title: Nerve Growth Factor, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Osteocalcin Gene Relationship in Energy Regulation, Bone Homeostasis and Reproductive Organs Analyzed by mRNA Quantitative Evaluation and Linear Correlation Analysis.
abstract: Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)/Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and osteocalcin share common effects regulating energy, bone mass, reproduction and neuronal functions. To investigate on the gene-relationship between NGF, BDNF, and Osteocalcin we compared by RT-PCR the transcript levels ofNgf, BdnfandOsteocalcinas well as of their receptorsp75NTR/NTRK1, NTRK2, andGprc6ain brain, bone, white/brown adipose tissue (WAT/BAT) and reproductive organs of 3 months old female and male mice. Brain and bone were used as positive controls for NGF/BDNF and Osteocalcin respectively. The role of oxitocin(Oxt) and its receptor(Oxtr) was also investigated.Ngfexpression shows an opposite trend compared toBdnf.Ngf/p75NTRexpression is 50% higher in BAT than brain, in both genders, but lower in bone. In contrast,Bdnfexpression in bone is higher than in brain, but low in BAT/WAT. We foundOsteocalcingene expressed in brain in both genders, butGprc6aexpression is low in brain and BAT/WAT. As expected,Gprc6agene is expressed in bone.Oxtgene was markedly expressed in brain,Oxtrin the ovaries and in fat and bone in both genders.Ngfis highly expressed in reproductive tissues andp75NTRmRNA levels are respectively 300, 100, and 50% higher in testis/ovaries/uterus than in brain. In contrast, BDNF genes are not expressed in reproductive tissues. As expected,Gprc6ais expressed in testis but not in the ovaries/uterus. A significant correlation was found between the expression levels of the gene ligands and their receptors in brain, BAT and testis suggesting a common pathway of different genes in these tissues in either male and female. Changes in the expression levels ofosteocalcin, Ngf, orBdnfgenes may mutually affect the expression levels of the others. Moreover, it may be possible that different ligands may operate through different receptor subtypes.OxtandOxtrfailed to show significant correlation. The up-regulation ofNgf/p75NTRin BAT is consistent with NGF as an energy regulator and with BDNF regulating bone.
authors: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of BariBari, Italy; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Camerino
authors: Department of Pharmacy - Drug Sciences, University of Bari Bari, Italy.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Conte
authors: Department of Pharmacy - Drug Sciences, University of Bari Bari, Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Cannone
authors: Department of Pharmacy - Drug Sciences, University of Bari Bari, Italy.
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Caloiero
authors: Department of Pharmacy - Drug Sciences, University of Bari Bari, Italy.
authors: Adriano
authors: A
authors: Fonzino
authors: Department of Pharmacy - Drug Sciences, University of Bari Bari, Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Tricarico
keywords: brain-derived neurotrophic factor; energy regulation; gene expression; nerve growth factor; osteocalcin