Abstract
The CACNA1C gene encodes the pore-forming alpha-1c subunit of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels. The calcium influx through these channels regulates the transcription of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Polymorphisms in this gene have been consistently associated with psychiatric disorders, and alterations in BDNF levels are a possible biological mechanism to explain such associations. Here, we sought to investigate the effect of the CACNA1C rs1006737 and rs4765913 polymorphisms and their haplotypes on serum BDNF concentration. We further aim to investigate the regulatory function of these SNPs and the ones linked to them. The study enrolled 641 young adults (362 women and 279 men) in a cross-sectional population-based survey. Linear regression was used to test the effects of polymorphisms and haplotypes on BDNF levels adjusted for potential confounders. Moreover, regulatory putative functional roles were assessed using in silico approach. BDNF levels were not associated with CACNA1C polymorphisms/haplotype in the total sample. When the sample was stratified by sex, checking the effect of polymorphisms on men and women separately, the A-allele of rs4765913 was associated with lower BDNF levels in women compared with the TT genotype (p = 0.010). The AA (rs1006737–rs4765913) haplotype was associated with BDNF levels in opposite directions regarding sex, with lower levels of BDNF in women (p = 0.040) compared to those without this haplotype, while with higher levels in men (p = 0.027). These findings were supported by the presence of regulatory marks only on the male fetal brain. Our results suggest that the BDNF levels regulation may be a potential mechanism underpinning the association between CACNA1C and psychiatric disorders, with a differential role in women and men.
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Data Availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the assistance of our research team. The authors are grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES), and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) for their research fellowships.
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The study was supported by PRONEX-FAPERGS (08/2009 – Pronex, Grant Number 10/0055-0).
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The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil (Protocol Number 2010/15), and carried out in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Bastos, C.R., Xavier, J., Camerini, L. et al. BDNF Levels According to Variations in the CACNA1C Gene: Sex-Based Disparity. Cell Mol Neurobiol 43, 357–366 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-022-01189-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-022-01189-5