title: The circulating metabolic regulator FGF21 is induced by prolonged fasting and PPARalpha activation in man.
abstract: FGF21 is a critical metabolic regulator, pivotal for fasting adaptation and directly regulated by PPARalpha in rodents. However, the physiological role of FGF21 in man is not yet defined and was investigated in our study. Serum FGF21 varied 250-fold among 76 healthy individuals and did not relate to age, gender, body mass index (BMI), serum lipids, or plasma glucose. FGF21 levels had no diurnal variation and were unrelated to bile acid or cholesterol synthesis. Ketosis induced by a 2 day fast or feeding a ketogenic diet (KD) did not influence FGF21 levels, whereas a 74% increase occurred after 7 days of fasting. Hypertriglyceridemic nondiabetic patients had 2-fold elevated FGF21 levels, which were further increased by 28% during fenofibrate treatment. FGF21 circulates in human plasma and increases by extreme fasting and PPARalpha activation. The wide interindividual variation and the induction of ketogenesis independent of FGF21 levels indicate that the physiological role of FGF21 in humans may differ from that in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Molecular Nutrition Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gälman
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lundåsen
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kharitonenkov
authors.forename: Holly A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bina
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Ingiäld
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hafström
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahlin
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amark
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Angelin
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007659:Ketones / Q000378:metabolism; D007662:Ketosis / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D007659:Ketones; D008055:Lipids; D047493:PPAR alpha; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors