Upcoming Vi-CaN Meeting
23rd February 2026, 4:00pm
CeMM, 8th floor, Large Seminar Room
FGF21 protects from adipose tissue wasting and
systemic inflammation in cancer cachexia
Besides muscle atrophy, loss of adipose tissue depots is frequently
observed in cancer cachexia (CAC). Adipose tissue atrophy in turn
increases systemic inflammation and insulin resistance, thereby
accelereating whole body catabolism. Using syngeneic murine tumor
models of CAC, we identified fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) as
a thermoneutrality-associated factor that is upregulated in cachectic
mice as well as in human cancer patients with cachexia. Genetic
ablation and pharmacological administration of FGF21 revealed a
protective role for this hepatokine, as FGF21 attenuated adipose
tissue wasting, mitigated systemic inflammation, and improved
muscle glucose handling. Our findings suggest that FGF21 functions
as an endogenous, compensatory endocrine signal with therapeutic
potential to alleviate CAC.
Raimund Oberle performed his PhD at the Max Perutz
Laboratories and did Postdoctoral training at the UKE
Hamburg in translational oncology. Currently he is working at
the Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics at the
Medical University of Vienna. A major research focus of his
laboratory is to elucidate alterations in organ homeostasis,
metabolic regulation and inflammatory processes in cancer
cachexia.
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