Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Exerts its Anti-inflammatory Effects on Multiple Cell Types of Adipose Tissue in Obesity

  • Obesity (Silver Spring). 2019 Mar;27(3):399-408. doi: 10.1002/oby.22376.
Nan Wang  1 ,  Ting-Ting Zhao  2  3 ,  Si-Ming Li  4 ,  Xu Sun  1 ,  Zi-Cheng Li  1 ,  Yan-Hua Li  5 ,  De-Shan Li  1 ,  Wen-Fei Wang  1
Affiliations
  • 1. School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.
  • 2. Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China.
  • 3. Aier Eye Hospital Group, Harbin, China.
  • 4. College of Pharmacy, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China.
  • 5. School of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.
PMID: 30703283 DOI: 10.1002/oby.22376
Abstract

Objective: Obesity-related, chronic, low-grade inflammation has been identified as a key factor in the development of many metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Adipocytes, preadipocytes, and macrophages have been implicated in initiating inflammation in adipose tissue. This study aims to investigate the effects of fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) on obesity-related inflammation and its mechanisms in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was used to induce obesity in mice and subsequently treated the mice with or without FGF-21. Primary adipocytes and stromal vascular fraction cells were isolated from MSG-obesity mice for additional experiments.

Results: Results obtained by ELISA and real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that FGF-21 efficiently ameliorated obesity-related inflammation in MSG-obesity mice. This study demonstrated that preadipocytes and adipocytes responded to anti-inflammatory effects of FGF-21. In vitro, 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes lacking β-klotho did not respond to FGF-21 under glucose uptake. Interestingly, the treatment of 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes with FGF-21 significantly attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response.

Conclusions: Our study showed that FGF-21-induced glucose uptake and FGF-21-related anti-inflammatory effects are mediated by different signaling pathways. Moreover, FGF-21 showed anti-inflammatory effects on preadipocytes; these effects are mediated by the Fibroblast Growth Factor receptor substrate 2/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

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