Author
Amy M. Ford
Bio: Amy M. Ford is an academic researcher from Eli Lilly and Company. The author has contributed to research in topics: FGF21 & Transgene. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 4 publications receiving 2263 citations.
Papers
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TL;DR: It is concluded that FGF-21, which was discovered to be a potent regulator of glucose uptake in mouse 3T3-L1 and primary human adipocytes, exhibits the therapeutic characteristics necessary for an effective treatment of diabetes.
Abstract: Diabetes mellitus is a major health concern, affecting more than 5% of the population. Here we describe a potential novel therapeutic agent for this disease, FGF-21, which was discovered to be a potent regulator of glucose uptake in mouse 3T3-L1 and primary human adipocytes. FGF-21-transgenic mice were viable and resistant to diet-induced obesity. Therapeutic administration of FGF-21 reduced plasma glucose and triglycerides to near normal levels in both ob/ob and db/db mice. These effects persisted for at least 24 hours following the cessation of FGF-21 administration. Importantly, FGF-21 did not induce mitogenicity, hypoglycemia, or weight gain at any dose tested in diabetic or healthy animals or when overexpressed in transgenic mice. Thus, we conclude that FGF-21, which we have identified as a novel metabolic factor, exhibits the therapeutic characteristics necessary for an effective treatment of diabetes.
1,921 citations
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TL;DR: Angptl3 and Angptl4 function to regulate circulating triglyceride levels during different nutritional states and therefore play a role in lipid metabolism during feeding/fasting through differential inhibition of LPL.
Abstract: Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key regulator of triglyceride clearance. Its coordinated regulation during feeding and fasting is critical for maintaining lipid homeostasis and energy supply. Angiopoietin-like (Angptl)3 and Angptl4 are secreted proteins that have been demonstrated to regulate triglyceride metabolism by inhibiting LPL. We have taken a targeted genetic approach to generate Angptl4- and Angptl3-deficient mice as well as transgenic mice overexpressing human Angptl4 in the liver. The Angptl4 transgenic mice displayed elevated plasma triglycerides and reduced postheparin plasma (PHP) LPL activity. A purified recombinant Angptl4 protein inhibited mouse LPL and recombinant human LPL activity in vitro. In contrast to the transgenic mice, Angptl4-deficient mice displayed hypotriglyceridemia and increased PHP LPL activity, with greater effects in the fasted compared with the fed state. Angptl3-deficient mice also displayed hypotriglyceridemia with elevated PHP LPL activity, but these mice showed a greater effect in the fed state. Mice deficient in both Angptl proteins showed an additive effect on plasma triglycerides and did not survive past 2 months of age. Our results show that Angptl3 and Angptl4 function to regulate circulating triglyceride levels during different nutritional states and therefore play a role in lipid metabolism during feeding/fasting through differential inhibition of LPL.
405 citations
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TL;DR: LY2405319 exhibited all the biopharmaceutical and biological properties required for initiation of a clinical program designed to test the hypothesis that administration of exogenous FGF21 would result in effects on disease-related metabolic parameters in humans.
Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor 21 is a novel hormonal regulator with the potential to treat a broad variety of metabolic abnormalities, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hepatic steatosis, and cardiovascular disease. Human recombinant wild type FGF21 (FGF21) has been shown to ameliorate metabolic disorders in rodents and non-human primates. However, development of FGF21 as a drug is challenging and requires re-engineering of its amino acid sequence to improve protein expression and formulation stability. Here we report the design and characterization of a novel FGF21 variant, LY2405319. To enable the development of a potential drug product with a once-daily dosing profile, in a preserved, multi-use formulation, an additional disulfide bond was introduced in FGF21 through Leu118Cys and Ala134Cys mutations. FGF21 was further optimized by deleting the four N-terminal amino acids, His-Pro-Ile-Pro (HPIP), which was subject to proteolytic cleavage. In addition, to eliminate an O-linked glycosylation site in yeast a Ser167Ala mutation was introduced, thus allowing large-scale, homogenous protein production in Pichia pastoris. Altogether re-engineering of FGF21 led to significant improvements in its biopharmaceutical properties. The impact of these changes was assessed in a panel of in vitro and in vivo assays, which confirmed that biological properties of LY2405319 were essentially identical to FGF21. Specifically, subcutaneous administration of LY2405319 in ob/ob and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice over 7–14 days resulted in a 25–50% lowering of plasma glucose coupled with a 10–30% reduction in body weight. Thus, LY2405319 exhibited all the biopharmaceutical and biological properties required for initiation of a clinical program designed to test the hypothesis that administration of exogenous FGF21 would result in effects on disease-related metabolic parameters in humans.
