Abstract
Reduction in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the brain as well as mutations in BDNF gene and/or of its receptor are associated to obesity in both human and animal models. However, the association between circulating levels of BDNF and obesity is still not defined. To answer this question, we performed a meta-analysis carrying out a systematic search in electronic databases. Ten studies (307 obese patients and 236 controls) were included in the analysis. Our data show that obese patients have levels of BDNF similar to those of controls (SMD: 0.01, 95% CI: −0.28, 0.30, p = 0.94). The lack of difference was further confirmed both in studies in which BDNF levels were assessed in serum (MD: −0.93 ng/mL, 95% CI: −3.34, 1.48, p = 0.45) and in plasma (MD: 0.15 ng/mL, 95% CI: −0.09, 0.39, p = 0.23). Data evaluation has shown that some bias might affect BDNF measurements (e.g., subject recruitment, procedures of sampling, handling, and storage), leading to a difficult interpretation of the results. Standardization of the procedures is still needed to reach strong, affordable, and reliable conclusions.
Highlights
Among the independent risk factors in cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity is one of the most relevant and increasing global epidemic, leading to higher morbidity and mortality and a shortening in life expectancy [1].Obesity is a metabolic dysfunction recently associated with a low-grade inflammatory state [2,3]
It has been hypothesized that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from the brain moves into circulation after crossing the blood–brain barrier [21]
The hypothesis that circulating BNDF derives only from brain is under debate, and vascular endothelium [8] has been proposed as a source of circulating BDNF, its origins are still poorly understood [44,45]
Summary
Obesity is a metabolic dysfunction recently associated with a low-grade inflammatory state [2,3]. These findings do not explain the full clinical picture of obesity, and new mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of this pathological condition are under investigation. Nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been included in this family [5] This neurotrophin is synthetized in neurons and in immune cells, adipocytes, endothelial cells, and monocytes, and its levels are detectable in different tissues including brain and blood [6,7,8]
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