Identification of a novel FGF, FGF-21, preferentially expressed in the liver

We isolated cDNA encoding a novel FGF (210 amino acids) from mouse embryos. As this is the 21st documented FGF, we tentatively term it FGF-21. FGF-21 has a hydrophobic amino terminus (similar to 30 amino acids), which is a ty pical signal sequence, and appears to be a secreted protein. The expression of FGF-21 mRNA in mouse adult tissues was examined by Northern blotting an alysis. FGF-21 mRNA was most abundantly expressed in the liver, and also ex pressed in the thymus at lower levels. We also isolated human cDNA encoding FGF-21 (209 amino acids). Human FGF-21 is highly identical (similar to 75% amino acid identity) to mouse FGF-21. Among human FGF family members, FGF- 21 is most similar (similar to 35% amino acid identity) to FGF-19. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.