Association between Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Levels and Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the beneficial effect of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on metabolic disease, there are concerns about adverse effects on bone metabolism, supported by animal studies. However, a recent human study showed the positive association between serum FGF21 level and bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy premenopausal women. We undertook this study to examine the association between FGF21 level and BMD in healthy postmenopausal Korean women who are susceptible to osteoporosis.MethodsWe used data of 115 participants from a cohort of healthy postmenopausal women (>50 years old) to examine the association between serum FGF21 level and BMD. The clinical characteristics were obtained from the participants, and blood testing and serum FGF21 testing were undertaken. BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip area, and bone markers were used in the analyses.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 60.2±7.2 years. Serum FGF21 levels showed negative correlation with BMD and T-scores in all three areas, but there were no statistically significant differences. Multivariate analyses with adjustment for age and body mass index also did not show significant association between serum FGF21 level and BMD. In addition, serum FGF21 level also showed no correlation with osteocalcin and C-telopeptide levels.ConclusionIn our study, serum FGF21 level showed no significant correlation with BMD and T-scores.

Age‐related bone loss is associated with FGF21 but not IGFBP1 in healthy adults

“…This participant profile differed from earlier studies that were conducted on healthy participants without medications (Lee et al., 2013) or without chronic diseases (Hao et al., 2018) and women with fragility fractures (Hu et al., 2019). The lack of agreement in results could be attributable to differences in lifestyle or samples tested and the inclusion of both sexes in our study, which differed from earlier studies that included only younger (Lee et al., 2013) and older women (Choi et al., 2018; Hu et al., 2019). The independent and opposing associations of age with the higher FGF21 concentration and lower BMD could have contributed to the attenuation of the correlation observed between FGF21 and BMD at the lumbar spine in our study.…”

“…In contrast to our study, the FGF21 concentration was positively correlated with BMD at the spine in healthy younger women (∼34 years old; Lee et al., 2013) and in postmenopausal women (∼69 years old) with fragility fractures (Hu et al., 2019), even after adjusting for age. In contrast, no association was found between the FGF21 concentration and BMD at the spine, hip or femoral neck in postmenopausal women aged ∼60 years (Choi, Lee, Kim, & Cho, 2018). In that study, the FGF21 concentration and BMD were not associated even after adjusting for age, in agreement with our study findings (Choi et al., 2018).…”

“…In contrast, no association was found between the FGF21 concentration and BMD at the spine, hip or femoral neck in postmenopausal women aged ∼60 years (Choi, Lee, Kim, & Cho, 2018). In that study, the FGF21 concentration and BMD were not associated even after adjusting for age, in agreement with our study findings (Choi et al., 2018).…”

Skeletal Muscle and Bone – Emerging Targets of Fibroblast Growth Factor-21

“…Obese humans and non-human primates administered a long-acting FGF21 analog demonstrated increased plasma biomarkers of bone resorption and decreased bone formation, which indicates bone loss (Talukdar et al, 2016;Kim et al, 2017). On the other hand, others have reported no clear correlation of serum FGF21 with BMD and fragility fractures (Choi et al, 2018;Hu et al, 2018). Furthermore, an independent positive association between plasma FGF21 levels and BMD in 40 healthy young women has also been reported (Lee et al, 2013).…”

Exercise habits and ageing health : exploring the associations of FGF21 and lung microbiome in glycaemic regulation, bone health, arterial stiffness and respiratory health

“…These results suggest that FGF21 is associated with the age-related decrease in BMD in healthy adults but that IGFBP1 is unlikely to be involved. Other investigators also report decreases in BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and hip during ageing in both men and women (432,433), with BMD inversely associated with FGF21 concentration in healthy elderly participants aged ~60 years, regardless of sex (346,434). Experimental studies involving FGF21 administration, in both animals and humans, also resulted in lower trabecular bone volume and bone thickness, lower BMD and reduced bone formation (52,348).…”