Neurotrophic and metabotrophic potential of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: Linking cardiometabolic and neuropsychiatric diseases

Table 1 Potential role of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the pathogenesis and therapy of diseases

Neurological diseases	Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia, amyothrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Down syndrome, WAGRO syndrome (Wilms tumor, aniridia, mental retardation, genitourinary anomalies, obesity), cluster headache, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic erectile dysfunction
Psychiatric diseases	Depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders (anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa), pervasive developmental disorders (Autism, Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome)
Cardiometabolic diseases	Atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, heart failure, myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death in diabetes mellitus (silent myocardial ischemia in diabetes mellitus), Kawasaki disease
Ocular diseases1	Glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, peripheral ulcerative keratopathy, dry eye
Skin diseases1	Diabetic wounds, pressure ulcers, chronic vasculitic ulcers
Malignant diseases1	Prostate cancer, breast cancer, melanoma
Urinary system diseases1	Overactive bladder syndrome, benign prostatic hyperplasia
Chronic pain-associated disorders1	Osteoarthritis, low back or spinal injuries, cancer, urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes

¹For references see[17].

Table 2 Metabotrophic nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor

NGF and BDNF are synthesized and released from pancreatic beta cells

NGF and BDNF exert insulinotropic effect

NGF improves transplantation of Langerhans’ islet

BDNF improves glucose and lipid profile in experimental diabetes and obesity

NGF upregulates expression of LDL receptor-related protein

NGF upregulates expression of PPAR-γ

NGF upregulates expression of purinergic P2X3 receptors

NGF exerts antioxidant effect

NGF and BDNF suppress food intake

Mutation of TrκB gene results in hyperphagia and obesity

BDNF-deficient mice develop metabolic abnormalities similar to the metabolic syndrome

Atherogenic diet decreases brain BDNF levels

Treatment with NGF improves experimetally-induced cardiac ischemia

Caloric restriction and exercise increases brain BDNF levels and improves the metabolic profile in experimental metabolic syndrome

Tissue levels of NGF are reduced in atherosclerotic coronary artery and in heart failure myocardium

Circulating blood levels of NGF and BDNF are decreased in patients with metabolic syndrome and with acute coronary syndromes

NGF: Nerve growth factor; BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor.