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Improving hyperglycemic effect of FGF-21 is associated with alleviating inflammatory state in diabetes

Nan Wang1, Tong-Yu Xu2, Xu Zhang1

  • 1Biopharmaceutical Lab, Life Science college, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.

International Immunopharmacology
|February 8, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) effectively lowers blood sugar and reduces inflammation in Type 2 diabetes models. FGF-21 improves glucose metabolism and combats inflammatory responses linked to insulin resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by impaired glucose metabolism and chronic inflammation.
  • Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) is a key metabolic regulator with potential anti-inflammatory properties.
  • The specific impact of FGF-21 on the inflammatory state in diabetes remains largely uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of FGF-21 on hyperglycemia and inflammation in a Type 2 diabetes mouse model.
  • To determine if FGF-21 can ameliorate insulin resistance and improve glucose metabolism in vitro.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized db/db mice as a model for Type 2 diabetes.
  • Administered FGF-21 to assess its impact on serum and white adipose tissue inflammatory markers.
  • Induced insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes using TNF-α for in vitro analysis.
  • Examined the effect of FGF-21 on glucose metabolism and inflammatory gene expression in adipocytes.
  • Investigated the role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in FGF-21's mechanism of action.

Main Results:

  • FGF-21 demonstrated a potent and sustained hypoglycemic effect in db/db mice.
  • Significant reduction in inflammatory markers was observed in both serum and white adipose tissue following FGF-21 treatment.
  • In vitro, FGF-21 repressed the gene expression of inflammatory factors induced by TNF-α, thereby improving glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant adipocytes.
  • FGF-21 enhanced glucose uptake in TNF-α-induced insulin-resistant adipocytes by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Conclusions:

  • FGF-21 exhibits significant hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory effects in the context of Type 2 diabetes.
  • FGF-21 improves glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, partly through the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
  • These findings highlight FGF-21 as a potential therapeutic agent for managing both hyperglycemia and inflammation in Type 2 diabetes.
Keywords:
3T3-L1 adipocytesFGF-21Glucose uptakeInflammationNF-κB

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