Structure of mouse 7S NGF: a complex of nerve growth factor with four binding proteins.
Bax, B., Blundell, T.L., Murray-Rust, J., McDonald, N.Q.(1997) Structure 5: 1275-1285
- PubMed: 9351801 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(97)00280-3
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1SGF - PubMed Abstract: 
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor that promotes the differentiation and survival of certain populations of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems. 7S NGF is an alpha 2 beta 2 gamma 2 complex in which the beta-NGF dimer (the active neurotrophin) is associated with two alpha-NGF and two gamma-NGF subunits, which belong to the glandular kallikrein family of serine proteinases. The gamma-NGF subunit is an active serine proteinase capable of processing the precursor form of beta-NGF, whereas alpha-NGF is an inactive serine proteinase. The structure of 7S NGF could be used as a starting point to design inhibitors that prevent NGF binding to its receptors, as a potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Crystallography, Birkbeck College, London, UK. b.bax@cryst.bbk.ac.uk