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Pediatrics

Circulating FGF19 and FGF21 surge in early infancy from infra- to supra-adult concentrations

International Journal of Obesity volume 39, pages 742–746 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objective:

Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) and 21 (FGF21) have been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults. We assessed the circulating concentrations of these factors in human neonates and infants, and their association with the endocrine–metabolic changes associated to prenatal growth restraint.

Subjects/Methods:

Circulating FGF19 and FGF21, selected hormones (insulin, insulin-like growth factor I and high- molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin) and body composition (absorptiometry) were assessed longitudinally in 44 infants born appropriate- (AGA) or small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Measurements were performed at 0, 4 and 12 months in AGA infants; at 0 and 4 months in SGA infants; and cross-sectionally in 11 first-week AGA newborns.

Results:

Circulating FGF19 and FGF21 surged >10-fold in early infancy from infra- to supra-adult concentrations, the FGF19 surge appearing slower and more pronounced than the FGF21 surge. Whereas the FGF21 surge was of similar magnitude in AGA and SGA infants, FGF19 induction was significantly reduced in SGA infants. In AGA and SGA infants, cord-blood FGF21 and serum FGF19 at 4 months showed a positive correlation with HMW adiponectin (r=0.49, P=0.013; r=0.43, P=0.019, respectively).

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that these early FGF19 and FGF21 surges are of a physiological relevance that warrants further delineation and that may extend beyond infancy.

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Acknowledgements

DS-I is an Investigator of the Sara Borrell Fund from Carlos III National Institute of Health, Spain. MD and LI are Clinical Investigators of CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas, www.ciberdem.org). FdZ is a Clinical Investigator supported by the Clinical Research Council of the University Hospital Leuven. FV is an Investigator of CIBEROBN (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición). This study was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF 2011-23636), Recercaixa, Instituto de Salud Carlos III and by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), Madrid, Spain (PI11/0443).

Author Contributions

DS-I contributed to the design and acquisition of data and drafted the manuscript; JMG-E contributed to data acquisition and helped in writing the manuscript; MD, GA and GS contributed to data acquisition and reviewed the manuscript; AL-B contributed to data acquisition and to discussion of the paper; FdZ and FV contributed to interpretation of the data and reviewed the manuscript; PD contributed to data acquisition; LI contributed to conception and the interpretation of data and reviewed the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology Unit, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    D Sánchez-Infantes, M Díaz, G Sebastiani & L Ibáñez

  2. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain

    D Sánchez-Infantes, M Díaz, G Sebastiani & L Ibáñez

  3. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    J M Gallego-Escuredo & F Villarroya

  4. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain

    J M Gallego-Escuredo & F Villarroya

  5. Department of Medicine & Surgery, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Tarragona, Spain

    G Aragonés

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

    A López-Bermejo

  7. Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

    A López-Bermejo

  8. Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    F de Zegher

  9. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    P Domingo

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  1. D Sánchez-Infantes
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  2. J M Gallego-Escuredo
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  5. G Sebastiani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L Ibáñez.

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Sánchez-Infantes, D., Gallego-Escuredo, J., Díaz, M. et al. Circulating FGF19 and FGF21 surge in early infancy from infra- to supra-adult concentrations. Int J Obes 39, 742–746 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2015.2

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