As the population ages, obesity and metabolic complications as well as neurological disorders are becoming more prevalent, with huge economic burdens on both societies and families. New therapeutics are urgently needed. Nerve growth factor (NGF), first discovered in 1950s, is a neurotrophic factor involved in regulating cell proliferation, growth, survival, and apoptosis in both central and peripheral nervous systems. NGF and its precursor, proNGF, bind to TrkA and p75 receptors and initiate protein phosphorylation cascades, resulting in changes of cellular functions, and are associated with obesity, diabetes and its complications, and Alzheimer's disease. In this article, we summarize changes in NGF levels in metabolic and neuronal disorders, the signal transduction initiated by NGF and proNGF, the physiological and pathophysiological relevance, and therapeutic potential in treating chronic metabolic diseases and cognitive decline.

随着人口的老龄化，肥胖和代谢并发症以及神经系统疾病变得越来越普遍，给社会和家庭带来巨大的经济负担。迫切需要新的疗法。神经生长因子（NGF）最早发现于1950年代，是一种神经营养因子，参与调节中枢神经系统和周围神经系统的细胞增殖，生长，存活和凋亡。NGF及其前体proNGF与TrkA和p75受体结合并启动蛋白质磷酸化级联反应，导致细胞功能改变，并与肥胖症，糖尿病及其并发症和阿尔茨海默氏病有关。在本文中，我们总结了新陈代谢和神经元疾病中NGF水平的变化，由NGF和proNGF引发的信号转导，