Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2017, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (7): 1024-1027.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.211173

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BDNF pro-peptide: a novel synaptic modulator generated as an N-terminal fragment from the BDNF precursor by proteolytic processing

Toshiyuki Mizui1, 3, Koji Ohira2, Masami Kojima1, 3, 4   

  1. 1 Biomedical Research Inst. (BMD), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Osaka, Japan; 2 Laboratory of Nutritional Brain Science, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Mukogawa Women’s University, Hyogo, Japan; 3 Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Japan; 4 Graduate School of Frontier Bioscience, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
  • Received:2017-07-05 Online:2017-07-15 Published:2017-07-15
  • Contact: Masami Kojima, Ph.D., m-kojima@aist.go.jp.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas (Elucidation of neural network function in the brain) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan: KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (17K07073 and 22500305) (MK); Japan Science and Technology Agency; and Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (MK).

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Abstract:

Most growth factors are initially synthesized as precursors and it was cleaved into bioactive mature domain and pro-domain. However, compared with the expression and function of bioactive mature domain, the biological role of the pro-domain is poorly understood. Unexpectedly, we found that the pro-domain (or pro-peptide) of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is well-known neurotrophic factor in brain, has a potential ability to facilitate hippocampal long-term depression. Furthermore, a BDNF polymorphism Val66Met, which substitute valine into methionine at 66 amino acid, impacted the biological activity of the BDNF pro-peptide. We lastly discuss the possible roles of BDNF and its pro-peptide in the generation of neural stem cells and progress of ischemia.

Key words: BDNF, growth factor, neural stem cells, ischemia, peptide