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Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Preparation and Metabolic Assay of 3-dimensional Spheroid Co-cultures of Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Fibroblasts
Published on: August 23, 2017
Fibroblast Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 (FGFBP3) impacts carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
Elena Tassi1, Khalid A Garman1, Marcel O Schmidt1
1Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
Abstract:
Secreted FGF binding proteins (FGFBP) mobilize locally-acting paracrine FGFs from their extracellular storage. Here, we report that FGFBP3 (BP3) modulates fat and glucose metabolism in mouse models of metabolic syndrome. BP3 knockout mice exhibited altered lipid metabolism pathways with reduced hepatic and serum triglycerides. In obese mice the expression of exogenous BP3 reduced hyperglycemia, hepatosteatosis and weight gain, blunted de novo lipogenesis in liver and adipose tissues, increased circulating adiponectin and decreased NEFA. The BP3 protein interacts with endocrine FGFs through its C-terminus and thus enhances their signaling. We propose that BP3 may constitute a new therapeutic to reverse the pathology associated with metabolic syndrome that includes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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