C-terminal fragment of fibroblast growth factor 23 improves heart function in murine models of high intact fibroblast growth factor 23

Abstract

There is a strong correlation between cardiovascular morbidity and high circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels, but causality was never proven. We used a murine chronic kidney disease (CKD) model to show that intact FGF23 (iFGF23) is pathogenic and contributes to both CKD progression and cardiomyopathy. Blockade of FGF23 signaling with a natural proteolytic product of iFGF23, C-terminal FGF23, alleviated kidney and cardiac histology, and function in three separate murine models of high endogenous FGF23.