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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Paediatr Respir Rev. 2015 May 23;16(4):232–240. doi: 10.1016/j.prrv.2015.05.005

Table #1.

Neurotrophins as Biomarkers of Airway Disease

Neurotrophin Cognate Receptor Changes with
Airway Disease
Nerve Growth Factor
(NGF)		 TrkA
p75NTR

  • - Elevated NGF and TrkA expression in human airways during RSV LRTI

  • - NGF prevents apoptosis of RSV infected cells and keeps them alive to allow completion of viral life cycle

  • - Airway hyperreactivity is NGF and TrkA-dependent in animal models of horizontal and vertical RSV infection

  • - Elevated serum NGF in human asthmatics after allergen challenge

  • - Elevated NGF in the airways of humans with active pulmonary sarcoidosis

  • - Strong NGF and TrkA expression in lung cancer
Brain-derived Neurotrophic
Factor (BDNF)		 TrkB
p75NTR

  • - Elevated airway BDNF expression in human airways during RSV LRTI

  • - Elevated serum BDNF and TrkB expression in asthmatics after allergen challenge

  • - Weak BDNF and TrkB expression in lung cancer