• Human BDNF gene contains up to 10 upstream exons that can each be spliced independently to the major BDNF coding exon to form diverse BDNF transcripts. At BDNF gene opposite strand, a nove BDNFOS (BDNS-AS) gene is transcribed in reverse complimentary direction (tail to tail) to produce alternatively spliced natural antisense transcripts (NATs) whose fifth exon (225 bp) overlaps with the protein coding exon of human BDNF gene [1]. 
• BDNFOS gene is primate specific gene that encodes multiple long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) resulted from multiple splicing events from a single promoter, rather than the mostly single splicing events from multiple promoters characteristic of BDNF gene [2] [3]. 
• Inhibition of BDNFOS expression upregulates BDNF mRNA by two- to seven fold, alters chromatin epigenetic marks at the BDNF locus, leads to increased protein levels and induces neuronal outgrowth and differentiation both in vitro and in vivo [4]. 
• Modulation of BDNFOS gene expression at genetic and epigenetic levels might change BDNF associated phenotype, such as obesity in children [5].

References