Roles of fibroblast growth factors in the treatment of diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes affects about 422 million people worldwide, causing 1.5 million deaths each year. However, the incidence of diabetes is increasing, including several types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (5%-10% of diabetic cases) and type 2 diabetes (90%-95% of diabetic cases) are the main types of diabetes in the clinic. Accumulating evidence shows that the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family plays important roles in many metabolic disorders, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes. FGF consists of 23 family members (FGF-1-23) in humans. Here, we review current findings of FGFs in the treatment of diabetes and management of diabetic complications. Some FGFs (e.g., FGF-15, FGF-19, and FGF-21) have been broadly investigated in preclinical studies for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, and their therapeutic roles in diabetes are currently under investigation in clinical trials. Overall, the roles of FGFs in diabetes and diabetic complications are involved in numerous processes. First, FGF intervention can prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and reduce the levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides by regulating lipolysis in adipose tissues and hepatic glucose production. Second, modulation of FGF expression can inhibit renal and cardiac fibrosis by regulating the expression of extracellular matrix components, promote diabetic wound healing process and bone repair, and inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration. Finally, FGFs can regulate the activation of glucose-excited neurons and the expression of thermogenic genes.