Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) 19, 21 and 23 are characterized by being endocrinely secreted and require co-receptor α-klotho or β-klotho (BKL) for binding and activation of the FGF receptors (FGFR). FGF15 is the rodent orthologue of human FGF19, but the two proteins share only 52% amino acid identity. Despite the physiological role of FGF21 and FGF19 being quite different, both lower blood glucose (BG) when administered to diabetic mice. The present study was designed to clarify why two human proteins with distinct physiological functions both lower BG in db/db mice and if the mouse orthologue FGF15 has similar effect to FGF19 and FGF21. Recombinant human FGF19, -21 and a mouse FGF15 variant (C110S) were expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. While rhFGF19 (recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 19) and rhFGF21 (recombinant human fibroblast growth factor) bound FGFRs in complex with both human and mouse BKL, rmFGF15CS (recombinant mouse fibroblast growth factor 15 C110S) only bound the FGFRs when combined with mouse BKL. Recombinant hFGF21 and rhFGF19, but not rmFGF15CS, increased glucose uptake in mouse adipocytes, while rhFGF19 and rmFGF15CS potently decreased Cyp7a1 expression in rat hepatocytes. The lack of effect of rmFGF15CS on glucose uptake in adipocytes was associated with rmFGF15CS's inability to signal through the FGFR1c/mouse BKL complex. In db/db mice, only rhFGF19 and rhFGF21 decreased BG while rmFGF15CS and rhFGF19, but not rhFGF21, increased total cholesterol. These data demonstrate receptor- and species-specific differential activity of FGF15 and FGF19 which should be taken into consideration when FGF19 is used as a substitute for FGF15.
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Cover Image
In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, Thomas et al. report on the interaction between AMPK and one of its target proteins TBC1D1. The research shows that the association is AMPK-isoform-specific and that it is disrupted by a mutation linked to obesity. The cover image, taken from the article, shows Western blot analysis of the phosphorylation of transiently expressed GFP-TBC1D1 as well as AMPK and ACC from Flp-In HEK293 cells that stably express FLAG-AMPK-α1 or FLAG-AMPK-α2. For further details, see pages 2969–2983.
Differential receptor selectivity of the FGF15/FGF19 orthologues determines distinct metabolic activities in db/db mice
Ann Maria K. Hansen, Sara G. Vienberg, Kirsten Lykkegaard, Xin Zhao, Guo Tingqing, Dan Han, Xujia Zhang, Henning Thøgersen, Kristian Sass-Ørum, Tina Tagmose, Kirsten Raun, Birgitte Andersen; Differential receptor selectivity of the FGF15/FGF19 orthologues determines distinct metabolic activities in db/db mice. Biochem J 28 September 2018; 475 (18): 2985–2996. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20180555
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