Rat Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) Protein

Background

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a multifunctional transmembrane glycoprotein that plays critical roles in multiple physiological processes, including vascular development, neural guidance, immune modulation, and cancer progression. First characterized as a receptor involved in the guidance of axons, NRP1 is now known to act as a co-receptor for various ligands, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and semaphorin family proteins, which control angiogenesis and axonal guidance, respectively. NRP1 is widely expressed in endothelial cells, neurons, immune cells, and several tumor cell types. Its role in mediating signal transduction for multiple growth factors makes it highly significant in both normal developmental biology and pathologies, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. NRP1’s structure allows it to interact with a variety of ligands, facilitating its participation in different signaling pathways. Importantly, NRP1 lacks intrinsic kinase activity and instead functions by associating with other receptor complexes. This co-receptor capability is vital for its role in angiogenesis, where it enhances VEGF signaling by complexing with VEGF receptors (particularly VEGFR2), and in immune regulation, where it modulates T cell activity and antigen presentation. NRP1 has therefore become a target of interest for therapeutic intervention in diseases involving abnormal cell growth, such as cancer and chronic inflammatory conditions.