Total serum FGF-21 levels positively relate to visceral adiposity differently from its functional intact form

Abstract

ObjectiveIncreased Fibroblast Growth Factor-21 (FGF-21) circulating levels have been described in obesity. In this observational study, we analysed a group of subjects with metabolic disorders to unravel the putative link between visceral adiposity and FGF-21 serum levels.MethodsTotal and intact serum FGF-21 concentration was measured with an ELISA assay respectively in 51 and 46 subjects, comparing FGF-21 levels in dysmetabolic conditions. We also tested Spearman’s correlations between FGF-21 serum levels and biochemical and clinical metabolic parameters.ResultsFGF-21 was not significantly increased in high-risk conditions such as visceral obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes, smoking, and atherosclerosis. Waist Circumference (WC), but not BMI, positively correlated with total FGF-21 levels (r=0.31, p <0.05), while HDL-cholesterol (r=-0.29, p <0.05) and 25-OH Vitamin D (r=-0.32, p <0.05) showed a significant negative correlation with total FGF-21. ROC analysis of FGF-21 in prediction of increased WC, showed that patients with total FGF-21 level over cut-off value of 161.47 pg/mL presented with impaired FPG. Conversely, serum levels of the intact form of FGF-21 did not correlate with WC and other metabolic biomarkers.ConclusionOur newly calculated cut-off for total FGF-21 according to visceral adiposity identified subjects with fasting hyperglycemia. However, waist circumference correlates with total FGF-21 serum levels but does not correlate with intact FGF-21, suggesting that functional FGF-21 does not necessarily relate with obesity and metabolic features.

Thyroid nodule malignancy is associated with increased non-invasive hepatic fibrosis scores in metabolic subjects

“…We previously identified increased visceral adipose tissue and oxidative stress as predisposing conditions to impaired reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a process in which HDL particles are critically involved ( 33 ). In this study, HDL level intriguingly shows significant correlations with FPG and WC only in subjects with benign nodules, while a significant direct correlation with 25-OH vitamin D, as previously reported ( 34 , 35 ), was found only in patients with malignant nodules. On the one hand, the paradoxical uncoupling of cholesterol bioavailability and synthesis has already been shown in cancer cells ( 36 ).…”

Metabolic-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): A New Term for a More Appropriate Therapy in Pediatrics?

“…Another marker is fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21). In fact, data generated from both adult and pediatric cohorts demonstrated that the circulating FGF-21 levels were positively correlated with NAFLD and NASH [ 30 ].…”