The researchers from the Medical University of Bialystok (Urszula Miksza, Witold Bauer, Joanna Roszkowska, Monika Moroz, Angelika Buczynska, Aleksandra Wiatr, Maria Gorska, Edyta Adamska-Patruno, Adam Kretowski) published the article „The BDNF protein is associated with glucose homeostasis and food intake in carriers of common BDNF gene variants” in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Obesity is a disease with multiple causes, and excess body fat has negative health effects. The process of excessive fat accumulation is influenced by both the environment and the regulation of hunger and satiety, where brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play a key role.
This study's aim was to explore the relationship between parameters related to glucose homeostasis and eating habits and serum BDNF protein levels, also considering genetic differences within the BDNF gene (rs10835211 SNP). Among the 439 participants in the study, significant differences in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were observed depending on their genotype within the rs10835211 BDNF gene (AA, AG, or GG). Those with the AA or AG genotype in rs10835211 had significantly higher BDNF concentrations than those with the GG genotype. It was also shown that BDNF concentrations correlated with age, as well as with insulin concentrations, HOMA-IR and HOMA-B index in those carrying the GG genotype. A negative correlation was also observed between the consumption of nuts, seeds and lean pork and BDNF concentrations in GG genotype carriers. Moreover, BDNF protein levels correlate positively with the consumption of rice, pasta, and sweets in those with the AA genotype within rs10835211 of the BDNF gene.
This study was funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (no. 5 4774/B/P01/2009/37) and by the Medical University of Bialystok (no. B.SUB.23.118).
Link to the article: The BDNF Protein is Associated With Glucose Homeostasis and Food Intake in Carriers of Common BDNF Gene Variants