NGF

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs759792430
rs10442681
rs10442682
rs4565713
rs7516191
rs7523654
rs7530686
rs7535026
rs10776798
rs10776799
rs11102925
rs11102926
rs11466071
rs1197157478
rs4332358
rs4348722
rs4839436
rs7513144
rs11466110
rs11466111

23181 associated SNPs in total

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Summary Blog Articles GHR Function More Information Lifestyle & Supplement Interactions Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

The NGF gene codes for nerve growth factor. NGF is a neurotrophin, which helps new neurons grow and mature neurons stay healthy [R].

NGF helps repair the myelin sheaths, protective coatings wrapped around neurons [R].

Low NGF levels are associated with [R, R, R, R]:

Atherosclerosis
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic syndrome

High NGF levels have been found in certain autoimmune diseases [R, R].

Variants in the NGF gene have been associated with:

Pain severity [R]
Anxiety [R]
Blood pressure [R]

Variants of NGF may play a role in blood pressure by causing excessive nerve growth around blood vessels. Variants of NGF also play a role in anxiety by activating ACTH, which causes more cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) to be released. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by balancing NGF activity and preventing excess nerve growth.

Protein names

nerve growth factor [Source:HGNC Symbol;Acc:HGNC:7808]

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The Role of Nerve Growth Factors in Blood Pressure (NGF)

The NGF gene encodes nerve growth factor. Could this gene have a harmful effect on blood vessels & blood pressure?

GHR Function

The NGF gene provides instructions for making a protein called nerve growth factor beta (NGFβ). This protein is important in the development and survival of nerve cells (neurons), especially those that transmit pain, temperature, and touch sensations (sensory neurons). The NGFβ protein functions by attaching (binding) to its receptors, which initiates signaling pathways inside the cell. The NGFβ protein can bind to two different receptors, the NTRK1 receptor or the p75NTR receptor. Both receptors are found on the surface of sensory neurons and other types of neurons. The binding of the NGFβ protein to the NTRK1 receptor signals these neurons to grow and to mature and take on specialized functions (differentiate). This binding also blocks signals that initiate the process of self-destruction (apoptosis). Additionally, NGFβ signaling through NTRK1 plays a role in pain sensation. It is less clear what binding with the p75NTR receptor signals. Studies suggest that p75NTR signaling can help sensory neurons grow and differentiate but can also trigger apoptosis.

More Information

What is Nerve Growth Factor?

The NGF gene encodes a protein called nerve growth factor. As its name suggests, NGF may promote the growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons and axons. It’s also thought to help repair the myelin sheath, which is the insulating coating around the axons. Mutations in this gene are relatively common in inherited diseases of the nervous system [R, R].

Animal experiments found that as the production of NGF decreases in the brain, the animals’ ability to form new connections and to retain and access memories becomes impaired. They believe NGF might save degenerating nerves and help restore their function; this effect has yet to be studied in humans, however [R].

NGF may also play a role in supporting In a mouse model of injury to the artery, NGF seemed to have regenerated nerves around the blood vessels and subsequently helped form new blood vessels, supporting their development and stabilization [R].

NGF has been implicated in blood pressure for decades, but researchers are still investigating the connection between the two [R, R, R].

In animals, high levels of NGF in the blood vessels leads to increased blood pressure. Some studies suggest that high NGF may actually lead to too much nerve growth in and around the blood vessels; this, in turn, could excessively activate the muscles controlling the size of blood vessels [R].

On the other hand, NGF appears to protect the heart and blood vessels from permanent damage after an injury—so excessively high or excessively low NGF could both cause problems, and it’s important for this gene to be expressed within an optimal range [R].

NGF levels are lower in many psychiatric illnesses like depression and schizophrenia, they are actually higher in people who are anxious or under some sort of stress (such as jumping out of an airplane with a parachute — yes, that’s a real study!) [R, R, R].

NGF causes more ACTH to be released from the brain. ACTH travels to the adrenal glands, which sit on your kidneys, and causes the 'stress hormone' cortisol to be released into the blood. This is the likely mechanism for why high NGF levels are associated with anxiety [R, R].

Neurologist and Developmental Biologist, Dr. Rita Levi-Montalcini, won a Nobel Prize for discovering nerve growth factor in 1986 and she used NGF eye drops to increase her life- and health-span (R).

In a study of 157 normal people, NGF was an average of 194 pg ml. Age didn't make a significant difference amongst the participants, but NGF was significantly lower in females (112 pg/ml) than in males (243 pg/ml) (R).

Low NGF levels are found in a variety of common Western diseases, including atherosclerosis, obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome (R).

High NGF levels are found in a number of Autoimmune diseases, accompanied by increased numbers of mast cells, which produce histamine and which are also able to produce NGF (R).

