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Nociti. Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2020;7:291-9 Neuroimmunology
DOI: 10.20517/2347-8659.2020.25 and Neuroinflammation

Review Open Access

What is the role of Brain derived neurotrophic factor
in Multiple Sclerosis neuroinflammation?

Viviana Nociti 1,2

1 Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Rome 00168,
Italy.
2 Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome 00168, Italy.

Correspondence to: Dr. Viviana Nociti, Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario
“A. Gemelli” IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy; Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
E-mail: viviana.nociti@policlinicogemelli.it

How to cite this article: Nociti V. What is the role of Brain derived neurotrophic factor in Multiple Sclerosis neuroinflammation?
Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2020;7:291-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-8659.2020.25

Received: 23 Mar 2020 First Decision: 16 Jun 2020 Revised: 26 Jun 2020 Accepted: 7 Jul 2020 Available online: 15 Aug 2020
Academic Editor: Roberta Magliozzi Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS)
with an unknown etiology. The MS pathophysiology is due to altered bidirectional interactions between several
immune cell types in the periphery (such as T and B cells, myeloid cells) and resident CNS cells (such as microglia
and astrocytes). It is also known that inflammatory responses have both detrimental and neuroprotective effects.
The release of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by immune cells, in both peripheral blood and into
inflammatory lesions in MS, but also by microglia and astrocytes, into the CNS, seems to be a possible mechanism
for this neuroprotective effect. So far, the link between BDNF and neuroinflammation has been poorly investigated.
A better understanding of this link could help in the development of new therapeutic strategies for MS. In this
review, the role of BDNF in MS will be discussed as well as its possible alternative as an innovative therapeutic
target.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, neuroinflammation, brain derived neurotrophic factor, neuroprotection, neurotrophin,
therapeutic target

INTRODUCTION
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system
[1,2]
(CNS) of which the etiology is unknown. The clinical course of MS is characterized by fluctuating
© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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