Fgf1, also known as acidic FGF (aFGF), is involved in the regulation of various biological processes, from development to disease pathogenesis. It is a single-chain polypeptide highly expressed in adult brain and kidney tissues. Fgf1 can regulate fatty acid homeostasis by suppressing adipose lipolysis through the FGF1/PDE4 pathway, and is also associated with metabolic regulation and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in multiple tissues [1,2,4].

Fgf1 knockout mice exposed to a high-fat diet show an aggressive diabetic phenotype along with aberrant adipose tissue expansion, indicating its role in diabetes-related metabolic regulation [2]. In addition, in models of diabetic cardiomyopathy, the decrease in serum FGF1 levels is positively correlated with fraction shortening, and treatment with a FGF1 variant (FGF1∆HBS) can prevent diabetes-induced cardiac injury [3].

In conclusion, Fgf1 plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic processes, especially in relation to diabetes and related complications. Studies using gene knockout mouse models have revealed its importance in maintaining normal adipose-hepatic glucose production axis and protecting the heart from diabetes-induced damage, providing potential therapeutic targets for diabetes and its associated cardiomyopathy.