TY - JOUR
T1 - Circulating neurofilament is linked with morbid obesity, renal function, and brain density
AU - Rebelos, Eleni
AU - Rissanen, Eero
AU - Bucci, Marco
AU - Jääskeläinen, Olli
AU - Honka, Miikka Juhani
AU - Nummenmaa, Lauri
AU - Moriconi, Diego
AU - Laurila, Sanna
AU - Salminen, Paulina
AU - Herukka, Sanna Kaisa
AU - Singhal, Tarun
AU - Nuutila, Pirjo
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was conducted within the Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, supported by the Academy of Finland, the University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Åbo Akademi University, Finnish Diabetes Foundation, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation. ER reports funding from the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Paulo Foundation, the Maud Kuistilan Muistosäätiö, the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation, from the Finnish Medical Foundation and from the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a novel biomarker reflecting neuroaxonal damage and associates with brain atrophy, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a marker of astrocytic activation, associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Since obesity is associated with increased risk for several neurodegenerative disorders, we hypothesized that circulating NfL and GFAP levels could reflect neuronal damage in obese patients. 28 morbidly obese and 18 lean subjects were studied with voxel based morphometry (VBM) MRI to assess gray and white matter densities. Serum NfL and GFAP levels were determined with single-molecule array. Obese subjects were re-studied 6 months after bariatric surgery. Morbidly obese subjects had lower absolute concentrations of circulating NfL and GFAP compared to lean individuals. Following bariatric surgery-induced weight loss, both these levels increased. Both at baseline and after weight loss, circulating NfL and GFAP values correlated inversely with eGFR. Cross-sectionally, circulating NfL levels correlated inversely with gray matter (GM) density, and this association remained significant also when accounting for age and total eGFR. GFAP values did not correlate with GM density. Our data suggest that when determining circulating NfL and GFAP levels, eGFR should also be measured since renal function can affect these measurements. Despite the potential confounding effect of renal function on NfL measurement, NfL correlated inversely with gray matter density in this group of subjects with no identified neurological disorders, suggesting that circulating NfL level may be a feasible biomarker of cerebral function even in apparently neurologically healthy subjects.
AB - Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a novel biomarker reflecting neuroaxonal damage and associates with brain atrophy, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a marker of astrocytic activation, associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Since obesity is associated with increased risk for several neurodegenerative disorders, we hypothesized that circulating NfL and GFAP levels could reflect neuronal damage in obese patients. 28 morbidly obese and 18 lean subjects were studied with voxel based morphometry (VBM) MRI to assess gray and white matter densities. Serum NfL and GFAP levels were determined with single-molecule array. Obese subjects were re-studied 6 months after bariatric surgery. Morbidly obese subjects had lower absolute concentrations of circulating NfL and GFAP compared to lean individuals. Following bariatric surgery-induced weight loss, both these levels increased. Both at baseline and after weight loss, circulating NfL and GFAP values correlated inversely with eGFR. Cross-sectionally, circulating NfL levels correlated inversely with gray matter (GM) density, and this association remained significant also when accounting for age and total eGFR. GFAP values did not correlate with GM density. Our data suggest that when determining circulating NfL and GFAP levels, eGFR should also be measured since renal function can affect these measurements. Despite the potential confounding effect of renal function on NfL measurement, NfL correlated inversely with gray matter density in this group of subjects with no identified neurological disorders, suggesting that circulating NfL level may be a feasible biomarker of cerebral function even in apparently neurologically healthy subjects.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130040524&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-022-11557-2
DO - 10.1038/s41598-022-11557-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 35551210
AN - SCOPUS:85130040524
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 12
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 7841
ER -