fibroblast growth factor 21; FGF-21 (FGF21)

Function

• stimulates glucose uptake in differentiated adipocytes via induction of glucose transporter SLC2A1/GLUT1 expression
  • does not induce SLC2A4/GLUT4 expression
• activity requires presence of KLB (coreceptor)
• interacts (via C-terminus) with KLB (beta-klotho)
• interacts with FGFR4
• functions in thymus, in production of T-cells

Structure

• belongs to the heparin-binding growth factors family

Compartment

secreted (putative)

Expression

• expressed by the liver in mice
• expressed by thymic epithelial cells

Pathology

• high plasma FGF21 found in patients with type 2 diabetes

Laboratory

• serum FGF21 may be biomarker for risk of type 2 diabetes

Comparative biology

• secreted by the liver in response to starvation in mice
• inhibition of histone deacetylase 3 stimulates expression of FGF-21 in mice
• increases insulin sensitivity in mice
• inhibits IGF-1 in mice
• stimulates ketone body production in mammals
• transgenic mice overexpressing of FGF21 show increased mean life span in mice (30% males, 40% females) without reducing food intake
  • maximum life span also likely increased
• overexpression of FGF21 in mice prevents thymic lipoatrophy
• FGF21 inhibits alcohol drinking by acting on the brain
  • beta-klotho is a coreceptor for FGF21 & defects increase appetite of mice for alcohol

More general terms

• fibroblast growth factor

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=26291
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:26291
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/609436
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9NSA1.html