RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 FGF21 regulates melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes via ERK1/2-Mediated MITF downregulation JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 147082 DO 10.1101/147082 A1 Ruiwei Wang A1 Tianzhi Chen A1 Bingling Zhao A1 Ruiwen Fan A1 Kaiyuan Ji A1 Xiuju Yu A1 Xianjun Wang A1 Changsheng Dong YR 2017 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/07/147082.abstract AB Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is known as a metabolic regulator to regulate the metabolism of glucose and lipids. However, the underlying mechanism of FGF21 on melanin synthesis remains unknown. Therefore, the current study investigates the effect of FGF21 on melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes. We transfected the FGF21 into alpaca melanocytes, then detected the melanin contents, protein and mRNA levels of pigmentation-related genes in order to determine the melanogenesis-regulating pathway of FGF21. The results showed that FGF21 overexpression suppressed melanogenesis and decreased the expression of the major target genes termed microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and its downstream genes, including tyrosinase (TYR) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2). However FGF21 increased the expression of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-Erk1/2). In contrast, FGF21-siRNA, a small interference RNA mediating FGF21 silencing, abolished the inhibition of melanogenesis. Altogether, FGF21 may decrease melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes via ERK activation and subsequent MITF downregulation, which is then followed by the suppression of melanogenic enzymes and melanin production.