Sortilin is a member of the Vps10p family named for a yeast gene that is involved in trafficking between the trans-golgi network and the vacuole. In mammals sortilin has been shown to play an important role in golgi to endosome and golgi to lysosome trafficking. Sortilin is also known as neurotensin receptor 3 (NTS3), one of the receptors for the peptide neurotransmitter neurotensin that exerts several biological functions ranging from the regulation of dopamine transmission and pain in the central nervous system to its functioning as a local hormone affecting the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, sortilin has been lately identified as a co-receptor of p75NTR for the binding of the proneurotrophins proNGF and proBDNF. Moreover, Sortilin expression was found to be essential for proNGF and proBDNF-induced neuronal cell death.
