Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression ex vivo in obesity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Metabolic disorders

Background:

• Obesity is linked to higher risks of neurodegenerative diseases.
• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes neuronal survival and plasticity.
• Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can release BDNF, potentially offering neuroprotection during inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in BDNF and inflammatory responses between obese and non-obese subjects following lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PBMC activation.
• To explore the relationship between obesity, BDNF, and inflammatory markers.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 31 young adults (14 obese, 17 non-obese).
• Cultured PBMCs with 10ng/mL LPS for 24 hours.
• Measured BDNF, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasma and cell supernatants.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in plasma BDNF levels between obese and non-obese groups.
• Obese subjects had higher plasma IL-6, positively associated with plasma BDNF.
• LPS-stimulated PBMCs from obese subjects showed significantly higher BDNF and IL-6 production compared to non-obese subjects.
• Ex vivo BDNF levels correlated positively with IL-6 response.

Conclusions:

• Obesity is associated with heightened ex vivo BDNF and IL-6 production by PBMCs under inflammatory conditions.
• Elevated BDNF and IL-6 from PBMCs in obese individuals may collaboratively protect against neurodegeneration.
• These findings highlight a potential immune-mediated neuroprotective mechanism in obesity.