The BDNF protein is associated with glucose homeostasis and food intake in carriers of common BDNF gene variants

Urszula Miksza; Witold Bauer; Joanna Roszkowska; Monika Moroz; Angelika Buczynska; Aleksandra Wiatr; Maria Gorska; Edyta Adamska-Patruno; Adam Kretowski

doi:10.1210/clinem/dgae165

The BDNF protein is associated with glucose homeostasis and food intake in carriers of common BDNF gene variants

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Mar 13:dgae165. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgae165. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Urszula Miksza^{1

2}, Witold Bauer¹, Joanna Roszkowska¹, Monika Moroz¹, Angelika Buczynska³, Aleksandra Wiatr³, Maria Gorska⁴, Edyta Adamska-Patruno^{1

2}, Adam Kretowski^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutriomics, Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie 24A, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland.
² Clinical Research Support Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, Waszyngtona 17, 15- 274 Bialystok, Poland.
³ Clinical Research Centre, Medical University of Bialystok, Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie 24A, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland.
⁴ Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok.

PMID: 38478378
DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae165

Abstract

Context: The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations may differ between BDNF gene genotype carriers. These changes occur in individuals with metabolic and mental disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the associations of glucose homeostasis parameters and the frequency of food consumption with BDNF protein concentrations based on the BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Methods: Among the 439 participants, some common rs10835211 BDNF gene variants were analyzed. We evaluated BDNF concentration, fasting glucose and insulin concentrations and during oral glucose tolerance tests. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, and body fat distribution were assessed, and 3-day food intake diary and food frequency questionnaire were completed.

Results: We noticed significant differences in concentration of BDNF between AA and AG genotype rs10835211 carriers (p=0.018). The group of AA genotype holders were older, and positive correlation was found between age and BDNF in the whole study population (p=0.012) and in the GG genotype carriers (p=0.023). Moreover, BDNF protein correlated with fasting insulin (p=0.015), HOMA-IR (p=0.031), HOMA-B (p=0.010) , and the VAT/SAT ratio (p=0.026) in the GG genotype individuals. Presence of the GG genotype was negatively correlated with nut and seed (p=0.047), lean pork consumption (p=0.015) and the BDNF protein. Moreover, we observed correlations between the frequency of chicken (p=0.028), pasta (p=0.033) and sweet food intake (p=0.040) and BDNF concentration in the general population. Among carriers of the AA genotype, we observed a positive correlation between the consumption of rice (p=0.048) and sweet food (p=0.028) and the BDNF protein level.

Conclusion: Peripheral BDNF may be associated with visceral fat content and insulin concentrations in the GG genotype carriers and may depend on variable food intake, which warrants further investigation.

Keywords: adults; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; gene-diet interactions; glucose homeostasis; nutrition.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.