Azione protettiva della molecola NGF nel SNC: evidenza nell'ischemia cerebrale

Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) acts as neuroprotective and neuroreparative agent in pathological conditions affecting CNS structural integrity and functionality. Specifically, NGF administration or transplantation of NGF-producing cells in the brain has prove to reduce disease progression in animal models of neurodegeneation. Working in collaboration with clinicians, we have demonstrated that NGF applied as eye drops (eNGF) stimulates tissue repair and functional recovery in patients with ocular pathologies. In animal models, eNGF acts both at the retinal and post-retinal visual pathway levels, exert reparative effects in brain visual areas and forebrain and stimulate the neuronal and behavioral function. Recently, the efficacy of eNGF to induce vascular and neuronal protection in forebrain has been also demonstrated in rats with diabetic encephalopathy, further supporting the concept that NGF might act on different cell types to facilitate brain tissue recovery.