Impact of short-term high-fat feeding and insulin-stimulated FGF21 levels in subjects with low birth weight and controls

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of short-term high-fat feeding and insulin-stimulated FGF21 levels in subjects with low birth weight and controls

AU - Vienberg, Sara Gry

AU - Brøns, Charlotte

AU - Nilsson, Emma

AU - Astrup, Arne

AU - Vaag, Allan

AU - Andersen, Birgitte Bo

PY - 2012/7

Y1 - 2012/7

N2 - Objective: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic factor involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. However, little is known about the physiological role of FGF21 during a dietary challenge in humans. Research design and methods: Twenty healthy low birth weight (LBW) with known risk of type 2 diabetes and 26 control (normal birth weight (NBW)) young men were subjected to 5 days of high-fat (HF) overfeeding (C50%). Basal and clamp insulin-stimulated serum FGF21 levels were examined before and after the diet, and FGF21 mRNA expression was measured in muscle and fat biopsies respectively. Results: Five days of HF overfeeding diet significantly (P<0.001) increased fasting serum FGF21 levels in both the groups (P<0.001). Furthermore, insulin infusion additionally increased serum FGF21 levels to a similar extent in both the groups. Basal mRNA expression of FGF21 in muscle was near the detection limit and not present in fat in both the groups before and after the dietary challenge. However, insulin significantly (P!0.001) increased FGF21 mRNA in both muscle and fat in both the groups during both diets. Conclusion: Short-term HF overfeeding markedly increased serum FGF21 levels in healthy young men with and without LBW but failed to increase muscle or fat FGF21 mRNA levels. This suggests that the liver may be responsible for the rise of serum FGF21 levels during overfeeding. In contrast, the increase in serum FGF21 levels during insulin infusion may arise from increased transcription in muscle and fat. We speculate that increased serum FGF21 levels during HF overfeeding may be a compensatory response to increase fatty acid oxidation and energy expenditure.

AB - Objective: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic factor involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. However, little is known about the physiological role of FGF21 during a dietary challenge in humans. Research design and methods: Twenty healthy low birth weight (LBW) with known risk of type 2 diabetes and 26 control (normal birth weight (NBW)) young men were subjected to 5 days of high-fat (HF) overfeeding (C50%). Basal and clamp insulin-stimulated serum FGF21 levels were examined before and after the diet, and FGF21 mRNA expression was measured in muscle and fat biopsies respectively. Results: Five days of HF overfeeding diet significantly (P<0.001) increased fasting serum FGF21 levels in both the groups (P<0.001). Furthermore, insulin infusion additionally increased serum FGF21 levels to a similar extent in both the groups. Basal mRNA expression of FGF21 in muscle was near the detection limit and not present in fat in both the groups before and after the dietary challenge. However, insulin significantly (P!0.001) increased FGF21 mRNA in both muscle and fat in both the groups during both diets. Conclusion: Short-term HF overfeeding markedly increased serum FGF21 levels in healthy young men with and without LBW but failed to increase muscle or fat FGF21 mRNA levels. This suggests that the liver may be responsible for the rise of serum FGF21 levels during overfeeding. In contrast, the increase in serum FGF21 levels during insulin infusion may arise from increased transcription in muscle and fat. We speculate that increased serum FGF21 levels during HF overfeeding may be a compensatory response to increase fatty acid oxidation and energy expenditure.

KW - Adipose Tissue

KW - Adult

KW - Blood Glucose

KW - Cross-Over Studies

KW - Diet, High-Fat

KW - Energy Metabolism

KW - Fibroblast Growth Factors

KW - Humans

KW - Hyperphagia

KW - Infant, Low Birth Weight

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Insulin

KW - Insulin Resistance

KW - Male

KW - Muscle, Skeletal

U2 - 10.1530/eje-12-0039

DO - 10.1530/eje-12-0039

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22529197

SN - 0804-4643

VL - 167

SP - 49

EP - 57

JO - European Journal of Endocrinology

JF - European Journal of Endocrinology

IS - 1

ER -