The scarcity of the results obtained for the treatment of obesity leads us to consider new strategies, contemplating all the factors involved in the development of the disease. One of the key molecules for controlling body weight and energy homeostasis is the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This work summarizes the mechanisms in which BDNF gene regulates this multifactorial disease. In addition, we discuss the role of other BDNF polymorphisms as genetic determinants of obesity. In this context, a total of 14 SNPs near or inside BDNF/BDNF-AS related to BMI were identified in various GWASs. Finally, we assess gene-diet interaction as a novel tool to prevent obesity and formulate solid and personalized nutritional management. Our research group has performed the first study on the association of BDNF-AS rs925946 polymorphism and calcium intake as potential modulators of the nutritional status. Although these results should be confirmed in future studies, they open the path for new prevention opportunities.
Keywords: BDNF gene; Gene-diet interaction; Obesity; Single nucleotide polymorphism; rs925946.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.