Decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor plasma levels in psoriasis patients

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with neuroplasticity and synaptic strength, and is decreased in conditions associated with chronic stress. Nevertheless, BDNF has not yet been investigated in psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory systemic disease that is exacerbated by stress. Therefore, our aim was to determine BDNF plasma levels in psoriasis patients and healthy controls. Adult patients (n=94) presenting with psoriasis for at least 1 year were enrolled, and age- and gender-matched with healthy controls (n=307) from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Participants had neither a previous history of coronary artery disease nor current episode of major depression. BDNF plasma levels were determined using the Promega ELISA kit. A general linear model was used to compare BDNF levels in psoriasis patients and controls, with age, gender, systolic blood pressure, serum fasting glucose, blood lipid levels, triglycerides, smoking status, and body mass index examined. After adjusting for clinical and demographic variables, significantly decreased BNDF plasma levels were observed in psoriasis patients (P=0.01) (estimated marginal means of 3922 pg/mL; 95%CI=2660-5135) compared with controls (5788 pg/mL; 95%CI=5185-6442). Similar BDNF levels were found in both mild and severe cases of psoriasis. Our finding, that BDNF is decreased in psoriasis, supports the concept of a brain-skin connection in psoriasis. Further studies should determine if BDNF is increased after specific psoriasis treatments, and associated with different disease stages.

Depression- and anxiety-like behaviour is related to BDNF/TrkB signalling in a mouse model of psoriasis

“…Furthermore, fluoxetine treatment produced an increase in BDNF and TrkB expression. Previous studies have shown that BDNF is decreased in patients with psoriasis, suggesting BDNF as a potential psoriasis biomarker . This is also consistent with our study, and we further confirmed this by showing that the TrkB antagonist K252a could reverse the effects of fluoxetine.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that BDNF is decreased in patients with psoriasis, suggesting BDNF as a potential psoriasis biomarker. 17 This is also consistent with our study, and we further confirmed this by showing that the TrkB antagonist K252a could reverse the effects of fluoxetine. We also confirmed that fluoxetine treatment is able to attenuate pathological lesions in K5.Stat3C mice.…”

Evaluating the Role of Neurotrophins in the Psoriasis and Metabolic Syndrome Relationship

“…We also did not detect the relationship between the levels of BDNF and NGF in the serum and skin samples and the PASI value in patient groups. Consistent with our results, Schulte-Herbrüggen et al (23) found no relationship between the serum NGF level and PASI values in psoriasis patients and Brunoni et al (21) found plasma BDNF levels to be similar in moderate and severe psoriasis cases.…”

Major Depression and Psoriasis: A Psychodermatological Phenomenon

“…Theoretically speaking, this is all assumed to be due to a mutation in the regulatory cytokine IL-10 or defects in surrounding regulatory T cells; however, the inflammatory pathway itself is not unique [29]. A neurotrophin known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays an integral role in neuroplasticity and mental disorders, was found to be associated with psoriasis by Brunoni et al [34]. The authors calculated the blood BDNF levels instead of brain BDNF levels and found that these BDNF levels are reduced in depression and psoriasis.…”