Neurturin (NRTN)

Neurturin, a potent neurotrophic factor, was purified from Chinese hamster ovary cell-conditioned media by Kotzbauer et al. (1996). It is closely related to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). NRTN and GDNF form a distinct TGF-beta subfamily, referred to as TRNs (for 'TGF-beta-related neurotrophins'). GDNF is a ligand for the tyrosine kinase receptor RET. Signaling requires an additional GPI-linked protein, GDNF receptor-alpha (GDNFRA).

NRTN also signals through RET and a GPI-linked coreceptor. Like GDNF, neurturin can promote the survival of numerous neuronal populations, including sympathetic, nodose, and dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons. Heuckeroth et al. (1997) isolated mouse and human genomic neurturin clones.