FGF21 functions as a sensitive biomarker of APAP-treated patients and mice

// Rong Li 1, * , Chao Guo 2, * , Xinmou Wu 4 , Zhaoquan Huang 1, 3 and Jian Chen 1 1 Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Microenvironmental Regulation, Guilin Medical University, Guangxi, Guilin 541004, PR China 2 Department of Pharmacy, Guigang City People’s Hospital, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guigang, Guangxi 537100, PR China 3 Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guangxi, Guilin 541004, PR China 4 Department of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi, Nanning 530021, PR China * These authors share senior authorship Correspondence to: Jian Chen, email: chjian80726@163.com Zhaoquan Huang, email: hospital_huang@126.com Keywords: acetaminophen, liver impairment, biomarker, FGF21 Received: January 25, 2017 Accepted: May 06, 2017 Published: May 18, 2017 ABSTRACT Acetaminophen (APAP) is a common medication that induces hepatocellular damage in a time- or dose-dependent manner. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) exerts a series of biological effects, including cellular repair. Compared to clinical diagnosis parameters, we aimed to evaluate whether FGF21 can serve as a sensitive biomarker for APAP-induced liver impairment. In the present study, we discussed comparable data from APAP-treated patients and parallelly established APAP-exposed mice for investigation. The resulting human serological data showed that APAP-treated patients have a visible reduction of FGF21 expression in undetected liver impairment of clinical diagnosis. In the animal study, APAP-exposed livers exhibited normal metabolic functions and liver functions, as revealed by biochemical test and histopathological examination. Endogenous FGF21 concentrations in APAP-treated mice were decreased in sera and liver cells. Moreover, comparable immunoassay data showed that hepatocellular FGF21 expression was reduced in a time-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings elucidate the involvement of abnormal FGF21 expression in early APAP-induced liver impairment. Interestingly, FGF21 may be a promising biomarker of APAP-exposed livers.