The Good

NGF is good for many people, and based on your individual issues, you need to decide if it's better for you to increase or decrease it. I'd say that for most people, it's better to increase it.

NGF Improves Depression

Blood levels of NGF were significantly lower in those with Major Depressive Disorder compared to controls (R). Exercise increased NGF (and BDNF & synapsin I), which improved survival of neurons in the hippocampus and simultaneously improved depression by increasing the serotonin-producing cells in the brain stem (R). Chrysin is a flavonoid found in honey and some plants. The chrysin-induced increase of NGF is possibly behind its antidepressant effect (20mg/kg) in mice (R).

NGF May Help Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

In an animal model of human brain demyelinating diseases (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis), NGF delayed onset, lowered inflammation, and lessened tissue injury (R). NGF promotes growth and repair of myelin damage (R).

NGF also directly controls some the main structural proteins of the myelin sheath (R). NGF induces the production of BDNF, which is also important for the myelination of nerves (R). Because of NGFs abilities to protect the brain and balance the immune system, it is being studied for a number of brain disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease (R).

NGF Helps Alzheimers Disease (AD)

Substances that raise acetylcholine have shown benefit for Alzheimer˜s disease. Recent animal studies show that NGF selectively protects acetylcholine-activated neurons, showing positive implications for treatment of Alzheimer's (R).

In a study of 10 Alzheimers patients and NGF gene transfer therapy, degenerating neurons sprouted from their axons, there was tissue growth, and there was an improvement of function (R).

The ability of the brain to convert proNGF to mature NGF is faulty in both Alzheimer's disease and in Down Syndrome, resulting in neurons that are dysfunctional. Amyloid-² plaque formation and brain inflammation may be caused (R).

NGF May Contribute to Schizophrenia

Studies have found certain genes of the NGF and NGFR are associated with decreased blood levels of these proteins and increase the risk for schizophrenia (R).

NGF Repairs Your Heart and May Prevent Heart Disease

In a mouse model of injury to the artery, NGF regenerated the nerve around the blood vessels and subsequently helped form new blood vessels, supporting their development and stabilization (R). NGF helps repair the heart after a heart attack (R).

NGF May Be Good For Diabetes

NGF seems to be important for pancreatic health. If NGF is taken away, the pancreatic beta cells die (R). Low blood levels of NGF are associated with diabetic neuropathy (R).

NGF May Help Some Cancers

NGF prevents the spread of cancer cells in hypothalamic or pituitary tumors and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Simultaneous treatment with Vitamin A (retinoic acid) enhances the effect (R).

NGF Supports Fertility

NGF is very much involved in the reproductive system. It's so important that it's also been referred to as Ovulation-inducing factor (OIF) (R).

Recent studies have confirmed that it induces ovulation (the release of the egg from ovaries) in some mammals, which can help with fertility (R).

Low levels of NGF (and BDNF) in the follicular fluid of the ovary may lessen the ovaries ability to provide egg cells and may also be associated with higher risk of endometriosis (R). It is abundant in semen (R).

The Bad

While NGF does a lot of good things, it may be problematic in some ways. The issue with some of these studies is that in certain states of disease, NGF can increase, which doesn't mean that NGF causes the disease. Rather, it may just be a correlation. But overall, it seems like NGF can contribute to certain issues.

NGF is High in Inflammation, Pain, and Injury

It's assumed that NGF can contribute to pain. In an experiment using human lung cells, high levels of NGF were associated with chronic inflammation (R).

NGF is often high in patients with chronic pain (interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, osteoarthritis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and psoriasis) but not in all cases (R). Increased NGF might be part of the inflammatory response to brain injury (R, R2).

NGF May Contribute to Histamine Intolerance

NGF activates mast cells, which causes the release of histamine. BDNF and other neurotrophins, however, do not activate mast cells (R). This may contribute to histamine intolerance.

NGF May Worsen Autoimmunity

NGF may play a role in regulating the interactions of the nervous system, hormonal system, and immune system, keeping it in balance. A number of autoimmune conditions have high NGF as well as more mast cells (R).

NGF is one mechanism by which stress increases inflammation and autoimmunity (neuroimmune interactions) (R). A drug that inhibits NGF is used for arthritic pain; side effects included the destruction of joints and bone in some patients (R).

NGF May Contribute to Spread of Cancer

According to research, NGF (as well as BDNF) stimulates the spread and survival of tumor cells and promotes new blood vessel production in tumors (R).

Lifestyle & Supplement Interactions

Top Supplements to Increase NGF

Some of my favorite substances to increase NGF include:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are Alleles for This SNP Different Elsewhere? Major vs. Reference Allele Is My Variant Good or Bad? SNP vs. Mutation

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NGF