Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression ex vivo in obesity

• Published in: Physiology & behavior 2014-01, Vol.123, p.76-79
• Main Authors: Huang, Chun-Jung, Mari, David C, Whitehurst, Michael, Slusher, Aaron, Wilson, Alan, Shibata, Yoshimi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anthropometry; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - pathology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.10.004

Abstract Obesity is associated with an increased risk in neurodegenerative diseases. To counteract the neuronal damage, the human body increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, leading to neuronal survival and plasticity. Recently, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have been found to release BDNF as a potential neuroprotective role of inflammation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PBMC activation would lead to differences in BDNF and inflammatory responses between obese and non-obese subjects. Thirty-one subjects (14 obese and 17 non-obese), ages 18 to 30 years, were recruited. PBMCs were cultured for 24 h with 10 ng/mL LPS. BDNF, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured in both plasma and cell culture supernatants. Our results did not illustrate any differences in plasma BDNF levels between obese and non-obese groups. However, obese subjects elicited a greater plasma IL-6 production, which was positively associated with plasma BDNF. Furthermore, LPS-induced PBMCs expressed significantly higher BDNF and IL-6 levels in obese subjects compared to the non-obese subjects. Finally, these BDNF levels were positively correlated with IL-6 response ex vivo . These findings suggest that under a high inflammatory state, PBMCs produce greater BDNF and IL-6 expression which may play a collaborative role to protect against neuronal damage associated with obesity.