The prostate is one of the most abundant sources of nerve growth factor (NGF) in different species, including humans. NGF and its receptors are implicated in the control of prostate cell proliferation and apoptosis and it can either support or suppress cell growth. The co-expression of both NGF receptors, p75^NGFR and tropomyosin-related kinase A (trkA), represents a crucial condition for the antiproliferative effect of NGF; indeed, p75^NGFR is progressively lost during prostate tumorigenesis and its disappearance represents a malignancy marker of prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa). Interestingly, a dysregulation of NGF signal transduction was found in a number of human tumors.

This review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of NGF and its receptors in prostate and in PCa. Conclusions bring to the hypothesis that the NGF network could be a candidate for future pharmacological manipulation in the PCa therapy: in particular the re-expression of p75^NTR and/or the negative modulation of trkA could represent a target to induce apoptosis and to reduce proliferation and invasiveness of PCa.