Human FSTL3 peptide

Background. Rodent models suggest that follistatin-like 3 (fstl3) is associated with diabetes and obesity. In humans, plasma fstl3 is reduced with gestational diabetes. In vitro, TNF-alpha induces fstl3 secretion, which suggests a link to inflammation. Objective. To elucidate the association between plasma fstl3 and obesity, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation in humans. Study Design. Plasma fstl3 levels were determined in a cross-sectional study including three groups: patients with type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and healthy controls. In addition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TNF-alpha, or interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp were used to examine if plasma fstl3 was acutely regulated in humans. Results. Plasma fstl3 was increased in obese subjects independent of glycemic state. Moreover, plasma fstl3 was positively correlated with fat mass, plasma leptin, fasting insulin, and HOMA B and negatively with HOMA S. Furthermore plasma fstl3 correlated positively with plasma TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels. Infusion of LPS and TNF-alpha but not IL-6 and insulin, increased plasma fstl3 in humans. Conclusion. Plasma fstl3 is increased in obese subjects and associated with fat mass and low-grade inflammation. Furthermore, TNF-alpha increased plasma fstl3, suggesting that TNF-alpha is one of the inflammatory drivers of increased systemic levels of fstl3.

Follistatin (FST)-type proteins are important antagonists of some members of the large TGF-beta family of cytokines. These include myostatin, an important negative regulator of muscle growth, and the closely related activin A, which is involved in many physiological functions, including maintenance of a normal reproductive axis. FST-type proteins, including FST and FST-like 3 (FSTL3), differentially inhibit various TGF-beta family ligands by binding each ligand with two FST-type molecules. In this study, we sought to examine features that are important for ligand antagonism by FST-type proteins. Previous work has shown that a modified construct consisting of the FST N-terminal domain (ND) followed by two repeating follistatin domains (FSD), herein called FST ND-FSD1-FSD1, exhibits strong specificity for myostatin over activin A. Using cell-based assays, we show that FST ND-FSD1-FSD1 is unique in its specificity for myostatin as compared with similar constructs containing domains from FSTL3 and that the ND is critical to its activity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FSD3 of FST provides affinity to ligand inhibition and confers resistance to perturbations in the ND and FSD2, likely through the interaction of FSD3 of one FST molecule with the ND of the other FST molecule. Additionally, our data suggest that this contact provides cooperativity to ligand antagonism. Cross-linking studies show that this interaction also potentiates formation of 1: 2 ligand-FST complexes, whereas lack of FSD3 allows formation of 1: 1 complexes. Altogether, these studies support that domain differences generate FST-type molecules that are each uniquely suited ligand antagonists. (Molecular Endocrinology 26: 1167-1178, 2012)