Ultra-LEAF™ Purified anti-mouse CNTF Antibody, W17199A,BioLegend,938803

CNTF, ciliary neurotrophic factor, was initially identified as a survival factor for cultured embryonic chick parasympathetic neurons. The human protein has 84% similarity to the rat and rabbit proteins. It lacks the N-terminal signal sequence and consensus sequences for glycosylation or hydrophobic regions. The CNTF profile shows similar sequence and structure motifs to hematopoietic cytokines (IL-6, IL-11, LIF, oncostatin M, cardiotrophin-1) and thus was considered a member of the IL-6 family. CNTF exerts effects on glial cells and neurons. CNTF activates astrocytes and promotes their capacity to support neurons and oligodendroglia. CNTF stimulates astrocytes to secrete FGF-2 and rat microglia to secrete glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). CNTF is produced by astrocytes after brain injury. The CNTF receptor complex includes the CNTF binding protein (CNTFRα), the LIF binding protein (LIFRb), and the signal transducer of IL-6 (gp130). CNTFRα does not have transmembrane or intracellular domains, which means it does not induce signal transduction per se. CNTFRα is linked to the cell membrane via glycosyl phosphatidylinositol linkage, and it can be released by phospholipase C to produce a soluble receptor. The complex formed by CNTFRα and CNTF serve as agonists for cells that do not express CNTFRα. Cardiotrophin-like cytokine (CLC) also binds to CNTFRα, which proposed to the activation of gp130, which are LIFRb subunits. CNTF reduces the symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and its absence exacerbates the severity of multiple sclerosis disability. CNTF has been studied in retinal degenerative disorders and was shown as a potential clinical application.