NEUROTROPHIN-3, A NOVEL NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR RELATED TO NERVE GROWTH FACTOR AND BRAIN DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR

摘要

The present invention relates to neurotrophic-3 (NT-3) anewly discovered member of the BDNF gene family. It is based, inpart, on the identification of regions of nucleic acid sequencehomology shared by BDNF and NGF (U.S patent application SerialNo. 400,591, filed August 30, 1989, incorporated by referenceherein ). According to the present invention, these regions ofhomology may be used to identify new members of the BDNF/NGF genefamily; such methodology was used to identify NT-3. The presentinvention provides for the genes and gene products of newBDNF/NGF related neurotrophic factors identified by thesemethods. According to the invention, NT-3 may be used in thediagnosis and/or treatment of neurologic disorders, including,but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Because NT-3 has been observed to exhibit a spectrum of activitydifferent from the specificities of BDNF or NGF, NT-3 providesnew and valuable options for enducing regrowth and repair in thecentral nervous system.