# Netrin-1: Dual Roles in Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Disease Dynamics

**Authors:** Hadiseh Farahani, Ali Ganji, Ghasem Mosayebi, Mohsen Ebrahimi Monfared, Ali Ghazavi

PMC · DOI: 10.1155/ijin/8670048 · International Journal of Inflammation · 2025-07-28

## TL;DR

Netrin-1, a molecule involved in nerve development, has both protective and harmful roles in brain inflammation and diseases like Alzheimer's.

## Contribution

This paper reviews the dual roles of Netrin-1 in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, offering new insights into its potential as a therapeutic target.

## Key findings

- Netrin-1 can protect the blood-brain barrier and regulate immune cell migration.
- Netrin-1 shows both protective and harmful effects in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Understanding Netrin-1's dual roles could lead to new treatment strategies.

## Abstract

Netrin-1, a central axonal guidance molecule discovered for its role in neuronal development, is also essential in neurodegenerative diseases. Netrin-1 inhibits leukocyte migration and inflammation-related tissue damage outside the central nervous system. Therefore, it can be viewed as a potential biomarker for inflammatory activity in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies highlight the dual roles of Netrin-1 in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. In the context of neurodegeneration, Netrin-1 demonstrates both protective and harmful effects. This review highlights recent advancements in research regarding the dual roles of Netrin-1 in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. We discuss its involvement in protecting the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and regulating immune cell migration and its effects on various neurodegenerative diseases. A greater understanding of the multifunctionality of Netrin-1 could potentially be employed in developing new treatment modalities.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** Ntn1 (netrin 1) [NCBI Gene 18208]

