Temporal dynamics of brain BDNF expression following a single bout of exercise: A bioluminescence imaging study

Takahiro Inoue; Ryo Ikegami; Yasuyuki Takamatsu; Mamoru Fukuchi; Sanae Haga; Michitaka Ozaki; Hiroshi Maejima

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137120

Temporal dynamics of brain BDNF expression following a single bout of exercise: A bioluminescence imaging study

Neurosci Lett. 2023 Mar 16:799:137120. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137120. Epub 2023 Feb 9.

Authors

Takahiro Inoue¹, Ryo Ikegami², Yasuyuki Takamatsu³, Mamoru Fukuchi⁴, Sanae Haga⁵, Michitaka Ozaki⁵, Hiroshi Maejima⁶

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; Department of System Pathology for Neurological Disorders, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachidori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan.
² Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
³ Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
⁴ Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033, Japan.
⁵ Department of Biological Response and Regulation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
⁶ Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan. Electronic address: maeji@hs.hokudai.ac.jp.

PMID: 36764480
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137120

Abstract

Physical exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the brain. However, the absence of non-invasive and repetitive monitoring of BDNF expression in the brains of living animals has limited the understanding of how BDNF expression changes after exercise. This study aimed to elucidate the temporal dynamics of BDNF expression in the brain after a single bout of exercise, using in vivo bioluminescence imaging. This study included Bdnf-Luc mice with a firefly Luciferase gene inserted at the translation start site of the mouse Bdnf gene. BDNF expression was evaluated based on the luminescence signal of the luciferase substrate administered to mice. Bioluminescence imaging was performed at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after treadmill exercise (15 m/min for 1 h). Compared to the sedentary condition of each mouse, the luminescence signal increased by approximately 60 % between 1 and 3 h after exercise. The luminescence signal remained slightly increased by approximately 20 % even 6-24 h after exercise. This study is the first to demonstrate exercise-enhanced BDNF expression in the brains of living animals. These results provide evidence that a single bout of exercise transiently increases BDNF expression in the brain within a limited time window.

Keywords: BDNF; Bioluminescence imaging; Brain; Exercise; Time-course.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / metabolism
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor* / metabolism
Genes, Reporter
Mice
Physical Conditioning, Animal*

Substances

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor