Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker?
Abstract Background As the first discovered member of the neurotrophin family, nerve growth factor (NGF) plays fundamental roles in peripheral sensory and sympathetic neuronal development and survival. Recent evidence reveals its tumour-promoting effects through increasing perineural invasion, which...
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Molecular Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01333-z |
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| author | Fei Xiong Ben-li Xiao Qi Wang Kun Liu Hong-wei Wu Chao Jing Kui-nan Tong Zhong-tao Zhang Wei Guo |
| author_facet | Fei Xiong Ben-li Xiao Qi Wang Kun Liu Hong-wei Wu Chao Jing Kui-nan Tong Zhong-tao Zhang Wei Guo |
| author_sort | Fei Xiong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As the first discovered member of the neurotrophin family, nerve growth factor (NGF) plays fundamental roles in peripheral sensory and sympathetic neuronal development and survival. Recent evidence reveals its tumour-promoting effects through increasing perineural invasion, which is correlated with poor clinical outcomes. The exact molecular mechanisms exhibit malignancy-specific differences and remain incompletely characterized. Main text This review compares mechanistic insights and therapeutic advancements regarding NGF signalling in neurological/psychological disorders with discoveries in oncological contexts. Functioning as a dual biomarker for neural integrity and pathological progression, NGF primarily exerts its effects via an interaction with the high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor. Both molecules are frequently overexpressed in malignant tissues. NGF orchestrates tissue regeneration and tumourigenesis through the activation of conserved neurotrophin pathways and downstream proliferative cascades, some of which participate in regulating the expression and secretion of NGF in turn. In practical applications, in addition to acting as an antiproliferative target, NGF could be utilized in psychological management, antinociceptive treatment, and wound healing. Conclusions Systemic NGF-targeted therapies have significant articular and neurological toxicity, indicating the critical need for localized intervention strategies depending on the expression level of NGF and TrkA to balance antitumour efficacy with protective requirements for nerve structures and innervation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-caed8009054940928ffc1b3adfd494d7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1528-3658 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-caed8009054940928ffc1b3adfd494d72025-08-20T03:43:16ZengBMCMolecular Medicine1528-36582025-08-0131112610.1186/s10020-025-01333-zNerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker?Fei Xiong0Ben-li Xiao1Qi Wang2Kun Liu3Hong-wei Wu4Chao Jing5Kui-nan Tong6Zhong-tao Zhang7Wei Guo8Department of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center RotterdamDepartment of Urology, The Third Medical Center, Chinese PLA General HospitalDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityDepartment of General Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityAbstract Background As the first discovered member of the neurotrophin family, nerve growth factor (NGF) plays fundamental roles in peripheral sensory and sympathetic neuronal development and survival. Recent evidence reveals its tumour-promoting effects through increasing perineural invasion, which is correlated with poor clinical outcomes. The exact molecular mechanisms exhibit malignancy-specific differences and remain incompletely characterized. Main text This review compares mechanistic insights and therapeutic advancements regarding NGF signalling in neurological/psychological disorders with discoveries in oncological contexts. Functioning as a dual biomarker for neural integrity and pathological progression, NGF primarily exerts its effects via an interaction with the high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor. Both molecules are frequently overexpressed in malignant tissues. NGF orchestrates tissue regeneration and tumourigenesis through the activation of conserved neurotrophin pathways and downstream proliferative cascades, some of which participate in regulating the expression and secretion of NGF in turn. In practical applications, in addition to acting as an antiproliferative target, NGF could be utilized in psychological management, antinociceptive treatment, and wound healing. Conclusions Systemic NGF-targeted therapies have significant articular and neurological toxicity, indicating the critical need for localized intervention strategies depending on the expression level of NGF and TrkA to balance antitumour efficacy with protective requirements for nerve structures and innervation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01333-zNerve growth factorPerineural invasionNeurotrophin pathwayMalignancy |
| spellingShingle | Fei Xiong Ben-li Xiao Qi Wang Kun Liu Hong-wei Wu Chao Jing Kui-nan Tong Zhong-tao Zhang Wei Guo Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? Molecular Medicine Nerve growth factor Perineural invasion Neurotrophin pathway Malignancy |
| title | Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? |
| title_full | Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? |
| title_fullStr | Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? |
| title_short | Nerve growth factor: what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker? |
| title_sort | nerve growth factor what can surgeons and oncologists learn from a neurological and psychological biomarker |
| topic | Nerve growth factor Perineural invasion Neurotrophin pathway Malignancy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-025-01333-z |
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