Neurturin is a potent neurotrophic factor.
It is closely related to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) (MIM.600837).
NRTN and GDNF form a distinct TGF-beta subfamily, referred to as TRNs (for ’TGF-beta-related neurotrophins’).
GDNF is a ligand for the tyrosine kinase receptor RET (MIM.164761). Signaling requires an additional GPI-linked protein, GDNF receptor-alpha (GDNFRA) (MIM.601496).
NRTN also signals through RET and a GPI-linked coreceptor. Like GDNF, neurturin can promote the survival of numerous neuronal populations, including sympathetic, nodose, and dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons.
See also
Hirschsprung disease genes
| RET | GDNF | NRTN | SOX10 | EDNRB | EDN3 | ECE1 | ZFHX1B | phox2b | TCF4 |
References
Doray, B.; Salomon, R.; Amiel, J.; Pelet, A.; Touraine, R.; Billaud, M.; Attie, T.; Bachy, B.; Munnich, A.; Lyonnet, S. : Mutation of the RET ligand, neurturin, supports multigenic inheritance in Hirschsprung disease. Hum. Molec. Genet. 7: 1449-1452, 1998. PubMed ID : 9700200