Co-expression of the P75 neurotrophin receptor and neurotrophin receptor-interacting melanoma antigen homolog in the mature rat brain

Abstract

The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is involved in the regulation of neuronal survival and phenotype, but its signal transduction mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent evidence has implicated the cytoplasmic protein NRAGE (neurotrophin receptor-interacting MAGE (from Melanoma AntiGEn) homolog) in p75NTR signaling. To gain further insight into the role of NRAGE, we investigated the co-expression of NRAGE and p75NTR in mature rat brain. In all areas examined, NRAGE appeared to be confined to neurons. In the basal forebrain cholinergic complex, NRAGE immunoreactivity was evident in all p75NTR-positive neurons. There were many more NRAGE-positive than p75NTR-positive neurons in these regio..