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Review
. 2021 Nov 17;11(11):1256.
doi: 10.3390/life11111256.

The Pleiotropic Potential of BDNF beyond Neurons: Implication for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

Maria Carmela Di Rosa  1   2 , Stefania Zimbone  2 , Miriam Wissam Saab  1 , Marianna Flora Tomasello  2
Affiliations
Review

The Pleiotropic Potential of BDNF beyond Neurons: Implication for a Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

Maria Carmela Di Rosa et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) represents one of the most widely studied neurotrophins because of the many mechanisms in which it is involved. Among these, a growing body of evidence indicates BDNF as a pleiotropic signaling molecule and unveils non-negligible implications in the regulation of energy balance. BDNF and its receptor are extensively expressed in the hypothalamus, regions where peripheral signals, associated with feeding control and metabolism activation, and are integrated to elaborate anorexigenic and orexigenic effects. Thus, BDNF coordinates adaptive responses to fluctuations in energy intake and expenditure, connecting the central nervous system with peripheral tissues, including muscle, liver, and the adipose tissue in a complex operational network. This review discusses the latest literature dealing with the involvement of BDNF in the maintenance of energy balance. We have focused on the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which BDNF: (I) controls the mitochondrial function and dynamics; (II) influences thermogenesis and tissue differentiation; (III) mediates the effects of exercise on cognitive functions; and (IV) modulates insulin sensitivity and glucose transport at the cellular level. Deepening the understanding of the mechanisms exploited to maintain energy homeostasis will lay the groundwork for the development of novel therapeutical approaches to help people to maintain a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Keywords: BDNF; energy balance; exercise; hypothalamus; metabolism; mitochondria; neurons; pleiotropic.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
BDNF (A) and NTRK2 (B) RNA expression overview. NX indicates consensus normalized expression levels for 55 tissue types and 6 blood cell types, obtained by combining the RNA-data from three transcriptomics datasets (HPA, GTEx and FANTOM5) using the internal normalization pipeline. Each color indicates different groups consisting of tissues with common functional characteristics (source: Tissue expression of BDNF—Summary—The Human Protein Atlas; Tissue expression of NTRK2—Summary—The Human Protein Atlas).
Figure 1
Figure 1
BDNF (A) and NTRK2 (B) RNA expression overview. NX indicates consensus normalized expression levels for 55 tissue types and 6 blood cell types, obtained by combining the RNA-data from three transcriptomics datasets (HPA, GTEx and FANTOM5) using the internal normalization pipeline. Each color indicates different groups consisting of tissues with common functional characteristics (source: Tissue expression of BDNF—Summary—The Human Protein Atlas; Tissue expression of NTRK2—Summary—The Human Protein Atlas).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic drawing of BDNF involvement in energy homeostasis. BDNF modulates numerous pathways related to food intake and weight control not only via the brain but also via peripheral neurons and tissues involved in preserving energy balance. When food intake exceeds energy expenditure, pathological conditions (obesity and diabetes) may occur.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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