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** Nfkb1 (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells 1, p105) [NCBI Gene 18033] {aka NF-KB1, NF-kappaB, NF-kappaB1, p105, p50, p50/p105}, UNC5A (unc-5 netrin receptor A) [NCBI Gene 90249] {aka UNC5H1}, ADORA2B (adenosine A2b receptor) [NCBI Gene 136] {aka ADORA2}, DCC (DCC netrin 1 receptor) [NCBI Gene 1630] {aka CRC18, CRCR1, HGPPS2, IGDCC1, MRMV1, NTN1R1}, Ighmbp2 (immunoglobulin mu DNA binding protein 2) [NCBI Gene 20589] {aka AEP, Catf1, RIPE3b1, Smbp-2, Smbp2, Smubp2}, Neo1 (neogenin) [NCBI Gene 18007] {aka 2610028H22Rik, D930014N22Rik, Igdcc2}, Bace1 (beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1) [NCBI Gene 23821] {aka ASP2, Bace}, Mpo (myeloperoxidase) [NCBI Gene 17523] {aka mKIAA4033}, UNC5C (unc-5 netrin receptor C) [NCBI Gene 8633] {aka UNC5H3}, PTGS2 (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2) [NCBI Gene 5743] {aka COX-2, COX2, GRIPGHS, PGG/HS, PGHS-2, PHS-2}, MAP2K2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 5605] {aka CFC4, MAPKK2, MEK2, MKK2, PRKMK2}, Ntn1 (netrin 1) [NCBI Gene 18208] {aka Netrin-1}, UBQLN2 (ubiquilin 2) [NCBI Gene 29978] {aka ALS15, CHAP1, DSK2, HRIHFB2157, N4BP4, PLIC2}, SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1) [NCBI Gene 6647] {aka ALS, ALS1, HEL-S-44, IPOA, SOD, STAHP}, UNC5B (unc-5 netrin receptor B) [NCBI Gene 219699] {aka UNC5H2, p53RDL1}, CASP3 (caspase 3) [NCBI Gene 836] {aka CPP32, CPP32B, SCA-1}, Tnf (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 21926] {aka DIF, TNF-a, TNF-alpha, TNFSF2, TNFalpha, Tnfa}, PRKD1 (protein kinase D1) [NCBI Gene 5587] {aka CHDED, PKC-MU, PKCM, PKD, PKD1, PRKCM}, Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 16193] {aka Il-6}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, PPARA (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha) [NCBI Gene 5465] {aka NR1C1, PPAR, PPAR-alpha, PPARalpha, hPPAR}, Snca (synuclein, alpha) [NCBI Gene 20617] {aka NACP, alpha-Syn, alphaSYN}, RGMA (repulsive guidance molecule BMP co-receptor a) [NCBI Gene 56963] {aka RGM}, Cldn5 (claudin 5) [NCBI Gene 12741] {aka MBEC1, Tmvcf}, Yap1 (yes-associated protein 1) [NCBI Gene 22601] {aka Yap, Yap65, Yki, Yorkie}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, Cebpb (CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta) [NCBI Gene 12608] {aka C/EBPbeta, CRP2, IL-6DBP, LAP, LIP, NF-IL6}, DSCAM (DS cell adhesion molecule) [NCBI Gene 1826] {aka CHD2, CHD2-42, CHD2-52}, MST1 (macrophage stimulating 1) [NCBI Gene 4485] {aka D3F15S2, DNF15S2, HGFL, MSP, NF15S2}, Bdnf (brain derived neurotrophic factor) [NCBI Gene 12064], DAPK1 (death associated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 1612] {aka DAPK, ROCO3}, APP (amyloid beta precursor protein) [NCBI Gene 351] {aka AAA, ABETA, ABPP, AD1, APPI, CTFgamma}, App (amyloid beta precursor protein) [NCBI Gene 11820] {aka Abeta, Abpp, Adap, Ag, Cvap, E030013M08Rik}, PTK2B (protein tyrosine kinase 2 beta) [NCBI Gene 2185] {aka CADTK, CAKB, FADK2, FAK2, PKB, PTK}, Casp3 (caspase 3) [NCBI Gene 12367] {aka A830040C14Rik, AC-3, CASP-3, CC3, CPP-32, CPP32}, Mst1 (macrophage stimulating 1 (hepatocyte growth factor-like)) [NCBI Gene 15235] {aka D3F15S2h, D9H3F15S2, DNF15S2h, Hgfl}, Dcc (DCC netrin 1 receptor) [NCBI Gene 13176] {aka C030036D22Rik, Igdcc1}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, MAPK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5594] {aka ERK, ERK-2, ERK2, ERT1, MAPK2, NS13}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, Akt1 (Akt serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 11651] {aka Akt, LTR-akt, PKB, PKB/Akt, PKBalpha, Rac}, MAPK8 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 8) [NCBI Gene 5599] {aka JNK, JNK-46, JNK1, JNK1A2, JNK21B1/2, PRKM8}, PPARG (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) [NCBI Gene 5468] {aka CIMT1, FPLD3, GLM1, NR1C3, PPARG1, PPARG2}, Icam1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) [NCBI Gene 15894] {aka CD54, Icam-1, Ly-47, MALA-2}, MAP3K5 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5) [NCBI Gene 4217] {aka ASK1, MAPKKK5, MEKK5}, MAPK3 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 3) [NCBI Gene 5595] {aka ERK-1, ERK1, ERT2, HS44KDAP, HUMKER1A, P44ERK1}, Pik3r1 (phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 18708] {aka PI3K, p50alpha, p55alpha, p85alpha}, Pparg (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) [NCBI Gene 19016] {aka Nr1c3, PPAR-gamma, PPAR-gamma2, PPARgamma, PPARgamma2}, MAP2K1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5604] {aka CFC3, MAPKK1, MEK1, MEL, MKK1, PRKMK1}, Rgma (repulsive guidance molecule family member A) [NCBI Gene 244058] {aka C230063O06}, COX2 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit II) [NCBI Gene 4513] {aka COII, MTCO2}, Unc5b (unc-5 netrin receptor B) [NCBI Gene 107449] {aka 6330415E02Rik, A630020F16, D10Bwg0792e, Unc5h2}, Mapk1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 26413] {aka 9030612K14Rik, ERK, Erk2, MAPK2, PRKM2, Prkm1}, MAP2K7 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7) [NCBI Gene 5609] {aka JNKK2, MAPKK7, MEK, MEK 7, MKK7, PRKMK7}, NTN1 (netrin 1) [NCBI Gene 9423] {aka MRMV4, NET1, NTN1L}, SNCA (synuclein alpha) [NCBI Gene 6622] {aka NACP, PARK1, PARK4, PD1}, NEO1 (neogenin 1) [NCBI Gene 4756] {aka IGDCC2, NGN, NTN1R2}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, UNC5D (unc-5 netrin receptor D) [NCBI Gene 137970] {aka PRO34692, Unc5h4}, Ocln (occludin) [NCBI Gene 18260] {aka Ocl}
- **Diseases:** muscle weakness (MESH:D018908), CNS damage (MESH:D002493), neuronal and vascular damage (MESH:D057772), tumor (MESH:D009369), CNS inflammation (MESH:D007249), infection (MESH:D007239), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MESH:D000690), X-linked forms of ALS (MESH:C531617), SAH (MESH:D013345), neurofibrillary tangles (MESH:D055956), tissue (MESH:D017695), brain injury (MESH:D001930), PD (MESH:D010300), AD (MESH:D000544), amyloid plaques (MESH:D058225), Chronic constipation (MESH:D003248), dementia (MESH:D003704), neurotoxic (MESH:D020258), EAE (MESH:D004681), ischemic injury (MESH:D017202), demyelinating disease (MESH:D003711), motor disorder (MESH:D000068079), death (MESH:D003643), Lewy (MESH:D018827), Neuroinflammation (MESH:D000090862), Neurodegeneration (MESH:D019636), colorectal cancer (MESH:D015179), toxicity (MESH:D064420), neurological injuries (MESH:D020196), impaired movement (MESH:D009069), cognitive decline (MESH:D003072), axonal degeneration (MESH:D009410), brain edema (MESH:D001929), junction (MESH:D020511), neuronal apoptosis (MESH:D065703), MS (MESH:D009103)
- **Chemicals:** DA (MESH:D004298), PGE2 (MESH:D015232), lecanemab (MESH:C000612089), 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium iodide (-), GPI (MESH:D017261)
- **Species:** Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Rat sarcoma virus (species) [taxon 11848]
- **Mutations:** T835M

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12321422/full.md

## References

84 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12321422/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12321422