The p75 neurotrophin receptor localization in blood-CSF barrier: expression in choroid plexus epithelium

BACKGROUND: The presence of neurotrophins and their receptors Trk family has been reported in the choroid plexus. High levels of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) and TrkB receptor were detected, while nothing was know about p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in the choroid plexus epithelial cells. In neurons, p75NTR receptor has a dual function: promoting survival together with TrkA in response to NGF, and inducing apoptotic signaling through p75NTR. We postulated that p75NTR may also affect the survival pathways in the choroid plexus and also undergoes regulated proteolysis with metalloproteases. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrated the presence of p75NTR receptor in the choroid plexus epithelial cells. The p75NTR receptor would be involved in cell death mechanisms and in the damaged induced by amyloid beta (Aβ) in the choroid plexus and finally, we propose an essential role of p75NTR in the Aβ transcytosis through out choroid plexus barrier. CONCLUSIONS: The presence analysis reveals the new localization of p75NTR in the choroid plexus and, the distribution mainly in the cytoplasm and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) side of the epithelial cells. We propose that p75NTR receptor plays a role in the survival pathways and Aβ-induced cell death. These data suggest that p75NTR dysfunction play an important role in the pathogenesis of brain diseases. The importance and novelty of this expression expands a new role of p75NTR.