Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been identified as an important regulator of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, which plays an important role for metabolic regulation, particularly under conditions of energy deprivation or stress conditions. Dairy cows are subjected to a negative energy balance and various kinds of stress particularly during the periparturient phase and during early lactation. It has been shown that the plasma concentration of FGF21 in dairy cows is dramatically increased at parturition and remains high during the first weeks of lactation. This finding suggests that FGF21 might exert similar functions in dairy cows than in other species, such as mice or humans. However, the role of FGF21 in dairy cows has been less investigated so far. Following a brief summary of the previous findings about the function of FGF21 in humans and mice, the present review aims to present the current state of knowledge about the role of FGF21 in dairy cows. The first part of the review deals with the tissue localization of FGF21 and with conditions leading to an upregulation of FGF21 expression in the liver of dairy cows. In the second part, the influence of nutrition on FGF21 expression and the role of FGF21 for metabolic diseases in dairy cows is addressed. In the third part, findings of exogenous FGF21 application on metabolism in dairy cows are reported. Finally, the potential relevance of FGF21 in dairy cows is discussed. It is concluded that FGF21 might be of great importance for metabolic adaptation to negative energy balance and stress conditions in dairy cows. However, further studies are needed for a better understanding of the functions of FGF21 in dairy cows.
Highlights
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been recognized as a novel metabolic regulator playing fundamental roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism [1]
Studies in mice and humans have shown that FGF21 plays an important role in metabolic adaptation during states of energy deprivation or various conditions of stress
A key function of FGF21 is to increase the availability of energy substrates to cope with conditions of energy deprivation or stress [4]
Summary
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been recognized as a novel metabolic regulator playing fundamental roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism [1]. These investigators observed that FGF21 expression in the liver of dairy cows is upregulated during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation. Based on studies in mice, it can be assumed that induction of hepatic FGF21 gene expression is primarily caused by the energy deprivation during early lactation, which causes a stimulation of lipolysis in WAT and an increase of plasma NEFA concentration.
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