Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors that includes nerve growth factor (NGF) neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5).
All neurotrophins are synthesized as preproneurotrophin precursors that are subsequently processed within the intracellular transport pathway to yield proneurotrophins that are further processed to generate the mature form. The mature form of BDNF is a non-covalent stable homodimer that can be secreted in both constitutive and regulated pathways.
Until recently, the functional role of the neurotrophins prodomains was thought to include assistance in the correct folding of the mature protein and the sorting of the neurotrophins into the constitutive or regulated secretory pathway. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that the uncleaved proneurotrophin precursors can be secreted from cells and that they may mediate different biological functions.Several studies implicate both proNGF and proBDNF in several physiological and pathological conditions.
Today it remains to be established whether proNT-3 has similarly, different biological functions than the mature NT-3 neurotrophin.
Alomone Labs has now developed a new antibody directed against a highly specific epitope located in the pro domain region of human NT-3. The antibody does not cross reacts with mature NT-3, pro and mature NGF or pro and mature BDNF.