145 citations
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TL;DR: The results indicate that addition of TPN to CLP provides a clinically relevant animal model of critical illness with associated hyperglycemia that may provide utility for the testing of glucoregulatory and other therapeutic modalities.
37 citations
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TL;DR: This work provides a current view of how mitochondrial functions impinge on health and disease and identifies mitochondrial dysfunction as a key factor in a myriad of diseases, including neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders.
2,266 citations
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TL;DR: Many genes and pathways that regulate brown and beige adipocyte biology have now been identified, providing a variety of promising therapeutic targets for metabolic disease.
Abstract: Adipose tissue, best known for its role in fat storage, can also suppress weight gain and metabolic disease through the action of specialized, heat-producing adipocytes. Brown adipocytes are located in dedicated depots and express constitutively high levels of thermogenic genes, whereas inducible 'brown-like' adipocytes, also known as beige cells, develop in white fat in response to various activators. The activities of brown and beige fat cells reduce metabolic disease, including obesity, in mice and correlate with leanness in humans. Many genes and pathways that regulate brown and beige adipocyte biology have now been identified, providing a variety of promising therapeutic targets for metabolic disease.
1,842 citations
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TL;DR: It is shown that a previously undescribed receptor conversion by Klotho, a senescence-related molecule, generates the FGF23 receptor, and insights into the diversity and specificity of interactions between FGF and FGF receptors are provided.
Abstract: FGF23 is a unique member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family because it acts as a hormone that derives from bone and regulates kidney functions, whereas most other family members are thought to regulate various cell functions at a local level. The renotropic activity of circulating FGF23 indicates the possible presence of an FGF23-specific receptor in the kidney. Here we show that a previously undescribed receptor conversion by Klotho, a senescence-related molecule, generates the FGF23 receptor. Using a renal homogenate, we found that Klotho binds to FGF23. Forced expression of Klotho enabled the high-affinity binding of FGF23 to the cell surface and restored the ability of a renal cell line to respond to FGF23 treatment. Moreover, FGF23 incompetence was induced by injecting wild-type mice with an anti-Klotho monoclonal antibody. Thus, Klotho is essential for endogenous FGF23 function. Because Klotho alone seemed to be incapable of intracellular signalling, we searched for other components of the FGF23 receptor and found FGFR1(IIIc), which was directly converted by Klotho into the FGF23 receptor. Thus, the concerted action of Klotho and FGFR1(IIIc) reconstitutes the FGF23 receptor. These findings provide insights into the diversity and specificity of interactions between FGF and FGF receptors.
1,689 citations
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TL;DR: Traditional applications of recombinant FGFs and small-molecule FGF receptor kinase inhibitors in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease and their emerging potential in thetreatment of metabolic syndrome and hypophosphataemic diseases are discussed.
Abstract: The family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) regulates a plethora of developmental processes, including brain patterning, branching morphogenesis and limb development. Several mitogenic, cytoprotective and angiogenic therapeutic applications of FGFs are already being explored, and the recent discovery of the crucial roles of the endocrine-acting FGF19 subfamily in bile acid, glucose and phosphate homeostasis has sparked renewed interest in the pharmacological potential of this family. This Review discusses traditional applications of recombinant FGFs and small-molecule FGF receptor kinase inhibitors in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease and their emerging potential in the treatment of metabolic syndrome and hypophosphataemic diseases.
1,655 citations
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TL;DR: Standardized procedures for inducing sepsis in mice and rats are defined by applying defined severity grades of sepsi through modulation of the position of cecal ligation.
Abstract: Sepsis remains a prevalent clinical challenge and the underlying pathophysiology is still poorly understood. To investigate the complex molecular mechanisms of sepsis, various animal models have been developed, the most frequently used being the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model in rodents. In this model, sepsis originates from a polymicrobial infectious focus within the abdominal cavity, followed by bacterial translocation into the blood compartment, which then triggers a systemic inflammatory response. A requirement of this model is that it is performed with high consistency to obtain reproducible results. Evidence is now emerging that the accompanying inflammatory response varies with the severity grade of sepsis, which is highly dependent on the extent of cecal ligation. In this protocol, we define standardized procedures for inducing sepsis in mice and rats by applying defined severity grades of sepsis through modulation of the position of cecal ligation. The CLP procedure can be performed in as little as 10 min for each animal by an experienced user, with additional time required for subsequent postoperative care and data collection.
1,480 citations