Yak FGF12 promotes the proliferation of fibroblasts and longissimus lumborum development

For a considerable period, fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12) was regarded as an intracellularly secreted protein, and with a paucity of research conducted on the effects of FGF12 on cell proliferation. Nevertheless, recent studies have demonstrated that FGF12 can be secreted extracellularly and exhibited bioactive properties. Given the highly conserved motifs characteristic of the FGF family that are present in FGF12, we postulated that it has the potential to stimulate cell proliferation. In this study, we validated the recombinant FGF12 protein's ability to enhance fibroblast proliferation and confer anti-apoptotic properties. The subsequent analyses were conducted using differential gene expression, KEGG pathway, RT-qPCR and Western blotting, which revealed that FGF12 stimulates fibroblast proliferation via the BMP7/Smad signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vivo experimentation with recombinant FGF12 protein revealed its potential to improve growth efficiency, augment blood glucose control and facilitate the development of longissimus lumborum in mice. Collectively, these findings afford novel insights into FGF12's unconventional secretion, its role in regulating cell proliferation, and its promise in promoting muscular development.