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Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is also called enolase 2 (ENO2), which is an acidic protease to neurons and neuroendocrine cells, with a predicted molecular weight of about 47kDa. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a γ-enolase homodimer found in mature neurons and neural stem cells, with a wide range of neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties to neurons of central nervous system (CNS). NSE can also combine with neocortical neurons in a calcium-dependent manner to promote the survival of brain interstitial cells, medullary neurons, cerebral cortex neurons, etc., and participate in the growth, proliferation and apoptosis of nerve cells.

NSE is often used as a marker of nervous system lesions clinically, and can also be used for clinical auxiliary diagnosis and postoperative monitoring of small cell lung cancer and neuroblastoma. The content of NSE can reflect the level of neuron damage. Under normal circumstances, only a small amount of NSE is contained in cerebrospinal fluid and serum. When the nervous system is damaged, NSE is released into the intercellular space and cerebrospinal fluid from the cytoplasm, and then enters the blood circulation through the damaged blood-brain barrier causing NSE content to increase. In cerebrovascular accidents, brain trauma, cerebral infarction, brain tumors and other diseases, the release of NSE will increase sharply, which can be used for diagnosis of related diseases.

Reference

[1] Rafael Roell, Trever G Bivona, Niki Kaliou. Genetics and biomarkers in pernaliation of lung cancer treatment[J]. The Lancet, 2013, 382(9893); 720-731.
[2] Hatfield Richard H, McKernan Ruth M. CSF neuron-specific enolase as a quantitative marker of neuronal damage in a rat stroke model[J]. EIsevier, 1992, 577(2): 249-252.