α‐Lipoic acid up‐regulates gene expression but reduces protein levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 in HepG2 cells

Abstract

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolism-regulating hepatokine, and its expression is finely controlled by the nutrients and cellular stressors. α-Lipoic acid (ALA) regulates fuel metabolism as a nutrient, but it also arouses mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as well as oxidative stress in hepatocytes. However, the role of cellular stress in ALA-regulated FGF21