Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is expressed in neuronal and nonneuronal cells and may affect vascular functions via its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB). In this study, we determined the expression of BDNF in different perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) depots of patients with established coronary atherosclerosis. Methods and Results Serum, vascular tissue, and PVAT surrounding the proximal aorta (C-PVAT) or internal mammary artery (IMA-PVAT) was obtained from 24 patients (79% men; mean age, 71.7±9.7 years; median body mass index, 27.4±4.8 kg/m2) with coronary atherosclerosis undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery. BDNF protein levels were significantly higher in C-PVAT compared with IMA-PVAT, independent of obesity, metabolic syndrome, or systemic biomarkers of inflammation. mRNA transcripts of TrkB, the BDNF receptor, were significantly reduced in aorta compared with IMA. Vessel wall TrkB immunosignals colocalized with cells expressing smooth muscle cell markers, and confocal microscopy and flow cytometry confirmed BDNF receptor expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Significantly elevated levels of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, a negative regulator of TrkB signaling in the brain, were also observed in C-PVAT. In vitro, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B blunted the effects of BDNF on smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and collagen production, possibly by upregulation of low-affinity p75 neurotrophin receptors. Expression of nerve growth factor or its receptor tropomyosin-related kinase A did not differ between C-PVAT and IMA-PVAT. Conclusions Elevated expression of BDNF in parallel with local upregulation of negative regulators of neurotrophin signaling in perivascular fat and lower TrkB expression suggest that vascular BDNF signaling is reduced or lost in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.
Keywords: atherosclerosis; neurotrophins; obesity; perivascular adipose tissue; tropomyosin‐related kinase receptors.