Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (Jul 2022)

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Extracellular Vesicle-Derived miRNAs in an Italian Cohort of Individuals With Obesity: A Key to Explain the Link Between Depression and Atherothrombosis

  • Patrizia Amadio,
  • Chiara Macchi,
  • Chiara Favero,
  • Marta Zarà,
  • Giulia Solazzo,
  • Laura Dioni,
  • Leonardo Sandrini,
  • Luisella Vigna,
  • Maria Francesca Greco,
  • Massimiliano Buoli,
  • Massimiliano Buoli,
  • Cesare R. Sirtori,
  • Angela Cecilia Pesatori,
  • Angela Cecilia Pesatori,
  • Alessandro Ieraci,
  • Massimiliano Ruscica,
  • Silvia Stella Barbieri,
  • Valentina Bollati

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.906483
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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BackgroundObesity and depression are intertwined diseases often associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) complications. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), altered in the brain both of subjects with depression and obesity, provides a potential link between depression and thrombosis. Since the relationship among peripheral BDNF, depression and obesity is not well-defined, the aim of the present report has been to address this issue taking advantage of the contribution played by extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived miRNAs.Research ProcessAssociations among circulating BDNF, depression and EV-derived miRNAs related to atherothrombosis have been evaluated in a large Italian cohort of obese individuals (n = 743), characterized by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) score.ResultsBDI-II was negatively associated with BDNF levels without a significant impact of the rs6265 BDNF polymorphism; this association was modified by raised levels of IFN-γ. BDNF levels were linked to an increase of 80 EV-derived miRNAs and a decrease of 59 miRNAs related to atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Network analysis identified at least 18 genes targeted by these miRNAs, 7 of which involved in depression and CV risk. The observation of a possible link among BDNF, depression, and miRNAs related to atherothrombosis and depression in obesity is novel and may lead to a wider use of BDNF as a CV risk biomarker in this specific subject group.

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