Plexin-B2 promotes invasive growth of malignant glioma.

Invasive growth is a major determinant of the high lethality of malignant gliomas. Plexin-B2, an axon guidance receptor important for mediating neural progenitor cell migration during development, is upregulated in gliomas, but its function therein remains poorly understood. Combining bioinformatic analyses, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry of patient samples, we demonstrate that Plexin-B2 is consistently upregulated in all types of human gliomas and that its expression levels correlate with glioma grade and poor survival.

Matrix metalloproteinase-7 regulates cleavage of pro-nerve growth factor and is neuroprotective following kainic acid-induced seizures.

The neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates neuronal growth, differentiation, and survival during development. However, the precursor of NGF, proNGF, is a potent apoptotic ligand for the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR))-sortilin complex. The mechanisms that regulate cleavage of proNGF, therefore, are critical determinants of whether this factor promotes neuronal survival or death.