title: Fibroblast growth factor-21 is expressed in neonatal and pheochromocytoma-induced adult human brown adipose tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In rodents, brown (BAT) and white (WAT) adipose tissues are targets and expression sites for fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21). In contrast, human WAT expresses negligible levels of FGF21. We examined FGF21 expression in human BAT samples, including the induced BAT found in adult patients with pheochromocytoma, and interscapular and visceral BAT from newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of FGF21 and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1, a brown adipocyte marker), was determined by quantitative real-time-PCR and immunoblotting. The transcript levels of marker genes for developmentally-programmed BAT (zinc-finger-protein of the cerebellum-1, ZIC1) and inducible-BAT (cluster of differentiation-137, CD137) were also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FGF21 and UCP1 are significantly expressed in visceral adipose tissue from pheochromocytoma patients, but not in visceral fat from healthy individuals. In neonates, FGF21 and UCP1 are both expressed in visceral and interscapular fat, and their expression levels show a significant positive correlation. Marker gene expression profiles suggest that inducible BAT is present in visceral fat from pheochromocytoma patients and neonates, whereas developmentally-programmed BAT is present in neonatal interscapular fat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human BAT, but not WAT, expresses FGF21. The expression of FGF21 is especially high in inducible, also called beige/brite, neonatal BAT, but it is also found in the interscapular, developmentally-programmed, BAT of neonates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Elayne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hondares
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gallego-Escuredo
authors.affiliation: Department of Adipose Tissue Biology, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flachs
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Center for the Study of Obesity-United Hospitals University of Ancona (Politecnica delle Marche), Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frontini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cereijo
authors.affiliation: CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goday
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Center for the Study of Obesity-United Hospitals University of Ancona (Politecnica delle Marche), Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perugini
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Neonatology, General Faculty Hospital and First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kopecky
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giralt
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Center for the Study of Obesity-United Hospitals University of Ancona (Politecnica delle Marche), Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cinti
authors.affiliation: Department of Adipose Tissue Biology, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kopecky
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatologia de la Obesidad y Nutricion, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain. Electronic address: fvillarroya@ub.edu.
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villarroya
mesh_terms: D053330:4-1BB Ligand / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
chemical_list: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C505974:TNFSF9 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; C000604371:UCP1 protein, human; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; C492123:ZIC1 protein, human; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors
keywords: Beige adipocyte; Brite adipocyte; Diabetes; Obesity