| First Author | Fisher FM | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Genes Dev | Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 271-81 |
| PubMed ID | 22302939 | Mgi Jnum | J:181337 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5311061 | Doi | 10.1101/gad.177857.111 |
| Citation | Fisher FM, et al. (2012) FGF21 regulates PGC-1alpha and browning of white adipose tissues in adaptive thermogenesis. Genes Dev 26(3):271-81 |
| abstractText | Certain white adipose tissue (WAT) depots are readily able to convert to a "brown-like" state with prolonged cold exposure or exposure to beta-adrenergic compounds. This process is characterized by the appearance of pockets of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-positive, multilocular adipocytes and serves to increase the thermogenic capacity of the organism. We show here that fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays a physiologic role in this thermogenic recruitment of WATs. In fact, mice deficient in FGF21 display an impaired ability to adapt to chronic cold exposure, with diminished browning of WAT. Adipose-derived FGF21 acts in an autocrine/paracrine manner to increase expression of UCP1 and other thermogenic genes in fat tissues. FGF21 regulates this process, at least in part, by enhancing adipose tissue PGC-1alpha protein levels independently of mRNA expression. We conclude that FGF21 acts to activate and expand the thermogenic machinery in vivo to provide a robust defense against hypothermia. |
