mice previously treated i.c.v. with ibotenic acid to imp...

The aim of our study was to explore whether nerve growth factor (NGF) plays any role in the development of peripheral neuropathy induced by anticancer treatment. We measured the circulating NGF levels in 23 cancer patients before and after chemotherapy. We evaluated whether the development of peripheral neurotoxicity was associated with changes in basal NGF concentrations in patients studied wi...

This report describes the influence of neurite fasciculation on two aspects of nerve growth from chick spinal ganglia in vitro: the inhibition of outgrowth by high concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF) and the preferential growth of neurites toward a capillary tube containing NGF. These studies involved a comparison of cultures of single cells, cell aggregates, and intact ganglia and the ...

In serum-free medium, SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells specifically and reversibly lost the capacity to bind 125I-labeled nerve growth factor (NGF) to the high-affinity sites (slow sites) and to respond by neurite outgrowth, unless physiological concentrations of insulin or insulin-like growth factor II were present. In serum-containing medium, anti-insulin antiserum decreased the neurite form...

6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is often used in models of Parkinson's disease since it can selectively target and kill dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra. In this study, pre-treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) inhibited apoptosis and necrosis by 6-OHDA, including caspase activity and lactate dehydrogenase release. Notably, cells exposed to 6-OHDA in the presence of NGF we...

The mechanism by which target-derived Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) signaling is propagated retrogradely, over extremely long distances, to cell bodies to support survival of neurons is unclear. Here we show that survival of sympathetic neurons supported by NGF on distal axons requires the kinase activity of the NGF receptor, TrkA, in both distal axons and cell bodies. In contrast, disruption of Tr...