Abstract
Background and AimsFibroblasts growth factor 21 (FGF21), a liver-secreted endocrine factor involved in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, has been shown to be elevated in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative correlation between serum FGF21 level and hepatic fat content.MethodsA total of 138 subjects (72 male and 66 female) aged from 18 to 65 years with abnormal glucose metabolism and B-ultrasonography diagnosed fatty liver were enrolled in the study. Serum FGF21 levels were determined by an in-house chemiluminescence immunoassay and hepatic fat contents were measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.ResultsSerum FGF21 increased progressively with the increase of hepatic fat content, but when hepatic fat content increased to the fourth quartile, FGF21 tended to decline. Serum FGF21 concentrations were positively correlated with hepatic fat content especially in subjects with mild/moderate hepatic steatosis (r = 0.276, p = 0.009). Within the range of hepatic steatosis from the first to third quartile, FGF21 was superior to any other traditional clinical markers including ALT to reflect hepatic fat content. When the patients with severe hepatic steatosis (the fourth quartile) were included, the quantitative correlation between FGF21 and hepatic fat content was weakened.ConclusionsSerum FGF21 was a potential biomarker to reflect the hepatic fat content in patients with mild or moderate NAFLD. In severe NAFLD patients, FGF21 concentration might decrease due to liver inflammation or injury.
Highlights
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) belongs to a distinct ‘‘endocrine’’ subgroup within the FGF superfamily, consisting of FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23 [1,2,3]
We demonstrated the close association of serum FGF21 concentrations with intrahepatic fat content in 138 patients with abnormal glucose metabolism and with B ultrasound-diagnosed hepatic steatosis, whose hepatic fat content were distributed in a large range (2.47%–81.95%)
To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show the quantitative correlation between serum FGF21 concentrations and hepatic fat content measured by 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H MRS) in patients with impaired glucose metabolism
Summary
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) belongs to a distinct ‘‘endocrine’’ subgroup within the FGF superfamily, consisting of FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23 [1,2,3]. FGF21 is predominantly synthesized in liver, where it is induced by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, PPARa [5]and PPARc [6]. Elevated FGF21 in liver can induce gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis in the context of prolonged fasting and starvation [12]. FGF21 has been shown to be an important protective factor against various glucose and lipid metabolic disorders in animal models [13,14,15]. FGF21 activates glucose uptake in adipocytes and protectes animals from diet-induced obesity [13]. Fibroblasts growth factor 21 (FGF21), a liver-secreted endocrine factor involved in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, has been shown to be elevated in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative correlation between serum FGF21 level and hepatic fat content
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