Abstract P107: Interactions of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism, Gender, and High-Carbohydrate Diets on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Background_ Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the “neurotrophin” family of growth factors, it was lately found involved in cardiovascular diseases(CVDs), somehow whether BDNF has any effect on dyslipidemia has not been detected. We hypothesized that Val (Valine) 66Met (Methionine ) polymorphism of BDNF could change risk factors of CVDs including serum lipids profile difference, and interaction with a high-CHO diet could modified these factors. Methods and Results_ Fifty-six young and healthy Chinese subjects were recruited. A stabilization diet of 54% carbohydrate was first given to exclude these subjects’ own various diet background interferences, and then a high-CHO diet of 70% carbohydrate was followed to study its intervention effect. The serum lipid profiles were analyzed at baseline, after the stabilization diet and after the high-CHO diet. After the stabilization diet, significant difference among BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was found for the females’ body mass index (BMI) with the means appeared at Val/Val>Val/Met>Met/Met. After the high-CHO diet, most of the cardiovascular risk factors were changed to a more favorable direction and the effect has gender difference. But interestingly, both TAG and food intake notably increased in female Met carriers. Conclusions_ The above results indicate that although Met mutation could be protective to CVDs in females, after interacting with high-CHO diet, due to the rising triacylglycerol (TAG) and food intake, the risk for carbohydrate-induced hypertriacylglycerolemia happens in these female Met carriers was actually increased.