Direct influences on nerve growth of agents that interact with immunophilins in combination with neurotrophic factors

摘要

Immunophilin ligands act by binding to receptor proteins, immunophilins, which in turn can bind to and regulate the Ca2+ dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, and the Ca2+ release channel, the ryanodine receptor. Immunophilin ligands have been discovered to enhance neurite outgrowth in neuronal cell systems by increasing sensitivity to neurotrophic factors. The effects of the immunophilin ligands are detected at subnanomolar concentrations indicating therapeutic application in diseases involving neural degeneration.