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Circulating nerve growth factor levels in relation to obesity and the metabolic syndrome in women

¹ Unitat de Nutrició Humana, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain, ² Obesity Biology Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GA UK, ³ Unitat de Bioquímica, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Spain and ⁴ Unitat de Nutrició Humana, Servei de Medicina, Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Interna Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, C/Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Spain

(Correspondence should be addressed to J Salas-Salvadó; Email: jordi.salas{at}urv.cat)

Objective: Neurotrophins (NTs) could be involved in the development and progression of inflammatory and immune diseases. Because obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) are related to a low-grade systemic inflammation, plasma NT levels (neurotrophinemia) could play an important role in the ethiopathogenic mechanisms underlying these metabolic derangements. This is the first study evaluating the plasma NT levels in a group of women with obesity and MetSyn, and also the adipose tissue nerve growth factor (NGF) expression in a small group of them.

Methods: Included were 146 adult women with different degrees of adiposity, with or without MetSyn. Plasma NT levels were measured. NGF expression was analyzed in s.c. adipose tissue of a subgroup of morbidly obese and normal-weight females.

Results: NGF plasma levels were 1.4-fold higher in overweight and obese subjects. Plasma NGF was, however, lower in a group of morbidly obese subjects than in overweight or obesity, but it remained elevated relative to the normal-weight group. Plasma NGF was significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat, and waist circumference in non-morbidly obese subjects. NGF was positively related to inflammatory markers. NT3 and brain-derived neurotrophin factor seem to be more related to lipid profile than to BMI, adipose tissue distribution, or peripheral inflammatory markers. Subjects with type 2 diabetes, abdominal fat distribution, or the MetSyn showed significantly higher levels of NGF. The MetSyn was the only independent predictor of the variability observed in the NGF plasma values.

Conclusion: NGF is upregulated in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the MetSyn. Whether this NT may contribute to inflammation and the metabolic derangements associated with body weight gain remains to be elucidated.