Reduced Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Infants Affected by Severe Bronchiolitis

Title:Reduced Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Infants Affected by Severe Bronchiolitis

Volume: 22 Issue: 14

Author(s): Raffaella Nenna, Carla Petrella, Enea Bonci, Paola Papoff, Margherita di Jorgi, Laura Petrarca, Maria Giulia Conti, Christian Barbato, Alessandra Pietrangeli, Marco Fiore*, Fabio Midulla*BROME Group

Affiliation:

• Department of Sense Organs, Medical Faculty, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155-00161, Rome, Italy

• Department of Maternal Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324-00161, Roma, Italy

Abstract: Background: Bronchiolitis is an acute viral infection of the lower respiratory tract, typical of infants in their first year of life and causing hypoxia in the most serious cases. Bronchiolitis recognizes various demographic risk factors that are associated with greater clinical severity; however, no laboratory factors are yet able to correlate with the clinical severity. Neurotrophins as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) are mediators of neuronal plasticity. BDNF is constitutively expressed in smooth muscle cells and epithelium of the lower respiratory tract, and as it is released during inflammatory conditions, serum levels may have a relevant role in the prognosis of infants with bronchiolitis.

Objective: In the present pilot study, we aimed to disclose the presence of serum BDNF in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis at discharge as a disease severity indicator.

Methods and Results: Serum BDNF, measured at hospital discharge, was significantly lower in severe bronchiolitis (expressed as O₂-supplemented infants). Furthermore, no changes were disclosed for the Tropomyosin receptor kinase B, the main BDNF receptor and neurofilament light chain, a biomarker of neuronal degeneration.

Conclusion: Low serum BDNF in infants with severe bronchiolitis could be associated with a higher utilization by lung cells or with an altered production by lung cells. Therefore, further research is required to study if a decreased production or increased consumption of this biomarker is at the base of the above-mentioned findings.

Cite this article as:

Nenna Raffaella, Petrella Carla, Bonci Enea, Papoff Paola, Jorgi di Margherita, Petrarca Laura, Conti Giulia Maria, Barbato Christian, Pietrangeli Alessandra, Fiore Marco*, Midulla Fabio*, Group BROME, Reduced Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Infants Affected by Severe Bronchiolitis, Current Neuropharmacology 2024; 22 (14) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X22999240223153901

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X22999240223153901	Print ISSN 1570-159X
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-6190