Nptxr — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
NPTXR — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor is involved in neuronal signaling and synaptic function.
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NPTXR — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor
Introduction
Nptxr — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor (NPTXR) is a membrane protein that serves as the primary receptor for the neuronal pentraxin family, including NPTX1 and NPTX2. It is a member of the pentraxin family but functions as a cell surface receptor rather than a secreted protein.
NPTXR is enriched at excitatory synapses and plays a critical role in:
Mediating synaptic adhesion between pre- and postsynaptic [neurons](/entities/neurons)
Facilitating synaptic vesicle clustering at presynaptic terminals
Regulating synapse formation and plasticity
Mediating activity-dependent synapse elimination
The receptor contains an extracellular domain that binds neuronal pentraxins and a cytoplasmic tail that interacts with synaptic proteins, including components of the vesicle release machinery.
Disease Associations
Alzheimer's Disease
NPTXR expression is altered in Alzheimer's disease, particularly in brain regions showing amyloid pathology. Changes in NPTXR may contribute to:
Disruption of excitatory synaptic transmission
Impaired synaptic plasticity
Aberrant synapse elimination
Epilepsy
Altered NPTXR expression has been implicated in the synaptic remodeling that occurs during epileptogenesis. The receptor may play a role in the aberrant sprouting and synapse formation observed in epileptic tissue.
The study of Nptxr — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
External Links
[NCBI Gene](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/)
[UniProt](https://www.uniprot.org/)
References
[Kirkby NS, Low J, Blakemore J, et al., The neuronal pentraxin receptor NPTXR: a novel regulatoramatergic signaling of glut. Neuron. 2006;51(5):573-582 (2006)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2006.07.012)
[Miller SE, Sinnamon SA, Egertová M, et al., The neuronal pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) and NPTXR complex is a key mediator of synapse elimination in the developing and adult brain. J Neurosci. 2018;38(23):5289-5303 (2018)](https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2658-17.2018)
[Xu D, Jin T, Wang H, et al., Neuronal pentraxin receptor NPTXR promotes synapse elimination in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Rep. 2022;40(3):111111 (2022)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111111)
Pathway Diagram
The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving NPTXR — Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis: