Involvement of BDNF in the pathogenesis of obesity; BDNF signaling hypothesis in adipose tissue

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22817
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 59:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Takasaki University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Fukuchi Mamoru 高崎健康福祉大学, 薬学部, 教授 (40432108)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: BDNF / 肥満モデルマウス / 皮下脂肪 / 内臓脂肪 / マクロファージ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

BDNF is an important molecule for the expression of higher brain functions such as memory learning. However, we discovered by chance that BDNF is also expressed in adipose tissue, and that BDNF expression in adipose tissue also increases with weight gain. Therefore, in this study, we focused our analysis on BDNF, which is highly expressed in adipose tissue, using a mouse model of obesity fed a high-fat diet. We found that BDNF expression increased in subcutaneous and visceral fat early after feeding a high-fat diet, and that macrophages may be involved in this increase. The results of comparing the various gene expression changes with the induction of BDNF expression predicted that BDNF may act in a beneficial manner in subcutaneous fat and conversely in a deleterious manner in visceral fat.

Free Research Field

分子神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

BDNFは、高次脳機能発現に根幹的に重要な分子であり、うつ病やアルツハイマー病などの脳神経系の疾患のバイオマーカー、さらには創薬ターゲットとなることが期待されている。しかし本研究は、BDNFが末梢の組織である脂肪組織に発現しており、肥満の病態形成に関与する可能性に着目した萌芽的なものである。さらに、本研究の結果により、BDNFが皮下脂肪と内臓脂肪で異なる役割を果たす可能性が予想された。これは、肥満の病態形成や進行の分子機構の理解、さらには病的な肥満状態の改善法の開発研究において、新たな知見をもたらすことが期待される。