FGF21 promotes thermogenic gene expression as an autocrine factor in adipocytes

The contribution of adipose-derived FGF21 to energy homeostasis is unclear. Here we show that browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) by β-adrenergic agonists requires autocrine FGF21 signaling. Adipose-specific deletion of the FGF21 co-receptor β-Klotho renders mice unresponsive to β-adrenergic stimulation. In contrast, mice with liver-specific ablation of FGF21, which eliminates circulating FGF21, remain sensitive to β-adrenergic...