Neurotrophic Factors and their Receptors Are Altered by the Mere Partial IGF-1 Deficiency.

Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) are a relevant group of secreted proteins that modulate growth, differentiation, repair, and survival of neurons; playing a role in the maintenance of the synaptic unions, dendrites and axons; also, being crucial for peripheral nervous system development and regulating plasticity in the adult central nervous system. On the other hand, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) has been ascertained multiple beneficial actions in the brain: neuro-development, -protection, -genesis and plasticity. To further investigate the possible mechanisms underlying IGF-1 deficiency in the establishment of neurological disease, microarray and RT-qPCR gene expression analyses coupled with in silico processing were performed in an experimental model of partial IGF-1 deficiency. Results show that the mere IGF-1 deficiency seems to be responsible for an altered expression of genes coding for neurotrophic factors (particularly ciliary neurotrophic factor and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor), their receptors and signaling pathways (specially RET). The presented findings support that IGF-1 deficiency might be involved in the establishment and progression of neurodegenerative disorders.