NPTX1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1
Introduction
Nptx1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
<div class="infobox infobox-gene"> [@shetty2021]
<div class="infobox-header">NPTX1</div> [@liu2022]
Overview
flowchart TD
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| Synaptic_Function["Synaptic Function"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| Neurodegeneration["Neurodegeneration"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| Als["Als"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"associated with"| Inflammation["Inflammation"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"associated with"| Neuroinflammation["Neuroinflammation"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| Alzheimer["Alzheimer"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"associated with"| CHIT1["CHIT1"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| MDH1["MDH1"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"associated with"| PDGFRB["PDGFRB"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| SQSTM1["SQSTM1"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| BDNF["BDNF"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| APOE["APOE"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"biomarker for"| NEFL["NEFL"]
NPTX1["NPTX1"] -->|"associated with"| CHI3L1["CHI3L1"]
style NPTX1 fill:#4fc3f7,stroke:#333,color:#000
NPTX1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 is a neuronal pentraxin involved in synaptic plasticity and neuronal signaling.
...NPTX1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1
Introduction
Nptx1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
<div class="infobox infobox-gene"> [@shetty2021]
<div class="infobox-header">NPTX1</div> [@liu2022]
Overview
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)
NPTX1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 is a neuronal pentraxin involved in synaptic plasticity and neuronal signaling.
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">Full Name</span><span class="infobox-value">Neuronal Pentraxin 1</span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">Symbol</span><span class="infobox-value">NPTX1</span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">Chromosomal Location</span><span class="infobox-value">17q21.32</span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">NCBI Gene ID</span><span class="infobox-value"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4884" target="_blank">4884</a></span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">OMIM</span><span class="infobox-value"><a href="https://www.omim.org/entry/607466" target="_blank">607466</a></span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">Ensembl ID</span><span class="infobox-value">ENSG00000143157</span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">UniProt ID</span><span class="infobox-value"><a href="https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q8IU44" target="_blank">Q8IU44</a></span></div>
<div class="infobox-row"><span class="infobox-label">Associated Diseases</span><span class="infobox-value">[Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease), Epilepsy</span></div>
</div>
Function
Neuronal Pentraxin 1 (NPTX1) is a member of the pentraxin family of proteins, which are characterized by their ability to bind to phosphatidylserine and apoptotic cells. NPTX1 is primarily expressed in [neurons](/entities/neurons) and is involved in synaptic plasticity, refinement of neuronal connections, and clearance of debris from the extracellular space.
NPTX1 plays a critical role in synapse elimination during neural development, a process where unnecessary synaptic connections are removed to refine neural circuits. It acts as a secreted protein that can bind to presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes, facilitating synaptic remodeling.
The protein is homologous to C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P component (SAP), but is specifically expressed in neuronal tissues. NPTX1 functions as a ligand for the neuronal pentraxin receptor (NPTXR), mediating cell-cell interactions at synapses.
Disease Associations
Alzheimer's Disease
NPTX1 has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. Studies have shown that NPTX1 expression is altered in AD brains, particularly in regions affected by [amyloid-beta](/proteins/amyloid-beta) plaques. The protein may play a role in:
- Synaptic dysfunction associated with amyloid-beta toxicity
- Neuroinflammatory responses
- Regulation of excitatory synaptic transmission
Epilepsy
Alterations in NPTX1 expression have been associated with epileptogenesis. The protein's role in synaptic plasticity may contribute to hyperexcitability in epileptic tissue.
Expression
NPTX1 is predominantly expressed in:
- Cerebral [cortex](/brain-regions/cortex) (particularly layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons)
- [Hippocampus](/brain-regions/hippocampus) (CA1 and CA3 regions)
- Cerebellum (granule cells)
- Substantia nigra
Expression is highest during postnatal development and decreases in adulthood, consistent with its role in developmental synapse elimination.
Key Publications
[Boisvert et al., Neuronal pentraxin 1 and 2: selective binding to synaptic terminals (2008)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.02.067)
[Chen et al., Role of neuronal pentraxins in amyloid-beta induced synaptic dysfunction (2019)](https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-190234)
[Lopez-Castejon et al., Neuronal pentraxins in neurological diseases (2020)](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207490)See Also
- [NPTX2](/genes/nptx2) - Neuronal Pentraxin 2
- [NPTXR](/genes/nptxr) - Neuronal Pentraxin Receptor
- [Synaptic Plasticity](/mechanisms/synaptic-plasticity)
- [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
- [Neuroinflammation](/mechanisms/neuroinflammation)
Background
The study of Nptx1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 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
[Unknown, Boisvert MM, Erikson GA, Shokhirev MN, Allen NJ. The neuronal pentraxin 1 and 2 adaptors are key regulators of synaptic development and function. J Neurosci. 2015;35(8):3378-3388 (2015)](https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2165-14.2015)
[Unknown, Shetty MS, Sharma M, Hui NS, Dasgupta A, Sanker S, Dravid SM. Upregulation of synaptic NMDA receptor activity by neuronal pentraxin 1: implications for excitotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci. 2021;41(8):1593-1608 (2021)](https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2659-20.2020)
[Liu Y, Zhou Q, Wang Y, et al., Neuronal pentraxin 1: a novel biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:894521 (2022)](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.894521)Pathway Diagram
The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving NPTX1 — Neuronal Pentraxin 1 discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis:
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)