Fibroblast growth factor 21

Fibroblast growth factor 21 is a protein that in mammals is encoded by the FGF21 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family and specifically a member of the endocrine subfamily which includes FGF23 and FGF15/19. FGF21 is the primary endogenous agonist of the FGF21 receptor, which is composed of the co-receptors FGF receptor 1 and β-Klotho.

FGF21
Available structures
PDBOrtholog search: PDBe RCSB
Identifiers
AliasesFGF21, fibroblast growth factor 21
External IDsOMIM: 609436 MGI: 1861377 HomoloGene: 10428 GeneCards: FGF21
Orthologs
SpeciesHumanMouse
Entrez

26291

56636

Ensembl

ENSG00000105550

ENSMUSG00000030827

UniProt

Q9NSA1

Q9JJN1

RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_019113

NM_020013

RefSeq (protein)

NP_061986

NP_064397

Location (UCSC)Chr 19: 48.76 – 48.76 MbChr 7: 45.26 – 45.26 Mb
PubMed search
Wikidata
View/Edit HumanView/Edit Mouse

FGF family members possess broad mitogenic and cell survival activities and are involved in a variety of biological processes including embryonic development, cell growth, morphogenesis, tissue repair, tumor growth and invasion. FGFs act through a family of four FGF receptors. Binding is complicated and requires both interaction of the FGF molecule with an FGF receptor and binding to heparin through a heparin binding domain. Endocrine FGFs lack a heparin binding domain and thus can be released into the circulation.

FGF21 is a hepatokine – i.e., a hormone secreted by the liver – that regulates simple sugar intake and preferences for sweet foods via signaling through FGF21 receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and correlates with reduced dopamine neurotransmission within the nucleus accumbens.

A single-nucleotide polymorphism of the FGF21 gene – the FGF21 rs838133 variant (frequency 44.7%) – has been identified as a genetic mechanism responsible for the sweet tooth behavioral phenotype, a trait associated with cravings for sweets and high sugar consumption, in both humans and mice.

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