Análise da metilação do gene BDNF e a relação com estresse em policiais militares da Grande Vitória - ES
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Data
2025-08-01
Autores
Quaioto, Bárbara Risse
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Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Resumo
Stress is characterized by an imbalance in homeostasis, caused by factors known as stressors, which trigger physiological and psychological responses in the body. Repeated and high-level stress situations can alter the functioning of various bodily systems, compromising both physical and mental health. Due to the multiple adverse conditions faced by military police officers, these professionals have become a key target for scientific research. It is known that chronic stress reduces the activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which impairs several regions critical for the stress response, such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. Moreover, this reduction is associated with the development of mental disorders. Stress can also lead to changes in epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, thereby influencing gene expression. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between BDNF gene methylation and stress in military police officers. To this end, 123 military police officers from the metropolitan region of Greater Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, were recruited for the assessment of socioeconomic factors, health conditions, lifestyle, and stress levels. Blood samples were collected for the extraction of genomic DNA and subsequent analysis of methylation in the promoter region of exon IV of the BDNF gene. A generalized linear model was used to analyze the effect of stress on methylation levels, incorporating potential confounding factors. The results showed that stress was significantly associated with DNA methylation at CpG sites 5, 6, and 11 in exon IV of the BDNF gene, indicating that stress increases the likelihood of higher methylation levels at these sites. In light of these findings, we suggest that stress may act as an environmental pressure factor that modifies BDNF gene methylation. Additionally, the study provides support for public policies focused on stress management, especially for high-risk professionals.
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Epigenética , Estresse , BDNF