INSERM UMR 1178, Université Paris Sud, Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
Neuropsychobiology. 2017;75(1):39-45. doi: 10.1159/000478862. Epub 2017 Aug 23.
Despite the involvement of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the physiopathology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the coherence between the components of the BDNF pathway and their link with the clinical features of MDD are insufficiently studied. We aimed to assess in Caucasian depressed patients the impact of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on plasma BDNF levels taking into account the clinical characteristics of MDD.
A total of 328 Caucasian adult MDD patients with a current major depressive episode (MDE) were assessed for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, plasma BDNF levels and clinical characteristics of the MDD.
Plasma BDNF levels were linearly associated with the BDNF Val66Met genotypes (ValVal: 1,525.9 ± 1,183.3 pg/mL vs. ValMet: 1,248.7 ± 1,081.8 vs. MetMet: 1,004.9 ± 952.8; p = 0.04), Met carriers having lower BDNF levels than ValVal ones. Significant interactions between the Val66Met polymorphism and 3 clinical characteristics - age at onset (p = 0.03), MDD duration (p = 0.04), and number of previous MDE (p = 0.04) - were evidenced for plasma BDNF levels. Indeed, in Met carriers, but not in ValVal ones, plasma BDNF levels were negatively correlated with age at onset and positively correlated with MDD duration and number of previous MDE.
Our results show a measurable, coherent, and functional BDNF pathway based on the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and plasma BDNF levels in patients with a current MDE. This pathway is related to the clinical course of major depression, plasma BDNF levels being associated with the long-term history of MDD in Met carriers. Further studies assessing central BDNF are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of this association.
尽管脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）参与了重度抑郁症（MDD）的病理生理学过程，但 BDNF 通路的各个组成部分之间的一致性及其与 MDD 临床特征的联系仍研究不足。我们旨在评估白种抑郁症患者的 BDNF Val66Met 多态性对血浆 BDNF 水平的影响，同时考虑 MDD 的临床特征。
共评估了 328 例患有当前重度抑郁发作（MDE）的白种成年 MDD 患者的 BDNF Val66Met 多态性、血浆 BDNF 水平和 MDD 的临床特征。
血浆 BDNF 水平与 BDNF Val66Met 基因型呈线性相关（ValVal：1,525.9 ± 1,183.3 pg/mL vs. ValMet：1,248.7 ± 1,081.8 vs. MetMet：1,004.9 ± 952.8；p = 0.04），Met 携带者的 BDNF 水平低于 ValVal 携带者。血浆 BDNF 水平与 3 个临床特征 - 发病年龄（p = 0.03）、MDD 持续时间（p = 0.04）和既往 MDE 次数（p = 0.04）- 之间存在显著的相互作用。事实上，在 Met 携带者中，而不是在 ValVal 携带者中，血浆 BDNF 水平与发病年龄呈负相关，与 MDD 持续时间和既往 MDE 次数呈正相关。
我们的结果显示，在当前患有 MDE 的患者中，BDNF Val66Met 多态性和血浆 BDNF 水平存在可衡量的、一致的和功能性的 BDNF 通路。该通路与重度抑郁症的临床病程有关，在 Met 携带者中，血浆 BDNF 水平与 MDD 的长期病史有关。需要进一步评估中枢 BDNF 的研究来理解这种关联的潜在机制。
