Roles of FGF21 and irisin in obesity-related diabetes and pancreatic diseases

Abstract

Abstract. In the past decades, skeletal muscle has become the focus of numerous studies due to its potential physiological role as an endocrine organ secreting hundreds of myokines. Among these myokines, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and irisin are novel hormone polypeptides sending signals to regulate the function of specific organs, like skeletal muscle, liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue. Both hormones have been reported to normalize glucose, improve insulin resistance, and promote lipid homeostasis, thereby preventing the development of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. Besides preserving pancreatic β-cell functions, FGF21 also protects pancreatic acini from inflammation and reduces proteotoxic stress via facilitating digestive enzyme secretion. Meanwhile, irisin is found to inhibit the pancreatic cancer cell growth as well. This review attempts to focus on the current knowledge of FGF21 and irisin and their effective roles in pancreas including pancreatic β- and acinar cells under various physiological conditions, its anti-diabetic actions, and the clinical implications.