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Adipose Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Is Up-Regulated by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor and Altered Metabolic States

Departments of Molecular Profiling (E.S.M, J.R.T, K.K.W) and Metabolic Disorders (B.A., D.W.K., M.E.-S., X.Y., J.M., J.P.B.), Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey; and Department of Informatics, Rosetta Inpharmatics LLC, Seattle, Washington (Y.T.)

Adipose tissue is a metabolically responsive endocrine organ that secretes a myriad of adipokines. Antidiabetic drugs such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists target adipose tissue gene expression and correct hyperglycemia via whole-body insulin sensitization. The mechanism by which altered gene expression in adipose tissue affects liver and muscle insulin sensitivity (and thus glucose homeostasis) is not fully understood. One possible mechanism involves the alteration in adipokine secretion, in particular the up-regulation of secreted factors that increase whole-body insulin sensitivity. Here, we report the use of transcriptional profiling to identify genes encoding for secreted proteins the expression of which is regulated by PPAR agonists. Of the 379 genes robustly regulated by two structurally distinct PPAR agonists in the epididymal white adipose tissue (EWAT) of db/db mice, 33 encoded for known secreted proteins, one of which was FGF21. Although FGF21 was recently reported to be up-regulated in cultured adipocytes by PPAR agonists and in liver by PPAR agonists and induction of ketotic states, we demonstrate that the protein is transcriptionally up-regulated in adipose tissue in vivo by PPAR agonist treatment and under a variety of physiological conditions, including fasting and high fat diet feeding. In addition, we found that circulating levels of FGF21 protein were increased upon treatment with PPAR agonists and under ketogenic states. These results suggest a role for FGF21 in mediating the antidiabetic activities of PPAR agonists.

Address correspondence to: Kenny K. Wong, Merck Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. E-mail: kenny_wong{at}merck.com