Upregulation of proBDNF/p75NTR signaling in immune cells and its correlation with inflammatory markers in patients with major depression

Abstract ProBDNF is the precursor protein of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Previous studies showed that the blood levels of both proBDNF and p75 neurotrophic receptors (p75NTR) in major depressive disorder (MDD) were increased, but which blood cell types express proBDNF and its receptors is not known. Furthermore, the relationship between proBDNF/p75NTR and inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood of MDD is unclear. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum were obtained from depressive patients ( n = 32) and normal donors ( n = 20). We examined the expression of proBDNF and inflammatory markers and their correlative relationship in patients with major depression. Using flow cytometry analysis, we examined which blood cells express proBDNF and its receptors. Finally, the role of proBDNF/p75NTR signal in inflammatory immune activity of PBMCs was verified in vitro experiments. Inflammatory cytokines in PBMC from MDD patients were increased and correlated with the major depression scores. The levels of IL‐1β and IL‐10 were also positively correlated with the major depression scores, while the levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6 were negatively correlated with the major depression scores. Intriguingly, the levels of sortilin were positively correlated with IL‐1β. Q‐PCR and Western blots showed proBDNF, p75NTR, and sortilin levels were significantly increased in PBMCs from MDD patients compared with that from the normal donors. Flow cytometry studies showed that proBDNF and p75NTR were present mainly in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. The number of proBDNF and p75NTR positive CD4 + and CD8 + T cells from MDD patients was increased and subsequently reversed after therapeutic management. Exogenous proBDNF protein or p75ECD‐Fc treatment of cultured PBMC affected the release of inflammatory cytokines in vitro. ProBDNF promoted the expression of inflammatory cytokines, while p75ECD‐Fc inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Given there was an inflammatory response of lymphocytes to proBDNF, it is suggested that proBDNF/p75NTR signaling may upstream inflammatory cytokines in MDD. Our data suggest that proBDNF/p75NTR signaling may not only serve as biomarkers but also may be a potential therapeutic target for MDD.