Neuronal Pentraxin I (NPTX1)

Neuronal pentraxin 1is a secreted member of the pentraxin family identified first in rats as a protein that may mediate the uptake of synaptic material and the presynaptic snake venom toxin, taipoxin . Rat, mouse, and human sequences are highly conserved . NPTX1 is expressed almost exclusively in central neurons of the nervous system.

NPTX1 is expressed constitutively in the murine CNS and is not modulated by administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (as is the expression of some other pentraxin family members.NPTX1 expression is induced in neonatal rat brain following perinatal hypoxia-ischemia, and NPTX1 gene silencing has been shown to be neuroprotective against hypoxia-induced neuronal cell death .