Abstract
Neurotrophins (NTs) are a family of growth factors that are well-known in the nervous system. There is increasing recognition that NTs (nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and NT3) and their receptors (high-affinity TrkA, TrkB and TrkC, and low-affinity p75NTR) are expressed in lung components including the nasal and bronchial epithelium, smooth muscle, nerves and immune cells. NT signaling may be important in normal lung development, developmental lung disease, allergy and inflammation (e.g., rhinitis, asthma), lung fibrosis and even lung cancer. In this review, we describe the current status of our understanding of NT signaling in the lung, with hopes of using aspects of the NT signaling pathway in the diagnosis and therapy of lung diseases.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 395-411 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2010 |
Keywords
- Asthma
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Development
- Fibrosis
- Inflammation
- Lung cancer
- Neurotrophic factor
- Rhinitis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health