title: Physiological and Pharmacological Roles of FGF21 in Cardiovascular Diseases.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most severe diseases in clinics. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is regarded as an important metabolic regulator playing a therapeutic role in diabetes and its complications. The heart is a key target as well as a source of FGF21 which is involved in heart development and also induces beneficial effects in CVDs. Our review is to clarify the roles of FGF21 in CVDs. Strong evidence showed that the development of CVDs including atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, myocardial ischemia, cardiac hypertrophy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy is associated with serum FGF21 levels increase which was regarded as a compensatory response to induced cardiac protection. Furthermore, administration of FGF21 suppressed the above CVDs. Mechanistic studies revealed that FGF21 induced cardiac protection likely by preventing cardiac lipotoxicity and the associated oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Normally, FGF21 induced therapeutic effects against CVDs via activation of the above kinases-mediated pathways by directly binding to the FGF receptors of the heart in the presence of β-klotho. However, recently, growing evidence showed that FGF21 induced beneficial effects on peripheral organs through an indirect way mediated by adiponectin. Therefore whether adiponectin is also involved in FGF21-induced cardiac protection still needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Fangfang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Lechu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Xiufei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Luqing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Xiaokun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Xuemian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; Kosair Children Hospital Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: The Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Ruian Center of the Chinese-American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325200, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D058065:Diabetic Cardiomyopathies / Q000378:metabolism*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors