title: The impact of age, weight and gender on BDNF levels in human platelets and plasma.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key mediator of neuronal plasticity in the adult. BDNF is known to be stored in human platelets and to circulate in plasma, but the regulation and function of BDNF in peripheral blood is still poorly understood. In this prospective study, we have examined 140 healthy, non-allergic adults (20-60 years old) to elucidate the impact of age and physical parameters on BDNF levels in human platelets and plasma. There was a wide concentration range of BDNF in serum (median: 22.6 ng/ml), platelets (median: 92.7 pg/10(6) platelets) and plasma (median: 92.5 pg/ml). BDNF levels in plasma decreased significantly with increasing age or weight, whereas platelet levels did not. When matched for weight, there were no significant gender differences regarding BDNF plasma levels. However, women displayed significantly lower platelet BDNF levels than men. In addition, platelet BDNF levels changed during the menstrual cycle. In conclusion, we demonstrate that parameters such as age or gender have a specific impact on stored and circulating BDNF levels in peripheral blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, University of Rostock, Ernst-Heydemann-Str. 6, 18057 Rostock, Germany. marek.lommatzsch@med.uni-rostock.de
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lommatzsch
authors.forename: Doerte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zingler
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schuhbaeck
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schloetcke
authors.forename: Christiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zingler
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schuff-Werner
authors.forename: Johann Christian
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Virchow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D012701:Serotonin