Effect of Clotting Duration and Temperature on BDNF Measurement in Human Serum

Abstract

Brain-derived neurothrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin expressed in different tissues and cells, including neurons, endothelial cells, leukocytes, megakaryocytes and platelets. Modifications of BDNF in plasma and/or in serum are associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and with mortality risk. Indeed, changes in blood levels of BDNF may reflect those of its tissue of origin and/or promote pathological dysfunctions. The measurement of BDNF amount in plasma or in serum has been characterized with particular attention in the impact of different anti-coagulants, clotting duration, temperature (≤21 °C) and delay in blood sample centrifugation as well as in stability of storage. However, the influences of normothermic conditions (37 °C) and of clotting duration on BDNF levels in human serum have not been investigated yet. Here, we showed that time and temperature during serum preparation could be taken into consideration to assess the association and/or impact of BDNF levels in the occurrence of pathological conditions.

Association between Obesity and Circulating Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Levels: Systematic Review of Literature and Meta-Analysis

“…Serum BDNF is more stable, also after long term storage [51] but its amount in serum is modified by temperature and time of clotting [46]. …”

Neurotrophic Factor BDNF, Physiological Functions and Therapeutic Potential in Depression, Neurodegeneration and Brain Cancer

“…BDNF protein and TrkB receptor are detectable in several non-neuronal tissues, including endothelial cells [ 17 , 18 ], cardiomyocytes [ 19 ], vascular smooth muscle cells [ 17 ], leukocytes [ 20 ], megakaryocytes [ 19 ], and platelets [ 21 , 22 ]. Serum BDNF has been clearly demonstrated to originate from the progenitors of platelets [ 21 ].…”

“…Thus, manipulating the BDNF signaling may present a viable approach to treat a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. BDNF protein is also detectable outside of the nervous system in several non-neuronal tissues, such as in endothelial cells [ 17 , 18 ], cardiomyocytes [ 19 ], vascular smooth muscle cells [ 17 ], leukocytes [ 20 ], platelets [ 21 , 22 ], and megakaryocytes [ 19 ]. Therefore, it may also be involved in cancer, angiogenesis, reduction of glucose production from the liver [ 23 ], and in the uptake of glucose in peripheral tissues (see [ 24 ] for review).…”

Depression and Cardiovascular Disease: The Viewpoint of Platelets

“…To our knowledge, it is only known that NGF can bind platelet surface and induce aggregation [ 214 ], while no information is available on the effect of BDNF on platelet function, even though BDNF can bind a specific site on platelets surface with subsequent internalization [ 215 ]. Platelets contain both NGF and BDNF, that are spontaneously released upon platelet activation [ 215 , 216 , 217 , 218 , 219 ]. From data present in literature is conceivable that NGF and BDNF are not stored in the same granules and that their release is mediated by different mechanisms, even though these mechanisms are still poorly characterized [ 219 ].…”